Negative association of apelin plasma levels with epicardial fat thickness in patients with stable angina and acute myocardial infarction: A case-control study.

Background: Apelin is one of the endogenous peptides that play a key role in the homeostasis of cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the correlation between apelin levels and epicardial fat thickness (EFT) in patients with stable angina and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Materials and Methods: In a case-control study, 90 patients nominated for angiography were enrolled in the study and divided into three groups: healthy subjects without angiographic findings (Con), stable angina pectoris group (SAP), and acute AMI group. Data collected from all subjects included biochemical, echocardiographic, and angiographical parameters. The Gensini score analyzed the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). Results: A decrease in adjusted apelin levels was evident in the AMI and SAP groups compared with healthy individuals (for both P < 0.001), especially in the AMI group. In addition, a detectable negative association was identified between apelin and Gensini score (r = -0.288, P = 0.006), Ck-MB (r = -0.300, P = 0.004), EFT (r = -0.300, P = 0.004), and troponin-T (r = -0.288, P = 0.006). Conclusion: Myocardial injury in patients with CAD appears to play a significant role in apelin concentration independent of the role of adipose tissue, which requires further studies.

Association of plasma visfatin with epicardial fat thickness and severity of coronary artery diseases in patients with acute myocardial infarction and stable angina pectoris.

BACKGROUND: Elevated serum visfatin levels have been reported in some chronic inflammatory diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and rheumatoid arthritis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the correlation between visfatin and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and anthropometric, angiographic, echocardiographic, and biochemical parameters in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: In this case-control study, 90 patients who were candidates for angiography were divided into the following 3 groups: non-coronary artery disease group (non-CAD; n = 30) with a history of chest pain without angiographic changes, stable angina pectoris group (SAP; n = 30), and AMI group (n = 30). Anthropometric, angiographic, echocardiographic, and biochemical parameters were measured in all subjects. RESULTS: The mean age of patients in the non-CAD, SAP, and AMI groups was 62.26 ± 13.24, 62.93 ± 8.35, and 52.83 ± 10.26 years (P < 0.001) respectively. The results showed that the median [interquartile range] of visfatin level was higher in the AMI group [7 (6.30-9.30), pg/ml] compared with the SAP [5.85 (5.20-6.60); P < 0.001] and non-CAD [5.20 (3.30-5.70); P < 0.001] groups. In addition, median [interquartile range] IL-6 levels were higher in the AMI group [17.5 (16-21), pg/ml] compared with the SAP [15.50 (14-18); P < 0.01] and non-CAD [14 (11-17); P < 0.001] groups. Furthermore, there was a positive association between plasma level of visfatin, and epicardial fat thickness (EFT) and the Gensini score in the SAP and AMI patients. The results of multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that white blood cell ý(WBC) count and IL-6 were independently associated with plasma visfatin level. CONCLUSION: The current study showed an association between visfatin and EFT in AMI patients. Increased visfatin levels in patients with AMI may contribute to atherosclerosis; however, further studies should be conducted to confirm this finding.

Correlation of Serum Decoy Receptor 3 and Interleukin-6 with Severity of Coronary Artery Diseases in Male Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients.

BACKGROUND: Decoy receptor 3 (DcR3), is a soluble receptor which is thought to have immune modulator or pro-inflammatory effects. Various risk factors have been suggested for the incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CADs) such as an increase in inflammatory factors. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the correlation of DcR3 with anthropometric, angiographic, echocardiographic, and biochemical parameters in patients with acute myocardial infarction. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 90 patients who were candidates for angiography were included in the study and were divided into three groups: 30 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 30 patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP), and 30 subjects as control group with a history of chest pain but normal angiography. Anthropometric, angiographic, echocardiographic, and biochemical parameters were measured in all subjects. RESULTS: Serum DcR3 and interleukin (IL)-6 levels were significantly increased in patients with AMI compared with SAP and control groups (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001). In addition, there was a positive association between serum level of DcR3 and epicardial fat thickness (EFT), Gensini score, creatine kinase (CK)-MB, IL-6, and white blood cell (WBC) count in CAD patients. The results of multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that WBC count and IL-6 levels were independently associated with serum DcR3 levels. CONCLUSION: The current study showed an association of DcR3 and IL-6, WBC count, EFT, CK-MB, and Gensini score for the first time in male AMI patients. Increased DcR3 levels in patients with AMI may be involved in the process of atherosclerosis.

Specific prodromal symptoms in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

AIMS: Assessing the prodromal cardiac symptoms in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and compare them with healthy population. BACKGROUND: Identifying specific prodromal cardiac symptoms can play an important role in screening people at risk. DESIGN: A comparative study of prodromal symptoms. METHODS: In this comparison study, an 80-item checklist of prodromal symptoms was designed and completed by 337 participants in three groups (Patient group I, Patient group II and Healthy group). All participants were studied over a period of six months (from May to October 2017). SPSS-15 software was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: The symptoms of pain/discomfort in chest, pain/discomfort centred in the superior part of chest, pain/discomfort in the left breast and numbness or burning of both arms were the most important symptoms to predict ACS incidence in the two patient groups (odds ratio > 4 and p ≤ .05).

Correlation of Serum Adipolin with Epicardial Fat Thickness and Severity of Coronary Artery Diseases in Acute Myocardial Infarction and Stable Angina Pectoris Patients.

OBJECTIVE: Adipolin/C1q/TNF-related protein-12 is a family of CTRPs highly expressed in adipose tissue with glucose-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects. Various risk factors have been suggested in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, such as a decrease in anti-inflammatory or an increase in inflammatory factors. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the correlation of adipolin with anthropometric, angiographic, echocardiographic, and biochemical parameters. SUBJECT AND METHODS: A total of 90 patients who were candidates for angiography were included in the study and divided into 3 groups: 30 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 30 patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP), and 30 subjects as a control group with a history of chest pain but normal angiography. Anthropometric, angiographic, echocardiographic, and biochemical parameters were measured in all subjects. RESULTS: Serum adipolin levels were significantly decreased in patients with AMI compared with the SAP and control groups (p < 0.001 for both). In addition, there was a negative association between serum levels of adipolin and epicardial fat thickness (EFT) and Gensini score in CAD patients. The results of multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that EFT values were independently associated with serum adipolin levels. CONCLUSION: The current study showed an independent association of adipolin with EFT for the first time in patients with AMI. Decreased adipolin levels in patients with AMI may be involved in the process of atherosclerosis, which requires further study.

Eptifibatide Bolus Dose During Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Eptifibatide is a platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist used for the prevention of cardiac ischemic complications of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Eptifibatide has been used with bolus dose only or bolus plus infusion in patients undergoing PCI which have shown less complications, but the risk of bleeding has been increased. We aimed to compare the outcome and bleeding rate of bolus dose alone or plus infusion in elective PCI. METHODS: In this quasi-experimental study, we compared the outcome of elective PCI following single bolus dose intracoronary (41 patients) or bolus plus intravenous infusion (19 patients) of eptifibatide. In-hospital and follow-up major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and bleeding rate were recorded and evaluated between groups. RESULTS: Both groups were comparable regarding baseline findings. Bolus only compared to bolus plus infusion group had lower in-hospital (19.5% vs. 31.6%) and follow-up MACE (15.4% vs. 17.6%), lower bleeding in-hospital (14.6% vs. 21.1%) and follow-up (2.4% vs. 5.3%) as well as lower mortality rate in hospital (4.9% vs. 15.8%), but higher follow-up mortality (10.3% vs. 0), but the difference was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: We observed no significant difference regarding bleeding or MACE between intracoronary bolus infusion and bolus plus intravenous infusion of eptifibatide. It seems intracoronary bolus infusion of eptifibatide due to use of lower doses is a better choice in elective PCI to prevent post-PCI MACE.

Successful Ostial Stenting in a Patient with a Single Coronary Artery from the Right Sinus of Valsalva: A Case Report.

Single coronary arteries (SCAs) constitute a rare coronary anomaly which is usually asymptomatic. However, SCAs may become symptomatic and even cause myocardial ischemia and infarction and as such necessitate proper intervention whether percutaneous or surgical. We describe an 89-year-old woman with an SCA from the right sinus of Valsalva presenting with chest pain and acute myocardial infarction. We succeeded in performing percutaneous coronary intervention and stenting on the ostial lesion of the SCA, and there were no further complications. The patient was discharged 2 days later with no adverse complications.

Left Main Coronary Artery Aneurysm.

Aneurysms of the left main coronary artery are exceedingly rare clinical entities, encountered incidentally in approximately 0.1% of patients who undergo routine angiography. The most common cause of coronary artery aneurysms is atherosclerosis. Angiography is the gold standard for diagnosis and treatment. Depending on the severity of the coexisting coronary stenosis, patients with left main coronary artery aneurysms can be effectively managed either surgically or pharmacologically. We herein report a case of left main coronary artery aneurysm in a 72-year-old man with a prior history of hypertension presenting to our hospital because of unstable angina. The electrocardiogram showed ST-segment depression and T-wave inversion in the precordial leads. All the data of blood chemistry were normal. Echocardiography showed akinetic anterior wall, septum, and apex, mild mitral regurgitation and ejection fraction of 45%. Coronary angiography revealed a saccular aneurysm of the left main coronary artery with significant stenosis in the left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary artery. The patient immediately underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and ligation of the aneurysm. At six months' follow-up, he remained asymptomatic.

Rupture of a giant cardiac hydatid cyst in the left ventricular free wall: successful surgical management of a rare entity.

Hydatid cyst of heart is a rare but potentially fatal site of pathology, especially left ventricular free wall. We managed a successful surgical treatment on a case of a 24 year old man who had a giant cardiac hydatid cyst (71 x 64 mm) that ruptured left ventricular free wall. The cyst was excised gently and all the cystic materials were removed, the cyst cavity was closed with GORE-TEX soft tissue patch. The patient was discharged on the 9th postoperative day without symptoms. This case is different from other cardiac hydatid cysts that have been reported in literature previously; because this patient was young and had advanced phase of the disease that presented to our clinic lately. Additionally, the cyst had limited both ventricular volumes significantly.

Chronic constrictive pericarditis.

Constrictive pericarditis (CP) is a rare clinical entity that can pose diagnostic problems. The diagnosis of CP requires a high degree of clinical suspicion. The gold standard for diagnosis is cardiac catheterization with analysis of intracavitary pressure curves, which are high and, in end diastole, equal in all chambers. We present a patient with unexplained dyspnea, recurrent right-side pleural effusion, and ascites. Analysis of the ascitic fluid revealed a high protein content and an elevated serum-ascites gradient. Echocardiography, computed tomography, and cardiac catheterization revealed the diagnosis of CP. He underwent complete pericardiectomy and to date has made a good recovery. The diagnosis of CP is often neglected by admitting physicians, who usually attribute the symptoms to another disease process. This case exemplifies the difficulty in diagnosing this condition, as well as the investigation required, and provides a discussion of the benefit and outcomes of prompt treatment.

Effect of staged preconditioning on biochemical markers in the patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

The present study has investigated the effectiveness of staged-preconditioning, in both remote and target organs. After IP the myocardial release of the biochemical markers including, creatine phosphokinase (CPK), cardiac creatine kinase (CK-MB), cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were evaluated in patients who underwent CABG, with and without staged-preconditioning. Sixty-one patients entered the study; there were 32 patients in the staged-preconditioning group and 29 patients in the control group. All patients underwent on-pump CABG using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) techniques. In the staged-preconditioning group, patients underwent two stages of IP on remote (upper limb) and target organs. Each stage of preconditioning was carried out by 3 cycles of ischemia and then reperfusion. Serum levels of biochemical markers were immediately measured postoperatively at 24, 48 and 72 h. Serum CK-MB, CPK and LDH levels were significantly lower in the staged-preconditioning group than in the control group. The CK-MB release in the staged-preconditioning patients reduced by 51% in comparison with controls over 72 h after CABG. These results suggest that myocardial injury was attenuated by the effect of three rounds of both remote and target organ IP.