The Association between Acute Cardiac Injury and Outcomes of Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19: Long-Term Follow-up Results from the Sina Hospital COVID-19 Registry, Iran.

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the association between acute cardiac injury (ACI) and outcomes in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Iran. Methods: The current cohort study enrolled all consecutive hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (≥ 18 y) who had serum high-sensitivity cardiac troponin-I (hs-cTnT) measurements on admission between March 2020 and March 2021. ACI was determined as hs-cTnT levels exceeding the 99th percentile of normal values. Data on demographics, comorbidities, clinical and laboratory characteristics, and outcomes were collected from Web-based electronic health records. Results: The study population consisted of 1413 hospitalized patients with COVID-19, of whom 319 patients (22.58%) presented with ACI. The patients with ACI had a significantly higher mortality rate than those without ACI (48.28% vs 15.63%; P<0.001) within a mean follow-up of 218.86 days from symptom onset. ACI on admission was independently associated with mortality (HR, 1.44; P=0.018). In multivariable logistic regression, age (OR, 1.034; P<0.001), preexisting cardiac disease (OR, 1.49; P=0.035), preexisting malignancy (OR, 2.01; P=0.030), oxygen saturation reduced to less than 90% (OR, 2.15; P<0.001), leukocytosis (OR, 1.45; P=0.043), lymphopenia (OR, 1.49; P=0.020), reduced estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) (OR, 0.99; P=0.008), and treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin during hospitalization (OR, 4.03; P=0.006) were independently associated with ACI development. Conclusion: ACI occurrence on admission was associated with long-term mortality in our hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The finding further underscores the significance of evaluating ACI occurrence on admission, particularly in individuals more prone to ACI, including older individuals and those with preexisting comorbidities, reduced oxygen saturation, and increased inflammatory responses.

Typical trident sign and cardiac involvement in a patient suspected to Sarcoidosis despite negative whole-body FDG-PET: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disease histologically defined by the non-caseation granulomas formation in different organs, most commonly lungs, liver, skin, gastrointestinal system, eyes, neurologic and cardiac system CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 42-year-old Gilaks woman who presented with myelopathy with characteristic MRI finding called trident sign. By finding this view in axial spinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) imaging, a systemic evaluation was performed on the patient, which led to the diagnosis of cardiac involvement in Sarcoidosis with the specific appearance of this disease in cardiac MRI despite the negative Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) scan. CONCLUSIONS: Sometimes characteristic findings such as the trident sign prompt the physician to high suspicion and wide evaluation of the patient to reveal important organ involvement that changes the treatment decision and saves the patient.

The outcomes of marginal donor hearts compared with ideal donors: a single-center experience in Iran.

Background: Heart transplantation has been considered the gold-standard treatment for patients with end-stage heart failure. This study assessed the survival outcomes of marginal donor hearts compared with ideal donor hearts in Iran. Methods: This retrospective study is based on the follow-up data of heart donors and recipients in the Sina Hospital Organ Procurement Unit. Among the 93 participants, 75 were categorized as ideal donors (group A) and 18 as marginal donors (group B). Group C included heart recipients who received a standard organ, and group D included heart recipients who received a marginal one. To analyze differences in patient characteristics among the groups, posttransplant heart survival was assessed in all groups. All data were obtained from the hospital records. Results: The mean age of the donors was 26.27±11.44 years (median age, 28 years). The marginal age showed a significant association with donor age. The age of recipients had a significant effect on survival days in the ideal group. Most patients survived for at least 1 year, with a median of 645 days in recipients from marginal donors and 689 days in recipients from ideal donors. Conclusions: Considering the lack of organ availability in Iran, it may be possible to use marginal donors for marginal recipients, therefore reducing the number of people on the waitlist. We also recommend establishing a national marginal donor system specifically for Iranian patients to extend the donor pool.

Effects of Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs) on In-Hospital Outcomes of Patients With Hypertension and Confirmed or Clinically Suspected COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: There is an ongoing controversy about harms and benefits of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) in hypertensive patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Given the unresolved debate, we investigated the association of ARBs with in-hospital outcomes of these patients. METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, we studied patients with COVID-19 who referred to Sina Hospital in Tehran, Iran, from 20 February to 29 May 2020. Patients with either positive real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase-chain-reaction test of swab specimens, or high clinical suspicion according to the World Health Organization's interim guidance were included. We followed-up patients for incurring death, severe COVID-19, and in-hospital complications. RESULTS: We evaluated 681 patients with COVID-19 of whom 37 patients were excluded due to incomplete medical records and 8 patients who used ACEIs which left 636 patients in the analysis. In this cohort, 108 (17.0%) patients expired and 407 (64.0%) patients incurred severe COVID-19. Of 254 (39.9%) patients with hypertension, 122 (48.0%) patients were receiving an ARB. After adjustment for possible confounders, we found no independent association between taking ARBs and in-hospital outcomes except for acute kidney injury (AKI), in patients with confirmed or clinically suspected COVID-19, either hypertensive or not-hypertensive. We found that discontinuation of ARBs during hospitalization was associated with a greater risk of mortality, invasive ventilation, and AKI (all P ˂ 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: We found that taking ARBs by patients with hypertension and confirmed or clinically suspected COVID-19 is not associated with poorer in-hospital outcomes after adjustment for possible confounders.

The association between cardiac injury and outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

In this study, we aimed to assess the association between development of cardiac injury and short-term mortality as well as poor in-hospital outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. In this prospective, single-center study, we enrolled hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and highly suspicious patients with compatible chest computed tomography features. Cardiac injury was defined as a rise of serum high sensitivity cardiac Troponin-I level above 99th percentile (men: > 26 ng/mL, women: > 11 ng/mL). A total of 386 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were included. Cardiac injury was present among 115 (29.8%) of the study population. The development of cardiac injury was significantly associated with a higher in-hospital mortality rate compared to those with normal troponin levels (40.9% vs 11.1%, p value < 0.001). It was shown that patients with cardiac injury had a significantly lower survival rate after a median follow-up of 18 days from symptom onset (p log-rank < 0.001). It was further demonstrated in the multivariable analysis that cardiac injury could possibly increase the risk of short-term mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (HR = 1.811, p-value = 0.023). Additionally, preexisting cardiovascular disease, malignancy, blood oxygen saturation < 90%, leukocytosis, and lymphopenia at presentation were independently associated with a greater risk of developing cardiac injury. Development of cardiac injury in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 was significantly associated with higher rates of in-hospital mortality and poor in-hospital outcomes. Additionally, it was shown that development of cardiac injury was associated with a lower short-term survival rate compared to patients without myocardial damage and could independently increase the risk of short-term mortality by nearly two-fold.

Incidental Finding of a Large Mobile Aortic Arch Mass during Conventional Angiography.

Thromboembolism occurs commonly in general practice and leads to significant health burden. Apart from cardiac sources, aortic atherosclerotic plaques contribute considerably to thromboembolism. A 63-year-old diabetic hypertensive woman referred to our center due to exertional chest pain unresponsive to optimal medical therapy and underwent coronary angiography. Owing to resistance during guide-wire advancement, an aortography was performed. Aortic arch injection demonstrated a large suspended mass distal to the left subclavian artery with free movement in the descending thoracic aorta. Echocardiography revealed widespread atherosclerotic changes in the aortic arch with a large hypermobile mass. Dual-source multi-slice (2 × 128:256) computed tomography angiography of the whole aorta revealed a large floating mass (in favor of a thrombus) in the distal portion of the arch. The patient underwent coronary artery bypass grafting due to severe coronary artery disease. The intra-aortic mass, which was actually a large atherosclerotic plaque, was resected at the same session. She was discharged uneventfully and during a 1-year follow-up, she had no embolic events.

Reviewing the Dissociative Symptoms in Patients With Schizophreniaand their Association With Positive and Negative Symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to clarify dissociative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia and its association with negative and positive symptom of schizophrenia. METHODS: Based on the 4(th) edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria, 80 schizophrenic subjects were randomly selected from patients who referred to the clinics of psychiatry hospital in Kerman, Iran. Eighty non-schizophrenic patients were chosen as the control group. Both groups were evaluated for dissociation symptom using the Dissociative Experience Scale (DES). Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) score was also used in the case group for determination of positive and negative symptom of schizophrenia. RESULTS: The prevalence of dissociation symptom was 13% and 4% among schizophrenic and control groups, respectively (p = 0.02). In addition, there was a statistical significant association between DES score and positive symptom in schizophrenia (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The association between dissociative symptom and schizophrenia was significant and dissociative symptoms were associated with positive symptoms of schizophrenia. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: None.

Life skills training effectiveness on non-metastatic breast cancer mental health: a clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with breast cancer are predisposed to some psychiatric symptoms and mental disorders due to their life styles or disease conditions. These problems cause patients to deal with daily stress, feeling guilty, anxiety, dysphoric mood, and impaired social relations. Such problems would lead to serious mental disorders. OBJECTIVES: Therefore, life skills training may help patients to cope better with their condition, and improve their mental health. MATERIALS AND METHOD: In an experimental study, 50 patients with breast cancer were selected randomly and assigned to 2 experimental and control groups. The experimental group attended life skills training classes for 10 weeks continuously (each class lasting 2 hours). Participants in both the experimental and control groups completed a GHQ-28 questionnaire form before the commencement of classes, and again after 2 weeks to 2 months of the course completion. T-test was used as the statistical method. RESULTS: In life skills training group, depressive and anxiety symptoms, somatization disorders, sleep disorders and disorders of social functioning were significantly decreased (p<0.0001). These changes were not observed in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that life skills training is an effective method in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, sleep and somatic disorders. Also, it would be useful in reducing problems of social dysfunction.

Acylated ghrelin and leptin concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, people with prediabetes and first degree relatives of patients with diabetes, a comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Ghrelin is known as a new endocrine component supposed to have an influence in control of feeding behavior and energy balance. Recent studies have shown that ghrelin concentration in the subjects with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM 2) is lower than normal. To clarify the relationship between ghrelin and insulin resistance and also DM 2, a cross-sectional study was designed. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 87 subjects were enrolled in three groups, 29 with DM2, 29 pre-diabetes state and 29 normoglycemic subjects of first-degree relatives of diabetic group. After clinical examination, blood samples were taken to measure fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, lipids, insulin, leptin and acylated ghrelin concentrations. RESULTS: Mean serum concentrations of acylated ghrelin in all groups (47.4 ± 27.9 pg/ml) were lower than normal values (150.3 ± 56.4 pg/ml) (P: 0.006) without significant difference within groups comparison(P: 0.1). A significant correlation was found between ghrelin concentration with body mass index (BMI) (r: -0.23, p <0.02) and abdominal circumference (AC) (r: -0.28, P < 0.008). Also inverse relationship between ghrelin level and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (r: -.032, p: 0.002) was seen in all subjects. Leptin level has a significant correlation with abdominal circumference (AC) and BMI (P < 0.0001) but not with ghrelin. CONCLUSION: This study showed that obesity has a strong association with the reduced level of ghrelin concentration. It seems that the process of ghrelin reduction is initiated in earlier stages of insulin resistance prior to the onset of overt DM.

The efficacy of Ezetimibe added to ongoing Fibrate-Statin therapy on postprandial lipid profile in the patients with type 2 Diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Postprandial hypertriglyceridemia in diabetes mellitus can be followed by endothelial dysfunction, impaired vascular compliance and increased cardiovascular complications. So focus on better control of postprandial hypertriglyceridemia is as important as controlling fasting triglyceride level in type 2 DM. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effect of ezetimibe adding to fibrate or statin on postprandial hypertriglyceridemia. METHODS: In a randomized controlled clinical trial, 47 subjects with type 2 diabetes and hypertiglyceridemia were enrolled and divided in three treatment groups including Gemfibrozil 1200mg/d + placebo(group A), Ezetimibe10mg/d + Gemfibrozile 1200mg/d(group B) or Ezetimibe10mg/d + Atorvastatin10mg/d (group C) for a 6- week period. Oral fat loading test were performed in the initiation and also at the end of the study and lipid profile and APOB were measured. RESULTS: Fasting and postprandial serum triglyceride (TG) decreased significantly with all the three treatment groups with no difference between them in the percent of TG reduction. Although serum total cholesterol decreased significantly in all the three groups of treatment its reduction was more prominent in group C(-38.1% ± 11.2%in group C vs. -16.5% ± 19.6% and -7.2% ± 10.7% in groups B & A respectively, p < 0.0001 ). Fasting serum HDL increased significantly only by Gemfibrozil (23.4% ± 28.4% vs. 6.4% ± 18.9% and 1.8% ± 17.7%, p < 0.05 ). Fasting serum APOB was reduced only in ezetimibe containing groups (B &C). CONCLUSION: Adding ezetimibe to gemfibrozil has no additional effect on reducing postprandial TG but ezetimibe can potentiate the effect of low-dose atorvastatin on lowering TG and LDL-c.

Substance Abuse among Students of Zanjan's Universities (Iran): A Knot of Today's Society.

BACKGROUND: In order to assess the status of drug abuse and likely addiction among university students, a descriptive study was designed. METHODS: 1200 subjects among the students of three universities in Zanjan were selected by stratified random sampling and their demographic information and history of substance abuse including hookah, cigarette, codeine, ibuprofen, alcohol, diazepam, tramadol, cannabis, opium, grass, heroin, crack, X pill, morphine, marijuana, Librium, and LSD were assessed by a standard questionnaire and were analyzed in 2010. FINDINGS: The mean age of students was 21.3 ± 2.3 years (ranged 18-38 years) and the mean age of drug abuse onset was 19.45 years old. 48.2% of male students and 23.4% of female had a history of drug abuse at least once. 6.3% of males and 1.2% of female subjects were addicted constantly which the difference was statically significant (P < 0.001). 32.7% were motivated by pain and 13.3% seeking for pleasure. Hookah with 18% and LSD with 1% had the lowest and highest percentage of drug use, respectively. CONCLUSION: Substance abuse was higher in males than females. Drug abuse was higher among older students with higher degree, and with psychological disorder history. It seems that we require goal directed programs to control and reduce the prevalence of substance abuse, raise students' awareness and increase students' information about substance disadvantages especially in their entrance.

Chronic Ischemic Heart Disease Affects Health Related Quality of Life.

BACKGROUND: Chronic diseases endanger not only physical health but also psychological and social health of patient. Thus, evaluation of such patients for psychological treatment decisions is very important. METHOD: This is a descriptive study that was performed with 50 chronic patients (ischemic heart disease) selected from Valiasr and Mousavi at cardiac wards in Zanjan Province. They were given three types of questionnaire: demographic, WHOQOL, and Zung depression and anxiety index. The information was statically analyzed by frequency chart, central indexes, dispersion, Chi-Square and t tests, Pearson's correlation index (P < 0.05). RESULTS: The average of quality of life in all patients were calculated as was respectively 12.19, 11.98, 12.08, and 12.4 in physical, psychological, social and environmental domains respectively, 68 percent of total number of the patients had various degrees of anxiety and 78 percent of them had various degrees of depression. There was a significant relationship between the life quality average in all domains and anxiety intensity and depression intensity (P < 0.05) and there was a significant relationship between life quality average in all domains and income (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: As the level of depression and anxiety goes up, quality of life decreases pointing out that they have a reverse relationship. Depression and anxiety are one of the most significant factors of quality of life among other variables. Regarding specific conditions of the treatment, it is necessary to pay special attention to psychological aspects.