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Coronary slow flow (CSF) is defined as the late progression of applied contrast through coronary arteries. The cardiac electrophysiological balance index (iCEB) reflects the balance between ventricular depolarisation and repolarisation and provides more information about ventricular arrhythmogenesis (VA) than other electrocardiography (ECG) parameters (QT, corrected QT [QTc], etc.).We aimed to evaluate iCEB in patients with CSF.We divided the study population into two groups as CSF and control. The CSF group consisted of 100 patients (33 female, 67 male, mean age 52.2 ± 2.6), while the control group consisted of the same number of age and sex-matched patients (35 female, 65 male, mean age 51.7 ± 1.4). ECG parameters of the study population (QRS duration, QT, T wave peak-to-end (Tp-e) intervals, iCEB (QT/QRS), and iCEBc (heart rate QTc/QRS) rates were calculated and compared between CSF and control groups.Intervals (QT and QTc intervals) and Tp-e/QTc ratio were greater in the CSF group compared with controls [422.1 ± 12.8 vs. 349.4 ± 14.3 bpm, respectively,ICEB and iCEBc were significantly increased in patients with CSF. This may suggest that CSF may predispose to malign arrhythmias.

Endothelial cell dysfunction proceeding with increased inflammation and monocyte increase is one of the main causes of vessel injury in CAD. SIRT1 (Sirtuin 1) protein plays an important role in the regulation of cellular physiological mechanisms. SIRT1 has roles in regulating angiogenesis and preventing endothelial dysfunction and reperfusion injury due to ischemia. Suppression of SIRT1 causes monocyte affinity due to endothelial dysfunction. Sirtuins activators are involved in pathologies of many diseases with promising treatments. The objective of this review is to summarize the current progress and future directions of sirtuin protein in the field of CAD.

Like other adipokines, omentin-1 is secreted from visceral adipose tissue and plays a vital role in the development of chronic inflammatory diseases, including cardiovascular events. Recent studies have shown that circulating omentin-1 levels are associated with various metabolic risk factors, such as high blood pressure, increased waist circumference, dyslipidemia, and glucose intolerance. The decrease in serum omentin level is an independent predictor of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and is associated with the severity of this disease. Since there is no relevant review in the literature, we aimed to summarize the studies on the relationship between omentin-1 and CAD.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the severe diseases that may cause significant moral and financial burden on society today. There are many studies in the literature on whether psychiatric disorders may cause CAD or an increase in prevalence after CAD. Although many studies have emphasized the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of depression in CAD patients, clinicians do not attach much attention to depression in daily practice. Several scales have been developed that are comfortable to use to describe anxiety and depression in CAD patients. High depression and anxiety scores predicted by psychological symptom scales following CAD treatment are closely related to treatment success and prognosis of the CAD. We believe that patients with CAD should be followed carefully for the diagnosis of depression and anxiety disorders; since the treatment of them may improve the prognosis of CAD.

Recent studies have revealed that chemerin plays an essential role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. Autopsy studies found a strong correlation between the secretion of chemerin in peripheral tissues and aortic and coronary atherosclerosis. Plasma chemerin is a marker of systemic inflammation and is associated with metabolic syndrome. Chemerin plays a vital role in vascular inflammation and atherogenesis. Plasma chemerin levels are increased in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, and chemerin is associated with left ventricular dysfunction. In this review, we focus on chemerin expression, chemerin processing, its biological function, and its role in the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases.

Serum resistin, mainly secreted by the bone marrow, monocytes, and macrophages, contributes to many processes, including endothelial dysfunction, Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell (VSMC) proliferation, and atherothrombosis demonstrating effects on the development of hypertension and Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Previously published clinical studies have shown that plasma resistin levels are significantly associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors and adverse clinical outcomes associated with the condition. Resistin is associated with vascular smooth muscle cell dysfunction in vitro, most plausibly due to its relationship with oxidative stress in advanced atherosclerosis whereas in vivo studies have shown resistin to be associated with intimal hyperplasia. We aimed to summarize the role of resistin on cardiovascular disease (CVD), as we could not find any review focused on the role of resistin on CVD.

The relationship between serum vaspin levels and metabolic or coronary artery disease is currently of interest for researchers. Although adipokine concentrations have been shown to be increased significantly in atherosclerotic lesions, the role adipokines in the atherosclerotic process remains to be elucidated. Vaspin is a new biological marker associated with obesity and impaired insulin sensitivity. Plasma vaspin concentration has been shown to correlate with the severity of coronary artery disease. Vascular inflammation triggered by vaspin inhibits atherogenesis by suppressing macrophage foam cell formation and vascular smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation. Vaspin also contributes to plaque stabilization by increasing collagen content and reducing the intraplaque macrophage to vascular smooth muscle cell ratio. The therapeutic goal concerning vaspin is to fight atherosclerosis and related diseases, as well as to maintain vascular health.

Recently, muscular function/dysfunction has gained importance in the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis in cardiovascular diseases. Skeletal muscle plays a vital role in coordinating the activity and metabolism of endocrine organs by secreting many myokines, especially irisin. Irisin is a polypeptide hormone consisting of 112 amino acids secreted into the blood from muscle and adipose tissues. Serum irisin levels are associated with cardiometabolic risk factors such as obesity and insulin resistance as defined by homeostatic model assessment. Irisin reduces endothelial damage by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress, thus playing a key role in maintaining endothelial cell function. Unsurprisingly, low irisin levels cause endothelial dysfunction and increase the incidence of atherosclerosis. We aimed to summarize the studies on this issue since we have not found any review in the literature on the role of serum irisin levels in the process of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular events in cardiovascular diseases.

Apelin is a G protein-linked receptor endogenous ligand, synthesized as a 77-amino acid pre-propeptide. Increased expression of apelin is present in many cardiovascular (CV) tissues, including cardiomyocytes. It is a peripheral vasodilator and one of the most potent stimulants of ventricular contraction. Apelin may be a valuable therapeutic for both blood pressure regulation and myocardial performance. More information is needed for the CV pathophysiology of apelin. We will discuss the importance of apelin level in CV diseases in this review.

Resumo Fundamento A ectasia da artéria coronária (EAC) é definida como a dilatação difusa ou localizada do lúmen da artéria coronária com diâmetro de 1,5 a 2,0 vezes o diâmetro da artéria coronária normal adjacente. A relação proteína C-reativa/albumina (CAR, sigla em inglês) é um marcador inflamatório útil que tem sido documentado em doença arterial coronariana. Objetivo Analisar a associação entre a EAC e a CAR. Métodos Um protocolo caso-controle foi utilizado neste estudo. Foram incluídos 102 pacientesconsecutivos com EAC isolada sem estenose (56 homens e 46 mulheres; idade média de 60,4 ± 8,8 anos). O grupo controle era constituido pelo mesmo número de pacientes pareados por sexo e idade com artérias coronárias normais (55 homens e 47 mulheres; idade média de 61,2 ± 9,1 anos). Características clínicas, achados laboratoriais e histórico de uso de medicamentos foram registrados. Foram realizados teste t de Student, teste U de Mann-Whitney, teste do qui-quadrado, análise de regressão linear e logística. Foi considerado estatisticamente significativo p bilateral < 0,05. Resultados A CAR estava aumentada nos pacientes com EAC em comparação com os controles (32 e 16; p < 0,001). Além disso, foi verificado que a CAR era um preditor independente da EAC (razão de chances = 2,202; intervalo de confiança 95%, 1,184 – 5,365; p < 0,001). Conclusão No presente estudo, determinamos que os níveis da CAR estavam significativamente mais altos no grupo EAC que no grupo controle e a CAR estava significativamente correlacionada com a EAC. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0) Abstract Background Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is defined as diffuse or localized dilatation of coronary artery lumen with a diameter of 1.5 to 2.0 times the adjacent normal coronary artery. The C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR) is a useful inflammatory marker, which has been documented in coronary artery disease. Objective To analyze the association of CAE and CAR. Methods A case-control protocol was used in this study. We included 102 consecutive patients with isolated CAE without stenosis (56 men and 46 women; mean age 60.4 ± 8.8 years). The control subjects consisted of an equal number of sex and age matched patients with normal coronary arteries (55 men and 47 women; mean age 61.2 ± 9.1 years). Clinical features, laboratory findings, and medication use history were recorded. Student’s t test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, and linear and logistic regression analysis were performed. A 2-sided p < 0.05 was statistically considered significant. Results The CAR was increased in patients with CAE compared to the controls (32 and 16; p < 0.001). In addition, the CAR was found to be an independent predictor of CAE (OR = 2.202; 95% CI 1.184 – 5.365; p < 0.001). Conclusion In the present study, we determined that CAR levels were significantly higher in the CAE group than in the control group, and the CAR was significantly correlated with CAE. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0)

Background and aims The etiology and pathophysiology of coronary artery ectasia (CAE) has not been fully elucidated. A rapid rise in plasma copeptin has been observed in cardiovascular diseases, stroke, sepsis, and shock. This increase has diagnostic and prognostic value. The aim of this study was to investigate whether copeptin has a relationship with CAE. Methods This observational prospective study was carried out between October 2012 and March 2013 in the cardiology catheter laboratory with the inclusion of 44 subjects with a diagnosis of CAE and 44 age- and gender-matched individuals with normal coronary arteries. Blood samples obtained from the patients were stored at −70 °C until analysis and copeptin levels in sera were measured by ELISA. Results This study comprised 88 study participants, among whom 44 were patients meeting ectasia criteria [mean age: 58.0 ± 11.5 years; 59% (n = 26) male], and 44 were control subjects with angiographically normal coronary anatomy [mean age: 49.2 ± 10.1 years; 30% (n = 13) male]. Copeptin levels were similar between the groups (p > 0.05). In addition, there was no correlation between copeptin levels and CAE. Conclusion In this study, it is examined that copeptin levels were not elevated in CAE patients.

Introduction:Heartrate variability (HRV) is associated with sympathetic tone. Studies havedisputed the interpretation of the low frequency (LF) and low/high frequency(LF/HF) ratio for the indication of sympathetic cardiac control and autonomicbalance. This study aims to investigate the association between HRV parametersand atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) and observe the effectof autonomic nervous system on AVNRT.Patientsand Methods: In total, 354 subjects with palpitations underwent theelectrophysiological study (EPS). Most (71%; 253/354) patients had at least anambulatory Holter ECG recording of 24 h. As a consequence of the exclusioncriteria, 160 individuals were classified into two groups: control group (noarrhythmia induced, n= 90) and AVNRT group (n= 70).Results: Daytimeand nighttime LF and LF/HF ratio were significantly higher in the AVNRT group(p< 0.05) than in the control group. Interestingly, daytime ultra-LF, veryLF, and total power were significantly lower in the AVNRT group.Conclusion: AVNRT is associated withaltered sympathovagal balance. Furthermore, increased LF and LF/HF may beindicative of enhanced sympathetic activity in patients with AVNRT because ofinhomogeneous ventricular activation via the slow accessory pathway., Giriş: Kalp hızı değişkenliği (HRV) sempatik ton ile ilişkilidir. Çalışmalarsempatik kardiyak kontrol ve otonom denge endikasyonu için düşük frekans (LF)ve düşük/yüksek frekans (LF/HF) oranının yorumlamasını tartışmışlardır. Buçalışma, HRV parametreleri ile atriyoventriküler nodal reentrant taşikardi(AVNRT) arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmayı ve otonomik sinir sisteminin AVNRTüzerindeki etkisini gözlemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Hastalar veYöntem: Çarpıntısı olan 354 olguya elektrofizyolojik çalışmayapıldı (EPS). Hastaların %71 (253/354)'i en az bir 24 saatlik ambulatuvarHolter elektrokardiyografi (EKG) kaydına sahipti. Dışlama kriterlerinin birsonucu olarak, 160 birey iki gruba ayrıldı; kontrol grubu (aritmi indüklenmedi,n= 90) ve AVNRT grubu (n= 70).Bulgular: Gündüz ve gece LF ve LF/HF oranı AVNRT'de kontrollerden anlamlı derecedeyüksekti (p< 0.05). İlginç olarak, gündüz ultra düşük frekans, çok düşükfrekans ve toplam güç AVNRT’de anlamlı olarak düşüktü.Sonuç: AVNRT değişmiş sempatovagaldenge ile ilişkilidir. Dahası, artmış LF ve LF/HF, AVNRT hastalarında yavaşaksesuar yolla homojen olmayan ventriküler aktivasyonun bir sonucu olarakartmış sempatik aktivitenin bir göstergesi olabilir.

INTRODUCTION Prediabetes is a high-risk condition for diabetes mellitus type 2, which is an important public health issue. The myocardial performance index (MPI) is a noninvasive Doppler measurement of global ventricular function. We evaluated the MPI and left ventricular (LV) function in prediabetic patients who did not have coronary artery disease. METHODS In total, 80 prediabetics (34 females and 46 males) and an equal number of sex-matched healthy volunteers (35 females and 45 males) were enrolled prospectively. All subjects underwent laboratory analyses and echocardiographic examinations, including MPI measurements. RESULTS There was a moderate increase in MPI between healthy controls and prediabetics (P

INTRODUCTION Hypertension can cause anatomic changes in the left ventricle, generally leading to abnormal geometry. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) values have been shown to be positively correlated with left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients. The current study investigated the diagnostic value of hs-cTnT in patient with nondipper hypertension (NDH) as well as determined the correlation between left ventricular geometric patterns and hs-cTnT values in hypertensive patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 100 consecutive patients (58 women and 42 men) who were referred to our clinic between 1 October 2015 and 1 March 2016 with elevated blood pressure (BP) were included. Of the patients, 63 had dipper hypertension [nocturnal decline in mean BP (≥10%)], whereas the remaining 37 had NDH [nocturnal decline in mean BP (

Objective: We evaluated the relationship between various risk scores (SYNTAX score [SS], SYNTAX score-II [SS-II], thrombolysis in myocardial infarction [TIMI] risk scores, and Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events [GRACE] risk scores) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Subjects and Methods: The study population were selected from among 589 patients who underwent coronary angiography with a diagnosis of NSTEMI. TIMI and GRACE risk scores were calculated. SS and SS-II were calculated in all patients, and points were added according to the predefined algorithm, taking into account the other 6 clinical variables being monitored (age, sex, left ventricular ejection fraction, creatinine clearance, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and peripheral artery disease). Patients were classified into tertile 1 (SS < 22), tertile 2 (SS 23–32), and tertile 3 (SS > 32). Results: The group with high SS-II for PCI values in the risk scores were observed from tertile 1 to tertile 3 (from 25.0 ± 7.7 to 31.6 ± 9.4, p < 0.001, respectively). The SS-II score in patients with PCI was an independent predictor of MACE, in-hospital mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and stent thrombosis (OR 1.082, 95% CI 1.036–1.131, p < 0.001). The overall MACE, in-hospital mortality, and nonfatal myocardial infarction rates were significantly higher in the high SS-II for PCI group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: TIMI and GRACE risk scores were able to predict MACE. In addition to these, SS-II was also able to predict in-hospital mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and stent thrombosis.

Serum C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio (CAR) is demonstrated as a more precise marker in determining the prognosis of critical diseases than albumin and CRP levels, separately. Recently, inflammatory biomarkers are increasingly used for both screening and prognosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). As an ischemia-dependent risk index, CAR is an independent marker of in-hospital and long-term all-cause mortality in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. The results indicate that CAR is a more effective prognostic marker than either CRP or albumin.

BACKGROUND Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a systemic inflammatory disease, and cardiac dysfunction has not been clearly described clinically. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) is a noninvasive marker for subclinical myocardial injury. OBJECTIVE In this study, we aimed to investigate any relationship between hs-cTnT and left ventricular (LV) function evaluated via tissue Doppler imaging in AS patients with no known cardiac risk factor. METHODS Our study used a cross-sectional case protocol design and was conducted between January 2016 and June 2016. In total, 40 AS patients (17 females and 23 males) were age and sex matched with healthy volunteers (20 females and 20 males) and enlisted for this study. Detailed transthoracic echocardiography was performed, and tissue Doppler imaging was used to assess systolic and diastolic functions. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T levels were measured and compared between 2 groups. RESULTS Compared with control subjects, AS patients had lower early (Em)/late (Am) diastolic myocardial velocities, mitral annular plane systolic excursion, and end-diastolic distance from the mitral annulus to the LV apex. Conversely, they had greater systolic myocardial velocity (Sm), isovolumetric relaxation time, and displacement index (p < 0.001, for all). Higher hs-cTnT levels were measured in AS patients (0.45 ± 0.22 vs. 1.11 ± 0.27, p < 0.001), and multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that hs-cTnT was an independent predictor of LV diastolic dysfunction in AS patients. CONCLUSIONS These data show that AS patients had impaired LV functions and increased hs-cTnT levels. Tissue Doppler imaging may be a useful tool for detection of early functional LV abnormalities, and hs-cTnT may be valuable biomarker of diastolic LV dysfunction in AS patients.

INTRODUCTION[|]To test the hypothesis that multicenter automatic defibrillator implantation trial (MADIT) - implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) scores predict replacement requirement and appropriate shock in a mixed population including both primary and secondary prevention and long-term adverse cardiovascular events.[¤]METHODS[|]The study has a retrospective design. Patients who were implanted with ICD in the cardiology clinic of Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine between 2000 and 2013 were included in the study. For this purpose, 1394 patients who were implanted with a device in our clinic were reviewed. Then, those who were implanted with permanent pacemaker (n=1005), cardiac resynchronization treatment (CRT) (n=45) and CRT-ICD (n=198) were excluded.[¤]RESULTS[|]A total of 146 patients (98 males, 67.1%) with a mean age of 61.1 (+-14.8) years were recruited. The median follow-up time was 21.5 months (mean 30.6+-25.9 months; minimum 4 months, and maximum 120 months). The median MADIT-ICD scores in the patients were 2. MADIT-ICD scores were categorized as low in 15.1%, intermediate in 57.5%, and high score in 27.4% of patients. Accordingly, MADIT-ICD scores (1.29 [1.00–1.68], p=0.050), hemoglobin (0.86 [0.75–0.99], p=0.047), and left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) (0.97 [0.94–0.99], p=0.023) were determined as independent predictors of major adverse cardiovascular events in the long-term follow-up of ICD-implanted population.[¤]DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION[|]In this study, we showed that there was an independent association of long-term adverse cardiovascular events with MADIT-ICD score, hemoglobin, and EF in patients implanted with ICD.[¤]

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTNT) is an important non-invasive laboratory-based marker of subclinical myocardial injury. Prehypertension, which may be a precursor of hypertension, is a major public health issue. Our aim was to evaluate the importance of serum hs-cTnT as a marker predicting prehypertension.A total of 100 subjects (45 women and 55 men) consisting of 50 consecutive prehypertensive patients with blood pressures between 120/80 and 139/89 mmHg and 50 normotensive patients with blood pressures120/80 mmHg were enrolled prospectively. The hs-cTNT level was calculated and compared between the two groups. Echocardiographic examinations were performed in all patients.The hs-cTnT level was significantly higher in the prehypertensive group (p 0.001) and was positively correlated with prehypertension (r = 0.625, p 0.001). Hs-cTnT was an independent predictor of prehypertension (odds ratio = 1.043, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.019-1.067, p 0.001). An Hs-cTnT level of 0.55 ng/L was predictive of prehypertension with a sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 60% (area under the curve = 0.861; 95% CI, 0.787-0.935; p 0.001).hs-cTnT may complement other diagnostic biomarkers in predicting prehypertension. Abbrevations: high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T, prehypertension, subclinical myocardial injury.

OBJECTIVE ABO antigens are highly abundant in many human cell types, including platelets, vascular endothelium, and red blood cells. The presence of a thrombus is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We reviewed the relationship between ABO blood groups and thrombus burden in patients with STEMI. PATIENTS AND METHODS We carried out a retrospective study of 396 patients with STEMI who did not have an ABO blood group or thrombus burden. The ABO blood type of all participants was determined. First, angiographic characteristics ranging from a nonexistent thrombus to total occlusion were defined as grades 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively, using the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) scoring system. After wiring and/or small balloon dilation, the patients were split into two groups according to the TIMI grade: large thrombus burden (LTB) (TIMI 4, n=66) and small thrombus burden (STB) (TIMI 0-3, n=330). RESULTS The prevalence rates of ABO blood and Rh types were similar between the groups (P>0.05). Moreover, no relationship was found between thrombus burden and the ABO blood group. The ABO blood group was not an independent predictor of large thrombus burden. CONCLUSION The present study showed that although previous studies have reported a relationship between the ABO blood type and thrombus burden in the STEMI population, we found no such relationship in our study.

Data are scant regarding serum bilirubin levels in non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). In this study, we evaluated the role of serum bilirubin levels in NSTE-ACS. We enrolled 782 patients who presented to the emergency department with acute chest pain. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the troponin positivity. Patients with NSTE-ACS who had troponin positivity were included in group 1 (n = 382), and group 2 consisted of the control patients (n = 400). Direct bilirubin (DB) levels (group 1: 0.31 ± 0.37 mg/dL, group 2: 0.20 ± 0.25 mg/dL, P < .001) and total bilirubin (TB) levels (group 1: 0.78 ± 0.56 mg/dL, group 2: 0.62 ± 0.45 mg/dL, P < .001) were significantly higher in group 1. There was a significant and moderate correlation between serum bilirubin levels and admission troponin values ( r = .34, P < .001 for TB and r = .42, P < .001 for DB). These results show that serum bilirubin levels were associated with troponin positivity in patients with NSTE-ACS.