Low-Dose Slow Infusion Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA) in Treatment of Thrombotic Coronary Artery Occlusions: Case Series and Literature Review.

Thrombotic coronary artery occlusions usually manifest as acute coronary syndrome with cardiogenic shock, acute pulmonary edema, cardiac arrest, fatal arrhythmias, or sudden cardiac death. Although it usually occurs based on atherosclerosis, it can also occur without atherosclerosis. There is no predictor of coronary artery thrombosis clinically and no consensus regarding the optimal treatment. In the current literature, treatment options include emergency coronary artery bypass grafting, entrapment of thrombus in vessel wall with stent implantation, intracoronary thrombolysis, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, anticoagulation with heparin, and thrombus aspiration as reperfusion strategies. Here, we reviewed a new treatment strategy based on the literature, and a case series with successful results in hemodynamically stable patients with low-dose slow infusion tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for thrombotic coronary artery occlusions that allow coronary flow was reported. Prospective randomized studies and common consensus are needed on low-dose, slow-infusion tissue plasminogen activator treatment regimen and optimal treatment management for thrombotic coronary artery occlusions.

Oscillometric evaluation of the effects of cardiotoxic chemotherapeutic agents on vascular stiffness.

AIM: Several clinical studies have demonstrated that arterial stiffness is an early indicator of cardiovascular events. Our study aimed to detect the potential cardiovascular changes using arterial stiffness parameters and compare these changes with echocardiographic aortic stiffness parameters, in cancer patients treated with cardiotoxic chemotherapeutics. METHODS AND RESULTS: Our study is a prospective case-control study. A total of seventy subjects between the ages of 18 and 50 years were included into our study. Thirty of them were newly diagnosed cancer patients and forty constituted the age- and sex-matched control group. Baseline oscillometric arterial and echocardiographic aortic stiffness parameters were measured in all patients. In cancer patients, all of these parameters were measured again, 1 month after chemotherapy protocol was completed. Mean age of the cancer patients was 41.4 ± 5.9 years and mean age of the control group was 39.6 ± 6.6 years (P = 0.258). Before chemotherapy, arterial and aortic stiffness parameters were similar between the study and the control group. After chemotherapy, the oscillometric pulse wave velocity parameter increased compared with the control group and to the prechemotherapy values (P = 0.004 and P < 0.001, respectively). After chemotherapy, the augmentation index parameter increased compared with the control group (P = 0.013). On the other hand, no difference was detected between the groups in terms of echocardiographic aortic stiffness parameters. CONCLUSION: In newly diagnosed cancer patients treated with cardiotoxic chemotherapeutics, considerable impairment occurs in some of the oscillometric arterial stiffness parameters, while there is no substantial effect on echocardiographic aortic stiffness. Arterial stiffness parameters in these patients might be useful in evaluating subclinical cardiovascular damage.

Comparison of left atrial deformation parameters between renal transplant and hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Renal transplantation (RT) has been demonstrated to improve left ventricular systolic function. However, only few studies have attempted to reveal the effects of transplantation on left atrial (LA) function. In our study, we aimed to compare LA function between RT and hemodialysis patients. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 75 consecutive patients with RT, and 75 age- and gender-matched patients on maintenance hemodialysis. LA strain and strain rate (SR) analyzed by two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) were compared between the groups in addition to standard echocardiographic parameters. RESULTS: LA strain during reservoir phase (29.88 ± 5.76% vs 26.11 ± 5.74%, P < .001), LA strain during conduit phase (- 15.28 ± 5.00% vs - 12.92 ± 4.38%, P = .003), and LA strain during contraction phase (- 14.60 ± 3.32% vs - 13.19 ± 3.95%, P = .020) were higher in the transplantation group. Similarly, LA peak SR during reservoir phase (1.54 ± 0.33 s- 1 vs 1.32 ± 0.33 s- 1, P < .001), LA peak SR during conduit phase (- 1.47 ± 0.49 s- 1 vs - 1.12 ± 0.42 s- 1, P < .001), and LA peak SR during contraction phase (- 2.13 ± 0.46 s- 1 vs - 1.83 ± 0.58 s- 1, P = .001) were higher in the transplantation group as well. CONCLUSIONS: LA function assessed by 2D STE was better in RT patients than hemodialysis patients. This may suggest favorable effects of RT on LA function.

The effect of cardiac resynchronization therapy on arterial stiffness and central hemodynamic parameters.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a device-based method of treatment which decreases morbidity and mortality in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). This study was aimed to investigate the effects of CRT on hemodynamic and arterial stiffness parameters evaluated by noninvasive method, and determine whether there is a correlation between the changes after CRT in these parameters and the clinical response to CRT or not. METHODS: The study included 46 patients with HFrEF who were planned to undergo CRT implantation. Before the CRT implantation, clinical and demographic data were recorded from all patients. Hemodynamic and arterial stiffness parameters were measured oscillometrically by an arteriograph before CRT implantation. The patients were re-evaluated minimum three months after CRT; the above-mentioned parameters were measured again and compared to the pre-CRT period. RESULTS: Compared to the period before CRT, mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) (116.8 ± 19.1 mm Hg vs 127.7 ± 20.9 mm Hg, P = .005), central SBP (cSBP) (106.2 ± 17.3 mm Hg vs 116.8 ± 18.7 mm Hg, P = .015), cardiac output (CO) (4.6 ± 0.8 lt/min vs 5.1 ± 0.8 lt/min, P = .002), stroke volume (65.6 ± 16.3 mL vs 72.0 ± 14.9 mL), and pulse wave velocity (PWV) (10 ± 1.6 m/sec vs 10.4 ± 1.8 m/sec, P = .004) increased significantly in post-CRT period. In addition, the same parameters were significantly increased post-CRT period in patients with clinical response. However, there was not any similar increase in nonresponder patients. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that SBP, CO, and PWV increased significantly after CRT. The modest increases in these parameters were observed to be associated with positive clinical outcomes.

The Effect of Mean Platelet Volume/Platelet Count Ratio on Dipper and Non-Dipper Blood Pressure Status.

Background and Objectives: The mean platelet volume (MPV) represents a possible marker of platelet activation. There is an association between the platelet count (PC) and inflammation and platelet reactivity. We assessed the association between the MPV/PC ratio and circadian alterations in blood pressure (BP). Material and Methods: One hundred and twenty subjects in total, 80 hypertensive subjects and 40 healthy subjects (controls), were enrolled in the study group. Twenty four hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) was applied to all subjects. According to ABPM results, the hypertensive subjects were separated into two groups, such as dippers (n = 40) and non-dippers (n = 40). In all subjects, the collection of venous peripheral blood samples was performed on admission for PC and MPV measurements. Results: The two groups exhibited similar clinical baseline characteristics. A significantly higher MPV/PC ratio was determined in non-dippers compared to that in dippers and normotensives. The higher MPV/PC ratio was observed in non-dippers in comparison with that in dippers and normotensives (0.046 ± 0.007 to 0.032 ± 0.004 fL/[109/L]; 0.046 ± 0.007 to 0.026 ± 0.004 fL/[109/L], p < 0.001, respectively). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the optimum cut-off value of the MPV/PC ratio for predicting non-dipping patterns in hypertensive patients was 0.036 (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.98, p < 0.001). According to the cut-off value, sensitivity and specificity were found to be 95% and 95%, respectively. Conclusions: The higher MPV/PC ratio was determined in non-dipper hypertensive subjects in comparison with that in dipper hypertensive subjects. An elevation of platelet activity and an increase in thrombus burden are reflected by an increase in the MPV/PC ratio. The MPV/PC ratio may underlie the increase in cardiovascular risk in non-dippers compared to that in dippers.

Echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary arterial stiffness in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is one of the complications of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Despite the emergence of effective therapies, pulmonary arterial hypertension is commonly seen, especially at advanced stages. At the time of diagnosis, a majority of patients are at New York Heart Association-Functional Class III or IV. Many of the current screening modalities are dependent on detecting a rise in pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP). However, high capacitance of the pulmonary circulation implies that early microcirculation loss is not accompanied by a change in resting PAP. Therefore, we aimed to demonstrate early changes in pulmonary vascular disease in HIV-infected patients with a new echocardiographic parameter, called as pulmonary arterial stiffness (PAS). METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-six HIV-infected patients and 36 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects were enrolled in this study. PAS was calculated echocardiographically by using maximal frequency shift and acceleration time of the pulmonary artery flow trace. There was no significant difference in diastolic functions, right ventricular diameters, systolic PAP, inferior vena cava widths, right atrial area, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion values between the two groups. However, PAS was calculated as 24.3 ± 6.4 Hz/msn in HIV-infected patients and 19.3 ± 3.1 Hz/msn in healthy control group (P < 0.001). Increase in PAS was correlated with duration of HIV infection (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that HIV infection affects pulmonary vascular bed starting early onset of disease and this can be demonstrated by an easy-to-measure echocardiographic parameter.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Coronary Arteries with Origin and Course Anomalies: Case Reports and Literature Review.

Coronary artery anomalies (CAAs) are defined as variants of normal epicardial coronary arteries. They are mostly detected incidentally during coronary angiography. Clinical studies have shown that abnormal origins and courses of coronary arteries make them more prone to atherosclerosis. Percutaneous treatment for atherosclerotic occlusions in anomalous coronary arteries has some difficulties, including inadequate guiding-catheter support and the need for an experienced operator. Here, we describe successful percutaneous coronary interventions for critical stenoses in 2 different CAAs and present a brief literature review.

Multimodality imaging of a rare type of coronary cameral fistula.

Coronary artery fistulas are defined as abnormal vascular connections between one or more coronary arteries and the cardiac chamber [coronary cameral fistula (CCF)] or a great thoracic vessel. Here, we present multimodality imaging findings of a rare case with CCF between the sinoatrial nodal artery and the left atrium.

Effect of routine postdilatation on final coronary blood flow in primary percutaneous coronary intervention patients without angiographic stent expansion problems.

Inadequate expansion of coronary stents is associated with stent thrombosis in early stage and with stent restenosis in later stages. Postdilatation (postD) performed using non-compliant balloons improves stent expansion. However, use of this ballooning strategy in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) has not been evaluated adequately. Patients who presented with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and underwent PPCI were included in the present study. Patients were randomized into two groups as those for whom postD was performed (n=62) and those for whom postD was not performed (n=62). Coronary blood flow was evaluated using the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow and TIMI frame count (TFC). Total of 124 patients with STEMI were included in the study. There was no difference with respect to baseline TIMI flow, culprit coronary artery and MI localization. However, slow-reflow rate (14.5% vs 35.5%, p=0.007) and final corrected TFC (28.9±16.9 vs 37.0±23.1, p=0.028) were significantly higher in the postD group. Multivariate regression analysis showed postD as an independent variable for slow reflow (OR 11.566, 95% CI 1.633 to 81.908, p=0.014). In our study, routine postD during PPCI was found to be associated with an increased risk of slow reflow in patients without angiographic stent expansion problems.

The effect of different treatment strategies on left ventricular myocardial deformation parameters in patients with chronic renal failure.

The aim of this study was to compare left ventricular (LV) functions by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in various stages and under different renal replacement treatments in order to evaluate possible differences between them. This prospective study included 150 patients with CKD. Renal transplantation patients with glomerular filtration rate greater than 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, patients receiving hemodialysis three times a week, and patients in the predialysis stage with glomerular filtration rate less than 30 ml/dk/1.73 m2 were assigned into Group 1 (n = 50), Group 2 (n = 50), and Group 3 (n = 50), respectively. LV longitudinal, circumferential, and radial myocardial deformation parameters (strain, strain rate [SR], rotation, twist) were evaluated by STE. Peak systolic longitudinal strain was higher in the transplantation group than the hemodialysis group (- 19.93 ± 3.50 vs - 17.47 ± 3.28%, p < 0.017). Peak systolic circumferential strain was lower in the hemodialysis group (- 20.97 ± 4.90%) than Groups 1 and 3 (- 25.87 ± 4.20 and - 24.74 ± 4.55%, respectively, p < 0.001). Peak systolic radial SR was higher in the transplantation group than the hemodialysis group (1.84 ± 0.52 vs 1.55 ± 0.52 s-1, respectively, p < 0.017). Other longitudinal and circumferential deformation parameters together with peak early diastolic radial SR and twist were also significantly different between the groups. Strain, SR, and twist values were mostly lower in the hemodialysis patients, but generally higher in the transplantation patients. LV functions evaluated by STE are better in the renal transplantation patients than the hemodialysis patients and than those in the predialysis stage. This may indicate beneficial effects of renal transplantation on cardiac functions.

A rare complication of metastatic lung disease treatment.

[No Abstract Available].

Infective endocarditis with atypical clinical feature and relapse by Abiotrophia defectiva.

A case of infective endocarditis caused by an uncommon agent Abiotrophia defectiva with atypical manifestations is presented. A 42-year-old woman previously had rheumatic heart disease, presented with the symptoms of fever and chills that resolved within 3 days under antibiotherapy. She was diagnosed with endocarditis due to A. defectiva. Despite culture-directed antibiotics being administered in the first admission, her symptoms and also blood culture growth relapsed 3 weeks later. She was successfully treated with antimicrobial therapy and surgical intervention including aorta and mitral valve replacement. This case demonstrates that A. defectiva should be considered as a causative organism of endocarditis particularly in the presence of atypical symptoms and should be followed up carefully in terms of relapses and complications.

Percutaneous closure of isolated ostium secundum-type atrial septal defect in a patient with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome.

Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by complete or partial aplasia of the uterus and the upper part of the vagina. It is reported to be associated with cardiovascular disorders including atrial septal defect, anomalous pulmonary venous return, aortopulmonary window, pulmonary valve stenosis, mitral valve prolapse, tetralogy of Fallot, truncus arteriosus, and patent ductus arteriosus. Herein, for the first time in the medical literature, we present percutaneous closure of an isolated ostium secundum atrial septal defect in this syndrome.

Evaluation of left ventricular myocardial deformation parameters in individuals with electrocardiographic early repolarization pattern.

OBJECTIVE: Although an early repolarization (ER) pattern was considered to be a benign electrocardiographic variant, several studies have shown that it is associated with an increased risk of idiopathic ventricular fibrillation and death. The aim of the present study was to determine whether there is any abnormality in myocardial deformation parameters (strain, strain rate, rotation, and twist) of the left ventricle obtained by speckletracking echocardiography (STE) in subjects with ER pattern. METHODS: There were two groups in this prospective case-control study. The first group consisted of subjects with ER pattern (n=35). The other group was control without ER pattern (n=25). Subjects with poor echocardiographic image quality and history of cardiovascular, pulmonary, systemic, or metabolic disease were excluded from the study. For STE of the left ventricle, two-dimensional images from apical long-axis, twochamber, and four-chamber views and from parasternal short-axis views were obtained. RESULTS: We did not observe significant differences between the groups for left ventricular (LV) longitudinal deformation parameters, rotation, and twist. When LV circumferential deformation parameters were analyzed, early diastolic strain rate value at the level of apex was higher in subjects with ER pattern (2.3±0.7 s-1 vs. 1.9±0.4 s-1, p=0.01). Among LV radial deformation parameters, only peak strain (42.5±16.1% in the ER group vs. 56.9±21.1% in controls, p=0.004) and early diastolic strain rate (-2.0±0.7 s-1 in the ER group vs. -2.3±0.7 s-1 in controls, p=0.03) values at the level of papillary muscle were different. CONCLUSION: In subjects with ER pattern, LV myocardial deformation evaluated by STE is normal with a few regional exceptions. STE does not provide much information about risk stratification of these subjects.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for the assessment of hospital mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

INTRODUCTION: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), which is an essential marker of inflammation, has been shown to be associated with adverse outcomes in various cardiovascular diseases in the literature. In this study we sought to evaluate the association between NLR and prognosis of acute pulmonary embolism (APE). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated blood counts and clinical data of 142 patients with the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) from Ondokuz Mayis University Hospital between January 2006 and December 2012. The patients were divided into two groups according to NLR: NLR < 4.4 (low NLR group, n = 71) and NLR ≥ 4.4 (high NLR group, n = 71). RESULTS: Massive embolism (66.2% vs. 36.6%, p < 0.001) and in-hospital mortality (21.1%, 1.4%, p < 0.001) were higher in the high NLR group. In multivariate regression analysis NLR ≥ 5.7, systolic blood pressure (BP) < 90 mm Hg, serum glucose > 126 mg/dl, heart rate > 110 beats/min, and PCO2 < 35 or > 50 mm Hg were predictors of in-hospital mortality. The optimal NLR cutoff value was 5.7 for mortality in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Having an NLR value above 5.7 was found to be associated with a 10.8 times higher mortality rate than an NLR value below 5.7. CONCLUSIONS: In patients presenting with APE, NLR value is an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality and may be used for clinical risk classification.

Left Ventricular Myocardial Deformation Parameters Are Affected by Coronary Slow Flow Phenomenon: A Study of Speckle Tracking Echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: The coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP) is defined as a delayed distal vessel contrast opacification in the absence of obstructive epicardial coronary artery disease during coronary angiography. There is conflicting data in medical literature regarding the effects of CSFP on the left ventricular functions assessed by conventional echocardiography or tissue Doppler imaging. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate whether there is any abnormality in the myocardial deformation parameters (strain, strain rate (SR), rotation, twist) of the left ventricle obtained by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in patients with CSFP. METHODS: Twenty patients with CSFP were included prospectively in the study. Another 20 patients with similar demographics and cardiovascular risk factors as well as normal coronary angiography were used as the control group. Two-dimensional echocardiographic images of the left ventricle from the apical long-axis, two-chamber, four-chamber, and parasternal short-axis views were used for STE analysis. RESULTS: The analysis of left ventricular circumferential deformation parameters showed that the averaged peak systolic strain, systolic SR, and early diastolic SR values were significantly lower in patients with CSFP (P = 0.009, P = 0.02, and P = 0.02, respectively). Among the left ventricular rotation and twist values, apical rotation was significantly lower in patients with CSFP (P = 0.02). Further, the mean thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame count value was found to be negatively correlated with the averaged peak circumferential early diastolic SR (r = -0.35, P = 0.03). It was positively correlated with the averaged peak circumferential systolic strain (r = 0.47, P = 0.003) and circumferential systolic SR (r = 0.46, P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Coronary slow flow phenomenon leads to significant alterations in the myocardial deformation parameters of the left ventricle as assessed by STE. Specifically, circumferential deformation parameters are affected in CSFP patients.

An extremely rare malformation of an atrial septal defect closure device and use of a new corrective technique.

Tulip malformation is a newly defined complication of transcatheter atrial septal defect closure. This complication, in which the left atrial disc becomes concave, makes it impossible to fully retract the device into the delivery sheath. The case presented is the first report describing a simple new technique which overcomes this novel complication.