Serum free testosterone level in coronary artery disease in candidates for coronary artery bypass graft surgery: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Due to the controversy over the effect of serum testosterone levels on coronary artery diseases, this survey explores the serum levels of free testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone in candidates for coronary artery bypass graft compared with an age-matched control group and evaluates the associated factors in these participants. OBJECTIVE: To determine the testosterone level in elective coronary artery bypass grafting participants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, all male patients aged > 40 yr as candidates for elective coronary artery bypass grafting, who were referred to the Afshar Hospital, Yazd, Iran, from March 2018 to March 2019, were included. In total, 100 men were enrolled (50 cases and 50 controls). Their serum levels of free and total testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone were measured and the results were compared. RESULTS: The findings indicated a significant difference between the two groups in total and free testosterone (both p < 0.001); they were lower in the case group. There was also a significant difference in the total testosterone of the participants with diabetes mellitus compared with no-diabetic individuals (p = 0.007). Free testosterone of diabetic subjects taking insulin was lower compared with those taking no insulin (p = 0.04). There was also an association between the body mass index and free testosterone, left ventricular ejection fraction and total testosterone, and a significant and negative relation between the duration of hospital admissions and free testosterone (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study illustrates that participants with coronary artery disease bear a significantly low testosterone level in comparison with the healthy control group.

Dietary habits and the 10-year risk of overweight and obesity in urban adult population: A cohort study predicated on Yazd Healthy Heart Project.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Overweight and obesity are thought to be associated with increased risk of chronic disease in the Middle East. The present study aimed to determine the association between dietary habits and the incidence of overweight and obesity in urban adult population in the central part of Iran after a 10-year follow-up. METHODS: This cohort study was initiated with 2000 participation aged 20-74 years from Yazd city in Iran based on Yazd Healthy Heart Project (YHHP). The participants without overweight and obesity at the baseline of the study were followed up to 10 years. Demographic data, anthropometric measurements, behavioral and metabolic risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and dietary habits were assessed at baseline and phase II. RESULTS: After a 10-year follow up, 516 non-overweight and 1068 non-obese participants were included for the final analysis. Once adjustments were made for all potential confounders including age, sex, smoking, economic status, physical activity and education, it was identified that lack of weight control increased the risk of obesity (hazard ratio; 95% CI) in total population (1.9; 1.06, 3.4), as well as the risk of overweight (2.39; 1.07, 5.27) and obesity (2.65; 1.13, 6.25) in men. Moreover, consumption of mayonnaise increased the 10-year risk of overweight in women (6.09; 1.2, 30.99). CONCLUSIONS: As revealed by the present study, unhealthy dietary habits can increase the incidence of overweight and obesity in central part of Iran. Therefore, changing the lifestyle appears to be urgent in reducing the risk of overweight and obesity.

Chronic sternal wound fistula after coronary artery bypass surgery: A case series.

Chronic extensive infection of the sternal wound may be a serious problem in patients undergoing sternotomy, especially those who have been operated for coronary artery bypass grafts. We report and evaluate the outcomes of five cases involved in chronic sternal osteomyelitis who were treated with two different strategies as follows: (1) debridement and secondary healing (conventional treatment), and (2) debridement and omental flap transfer for primary wound closure. All of the patients had acceptable results after treatment, but those who were managed by omental flap and primary wound closure had better cosmetic results and a shorter hospital stay.

Pulmonary complications following cardiac surgery.

Coronary heart disease is a common diseases of atherosclerosis. Despite the development of noninvasive therapies and the advancement of pharmacological methods and extensive drug regimens, coronary artery bypass grafting surgery is still the ultimate treatment option in many patients. Among the various complications following open heart surgery, one of the common difficulties is pulmonary complications associated with subsequent morbidity and mortality, which should be studied according to preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative factors. Preoperative factors include genetics, age, family history of pulmonary disease, smoking, coexisting disease, etc. Perioperative factors include surgical procedures like sternotomy incision, cardioplegia, and internal mammary artery harvesting; anaesthesia procedure effects like pulmonary collapse, maintenance drugs and morphine administration; and cardiopulmonary bypass pump by systemic inflammatory response syndromes. And finally, postoperative factors, especially mediastinitis and the role of nursing in the intensive care unit. Pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery include atelectasis, pleural effusions, pneumonia, pulmonary oedema, cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, acute respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary embolism, phrenic nerve injury, pneumothorax, sternal wound infection, and mediastinitis, with different outbreaks in patients reported. Although the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative factors play an important role in the occurrence of these complications, the preoperative factors, as factors that can be adjusted, should be considered more than the others and explained to the patient, and the preoperative patient's assessment should be noted. Also, postoperative care with the goal of reducing infections and pulmonary complications should be addressed by the nursing team.

Combined Open-Heart Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery and Subtotal Thyroidectomy in a 54-year-old patient: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Combined open-heart surgery and thyroidectomy is a rare procedure. However, some difficulties will occur for cardiac surgery when thyromegaly extends into the retrosternal space. CASE DETAILS: A 54-year-old woman suffering from dyspnea, chest pain and decreased left ventricular function (EF=40%) was diagnosed with coronary artery disease (3 vessel disease) and became candidate for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Also, she had multinodular goiter with normal thyroid function test. After midsternotomy, a huge goiter was seen in the upper mediastinum. Because the mass had covered the ascending aorta and involved the posterior aspect of the innominate vein making access to aorta impossible, thyroidectomy was performed at first followed by CABG. Post-operation course was satisfactory. Fourteen months later, the patient was euthyroid and in NYHA class 1. CONCLUSION: The evidence of the case showed that combined CABG and thyroidectomy can be performed safely.