Higher C-Reactive Protein to Albumin Ratio Portends Long-Term Mortality in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Background and Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic value of the C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR) for all-cause mortality in patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Materials and Methods: In total, 404 chronic HFrEF patients were included in this observational and retrospective study. The CAR value of each patient included in this analysis was calculated. We stratified the study population into tertiles (T1, T2, and T3) according to CAR values. The primary outcome of the analysis was to determine all-cause mortality. Results: The median follow-up period in our study was 30 months. In the follow-up, 162 (40%) patients died. The median value of CAR was higher in patients who did not survive during the follow-up [6.7 (IQR = 1.6-20.4) vs. 0.6 (IQR = 0.1-2.6), p < 0.001]. In addition, patients in the T3 tertile (patients with the highest CAR) had a higher rate of all-cause mortality [n = 90 cases (66.2%), p < 0.001]. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that CAR was an independent predictor of mortality in patients with HFrEF (hazard ratio: 1.852, 95% confidence interval: 1.124-2.581, p = 0.005). In a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the optimal cut-off value of CAR was >2.78, with a sensitivity of 66.7% and specificity of 76%. Furthermore, older age, elevated N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels, and absence of a cardiac device were also independently associated with all-cause death in HFrEF patients after 2.5 years of follow-up. Conclusions: The present study revealed that CAR independently predicts long-term mortality in chronic HFrEF patients. CAR may be used to predict mortality among these patients as a simple and easily obtainable inflammatory marker.

Cardioneuroablation for treatment of carotid sinus syndrome secondary to oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer.

Head and neck tumors can rarely cause carotid sinus syndrome and this often resolves by surgical intervention or palliative chemoradiotherapy. If these modalities are not an option or are ineffective, the most preferred treatment is permanent pacemaker therapy. Here, we present the first case of cardioneuroablation treatment performed in patient with oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer who developed recurrent asystole and syncope attacks due to compression of the carotid sinus on neck movement.

Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis associated with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction following SGLT-2 inhibitor therapy.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors are the latest approved class of oral antidiabetic agents that inhibit renal SGLT-2 receptors and increase urinary glucose excretion in the luminal membrane of the proximal tubule. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a triad of hyperglycemia, ketosis, and a high anion gap with metabolic acidosis. We present the case of 61 years-old men with severe euglycemic DKA (EDKA) complicated ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction following SGLT-2 inhibitor therapy for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Atypical presentation of ketoacidosis without hyperglycemia can delay diagnosis and may result in catastrophic complications. Quick diagnosis, appropriate clinical and biochemical assessment, and effective treatment protocols ensure successful resolution of EDKA.

A novel technique to reach the contralateral iliac artery in Leriche syndrome.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The endovascular approach is the first choice of treatment in high-risk patients suffering from Leriche syndrome. Although many techniques and devices have been developed, there are still difficulties in accessing the true lumen. Herein, we reported a novel technique to increase the support and ease of crossing the lesion. METHOD: We presented a case report of a 45-year-old male patient with Leriche syndrome. The patient refused surgery; therefore, he was scheduled for endovascular treatment. RESULTS: We attempted to cross the right and left common iliac occlusions by intraluminal crossing. The left common iliac artery couldn't be cannulated despite the stiff wires and percutaneous intentional extraluminal revascularization (PIER). Afterward, a cross-over approach was performed from the right side to reach the ostium of the left common iliac artery. To increase the support, a non-absorbable suture was stitched up to the tip of the guiding catheter and kept slightly taut like a lasso. Finally, successful penetration was achieved with the novel assistive technique. CONCLUSION: Endovascular treatment for Leriche syndrome is a precious alternative to open surgery. Intraluminal crossing, PIER, and re-entry devices are the most preferred techniques. Increasing the technical success of intraluminal crossing and PIER leads to an apparent reduction in cost.

Predictive value of P wave parameters, indices, and a novel electrocardiographic marker for silent cerebral infarction and future cerebrovascular events.

BACKGROUND: Silent cerebral infarction (SCI) is a neuronal injury without a clinically apparent stroke or transient ischaemic attack. Left atrial cardiomyopathy is closely associated with SCI. P wave changes in the electrocardiogram (ECG) provide significant information about the development of atrial cardiomyopathy. This study evaluated the role of P wave parameters and indices and a novel ECG parameter in predicting SCI, future cerebrovascular events, and atrial fibrillation/flutter. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 272 patients were retrospectively screened and divided into two groups according to SCI. Cerebrovascular events and atrial fibrillation/flutter were defined as the study's outcomes. P wave parameters, indices, and a novel ECG parameter called the P wave ratio (PWR) were calculated from ECGs, and the relationship between SCI and outcomes was investigated. RESULTS: The maximum P wave duration (PWD), P wave dispersion (PWdisp), PWD measured from the D2 lead (PWDD2), P wave peak time measured from the D2 lead (PWPTD2), PWPT measured from the V1 lead (PWPTV1), and P wave terminal force (PWTFV1) were significantly longer in the SCI group. Both partial and advanced inter atrial block (IAB) were significantly high in the SCI group. The novel parameter P wave ratio (PWR) was significantly longer in the SCI group (0.55 ± 0.08 vs. 0.46 ± 0.09; p < 0.001). In multivariate regression analysis, PWdisp (OR: 1.101, p < 0.001), PWPTD2 (OR: 1.095, p = 0.017), and PWR (OR: 1.231, p < 0.001) were found to be independent predictors of SCI. Cox regression analysis revealed that the PWR (HR 1.077; 95% CI 1.029-1.128; p = 0.001) was associated with cerebrovascular events and atrial fibrillation/flutter. CONCLUSION: In our study, we observed that PWR could be a valuable parameter for predicting SCI and future cerebrovascular events.

Prognostic value of C-reactive protein to albumin ratio for long-term outcomes of patients with peripheral arterial disease underwent endovascular treatment.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is part of the systemic atherosclerotic process that is highly associated with cardiovascular diseases. Despite successful endovascular treatment (EVT) strategies, mortality and morbidity rates still remain higher in PAD patients. C-reactive protein (CRP) and albumin are biomarkers of inflammation and malnutrition that play key roles in the progression of peripheral arterial disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between CRP-to-albumin ratio (CAR) and mortality and amputation-free survival in patients with PAD after successful EVT. METHOD: Our study enrolled 149 consecutive patients who underwent EVT on atherosclerotic obstruction of iliac, femoral, popliteal and/or below-knee arteries with the clinical features of PAD and/or chronic limb-threatening ischaemia between January 2015 and January 2020. Clinical and prognostic follow-up of patients had been done at the outpatient clinic and were collected from institution's medical records. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 22 months (14-40). All-cause mortality and amputation rates of patients in the high CAR group were significantly higher than those in the low CAR group (21.3% vs. 6.8% and 18.7% vs. 5.4%, respectively). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed significantly better survival for patients in the low CAR group (log-rank p = 0.0058). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, CAR was found to be an independent predictor of amputation and all-cause mortality even after adjusting for other confounding risk factors. ROC curve analysis revealed the optimal cut-off value of CAR for predicting all-cause mortality and amputation to be >1.476 with a sensitivity of 48.5% and specificity of 94.0%. CONCLUSION: The inflammatory state reflected by CAR levels was strongly associated with all-cause mortality and amputation after EVT in patients with PAD. Furthermore, CAR was found to be an independent predictor of these clinical outcomes after adjusting for other clinically associated parameters.

A Novel Electrocardiographic Score Predicts the Severity of Coronary Artery Disease and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Non-ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Background: There are many electrocardiographic (ECG) changes in non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). However, the diagnostic power is limited in determining the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) and clinical outcomes. Objective: This study investigated the role of a risk-based ECG score in predicting the severity of CAD and clinical outcomes in NSTEMI patients. Methods: One hundred and fifty-two patients were enrolled in the study. Severe CAD was defined as; intermediate (> 22) or high SYNTAX score (> 32), three-vessel disease, and left main coronary artery lesions. A risk-based ECG score was calculated, and the patients were categorized. All patients were followed up, and mortality and repeat revascularizations were evaluated. Results: The severe CAD group had a significantly higher risk-based ECG score than the non-severe CAD group (p = 0.013). The patients with a high risk-based ECG score had more severe CAD (p = 0.013), higher SYNTAX score (p < 0.001), more three-vessel disease (p = 0.003), coronary artery calcification (p = 0.02), and one-year mortality (p = 0.006) than those with medium or low ECG scores. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a 1-point increase in the risk-based ECG score was associated with a 1.573-fold [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.111-2.227, p = 0.011] increase probability of severe CAD. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that the high-risk group had a significantly higher one-year mortality rate than the low-risk and moderate-risk groups (hazard ratio: 2.383, 95% CI: 1.395-4.072, p = 0.001). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that higher ECG scores were associated with a higher risk of severe CAD and worse clinical outcomes in NSTEMI patients.

Assessment of the relation between C-reactive protein to albumin ratio and the severity and complexity of peripheral arterial disease.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral arterial disease is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. C-reactive protein and albumin are biomarkers of inflammation and malnutrition that play key roles in the pathophysiological pathways involved in the progression of atherosclerosis and peripheral arterial disease. In this study, we aimed to assess the relationship between C-reactive protein to albumin ratio and the suprapopliteal peripheral arterial disease severity and complexity as assessed by TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus-II (TASC-II) classification. METHOD: Our study enrolled 224 consecutive patients referred for peripheral angiography with the clinical features of possible peripheral arterial disease at a tertiary care center between January 2016 and September 2019. Level of disease and lesion characteristics were defined with reference to angiographic findings according to the TASC-II classification. RESULTS: C-reactive protein/albumin ratio levels were significantly higher in TASC-II class C and D than in TASC-II class B patients with a median level of 1.8 to 2.1 vs 1.4, respectively (p = 0.018). In multivariate regression analysis, C-reactive protein to albumin ratio remained an independent predictor of severe peripheral arterial disease. The predictive performance of C-reactive protein to albumin ratio, C-reactive protein, and albumin were compared by Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analysis. C-reactive protein to albumin ratio surpassed C-reactive protein and albumin in predicting peripheral arterial disease severity and complexity. A level of C-reactive protein to albumin ratio > 0.14 predicted a higher grade of suprapopliteal TASC-II class with sensitivity and specificity of 68.2% and 56.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: C-reactive protein to albumin ratio was strongly associated with peripheral arterial disease severity and complexity, as assessed by TASC-II classification. Also, C-reactive protein to albumin ratio was found to be a more accurate marker than C-reactive protein and albumin alone in predicting more severe and complex lesions in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

The predictive value of RS time for short term mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

OBJECTIVE: Many studies have examined the capability of electrocardiography (ECG) changes to predict the severity and prognosis of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE). RS time in ECG is potentially valuable in evaluating the prognosis of APE. In our study, we aimed to assess the predictive value of RS time, which is a novel electrocardiographic parameter of one-month mortality of APE. METHODS: This retrospective study included 216 patients who were diagnosed with APE by pulmonary computed tomography angiography. RS time was measured from the ECG (inferolateral leads) at the time of hospital admission using a computer program (imagej.nih.gov/ij/). The patients were divided into two groups according to the median values of RS time: the group with RS time ≤ 60 msec (n:108) and the group with RS time > 60 msec (n:108). The groups were compared in terms of mortality. RESULTS: In our study, the one-month mortality was 15.3% (33) in the patients hospitalized with APE. In the multivariate analysis, RS time prolongation (HR: 1.037; 95%CI: 1.005-1.065; p = .02) was independently correlated with mortality. The ROC curve analysis revealed that RS time > 64.8 msec predicted the one-month mortality in APE with a sensitivity of 68.6% and a specificity of 73.9% (AUC: 0.708; 95% CI: 0.643-0.768; p < .001). CONCLUSION: As a novel ECG parameter, RS time could be measured for each patient with APE. Prolongation of RS time could be a useful index for predicting the one-month mortality of patients diagnosed with APE.

P Wave Peak Time for Predicting an Increased Left Atrial Volume Index in Hemodialysis Patients.

OBJECTIVE: An increased left atrial volume index (LAVI) is related to increased mortality in hemodialysis patients. In the present study, we evaluated the association between the LAVI and the P wave peak time (PWPT), a newly introduced electrocardiographic parameter, in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: The study population was made up of 79 hemodialysis patients with a mean age of 53 ± 18 years (55.7% were males). These patients were divided into a normal LAVI (≤28 mL/m2) group (n = 45) and an increased LAVI (>28 mL/m2) group (n = 34). The demographic, clinical, laboratory, echocardiographic, and electrocardiographic variables of the groups were compared. RESULTS: The P wave terminal force from lead V1, P wave dispersion and PWPTs obtained from leads V1 and D2 (PWPTD2) were significantly higher in the patients with increased LAVIs. In multivariable analysis, only the PWPTD2was an independent predictor of an increased LAVI (odds ratio = 1.117, 95% CI = 1.052-1.185, p < 0.001). The receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the best PWPTD2 cutoff value for predicting an increased LAVI was 60 ms, with a sensitivity of 76.5% and a specificity of 66.7% (area under the curve = 0.736, 95% CI = 0.625-0.829, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study showed that a prolonged PWPTD2 was independently associated with an increased LAVI in hemodialysis patients. Therefore, measuring the PWPTD2 duration on an electrocardiogram may help define high-risk hemodialysis patients with increased LAVIs.

The Association of Fractional Pulse Pressure with Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Coronary Intervention due to ST-Segment Elevated Myocardial Infarction.

OBJECTIVE: Acute kidney injury (AKI), which is prevalent in ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients who have undergone primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes. As high pulse pressure (PP) is associated with adverse cardiovascular events, the present study's aim was to evaluate the relationship between fractional PP (PPf) and AKI in patients with STEMI who underwent primary PCI. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All laboratory findings as well as echocardiographic and angiographic data of 1,170 consecutive STEMI patients were retrospectively screened. PPf was calculated from the pressures invasively measured after sheath insertion and before performing coronary angiography. RESULTS: From 1,170 eligible STEMI patients (mean age 56 years, 18.2% female), AKI developed in 143 (12.2%) patients. The PPf and pulsatility index were significantly higher in patients with AKI than those without (0.53 ± 0.10 vs. 0.61 ± 0.10, p < 0.001, and 0.80 ± 0.03 vs. 0.82 ± 0.03, p < 0.001, respectively). PPf was also found to be associated with AKI in univariable (OR 2.183, 95% CI 1.823-2.614, p< 0.001) and multivariable (OR 1.874, 95% CI 1.513-2.322, p < 0.001) analysis. In-hospital mortality was higher in patients with AKI than those without. CONCLUSION: Invasively measured PPf, which can be easily measured and has no additional cost in STEMI patients undergoing coronary intervention, is an independent predictor of AKI. In addition, PPf is superior to other blood pressure values and derivatives in AKI prediction.

Prognostic efficacy of C-reactive protein/albumin ratio in ST elevation myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: Although the prognostic efficacy of C-reactive protein (mg/L) and albumin levels (g/L) has been previously associated with poor prognosis in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), to the best of our knowledge, the prognostic efficacy of C-reactive protein/Albumin ratio (CAR) (mg/g) has not been investigated yet. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the potential efficacy of the CAR in predicting prognosis in STEMI patients. METHOD: We conducted a detailed investigation of 2437 patients with first STEMI treated with a primary percutaneous coronary intervention. After evaluation regarding to exclusion criteria, 2243 patients were found to be eligible for analysis. The mean follow-up of the study was 34 ± 15 months. RESULTS: The median CAR value of the study population was 2.70 (range: 1.44-4.76), and the patients were divided into three tertiles according to their CAR values. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed significantly lower in-hospital and long-term survival rates for the patients in a high CAR tertile. In addition, the CAR was found to be an independent predictor of all-cause mortality (Hazards ratio: 1.033, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.007-1.061, p = .033), and the prognostic performance of the CAR was superior to that of C-reactive protein, albumin, and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in the receiver operating characteristic curve comparison. CONCLUSION: The CAR, a newly introduced inflammation-based risk index, was found to be a potentially useful prognostic tool for predicting a poor prognosis in STEMI patients. However, this finding needs to be validated in the future prospective studies.

A novel ECG parameter for diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism: RS time: RS time in acute pulmonary embolism.

OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular mortality worldwide. Electrocardiography (ECG) may provide useful information for patients with acute PE. In this study, we aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of the QRS duration and RS time in inferolateral leads in patients admitted to the emergency department, and pre-diagnosed with acute PE. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 136 consecutive patients, admitted to the emergency department, pre-diagnosed with the clinical suspicion of acute PE, and underwent computerized tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) to confirm the PE diagnosis. The study subjects were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of PE, and the independent predictors of PE were investigated. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients (50%) had PE. Patients with PE had a longer RS time. Among the ECG parameters, only RS time was an independent predictor of PE (OR: 1.397, 95% CI: 1.171-1.667; p < 0.001). The ROC curve analyses revealed that the cut-off value of RS time for predicting acute PE was 64.20 ms with a sensitivity of 85.3% and a specificity of 79.4% (AUC: 0.846, 95%CI: 0.749-0.944; p < 0.001). In the correlation analyses; the RS time was correlated with RV end-diastolic diameter (r = 0.422; p < 0.001), RV/left ventricle (LV) ratio (r = 0.622; p < 0.001), and systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) (r = 0.508; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: As a novel ECG parameter, RS time could be measured for each patient. A longer RS time can be a very useful index for diagnosing acute PE as well as for estimating the RV end-diastolic diameter and SPAP.

Prolonged P wave peak time is associated with the severity of coronary artery disease in patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Multi-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with worse outcome in non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients. Depending on the severity of CAD, there may be prolongation of atrial depolarization time as a result of left ventricular dysfunction and atrial ischemia. Therefore, we aimed to study whether the severity of CAD can be predicted with the P wave peak time (PWPT) in the electrocardiography (ECG) obtained during the diagnosis in NSTEMI patients. METHOD: A total of 162 patients were included. The coronary angiography records of all patients were analyzed and SYNTAX scores were calculated. Patients were divided into two groups, according to CAD severity. In addition to well-known P wave parameters, PWPT, defined as the time from the beginning of the P wave to its peak, was measured in the leads DII and V1. RESULTS: The PWPTs in the leads DII and V1 were significantly longer in the group with severe CAD (71 ±â€¯13 vs. 61 ±â€¯12, p < 0.001, 63 ±â€¯24 vs. 53 ±â€¯18, p = 0.024, respectively). PWPT was found to be an independent predictor of severe CAD and the best cut-off value of PWPT in the lead DII was 69.6 ms with sensitivity of 58.3% and specificity of 78.9%. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that prolonged PWPT, which is a parameter easily obtainable from the ECG, is associated with severe CAD. Recognition of NSTEMI patients with severe CAD at the time of diagnosis before performing coronary angiography may be important for the planning of treatment.

The C-Reactive Protein to Albumin Ratio Predicts Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between acute kidney injury (AKI) and C-reactive protein (CRP) and albumin has been previously demonstrated in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). However, to our knowledge, CRP to albumin ratio (CAR), a newly introduced inflammation-based risk score, has not yet been studied. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possible relationship between the CAR and AKI. METHOD: A total of 815 consecutive STEMI patients treated with pPCI were reviewed. RESULTS: One hundred ten 110 (13.5%) patients developed AKI in the study population. The subjects were divided into two groups according to AKI development. The in-hospital mortality rate was higher in patients with AKI than those without AKI (15.5% vs. 1.3%; p<0.001). The patients with AKI had significantly higher mean value of CRP and CAR (0.29 [0.16-0.50] vs. 0.55 [0.37-1.05]; p<0.001) and lower mean levels of albumin than those without AKI. Age, diabetes mellitus, haematocrit, left ventricular ejection fraction, hypotension, and CAR (Odds ratio [OR]2.307, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.397-3.809, p=0.001) were independent predictors of AKI. CONCLUSION: The CAR may be a useful inflammation-based risk score to predict AKI development in STEMI patients treated with pPCI.

Usefulness of The C-Reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio for Predicting No-Reflow in ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: The ratio of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) to albumin has been proven to be a more accurate indicator than albumin and CRP levels alone in determining the prognosis of patients with cancer and critical illness. The aim of this study was to determine whether the CRP/albumin ratio (CAR) can be linked to imperfect reperfusion that can worsen the prognosis of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1217 consecutive STEMI patients who achieved epicardial vessel patency with pPCI were recruited to this study. RESULTS: The study population was divided into 2 groups: reflow (n = 874) and no-reflow (NR) (n = 343) groups. The white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and CAR (0.03 [0.01-0.04] vs 0.06 [0.03-0.12] (P < .001) were significantly higher in the NR group than in the reflow group, and these factors were found to be independent predictors of NR development. The best cut-off value of CAR predicting NR was 0.59 with a sensitivity of 54.7% and specificity of 86.7. The predictive power of CAR surpassed that of CRP, albumin, WBC count and NLR in the receiver operator curve (ROC) curve comparison. CONCLUSION: No-reflow can be predicted by systemic inflammation markers including WBC count, NLR and CAR measured from the blood sample obtained on admission. CAR has a higher clinical value than CRP, albumin level, WBC count and NLR in NR prediction.

The predictive value of the CHA2DS2-VASc score in patients with mechanical mitral valve thrombosis.

Prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT) is a potentially life-threatening complication associated with high morbidity and mortality. The CHA2DS2-VASc is a clinical score used to determine thromboembolism risk in non-valvular atrial fibrillation patients. Therefore; in this study, we aimed to determine predictive value of the CHA2DS2-VASc score for development of PVT in patients with mechanical prosthetic valve. This was a retrospective study included 417 consecutive patients with mechanic prosthetic valve in whom transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed due to different clinical indications from January 2004 to June 2016. After evaluation according to exclusion criteria, 267 patients with mechanic prosthetic valve were enrolled in the study. The definitive diagnosis of the PVT was made as proposed by TEE finding. The study population was divided into two groups; PVT patients (154 patients) and control group (113 patients) with functional prosthetic valve. The CHA2DS2-VASc score was calculated for each patient from the hospital electronic database. The mechanical mitral valve thrombosis predictive value of variables including CHA2DS2-VASc score was tested in our study. The mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was significantly higher in PVT patients compared to control patients (2.51 ± 1.54 vs. 1.13 ± 1.21, p < 0.01). Both on univariate and multivariate analysis demonstrated that the CHA2DS2-VASc score is independently associated with PVT (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). The patients whose CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥ 1-3 had 6.20 times higher risk for thrombus formation, and patients whose CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥ 4 had 16.6 times higher risk for thrombus formation compared to patients with CHA2DS2-VASc score = 0 (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). The CHA2DS2-VASc score may be a significant independent predictor of PVT in patients with prosthetic valve and the CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥ 2.5 or more was associated with increased PVT in patients with prosthetic valve. Thus; it may be an applicable risk scoring system to assess the risk of development of PVT in patients with prosthetic valve.

Propensity score matching analysis of the impact of Syntax score and Syntax score II on new onset atrial fibrillation development in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: New-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) is a common complication in the setting of ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and worsened short/long-term prognosis. Several clinical parameters have already been associated with NOAF development. However, relationship between NOAF and coronary artery disease (CAD) severity in STEMI patients is unclear. This study evaluates the relationship between NOAF and CAD severity using Syntax score (SS) and Syntax score II (SSII) in STEMI patients who were treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). METHOD: We enrolled 1,565 consecutive STEMI patients who were treated with pPCI. Patients with NOAF were compared to patients without NOAF in the entire study population and in a matched population defined by propensity score matching. RESULTS: Patients with NOAF had significantly higher SS and SSII than those without, both in the matched population (18.6 ± 4 vs 16.75 ± 3.6; p < .001 and 42 ± 13.4 vs 35.1 ± 13.1; p < .001, respectively), and in all study population (18.6 ± 4 vs 16.5 ± 4.6; p < .001 and 42 ± 13.3 vs 31.5 ± 11.9; p < .001 respectively). SSII, compared to its components, was the only independent predictor of NOAF (OR: 1,041 95% CI: 1.015-1.068; p = .002). In the long-term follow-up, all-cause long-term mortality was significantly higher in patients with NOAF than those without NOAF (23.3% vs. 11%; p = .032). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to comprehensively examine the relationship between NOAF development and CAD severity using SS and SSII. We demonstrated that, in STEMI patients, high SSII was significantly related to NOAF and was an independent predictor of NOAF. Furthermore, patients with NOAF were associated with poor prognosis.

Successful treatment of massive thrombosis in different locations with prolonged thrombolytic therapy: A life-saving intervention.

Venous thrombosis is recognized as one of the most important complications of nephrotic syndrome (NS). In patients with NS, venous thrombosis may develop in the renal veins, the deep veins of the lower limb, and the inferior vena cava. Here, we describe a case report of an NS patient with multiple venous thrombosis in the right renal vein, the left iliac vein, the vena cava inferior, the right atrium, and the pulmonary arteries. Moreover, we describe the successful treatment of multiple venous thrombosis with prolonged thrombolytic treatment in spite of an increased risk of bleeding due to renal biopsy.

Diagnostic value of QRS and S wave variation in patients with suspicion of acute pulmonary embolism.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of QRS and S wave variation in patients admitted to the emergency department with suspicion of acute pulmonary embolism (APE). METHOD: Computerized tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) was performed in 118 consecutive patients to evaluate patients with suspected APE, and 106 subjects with appropriate electrocardiogram and CT images constituted the study population. RESULTS: Using CTPA, APE was diagnosed in 48.1% (n:51) of the study population. The comparison of patients with APE and those without APE revealed that increased heart rate, right axis deviation of QRS axis, complete or incomplete right bundle branch block, prominent S wave in lead D1, increased QRS duration, percentage of QRS (9,8[4,8-19,0] vs 3,8[2,7-71]; p<0,001), S wave variation (22,3[9,6-31,9] vs 4,8 [2-8]; p<0,001) and ΔS wave amplitude (1.1[0.5-1.5] vs 0.2[0.1-0.5]; p<0.001) were significantly associated with APE, but no relationship was detected with respect to the presence of atrial arrhythmias, clockwise rotation of the horizontal axis, fragmentation, ST segment deviation, T wave inversion, and S1Q3T3 and S1S2S3 patterns. The percentage of S wave variation (OR: 1072 per 1% increase, 95% CI:1011-1137) was found to be an independent predictor of APE. ΔS wave amplitude>0.5mm predicted APE with a sensitivity of 72.6% and a specificity of 74.6% (AUC:0.805, 95% CI: 0.717-0.876; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that QRS and S wave variation could be useful electrocardiographic signs for the diagnosis of APE.