Misperceptions and management of LDL-cholesterol in secondary prevention of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia in cardiology practice: Real-life evidence from the EPHESUS registry.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common inherited disease, leading to premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) due to elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Achieving LDL-C goals is extremely important for preventing the complications of this fatal disease. We evaluated the management of FH patients with ASCVD in cardiology practice. METHODS: We analyzed patients with ASCVD from the nationwide EPHESUS registry, which was conducted in 40 cardiology outpatient clinics, and compared those with and without FH. RESULTS: Of the 1482 consecutively enrolled patients with ASCVD, 618 (41.7%) had FH, among which 455 were categorized as 'Possible FH' and 163 as 'Probable or Definite FH'. Proposed LDL-C goals were not attained in more than 90% of the patients with FH. The proportion of those on statin therapy was 77% for possible and 91% for probable or definite FH, whereas 34.2 % and 59.4% were in use of high-intensity statins, respectively. None of the patients were on PCSK-9 inhibitors, and only 2 used ezetimibe. Adverse media coverage was the most common cause of statin discontinuation (32.5% in 'possible FH' and 45.7% in 'probable/definite FH'). The negative impact of media in the decision to stop lipid lowering therapy (LLT) was increasing with education level. CONCLUSIONS: In real life most of the FH patients with ASCVD are undertreated in cardiology practice regarding statin dosing and combined LLT. Drug discontinuation rates are notably high and are mostly media-related, and side effects very rarely cause cessation of LLT. Urgent measures are needed to increase the awareness of FH among healthcare providers and patients and to develop improved treatment strategies aimed at preventing the complications of FH.

Value of increased CRP/albumin ratio in predicting embolic events in patients with infective endocarditis.

Background: The CRP/albumin ratio (CAR), a new inflammatory marker, is associated with adverse outcomes in various cardiovascular diseases. We evaluated the effectiveness of CAR in predicting embolic events in patients diagnosed with infective endocarditis (IE). Methods: A total of 145 patients with IE were included in the study and categorized into two groups according to the presence of embolic events. We retrospectively analyzed the patients' clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic data. Results: CRP (94.2 vs 63.3; p < 0.001) and CAR (25.8 vs 15.1; p < 0.001) values were significantly higher in patients who experienced embolic events. Multivariate analysis showed that a high CAR value (odds ratio: 1.030; 95% CI: 1.000-1.060; p = 0.041) was an independent predictor of embolic events in patients with IE. Conclusion: The CAR is a cheap and easily accessible marker that can predict the development of embolic events in patients diagnosed with IE.

Increased triglyceride-glucose index predicts contrast-induced nephropathy in non-diabetic NSTEMI patients: A prospective study.

The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a new reliable marker of insulin resistance (IR) and has recently been reported to be associated with renal dysfunction and contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). Our aim in this study is to investigate the relationship between the TyG index and CIN in non-diabetic non-ST elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients. The study included 272 non-diabetic patients who applied with NSTEMI and underwent coronary angiography (CAG). Patient data were divided into quartiles according to the TyG index: Q1: TyG < 8.55; Q2: 8.55 ≤ TyG ≤ 8.87; Q3: 8.88 ≤ TyG ≤ 9.29; and Q4: TyG > 9.29. Baseline characteristics, laboratory measurements, angiography data, and the incidence of CIN were compared between the groups. CIN was observed in 18 (6.6%) patients in the study. The incidence of CIN was lowest in the Q1 group and highest in the Q4 group (1 (1.5%) in Q1; 3 (4.4%) in Q2; 5 (7.4%) in Q3; 9 (13.2%) in Q4; p = 0.040). TyG index was found to be an independent risk factor for the development of CIN in multivariate logistic regression analysis (odds ratio = 6.58; confidence interval (CI) = 2.12-20.40; p = 0.001). TyG index value of 9.17 was identified as an effective cut-off point for the prediction of CIN (Area under the curve: 0.712, CI: 0.590-0.834, p = 0.003), and it had a sensitivity of 61% and a specificity of 72%. The results of this study showed that a high TyG index increases the incidence of CIN after CAG in non-diabetic NSTEMI patients and is an independent risk factor for the development of CIN.

The effect of insulin resistance on the heart rate recovery in healthy individuals with a low-to-moderate cardiovascular disease risk profile.

The association between insulin resistance (IR) and heart rate recovery index (HRRI) has been reported previously, but the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk profile of the subjects was unclear in these studies. Therefore, we evaluated the association between IR and HRRI in apparently healthy individuals without metabolic syndrome who had a low-to-moderate CVD risk profile. A total of 182 eligible subjects were retrospectively included in the study. The subjects were divided into two groups according to the homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) value. HOMA-IR ≥2.5 was defined as IR (+) group (92 subjects), and <2.5 as IR (-) group (88 subjects). HRRI-2 was found by subtracting the heart rate at the second minute in the post-exercise recovery period from the maximum heart rate. Abnormal HRRI was defined as HRRI-2 that is ≤42 beats. The mean age of the patients was 41.91 ± 8.64 and 49.4% of them were female. Abnormal HRRI rates were significantly higher in the IR (+) group (37.2% vs 18.2%; p = 0.004). A negative correlation was detected between HRRI-2 and HOMA-IR (r = -0.416; p < 0.001). HOMA-IR (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.57; confidence interval (CI) = 1.10-2.23; p = 0.013) and maximum heart rate during exercise (OR = 0.95; CI = 0.91-0.99; p = 0.013) as independent variables of abnormal HRRI. The HOMA-IR value of 2.82 was identified as an effective cutoff point for the prediction of abnormal HRRI (area under the curve: 0.658; CI: 0.570-0.746; p = 0.001). In this study, it was shown that IR without metabolic syndrome reduces HRRI in healthy individuals with a low-to-moderate CVD risk profile.

How Did the Updated 2019 European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society Risk Categorization for Patients with Diabetes Affect the Risk Perception and Lipid Goals? A Simulated Analysis of Real-life Data from EPHESUS Study.

BACKGROUND: The recent 2019 European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society practice guidelines introduced a new risk categorization for patients with diabetes. We aimed to compare the implications of the 2016 and 2019 European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society guidelines with regard to the lipid-lowering treatment use, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goal attainment rates, and the estimated proportion of patients who would be at goal in an ideal setting. METHODS: Patients with diabetes were classified into 4 risk categories according to 2019 European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society dyslipidemia guidelines from the database of EPHESUS (cross-sectional, observational, countrywide registry of cardiology outpatient clinics) study. The use of lipid-lowering treatment and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goal attainment rates were then compared according to previous and new guidelines. RESULTS: This analysis included a total of 873 diabetic adults. Half of the study population (53.8%) were on lipid-lowering treatment and almost one-fifth (19.1%) were on high-intensity statins. While low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goal was achieved in 19.5% and 7.5% of patients, 87.4% and 69.6% would be on target if their lipid-lowering treatment was intensified according to 2016 and 2019 European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society lipid guidelines, respectively. The new target <55 mg/dL could only be achieved in 2.2% and 8.1% of very high-risk primary prevention and secondary prevention patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: The control of dyslipidemia was extremely poor among patients with diabetes. The use of lipid-lowering treatment was not at the desired level, and high-intensity lipid-lowering treatment use was even lower. Our simulation model showed that the high-dose statin plus ezetimibe therapy would improve goal attainment; however, it would not be possible to get goals with this treatment in more than one-third of the patients.

Effect of Aromatherapy on the Anxiety of Patients before Coronary angiography.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the effect of aromatherapy administered before coronary angiography on anxiety levels and physiological parameters. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study used a randomized controlled trial design. The study group consisted of a total of 96 individuals. The research data were collected using the descriptive information form, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Physiological Parameters Assessment Form. RESULTS: The results of this study indicated a significant difference between the groups in terms of pain levels and mean STAI-I scores prior to coronary angiography. CONCLUSION: The results revealed that aromatherapy administered before angiography reduced the anxiety and pain levels of patients.

Identification of subclinical myocardial dysfunction by Speckle Tracking Imaging in patients with myocardial infarction with non-occlusive coronary arteries (MINOCA).

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to investigate subclinical left ventricular dysfunction in patients diagnosed with myocardial infarction with non-occlusive coronary arteries (MINOCA). METHODS: Thirty-five patients with MINOCA (average age 54.26 ± 12.24 years) and thirty-five patients with ischemia with non-obstructed coronary artery disease (INOCA) (average age 55.20 ± 8.36 years) were enrolled in the study. All clinical conditions that could affect left ventricular functions were considered exclusion criteria. Echocardiographic studies were conducted in the patient and control groups in the left lateral decubitus position using a medical ultrasound device (EPIQ 7, Philips Medical System, USA). The left ventricle was examined longitudinally with apical images of chamber 4-3-2 using the available software (QLAB 6.0). RESULTS: There were no differences in age, blood pressure level, baseline echocardiogram measurements, and tissue Doppler parameters between the two groups. In two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) measurements, left ventricular longitudinal strain and strain rate in systole, early and late diastole from apical 4-3-2 chamber and global measurements of each parameter were significantly decreased in the MINOCA group compared to the INOCA group (p < 0.05). A significant negative correlation was observed between the global longitudinal strain rate and the troponin I in the MINOCA patients group (r=-0.43 p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that while standard echocardiographic parameters for patients diagnosed with MINOCA were normal, their left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions were reduced by the 2D-STE method.

Foetal cardiac function in third trimester pregnancies with reduced fetal movements.

The objective of our study was to investigate the possible relationship between poor perinatal outcome and foetal cardiac functions in pregnant women with reduced foetal movements (RFM). This cross-sectional study included 126 pregnant women with normal foetal movements (Group 1, Controls) and 42 pregnant women over 32 weeks gestation with RFM (Group 2). Group 2 was further divided into two subgroups according to their perinatal outcome: normal perinatal outcome (Group 2a) and poor perinatal outcome (Group 2b). Cardiotocography, the E/A ratio in both atrioventricular valves, myocardial performance index (MPI) and foetal tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (f-TAPSE) were evaluated. Foetuses with poor perinatal outcome had a higher MPI (p = .003), higher tricuspid and mitral E/A (p < .001), and lower f-TAPSE values (p < .001). In regression analysis, f-TAPSE was the only parameter (p = .04) independently associated with poor perinatal outcome. In conclusion, examining f-TAPSE may predict adverse perinatal outcome in pregnancies with RFM.IMPACT STATEMENTWhat is already known on this subject? Reduced foetal movement (RFM) is associated with adverse pregnancy outcome. Cardiotocography, amniotic fluid assessment, estimated birthweight, foetal Doppler and formal foetal movement count (kick chart) are generally used in the clinical assessment of pregnancies with reduced foetal movements. These tests, we currently use to assess foetal wellbeing in women with reduced foetal movements, have limited sensitivity in predicting foetal compromise.What do the results of this study add? Foetal cardiac Doppler may potentially be used as an important adjunct to the conventional management of women with a perception of reduced foetal movements.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Foetal echocardiographic evaluation, such as f-TAPSE, may influence clinical practice by enabling improved risk stratification for poor perinatal outcome, thus allowing more timely definitive intervention. This could help to decrease the rate of stillbirth related to reduced foetal movements. The few established echocardiographically derived parameters, which can asses global right ventricle function, are not always easy to obtain, however, f-TAPSE is easily obtainable using ultrasound and it appears to be a clinically useful echocardiographic measurement of right ventricular function.

Demographic, Clinical, and Angiographic Characteristics of Atrial Fibrillation Patients Suffering From de novo Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Subgroup Analysis of the MINOCA-TR Study Population.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) prevalence in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) ranges from 3% to 25%. However demographic, clinical, and angiographic characteristics of AF patients who admitted with de novo MI are unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of patients presenting with de novo MI with AF. METHODS: The study was performed as a sub-study of the MINOCA-TR (Myocardial Infarction with Non-obstructive Coronary Arteries in Turkish Population) Registry, a multicenter, cross-sectional, observational, all-comer registry. MI patients without a known history of stable coronary artery disease and/or prior coronary revascularization were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into AF and Non-AF groups according to presenting cardiac rhythm. RESULTS: A total of 1793 patients were screened and 1626 were included in the study. The mean age was 61.5 (12.5) years. 70.7% of patients were men. The prevalence of AF was 3.1% (51 patients). AF patients were older [73.4 (9.4) vs. 61.0 (12.4) years, p<0.001] than non-AF patients. The proportion of women to men in the AF group was also higher than in the non-AF group (43.1% vs. 28.7%, p=0.027). Only 1 out of every 5 AF patients (10 patients, 19.6%) was using oral anticoagulants (OAC). CONCLUSIONS: AF prevalence in patients presenting with de novo MI was lower than previous studies that issued on AF prevalence in MI cohorts. The majority of AF patients did not have any knowledge of their arrhythmia and were not undergoing OAC therapy at admission, emphasizing the vital role of successful diagnostic strategies, patient education, and implementations for guideline adaptation.

Hidden danger of COVID-19 outbreak: evaluation of subclinical myocardial dysfunction in patients with mild symptoms.

The COVID-19 infection, which is caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has rapidly emerged as a global public health issue. Cardiac complications secondary to this infection are common and associated with mortality. This study aimed to evaluate whether subclinical myocardial dysfunction exists in non-hospitalized mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients using left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS). In this cross-sectional, single-center study, data were collected from non-hospitalized mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients between January 01 and February 01, 2021. Fifty (26 male, 24 female) COVID-19 patients and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were included in the study. Apical four-, three-, and two-chamber images were analyzed longitudinally by conventional methods and speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) for left ventricle functions. The mean age of the COVID-19 patients was 39.5 ± 8.96, and 52% of them were male. The most prevalent presenting symptoms were fever [in 34 (68%)], asthenia [in 30 (60%)], loss of appetite [in 21 (42%)], myalgia [in 20 (40%)], and cough [in 13 (26%)]. Plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) were significantly higher in the COVID-19 patients than in the controls (10.84 ± 12.44 vs. 4.50 ± 2.81, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of standard echocardiography and Doppler parameters (p > 0.05). Left ventricular longitudinal strain and strain velocity parameters were significantly decreased in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy individuals. LV-GLS values (- 21.72 ± 3.85% vs. - 23.11 ± 4.16%; p = 0.003) were significantly lower in COVID-19 patients compared with the healthy controls. Mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients also have subclinical myocardial dysfunction similar to hospitalized patients. STE has the potential for detecting subclinical LV systolic dysfunction, and can provide useful information regarding cardiac status in mildly symptomatic COVID-19 population.

Time delays in each step from symptom onset to treatment in acute myocardial infarction: Results from a nation-wide TURKMI registry.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to analyze the TURKMI registry to identify the factors associated with delays from symptom onset to treatment that would be the focus of improvement efforts in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Turkey. METHODS: The TURKMI study is a nation-wide registry that was conducted in 50 centers capable of 24/7 primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). All consecutive patients (n=1930) with AMI admitted to coronary care units within 48 hours of symptom onset were prospectively enrolled during a predefined 2-week period between November 1, 2018, and November 16, 2018. All the patients were examined in detail with regard to the time elapsed at each step from symptom onset to initiation of treatment, including door-to-balloon time (D2B) and total ischemic time (TIT). RESULTS: After excluding patients who suffered an AMI within the hospital (2.6%), the analysis was conducted for 1879 patients. Most of the patients (49.5%) arrived by self-transport, 11.8% by emergency medical service (EMS) ambulance, and 38.6% were transferred from another EMS without PCI capability. The median time delay from symptom-onset to EMS call was 52.5 (15-180) min and from EMS call to EMS arrival 15 (10-20) min. In ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the median D2B time was 36.5 (25-63) min, and median TIT was 195 (115-330) min. TIT was significantly prolonged from 151 (90-285) min to 250 (165-372) min in patients transferred from non-PCI centers. The major significant factors associated with time delay were patient-related delay and the mode of hospital arrival, both in STEMI and non-STEMI. CONCLUSION: The baseline evaluation of the TURKMI study revealed that an important proportion of patients presenting with AMI within 48 hours of symptom onset reach the PCI treatment center later than the time proposed in the guidelines, and the use of EMS for admission to hospital is extremely low in Turkey. Patient-related factors and the mode of hospital admission were the major factors associated with the time delay to treatment.

Using Tissue Doppler and Speckle Tracking Echocardiography to Assess if Ivabradine Improves Right Ventricular Function.

Objective To evaluate the mid-term effects of ivabradine on right ventricular functions in patients with heart failure. Methods A prospective study was conducted on 52 patients who had heart failure in normal sinus rhythm (59% male, age: 64.76 ±12.49 years). Right ventricular functions were measured at baseline, after one month and one year by conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography imaging. The parameters, right ventricular (RV) longitudinal strain (LS), RV systolic longitudinal strain rate (LSRs), RV early diastolic longitudinal strain rate, and late diastolic longitudinal strain rate, were evaluated by apical four-chamber grayscale imaging through the free wall of RV in accordance with the automated function imaging protocol. Results During the follow-up, the pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), RV fractional area change (RVFAC), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), myocardial performance index (MPI), E peak, and A peak values were similar to the basal values. While comparing the basal values of the global longitudinal systolic strain (GLS), LS, LSRs, longitudinal strain rate diastolic early filling (LSRe), and longitudinal strain rate diastolic late filling (LSRa), there were no differences in the first month but a significant increase was observed on one-year follow-up (p<0.001). Conclusion At the one-year follow-up, the heart failure patients who were given ivabradine treatment showed an improvement in the right ventricular function assessed by the new echocardiographic techniques.

Dynamic changes in aortic stiffness after substantial weight loss by laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in patients with obesity: a 1-year follow-up study.

Arterial stiffness has been identified as a powerful and independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of aortic stiffness (AS) and adverse cardiovascular events. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the effects of weight loss after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on AS in individuals with morbid obesity by using the transthoracic echocardiography (TTE).A total of 53 patients with obesity (17 males, 36 females) who underwent LSG and did not have any known heart disease were included in the study. The AS parameters were measured with TTE. The demographic and echocardiographic data of the patients were studied before, at 1 month and 12 months after surgery.The mean age of the study group was 34.41±11.62, 68% of whom were female. There were no significant differences in terms of the standard echocardiography and Doppler measurements as compared with preoperative values (all p>0.05). When the elastic parameters of the aorta were compared, no significant differences were detected regarding aortic strain (%) ((16.28±4.11) vs (16.68±4.56), p=(0.998)), distensibility (cm2/dyn) ((6.74±1.78) vs (7.03±2.31), p=(0.997)) and Aortic Stiffness Index values ((10.73±3.84) vs (10.63±3.34), p=0.998) between baseline and first month after surgery. In the 12-month follow-up, it was determined that the aortic strain ((16.28±4.11) vs (22.74±5.79), p≤0.001) and distensibility ((6.74±1.78) vs (10.34±3.059), p<0.001)) values increased at significant levels.Weight loss by LSG improves arterial stiffness parameters in patients with obesity over a 1-year follow-up.

Favorable electrocardiographic changes after substantial weight loss in patients with morbid obesity : Results of a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Obese patients have an increased risk of arrhythmias and sudden death, even in the absence of structural heart disease and cardiac dysfunction. This study aimed to determine whether weight loss by bariatric surgery has an effect on arrhythmia-related electrocardiographic (ECG) variables in morbidly obese patients. METHODS: In this prospective study, the data of 48 patients were analyzed. All ECG variables that have the potential to predict ventricular arrhythmia were evaluated before surgery, and were compared with the 1­month and 6­month follow-up results. RESULTS: The mean body mass index was 45.74 ± 5.60 kg/m2 before surgery. There was a statistically significant decline in body mass index in the first and sixth month after surgery (39.26 ± 5.00 kg/m2 and 31.71 ± 4.49 kg/m2, respectively; p < 0.001). Furthermore, notable reduction was found in terms of heart rate measurements-QTc­d, JTc, JTc­d, Tp­e, TP-e/QT, TP-e/QTc-in the first month and sixth month compared with baseline (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Several ECG variables, such as heart rate (r = 0.369, p = 0.001), QTc­d (r = 0.449, p = 0.001), JTc­d (r = 0.324, p = 0.002), Tp­e (r = 0.592, p = 0.001), Tp-e/QTc (r = 0.543, p = 0.001), Tp-e/JTc (r = 0.515, p = 0.001), exhibited a positive and significant correlation with weigh loss. Moreover, a negative and weakly significant correlation was found between the index of cardiac electrophysiological balance (r = -0.239, p = 0.004) and body mass index. CONCLUSION: Substantial weight loss following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in obese patients is accompanied by a significant improvement in ventricular repolarization. Therefore, this effect may lead to a decrease in the incidence of lethal ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death.

Cardiovascular risk unawareness is common in individuals admitting to cardiology outpatient clinics in Turkey: the CVSCORE-TR study.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular "risk" is an abstract concept that is frequently misunderstood by the general public. However, correct estimation of one's own cardiovascular risk is important as risk unawareness is associated with noncompliance with interventions aimed to reduce risk burden. Knowing the prevalence and factors linked with an increased probability of risk unawareness are therefore important to develop strategies aimed to increase risk awareness. Aims. To study prevalence of risk unawareness and to understand risk markers associated with risk underestimation and overestimation. Design. A total of 1716 participants were enrolled to the study in 33 centers across Turkey. Relevant demographic and clinical data were collected by direct interview. Cardiovascular risk of the participants was calculated using SCORE risk charts. Results. Ten-year risk for a fatal cardiovascular event was calculated as low in 633 (36.8%), intermediate in 513 (29.9%) and high-very high in 570 (33.2%) participants, respectively. According to these findings, 34.6% (n = 593) of the participants estimated their risk correctly, whereas 22.7% (n = 390) of the participants overestimated and 42.7% (n = 733) of the participants underestimated their risk. Male gender was the sole factor that was associated with an increased risk of underestimation, while having hypertension, significant valve disease or atrial fibrillation was associated with increased odds for risk overestimation. Conclusions. Only one-thirds of the sample was aware of their calculated risk for cardiovascular mortality and risk underestimation was the most common mode of risk unawareness, prompting concerns on the possible impact of the latter on adherence to the strategies aimed to reduce cardiovascular risk.

Treatment delays and in-hospital outcomes in acute myocardial infarction during the COVID-19 pandemic: A nationwide study.

OBJECTIVE: Delayed admission of myocardial infarction (MI) patients is an important prognostic factor. In the present nationwide registry (TURKMI-2), we evaluated the treatment delays and outcomes of patients with acute MI during the Covid-19 pandemic and compaired with a recentpre-pandemic registry (TURKMI-1). METHODS: The pandemic and pre-pandemic studies were conducted prospectively as 15-day snapshot registries in the same 48 centers. The inclusion criteria for both registries were aged ≥18 years and a final diagnosis of acute MI (AMI) with positive troponin levels. The only difference between the 2 registries was that the pre-pandemic (TURKMI-1) registry (n=1872) included only patients presenting within the first 48 hours after symptom-onset. TURKMI-2 enrolled all consecutive patients (n=1113) presenting with AMI during the pandemic period. RESULTS: A comparison of the patients with acute MI presenting within the 48-hour of symptom-onset in the pre-pandemic and pandemic registries revealed an overall 47.1% decrease in acute MI admissions during the pandemic. Median time from symptom-onset to hospital-arrival increased from 150 min to 185 min in patients with ST elevation MI (STEMI) and 295 min to 419 min in patients presenting with non-STEMI (NSTEMI) (p-values <0.001). Door-to-balloon time was similar in the two periods (37 vs. 40 min, p=0.448). In the pandemic period, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) decreased, especially in the NSTEMI group (60.3% vs. 47.4% in NSTEMI, p<0.001; 94.8% vs. 91.1% in STEMI, p=0.013) but the decrease was not significant in STEMI patients admitted within 12 hours of symptom-onset (94.9% vs. 92.1%; p=0.075). In-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were significantly increased during the pandemic period [4.8% vs. 8.9%; p<0.001; age- and sex-adjusted Odds ratio (95% CI) 1.96 (1.20-3.22) for NSTEMI, p=0.007; and 2.08 (1.38-3.13) for STEMI, p<0.001]. CONCLUSION: The present comparison of 2 nationwide registries showed a significant delay in treatment of patients presenting with acute MI during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although PCI was performed in a timely fashion, an increase in treatment delay might be responsible for the increased risk of MACE. Public education and establishing COVID-free hospitals are necessary to overcome patients' fear of using healthcare services and mitigate the potential complications of AMI during the pandemic. (Anatol J Cardiol 2020; 24: 334-42).

Prevalence and clinical profile of patients with myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries in Turkey (MINOCA-TR): A national multi-center, observational study.

OBJECTIVE: Myocardial infarction (MI) with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is a relatively new term that is characterized by clinical evidence of MI with normal or near-normal coronary arteries on coronary angiography (QCA). To date, there have been no population-based studies on the prevalence of MINOCA in Turkey. The aim of this nationwide study was to document the prevalence and demographics of MINOCA in a Turkish population. METHODS: MINOCA-TR is national, multi-center, prospective, all-comer study that was conducted in 32 hospitals. All consecutive patients who were ≥18 years old, diagnosed with MI according to the Third Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction, and had undergone QCA were included in the study. Patients with stable coronary artery disease, unstable angina pectoris, a history of revascularization, and type 4/5 MI were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 1793 patients who were diagnosed with MI and had undergone QCA were screened between March 2018 and October 2018, of whom 1626 (mean age: 61.5±12.5 years, 70.7% male) were enrolled from 32 centers. The prevalence of MINOCA was 6.7% (n=109) in the overall study population. Compared with non-MINOCA patients, those with MINOCA were younger, had a higher prevalence of the female gender, and had a history of flu. The percentages of current smokers, ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction patients, and those with a history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia were significantly lower in MINOCA patients (p<0.05, for all). Also, the median left ventricular ejection fraction as seen on echocardiography and the ratio of Killip Class I status at presentation was significantly higher in MINOCA patients than in non-MINOCA patients (p<0.001). Patients with MINOCA received a preload dose of P2Y12 antagonist before QCA less often than non-MINOCA patients (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of MINOCA in Turkey is 6.7% in patients who were admitted with MI. Also, as compared to non-MINOCA patients, the MINOCA patients were exposed to fewer traditional risk factors of coronary artery disease.

Short- and mid-term effects of sleeve gastrectomy on left ventricular function with two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in obese patients.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate left ventricular functions of obese patients with no known heart disease who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy by speckle tracking echocardiography in their early and medium-term postoperative follow-up. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Thirty-seven obese patients (10 M, 27 F) without coronary artery disease or heart failure who had undergone LSG were included in the study. Apical four-, three-, and two-chamber images were analyzed longitudinally by conventional methods and speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) for left ventricle functions preoperatively, at the postoperative Month 1 and at the postoperative Month 6 (QLAB 6.0), using current software. RESULTS: No difference was found between standard echocardiography and Doppler parameters in terms of the 1-month versus 6-month follow-up values compared to baseline. Left ventricular STE longitudinal measurements demonstrated significantly higher longitudinal strain and strain velocity parameters in the follow-up values at Month 6 compared to the values at Month 1 and at baseline. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) was -17.48 ± 1.09% in 6-month follow-up, -16.16 ± 1.26% in 1-month follow-up, and -16.06 ± 1.25% at baseline (P < .001). A significant correlation was found between delta GLS, which represents patients' GLS change in 6 months, and delta weight, which represents patients' body weight change in 6 months. CONCLUSION: Obese patients who had undergone LSG were observed to have improved left ventricular function in the mid-term.

The relationship between total atrial conduction time and left atrial global strain in patients with psoriasis vulgaris.

INTRODUCTION: Psoriasis vulgaris is a chronic, multisystem disease that results in the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) over time. In this study, our goal was to assess predictors of AF in patients with psoriasis, including total atrial conduction time (TACT) and left atrial global longitudinal strain (LAGLS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 80 individuals, including 40 psoriasis patients and 40 healthy controls, were enrolled in the study. A physical examination was performed, biochemical parameters were studied, and Holter electrocardiography was carried out. Conventional echocardiography, atrial tissue Doppler, and speckle tracking echocardiography were recorded. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed between psoriasis patients and healthy controls with regard to age, and the average duration of psoriasis was 5.7 years. High-sensitivity C reactive protein levels were higher in the patient group compared to the control group (respectively, group 1: 1 ±0.8; group 2: 0.6 ±0.3, p < 0.05). Atrial arrhythmia was not detected in the Holter ECG monitoring. A significant moderate negative correlation between TACT and LAGLS (r = -0.57, p < 0.05) was observed, and there was a significant moderate positive correlation between the duration of disease and TACT (r = 0.52, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In the current study, we determined that LAGLS decreased, TACT was prolonged, and P-wave dispersion increased in patients with psoriasis. The current results may improve predictions of AF risk in psoriasis patients in clinical practice.

A catastrophic nightmare of the interventional cardiologist: Iatrogenic left main artery dissection and longitudinal stent deformation.

Iatrogenic left main coronary artery dissection is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of invasive coronary procedures. The newer generation drug eluting stents have shown a greater safety and efficacy compared to first generation drug eluting stents. We report a 60-year-old woman with iatrogenic left main coronary artery dissection who failed bailout stenting and underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. The strategy for managing left main coronary artery dissection is variable and depends upon the mechanism, the comorbidities of the patient and degree of hemodynamic stability. Longitudinal stent deformation is a rarely encountered complication but can be seen in complex lesions such as ostial, bifurcation and left main coronary artery lesions. The interventionists must be aware of this complication.