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Background: Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) is recognised by chronic deposition of abnormal pseudoexfoliation material on anterior segment structures of the eye, especially the anterior lens capsule. In recent years, several studies have shown the presence of vascular, cardiac and other organ pseudoexfoliative material in patients with ocular pseudoexfoliation. Aims: The purpose of this study is to determine whether an association exists between ocular pseudoexfoliation and coronary artery disease, aortic aneurysms and peripheric vascular disease. Patients and Methods: 490 patients who underwent coronary angiography (CAG) at Kosuyolu Cardiovascula Research and Training Hospital were included in the study. Patients were evaluated for conventional risk factors such as age, sex, family history, hypertension, diabetes, dislipidemia and smoking. Detailed eye examinations including evaluation of lens were done in all patients. The presence of PEX material in the anterior segment was best appreciated by slit lamp after pupillary dilation. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of PEX, and compared for the presence of CAD and other risk factors. Results: CAD was present in 387 patients. 103 patients had normal coronary angiography. 20 (5.2 %) of CAD patients and 4 (3.9%) of normal CAG patients were found to have PEX (p>0.05). There was no significant relationship between CAD and the presence of PEX (p>0.05). When patients were grouped according to the presence of PEX, only age was significantly different between the two groups (r: 0.25, p<0.001). Conclusion: There is no significant relationship between the presence of PEX and CAD. Further studies in larger scales with elderly population may be more valuable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Elevated Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) level is independently correlated with conditions associatedwith increased atherosclerosis, such as obesity, elevated serum cholesterol, high blood pressure and myocardial infarction. It is also demonstrated that serum gamma-glutamyltransferase activity is an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction and cardiac death in patients with coronary artery disease. Although the relationship between gamma-glutamyltransferase and coronary artery disease has been reported, not many studies have shown the relationship between changes ofgamma-glutamyltransferase in acute coronary syndromes and a well established coronary risk factor high sensitive C-reactive protein. (hs-CRP). Aims: In this study, how gamma-glutamyltransferase levels changed in acute coronary syndromes and its relationship with high sensitive C-reactive protein if any were studied. Patients & Methods:This trial was carried out at Kosuyolu Cardiovascular Training and Research Hospital and Van Yuksek Ihtisas Hospital, Turkey. 219 patients (177 males and 42 females) presenting with acute coronary syndrome, and 51 control subjects between September 2007 and September 2008 were included in the study. Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase, high sensitive C-reactive protein, serum lipoprotein levels and troponin I were determined. Results: Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase and high sensitive C-reactive protein levels were higher in acute coronary syndrome patients compared to control. There was also correlation between gamma-glutamyltransferase and high sensitive C-reactive protein levels. Conclusion: Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase and high sensitive C-reactive protein levels were higher in acute coronary syndrome patients. In subgroup analyses, the higher difference with Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction and ST elevation myocardial infarction groups than unstable angina oectoris group proposes a relationship between gamma-glutamyltransferase and severity of acute coronary syndromes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-known that collateral circulation is important in preserving ventricular functions, especially in coronary artery disease with total occlusion. The conus branch is distinct in having notable capacity of angiogenesis and arteriogenesis. We intend to emphasize the clinical importance of the conus branch by presenting two cases in which it supplied the distal regions of total occlusion. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article explores primary percutaneous revascularization using coronary stent as treatment in A patient with acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) or acute obstruction of intestinal vessels like superior mesenteric artery. Obstruction is reportedly due to cardiac thromboembolism or thrombosis on an atherosclerotic plaque. Though surgical revascularization is treatment of choice, it is stated that primary angioplasty and stenting before intestinal necrosis may be life saving in high risk patients.

Aim: The effects of chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) on coronary blood flow of systolic/diastolic phase and phase and coronary reserve have been shown. Whereas thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count, which incorporates coronary blood flow and a higher TIMI frame count (TFC) is reflect disordered resistance vessel function, has not yet been evaluated in chronic AR.Method: 33 patients with isolated chronic AR diagnosed by echocardiography and angiography, and 22 control groups with no coronary or valvular disease who underwent angiography for atypical chest pain were included in our study. Coronary blood flow was measured using TFC.Result: Coronary blood flow, echocardiographic and demographic parameters were compared between the two groups. The mean TFC is found to be higher in AR patients when compared to the control group. (left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) TFC, 43±7.3 vs. 30±5.9 frames/s, p<0.001; Corrected LAD (cLAD) TFC, 25.0±4.3 vs. 17.6 ± 3.5 frames/s, p< 0.001; Left circumflex artery (LCx) TFC, 27.0±6.4 vs. 19.9±3.4 frames/s, p<0.001; and Right coronary artery (RCA) TFC, 25.8±5.5 vs. 19.9±4.7 frames/s, p<0.001; mean TFC, 26.3±5.4 vs.19.1±3.9 frames/s, p<0.001).Conclusion: This is the first study showing increase of TFC in chronic AR patients without CAD. It is thought to show impaired coronary blood flow, and may explain angina symptoms in chronic AR patients. At the same time, it could be used as a parameter showing severe AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morning blood pressure surge (MBPS) is defined as an excessive increase in blood pressure (BP) in the morning from the lowest systolic BP during sleep, and it has been reported as a risk factor for cardiovascular events in current clinical studies. In this study, we evaluated the association between the rate of BP variation derived from ambulatory BP monitoring data analysis and coronary microvascular function in patients with early stage hypertension. One hundred seventy patients with prehypertension and Stage 1 hypertension who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study. We divided our study population into two subgroups according to the median value of coronary flow reserve (CFR). Patients with CFR values <2.5 were defined as the impaired CFR group, and patients with CFR values ≥2.5 were defined as the preserved CFR group, and we compared the MBPS measurements of these two subgroups. CFR was measured using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE). Ambulatory 24-hour systolic and diastolic BP, uric acid, systolic MBPS amplitude, diastolic MBPS amplitude, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and mitral flow E/A ratio were statistically significant. These predictors were included in age- and gender-adjusted multivariate analysis; ambulatory 24-hour systolic BP (ß = 0.077, P < .001; odds ratio [OR] = 1.080; 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.037-1.124]) and systolic MBPS amplitude (ß = 0.043, P = .022; OR = 1.044; 95% CI [1.006-1.084]) were determined to be independent predictors of impaired CFR (Hosmer-Lemeshow test, P = .165, Nagelkerke's R(2) = 0.320). We found that increased changes in MBPS values in patients with prehypertension and Stage 1 hypertension seemed to cause microvascular dysfunction in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease., (Copyright © 2014 American Society of Hypertension. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Elevated gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) level is independently correlated with conditions associated with increased atherosclerosis, such as obesity, elevated serum cholesterol, high blood pressure and myocardial infarction. It is demonstrated that serum GGT activity is an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction and cardiac death in patients with coronary artery disease. Diabetes is also a well-known cardiovascular risk factor and an equivalent of coronary artery disease. Although the relationship between GGT and coronary artery disease has been reported, there are limited data exploring the changes of GGT in acute coronary syndromes, especially in patients with diabetes. So, this study aimed to determine changes in GGT level in diabetic and non-diabetic acute coronary syndromes. This trial was carried out at Kosuyolu Cardiovascular Training and Research Hospital and Van Yuksek Ihtisas Hospital, Turkey. A total of 219 patients (177 men and 42 women) presenting with acute coronary syndrome) and 51 control subjects between September 2007 and September 2008 were included in the study. Serum γ-glutamyltransferase and serum lipoprotein levels were determined. The resuls indicated that serum GGT levels were higher in acute coronary syndrome patients compared with control. In subgroup analyses, there was no difference between diabetic and non-diabetic subgroups. There was also weak correlation between GGT and blood glucose levels. There was no correlation between GGT and serum lipoprotein levels. In conclusion, serum GGT levels were higher in acute coronary syndrome patients. In subgroup analyses, There was no difference between diabetic and non diabetic subgroup.