Addition of N-acetyl cysteine to carvedilol decreases the incidence of acute renal injury after cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress and inflammation during cardiac surgery may be associated with acute renal injury (ARI). N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and carvedilol have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. HYPOTHESIS: A combination of carvedilol and NAC should decrease the incidence of ARI more than metoprolol or carvedilol. METHODS: Patients undergoing cardiac surgery were randomized to metoprolol, carvedilol, or carvedilol plus NAC. End points were occurrence of ARI and change in preoperative to postoperative peak creatinine levels. RESULTS: ARI incidence was lower in the carvedilol plus NAC group compared with the metoprolol (21.0% vs 42.1%; P = 0.002) or carvedilol (21.0% vs 38.6%; P = 0.006) groups, but was similar between the metoprolol and carvedilol groups (P = 0.62). Preoperative and postoperative day 1 creatinine levels were similar among the metoprolol (1.02 [0.9-1.2] and 1.2 [0.92-1.45]) the carvedilol (1.0 [0.88-1.08] and 1.2 [0.9-1.5]) and the carvedilol plus NAC groups (1.06 [0.9-1.18] and 1.1 [1.0-1.21] mg/dL; all P values >0.05). Postoperative day 3, day 5, and peak creatinine levels were lower in the carvedilol plus NAC group (1.11 [1.0-1.23], 1.14 [1.0-1.25] and 1.15 [1.0-1.25]) as compared with the metoprolol (1.4 [1.3-1.49], 1.3 [1.0-1.54] and 1.3 [1.0-1.54]) or carvedilol groups (1.2 [1.0-1.52], 1.25 [1.0-1.52] and 1.25 [1.0-1.55] mg/dL; all P values <0.05), but were similar between the metoprolol and carvedilol groups (all P values >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Combined carvedilol and NAC decreased ARI incidence as compared with carvedilol or metoprolol. No difference was detected between carvedilol and metoprolol.

Oxidative status, inflammation, and postoperative atrial fibrillation with metoprolol vs carvedilol or carvedilol plus N-acetyl cysteine treatment.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation is associated with inflammation and oxidative stress. HYPOTHESIS: Carvedilol and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) combination decreases inflammation, oxidative stress, and postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) rates more than metoprolol or carvedilol. METHODS: Preoperative and postoperative total oxidative stress (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and white blood cells (WBC) were measured in metoprolol, carvedilol, or carvedilol plus NAC groups, and association with POAF was evaluated. RESULTS: Preoperative TAC, TOS, and WBC levels were similar among the groups. Postoperative TAC levels were lower in the metoprolol group compared with the carvedilol group (1.0 vs 1.4) or the carvedilol plus NAC group (1.0 vs 1.9) and were also lower in the carvedilol group compared with the carvedilol plus NAC group (all P < 0.0001). Postoperative TOS levels were higher in the metoprolol group as compared with the carvedilol (29.6 vs 24.2; P < 0.0001) or the carvedilol plus NAC groups (P < 0.0001), and were also higher in the carvedilol group as compared with the carvedilol plus NAC group (24.2 vs 19.3; P < 0.0001). Postoperative WBC counts were lower in the carvedilol plus NAC group compared with the metoprolol group (12.9 vs 14.8; P = 0.004), were similar between the carvedilol and the metoprolol groups (13 vs 14.8) and between the carvedilol plus NAC group and the carvedilol group (both P > 0.05). Postoperative TAC, TOS, and WBC were associated with POAF. CONCLUSIONS: Carvedilol plus NAC reduced oxidative stress and inflammation compared with metoprolol and decreased oxidative stress compared with carvedilol. Postoperative TAC, TOS, and WBC were associated with POAF.

Mean platelet volume is increased in infective endocarditis and decreases after treatment.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the mean platelet volume (MPV), an indicator of platelet activation in patients with infective endocarditis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine patients with infective endocarditis and 29 healthy subjects were studied. Plasma MPV values in patients and control subjects were measured on admission and after 2 weeks of specific treatment of infective endocarditis. RESULTS: The MPV was significantly higher among patients with infective endocarditis when compared with the control group (9.86 ± 1.1 vs. 8.0 ± 1.0 fl, respectively; p < 0.01). The MPV values of patients with infective endocarditis decreased significantly after treatment from 9.86 ± 1.1 to 7.86 ± 1.0 fl (p < 0.01). Total platelet counts increased significantly after treatment from 193.4 ± 96.5 × 10(9) to 243.7 ± 92.4 × 10(9) (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: MPV values were higher in patients with infective endocarditis and decreased significantly after treatment. Elevated MPV values indicate that patients with infective endocarditis have increased platelet activation and infective endocarditis treatment decreases this platelet activation by decreasing MPV.

Metoprolol vs. carvedilol or carvedilol plus N-acetyl cysteine on post-operative atrial fibrillation: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

AIMS: Carvedilol and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Aim was to evaluate the efficacy of metoprolol, carvedilol, and carvedilol plus NAC on the prevention of post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF). METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients undergoing cardiac surgery (n = 311) were randomized to metoprolol, carvedilol, or carvedilol plus NAC. Baseline characteristics were similar. The incidence of POAF was lower in the carvedilol plus NAC group compared with the metoprolol group (P < 0.0001) or the carvedilol group (P = 0.03). There was a borderline significance for lower POAF rates in the carvedilol group compared with the metoprolol group (P = 0.06). Duration of hospitalization was lower in the carvedilol plus NAC group compared to the metoprolol group (P = 0.004). Multivariate independent predictors of POAF included left-atrial diameter, hypertension, bypass duration, pre-randomization and pre-operative heart rates, carvedilol plus NAC group vs. metoprolol group, and carvedilol plus NAC group vs. carvedilol group. CONCLUSION: Carvedilol plus NAC decreased POAF incidence and duration of hospitalization compared with metoprolol and decreased POAF incidence compared with carvedilol.

Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava Draining into the Coronary Sinus: A Case Report.

Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is a congenital anomaly of the thoracic venous system resulting from the abnormal persistence of an embryological vessel that normally regresses during early fetal life. This anomaly is often discovered incidentally during surgery, cardiovascular imaging or invasive cardiovascular procedures. In most cases, a PLSVC drains into the right atrium through the coronary sinus. In the remainder of cases, it enters directly or through the pulmonary veins into the left atrium. A dilated coronary sinus on echocardiography should always raise the suspicion of a PLSVC as it has important clinical implications. The diagnosis should be confirmed by saline contrast echocardiography. We report a patient with persistent left superior vena cava with an enlarged coronary sinus and normal right superior vena cava.

Effect of endemic fluorosis on hematological parameters.

Although so many studies exist on effect of fluoride on hematological parameters in experimental animals, a few studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of chronic fluorosis on hematological parameters in humans' subjects with endemic fluorosis. So we aimed to determine the hematological parameters in patients with endemic fluorosis. The study group consisted of 60 patients with endemic fluorosis (27 females, 33 males, and mean age 33.4 ± 9.6 years). An age-, gender-, and body mass index-matched control group was composed of 34 healthy volunteers (11 females, 23 males with a mean age 32.6 ± 5.6 years). Urine fluoride levels of fluorosis patients were significantly higher than control subjects as expected (0.42 ± 0.09 vs 1.92 ± 0.14 mg/l, respectively; P < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between the fluorosis group and control group with respect to hematological parameters (complete blood count and ferritin). We concluded that chronic fluorosis has no effect on hematological parameters in patients with endemic fluorosis.

[The effect of inhibition of renin-angiotensin system on cardioversion success and recurrences of atrial fibrillation]. / Atriyal fibrilasyonda renin-anjiyotensin sistem inhibisyonunun kardiyoversiyon basarisi ve nüksler üzerine etkisi.

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) can play an important role as the underlying mechanism for the development and recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF). In addition, AF itself can lead to atrial structural and/or electrophysiologic remodeling by activating the RAS. This remodeling serves as an arrhythmogenic substrate for AF. Thus, the inhibition of RAS with angiotensin converting-enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blockers may be a strategy to prevent occurrence and recurrence of AF in certain patients such as those with heart failure and hypertension in associated with left ventricular hypertrophy. In addition, it may facilitate the cardioversion of AF. In this review, we overview the effect of RAS blockers on cardioversion success and recurrence of AF.