Search

Introduction:The objective of the present research was to evaluate the possible association between the N-terminal pro-brain type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and in-hospital mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia patients who did not have pre-existing heart failure (HF). Methods:A total of 137 consecutive patients without pre-existing HF and hospitalized due to COVID-19 pneumonia were enrolled into the current research. The main outcome of the research was the in-hospital death. The independent parameters linked with the in-hospital death were determined by multivariable analysis. Results: A total of 26 deaths with an in-hospital mortality rate of 18.9% was noted. Those who died were older with an increased frequency of co-morbidities such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, coronary artery disease, stroke and dementia. They had also increased white blood cell (WBC) counts and had elevated glucose, creatinine, troponin I, and NT-pro-BNP levels but had decreased levels of hemoglobin. By multivariable analysis; age, NT-pro-BNP, WBC, troponin I, and creatinine levels were independently linked with the in-hospital mortality. After ROC evaluation, the ideal value of the NT-pro-BNP to predict the in-hospital mortality was found as 260 ng/L reflecting a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 93% (AUC:0.86; 95%CI:0.76-0.97). Conclusion: The current research clearly shows that the NT-proBNP levels are independently linked with the in-hospital mortality rates in subjects with COVID-19 pneumonia and without HF. Thus, we believe that this biomarker can be used as a valuable prognostic parameter in such cases.

Introduction The present research aimed to determine the relation between the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inh) and angiotensinogen receptor blockers (ARBs) and in-hospital mortality of hypertensive patients diagnosed with Covid-19 pneumonia. Material and method In this retrospective study, we included 113 consecutive hypertensive patients admitted due to Covid-19 infection. In all patients, Covid-19 infection was confirmed with using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. All patients were on ACE inh/ARBs or other antihypertensive therapy unless no contraindication was present. The primary outcome of the study was the in-hospital all-cause mortality. Results In total, 113 hypertensive Covid-19 patients were included, of them 74 patients were using ACE inh/ARBs. During in-hospital follow up, 30.9% [n = 35 patients] of patients died. The frequency of admission to the ICU and endotracheal intubation were significantly higher in patients using ACE inh/ARBs. In a multivariable analysis, the use of ACE inh/ARBs was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (OR: 3.66; 95%CI: 1.11–18.18; p= .032). Kaplan–Meir curve analysis displayed that patients on ACE inh/ARBs therapy had higher incidence of in-hospital death than those who were not. Conclusion The present study has found that the use of ACE inh/ARBs therapy might be associated with an increased in-hospital mortality in patients who were diagnosed with Covid-19 pneumonia. It is likely that ACE inh/ARBs therapy might not be beneficial in the subgroup of hypertensive Covid-19 patients despite the fact that there might be the possibility of some unmeasured residual confounders to affect the results of the study.

Intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) is a rare and benign smooth muscle tumor that arises from intrauterine venules or the myometrium. We herein describe a 49-year-old woman with a history of myomectomy who developed abdominal pain. An intravascular mass with extension to the right atrium was detected in the inferior vena cava. The mass was surgically resected in a single stage under cardiopulmonary bypass. IVL features were indicated by subsequent histopathology. Postoperatively, the patient was diagnosed with massive pericardial effusion and treated with a pericardial window. At 3 months’ outpatient clinical follow-up, she was asymptomatic. This case indicates that the diagnosis of IVL with extension to the heart should be kept in mind in patients presenting with abdominal pain.

Not required.

Objective: Iron deficiency (ID) is the most common nutritional deficiency, and iron metabolism becomes further deteriorated in the presence of certain conditions, such as heart failure (HF). Atrial fibrillation (AF) has many similarities to HF, including a chronic inflammatory pathophysiology; however, the prevalence of ID and other hematinic deficiencies in AF patients have not been determined. Methods: In this study, the prevalence of iron (serum ferritin

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 ≤2 after the intervention, chronic renal failure, and serum lactate and glucose levels were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. Conclusion: The mortality rate remains high despite IABP support in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Patients who are identified as having a greater risk of mortality according to admission parameters should be further treated with other mechanical circulatory support devices.

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.

Objective: The aim of this study was to delineate in detail the longitudinal association of total cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels with overall mortality in middle-aged participants of the biennial Turkish Adult Risk Factor study. Methods: Baseline lipid variables were analyzed in sex-specific deciles. A baseline age of 45 to 84 years as an inclusion criterion led to the enrollment of 2121 men and women. Cox regression analyses were performed. Results: Deaths were recorded in 237 and 306 women and men, respectively, during a mean 8.85+-4.4 years of follow-up. After adjustment for age, smoking status, lipid-lowering and antihypertensive drug usage, prevalent diabetes, and coronary heart disease, and using the lowest decile as referent, neither TC (p trend=0.94 and 0.96, respectively), nor HDL-C categories (p trend=0.20 and 0.31, respectively) were significantly predictive of mortality in either gender. TC deciles exhibited a gender difference insofar as hazard ratios in females tended to be reciprocal to those in males in deciles 2 through 5. Conclusion: The findings on TC deciles may be attributed to a comparatively higher death rate in the female (compared with male) bottom decile, reflecting the autoimmune process-induced elevated risk in the lowest decile. Observations on HDL-C confirmed presumed pro-inflammatory conversion in levels >50 mg/dL. These results have important clinical implications.

INTRODUCTION[|]Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a frequent and serious complication after aorto-coronary bypass graft (ACBG) surgery which unfortunately increases morbidity and mortality. Postoperative stroke, hemodynamic instability, renal failure, infection, inotropic agent and coronary unit need are complications caused by POAF. Inflammation and oxidative stress are among several mechanisms contributing to the pathogenesis of POAF. Monocyte to HDL ratio (M/H ratio) is a newly defined parameter of both inflammation and oxidative stress. In this study we investigated M/H ratio in predicting POAF after ACBG surgery.[¤]METHODS[|]Total number of 311 patients who underwent ACBG surgery were included in our study. Blood samples were obtained from the patients after 12 hours of fasting for analysis of routine biochemistry and lipid panel in the morning of ACBG surgery. Patients were monitored for the occurrence of POAF continuously through hospitalization. [¤]RESULTS[|]POAF was demonstrated in 71 patients after ACBG operation. M/H ratio was significantly higher in POAF+ group compared to POAF – group (p< 0.001). Median age of POAF (+) patients is 62.0+-10.1 which was significantly higher than POAF (-) patients. Other atrial fibrillation risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking or alcohol consumption were similar between groups. Potassium level was statistically lower in POAF+ group compared to POAF- group. (p= 0,01)[¤]DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION[|]M/H ratio is an indicator of inflammation and oxidative stress which both plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation. M/H ratio was found be statistically higher in POAF + patients compared to POAF – patients.[¤]

Objective: This study is an examination of 1) overall mortality trend in the Turkish Adult Risk Factor (TARF) study stratified by sex and place of residence, and 2) brief report on main aspects of the 2016 survey. Methods: The period of last 18 years was divided into 2 for trend analysis of data. Required information on deaths was obtained. Baseline age ≥40 years at the beginning of each period was the inclusion criterion. Cox regression analyses were performed. Results: Among over 2500 participants in each, deaths were recorded in 281 and 334 individuals in Periods 1 and 2, respectively, and baseline mean age was 54.6 years and 56.4 years, respectively, in each period. Age-adjusted hazard ratio for mortality in Period 2 remained virtually the same for rural males, rose to borderline significance for urban males and rural females (p=0.06, p=0.09), and increased 1.72-fold for urban females (p=0.006), as compared to Period 1. Whereas males gained an average of 3.8 years of survival in the later period compared with the earlier period, females gained only 1.8 years. This narrowed the difference in mean age at death in favor of women from 2.5 years to 0.5 year. Of 1144 participants to be surveyed in the TARF 2016, 48 were lost to follow-up, 695 were examined, and 39 participants were ascertained to be deceased. In 362 cases, verbal information was obtained regarding health status. Conclusion: Gain in survival in Turkish women has distinctly stagnated compared with men, and hazard of death has risen significantly for women and urban residents in the past decade, suggesting interaction between female sex and urban residence. Both phenomena require recognition and adoption of appropriate measures.

Stanford type A aortic dissection requires urgent intervention and immediate surgical approach in the emergency department. Survival rate is low, even in patients who undergo immediate surgery. Presently described is a case of unoperated Stanford type A aortic dissection that has been in follow-up under beta-blocker treatment for 7 years. To the best of our knowledge, our case is the longest surviving patient with unoperated type A aortic dissection reported in the literature.

Aim: Signal peptide complement C1r/C1s, Uegf, and Bmp1-epidermal growth factor-like domain-containing protein 1 (SCUBE1) has been used in research as a biomarker in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The aim of this study is to determine if SCUBE1 and routine laboratory parameters are effective in distinguishing the patients presenting with clinical symptoms of unstable angina pectoris (USAP) from the patients who have non-ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and non-cardiac chest pain patients (NCCP).Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of patients having chest pain or those suspected of having an ACS complaint. The study consisted of 5 groups of 185 patients with USAP, NSTEMI, segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), or NCCP, and a control group of 45 healthy patients (CG). The study was conducted according to the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines.Results: There was no statistical difference between the patient groups and CG in terms of SCUBE1 (p=0.650). The Troponin I value was significantly lower in the USAP group than the STEMI and NSTEMI groups (p

Background: Development of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated via primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), which is a marker of inflammation, has been demonstrated to be associated with the development of major adverse cardiovascular outcomes in many studies. From this point of view, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the NLR as regards the occurrence of CI-AKI in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI. Methods: This study was conducted at Dr. Siyami Ersek Training and Research Hospital from May 2008 to June 2016. A total of 2000 patients with STEMI treated via primary PCI were enrolled in the study. The NLR was calculated as the ratio of the number of neutrophils to the number of lymphocytes. All venous blood samples were obtained within 8 hours after admission. CI-AKI was the primary end point of the study. Then, the relationship between CI-AKI and the NLR was assessed. Results: CI-AKI was detected in 148 (7.4%) patients. The patients who developed CI-AKI had a significantly higher NLR than those who did not (7.08±4.43 vs. 6.18±3.98; P=0.011). In the multivariate logistic regression analyses, the NLR remained a significant independent predictor of CI-AKI (OR: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.21–2.61, and P=0.003). Conclusion: The NLR may be a significant independent predictor of CI-AKI in patients with STEMI treated via primary PCI and higher NLR values could be independently associated with a greater risk for CI-AKI.

Left ventricular aneurysms (LVAs) are characterized by a wide connection to the left ventricle and paradoxical systolic motions. Although patients with LVAs are usually asymptomatic, some may present with arrhythmias, heart failure, and even cardiac arrest. In this case report, we describe a 62-year-old male patient who presented to our emergency service with complaints of palpitation and shortness of breath of 2 hours’ duration. His blood pressure was 84/56 mm Hg, and he was in a confused state. An electrocardiogram revealed ventricular tachycardia (VT) with right bundle branch block and a ventricular rate of 188 bpm. The patient’s hemodynamic instability necessitated a direct current cardioversion, which restored the sinus rhythm. During the in-hospital course, he had numerous recurrent VT episodes despite treatment with intravenous amiodarone and magnesium sulfate as well as radiofrequency ablation. Upon consensus with a cardiovascular surgeon’s team, urgent surgery was performed due to the resistant VT episodes. The patient’s clinical course was uneventful, and he was discharged on the 11th postoperative day. We have been following up the patient for almost 1 year, during which he has not experienced palpitations or associated symptoms. Our case indicates that surgery may be a preferable treatment option for patients with heart failure and resistant VT related to LVAs.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is an unusual form of acute cardiomyopathy showing left ventricular apical ballooning. Patients with hypotension should undergo urgent echocardiography to determine if left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction is present. This complication has been described in 10–25% of all TCM patients. That some patients do not survive an acute TCM event underscores the importance of prompt recognition and targeted management of dynamic LVOT obstruction. Described in the present report is the case of a TCM patient with cardiogenic shock, the hemodynamics of which worsened after inotropic agents were administered, alleviated after serum fluid and beta-blocker treatment.

The concertina phenomenon is the occurrence of new and transient angiographic series of pseudolesions in a tortuous vessel induced mainly by a stiff guide wire. Here, we describe a 53-year-old man who experienced a concertina effect in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) during an elective percutaneous coronary intervention. After the diagnosis of the concertina phenomenon in the LAD, a percutaneous coronary intervention was performed following the withdrawal of the soft guide wire to the mid level of the LAD. After the intervention, the patient remained in very good clinical status and was discharged on the third postprocedural day.

Summary– Anticoagulation with warfarin is the main treatment of intracardiac thrombus. While novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for stroke prevention in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF), they are not indicated for resolution of intracardiac thrombus. The case of a 60-year-old woman with left ventricular (LV) thrombus secondary to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and AF is described in the present report. Indications for oral anticoagulation were AF and LV thrombus. Thrombus was dissolved after 1 month of apixaban treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that describes the resolution of LV thrombus with apixaban treatment in a patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Association of premature ventricular complexes (PVC) with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) and efficacy of catheter ablation treatment have been demonstrated in studies. The role of left atrial (LA) mechanics in the etiopathogenesis of PVC-induced cardiomyopathy (PVC-CMP) as well as changes in LA mechanics with catheter ablation have not been studied before. Methods: A total number of 61 patients (Mean Age 43 ± 3) with idiopathic outflow tract (OT) PVCs undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) were enrolled. ECG, 24 h Holter, and echocardiographic evaluation with left ventricular (LV) diastolic functions and LA volumetric assessments were performed before and three months after RFCA. Results: Along with a marginal increase in left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), improvement in diastolic functions and left atrial mechanics were observed in the study (LVEF 53 ± 7 versus 57 ± 6, p < 0.01) in short-term follow-up. The frequency of LV diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) decreased with catheter ablation (n = 5 to 0, p = 0.02). The overall LA function improved. Left atrium passive and overall emptying fraction (LAEF) increased significantly (0.32 ± 0.04 to 0.41 ± 0.04, p < 0.05 and 0.62 ± 0.04 to 0.65 ± 0.004, p < 0.05, respectively). Active LAEF decreased significantly (0.29 ± 0.005 to 0.24 ± 0.006, p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study are indicative of “PVC-induced atriomyopathy” which responds to RFCA in short-term follow-up. Atrial dysfunction might play a role in symptoms and etiopathogenesis of LVSD.

Background: The Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), which is obtained from a combination of C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum albumin level, predicts poor prognoses in many cancer types. Systemic inflammation also plays an important role in pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of inflammation-based GPS on in-hospital and long-term outcomes in patients hospitalized in intensive cardiovascular care unit (ICCU). Methods: A total of 1004 consecutive patients admitted to ICCU were included in the study, and patients were divided into three groups based on albumin and CRP values as GPS 0, 1, and 2. Patients’ demographic, clinic, and laboratory findings were recorded. In-hospital and one-year mortality rates were compared between groups. Results: Mortality occurred in 109 (10.8%) patients in in-hospital period, 82 (8.1%) patients during follow-up period, and thus, cumulative mortality occurred in 191 (19.0%) patients. Patients with a high GPS score had a higher rate of comorbidities and represented increased inflammatory evidence. In the multivariate regression model there was independent association with in-hospital mortality in GPS 1 patients compared to GPS 0 patients (Odds ratio, (OR); 5.52, 95% CI: 1.2–16.91, p = 0.025) and in GPS 2 patients compared to GPS 0 patients (OR; 7.01, 95% CI: 1.39–35.15, p = 0.018). A higher GPS score was also associated with a prolonged ICCU and hospital stay, and increased re-hospitalization in the follow-up period. Conclusion: Inflammation based GPS is a practical tool in the prediction of worse prognosis both in in-hospital and one-year follow-up periods in ICCU patients.

Biventricular thrombi secondary to anterior myocardial infarction is very rare. We present a patient with giant biventricular thrombi subsequent to an old anterior wall myocardial infarction, and devastating consequences, including acute pulmonary artery and femoral artery embolism. We introduce a unique case report with demonstrative and illustrative images.