New prognostic markers in pulmonary arterial hypertension: CRP to albumin ratio and uric acid.

INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic pulmonary hypertension(IPAH) is a rare disease that causes severe morbidity and mortality despite advances in treatment management. Evaluating the prognosis of the disease is critical in determining therapeutic approaches. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) and uric acid, which is an easily applicable and inexpensive parameter in patients with IPAH. METHODS: Seventy-two IPAH patients and 99 consecutive non-IPAH patients as a control group were enrolled in the study retrospectively. Right heart catheterization(RHC), echocardiography, and laboratory parameters of the two groups and those who died and survived among the IPAH patients were compared. RESULTS: IPAH and control group were compared at the first stage and CAR (1.98(0.28-10.74), 0.75(0.22-4.7),respectively;p < 0.01) and uric acid (0.33(0.19-0.87), 0.3(0.11-0.48) mmol/L, respectively; p = 0.03) values were significantly higher in the pulmonary hypertension group compared to the control group. Compared with the surviving IPAH patients, CAR (4.60(1.39-10.74),1.54(0.28-6.74),respectively;p < 0.001) and uric acid levels (0.458(0.26-0.87), 0.315(0.19-0.56) mmol/L, respectively; p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the group of patients who died. In the multivariate Cox regression models uric acid(p < 0.001) and CAR(p < 0.001) were found to be associated with survival time. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) analyses showed that > 1.54 CAR value (AUC = 0.81,Sens:85.7%,Spec:56.9%,p < 0.001) and > 5.85 mg/dL (>0.348 mmol/L) uric acid value (AUC = 0.864, Sens:85.7%, Spec:78.4%, p < 0.001) are strong predictors for mortality. CONCLUSION: In this study, we showed that simple markers such as CAR, which augment the inflammation marker feature of CRP, and uric acid can give prognostic information in PAH patients.

Evaluation of Myocardial Perfusion Imaging SPECT Parameters and Pharmacologic Stress Test with Adenosine Versus Coronary Angiography Findings: Are They Diagnostically Concordant?

Objectives: In this study our first aim was to evaluate the diagnostic concordance of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) by pharmacological stress test with adenosine (APST) with coronary angiography (CAG). The secondary aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between CAG findings and automated analysis parameters such as left ventricular ejection fraction, summed stress score (SSS), summed rest score, summed difference score (SDS), stress MPS defect percentage ratio (extent) and transient ischemic dilation (TID) obtained by myocardial perfusion imaging single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Methods: A total of 129 patients (62 male, 67 female, median age: 60.02) undergoing MPS due to suspicion of coronary ischemia who also underwent subsequent CAG in the last year were included in this study, their MPS data and CAG results were compared. Results: There was no statistically significant diagnostic concordance when visual evaluation of MPS, quantitative MPS parameters and exercise treadmill test (ETT) electrocardiography results were used alone. In fact, diagnostic concordance was higher when automated analysis parameters like TID, SSS and extent values were added to MPS SPECT visual analyses. There was diagnostic concordance in 57.9% of APST patients and 41.7% of ETT patients. There was diagnostic concordance in 75.8% of APST patients and 52.6% of ETT patients who were older than 65 years of age. Conclusion: In our study, we found that the use of APST during MPS increases diagnostic concordance with CAG. Therefore, we think that it would be appropriate to use APST in women and elderly patients with limited exercise habits. The CAG diagnostic mismatch is far above what it should be when MPS reporting is only done with visual data, and it is not supported by quantitative data such as TID, SSS, SDS and extent.

Prognostic role of soluble suppression of tumorigenicity-2 on cardiovascular mortality in outpatients with heart failure.

OBJECTIVE: Soluble suppression of tumorigenicity-2 (sST2), a member of the interleukin 1 receptor family, is increased in mechanical stress conditions and is produced by cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts. Elevated sST2 level is associated with the prognosis of acute coronary syndrome, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and acute and chronic heart failure (HF). In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between sST2 levels and cardiovascular mortality in outpatients with HF. METHODS: This study used a prospective observational cohort design. A total of 130 consecutive outpatients with HF were prospectively evaluated. Clinical characteristics, laboratory results, cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidities, and medication use were recorded. The patients were followed up for a mean period of 12±4 months for the development of cardiovascular death. They were classified into two groups: those who survived and those who died. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 67±11 years (69% males). After follow-up, 23 of 130 patients (18%) experienced cardiovascular death. sST2 levels were higher among those who died compared with among those who survived [51 (21-162) vs. 27 (9-198) ng/mL, p<0.001]. Optimal cut-off sST2 level to predict cardiovascular mortality was found to be >30 ng/mL with a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 67% (AUC =0.808, 95% CI=0.730 to 0.872). sST2 levels were negatively correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction and triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and hemoglobin levels and were positively correlated with left atrium size and the presence of right ventricular dilatation. In multiple Cox regression analysis, sST2 level of >30 ng/mL (HR=6.756, p=0.002, 95% CI=1.983-23.018), hemoglobin level (HR=0.705, p<0.001, 95% CI=0.587-0.847), age (HR=1.050, p=0.013, 95% CI=1.010-1.091), and HDL cholesterol level (HR=0.936, p=0.010, 95% CI=0.889-0.984) remained to be associated with an increased risk of mortality. CONCLUSION: sST2 measurement could help risk stratification in outpatients with HF. Moreover, this is the first study describing the impact of sST2 protein in Turkish patients with HF.

A Multiparous Woman with Lately Diagnosed Multilevel Left Ventricular Obstruction.

A 56-year hypertensive, multiparous woman presented to the cardiology unit with Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) class-III angina and worsening dyspnea for the past few weeks. Her clinical examination showed high blood pressure and mid-systolic crescendo-decrescendo murmur radiating to carotids. However, there was no radio-femoral delay or significant blood pressure difference between her arms. Her transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) revealed moderate aortic stenosis (AS) and mid cavity left ventricular outflow (LVO) obstruction. Left heart catheterization (LHC) showed coarctation of aorta with extensive collaterals, mid cavity LVO obstruction, and moderate AS. Thus, she was diagnosed as a case of multi-level LVO obstruction including mid cavity LVO obstruction AS and coarctation of aorta. She underwent stenting of aortic coarctation as the initial step of graded approach to her disease, and is doing well.

Mahaim Tachycardia Induced Cardiomyopathy.

We present the case report of a 22-year man, with incessant palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, and pulsations in his neck for the past 7 months. He was referred to the cardiology unit for workup of wide complex tachycardia (WCT). His echocardiography, 6 months earlier, had demonstrated severe left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction, severe global hypokinesia, mild tricuspid regurgitation (TR), and mild mitral regurgitation (MR) which resolved with medical therapy including beta-blockers. He underwent electrophysiological study, which revealed a decremental right sided atriofascicular pathway causing a WCT with left bundle branch block (LBBB) morphology and left axis deviation (LAD, Mahaim tachycardia). This was successfully ablated by radiofrequency ablation (RF) with abolition of the tachycardia. This case report highlights Mahaim tachycardia induced cardiomyopathy, a rare but curable cause of cardiomyopathy.

Sheathless transradial coronary angioplasty in an achondroplasic patient with ST elevation myocardial infarction.

We present a case of a 50-year-old man with achondroplasia, who presented with anterior ST segment myocardial infarction (STEMI). He was taken urgently to the catheterisation laboratory. Owing to his short stature, it was not possible to insert a radial artery sheath so he underwent a sheathless primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) through the right radial artery, with no complication. He was shifted to the coronary care unit and had an uneventful hospital course. He was discharged in stable condition and follows up regularly as an outpatient.

Trans-radial approach for coronary angiography in an adult postoperative patient with tetralogy of Fallot with complex anatomy.

A 42-year-old, postoperative patient with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with right-sided aortic arch, presented with heart failure secondary to left ventricular dysfunction, severe valvular regurgitation and residual ventricular septal defect (VSD). After initial stabilisation, he underwent successful coronary angiography through a trans-radial approach followed by aortic valve replacement, pulmonary valve and VSD repair, and was discharged home in stable condition. This case report highlights the trans-radial approach as a feasible option for coronary angiography in postoperative patients with TOF with right-sided aortic arch.

Vocal fold paresis accompanying vocal fold polyps.

The aim of this study was to evaluate patients with vocal fold polyps using laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) for the presence of vocal fold paresis and to compare transnasal fiberoptic and rigid stroboscopic findings between polyp patients with normal LEMG and with vocal fold paresis. Thirty-five patients with a vocal fold polyp underwent transnasal fiberoptic laryngoscopy, rigid laryngostroboscopy, and LEMG. The findings were compared between the LEMG-confirmed vocal fold paresis patients and the normal LEMG patients. LEMG resulted in a diagnosis of unilateral or bilateral vocal fold paresis in 17 of 35 patients (48.6 %). More men than women with vocal fold polyps had vocal fold paresis (p < 0.05). The vocal fold paresis group had higher presence of axial rotation and hypomobility of vocal folds, higher asymmetry of vertical height of vocal folds, and less presence of longitudinal stretch of vocal folds (p < 0.05). Medial-lateral compression of the false vocal folds and anterior-posterior approximation of the larynx did not show any difference between the groups. No significant difference was found in vibratory wave characteristics between the groups through rigid laryngostroboscopy. Vocal fold paresis was present in almost half of the patients with vocal fold polyps. Paresis can only be accurately diagnosed with LEMG. Transnasal fiberoptic laryngoscopic examination is helpful to recognize vocal fold paresis in vocal fold polyp patients, while stroboscopic examination is not useful to identify it in vocal fold polyp patients.

[Evaluation of benign vocal cord lesions with laryngeal electromyography]. / Benign vokal kord lezyonlarinin larengeal elektromiyografi ile degerlendirilmesi.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to identify patients with benign vocal cord lesions using laryngeal electromyography (EMG) and to investigate the presence of accompanying vocal cord paresis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight patients (18 males and 10 females; mean age 38.6±10.2 years; range 22 to 59 years) who were diagnosed with benign vocal cord lesion using a rigid laryngostroboscopy underwent laryngeal EMG and the presence of neurogenic involvement was investigated. RESULTS: Laryngostroboscopic examination revealed polyp in 85.7% (n=24), Reinke's edema in 10.7% (n=3), submucosal cyst in 10.7% (n=3), and contact granuloma in 3.6% (n=1). Of the patients, 14.2% (n=4) were suspected to have vocal cord paresis. Laryngeal EMG revealed neurogenic involvement in at least one of the larynx muscles in 57.2% (n=16) of the patients. Eight patients (28.6%) had unilateral neurogenic involvement, while three (10.7%) demonstrated isolated recurrent laryngeal nerve paresis two (7.2%) demonstrated isolated superior laryngeal nerve paresis, and three (10.7%) demonstrated combined recurrent and superior laryngeal nerve paresis. Six (21.4%) of eight patients with bilateral neurogenic involvement had paresis in three laryngeal nerves, whereas in two (7.2%) patients four laryngeal nerves were affected. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that vocal cord paresis frequently accompanies benign vocal cord lesions. Laryngeal EMG is useful to identify clinically suspected or unsuspected paresis with physical examination precisely.

Hypertensive response to exercise in dipper and non-dipper normotensive diabetics.

Non-dipper blood pressure (NDP) as an indicator of autonomic dysfunction could be associated with hypertensive response to exercise (HRE) in diabetic patients. HRE was determined as a predictor of development of unborn hypertension. We aimed to investigate if any correlation among NDP and HRE in normotensive type 2 diabetic patients. A total of 59 consecutive type 2 diabetic patients without history of hypertension and with normal blood pressure (BP) on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) were enrolled to the study. We divided the study population in to two groups depending on their BP on ABPM as dipper (group 1) or non-dipper (group 2). There were 22 patients (mean age 49.5 ± 7 and 10 male) in group 1 and 37 patients (mean age 53.1 ± 10 and 14 male) in group 2. Daytime diastolic and mean BP of dippers and night time systolic and mean BP of non-dippers were significantly higher. HRE was not significantly different between groups (59% vs. 62%, p = 0.820). Hemodynamic parameters during the exercise test were similar. At multivariate linear regression analysis, resting office systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r = 0.611, p < 0.001), male sex (r = 0.266, p = 0.002) and age (r = 0.321, p = 0.010) were independently correlated with peak exercises SBP. Logistic regression analyses identified the resting office SBP (OR 1.191, 95% CI 1.080-1.313; p < 0.001) and age (OR 1.161, 95% CI 1.038-1.298; p = 0.012) were independent predictors of HRE. This study revealed that HRE is not related with non-dipper BP in diabetic patients. This study could inspire to further studies to explore the main reasons of HRE in diabetes mellitus.

Red cell distribution width and hypertensive response to exercise in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: There is no study about hypertensive response to exercise (HRE), which is a marker of unborn hypertension (HT), and red cell distribution width (RDW) association, in diabetic normotensive patients. So, we aimed to investigate any correlation among RDW and HRE in normotensive type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: Consecutive type 2 diabetic patients without history of HT and with normal blood pressure (BP) on ambulatory BP monitoring were included to the study. We divided the patients into two groups depending on their peak systolic BP on exercise; HRE (Group 1) or normal response to exercise (Group 2). RESULTS: Data of 75 diabetic patients (51.9 ± 9.7) were analyzed (31 male (48%)). Their mean RDW was 13.11 ± 0.46. Patients with HRE were significantly older than patients without HRE. Smoking was more frequent in Group 2. Gender distribution and body mass index were similar between the groups. Else hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell count and RDW values were not significantly different. Office systolic BP and diastolic BP, daytime and 24-h systolic BP were significantly higher in Group 1 but heart rate was similar between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that RDW do not differ between diabetic normotensive patients with HRE or not.

Bradycardia seen in children with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.

INTRODUCTION: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a zoonotic viral disease with a high mortality rate. In clinical practice, we observed bradycardia in some pediatric patients with CCHF during the clinical course. So we aimed to report CCHF cases that presented bradycardia during the clinical course and the relation of bradycardia with the clinical findings and ribavirin therapy. METHODS: Charts of all hospitalized pediatric CCHF patients were reviewed with respect to age, sex, history of tick bite or history of removing a tick, other risk factors for CCHF transmission, and interval between the tick bite and the onset of symptoms. Outcomes and clinical and laboratory findings and medications were recorded for each patient. We searched the patient records for information regarding the existence of bradycardia. Bradycardia was accepted as the heart rate 2 standard deviations (SD) lower than the suspected heart rate based on age. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients (mean age 11.2 ± 4.4 years, 31 female) were enrolled into the study. Bradycardia was seen in seven patients. Six patients with bradycardia were male and only one was female, and the mean age was 13.1 ± 1.6 years. It was observed that male gender is frequent among patients with bradycardia, as compared with those without bradycardia (p=0.01). Bleeding was found to be more frequent in patients with bradycardia (p=0.02). There were significant differences between the bradycardia and nonbradycardia groups with regard to the requirements for fresh frozen plasma transfusion, the number of platelet suspension given, requirement for intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) and in the days of stay in hospital (p=0.01, p=0.03, p=0.03, p=0.04, respectively). CONCLUSION: Reversible bradycardia might be seen in the clinical course of pediatric CCHF patients, and the clinicians must be aware of this finding. The possibility that ribavirin may potentiate bradycardia cannot be assessed without a placebo-control study. So further studies may help to reveal the cause of the bradycardia, the disease itself, or the ribavirin therapy. Hence this study supports the need for a randomized, placebo-controlled study to assess intravenous ribavirin in treating CCHF and to support approval of the drug.

[Our clinical experience of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and the first case series from Turkey]. / Takotsubo kardiyomiyopatisi hakkinda klinik deneyimimiz ve ülkemizden bildirilen ilk olgu serisi.

OBJECTIVES: There is no data about the incidence, progress and prognosis of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy (TC) from Turkey. This study aimed to search for the progress and short-term prognosis of TC patients and to increase the familiarity and awareness for TC in Turkey. STUDY DESIGN: We included 6 patients who were referred to our center with ST elevation myocardial infarction and diagnosed as TC according to the Mayo Clinic diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: Our patients' median age was 46 years (range 17 to 64 years) and 3 of them were males. Triggering factors included emotional stress (3 patients) and physical stress (3 patients). Median troponin I level was 1.65 ng/ml (0.48-2.20), excluding the patients who underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation. ST elevation in precordial leads was observed on the ECG of 4 patients and in inferior leads on ECG of 2 patients. Five patients' coronary arteries were normal and were diagnosed as typical, but 1 patient had non-critical stenosis on the coronary arteries and was diagnosed with reverse TC. Four patients were discharged without any complications but 2 presented with sudden cardiac death. CONCLUSION: This study presented the first data about TC in Turkey while attempting to increase awareness about the disease. Emergent ventricle evaluation by ventriculography or echocardiography is recommended for acute coronary syndrome patients with non-critical stenosis for the differential diagnosis.

Abnormal heart rate recovery in stable heart failure patients.

BACKGROUND: Heart rate decrease after exercise, that is associated with reactivation of parasympathetic system, is important, as it is also associated with mortality. Previous studies have shown that this is an independent mortality predictor in patients having no coronary artery disease and having normal left ventricular function. In our study, we aimed to study heart rate recovery (HRR) after exercise in patients having impaired left ventricular function. METHODS: One hundred and two consecutive patients (68 males, 34 females) requested to perform an exercise stress test were included in our study. Patients were divided into two groups as those having a normal heart rate reserve (Group1, n = 72) and those having an abnormal heart rate reserve (Group2, n = 30). RESULTS: In Group1 and Group2, resting heart rate averages were found to be 83.61 ± 18.01/min and 85.10 ± 13.40/min, respectively (P > 0.05), and maximum heart rates during exercise were 141.42 ± 19.70/min and 121.17 ± 19.01/min while those in Group1 had statistically significantly higher heart rates (P < 0.001). A statistically significant positive association was found in the correlation test carried out between the maximum heart rate during the treadmill exercise test and ejection fraction (EF) value (r = 0.201; P < 0.05). Metabolic equivalents of task values obtained during the treadmill exercise test in Group1 and Group2 were 9.48 ± 2.28 and 8.36 ± 2.50, respectively, and the difference between the said values was statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We believe that the association between low EF and abnormal HRR is worth studying and randomized large-scale studies are needed to determine mortality risk.

Blood pressure response to exercise is exaggerated in normotensive diabetic patients.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate the blood pressure (BP) response to exercise in normotensive patients with type II diabetes mellitus (DM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 75 normotensive subjects with type 2 DM (group 1), and 70 age-gender matched normotensive healthy volunteers (group 2). Treadmill exercise test, 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) were performed for each patients and healthy volunteers. RESULTS: There were 67 patients (mean age 52 ± 9 years and 42% male) in group 1 and 68 healthy volunteers (mean age 51 ± 7 years and 43% male) in group 2. Eight patients from group 1 and 2 subjects from group 2 were excluded because of high BP on ABPM. Groups were similar for systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) on office measurements and on ABPM. Groups were similar for rest SBP, DBP, heart rate, exercise duration on exercise test. Peak SBP was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2, but peak DBP was not (196.9 ± 18 vs 165.9 ± 18.6 mmHg, p<0.001; 88.1 ± 11.6 vs 86.2 ± 8.7 mmHg, p = 0.283, respectively). Hypertensive response to exercise (HRE) was more frequent in group 1 than in group 2 [39 (58%) vs 6 (9%), p<0.001]. Independent predictors of peak SBP were DM, office SBP and male gender, while independent predictors of HRE were DM, office SBP and age in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: SBP response to exercise is exaggerated in normotensive diabetic patients compared with non-diabetic subjects. DM, office SBP and male gender are independent predictors of peak SBP. DM, office SBP and age are independent predictors of HRE.

Closure of patent ductus arteriosus with oversized Amplatzer occluder in a patient with pulmonary hypertension.

Diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus is rare in adulthood. Closure of ductus is difficult when diagnosed at an adult age due to the development of pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary arterial disease that generally occurs. Closure of the ductus might be contraindicated, as it may lead to deterioration of the pulmonary arterial perfusion or to a pulmonary hypertensive crisis. In addition, another risk associated with percutaneous closure for these patients is the risk of embolism of the asymmetrically shaped device to the systemic circulation. We present in this manuscript a case with patent ductus arteriosus diagnosed at an adult age that underwent successful closure by the percutaneous method. During closure, an oversized Amplatzer duct occluder device was used to reduce the risk of device embolism.