Comparison of frontal QRS-T angle and inflammatory parameters between the patients with drug-naive first episode psychosis and healthy controls.

BACKGROUND: Frontal QRS-T (fQRS-T) angle is a novel marker to predict many cardiovascular diseases. The present study aims to compare the fQRS-T angle of first episode psychosis (FEP) patients and healthy controls (HC) and evaluate the relationship between fQRS-T angle and blood count-related inflammatory markers such as neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR). METHODS: Electrocardiogram (ECG) and complete blood count (CBC) of 63 patients who were diagnosed with drug-naive FEP in the psychiatry clinic of a training and research hospital and 78 healthy controls (HC) individuals who had applied to the health committee polyclinic for recruitment or pre-military examination between 2016 and 2021 were included. RESULTS: fQRS-T angle was wider in FEP patients (55.5o) than in healthy controls (22o) (p < .001). NLR, PLR, and MHR were higher in FEP patients than in healthy controls (p = .001, p < .001, and p < .001, respectively). fQRS-T angle was positively correlated with NLR (r = 0.52 and p < .001) and MHR (r = 0.39 and p = .002) in FEP patients. NLR (t = 2.196 and p = .032) and MHR (t = 5.469 and p < .001) values were found to be the predictors of fQRS-T angle in FEP patients. CONCLUSION: In summary, we can conclude that patients with FEP tend to exhibit a wider fQRS-T angle compared to their healthy controls. Additionally, the values of NLR and MHR could potentially serve as useful indicators for predicting the fQRS-T angle in FEP patients. Conducting subsequent long-term studies could provide deeper insights into the interpretation of the fQRS-T angle and its potential connection to cardiovascular diseases in schizophrenia patients.

The Relationship of Ten-Year Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Clinical Features in Patients with Schizophrenia.

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the one of the most important causes of mortality in patients with schizophrenia. This study aimed to investigate ten-year CVD risk and its relationship with clinical features in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: The sample of the study consisted of 208 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was administered to each patient to assess symptom severity of schizophrenia. The 10-year CVD risk of the participants was calculated with the QRISK*3 model. Results: 10-year CVD risk of the patients was found to be 7.4%. The mean healthy heart age (QAGE) of the patients was 53.1. Duration of disease, body mass index (BMI), and negative symptoms severity was positively correlated with 10-year CVD risk in patients with schizophrenia (r=0.57, r=0.37, and r=0.49, respectively). Duration of disease, BMI, and severity of negative symptoms predicted a 10-year CVD risk in patients with schizophrenia (t=4.349 and p<0.001; t=2.108 and p=0.037; t=2.836 and p=0.006 respectively). Conclusion: The findings of this study have shown that duration of disease, negative symptoms, and BMI may be important risk factors for increased CVD risk in patients with schizophrenia.

Comparison of frontal QRS-T angle in patients with schizophrenia and healthy volunteers.

Cardiovascular diseases are the most prominent cause of death in patients with schizophrenia. Frontal QRS-T (fQRS-T) angle is a novel marker of myocardial depolarization and repolarization heterogeneity. Recent studies have indicated that the fQRS-T angle is associated with some cardiovascular abnormalities. This study aimed to investigate the fQRS-T angle and its relationship with symptoms severity in patients with schizophrenia. One hundred-six patients with schizophrenia and sixty-four healthy controls were included in this study. fQRS-T angle and QT interval measurements were calculated for each participant from the automatic report of the 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) device. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) and The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were performed on the patients with schizophrenia. Corrected QT (QTc) interval and fQRS-T angle were significantly higher in the patients with schizophrenia than healthy controls (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). fQRS-T angle was positively correlated with age (r = 0.43), duration of disease (r = 0.37), and negative symptoms scores (r = 0.39). In linear regression analysis, the disease duration and negative symptom severity were the independent predictors of fQRS-T angle in patients with schizophrenia (t = 3.730, p = 0.003 and t = 2.257, p = 0.023, respectively). The fQRS-T angle may be an important ECG parameter to interpret cardiovascular disease risk in patients with schizophrenia.

Risk-Taking Behavior in Recovered COVID-19 Patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to investigate risk-taking behavior and decision-making processes in recovered COVID-19 patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty patients recovered from COVID-19 as confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and twenty-one healthy individuals were recruited. A computerized version of the Iowa Gambling Test (IGT) for measuring risk-taking behavior tendencies as a decision-making process and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and WMS-R Digit Span Forward Test (DSFT) for clinical assessments included. The assessments of the recovered patients were applied on the initial phase that the tests of the patients were negative and on the 4-week follow up phase. RESULTS: The results showed that the anxiety scores were significantly higher in the healthy control group than in the group of recovered patients. The IGT-Net 4 scores were significantly and IGT-Net total scores were marginally significantly lower in the group of recovered patients. In other words, recovered patients showed higher risk-taking behavior tendencies. This tendency difference is consistent with the anxiety levels of the groups. These IGT scores showed to be persistent in the 4-week follow up phase. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that recovered patients show higher risk-taking behavior tendencies than healthy controls and this may be the result of overcoming the COVID-19 threat.

Spontaneous postmenopausal urethral prolapse: a case report and review of literature.

Urethral prolapse is a circular protrusion of the distal urethra through the external meatus. It is very rare condition seen mostly in black premenercheal black girl and occasionally in postmenopausal white women. We present a case of spontaneous urethral prolapse in 63-year-old postmenopousal white women with succesful management with estrogen treatment.