[Evaluation of the relationship between erectile dysfunction and epicardial fat tissue thickness and carotid intima-media thickness in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension]. / Yeni tani konmus hipertansiyonu olan hastalarda erektil disfonksiyon ile epikardiyal yag dokusu kalinligi ve karotis intima-media kalinligi arasindaki iliskinin degerlendirilmesi.

OBJECTIVE: This study is an investigation of the relationship between erectile dysfunction and epicardial adipose tissue and carotid intima-media thickness, which are indicators of endothelial dysfunction and subclinical atherosclerosis, in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension. METHODS: The epicardial adipose tissue and carotid intima-media thickness of 101 male patients with newly diagnosed hypertension were measured using echocardiography between May 1, 2018 and May 31, 2019. Evaluation of erectile dysfunction was performed using the 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) in a face-to-face interview in the urology outpatient clinic. The data of patients with and without erectile dysfunction were compared. RESULTS: There was a significant relationship between the presence and severity of erectile dysfunction and epicardial fat tissue and carotid intima-media thickness in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension. Left ventricular diastolic function was found to be more impaired in patients with erectile dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Erectile dysfunction was determined to be related to increased epicardial fat tissue and carotid intima-media thicknesses in patients with newly-diagnosed hypertension.

The relationship between serum NT-proBNP levels and severity of coronary artery disease assessed by SYNTAX score in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Background/aim: In the present study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between NT-proBNP and SYNTAX score, which is a measure of the complexity of coronary artery disease. Materials and methods: We enrolled 405 consecutive patients with myocardial infarction who underwent coronary angiographic examination. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to their SYNTAX scores. Those with SYNTAX score ≤22 were included in the low SYNTAX score group (LSTX), those with a score of 23­32 were included in the intermediate SYNTAX score group (ISTX), and those with a score of ≥33 were included in the high SYNTAX score group (HSTX). Results: NT-proBNP levels were found to be significantly higher in the HSTX group compared to the other groups (P < 0.001) and in the ISTX group compared to the LSTX group (P < 0.001). The NT-proBNP levels demonstrated an increase from low SYNTAX score to high SYNTAX score tertiles. Conclusions: NT-ProBNP levels in patients with myocardial infarction on admission were independently associated with extent, severity, and complexity of coronary atherosclerosis as assessed by SYNTAX score.

Serum pentraxin-3 levels and flow-mediated dilation in dipper and non-dipper hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Endothelial dysfunction is one of the main pathological processes of hypertension. The association of serum pentraxin-3 (PTX3) levels and endothelial dysfunction becomes a more interesting scientific research issue due to high potential of PTX3 as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. We aimed to investigate the relationship between serum PTX3 levels and flow-mediated dilation results in patients with dipper and non-dipper hypertension. METHODS: This study included 90 hypertensive patients were divided into two groups based on 24 hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM): 38 patients with a dipper pattern and 52 patients with non-dipper pattern. Noninvasive evaluation of the endothelial functions was performed using flow-mediated dilation (FMD) method. RESULTS: Serum pentraxin-3 levels were higher in patients with non-dipper HT compared to dipper hypertension (P = 0.028). In addition, we found negative correlation between serum PTX3 and FMD basal/FMD hyperemia ratio (r = -0.297, P = 0.05 for FMD basal/FMD hyperemia ratio, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Serum PTX3 levels are closely related with the measures of indirect noninvasive evaluation methods (FMD) in both DH and NDH patients.

Hyperhomocysteinemia Predicts the Severity of Coronary Artery Disease as Determined by the SYNTAX Score in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Hyperhomocysteinemia is a known risk factor for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and is related with the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). Previous studies have used less quantifiable scoring systems for assessing the severity of CAD. Therefore, we aimed to assess the relationship between homocysteine levels and SYNTAX score (SXscore), which is currently more widely used to grade the severity of CAD. METHODS: A total of 503 patients with adiagnosis of ACS were examined angiographically with SXscore. The patients were divided into three groups according to SXscore; Group 1 a low SXscore (≤ 22), Group 2 a moderate SXscore (23-32), and Group 3 a high SXscore (≥ 33). RESULTS: Plasma homocysteine levels were 16.3 ± 6.2 nmol/mL in Group 1, 18.1 ± 9.6 nmol/mL in Group 2, and 19.9 ± 9.5 nmol/mL in Group 3. Homocysteine levels were significantly higher in Group 2, and Group 3 compared to Group 1 (p = 0.023 and 0.007, respectively). In the correlation analysis, homocysteine levels were correlated with SXscore (r: 0.166, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Serum homocysteine levels on admission were associated with an increased severity of CAD in the patients with ACS.

Dunbar syndrome as an unusual cause of exercise-induced retrosternal pain.

The median arcuate ligament is a fibrous band connecting the left and right diaphragmatic crura across the aortic hiatus at the level of the T12/L1 vertebral bodies. The low insertion point of this ligament causes significant stenosis of the proximal portion of the coeliac artery in a small group of patients, and contributes to ischemic symptoms known as coeliac artery compression syndrome (CACS). It is also referred to as median arcuate ligament syndrome or Dunbar syndrome. Symptoms include especially postprandial epigastric or retrosternal pain, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and reduced appetite. In severe cases, exercise related abdominal pain may be caused by steal phenomenon, whereby blood is shunted to the skin and relevant muscles during exercise. Computed tomographic angiography and mesenteric angiography are the gold standard diagnostic modalities to confirm diagnosis of CACS. Surgical therapy with release of the median arcuate ligament usually is the primary treatment of choice. Here, we present a 46-year-old male CACS patient with postprandial and especially exercise-induced retrosternal pain radiating to the epigastric region, which may be misperceived as a coronary symptom.

Early surgery is feasible in patients with hip fractures who are on clopidogrel therapy.

OBJECTIVE: Timing of surgery in hip fracture patients using antiplatelet agents is a controversial issue. Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet drug widely used in the treatment of many diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate the outcomes of early surgery in hip fracture patients using clopidogrel. METHODS: Elderly patients with femoral neck fractures who underwent open surgery between 2009 and 2014 were evaluated. Two hundred and eleven patients were included in the study. Patients were separated into 3 groups. Group 1 was constituted of patients using clopidogrel who had been operated on within 48 h after admission (n=74), Group 2 was constituted of patients using clopidogrel who had been operated on after the fifth day of admission (n=55), and Group 3 was constituted of patients not using clopidogrel who had been operated on within 48 h after admission (n=83). Length of hospital stay, amount of blood transfusion, rate of complication, and mortality rate were assessed for comparison of groups. RESULTS: Age, sex, preoperative hemoglobin values, and ASA scores were not different between the groups. Amount of blood transfusions was higher in Group 1 (p=0.023). Duration of hospital stay was longer in Group 2 (p<0.01), as was complication rate (25.4%) (p<0.01). Mortality within 30 days and within the first 3 months post-surgery was significantly higher in Group 2 (p=0.031, p<0.01; respectively). CONCLUSION: Surgery should not be postponed in hip fracture patients using clopidogrel.

[The importance of electrocardiography in the clinical course of electric injuries]. / Elektrik yaralanmalarinda elektrokardiyografi bulgularinin klinik gidiste önemi.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of electrical injuries, type of electrical current and the importance of electrocardiography in clinical course. METHODS: Fifty-three patients (50 males [94.3%], 3 females [5.7%]; mean age 34.5±9.6; range 19 to 61 years) with electrical injuries treated in the burn center between 2011 and 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were evaluated for demographic and clinical characteristics, electrocardiographic findings and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: The electrocardiography findings of the patients were as follows: twenty-seven normal, twelve sinus tachycardia, three atrial fibrillation, seven right bundle brunch block, and four ventricular extra-systole. There was no mortality among patients with electrocardiographic findings of normal, right bundle brunch block, and ventricular extra-systole. Four patients with sinus tachycardia and one patient with atrial fibrillation died. Electrocardiographic findings of the patients wounded by high-voltage electricity were: two normal, two sinus tachycardia, and one atrial fibrillation. DISCUSSION: Mortality was higher in patients with sinus tachycardia and atrial fibrillation in the electrocardiography at the time of admission. These ECG findings were more often in patients wounded by high-voltage electricity. Therefore, electrocardiographic findings and type of the electrical current may provide prognostic value in the clinical course of patients.

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio is predictor of atrial fibrillation recurrence after cardioversion with amiodarone.

BACKGROUND: In this study, our aim is to examine the role of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in the predictions of recurrence under long-term follow-up in patients whose sinus rhythms (SRs) were restored with amiodarone in acute atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: Retrospectively, patients with acute AF, which successfully converted to the SR with amiodarone treatment, were recruited into the study. Patients experiencing the first AF attack were enrolled to the study and followed up for 5 years (median 23 months, 25-75 percentiles 12-24 months). Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio was computed as absolute neutrophil count divided by lymphocyte count. RESULTS: A total of 218 patients were recruited into the study and followed up for 21.6 ± 13.9 months; 87 (40%) patients had ≥1 recurrent AF attack within this period. The follow-up of 131 (60%) patients resulted in persisted SR without any other AF attack. Groups were similar in terms of age and gender. Left atrium (LA) diameter and NLR were increased, and platelet count and lymphocyte count were decreased in patients with AF recurrence in univariate analysis (P < .05 for all). Only LA diameter (for per mm, 1.077 [1.021-1.136], P = .006) and NLR (1.584 [1.197-2.095], P = .001) were independent predictors of AF recurrence in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Increased NLR is a marker of increased inflammation and may serve as simple, cheap, and readily available predictors of recurrence in the long-term follow-up of patients admitted with acute AF and successfully converted to SR with amiodarone.