Evaluation of Arterial Stiffness and Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness in Patients with Coronary Slow Flow.

Background: Coronary slow flow may not only affect the coronary arteries, but it may also be a vascular problem affecting the rest of the arterial system. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine peripheral arterial stiffness and the thickness of the choroid layer in patients with slow coronary flow. Methods: Fifty consecutive patients (age, 54.3 ± 11.4 years, 38 male) with coronary slow flow and 25 consecutive patients (age, 50.5 ± 9.9 years, 16 male) with normal coronary arteries both documented by coronary angiography were included. Arterial stiffness parameters were measured noninvasively using a Mobil-O-Graph arteriography system. The choroidal thickness was assessed using the enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography method. Results: The patients with coronary slow flow had significantly higher peripheral systolic blood pressure, peripheral pulse pressure, central pulse pressure, and pulse wave velocity (PWV) and significantly thinner choroidal thickness compared to the controls. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame count was positively correlated with PWV (r: 0.237, p = 0.041) and negatively correlated with choroidal thickness (r: -0.249, p = 0.031). There was also a negative correlation between PWV and mean choroidal thickness (r: -0.565, p < 0.001). Linear regression analysis showed that coronary slow flow was an independent predictor of both PWV and choroidal thickness when adjusted by age and sex. Conclusions: The acceleration of average peripheral arterial PWV with a thinning of choroidal thickness in patients with coronary slow flow may support the idea that this phenomenon may be a coronary presentation of a systemic microvascular disorder.

Noninvasive assessment of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure with tissue Doppler imaging in patients with mitral regurgitation.

BACKGROUND: The ratio of early transmitral flow velocity to mitral annulus early diastolic velocity (E/Ea) is a widely used noninvasive tool to estimate left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP). The aim of this study was to explore whether E/Ea ratio was a reliable index for the estimation of LVEDP in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR). METHODS: Sixteen patients with nonischemic MR (primary MR group; 6 male, 58 ± 12 years) 51 patients with ischemic MR (secondary MR group; 29 male, 63 ± 9 years) and 29 patients without MR (control group; 19 male, 53 ± 10 years) were consecutively included. The peak transmitral flow and mitral annular velocities during early diastole were measured. LVEDP was determined invasively by left heart catheterization. RESULTS: Primary and secondary MR groups had significantly higher E/Ea ratios and LVEDP than control group. LVEDP significantly correlated with E/Ea ratio in patients with primary MR, but not in patients with secondary MR. Multiple regression analysis revealed that E/Ea ratio was an independent predictor of LVEDP in patients with primary MR. Ten patients with primary MR had LVEDP ≥15 mmHg. ROC analysis demonstrated cutoff values for E/Ea ratios as >10.5 for lateral mitral annulus (sensitivity: 80%, specificity: 66%, PPV: 80%, NPV: 66%) and as >14 for medial mitral annulus (sensitivity: 90%, specificity: 83%, PPV: 90%, NPV: 83%) to predict primary MR patients with LVEDP ≥15 mmHg. CONCLUSION: E/Ea ratio is still reliable in estimation of LVEDP in primary MR patients while it is not predictive for LVEDP in secondary MR patients.

Influence of collaterals on the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and serum NT-proBNP levels in patients with coronary chronic total occlusion.

OBJECTIVE: Although numerous studies have shown the protective effects of the well-developed coronary collaterals on left ventricular functions, the relationship between collateral grade and left ventricular end diastolic pressure has not been studied in chronic total occlusion patients. Also, there are conflicting data on the effect of collaterals on NT-proBNP levels. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between coronary collateral circulation and left ventricular end diastolic pressure and NT-proBNP levels in chronic total occlusion patients. METHODS: Study group was retrospectively selected from the patients who had undergone coronary angiography at our hospital between June 2011 and March 2013. Clinical, biochemical, angiographic and hemodynamic data of 199 consecutive patients having at least one totally occluded major epicardial coronary artery were evaluated. Coronary collateral circulation was graded according to Rentrop classification. While Rentrop grade 3 was defined as well-developed, all the remaining collateral grades were regarded as poor collaterals. RESULTS: Overall 87 patients were found to have good collaterals and 112 patients had poor collaterals. There was no significant difference between the patients with well- or poorly developed coronary collaterals with regard to left ventricular end diastolic pressure (16.84 ± 5.40 mmHg vs 16.10 ± 6.09, respectively, p = 0,632) and log NT-proBNP (2.46 ± 0.58 vs 2.59 ± 0.76, respectively, p = 0,335). CONCLUSION: In patients with coronary chronic total occlusion even well-developed coronary collaterals are not capable of protecting the rise of left ventricular end diastolic pressure and NT-proBNP levels which are reliable markers of the left ventricular dysfunction.

Evaluation of left ventricular functions in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism: is there any effect of parathyroidectomy?

PURPOSE: Our aim was to evaluate left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic functions of primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) patients with detailed echocardiographic analysis and investigate the effect of parathyroidectomy on echocardiographic parameters. METHODS: A total of 22 eligible consecutive patients with pHPT who underwent parathyroidectomy operation were recruited to the study. Another 22 subjects with similar age, gender and frequency of cardiovascular risk factors compared to patients were used as a control group. Echocardiographic parameters of patients scheduled for parathyroidectomy were compared to healthy matched controls. Echocardiographic parameters measured 6 months after the operation were also compared with preoperative values for each patient. RESULTS: Patients had higher LV mass index compared with controls. There were no significant differences between groups regarding 2D echocardiographic parameters reflecting LV systolic function and tissue Doppler velocities; however, 2D echocardiographic parameters demonstrated impairment in LV diastolic functions compared with controls. Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) demonstrated similar LV global longitudinal systolic strain; however, left atrial conduit and reservoir functions were significantly reduced in patients with pHPT. In general, there were no significant differences between baseline and postoperative state regarding parameters reflecting LV systolic and diastolic functions; however, STE demonstrated significantly increased LV global longitudinal strain after surgery (22.3 ± 3.3% vs 20.3 ± 2.9%, p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: Patients with pHPT displayed higher LV mass and impairment in LV diastolic function compared with controls. Parathyroidectomy did not lead to significant improvements in LV mass or LV diastolic function; however, subtle but not apparent increases in LV systolic function were observed 6 months after surgery.

Hypotension, bradycardia and syncope caused by honey poisoning.

Honey intoxication, a kind of food poisoning, can be seen in the Black Sea region of Turkey and in various other parts of the world as well. In this study, 66 patients were hospitalized with a variety of symptoms including nausea, vomiting, salivation, dizziness, weakness, hypotension, bradycardia and syncope several hours after the ingestion of small amounts of honey. All patients had hypotension, and majority had bradycardia. These features resolved completely in 24 h with i.v. fluids and atropine, and none died. In conclusion, honey poisoning should be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction and in the patients with vomiting, hypotension and bradycardia.

Tirofiban-associated acute thrombocytopenia.

Randomized clinical trials of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibition during percutaneous coronary intervention have shown significant clinical efficacy and safety in reducing the morbidity and mortality. In Turkey, only tirofiban is available. Tirofiban is a safe and effective agent in combination with heparin and aspirin in the setting of an acute coronary syndrome. In previous studies involving tirofiban, the incidence of bleeding complications was more frequent than heparin alone but major bleeding complications were seen in 5.3% of patients receiving tirofiban and not significantly different from the heparin-only treated patients.The incidence of thrombocytopenia, defined as an absolute platelet count of < 90,000/mm3, was 0.4% in the PRISM, 1.9% in PRISM-PLUS and 1.1% in RESTORE trials. We reported a case of acute profound thrombocytopenia 48 hours after the administration of tirofiban in the treatment of a patient with an acute coronary syndrome and tirofiban discontinuation was sufficient in the management of this condition.

The relationship between T-wave polarity and clinical as well as angiographic findings in the early stage of acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Restoration of a positive T-wave in the chronic stage of myocardial infarction (MI) is usually seen in patients with a non-Q-wave (non-transmural) MI, where a viable tissue is present. The causes and significance of a positive T-wave in the early phase of acute MI are not clear. AIM: To investigate angiographic and clinical characteristics of patients with a positive T-wave in the early stage of acute MI. METHODS: We evaluated the clinical and angiographic data in relation to T-wave polarity in 188 patients with acute MI. Coronary risk factors, pre-infarction angina, CK-MB level, left ventricular ejection fraction and angiographic findings were analysed. Death, cardiogenic shock, ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation and high-degree atrioventricular block were regarded as in-hospital complications. All electrocardiograms were divided into two groups, according to the shape of the T-wave, as exhibiting a positive T-wave or negative T-wave. RESULTS: A positive T-wave was present in 30 (15.9%) patients. None of the patients with a positive T-wave had three-vessel disease compared with 21.5% of patients with a negative T-wave (p <0.04). In-hospital complication rates were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a positive T-wave in the early phase of acute MI have significantly less frequently three-vessel disease than patients with a negative T-wave.

Correlation between clinical findings and the "tombstoning" electrocardiographic pattern in patients with anterior wall acute myocardial infarction.

The tombstoning electrocardiographic pattern of a particular kind of ST-segment change, as observed in some patients during the early stages of acute myocardial infarction, is well known to be of prognostic value. However, little is understood of the causes and the relations of these changes. This study of 106 patients showed that in patients with tombstoning electrocardiographic patterns, infarction size is larger; left ventricular ejection fraction and preinfact angina are lower, and in-hospital complications are higher.

A rare cause of cardiogenic shock: variant angina.

Variant angina (VA) is a clinical syndrome caused by spontaneous vasospasm of the epicardial coronary artery which is characterized by episodes of angina. Endothelial dysfunction and neurohormonal hyperactivity are important factors in pathogenesis of VA. Although patient prognosis is good, VA may be one of the reasons of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in case of persistent ST segment elevation and malignant arrhythmias. Therefore, early treatment of VA is crucial for prevention of malignant arrhythmias and SCD. In this case report we describe a case of VA presented with cardiogenic shock and malignant ventricular arrhythmia.

Tissue doppler myocardial performance index in patients with heart failure and its relationship with haemodynamic parameters.

The myocardial performance index (MPI) reflects both the systolic and diastolic function of the heart, and is easily applied in practice. In this study, we aimed to determine the relationship between MPI and invasive haemodynamic parameters in heart failure patients. A total of 126 patients with heart failure were selected, all of whom were referred for diagnostic cardiac catheterisation, and were divided into two groups. Group I consisted of 59 patients (32 men and 27 women, mean age 61 ± 10; functional capacity New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class I; and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) <16 mmHg). Group II included 67 patients (34 men and 33 women, mean age 60 ± 9; NYHA Class ≥ II; LVEDP ≥ 16 mmHg). The following parameters were measured in all patients: ejection fraction with Simpson method, the peak mitral early (E) and late (A) diastolic velocities, E/A ratio, deceleration time (DT) and tissue Doppler from four different areas of the mitral annulus (septum, lateral, inferior and anterior). In order to measure MPI with two methods (standard Doppler and tissue Doppler), isovolumetric contraction time (IVCT), isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT) and ejection time (ET) were measured from four areas and mean values of MPI were calculated. There was no difference between the two groups in E/A ratios, DT and IVRT (p > 0.05). Group II patients had longer IVCT and ET, when compared with group I patients (p < 0.05). MPI, measured by both standard pulsed wave Doppler and tissue Doppler methods, was significantly higher in group II patients, when compared with the values obtained from group I patients (Group I: 0.50 ± 0.2 and 0.50 ± 0.14; group II: 0.98 ± 0.3 and 1.2 ± 0.32; p < 0.001). According to receiver operating characteristics curve analysis, the cut-off value for MPI measured by tissue Doppler was 0.74. The sensitivity and specificity of this value were measured as 92.5 and 91.5%, respectively. MPI measured by standard Doppler method was 0.67, and its sensitivity and specificity were 85.1 and 83.1%, respectively. We found a strong relationship between MPI and LVEDP (r = 0.83, p < 0.001; r = 0.96, p < 0.001), especially when measured by tissue Doppler. In addition, we observed a significant relationship between the MPI values measured by tissue Doppler and those measured by standard traditional methods (r = 0.85, p < 0.001). We showed that MPI was reliable for the evaluation of global cardiac functions in patients with heart failure, as measured with both pulsed-wave Doppler and tissue Doppler. We assert that, in order to differentiate between those patients with symptomatic heart failure from the asymptomatic cases, MPI as measured with the tissue Doppler method is an improvement on MPI as measured using traditional methods.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in a patient with lung adenocarcinoma.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is a rare and usually physical or emotional stress-induced clinical disorder characterized by transient left ventricular dysfunction and apical segment ballooning. Much is still unknown regarding risk factors and clinical relationships. Recently, an association between TC and malignancies has been proposed. We present a case of lung adenocarcinoma whose initial hospital admission was due to TC. We contribute this case report to the growing set of literature on the association between TC and malignancies.

Polymorphisms of the angiotensin-converting enzyme and angiotensinogen gene in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between AF and polymorphisms in RAS. One hundred and fifty patients with AF, 100 patients with no documented episode of AF and 100 healthy subjects were consecutively recruited into the study. The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism, and the M235T, A-20C, and G-6A polymorphisms of the angiotensinogen gene were genotyped. Patients with AF had significantly lower frequency of II genotype of ACE I/D and higher frequency of angiotensinogen M235T polymorphism T allele and TT genotype and G-6A polymorphism G allele and GG genotype compared with the controls. AF patients had significantly larger left atrium, higher left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and higher frequency of significant valvular pathology. ACE I/D polymorphism II genotype, angiotensinogen M235T polymorphism TT genotype and G allele and GG genotype of angiotensinogen G-6A polymorphism were still independently associated with AF when adjusted for left atrium, LVMI and presence of significant valvular pathology. Genetic predisposition might be underlying the prevalence of acquired AF. Patients with a specific genetic variation in the RAS genes may be more liable to develop AF.

The influence of ambulatory blood pressure profile on left ventricular geometry.

Besides causing a hypertrophy in the left ventricle, hypertension results in a change in the geometry of the left ventricle. The blood pressure, which does not decrease enough during the night, leads to structural changes in the left ventricle. In this study, the influence of 24-hour blood pressure profile on the left ventricular geometry was examined. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was applied to 60 patients with mild to moderate hypertension who had never been treated and standard echocardiographic evaluation was conducted thereafter. The patients were divided into two groups with respect to the ambulatory blood pressure profiles: the patients whose night blood pressure levels decreased by more than 10% compared to their daytime blood pressure levels (dipper) and those whose levels did not decrease that much (nondipper). The left ventricle mass index and the relative wall thickness of the patients were calculated. With respect to the left ventricle geometry, mass index and relative wall thickness of the patients were determined as: having normal geometry, concentric remodeling, eccentric hypertrophy, and concentric hypertrophy. Age, gender, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure were similar within the dipper and nondipper groups. Normal geometry, concentric remodeling, and concentric hypertrophy ratios were similar in both groups. Eccentric hypertrophy was higher in the nondipper group compared to the dipper group (42.9% vs 6.3%, P < 0.03). Patients with mild to moderate hypertension, whose blood pressure does not decrease enough, develop eccentric hypertrophy.

Effect of O2-enriched breathing on myocardial uptake of 99mTc-sestamibi.

Oxygen (O(2)) inhalation after acute myocardial ischaemia has long been a part of standard therapy in cardiology. It has also been demonstrated that therapeutic hyperoxia diminishes myocardial stunning. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether the uptake kinetics of the myocardial perfusion agent technetium-99m sestamibi (MIBI) during O(2)-enriched breathing is modified in comparison with the kinetics observed under conventional rest imaging performed after injection during inhalation of room air. Nine patients scheduled for coronary intervention (CI) with a documented significant stenosis (> or =50%) of at least one epicardial coronary vessel and one patient with slow flow on coronary angiography were investigated. First, rest MIBI electrocardiogram-gated single-photon emission tomography (G-SPET) with 740 MBq was performed. Two days later, the tracer was injected following a 5-min period of 100% O(2)-supported (nasal catheter) breathing at rest (6 l/min) and a second G-SPET acquisition (O(2)+MIBI G-SPET) was carried out. Patients' medication was not withdrawn and was matched throughout the study. The mean elevation of arterial oxygen saturation achieved was 2.95%. No significant changes in arterial blood pressure or heart rate could be detected at any time during the procedure. Compared with the results of baseline G-SPET, on O(2)+MIBI G-SPET five patients scheduled for CI and the patient with slow flow showed increased tracer uptake in initially ischaemic regions without any alterations in other myocardial regions. In three of these five patients, post-CI imaging could be performed and showed increased tracer uptake in all additional areas detected previously by O(2)+MIBI imaging. In three patients, besides improvement in ischaemic regions, a mild reduction in tracer uptake was observed in myocardium that initially appeared normal. In one of these patients, thallium-201 rest-redistribution SPET was performed and showed an uptake pattern more similar to that seen on O(2)+MIBI images than that on baseline MIBI G-SPET. In one patient, no difference in tracer uptake was observed in pre- and post-CI studies. Improvement was detected in the wall thickening images of the O(2)+MIBI study in seven of the ten patients. Four of these patients showed improvement in the same regions after CI. In this pilot study, it was demonstrated that MIBI injection during O(2)-enriched breathing can be a useful technique for enhancing the detection of viable myocardial tissue. The possible mechanisms of altered tracer kinetics are discussed.