Plasma concentrations of soluble CD40 ligand in smokers with acute myocardial infarction: a pilot study.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is believed to be the single leading cause of death in both men and women in the world. Smoking is the most important risk factor for CAD. Smoking increases platelet aggregation and thrombus formation. CD40 ligand (CD40L) is a transmembrane glycoprotein derived from activated platelets. It participates in thrombus formation during the acute phase of acute myocardial infarction (MI). Elevation of CD40L identifies the patients who are at highest risk for cardiac events and who are likely to benefit from treatment with the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GPIIb/IIIa) receptor antagonists. The purpose of this study was to evaluate levels of CD40L in smokers with acute MI. Fifty-seven patients with acute MI were enrolled in this study. Thirty-one smokers were compared with 26 non-smokers. Soluble CD40L level in the plasma was determined by a standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Circulating levels of CD40L were higher in the smokers' group. Smokers with acute MI may have increased risk for thrombotic complications during acute MI, and optimal antiaggregant therapy should be administered.

Relationship between systolic myocardial velocity obtained by tissue Doppler imaging and left ventricular ejection fraction: systolic myocardial velocity predicts the degree of left ventricular dysfunction in heart failure.

This study was planned to research the relationship between systolic myocardial velocity (Sm) obtained by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) measured according to conventional Simpson's method in healthy subjects and patients with heart failure (HF). Two hundred eight patients with HF whose LVEF < 50% (mean age 59 +/- 11 years) and 187 healthy subjects (mean age 57 +/- 11 years) were enrolled in this study. LVEF was measured and TDI recordings were obtained at the septal, lateral, inferior, and anterior of the mitral annulus, and Sm was measured. LV mean Sm was calculated. In patients with HF, a significant correlation was detected between LVEF and Sm (r = 0.71, P < 0.0001), while no relationship was found between these parameters in healthy subjects (r = 0.16, not significant). The cutoff value of Sm < 8 cm/s for identifying patients with LVEF between 30% and 49% had a sensitivity of 86%, a specificity of 93%, and a negative predictive value of 92%, and the cutoff value of Sm < 6.0 cm/s for identifying patients with LVEF < 30% had a sensitivity of 92%, a specificity of 84%, and a negative predictive value of 97%. The time required to calculate the LVEF was significantly longer than that of LV mean Sm (327 +/- 98 sec vs. 110 +/- 29 sec, P < 0.0001), and LVEF had higher inter- and intraobserver variability. LV mean Sm obtained by TDI, a parameter that is reproducible, easily obtained, reliable, and practical, can be used to evaluate LV systolic function in patients with HF.

[Comparison between brachial blood pressures obtained by aneroid sphygmomanometer and central aortic pressures: factors affecting the measurements]. / Aneroid sfigmomanometreyle ölçülen brakiyal arter basincinin santral aortik basinçla karsilastirilmasi ve farka etki eden faktörler.

OBJECTIVES: We compared brachial artery blood pressures (BP) measured by aneroid sphygmomanometer with ascending aortic blood pressures and evaluated the factors affecting the differences between the two methods. STUDY DESIGN: The study included 463 patients (177 women, 286 men; mean age 60+/-11 years) undergoing routine coronary angiography. Simultaneously, ascending aortic pressures were measured using a pigtail catheter and brachial artery pressures were measured from the right arm with an aneroid sphygmomanometer. Pulse pressure, fractional pulse pressure, and pulsatility index were calculated from systolic and diastolic BP values. RESULTS: Overall, systolic (-3.1+/-10 mmHg) and diastolic (+3.0+/-7.1 mmHg) brachial pressures showed significant deviations from aortic pressures (p=0.001). Although systolic BP did not differ significantly in both methods for men and women, brachial diastolic BP was significantly different in women (+4.8 mmHg, p=0.0001). Brachial diastolic BP showed a greater deviation from the aortic diastolic pressure in patients > or =60 years of age (+4.5 mmHg and +1.1 mmHg, respectively; p=0.0001). Deviation of systolic BP in hypertensive patients (-4 mmHg) was greater than that in normotensives (-2.0 mmHg, p=0.04). Deviation of brachial systolic BP was highly correlated with increases in aortic systolic pressure (p=0.0001). Differences between the two methods in systolic (-5.8 mmHg, p=0.01) and diastolic (+4.2 mmHg, p=0.03) BP were significant in patients with coexisting diabetes and hypertension. Body mass index and arm circumference were not correlated with deviations between the two methods. CONCLUSION: The main factors (female gender, age, hypertension, diabetes) affecting BP differences between the two methods should be considered in clinical practice.

[The role of tissue Doppler echocardiography in the evaluation of functional capacity of patients with heart failure]. / Kalp yetersizligi olan hastalarda fonksiyonel kapasitenin degerlendirilmesinde doku Doppler ekokardiyografinin rolü

OBJECTIVES: We investigated correlations between the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification system, which is commonly used to assess functional capacity, and conventional echocardiographic and tissue Doppler echocardiographic (TDE) parameters in patients with heart failure (HF). STUDY DESIGN: The study included 122 patients (31 females, 91 males; mean age 59+/-11 years) with HF, whose left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) was less than 50%. The patients were evaluated in two groups based on the NYHA class I-II (n=79; mean age 58 years) and class III-IV (n=43; mean age 61 years). Correlations were sought between the functional status and standard two-dimensional echocardiographic and TDE parameters. RESULTS: The NYHA class showed significant inverse correlations with LV EF, LV stroke volume, mitral deceleration time of early filling, and flow propagation velocity (Vp), and significant positive correlations with end-systolic and end-diastolic diameters and volumes, pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), and the E/Vp ratio. Mitral early (E) and late (A) diastolic peak velocities and the E/A ratio were not correlated. Concerning TDE parameters, the NYHA class was in significant inverse correlation with systolic (Sm), early (Em) and late (Am) diastolic myocardial velocities, and in positive correlation with the E/Em ratio, whereas no correlation was found with the Em/Am ratio. Linear regression analysis showed that Sm, EF, and PAP were independent variables of functional capacity (beta =-0.33, p<0.005; beta =-0.26, p<0.05; beta =0.23, p<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: There is significant relationship between myocardial velocities and functional capacity, and Sm, in particular, has the strongest association compared to conventional echocardiographic and other TDE parameters.

Influence of menstrual cycle on cardiac performance.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between endogen sex hormone levels and myocardial performance in two different phases of menstrual cycle. BACKGROUND: The relationships between cardiac performance and sex hormone levels in menstrual cycle have not yet been clearly identified. METHODS: Twenty-seven women at the age of 19-42 years (mean 24.11+/-6.02) with regular menstrual cycles (28-31 days) were enrolled in this study. Cardiac performance was evaluated by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) derived myocardial performance index (MPI) in the menstrual and the luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. RESULTS: Left ventricular MPI were statistically significant between the menstrual phase and luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (Inferior 0.53+/-0.10 versus 0.44+/-0.09, P<0.001; Anterior 0.54+/-0.13 versus 0.45+/-0.10, P<0.008; Lateral 0.50+/-0.09 versus 0.44+/-0.12, P<0.03; Septum 0.54+/-0.07 versus 0.46+/-0.10, P<0.005; Global 0.52+/-0.06 versus 0.44+/-0.09, P<0.001). Right ventricle MPI between the two periods was also significantly different (0.49+/-0.10 versus 0.42+/-0.10, P<0.01). There was a moderate correlation between estrogen levels and global MPI (r=0.46, P=0.001), but no correlation was found between progesterone levels and global MPI (r=0.22, P=NS). CONCLUSION: We firstly demonstrated that endogen estrogen or progesterone improved the combined systolic and diastolic function in both left and right ventricle during luteal phases of menstrual cycle. Considering the previous studies and our results, estrogen may be responsible for this improvement.