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Currently, the number of imaging and interventional procedures that use contrast agents (CAs) is gradually increasing. Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is the most important CA-related complication. Oxidative stress plays a significant role in its pathophysiology. Lycopene (LPN) is a natural substance with strong antioxidant capacity. The present study aimed to investigate the potential preventive effects of LPN against CIN. In total, 28 male Wistar albino rats were divided into 4 groups with 7 rats in each group; the groups include normal control group, LPN only group at a dose of 4 mg/kg/day for 10 days, CIN group by administering 10 mg/kg furosemide IM + 10 mg/kg indomethacin IP + 10 ml/kg iomeprol IV following 24-h dehydration, and CIN + LPN group. There were statistically significant increase in urea, creatinine, and malondialdehyde levels (p < 0.001, for all) but a significant decrease in glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase levels (p < 0.001, for all) in the CIN group compared with the control group. On histological examination, a significant increase of infiltrated inflammatory cells and necrotic degenerative changes were observed in the CIN group and the immunohistochemical examination revealed a significant increase in inflammation (inducible nitric oxide synthase), autophagy (LC3/B), and apoptosis (cleaved caspase 3) in the CIN group compared with the control group (p < 0.05, for all). Significant improvements in these unfavorable parameters were observed with CIN + LPN group compared with the CIN only group. In conclusion, the favorable effects of LPN as an anti-inflammatory, antiautophagic, and antiapoptotic agent in an experimental model of CIN have been demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

BACKGROUND: Currently, the number of imaging and interventional procedures that use contrast agents (CAs) is gradually increasing. Oxidative stress plays a significant role in its pathophysiology. Curcumin (CC) is a natural substance with strong antioxidant efficacy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 24 male Wistar-albino rats were divided into four groups with seven rats in each group. RESULTS: Biochemical measurements showed a significant increase (p < 0.001) in urea, creatinine and malondialdehyde (MDA) but a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels in the contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) group compared with the control group. The immunohistochemical examination revealed a significant increase in autophagic and apoptotic cell death ratios and in the inflammatory signal (p < 0.05). Compared with the CIN group, a significant improvement in these unfavorable parameters was observed with CC therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The preventive efficacy of CC against an experimental model of CIN has been demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate the association of the aortic propagation velocity (APV) with coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP) through SYNTAX scores (SS)., Methods: The study population comprised 214 SAP subjects who received a coronary angiography. The APV and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) were examined and SS was calculated. Subjects were grouped following specific SS criteria: SS less than 22 (low) and SS greater than or equal to 22 (high)., Results: High SS subjects had lower APV compared to low SS [39.0 (32.0-51.7) vs. 55.0 (45.0-62.0) cm/s, respectively; P<0.001] and higher CIMT (0.86 ± 0.24 vs. 0.74 ± 0.21 mm, respectively; P<0.001). APV demonstrated a negative correlation with the CIMT (r=-0.239, P<0.001), age (r=-0.188, P=0.006) , and SS (r=-0.561, P<0.001) and showed a positive association with LV ejection fraction (r=0.163, P=0.017). APV, CIMT, diabetes, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and age were determined to be markers independently of a high SS., Conclusion: APV, CIMT, diabetes, LDL-C and age are independently linked to the CAD severity of SAP subjects. Decreased APV, an indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis, may independently help determine the severity of atherosclerotic CAD in SAP patients.

Endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and increased inflammatory activity are the main pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for cardiac remodeling secondary to hypertension. Bilirubin has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic functions. This report's objectives are to determine whether Query identifiers of left atrial (LA) remodeling, total atrial conduction time (TACT) and LA reservoir strain (LARS), are associated with serum total bilirubin levels, and to identify the possible predictors of LA remodeling in newly diagnosed hypertensive subjects. One hundred thirty-four subjects were enrolled in this study. TACT was evaluated by tissue Doppler imaging, and LARS was calculated by speckle-tracking echocardiography. Laboratory parameters were recorded. The subjects were classified into two separate groups according to the median value of TACT and LARS. In patients with supramedian TACT, LA volume index (LAVI) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness were higher, while LARS and LVGLS were lower. In subjects with inframedian LARS, TACT was longer, LAVI and EAT thickness were higher, and LVGLS was lower. Patients with supramedian TACT and inframedian LARS were older and had lower total bilirubin. Total bilirubin, EAT thickness, and age were predictors of TACT and LARS. Serum bilirubin levels may have a protective effect on the LA remodeling process in newly diagnosed hypertensive subjects., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The aim of study was to determine the effects of ozone therapy on the oxidative stress, cardiac functions and clinical findings in patients with heart failure reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). A total of 40 patients with New York Heart Association 2 and 3 HF with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <35%, and 40 subjects without HF as control group were included in the study. Patients with HFrEF were given additional ozone therapy of major and minor administrations along with conventional HF treatment for 5 weeks. Before and after ozone therapy, left ventricular end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes (LVESV, LVEDV) and the 6 minute walk distance (6MWD) and blood levels of the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were measured. Ozone therapy significantly reduced the serum levels of NO and MDA (p < 0.001, respectively) and significantly increased the levels of SOD, CAT, GSH and GSHPx (p < 0.001, respectively). LVEDV and LVESV were found to be significantly reduced; however, LVEF was not found to be significantly increased (p = 0.567). As the biochemical improvement marker of HF, NT-proBNP was significantly reduced (p < 0.001). The clinical HF improvement marker of 6 minute walk distance was also modestly increased (p < 0.001). Ozone therapy might be beneficial in terms of activating antioxidant system and merit further therapeutic potential to conventional HF treatment in patients with HFrEF.

Chronic total occlusion (CTO) is a common finding in 40% of the patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The aim of this study was to investigate the determinants of CTO in patients with PAD. The study included a total of 211 nonanemic patients with PAD. All patients were categorized according to the Fontaine classification. In lower extremity angiography cohorts, CTO - patients were designated as group 1 and CTO + patients were designated as group 2. Patients with CTO had significantly higher red cell distribution width (RDW), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, uric acid, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein compared to patients without CTO ( P ≤ .001, P = .036, P ≤ .001, and P = .015, respectively). Albumin, total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin were significantly lower in the patients with CTO compared to patients without CTO ( P = .023, P ≤ .001, and P = .049, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that RDW, uric acid, and total bilirubin were independent predictors of CTO in patients with PAD. We demonstrated that increased RDW and uric acid levels and lower total bilirubin values were independently associated with CTO in patients with PAD.

Introduction: Chronic inflammation is a major risk factor in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is the true visceral fat depot of the heart. The relationship between coronary artery disease and EAT was shown in healthy subjects and ESRD patients. In the present study we aimed to investigate the relationship between EAT and inflammation parameters including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in hemodialysis (HD) patients., Material and Methods: Forty-three HD patients (25 females, 18 males; mean age: 64.1 ±11.9 years) receiving HD and 30 healthy subjects (15 females, 15 males; mean age: 59.1 ±10.8 years) were enrolled in the study. Epicardial adipose tissue measurements were performed by echocardiography., Results: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio levels were significantly higher in HD patients than in the healthy control group. Hemodialysis patients were separated into two groups according to their median value of NLR (group 1, NLR < 3.07 ( n = 21) and group 2, NLR ≥ 3.07 ( n = 22)). Group 2 patients had significantly higher EAT, C-reactive protein and ferritin levels, while albumin levels were significantly lower in this group. In the bivariate correlation analysis, EAT was positively correlated with NLR ( r = 0.600, p < 0.001) and ferritin ( r = 0.485, p = 0.001) levels., Conclusions: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was found to be an independent predictor of EAT in HD patients (odds ratio = 3.178; p = 0.008). We concluded that this relationship might be attributed to increased inflammation in uremic patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Introduction: Left atrium (LA) mechanical functions and atrial electromechanical delay (AEMD) times were considered independent predictors of cardiovascular morbidity in general population. Data are scant about these parameters in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD). We aimed to evaluate AEMD times and LA mechanical functions and associated risk factors in HD and PD patients., Methods: Forty-four healthy individuals, 62 HD and 50 PD patients were enrolled in the study. Echocardiography was performed before midweek dialysis session for HD patients and on admission for PD patients. Data were expressed as mean ± SD. Spearman's test was used to assess linear associations. Predictors of left intra-atrial EMD time and LA active emptying volume (LAaeV) were assessed by regression analysis., Results: Left intra-atrial-AEMD times were significantly longer in HD patients compared to PD patients. LAaeV was positively correlated with inter-atrial time, left intra-atrial time, systolic and diastolic BP, calcium and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (r 0.22, p 0.016; r 0.28, p 0.002; r 0.34, p < 0.001; r 0.35, p < 0.001; r 0.37, p < 0.001; r 0.46, p < 0.001, respectively) and negatively correlated with serum uric acid (r -0.31, p 0.013) in ESRD patients. We found positive correlations between left intra-atrial time and LAaeV, LAVmax, LAVp and NLR (r 0.28, p 0.002; r 0.27, p 0.003; r 0.27, p 0.003; r 0.22, p 0.03, respectively) and negative correlations with albumin, uric acid and potassium (r -0.24, p 0.008; r -0.19, p 0.04; r -0.26, p 0.037, respectively). Advanced age, decreased serum albumin and increased NLR were found to be independent predictors of LAaeV; however, only NLR was found to be an independent predictor of AEMD time in this population., Conclusions: Increased inflammation might be a risk factor of AEMD and LA mechanical dysfunction in ESRD patients.

We aimed to evaluate the relation among epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness, angiographic presence of thrombus, and the no-reflow in the patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The study population consisted of 229 patients. The EAT thickness and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were significantly higher in the patients with coronary thrombus than in those without coronary thrombus (6.1 ± 1.1 vs 5.1 ± 1.3 mm, P < .001 and 3.4 ± 0.9 vs 2.5 ± 0.7, P < .001, respectively) and in the patients with no-reflow compared to patients with reflow. The EAT thickness was found to be correlated positively with the degree of the thrombus burden, NLR, and waist circumference and negatively with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that EAT thickness and NLR independently predicted coronary thrombus formation and no-reflow. We have suggested that EAT can play an important role in the pathophysiology of coronary thrombus formation and the no-reflow., (© The Author(s) 2014.)

Warfarin is commonly used for prevention of embolic events. Bleeding is the main side effect of warfarin. Lingual and sublingual haematoma are rare. In the literature, nine cases have so far been reported. We report the case of a 70-year-old Caucasian woman who developed spontaneous lingual and sublingual haematomas while on warfarin therapy. Spontaneous lingual and sublingual haematoma are rare, but can be potentially life-threatening complications as they cause airway obstruction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of earliest haematoma after warfarin use., (2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.)

Background: Serum uric acid concentrations are higher in patients with established coronary artery disease than in healthy controls. This study aimed to determine the role of uric acid in predetermining coronary artery disease in young patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI)., Methods: This study included 80 of 1612 patients who applied our hospital between January 2000 and December 2005. All of the patients were under 35 years old, diagnosed with AMI by clinical and laboratory findings, and had coronary angiography. The study population was divided into two groups, the first having critical coronary artery disease (group I) and the second having normal coronary arteries (group II). Then we compared these groups with age, body mass index, risk factors, serum protein C, protein S, antithrombin III, creatinine and uric acid levels., Results: Myocardial infarction was located in 65% anterior, 15% inferior, 15% inferiolateral and 5% high lateral, respectively. Forty five % of patients had critical coronary artery disease (group I, n = 36) and 55% had normal coronary arteries (group II, n = 44). There were no differences in the two groups with regard to body mass index, family history, hypertension, smoking, cholesterol level, triglyceride level and creatinine level, lack of protein C, lack of protein S or lack of antithrombin III. Serum uric acid levels were found to be higher in group I (7.0 +/- 1.4 mg/dL) than in group II (4.9 +/- 1.1 mg/dL; p = 0.003)., Conclusions: This study showed that high serum uric acid levels were associated with critical coronary artery disease in young patients (< 35 years) with AMI.

Behcet's disease is a multisystemic disease of unknown etiology. Disease manifestations consist of recurrent oral and genital ulceration, skin lesions, and relapsing ocular inflammation. Arterial involvement is an uncommon complication of Behcet's disease, and it most frequently affects the abdominal aorta followed by femoral artery, and the pulmonary artery. Coronary lesions in Behcet's disease have been little reported in the literature. A-36-year-old female with 6-year history of Behcet's disease was hospitalized with ectasia of the left main coronary artery. This unusual vascular complication Behcet's disease is presented.