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OBJECTIVE: Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is a very common disease that must be diagnosed and treated quickly and accurately to reduce significant morbidity and mortality rates. Acute pulmonary embolism is associated with numerous electrocardiographic (ECG) changes including prolonged QT interval with global T-wave inversion. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the T-wave peak-to-end interval and diagnosis of APE, which has never been investigated in the literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-three patients who were suspected of having APE took part in the present study. The Local Ethics Committee of Istanbul University, Turkey, approved the study protocol. Forty-one of the patients were diagnosed as having APE using computed tomography. Surface ECGs were taken in the initial assessment at admission. The Tp-Te interval was identified as the interval from the peak of the T-wave to the end of the T-wave. The measurements of the Tp-Te interval were taken using precordial leads. All measurements were compared using appropriate statistical tests. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22.0. RESULTS: We enrolled 73 patients to the study, 41 of which were diagnosed as having APE. Men comprised 54% of the APE group. The mean ages in the APE (+) and APE (-) groups were 59.5 ± 14.5 years and 61±9.2 years, respectively. There was a significant increase in Tp-Te results in V1 (p<0.01). The Tp-Te interval was 74.21 ± 20.81 in the APE (+) group, whereas it was 59.73 ± 12.82 in APE (-) group (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is a mortal condition and as such, rapid and accurate diagnosis is very important. Surface ECG can be used to measure Tp-Te in patients admitted to the emergency room with suspected APE in the differential diagnosis as a fast and easily accessible tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: T-wave peak to end interval (TPE) is a measure of repolarization dispersion, which has been reported as a major arrhythmogenic factor post acutemyocardial infarction. The aim of our study was to investigate the changes in TPE in this patient population with regard to periprocedural intracoronary ECG findings. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-four patients (34 male and mean age of 54.9 ± 10.9 years) with acute STEMI were included. Intracoronary ECG was performed during primary PCI. TPE indices were calculated before and after the procedure. Measurement of the intracoronary ST-segment was carried out before and just after coronary blood flow was established in the infarct related artery. Intracoronary ST-segment resolution (IC-STR) was defined as ≥ 1 mm compared to baseline. RESULTS: There was no difference with respect to baseline characteristics when patients with IC-STR were compared with patients without IC-STR. TPE values decreased significantly after primary PCI in patients with IC-STR (80.9 ± 22.8 ms vs. 65.8 ± 14.4 ms; p < 0.001) whereas they did not change significantly after PCI in patients without IC-STR (79.2 ± 20.9 ms vs. 68.5 ± 16.3 ms; p = 0.18). CONCLUSIONS: TPE measured from surface ECG recordings is significantly reduced in STEMI patients with successful reperfusion after primary PCI, as determined by IC-ECG recordings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Endothelial dysfunction is recognized as an early and initiating event in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease. Gene polymorphisms of endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase (ecNOS), angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) have been found to be associated with atherosclerosis. We aimed to investigate the possible effects of ecNOS, ACE and AT1R gene polymorphisms on endothelial functions in healthy population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 255 healthy subjects (male/ female: 119/136 mean age 35.1±2.3 years) ecNOS, ACE and AT1R gene polymorphisms were assessed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Endothelium dependent (EDD, flow-mediated) and endothelium independent vasodilation (EID) were measured by high resolution brachial artery ultrasound and 0.5mg sublingual nitroglycerine respectively. RESULTS: ecNOS and ACE genes had no significant effect on EDD and EID. However, subjects with AT1RAC+CC genotypes had lower EDD compared to subjects with AT1RAA genotype in females (19.4 ± 6.6% vs 21.5 ± 7.8%, p = 0.041). EDD and EID were significantly negatively associated with age, body mass index, serum creatinine, glucose, uric acid and hemoglobin levels.When the data on age, uric acid, BMI, glucose, creatinine, and hemoglobin were split into 3 as low-1/3, mid-1/3 and high 1/3, there was significant graded decrease in EDD and EID with these parameters. In multiple regression analysis, age and presence of AT1RAC+CC genotype retained as significant independent factors predicting endothelial functions. CONCLUSIONS: Gene polymorphisms of endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase and angiotensin converting enzyme had no effect on endothelial functions. However, the presence of angiotensin II type 1 receptor polymorhism (AT1RAC+CC genotype) seemed to adversely affect the endothelial functions as reflected by impaired endothelium dependent and independent vasodilatation in healthy individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: P-wave dispersion (Pd), corrected P-wave dispersion (Pdc), QT-wave dispersion (QTd), and corrected QT-wave dispersion (QTdc) parameters were not assessed in Turner Syndrome (TS) before. The aim of this study is to investigate the cardiac arrhythmogenic potential in patients with TS. Methods: Thirty-one patients with TS and 30 healthy women were enrolled in the study. For this purpose 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and 24-hour ambulatory ECG recordings were performed. Results: Pd, Pdc, QTd, and QTdc were significantly higher in patients with TS. On 24-hour ambulatory ECG recording, the mean heart rate (HR) was higher, while the mean of all RR intervals between normal beats (MeanNN), the standard deviation of all the RR intervals (SDNN), the square root of the mean of the squared differences of two consecutive RR intervals (rMSSD), and the percentage of the beats with consecutive RR interval difference more than 50 milliseconds (pNN50) were lower in TS. Conclusion: There were significant increases in Pd, Pdc, QTd, and QTdc in patients with TS and they may be features of the disease. The frequency of supraventricular arrhythmias was increased. There also was a significant deterioration of sympathetic and parasympathetic components of autonomic function as assessed by heart rate variability (HRV) in Turner patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is a powerful antiplatelet agent used in prevention of atherothrombotic vascular events. However, antiplatelet effect of aspirin is not uniform and some patients could not benefit from aspirin. These patients are clinically called as aspirin resistant or aspirin non-responders. Aspirin resistance could be determined by: bleeding time, optical aggregometry, PFA-100 (Platelet Function Analyzer), Ultegra-RPFA (Rapid Platelet Function Assay), activated aggregation time, whole blood aggregometry, platelet aggregate ratio, flow cytometry, measurements of platelet surface proteins and blood or urine thromboxane B2 levels. Mechanisms of aspirin resistance have not been elucidated yet. There is evidence that aspirin resistance increases clinical cardiovascular events. Adequate additional therapies may reduce atherothrombotic risks and major cardiovascular events rate in aspirin resistant subjects. However, we need further studies to decrease major cardiovascular events risk in aspirin resistant subjects and to optimize antiplatelet therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate left atrial (LA) volume and its changes with the phases of atrial filling, and to examine the effect of exercise capacity on these parameters. Using two-dimensional echorardiography. LA volumes were measured in 30 male endurance runners and 30 age-matched sedentary men (controls). Maximal oxygen consumption (V̇O2max) was measured using a metabolic chart during exercise. LA reservoir, pump, and conduit functions, kinetic energy and force were calculated. We found that athletes had higher LA volume and volume index (except the conduit volume), LA passive emptying fraction, and LA total emptying fraction compared to control subjects. We observed positive correlations between: V̇O2max and LA passive emptying fraction (r = 0.49, p < 0.05); V̇O2max and LA active emptying fraction (r = 0.54, p < 0.05); V̇O2max and LA kinetic energy (r = 0.61, p < 0.05); and V̇O2max and LA force (r = 0.57, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that atrial function reflects exercise capacity in athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]