Effect of smoking habit on circulating adipokines in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects.

BACKGROUND: Despite the well-known inverse association between smoking and body weight, there have been conflicting reports on the association between smoking and adipokines such as leptin and adiponectin. AIM: To determine and compare whether tobacco smoking (cigarettes or sheesha) affects circulating levels of adiponectin and/or influences leptin and leptin receptor (sOb-R) concentrations and free leptin in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. METHODS AND SUBJECTS: Fasting plasma adiponectin, leptin, sOb-R, glucose, insulin, and lipid profile were determined in 236 subjects grouped as control subjects (n = 53); non-diabetic cigarette smokers (n = 34), non-diabetic sheesha smokers (n = 38), diabetic nonsmokers (n = 75) and diabetic smokers (n = 36). Uni- and multivariate regression analyses were used to determine the associations of these variables with body mass index (BMI) and smoking. RESULTS: When compared to control subjects, smoking cigarettes or sheesha was associated with significantly higher glucose, insulin resistance, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and lower serum leptin, sOb-R and free leptin. The effects of smoking on BMI, leptin and sOb-R were dose-dependent. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that smoking is a significant determinant of BMI; leptin, sOb-R, free leptin index, adiponectin and LDL-C. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that smoking sheesha does not reduce the metabolic effects of smoking. Smoking may modify leptin receptors and modulate leptin synthesis but the weight-lowering effect may not be related to leptin-induced anorectic signals.

Mean Platelet Volume as a Predictor of One-Year Major Adverse Cardiac Events following Elective Percutaneous Coronary Interventions.

BACKGROUND: Mean platelet volume (MPV) correlates with platelet activity. The relation between MPV and long-term outcome in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been investigated in several studies. The aim of the present study was to investigate the utility of MPV in prognosticating the long-term outcome after elective PCI. METHODS: The study cohort included 2627 patients undergoing elective PCI between September 2008 and June 2010, whose baseline MPV measurements before PCI were available. The patients were divided into three groups of MPV < 9.1 fL, MPV = 9.1 to 10 fL, and MPV > 10 fL, and they were assessed for developing major adverse cardiac events (MACE), comprising death, myocardial infarction (MI), target vessel revascularization (TVR), and target lesion revascularization (TLR) over a one-year follow-up. RESULTS: Of 2539 patients, major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at one year occurred in 77 (3.0%) patients, including mortality in 26 (1.0%). The patients in the highest tertile (MPV > 10 fL) had no increased frequency of MACE compared to those in the mid (9.1 to 10 fL) and lowest (< 9.1 fL) tertiles (3.3%, 2.2%, and 3.8%, respectively; p value = 0.14). No significant differences were found for each of the primary endpoints among the MPV tertiles. In multivariate logistic regression, we investigated the association between high MPV and total MACE (OR = 1.10, 95%CI: 0.69-1.77; p value = 0.68), death (OR = 1.14, 95%CI: 0.51-2.54; p value = 0.74), and non-fatal MI (OR = 1.85, 95%CI: 0.73-4.67; p value = 0.19) at one year's follow-up but MPV did not remain in the model in any of the cases. In the diabetic patients, the one-way analysis of variance demonstrated that mortality was 1.6% (4 patients) in the highest tertile, 0.8% (2 patients) in the mid tertile, and 0.5% (one patient) in the lowest tertile. CONCLUSION: There was no direct correlation between pre-procedural MPV and MACE in elective PCI. MPV can only be considered as an appropriate factor for predicting mortality in diabetic patients undergoing elective PCI.

Association between preprocedural hemoglobin level and 1-year outcome of elective percutaneous coronary intervention.

AIM: To evaluate the association between the preprocedural hemoglobin (Hb) level and 1 year major adverse cardiac event (MACE) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: A total of 2819 patients (mean age 56.61 ±â€Š10.37 years, 69% male) with available preprocedural Hb levels were included. Patients were followed up for 12 months. MACE included cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), target vessel revascularization and target lesion revascularization. MACE was compared across the different levels of Hb in nonanemic, mild, moderate, and severe anemia subgroups. RESULTS: The preprocedural mean Hb level was 13.56 ±â€Š1.67 g/dl. Anemic patients were older, more frequently women, and less likely to be cigarette smokers compared to the nonanemic group. Patients with Hb less than 10  mg/dl had the highest proportion of renal failure (56.7%) compared to 40.1% in moderate, 34.6% in mild, and 22.7% in nonanemic groups. In-hospital MI and death occurred in 8 (0.3%) and 2 (0.1%) of the nonanemic group, respectively, and 1 (0.3%) patient with mild anemia experienced MI. After 12 months the rate of total MACE was 3.4% in all the patients. After adjustment for age, sex, interaction between sex, and Hb level, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and creatinine clearance, only severe anemia with Hb below 10  g/dl was associated with an increased risk of MACE (hazard ratio 4.623; 95% confidence interval 1.642-13.021; P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The impact of anemia on the 12-month MACE was more prominent in patients with Hb below 10  mg/dl. Therefore, in patients with severe anemia listed for PCI, this level of Hb should be considered as a precaution.

Opium consumption and mid-term outcome of percutaneous coronary intervention in men.

BACKGROUND: Controversy persists over the potential benefits/harms of opium consumption in coronary heart disease. This study investigated the association between 12 months' major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and pre-procedural opium consumption among patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: Retrospectively, 1545 consecutive men who underwent PCI between 21(st) June 2009 and 20th June 2010 at Tehran Heart Center and were registered in the PCI Databank were entered into this cohort study. The occurrence of MACE, defined as cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and need for target vessel revascularization (TVR) or target lesion revascularization (TLR), was compared between two groups of opium consumers and non-consumers in 350 (22.7%) patients. RESULTS: Sixty-four (0.86%) patients expired within 12 months. After adjustment for potential confounders, analysis revealed that opium consumption had no significant relationship with 12 months' MACE [11(3.1%) vs. 53(4.4%); p value = 0.286, among opium users vs. non users, respectively].Furthermore, the different components of MACE, including target vessel revascularization, target lesion revascularization, coronary artery bypass graft, and non-fatal myocardial infarction, were not significantly related to opium use. CONCLUSION: Pre-procedural opium usage in patients undergoing PCI was not associated with 12 months' MACE.

Impact of Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and Angiotensin receptor blockers on mortality of coronary artery bypass grafting.

BACKGROUND: There is controversy over the potential benefits/harms of the usage of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) as regards the postoperative mortality of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This study investigates the correlation between the in-hospital mortality of CABG and the preoperative administration of ACEI/ARB. METHODS: Out of 10055 consecutive patients with isolated CABG from 2006 to 2009, 4664 (46.38%) patients received preoperative ACEI/ARB. Data were gathered from the Cardiac Surgery Registry of Tehran Heart Center. In-hospital mortality was defined as death within the same admission for surgery. Adjusted for confounders, multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate the impact of preoperative ACEI/ARB therapy on in-hospital death. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 60.04 ± 9.51 years and 7364 (73.23%) were male. Eighty-seven (0.86%) patients expired within 30 days. Multivariate analysis revealed that the administration of ACEI/ARB significantly protected against in-hospital deaths inasmuch as there were 33 (0.70%) vs. 54 (1.0%) deaths in the ACEI/ARB positive and negative groups, respectively (OR: 0.628; p value = 0.09). Patients without ACEI/ARB were more likely to have a higher global ejection fraction. CONCLUSION: Preoperative ACEI usage in patients undergoing CABG can be associated with decreased in-hospital mortality. Large-scale randomized clinical trials are suggested.

Impact of side-branch flow in coronary bifurcation intervention.

BACKGROUND: The optimal strategy in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for coronary artery bifurcation lesions has yet to be agreed upon. We compared a strategy for stenting the main vessel to provide a complete perfusion flow in the side branch, namely thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) - III, with a strategy for intervention in both the main vessel and the side branch (MV + SB). METHODS: This retrospective study utilized data on 258 consecutive patients with bifurcation lesions scheduled for PCI at Tehran Heart Center between March 2003 and March 2008. The patients were followed up for 12 months, and the primary end point was a major adverse cardiac event (MACE), i.e. cardiac death, myocardial infarction, target-vessel revascularization, and target-lesion revascularization during the 12-month follow-up period. RESULTS: A total of 52.7% of the patients underwent PCI on the main vessel of the bifurcation lesions (MV group) and 47.3% with a similar lesion type received a percutaneous intervention on both the main vessel and the side branch (MV + SB group). The total rate of MACE during the follow-up was 4.3% (11 patients); the rate was not significantly different between the MV and MV + SB groups (3.7% vs. 4.9%, respectively; p value = 0.622). CONCLUSION: There was no association between MACE in performing a simple or complex interventional strategy to treat coronary bifurcation lesions when drawing the TIMI- III flow as a goal in a simple technique.

Outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention on saphenous vein graft and native coronary vessels.

BACKGROUND: The optimal target for revascularization in patients with history of coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is unclear. This study was designed to compare the outcome of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on saphenous vein grafts (SVG) and that on native vessels in patients with previous CABG in terms of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). METHODS: The study drew upon data on consecutive patients hospitalized for PCI and MACE rate during a nine-month follow-up period. The patients were divided according to the target vessel for PCI into two groups: SVG and native vessel. RESULTS: Between 2003 and 2007, 226 patients underwent PCI 6.57 ± 4.55 years after CABG. Their mean age was 59.52±9.38 years, and 176 (77.9%) were male. PCI was performed on the SVG in 63 (27.9%) patients and on the native coronary artery in the rest. During a nine-month follow-up period, 9 (4%) patients suffered MACE; the prevalence of MACE was not significantly different between the SVG group (4.8%) and the native vessel group (4.9%), (p value = 0.999). CONCLUSION: PCI on grafted and native vessels did not affect MACE in patients undergoing PCI after CABG.