Association between excess catecholamine synthesis and polymorphic premature ventricular contraction.

BACKGROUND: The reasons for the etiology of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are not specifically known. Many patients are resistant to medical treatment, and a factor that would predict response to medical treatment cannot be identified. This study aims to investigate if a high catecholamine level results in polymorphic PVC. METHODS: This study was obtained by prospective data registry analysis. A total of 100 patients, 50 from the PVC group, and 50 from the control group have been evaluated. The participants who were included in the patient group had a polymorphic PVC of 5% or more in their 24-h Holter evaluations. Metanephrine showing the level of adrenaline and normetanephrine, showing the level of noradrenaline levels have been measured from these urine samples. RESULT: There was no difference between the two groups in terms of biochemical and essential characteristics. Normetanephrine level has been significantly higher in the PVC group compared to the control group (323.9 ± 208.9 µg to 129.25 ± 67.88 µg; p < 0.001). Similarly, metanephrine level has also been higher in the PVC group (124.75 ± 82.43 µg to 52.615 ± 36,54 µg; p < 0.001). A positive and moderate correlation has been identified between the number and ratio of PVC and the metanephrine and normetanephrine levels. CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that the catecholamine levels were higher in the polymorphic PVC group than in the healthy volunteers. Also, an increase in the number and rate of PVC has been observed as the catecholamine levels increased. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Urine Levels of Metanephrine and Normetanephrine in Patients With Frequent PVC; ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT03447002.

Is electrophysiological study a novel predictor for permanent pacemaker implantation after transcatheter aortic valve implantation?

Background/aim: Despite advancements in valve technology and increased clinical experience, complications related to conduction defects after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVR) have not improved as rapidly as expected. In this study, we aimed to predict the development of complete atrioventricular (AV) block and bundle branch block during and after the TAVR procedure and to investigate any changes in the cardiac conduction system before and after the procedure using electrophysiological study. Materials and methods: A total of 30 patients who were scheduled for TAVR at our cardiovascular council were planned to be included in the study. TAVR was performed on patients at Erciyes University Medical Faculty Hospital as a single center between May 2019 and August 2020 Diagnostic electrophysiological study was performed before the TAVR procedure and after its completion. Changes in the cardiac conduction system during the preprocedure, intra-procedure, and postprocedure periods were recorded. Results: Significant increases in baseline cycle length, atrial-His (AH) interval, his-ventricular (HV) interval and atrioventricular (AV) distance were observed before and after the TAVR procedure (p = 0.039, p < 0.001, p = 0.018, p < 0.001, respectively). During the TAVR procedure, the preprocedural HV interval was longer in patients who developed AV block and bundle branch block compared to those who did not and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.024). ROC curve analysis revealed that a TAVR preprocedure HV value >59.5 ms had 86% specificity and 75% sensitivity in detecting AV block and bundle branch block (AUC = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.664-0.996, p = 0.013). The preprocedure HV distance was 98 ± 10.55ms in the group with permanent pacemaker implantation and the mean value in the group without permanent pacemaker implantation was 66.27 ± 15.55 ms, showing a borderline significant difference (p = 0.049). Conclusion: The prolongation of HV interval in patients with AV block and bundle branch block suggests that the block predominantly occurs at the infra-hisian level. Patients with longer preprocedural HV intervals should be closely monitored for the need for permanent pacemaker implantation after the TAVR procedure.

Systemic immune inflammation index: a novel predictor for coronary collateral circulation.

AIM: Recently, a new inflammatory and prognostic marker has emerged called as Systemic Immune Inflammation Index (SII). In the current study, we searched the relation between SII and Coronary Collateral Circulation (CCC) formation in stable Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). MATERIALS & METHODS: 449 patients with stable CAD who underwent coronary angiography and documented coronary stenosis of 95% or more in at least one major coronary vessel were included in the study. The study patients were divided into two groups according to the Rentrop score as well CCC (Rentrop 2-3) and bad CCC (Rentrop 0-1). Blood samples for SII and other laboratory parameters were gathered from all the patients on admission. The SII score was formulized as platelet × neutrophil/lymphocyte counts. RESULTS: Patients, who had developed bad CCC had a higher C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelets/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and SII levels compared to those who had developed well CCC (p < 0.001, for all). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that high levels of SII was an independent predictor of bad CCC (OR: 1.005, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.003-1.006, p < 0.001) together with dyslipidemia, high levels of CRP and NLR. In Receiver Operator Characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, the optimal cutoff value of SII to predict poor CCC was found to be 729.8, with 78.4% sensitivity and 74.6% specificity (area under ROC curve = 0.833 (95% CI: 0.777-0.889, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated that SII, a novel cardiovascular risk marker, might be used as one of the independent predictors of CCC development.

The relationship between the severity of coronary artery disease and skin measurement parameters.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between skin parameters and CAD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 50 patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease as the patient group and 45 volunteers without any known coronary artery disease as the control group. The participants' skin TEWL, pH, temperature, electrical capacitance, sebum, and elasticity values were measured using noninvasive methods at the forehead, back, and forearm. FINDINGS: Skin temperature was significantly higher in the back and forehead regions in the patient group. No difference was found between the sebum values of the patient and control groups at the back and forehead. A significantly higher result was obtained for the forearm area. The pH was significantly lower in the patients' forearm, although the obtained values were within the normal range. The TEWL was significantly higher in patients in all three regions. In terms of flexibility, R2 was significantly higher in the back and forehead regions of the patient group, and the R6 was significantly higher in the patient group in all three regions. In addition, there was no correlation between skin parameter and SYNTAX score increase measurements. CONCLUSION: It can be suggested that skin sebum and TEWL measurements can be accepted as cheap and noninvasive methods of predicting CAD.

Predictive power of diastolic parameters on medical cardioversion success in acute atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Diastolic function assessment has been reported to provide valuable data in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of diastolic parameters on predicting the effectiveness of medical cardioversion in restoring sinus rhythm among patients with acute AF. METHODS: 40 non-valvular, new onset AF patients were included. All participants received an intravenous infusion of amiodarone. In patients whom sinus rhythm could not be restored with amiodarone, an electrical cardioversion was performed. Two groups, patients who achieved sinus rhythm with amiodarone (Group-1) and who failed to achieve sinus rhythm with amiodarone (Group-2) were compared with respect to initial echocardiographic measurements. RESULTS: Group-1 patients were younger comparing with Group-2 (mean age; 54.4 ± 13.9 years vs 63.3 ± 10.3 years, p = 0.028). Comparing with Group-1, Group-2 patients had; a higher left atrium volume index (17.1 ± 4.8 cm3 / m2 vs 22.6 ± 6.6 cm3 / m2 , p = 0.03); a shorter pulmonary vein S (49.6 ± 3.8 cm/sec vs 41.1 ± 3.0 cm/sec, p < 0.001); and a shorter pulmonary vein D peak velocity (55.9 ± 2.4 cm/sec vs 52.3 ± 1.8 cm/sec, p < 0.001). Moreover, both IVRT and DT were significantly shorter in Group-2, comparing with Group-1 (45.1 ± 2.1 msec vs 51.1 ± 2.5 msec, p < 0.001 and 51.3 ± 2.4 msec vs 56.5± 3.2 msec, p < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that admission pulmonary vein S and D wave peak velocities, IVRT, DT, and Pro-BNP levels could be predictors of failure of medical cardioversion among AF patients.

Effect of nondipper hypertension on coronary artery disease progression in patients with chronic coronary syndrome

Background/aim: It has been suggested that there is a significant progress in coronary artery disease (CAD) by many pathophysiological mechanisms. Nondipper hypertension (NDH) has been shown to have higher target organ damage and have a higher rate of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. In this study, we investigated the effect of nondipper hypertension on the progression of coronary atherosclerosis. Materials and methods: A total of 186 patients who underwent coronary angiography twice between 6 months and 3 years were included in the study. Coronary angiography was repeated on the admission day due to angina or positive exercise test and the patients were divided into groups. Results: Progression of coronary artery disease was detected in 58 of 186 patients. Seventy-one of the total patients were found to be nondipper hypertensive. Nondipper hypertension, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, low-density lipoprotein, and total cholesterol were found to be effective in the progression of CAD. Among these parameters, it was seen that nondipper hypertension and hyperlipidemia were the most important independent risk factors. Conclusion: Coronary artery disease is a progressive disease, and this progression depends on many reasons. In our study, we showed that nondipper hypertension is a new parameter that is effective in CAD progression.

An investigation of the relationship between arterial aortic stiffness and coronary slow flow that was detected during coronary angiography.

AIM: Increased intimal thickness in coronary arteries, extensive calcification, and atheromatous plaque that does not cause luminal irregularities in a significant portion of the patients with coronary slow flow (CSF). Arterial stiffness is an indicator for atherosclerosis. We aimed to investigate the relation between coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP) and arterial stiffness. METHOD: Total of 73 patients were included in the study, and a control group was formed with 64 individuals. Aortic stiffness index ß (ASIß) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were used as the determinant of arterial stiffness in all analyses. RESULT: Pulse wave velocity values were significantly higher in the coronary slow flow group than the control group (P < .001). PWV, aortic stiffness index ß (ASIß) values were found to be significantly higher in the CSF group. ASIß value was 3.4 ± 1.0 in CSF patients and 2.2 ± 0.6 in the control group (P < .001). Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed that PWV predicted coronary slow flow with 97% sensitivity and 90% specificity for 7.15 cutoff value. And aortic stiffness index was found to predict coronary slow flow with 83% sensitivity and 75% specificity for 2.63 cutoff value. CONCLUSION: Our findings prove that coronary slow flow phenomenon should be considered a subgroup of coronary artery diseases and that increased PWV is an indicator of CSFP.

Does the volume overload exaggerate the severity of mitral regurgitation in patients with decompensated heart failure?

Background/aim: Diagnosing and managing functional mitral regurgitation (MR) is often challenging and requires an integrated approach including a comprehensive echocardiographic examination. However, the effects of volume overload on the echocardiographic assessment of MR severity are uncertain. The purpose of this study was to weigh the effects of volume overload in the echocardiographic assessment of MR severity among patients with heart failure (HF). Materials and methods: Twenty-nine patients with decompensated HF, who had moderate or severe MR, were included in the present study. The volume status and the N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (proBNP) levels were recorded and the echocardiographic parameters were assessed. After the conventional treatment for HF, the proBNP levels and the echocardiographic parameters were assessed again. Results: The mean age of the patients was 72 ± 9 years and the average hospitalization time was 10.9 ± 5.9 days. Between the beginning and the end of the treatment, there were significant reductions in the effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA) (0.36 ± 0.09 cm2 to 0.29 ± 0.09 cm2, P < 0.001), vena contracta (VC) (P < 0.001), the regurgitant volume (RV) (P < 0.001), and systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) (P < 0.001). Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate the relationship of changes in severity of MR with volume-load by monitoring the proBNP levels among patients with HF. The present results demonstrated that volume reduction, as evidenced by a decline in the proBNP levels, was accompanied by a marked reduction in the EROA, VC, and the RV among patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

Management of Renal Artery Occlusion during Endovascular Aortic Repair.

A 67-year-old man was admitted to the emergency unit with abdominal pain. An infrarenal aortic aneurysm with a diameter of 70 millimeters was detected by computed tomography. In the catheter laboratory, graft stents were implanted into the infrarenal aorta. Total occlusion of the right renal artery was seen in angiography. The graft stent was punctured with a 30° angled Brockenbrough catheter, and another stent was implanted.

Hyaluronan as a Promising Biomarker for Myocardial Damage.

Hyaluronan is a glycosaminoglycan, one of the chief components of the extracellular matrix. The aim of the present study is to investigate plasma hyaluronan levels among patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This prospective study enrolled 56 consecutive patients with AMI who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention within 2 hours after admission. Plasma levels of hyaluronan were measured at the time of admission (baseline), and on the 7th and 30th day after AMI. Echocardiographic examinations were performed at baseline and on the 30th day after AMI. The hyaluronan levels were 33.2 ± 3.1 ng/ml (mean ± SD) at baseline, increased on the 7th day (46.2 ± 5.9 ng/ml), and continued to remain high on the 30th day after AMI (50.1 ± 5.1 ng/ml). There were significant correlations of the hyaluronan levels between baseline and on the 7th day (r = 0.535, p < 0.001) and between baseline and on the 30th day (r = 0.263, p = 0.05). Significant correlations were also found between hyaluronan levels on the 30th day, and the peak levels of CK-MB (r = 0.429, p = 0.001) or highly sensitive troponin levels (r = 0.360, p = 0.006). The hyaluronan levels were significantly higher on the 30th day after AMI in patients with anterior infarction, but not in patients with non-anterior infarction (p = 0.01 vs. p = 0.653). In conclusion, this is the first report that demonstrates the increase of plasma hyaluronan levels among patients with AMI.

The effect of prophylactic migraine treatment on arterial stiffness.

BACKGROUND: Migraine is a common type of primary headache predominantly seen in women. This study aimed to evaluate endothelial function in patients with migraine using pulse wave velocity (PWV). METHODS: The study included 73 patients with newly diagnosed migraine and 80 healthy subjects. All patients and controls underwent baseline transthoracic echocardiography and PWV measurements. Patients were randomized to three groups to receive propranolol, flunarizine or topiramate, and the measurements were repeated at the end of 1 month. RESULTS: The newly diagnosed migraine patients and the control group exhibited no differences in baseline clinical characteristics, and the measurements showed that PWV was 7.4 ± 1.0 m/s in the patient group and 6.0 ± 1.0 m/s in the control group (p < 0.001). The same measurements were repeated during a control visit at the end of 1 month. Following treatment, a significant decrease was observed in PWV in all patient groups compared to baseline (p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed significantly decreased PWV in all drug groups, with the most prominent decrease in the topiramate group. CONCLUSIONS: The increased PWV demonstrated in migraine patients in this study stands out as an additional parameter elucidating endothelial dysfunction in these patients. Decreasing the number of migraine attacks with prophylactic treatment may reduce PWV and decrease cardiovascular risk in long-term follow-up.

Elevated hyaluronan levels in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis and pulmonary arterial thromboembolism.

INTRODUCTION: The role of hyaluronan (HA) was previously demonstrated in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Mitral stenosis (MS) and pulmonary arterial thromboembolism (PTE) are important health problems that can cause pulmonovascular pathology. Pulmonary arterial hypertension develops especially in untreated patients with severe MS and most of patients with PTE. However, there is no data about HA levels in patients with MS and PTE. In this study, we investigated HA levels in patients with rheumatic MS and PTE. METHOD: Study population was divided into three groups. MS group consisted of 18 patients with moderate or severe MS. PTE group consisted of 16 patients with PTE. Control group consisted of 15 subjects without cardiac and pulmonary disease. Percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMV) was performed on all patients in MS group. Mitral gradients and systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) were measured in all patients. HA levels were measured at baseline and first month after PMV. RESULTS: Mean sPAP±SD (mmHg) was 23±3 in the control group, 44±9 in the MS group and 66±11 in the PTE group (p<0.001). Baseline serum HA levels were significantly correlated with sPAP(echo) (r=0.332 p=0.03) and sPAP(cath) (r=0.559, p=0.007). Serum HA levels (ng/ml) in MS were significantly higher compared to controls [39±14 vs 24±11; p=0.01]. Patients in PTE group had the highest HA levels (61±21; p<0.001). Serum HA levels were significantly decreased at the first month after PMV in patients with MS [MS group: 39±14 (ng/ml), after PMV: 31±8; p=0.03]. CONCLUSION: This is the first article showing that both MS and PTE can cause increased serum HA levels. HA levels were decreased with PMV procedure in patients with MS.

Can left ventricular parameters examined by gated myocardial perfusion scintigraphy and strain echocardiography be prognostic factors for major adverse cardiac events?

Assessment of left ventricular (LV) function in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) provide useful diagnostic and prognostic information. Up to date, single photon emission tomography (SPET), positron emission tomography (PET), multidetector computed tomographic angiography, echocardiography (EC) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have been used to examine LV parameters. However, due to limitations of some imaging methods, new studies are directed to improve myocardium function evaluation. In conclusion, SEC and GSPET can be applied to semi-quantitatively assess LVEF and regional wall motion abnormalities in a noninvasive manner. These techniques can provide strong diagnostic and prognostic information related to anterior myocardial infarction. In addition to this, nitrate enhanced GSPET allows to identify stunning and hibernating myocardium. New methods of reconstruction on GSPET systems will better improve image quality using lower count rates.

Impact of Bifurcation Involvement and Location in Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Insights From the EuroCTO Registry.

Bifurcation involvement close to or within the occluded segment poses increasing difficulties for chronic total occlusion (CTO)-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, this variable is not considered in the angiography-based CTO scoring systems nor has been extensively investigated in large multicenter series. Accordingly, we analyzed a CTO-PCI registry involving 92 European centers to explore the incidence, angiographic and procedural characteristics, and outcomes specific to CTO-PCIs with bifurcation involvement. A total of 3,948 procedures performed between January and November 2023 were examined (33% with bifurcation involvement). Among bifurcation lesions, 38% and 37% were located within 5 mm of the proximal and distal cap, respectively, 16% within the CTO body, and in 9% of cases proximal and distal bifurcations coexisted. When compared with lesions without bifurcation involvement, CTO bifurcation lesions had higher complexity (J-CTO 2.33 ± 1.21 vs 2.11 ± 1.27, p <0.001) and were associated with higher use of additional devices (dual-lumen microcatheter in 27.6% vs 8.4%, p <0.001, and intravascular ultrasound in 32.2% vs 21.7%, p <0.001). Radiation dose (1,544 [836 to 2,819] vs 1,298.5 [699.1 to 2,386.6] mGy, p <0.001) and contrast volume (230 [160 to 300] vs 190 [130 to 250] ml, p <0.001) were also higher. Technical success was similar (91.5% with bifurcation involvement vs 90.4% without bifurcation involvement, p = 0.271). However, the bifurcation lesions within the CTO segment (intralesion) were associated with lower technical success than the other bifurcation-location subgroups (83.7% vs 93.3% proximal, 93.4% distal, and 89.0% proximal and distal, p <0.001). On multivariable analysis, the presence of an intralesion bifurcation was independently associated with technical failure (odds ratio 2.04, 95% confidence interval 1.24 to 3.35, p = 0.005). In conclusion, bifurcations are present in approximately one-third of CTOs who underwent PCI. PCI of CTOs with bifurcation can be achieved with high success rates except for bifurcations within the occluded segment, which were associated with higher technical failure.

Serum uric acid levels and endothelial dysfunction in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) exhibit endothelial dysfunction (ED) despite normal levels of renal function. Hyperuricemia occurs in these patients and has been postulated to affect ED through the generation of oxidative stress. We therefore investigated the prevalence of ED and its association with serum uric acid levels in early-stage ADPKD. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used for the assessment of prevalent patients with early-stage (normal renal function) ADPKD (n = 91) from two academic medical centers. ED was assessed using ischemia-induced forearm flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD). Serum uric acid levels were evaluated using an Olympus AU2700 autoanalyzer. RESULTS: ADPKD patients with higher serum uric acid levels had a higher asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) level (1.19 ± 0.2 vs. 1.47 ± 0.3, p < 0.001) and lower FMD rates (8.1 ± 1.3 vs. 6.8 ± 0.7, p < 0.001). In multiple regression analysis for predictors of cohort FMD, uric acid (ß = -0.32, p < 0.001), ADMA (ß = -0.36, p < 0.001), high-sensitivity C reactive protein (CRP; ß = -0.32, p < 0.001) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; ß = 0.33, p < 0.001) all predicted FMD. CONCLUSIONS: In early-stage ADPKD patients, uric acid levels, serum ADMA and eGFR all independently predict ED in a similar manner. Future studies are needed to investigate the causes of elevated serum uric acid, ADMA and CRP in these patients.

Higher frequency of rs4977574 (the G Allele) on chromosome 9p21.3 in patients with myocardial infarction as revealed by PCR-RFLP analysis.

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) can genetically predispose individuals for certain diseases and therefore are of clinical significance. Myocardial infarction (MI) was investigated in large genetic association studies revealing novel SNPs associated with MI. rs4977574 is a non-protein coding SNP (A>G) that is located in proximity of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A and B genes on chromosome 9p21.3. rs4977574 has been recently found to be associated with the early-onset of MI, and rs4977574 is characterized by a guanine nucleotide (G) instead of an adenine nucleotide (A). rs4977574 has been reported to increase the risk for MI by 28%. In this study, we developed a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method for detecting rs4977574 in Turkish population that consisted of 28 controls without previous MI record and 44 patients with MI. An intergenic genomic region containing the target SNP was amplified by PCR using patient's genomic DNA. Amplified DNA fragments were digested with a restriction enzyme, HhaI that cuts the amplified sequence if only the sequence has GCGC that carries rs4977574. After digestion with HhaI, DNA fragments were visualized in order to detect genotypes. PCR-RFLP revealed that the frequency of rs4977574, the MI-associated allele (G), was 56.8% (25/44) in patients with MI and 33.9% (9.5/28) in controls; the frequency of rs4977574 in patients with MI was significantly higher compared to controls (P = 0.027). Importantly, for the first time in this study, we have developed a novel PCR-RFLP method to detect the presence of rs4977574.

Elevated plasma hyaluronan levels in pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease, with a poor prognosis. The pathophysiologic mechanism of PAH is unknown, but may involve both tissue remodeling and inflammatory processes. Hyaluronan (HA) is a large glycosaminoglycan polymer and a major component of the extracellular matrix. In the present study, we measured plasma HA levels in PAH associated with systolic congestive heart failure (CHF, n = 16) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, n = 18). The control group was consisted of 14 healthy individuals without pulmonary or cardiovascular disease. Plasma HA levels (ng/mL) were determined in all patients by an enzyme linked HA binding assay. Pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) was calculated in echocardiography (mmHg). Pulmonary arterial pressures were significantly higher in CHF and COPD (CHF: 55.0 ± 11 mmHg and COPD: 62.5 ± 21 mmHg, p < 0.001 for each), compared to the control group (25.4 ± 5.9 mmHg). Plasma HA levels were significantly higher in CHF (73.0 ± 37.5 ng/ml, p = 0.007) and COPD (87.3 ± 53.2 ng/ml, p = 0.001) compared to control patients (26.2 ± 8.4 ng/ml). There was no significant difference in plasma HA levels between the CFH and COPD groups (p = 0.690). In COPD, plasma HA levels were significantly correlated with PAP, left atrium diameter. There was no significant correlation between plasma HA levels and age or with echocardiography parameters in CHF. Both CHF and COPD are associated with increased plasma HA levels. Elevated plasma HA may contribute to the development of PAH.

Predictive Values of Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index in New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation Following Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

INTRODUCTION: We investigated the relationship between the newly-defined systemic immune-inflammation index and the new-onset atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. METHOD: This study included 392 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. We divided the participants into two groups as those with and without new-onset atrial fibrillation. Prior to coronary artery bypass grafting, we evaluated blood samples, including systemic immune-inflammation index, and other laboratory parameters of the patients. We formulized the systemic immune-inflammation index score as platelet × neutrophil/lymphocyte counts. RESULTS: The findings revealed that new-onset atrial fibrillation occurred in 80 (20.4%) of 392 patients during follow-ups. Such patients had higher systemic immune-inflammation index, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and C-reactive protein levels than those who did not develop new-onset atrial fibrillation (P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.010, respectively). In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, systemic immune-inflammation index levels > 712.8 predicted new-onset atrial fibrillation with a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 61.2% (area under the curve: 0.781, 95% confidence interval: 0.727-0.835; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Overall, systemic immune-inflammation index, a novel inflammatory marker, may be used as a decisive marker to predict the development of atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass grafting.

Increased Serum Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index is Independently Associated With Severity of Carotid Artery Stenosis.

Stroke is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality. The present study investigated how the systemic immune inflammation index (SII) could be used to predict the likelihood of developing carotid artery stenosis (CAS), which can be seen using carotid artery angiography (CAAG). This study comprised 418 individuals who underwent CAAG for CAS. SII was calculated by multiplying the platelet count by the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR). The patients were divided into two groups: non-critical and critical CAS (stenosis below %70 and above ≥70%, respectively). Compared with the non-critical CAS, the critical CAS group had greater high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels (4.5 [3.1-5.7] vs 3.9 [2-5] [mg/L], P < .001), NLR (4.1 [2.9-7.5] vs 2.9 [1.8-3.7], P < .001), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (233 [110-297] vs 119 [96-197], P < .001), and SII (860 [608-2455] vs 604 [458-740], P < .001). Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve analysis demonstrated the best cutoff value of 672.3 for SII to predict the critical CAS with 71.2% sensitivity and 60.1% specificity. According to our study, an increase in SII is an independent predictor of the severity of CAS in patients undergoing CAAG.

Are Thiols Useful Biomarkers for Coronary Collateral Circulation in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease?

Our aim was to investigate the relationship between thiol, which is the main component of the antioxidant system, and coronary collateral circulation (CCC). Our patients consisted of people with stable coronary artery disease (sCAD) and total occlusion in at least one vessel (n = 249). We divided the patients into two groups, good and poor, according to their CCC degree. We determined that DM, total thiol, and disulfide are independent predictors of poor CCC in multivariate logistic regression analysis (OR: 1.012, 95% CI: 1.008-1.017, p < 0.001; OR: 1.022, 95% CI: 1.000-1.044, p = 0.044; OR: 2.671, 95% CI: 1.238-5.761, p = 0.012, respectively). The ROC analysis showed a cut-off value of 328.7 for native thiol regarding the prediction of poor CCC, with 67.4% specificity and 78% sensitivity. For disulfide, it revealed a cut-off value of 15.1 regarding the prediction of poor CCC, with 57.9% specificity and 69.5% sensitivity. In this study, we detected that the patients with sCAD who developed poor CCC had lower levels of native thiol, total thiol, and disulfide compared to those with good CCC. The most interesting finding of our study is that CCC formation is an effective predictor of the antioxidant cascade rather than the inflammation cascade in sCAD patients.