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Ventricular tachyarrhythmia is the leading cause of death in post-infarction patients. Big endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoconstrictor peptide and plays a role in ventricular tachyarrhythmia development. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the serum concentration of big ET-1 and ventricular tachyarrhythmia in post-infarction left ventricular aneurysm (PI-LVA) patients.A total of 222 consecutive PI-LVA patients who had received medical therapy were enrolled in the study. There were 43 (19%) patients who had ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) at the time of admission. The clinical characteristics were observed and the plasma big ET-1 level was measured. Associations between big ET-1 and the presence of VT/VF were assessed. Patients were followed up to check for outcomes related to cardiovascular mortality, VT/VF attack, and all-cause mortality.The median concentration of big ET-1 was 0.635 pg/mL. Patients with big ET-1 concentrations above the median were more likely to have higher risk clinical features. There was a positive correlation between the level of big ET-1 with VT/VF attack (r=0.354, p0.001). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, big ET-1 (OR=4.06, 95% CI: 1.77-9.28, p0.001) appeared as an independent predictive factor for the presence of VT/VF. Multiple Cox regression analysis suggested that big ET-1 concentration was independently predictive of VT/VF attack (OR=2.5, 95% CI 1.4-4.5, p0.001). NT-proBNP and left ventricular ejection fraction of ≤35% were demonstrated to be independently predictive of cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality.Increased big ET-1 concentration in PI-LVA patients is a valuable independent predictor for the prevalence of ventricular tachyarrhythmias and VT/VF attacks during follow-up after PI-LVA treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Monocyte to high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR) has recently been postulated as a novel parameter related to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. In this study, we aimed to investigate the correlation of MHR with stent restenosis (SR) rates after the primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and bare-metal stent (BMS) implantation. METHODS: In this study, patients who had undergone primary PCI for STEMI and had a control angiogram during follow-up were retrospectively recruited. Patients were categorized according to admission MHR tertiles, clinical and angiographic data were compared. In addition, predictors of SR were evaluated with logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total number of 448 patients (240 patients with SR and 208 patients without SR) were included in this study. Patients were categorized into three groups according to tertiles of admission MHR. During a follow-up period of median 12 months, the rate of SR was significantly higher in patients with higher MHR levels (45% in tertile 1, 54% in tertile 2 and 62% in tertile 3, p

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the association of the coronary thrombus burden with all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients treated with 'in-cath lab' (downstream) high-dose bolus tirofiban. Methods This study included 2452 patients with STEMI treated with a primary percutaneous coronary intervention. All glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitor (GPI) (tirofiban) infusions were started in the catheterization laboratory according to the coronary thrombus burden; tirofiban was not administered to patients who did not have coronary thrombus burden. All patients with small, moderate, or large thrombus burden received tirofiban therapy. The primary study endpoint was the incidence of all-cause mortality. The secondary study endpoints were major bleeding and MACE, which included all-cause death, nonfatal acute coronary syndrome, and target lesion revascularization. Results The patients were followed up for a mean period of 28.3±10.4 months. The groups showed similar in-hospital and long-term event rates (MACE, major bleeding, and all-cause mortality). The 3-year Kaplan-Meier overall survivals for no thrombus, small thrombus, moderate thrombus, and large thrombus were 91.9, 92.6, 92.3, and 89.5%, respectively. Conclusion Despite the fact that the large coronary thrombus was found to be a predictor of MACE and mortality in many previous studies, we found that the large thrombus was not associated with MACE or in-hospital mortality or long-term mortality. This can be an effect of downstream GPI therapy. We suggest the use of downstream GPI therapy for STEMI patients with large coronary thrombus without an increased risk of bleeding.

Current studies evaluating the effect of serum potassium levels on mortality in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are lacking. We analyzed retrospectively 3760 patients diagnosed with STEMI. Mean serum potassium levels were categorized accordingly

Objective We aimed to assess the risk factors for coronary artery ectasia (CAE) as infarct-related artery (IRA) and short-term and 1 year outcomes. Backgrounds CAE in patients with ST elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a rare condition with a limited knowledge about the risk factors associated with coronary artery ectasia in STEMI and prognosis after primary percutaneous coronary interventions. Methods Retrospectively, 1655 patients with STEMI who were undergone coronary angiography were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups according to their coronary anatomy as ectasia and control groups. Demographic features, angiographic results, and clinical events were compared. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess the association of the features with CAE in STEMI. Results In total, 1655 patients (99 patients in CAE group vs 1556 patients in control group) were analyzed. Hypertension and smoking were significantly higher in CAE group. No-reflow rates were significantly higher (13.1% vs 5.4%, p = 0.004) in CAE group. In-hospital mortality rates were similar between the groups. Difference in revascularization rates (8.1% vs 9.6%, p = 0.39) and death in 1 year (6.1% vs 4.9%, p = 0.37) were also nonsignificant between the groups. According to results of the multivariate analysis, hypertension (Odds ratio (OR): 1.71 (1.14–2.58), p = 0.01) and smoking (OR: 1.98 (1.32–2.99), p = 0.001) remained significantly associated with coronary ectasia. Conclusion In conclusion, despite being higher no-reflow rates, short-term and 1 year survival and revascularization rates were similar between the groups. Additionally, hypertension and smoking were associated with CAE as IRA. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Aim Octogenarian patients have higher mortality and morbidity rates after acute coronary syndromes. Risk factors for in-hospital mortality in the primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) era were underrepresented in previous studies. In the present study, we aimed to assess the risk factors of in-hospital mortality after primary PCI in this population. Methods We analyzed 2353 patients who underwent primary PCI after ST segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI). Patients were divided into two groups according to aged: ≥80 years (octogenarian) and

Penetrating cardiac trauma is rarely seen but when present there is a short time lag to keep the patients alive. Cardiac gunshot injuries are exceptional and it occurs mostly during interpersonal disagreements casualties or a mistakenly fired gun nowadays. Here we present a case of cardiac gunshot injury from the war of Kobani, Syria. The patient was mistakenly diagnosed to have a sole bullet in the left shoulder while he had a penetrating cardiac trauma with a bullet in the heart and pericardial effusion possibly giving rise to pericardial tamponade. Luckily the cardiac gunshot injury was noticed one day later and the patient was referred to a tertiary hospital. Intrapericardial bullet was conservatively followed up. The patient was discharged one week later after resection of the bullet in the shoulder.

BACKGROUND: Varenicline, which is a selective partial agonist of the alpha4–beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, is used for the smoking cessation pharmacotherapy. Cardiovascular adverse effects have been reported after varenicline usage in patients who stop smoking. We investigated the effect of varenicline usage on ventricular repolarization after smoking cessation. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, we evaluated the cardiac arrhythmic effects of varenicline by comparing smoking patients (n = 214) before and after varenicline usage. Varenicline administered patients were also compared to ex‐smoker individuals (n = 50) who quit smoking without varenicline usage in terms of ventricular repolarization parameters. RESULTS: After calculated according to Fridericia's and Framingham's formulas, QTc intervals were significantly increased when patients compared before and after smoking cessation with varenicline (402.9 ± 24.5 ms vs. 409.1 ± 25.0 ms p

The PREdicting bleeding Complications In patients undergoing Stent implantation and subsEquent Dual Anti-Platelet Therapy (PRECISE-DAPT) score predicts the bleeding risk in patients treated with dual antiplatelet treatment after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). This study aimed to determine the predictive value of the admission PRECISE-DAPT score for in-hospital mortality in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with pPCI. Of the 1418 patients enrolled, the study population was divided into 2 groups: PRECISE-DAPT score ≥25 and PRECISE-DAPT score

Dear editor,We read with interest the article entitled ‘Serum albumin level and long-term outcome in acute heart failure’ [1]. In this retrospective cohort study, the authors demonstrated that seru...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Prior studies demonstrated that plasma osmolality may have a predictive value for in-hospital mortality in patients with heart failure and acute coronary syndrome. In addition, plasma glucose and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, the components of plasma osmolality, have been shown to be an important contributor for in-hospital mortality in acute pulmonary embolism (APE) patients. Hence, the objective of the current study is to evaluate the effect of plasma osmolality upon admission with in-hospital mortality in patients with APE. METHODS A total of 245 consecutive intermediate or high risk APE patients were enrolled into the study. The study population was divided into three tertile groups (T1, T2 and T3) based on the increased plasma osmolality. The in-hospital mortality was the primary end-point. RESULTS After adjusting for all risk factors, in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the T3 group compared to T1 and T2 groups (OR: 3.6, 95% CI: 1.3 to 18.8, P

Objective: An intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) is a mechanical support device that is used in addition to pharmacological treatment of the failing heart in intensive cardiac care unit (ICCU) patients. In the literature, there are limited data regarding the clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of acute coronary syndrome patients in Turkey who had an IABP inserted during their ICCU stay. This study is an analysis of the clinical characteristics and outcomes of these acute coronary syndrome patients. Methods: The data of patients who were admitted to the ICCU between September 2014 and March 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. The data were retrieved from the ICCU electronic database of the clinic. A total of 142 patients treated with IABP were evaluated in the study. All of the patients were in cardiogenic shock following percutaneous coronary intervention, at the time of IABP insertion. Results: The mean age of the patients was 63.0 +/- 9.7 years and 66.2% were male. In-hospital mortality rate of the study population was 54.9%. The patients were divided into 2 groups, consisting of survivors and non-survivors of their hospitalization period. Multivariate analysis after adjustment for the parameters in univariate analysis revealed that ejection fraction, Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction flow score of

Factor V Leiden (FVL) mutation is the most common hereditary thrombophilia. Association of this mutation with venous thrombosis is well established. However, there are several conflicting results regarding the association of FVL with arterial thrombosis, acute coronary syndrome, and intracardiac thrombosis. In this case report, we present a 44-yearold male patient with a medical history of both arterial and venous thrombosis who came to our emergency department with chest pain. After the initial evaluation he was diagnosed as having acute coronary syndrome and transthoracic echocardiography revealed an intracardiac apical thrombus. Coronary angiography showed non-critical stenosis. Thrombophilia panel was studied and the patient was found to be heterozygotic for FVL mutation. An apical thrombus was extracted surgically because of the high risk of systemic embolization.

BACKGROUND Acute transmural ischemia due to left anterior descending artery (LAD) occlusion changes precordial R and Q wave durations owing to depressed intramyocardial activation. We investigated the prognostic value of sum of precordial Q wave duration/sum of precordial R wave duration ratio (Q/R) in patients with first acute anterior myocardial infarction (AAMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). METHODS In this prospective analysis, we evaluated the no-reflow predictive value of Q/R on 403 patients with first AAMI. Patients were divided into two as no-reflow group (n=32) and control (n=371) group according to post-PPCI flow status. RESULTS The patients in the no-reflow group had significantly higher Q/R on admission electrocardiography (ECG) compared to patients in the control group (p

Objective: The combination of electrical phenomena and remote myocardial ischemia is the pathophysiological mechanism of ST segment changes in inferior leads in acute anterior myocardial infarction (MI). We investigated the prognostic value of ST segment changes in inferior derivations in patients with first acute anterior MI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: In this prospective single-center analysis, we evaluated the prognostic impact of ST segment changes in inferior derivations on 354 patients with acute anterior MI. Patients were divided into the following 3 groups according to admission ST segment changes in inferior derivations: ST depression (group 1), no ST change (group 2), and ST elevation (group 3). Results: In-hospital multivariate analysis revealed notably high rates of in-hospital death for patients in group 3 compared to patients in group 2 (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.6-7.6, p < 0.001). Group 1 and group 2 had similar in-hospital and long-term mortality rates. After adjusting for confounding baseline variables, group 3 had higher rates of 18-month mortality (HR 3.3; 95% CI 1.5-8.2, p < 0.001). Conclusion: In patients with a first acute anterior MI treated with primary PCI, ST elevation in inferior leads had significantly worse short-term and long-term outcomes compared to no ST change or ST segment depression.

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is thought to be associated with the extension and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD), and echocardiographic measurement of EAT thickness is considered to be a possible cardiovascular risk indica­tor. The European Society of Cardiology Task Force recommends further non-invasive testing in patients with an intermediate pre-test probability (PTP) for the diagnosis of CAD. Aim: We sought to evaluate the clinical usefulness of performing EAT measurements in patients with a high-intermediate PTP. Methods: Patients referred to an outpatient clinic with stable chest pain symptoms, with PTP for CAD between 66% and 85%, were included in the study. Echocardiographic measurement of the EAT was identified as the echo-free space between the outer wall of the myocardium and the visceral layer of the pericardium. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was performed in all patients. The diagnosis of CAD was based on the presence of reversible perfusion defects on SPECT. Results: A total of 126 patients (76 men, 60.3%) with a mean age of 65.3 ± 9.1 years were recruited. The EAT thickness was 7.3 ± 0.7 mm in patients with positive SPECT and 6.2 ± 0.6 mm in patients with negative SPECT (p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis revealed higher rates of positive SPECT in patients with higher EAT (odds ratio [OR] 9.80; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.72–25.79; p < 0.001), and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the greatest specificity was obtained when the cut-off value of EAT thickness was 6.75 mm (sensitivity 76%; specificity 74%). Conclusions: In patients with high-intermediate PTP, EAT is a useful measurement that may assist in risk stratification.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies demonstrated that interatrial block (IAB) is associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) in different clinical scenarios. The aim of our study was to determine whether IAB could predict silent ischemic brain lesions (sIBL), detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: Patients presented to a neurology clinic with transient ischemic attack (TIA) symptoms and underwent brain MRI were included to the study. sIBL were defined as lesions without corresponding clinical symptoms regarding lesion localization evaluated by two neurologists. A 12-lead surface ECG was obtained from each patient. IAB was defined as P-wave duration > 120 ms with (advanced IAB) or without (partial IAB) biphasic morphology in the inferior leads. RESULTS: sIBL was detected in 61 (49.6%) patients. Patients with sIBL were older (P

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a risk factor for coronary artery disease. We investigated the effect of NAFLD grade on in-hospital and long-term outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The study group consisted of 360 patients with STEMI. The patients were classified according to the grade of the NAFLD using ultrasonography. Based on this classification, all patients were divided into 4 subgroups as grade 0 (no fatty liver disease), grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3. Hierarchical logistic regression and Cox proportional regression analysis were used to establish the relation between NAFLD grade and outcomes. In-hospital mortality for grade 0, 1, 2, and 3 NAFLDs were 4.7%, 8.3%, 11.3%, and 33.9%, respectively. Three-year mortality for grade 0, 1, 2, and 3 NAFLDs were 5.6%, 7.8%, 9.5%, and 33.3%, respectively. In the multivariable hierarchical logistic regression analysis, in-hospital mortality risks were higher for patients with grade 3 NAFLD (odds ratio 4.2). In a multivariable Cox proportional regression analysis, the mortality risk was higher for patients with grade 3 NAFLD (hazard ratio 4.0). In conclusion, in patients with STEMI, the presence of NAFLD is associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes. Among these patients, grade 3 NAFLD had the highest mortality rates. The present study supports NAFLD screening in patients with STEMI.

Guvenc, Tolga Sinan/0000-0002-6738-266X; Keskin, Muhammed/0000-0002-4938-0097 WOS: 000405144700024 PubMed: 28479168 Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) has been relatively less studied than other cardiac changes during pregnancy. Previous studies revealed a mild diastolic deterioration during pregnancy. However, these studies did not evaluate the long-term effect of parity on left ventricular diastolic function. A comprehensive study evaluating the long-term effect of parity on diastolic function is required. A total of 710 women with various number of parity were evaluated through echocardiography to reveal the status of diastolic function. Echo cardiographic parameters were compared among the women by parity number and categorized accordingly: none, 0 to 4 and 4< parity (grand multiparous). In nulliparous group, 19 women (23.2%) had grade 1 LVDD, and only 2 women (2.4%) had grade 2 LVDD. In women with a parity number of 0 to 4, 209 women (38.3%) had grade 1 LVDD, and only 17 women (3.1%) had grade 2 LVDD. In grand multiparous group, only 2 women (2.4%) did not have LVDD, and 12 women (14.6%) had grade 2 LVDD. None of the subjects had grade 3 or grade 4 LVDD. According to hierarchical logistic regression analysis, any grade of LVDD and grade 2 LVDD had the highest rates at parity category of > 4 parity and that had 21 and 5.8 times higher than nulliparous group, respectively. In conclusion, according to the present study, grand multiparity but not multiparity, severely deteriorates left ventricular diastolic function. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the risk of gradual diastolic dysfunction after each pregnancy. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Objective: To assist the management strategy of individuals, we determined an algorithm for predicting the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) death in Turkish adults with a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods: The risk of CHD death was estimated in 3054 middle-aged adults, followed over 9.08±4.2 years. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to predict risk. Discrimination was assessed using C-statistics. Results: CHD death was identified in 233 subjects. In multivariable analysis, the serum high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) level was not predictive in men and the non-HDL-C level was not predictive in women. Age, presence of diabetes, systolic blood pressure ≥160 mm Hg, smoking habit, and low physical activity were predictors in both sexes. The exclusion of coronary disease at baseline did not change the risk estimates materially. Using an algorithm of the 7 stated variables, individuals in the highest category of risk score showed a 19- to 50-fold higher spread in the absolute risk of death from CHD than those in the second lowest category. C-index of the model using age alone was as high as 0.774 in men and 0.836 in women (p

Keskin, Muhammed/0000-0002-4938-0097; Altay, Servet/0000-0001-7112-3970; Guvenc, Tolga Sinan/0000-0002-6738-266X WOS: 000418481400018 PubMed: 29226903 …

Idiopathic ascending aortitis is an insidious disease most often encountered during an evaluation for other cardiovascular and connective tissue diseases. To the best of our knowledge, admission to an emergency department with chest pain due to idiopathic ascending aortitis has not been reported before. Herein, the case of a 46-year-old man with chest and back pain symptoms that were discovered to be secondary solely to idiopathic ascending aortitis is described.

Cinier, Goksel/0000-0001-5064-1816; Keskin, Muhammed/0000-0002-4938-0097 WOS: 000416614300002 PubMed: 28864320 Although the long-term clinical benefit of adjunctive thrombus aspiration (TA) during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) remains controversial, the impact of TA in patients with large thrombus has not been evaluated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of adjunctive TA during PPCI on clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and a large thrombus. We assessed the effect of adjunctive TA on in-hospital and 3-year clinical outcomes in 627 patients with STEMI and a large thrombus in the native coronary artery. The cumulative 3-year incidence of all-cause death was not significantly different between the 2 groups (91.5% vs 89.0%, log-rank test p = 0.347). After adjusting for confounders, the risk of all-cause death in the TA group was not significantly lower than that in the non-TA group (hazard ratio 1.11, 95% confidence interval 0.60 to 3.54, p = 0.674). The adjusted risks of target lesion revascularization, nonfatal acute myocardial infarction, and stent thrombosis were also not significantly different between the 2 groups. In conclusion, adjunctive TA during PPCI was not associated with better in-hospital and 3-year all-cause deaths in patients with STEMI and a large coronary artery thrombus. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Objective: Lifelong statin treatment is recommended in patients with cardiovascular diseases, but drug adherence is a significant problem. The aim of this study was to investigate factors related to statin discontinuation in high-risk patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) diagnosed by coronary angiography. Methods: A total of 300 consecutive patients who were followed-up with a diagnosis of CAD were recruited. Patients were categorized as statin adherent or statin non-adherent (patients interrupting statin therapy >30 days). Study participants completed a questionnaire regarding demographic characteristics, medical history, knowledge of statin treatment, and factors related to statin discontinuation. Results: In all, 160 patients (53.3%) were found to be statin adherent. Of those, 122 patients had suffered myocardial infarction, and atorvastatin was the most prescribed statin on discharge. Among the study population, 26% were illiterate and 55% had graduated from primary school. Only 39 cases (13%) cases had a low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level

Keskin, Muhammed/0000-0002-4938-0097 WOS: 000418481400017 PubMed: 29226902 …

Risk stratification in acute heart failure (AHF) is vital for both physicians and paramedical personals. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) risk index (TRI) and modified TRI (mTRI) are novel and simple predictive risk indices that have been examined in patients with acute coronary syndrome.In the current study, we evaluated the relationship among TRI, mTRI, and mortality in patients with AHF.A total of 293 patients with AHF were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 consisted of patients who survived and group 2 consisted of patients who died during a follow-up period of 120 days. Multivariate hierarchical logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship among TRI, mTRI, and mortality.All causes of death occurred in 84 patients (28.6%). Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction risk index was significantly higher in patients who died during follow-up (20.2 ± 12.4 vs 14.8 ± 8.9). The new risk score showed good predictive value for 120-day mortality. Before laboratory analysis, in-multivariate hierarchical logistic regression analysis TRI remained as an independent risk factor for mortality (odds ratio, 2.56; P.001). After the laboratory analysis, despite the fact that TRI has lost its predictive value, mTRI remained an independent risk factor for mortality (odds ratio, 2.08; P = .01).The TRI is a simple and strong predictor of all-cause mortality in patients who were admitted with AHF. The current study reveals for the first time the strong predictive value of TRI in patients with AHF.

Keskin, Muhammed/0000-0002-4938-0097; kaya, adnan/0000-0002-9225-8353; Cinar, Tufan/0000-0001-8188-5020 WOS: 000473199100015 PubMed: 30871340 …

Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the potential role of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP)-related thrombocytopenia in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) due to ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) dien in hospital.Material and Methods: We retrospectively included 142 consecutive CS patients who were treated with IABP support from September 2013 to March 2017 in a tertiary heart center. IABP-related thrombocytopenia was defined as a platelet count of 150.000 mm3 or a 50% or greater reduction in the platelet count from the baseline following the IABP’s insertion. In-hospital, all-cause mortality was the primary endpoint.Results: The incidence rate of thrombocytopenia was 19% (n=27 patients). In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in patients who experienced thrombocytopenia compared to those who did not [22 patients (81.5%) vs. 56 patients (48.7%), respectively; p=0.004]. In a multivariate analysis, a decline in platelet count (OR: 1.037, 95%; CI: 1.011–1.064; p=0.005) was found to be independently associated with in-hospital mortality. In a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the optimal cut-off value of the decline in platelet count for the prediction of in-hospital mortality was ≥ 18.2%, with a sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 77% [area under curve (AUC): 0.70, 95%; CI:0.61–0.78; p0.001].Conclusion: In the present study, we observed that the development of thrombocytopenia during IABP support was independently associated with in-hospital mortality in CS patients.Keywords: Intra-aortic balloon pump; thrombocytopenia; cardiogenic shock; in-hospital mortality.

Aim: In the current study, the impact of smoking cessation with and without bupropion usage on p wave duration and p wave amplitude in lead I has been analyzed. Bupropion, which is an atypical antidepressant with effects on both dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems, is approved in the medical treatment of smoking cessation. Several cardiac side effects have been presented when bupropion is prescribed in smoking cessation. Material and Methods: Our study has a prospective design which has planned to evaluate p wave amplitude in lead I and p wave duration changes of bupropion by comparing smoking patients (n=78) before and after bupropion usage. The patients prescribed bupropion were also compared to ex-smoker group (n=50) who quit smoking without bupropion usage in regard to p wave indices in lead I. Differences in the median values between groups were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test. Categorical variables were analyzed by chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. For repeated measurements, paired sample t-test and Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to evaluate the significance of the difference in parameters with normal and skewed distribution. Results: The study included both seventy-eight (79.5% male) patients under bupropion treatment and fifty (88.2% male) patients stopped smoking without pharmacotherapy. P wave duration was notably higher when compared before and after smoking cessation with bupropion (99.0 ± 15.7 ms vs 96.2 ± 11.9ms; p120 ms was significantly higher in smoking patients. (p=0.014) The frequency of the patients with P wave duration

Background. We aimed to identify the most suited anthropometric measure for the prediction of risk for incident coronary heart disease (CHD) among the Turkish population. Methods. We collected data on body mass index, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and a body shape index. We analysed these using both C-statistics and Cox regression models adjusted for age, systolic blood pressure, glucose and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol for assessing risk of incident CHD among 3203 Turkish Adult Risk Factor (TARF) study participants (mean [SD] age 48.5 [11] years). Results. Over a mean follow-up of 9.93 years, new CHD developed in 573 individuals. Multi-adjusted C-statistics were highest for WHtR followed by WC, in both sexes. Except WHR, all measures were significantly associated with incident CHD in combined sexes in the full model. There was a sex difference, however, in the mediation of the three risk factors for adiposity; these attenuated hazard ratios (HRs) in males, whereas in females, significant prediction of incident CHD persisted for each measure. WC (HR 1.36 [95% CI 1.13; 1.64]), followed by WHtR (HR 1.24 [95% CI 1.10; 1.40]), were in combined sex, as in females, the most informative surrogates of adiposity. Hip circumference did not protect, but rather conferred modest CHD risk, especially in females, rendering a low utility of predictive value for WHR. The CHD risk curve did not have a J shape. Conclusions. WC is the most suitable of five adiposity surrogates for CHD risk among Turkish adults, while in males, unmediated adiposity risk was similarly identified by WHtR. Retention of the large part of CHD risk in females perhaps reflects the underlying autoimmune activation.

The use of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has become widespread in patients with heart failure who meet the criteria for implantation. Coronary sinus lead positioning is important to provide the intended biventricular stimulation. Diaphragm pacing is a lead-related complication which occurs secondary to phrenic nerve stimulation. We present the case of a 58-year-old male patient who had diaphragm pacing after CRT with defibrillator implantation. The complication was resolved by using the transvenous femoral approach with the wrapping method.

Altay, Servet/0000-0001-7112-3970; Guvenc, Tolga Sinan/0000-0002-6738-266X; Keskin, Muhammed/0000-0002-4938-0097 WOS: 000403554000009 PubMed: 28392077 Background and aim: The prognostic impact of poor nutritional status and cardiac cachexia in myocardial infarction is not clearly understood. Recent studies have implied a prognostic value of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in colorectal surgeries and postoperative septic complications. The present study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of PNI in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Methods and results: We evaluated the in-hospital and long-term (3 years) prognostic impact of PNI on 1823 patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Patients with lower PNI had significantly higher in-hospital and long-term mortality and major adverse cardiac events. After adjustment for all confounders, the in-hospital mortality rates were 7.9 times higher at the lower PNI level (95% CI: 5.0-15.8) than those at the higher PNI level. The long-term mortality rates were also 6.4 times higher at the lower PNI level (95% CI: 4.4-12.4) than those at the higher PNI level. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that the PNI, calculated based on the serum albumin level and lymphocyte count, is an independent prognostic factor for mortality in patients with STEMI. (C) 2017 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Background The role of thrombolytic therapy in acute pulmonary embolism patients is still controversial considering the occurrence of arrhythmias. Short-term effects of thrombolytics are well-known whereas long-term effects on cardiac electrophysiology have not been reported before. The objective of our study was to assess the arrhythmic differences in pulmonary embolism patients who received thrombolytics followed by anticoagulation or anticoagulation alone. Methods Sixty patients who received thrombolytic therapy followed by anticoagulation (group 1) and 60 patients who received anticoagulation alone (group 2) were included in this retrospective, single-centre observational study. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory electrocardiography was performed 31 ± 9 months after pulmonary embolism hospitalisation in order to compare arrhythmias originating from both ventricles and atria. Results The age and gender distribution of the patients were statistically similar. Ventricular arrhythmias were found to be the same between t-PA and non t-PA groups. All types of atrial arrhythmias were found to be increased in non t-PA group even though left and right atrial volume indexes were statistically identical between the two groups. Conclusion In long-term pulmonary embolism, follow-up thrombolytic therapy was demonstrated to have atrial antiarrhythmic effects.