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Introduction: We evaluated chest pain alongside other midterm subjective and objective complications of the transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects (ASDs) and patent foramen ovales (PFOs) with various closure devices. Methods: This cross-sectional study, performed from March 2010 to October 2015 in Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical, and Research Center, evaluated 313 patients (mean age = 29.12 ± 10 years, 32.9% male) for probable complications associated with the transcatheter occlusion of secundum ASDs (n = 289, mean age = 30.5 ± 11.4 years, 28% male) or PFOs (n = 24, mean age = 42.8 ± 10.2 years). ASD closure was performed under sedation and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) guidance. Duration of follow-up was 12 ± 3 months (mean follow-up = 11.52 months). Results: Among the subjective complications, chest pain was the most frequent complaint during the follow-up period and although it was common (7.3%), a clear cardiac etiology was rare. Thirteen (4.2%) patients reported palpitation during the follow-up period, and 4 had documented arrhythmias—including atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, and 2:1 atrioventricular block. Migraine with or without aura occurred in 1.6% of the patients. Objective complications comprising tamponade, device embolization, and thrombus formation occurred in 6 (1.9%) patients. There was no procedure-related mortality in our patients. Conclusion: Transcatheter closure of PFOs and secundum-type ASDs in our adult patients using ASD septal occluders was associated with a high degree of success, minimal procedural subjective and objective complication rates, and excellent short- and midterm results. Although chest pain was common after the first month following ASD closure, there was no cardiac death or aortic erosion in 11.52 months follow up.

Background: TIMI Frame Count (TFC) is one of the methods to estimate the coronary blood flow velocity. This is a simple, inexpensive, quantitative, reproducible, and continuous variable method. Many studies have been conducted on TFC assessment in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Objectives: The present study is aimed to measure the TFC in the coronary arteries of UA/NSTEMI patients to find abnormalities in diseased or patent vessels and compare with the normal values. Patients and Methods: The participants were 105 consecutive UA/NSTEMI patients who underwent coronary angiography in Shahid Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Tehran, Iran in 2009. Exclusion criteria were history of CABG, PCI, or STEMI or presence of occluded arteries in angiography. We measured the coronary TFC in these patients. We examined also 55 stable patients without coronary lesions and with TIMI 3 flow to have an estimation of normal TFCs. Results: From a total of 105 patients, 25 (23.8%) had no significant coronary lesion (> 60%); 35 (33.3%) were diagnosed with single vessel disease; 22 (21%) were 2VD; and 23 (21.9%) were 3 VD.). In overall, mean TFC in UA/NSTEMI group was 28.7 (± 14) frames compared to 23.8 (± 7.8) frames in the normal group (P < 0.05). In the vessels with significant lesions, TFC was significantly higher than normal (30.84 vs. 23.8; P < 0.001) and also significantly higher than patent vessels of the same patients (30.84 vs. 26.10; P = 0.029). In these patients, patent vessels had higher TFC values compared to normal coronaries (26.10 vs. 23.8), but the difference was not significant (P = 0.12). In the patients with significant lesions, mean TFC was higher than the same value in acute coronary patients without significant lesions (29.3 vs. 27.2), but the difference was not significant (P = 0.114). In the patients who underwent PCI and stenting, TFC changed significantly after PCI toward the normal value (P = 0.001). In the patients with elevated cardiac enzymes, TFC was higher but the difference was not significant (P = 0.35). Conclusions: Patent coronaries of UA/NSTEMI patients have a trend to higher TFCs compared to normal values. Presence of significant coronary lesions in these patients significantly increases TFC.

Background: Data of the results from treatment of unprotected and protected LMCA diseases with PCI and stent implantations in our country were limited. Surgical therapy is considered as an standard care for patients with unprotected LMCA stenosis. This notion is based on some randomized and observational studies performed three decades ago which convincingly showed superiority of CABGs over medical therapy. Moreover, preliminary studies have shown that the use of DES for the treatment of unprotected LMCA diseases is associated with very favorable mid-term outcome, which is highly competitive with that of surgery, especially for ostial lesions Objectives: This study sought to evaluate one year safety and effectiveness of PCI and stenting in LMCA disease. Patients and Methods: We performed a one year clinical follow-up of any patients with LMCA disease “Protected and Unprotected” who underwent PCI and stenting (n = 40) with BMS (n = 17) or DES (n = 23) in Tehran's Rajaje and Lavasani hospitals from Sept 2010 to Sept 2011. The primary end points were all-cause mortality, and MACCE which consisted of the composite of death, MI, stroke, and target vessel revascularization, and the duration of hospitalization change the severity of angina pain and the function class of physical activity. Results: In the one year follow-up, the adjusted risk of death was 5% and the composite of death, MI, stroke and target vessel revascularization (MACCE) was 22%. In 94.7% the number of patients, the severity of angina pain were decreased, and in 92.5% of patients, the function class of physical activity has been improved. The duration of hospitalization was 4.38 ± 1.63 days which was less than that of CABGs. Conclusions: For the treatment of protected and unprotected LMCA diseases, PCI with stent implantation is effective, and leads to decreasing the mortality and the death rate, MI, stroke, the severity of angina pain, and improving the function class of physical activity and tolerance.

Background: Although percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) improves outcomes compared to thrombolysis, a substantial number of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients do not achieve optimal myocardial reperfusion. This study was designed to evaluate factors related to suboptimal myocardial reperfusion after primary PCI in patients with STEMI. Methods: Totally, 155 patients (124 men; mean age = 56.6 ± 11.03 years, range = 31- 85 years) with STEMI undergoing primary PCI were retrospectively studied. Additionally, the relationships between the occurrence of reperfusion failure and variables such as age, sex, cardiac risk factors, family history, Body Mass Index, time of symptom onset, ejection fraction, previous PCI, coronary artery bypass graft surgery or previous myocardial infarction, and angiographic data were analyzed. Results: Procedural success was 97.1% and complete ST resolution occurred in 43.2%. Age; cardiac risk factors; family history; body mass index; previous MI, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, or PCI; and use of thrombectomy device and GPIIb/IIIa inhibitor were not the determining factors (p value > 0.05). According to our multivariate analysis, time of symptom onset (OR [95% CI]: 045 [0.2 to 0.98]; p value = 0.044) and ejection fraction (OR [95% CI]:0.37 [0.26 to .091]; p value = 0.050) had reverse and male gender had direct significant associations with failed reperfusion (OR [95%CI]:0.34 [0.11 to 1.08]; p value = 0.068). More degrees of ST resolution occurred when the right coronary artery was the culpritvessel (p value = 0.001). The presence of more than three cardiac risk factors was associated with failed reperfusion (p value= 0.050). Conclusion: Considering the initial risk profile of patients with acute STEMI, including time of symptom onset and ejection fraction, as well as the accumulation of cardiac risk factors in a given patient, we could predict failed myocardial reperfusion to design a more aggressive therapeutic strategy.

Background: Patients suffering from major beta thalassemia need frequent blood transfusions and, if not treated well, would be at risk of heart dysfunction. This study was performed to determine the diagnostic value of electrocardiography versus echocardiography in measuring the left ventricular mass index in these patients. Methods: Between July 2010 and June 2011, 82 asymptomatic patients over 10 years of age with major thalassemia (42 men with a mean age of 17.65 ± 3.39 years and 40 women with a mean age of 16.9 ± 3.38 years) were enrolled in this study. For all the patients, standard electrocardiography (to measure R in aVL and S in V3 and calculate left ventricular mass index by electrocardiography) and echocardiography (to measure interventricular septum diameter in diastole, left ventricular posterior wall diameter in diastole, and left ventricular diameter in diastole in order to calculate left ventricular mass index by echocardiography) were performed, at least one week after transfusion. The calculated left ventricular mass indices were thereafter compared between the two methods (electrocardiography and echocardiography). Results: Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value in the two techniques in determining the left ventricular mass index were 67%, 25%, 89%, and 7% in the females, 65%, 33%, 92%, and 6% in the males, and 67%, 14%, 89%, and 3% in the total population, respectively. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that the average left ventricular mass index by echocardiography and electrocardiography was 104.86 ± 21.65 gr/m2 and 91.69 ± 12.03 gr/m2, respectively. Echocardiography was much more accurate than electrocardiography in determining the left ventricular mass index (p value = 0.0001). Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrated that echocardiography was more accurate and more reliable than electrocardiography in determining the left ventricular mass index in major thalassemia patients.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare syndrome affecting multiple organs. There is no sufficient evidence regarding the clinical cardiac manifestations of TTP. Nonetheless, pathologic cardiac involvement is quite frequent in acute TTP, which is predominantly manifested as myocardial necrosis due to coronary arteriolar microthrombosis. The present case report describes a 43-year-old man with long-standing remitted TTP, who suffered from a sequence of refractory thrombotic epicardial coronary events. Aggressive medical and interventional therapies, including long-term dual antiplatelets and coronary angioplasty, were finally successful in remitting the thrombotic events. During his two-year follow up, he has been asymptomatic.

Background: Significant elevation of cardiac biomarkers after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with increased mortality. However, clinical importance of lesser degrees of cardiac enzyme elevation has not been well understood. Multiple factors might have an etiologic role, and the incidence of myonecrosis has not changed dramatically despite pharmacological and technological advances in PCI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of intracoronary (IC) Adenosine in preventing the elevation of cardiac enzymes as a marker of myonecrosis after PCI in patients with chronic stable angina. Methods: Two hundred sixty patients with chronic stable angina who were candidates for PCI were randomly assigned to double-blinded pretreatment with IC Adenosine or placebo before crossing of the guide wire. The patients were observed during the hospital course, and blood samples were obtained in standard intervals after the intervention for cardiac biomarkers. The primary end point of this study was post-PCI myonecrosis, and secondary end point was safety of IC Adenosine administration in the setting of PCI in patients with chronic stable angina. Results: Of the 260 patients, who were initially randomized, finally 83 patients were analyzed in the placebo and 96 in the Adenosine arms. The study patients were comparable in clinical and angiographic characteristics. The mean of the patients’ age was 57.3 years (range = 35 to 79 years), and 71.5% were male. There were no differences in the mean serum cardiac biomarkers between the study groups (mean creatine kinase-MB [CK.MB] level of 29.5 ± 14.5 IU/L in the placebo group and 31.5 ± 18.5 IU/L in the control group; p value = 0.41; mean cardiac troponin I (cTnI) level of 0.097 ± 0.178 µg/L in the placebo group and 0.167 ± 0.5 µg/L in the control group; p value = 0.24). Conclusion: Despite promising results in primary PCI, our study showed that a strategy of IC Adenosine pretreatment is not beneficial in reducing post-PCI myonecrosis in patients with chronic stable angina and should not be routinely used.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of mortality in many parts of the world. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several genetic variants associated with CAD in Low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) locus. This study was evaluated the possible association of genetic markers at LDLR locus with CAD irrespective to lipid profile and as well as the association of these SNPs with severity of CAD in Iranian population. Sequencing of 2 exons in LDLR gene (Exon 2, 12) and part of intron 30 of SMARCA4 gene include rs1122608, was performed in 170 Iranian patients angiographically confirmed CAD and 104 healthy controls by direct sequencing. Sullivan's scoring system was used for determining the severity of CAD in cases. Our results showed that homozygote genotypes of rs1122608 (P

Background: There is a paucity of data regarding the role of side branch (SB) predilation during the provisional stenting of bifurcation lesions. Objectives: The present study aimed to assess the effects of SB predilation on the outcomes of true bifurcation interventions. Patients and Methods: Sixty patients with true bifurcation lesions according to the Medina classification were included in the study and randomly assigned to receive SB predilation before stenting the main branch (n = 30) or no predilation as the control group (n = 30). Results: There was a trend toward the higher occurrence of dissection in the predilated ostial lesions of the SB compared to the non- predilated group (16.7% vs. 0, P = 0.07). Performance of the SB predilation was not associated with improved flow of the SB or fewer degrees of ostial stenosis after stenting the main branch, the need to rewire, rewiring time, or the rate of use of the final kissing balloon dilation and double stents procedures. Conclusions: Routine predilation of the SB in provisional stenting of true bifurcation lesions seems to be ineffective and might be associated with some undesirable consequences. Still, there are some complex ostial lesions of the SB which could benefit from predilation.

Background: In some patients with chest pain, selective coronary angiography reveals slow contrast agent passage through the epicardial coronary arteries in the absence of stenosis. This phenomenon has been designated the slow coronary flow (SCF) phenomenon. Objectives: In this study, we aimed to describe the demographic and clinical findings and presence of common atherosclerosis risk factors in patients with the SCF phenomenon. Patients and Methods: Between October 2014 and March 2015, demographic data, clinical histories, atherosclerosis risk factors, and laboratory and angiographic findings were recorded for all consecutive patients scheduled for coronary angiography and diagnosed with the SCF phenomenon, as well as a control group (patients with normal epicardial coronary arteries; NECA). SCF was diagnosed based on the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame count (TFC). A TFC > 27 indicated a diagnosis of SCF phenomenon. Results: Among the 3600 patients scheduled for selective coronary angiography, 75 (2%) met the SCF criteria. SCF and NECA patients did not exhibit statistically significant differences in traditional risk factors except for hypertension, which was more prevalent in SCF than NECA patients (52% versus 31%, P = 0.008). A multivariable analysis indicated a low body mass index, presence of hypertension, low high- density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) level, and high hemoglobin level as independent predictors of the SCF phenomenon; of these, hypertension was the strongest predictor (odds ratio = 6.3, 95% confidence interval: 2.2 - 17.9, P = 0.001). Conclusions: The SCF phenomenon is relatively frequent, particularly among patients with acute coronary syndrome who are scheduled for coronary angiography. Hypertension, a low HDL-c level, and high hemoglobin level can be considered independent predictors of this phenomenon.

Background: Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is a localized or diffuse abnormal dilatation of coronary arteries. Controversy still remains about its cardiovascular events rate, prognosis, and etiology. Adverse effects of CAE coinciding with coronary artery stenosis (CAS) (and in isolated form) are unclear. Objectives: We aimed to investigate the cardiovascular event rate of CAE in comparison to ‘CAS only’, and comparing their etiology. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 patients between May 2011 and June 2012. Of them, 40 had CAE (case group) and 160 had only CAS (control group). Patients with CAE were divided into 2 subgroups according to the absence (E1) or presence (E2) of CAS. They were followed up for at least 6 month for cardiovascular events, including death, unstable angina and myocardial infarction (MI). Finally, we compared findings in CAE, CAS, and E and E2 subgroups and evaluated the relationship between severity of ectasia (1-1.5 times, 1.5-2 times, and > 2 times) and CAS. Results: Hypertension (HTN), dyslipidemia (DLP), and male sex were matched in both groups without significant difference. Cigarette smoking (C/S) was significantly higher and diabetes mellitus (DM) was significantly lower in CAE compared to CAS patients. A subgroup of CAE patients with CAS (E2 subgroup) had significantly higher mortality rate than isolated CAS (P = 0.043). MI was seen in several isolated CAE patients (E1) subgroup. Severity of ectasia showed no significant relationship with CAS. Conclusions: Presence of CAE in patients with CAS increases its cardiovascular event rate. Isolated CAE is not a benign finding and MI can occur. Risk factors of CAE are similar to CAS, but C/S is more associated with CAE than CAS. DM is seen in CAE patients less than CAS.