A Novel Risk Assessment Model Using Urinary System Contrast Blush Grading to Predict Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Low-Risk Profile Patients.

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) can occur after coronary interventions despite protective measures. We evaluated the effect of urinary system contrast blush grading for predicting post-procedure CI-AKI in 486 patients with chronic coronary artery disease. Patient characteristics and blood samples were collected. Urinary system contrast blush grade was recorded during the coronary angiography and interventions. Post-procedure third to fourth day blood samples were collected for diagnosis of CI-AKI. The median age of the patients was 61 years (53-70, interquartile range), and 194 (39.9%) participants were female. Contrast-induced acute kidney injury occurred in 78 (16%) patients. By comparing full and reduced models with the likelihood ratio test, it was observed that in the reduced model, factors such as age, diabetes mellitus, body weight-adapted contrast media (CM), hemoglobin, and urinary system blush were associated with CI-AKI presence. The probability of CI-AKI presence increased slightly from grade 0 to 1 blush, but it increased sharply grade from 1 to 2 blush. According to our results, an increase in body weight-adapted CM and urinary blush grading were the main predictors of CI-AKI. These findings suggest that when body weight-adapted CM ratio exceeds 3.5 mL/kg and urinary contrast blush reaches grade 2, the patients should be followed up more carefully for the development of CI-AKI.

Assessment of epicardial adipose tissue thickness and total calcium score in sarcoidosis patients.

OBJECTIVE: Increased thickness of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and the total coronary artery calcium score (TCACS) are independent predictors of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether EAT thickness, measured using thoracic computed tomography, and TCACS were greater in patients with sarcoidosis. METHODS: This was a retrospective study. The details of participants who presented at the cardiology and pulmonology outpatient clinics between January 2011 and December 2018 with dyspnea, chest pain, or palpitations from the hospital data system were reviewed. Patients with transthoracic echocardiography and thorax computed tomography (CT) (CT) records were identified, and those who were diagnosed with sarcoidosis, had no other health problems, and did not take any medication were included in the study. RESULTS: A total of 45 controls and 78 sarcoidosis patients were enrolled. The mean age of the controls was 46.15±13.1 years, while it was 46.26±12.37 years in the sarcoidosis group, which represented no significant difference between the groups (p>0.05). When the groups were compared in terms of a fasting blood test, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), TCACS, EAT thickness, levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides, it was observed that CRP and EAT thickness were higher in the sarcoidosis group. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated that the thickness of EAT calculated using thorax CT was greater in sarcoidosis patients; however, the TCACS was similar in both groups. In addition, there was a positive correlation between EAT thickness and the level of total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, CRP, and the sedimentation rate. These findings suggest that atherosclerosis may start earlier in those with sarcoidosis than in the healthy population.