Asymmetric dimethylarginine is not a good predictor of ischemia using myocardial perfusion scintigraphy.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) plays role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease and related mortality and morbidity through a number of mechanisms. We hypothesized that plasma ADMA levels would be increased in the presence of reversible ischemia as measured by GATED single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fasting i.v. blood samples were drawn before testing. All patients underwent 99mTc-sestamibi GATED SPECT MPS with a one-day stress-rest protocol; the images were visually analyzed. Post-stress GATED parameters, including ejection fraction, end systolic and end diastolic volumes, and automatic stress defect scores, were recorded. RESULTS: The plasma ADMA levels were higher in the ischemic group than in the non-ischemic group (0.46 ± 0.19 vs. 0.40 ± 0.15; P = 0.016). Plasma ADMA levels (odds ratio [OR] = 13.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.7-109.01; P = 0.015) and sex (OR = 2.49, 95% CI = 1.18-5.26; P = 0.017) were independent predictors of ischemia. There was no linear correlation between plasma ADMA levels and both the GATED SPECT and stress test parameters. CONCLUSION: Our data support the hypothesis that increased baseline ADMA levels are independently related with the presence of reversible ischemia.

Serum visfatin and omentin levels in slow coronary flow.

OBJECTIVE: The adipocytokines visfatin and omentin have a direct effect on inflammation and endothelial injury. The expression of visfatin is closely associated with the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Omentin has an anti-inflammatory effect and is inversely associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). The slow coronary flow phenomenon is an angiographic finding characterized by delayed distal vessel opacification in the absence of significant epicardial coronary disease. The pathophysiology of SCF has not been clearly identified, although multiple abnormalities including endothelial dysfunction, atherothrombosis and inflammation have been reported. However, the relationship between visfatin, omentin and SCF is still unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship of these adipocytokines with SCF. METHODS: The study included slow coronary flow (n=45) and normal coronary flow (n=55) subjects, according to the corrected TIMI frame count, who underwent angiography in the catheterization laboratory of Duzce University. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS version 12. RESULTS: Visfatin levels were significantly higher in patients with SCF than in controls (p<0.001). Plasma omentin levels were lower in the SCF group than in controls, although without statistical significance. Visfatin, gender and platelet count were significant predictors of SCF in multivariate logistic regression analysis (OR 0.748, 95% CI 0.632-0.886, p=0.01; OR 30.016, 95% CI 4.355-206.8, p=0.01; OR1.028, 95% CI 1.006-1.050, p=0.011, respectively). CONCLUSION: Adipocytokines such as visfatin and omentin may play a role in the pathogenesis of coronary slow flow.

Association of omentin Val109Asp polymorphism with coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most important morbidity and mortality disease in the world. It is also one of the leading causes of death in Turkey. Omentin, a recently found adipocytokine, is reported to regulate insulin sensitivity. It has anti-inflammatory properties and is inversely associated with CAD. Omentin gene polymorphism in patients with CAD has not been studied yet. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between omentin Val109Asp polymorphism and CAD. METHODS: This is an observational study on genetic association. 157 consecutive patients who had undergone coronary angiography were included in the study. Seventy-five of them had CAD and the rest serves the control group. Val109Asp polymorphism was analyzed and compared. Chi-square test was used in comparison of genotype frequencies, whereas ANOVA and chi-square tests were used in comparison of clinical characteristics according to the genotypes. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between CAD patients and control subjects regarding omentin Val109Asp polymorphism. However, a 2.5 fold increase in Val/Val (homozygous mutant) genotype was detected in patients with CAD. The OR (80% Cl) for Val/Val genotype was 3.46 (1.14-10.49). CONCLUSION: Although no significant difference was detected regarding omentin Val109Asp polymorphism, Val/Val genotype frequency was found to be more in patient group than control group. In conclusion, it may be speculated that Val/Val genotype increases the tendency for CAD, but this experiment should done with larger population to clarify this issue.

Resistin predicts ischemia in myocardial perfusion scintigraphy.

UNLABELLED: Aim: Resistin plays a role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease and is related to mortality and morbidity through a number of mechanisms. We hypothesize that plasma resistin levels are increased in the presence of ischemia, as measured by GATED single- photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (SPECT MPS), in comparison with nonischemic subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fasting intravenous blood samples of patients were drawn before a stress test. An ELISA kit was used for the assays. All patients underwent a technetium 99m-sestamibi GATED SPECT MPS study with a 1-day stress-rest protocol. Images were analyzed visually and patients were assessed as ischemic or nonischemic. Resistin levels were presented as medians (25th-75th percentiles) and were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Plasma resistin levels were higher in the ischemic group (n = 47) than in the nonischemic group (n = 67) [9.04 pmol/L (6.27-11.8 µmol/L) vs. 3.56 µmol/L (0.39-7.93 pnol/L), respectively; P < 0.001). We showed that plasma resistin levels (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.13-1.41; P < 0.001) and METs (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.70-0.92; P = 0.021) were independent predictors ofischemia. No linear correlation was found between plasma resistin levels and GATED SPECT or stress test parameters. CONCLUSION: Increased baseline resistin levels are independently related to presence of ischemia but are not related to the extent or severity of ischemia, or other functional parameters such as poststress ejection fraction, end systolic, and end diastolic volumes.

Detection of left ventricular asynchrony and its relationship with the Tei index in patients with coronary artery ectasia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate left ventricular (LV) systolic asynchrony and its relationship with the Tei index using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI); and to evaluate the relationship of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame count (TFC) and Tei index with LV asynchrony in patients with coronary artery ectasia (CAE). METHODS: A total of 50 CAE patients and 40 control subjects were evaluated. Diagnosis of CAE was made angiographically and TFC was calculated. LV systolic and diastolic function was assessed by conventional echocardiography and TDI. Evaluation of intra-LV systolic asynchrony was performed using tissue synchronization imaging (TSI). RESULTS: In patients with CAE, the Tei index was significantly higher than in controls (0.63±0.12 versus 0.52±0.12; P<0.001). LV systolic asynchrony parameters of TSI including SD of the peak tissue velocity (Ts) of the 12 LV segments (Ts-SD-12), maximal difference in Ts between any two of the 12 LV segments (Ts-12), SD of the Ts of the six basal LV segments (Ts-SD-6), maximal difference in Ts between any of the six basal LV segments (Ts-6) were significantly lengthened in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism compared with controls (P<0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). In addition, a positive correlation was found between Ts-SD-12 and the Tei index in patients with CAE (r=0.841; P<0.001) and mean TFC was positively correlated with Ts-SD-12 and the Tei index (r=0.345; P=0.013 and r=0.291; P=0.021, respectively). CONCLUSION: Patients with CAE exhibit evidence of LV systolic asynchrony according to TSI. LV systolic asynchrony is related to the Tei index and mean TFC. Furthermore, the Tei index is an independent risk factor for LV systolic asynchrony.

Assessment of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in young patients with acute coronary syndromes.

OBJECTIVES: It is well known that inflammation plays a key role in both initiation and propagation of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). White blood cell (WBC) and its subtypes are an indicator of inflammation in patients with ACS. We aimed to evaluate the WBC and its subtypes in patients aged <45 year with acute coronary syndromes. STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively analyzed WBC and its subtypes (including neutrophil and lymphocyte) in 84 patients (<45 year) who were admitted to the emergency department for chest pain suggestive of ACS (44 unstable angina pectoris, 40 non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction [NSTEMI]), and 40 healthy controls. RESULTS: Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and family history were significantly higher in NSTE-ACS patients. Also, LDL levels was significantly higher and HDL levels was significantly lower in NSTE-ACS patients (p=0.041 and p=0.009). The difference in percent of lymphocytes between the groups was significant (p=0.048). N/L ratio was significantly different between all groups and between the NSTEMI and USAP (p<0.001 and p=0.041). Our results demonstrated that hypertension, percent of neutrophils, and N/L ratio was a significant independent predictor of NSTE-ACS (Beta=0.251, 95% CI=0.002-0.523, p=0.048; beta=0.561, 95% CI=0.008-0.137, p=0.028 and beta=0.260, 95% CI=0.042-0.438, p=0.018, respectively). CONCLUSION: N/L was found to be elevated in young patients with NSTE-ACS compared with control group. The inflammation assessed using WBC and its subtypes may be more important in young NSTE-ACS patients.

The relationship between acute coronary syndrome and sildenafil.

Sildenafil is a drug used for male erectile dysfunction. Sildenafil's fatal cardiac effects except due to hypotension with simultaneous nitrate use have not been reported.We reported in this case a 70-year-old man admitted to the emergency service with chest pain, which occurs in an hour after sildenafil use. Electrocardiogram showed inferoposterior ST-segment elevation. In angiography, total circumflex artery occlusion has been seen.

Heart rate variability and heart rate recovery in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are at an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) partly explained by cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN). There have been fewer studies to evaluate CAN using heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate recovery (HRR) in patients with type 2 DM.To our knowledge, there has been no study to investigate the association between HRR, HRV and type 1 DM. The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in HRR and HRV measurements in type 1 diabetic patients. METHODS: The study population consisted of 35 consecutive patients with type 1 diabetes and 35 sex- and age-matched non-diabetic controls. We performed electrocardiography, echocardiography, Holter analysis, exercise stress test, routine biochemical tests including haemoglobin Ale, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and evaluated the clinical characteristics. HRR was calculated by subtracting the heart rate values at the first minute of the recovery phase from the peak heart rate. Abnormal HRR was defined as HRR < or = 18 beats.The HRV analysis was performed in both time domain and frequency domain. RESULTS: In HRV analysis, type 1 diabetic patients had significantly lower time domain [SDNN (P=0.041), SDANN (P=0.016), r-MSSD (P<0.001), pNN50 (P<0.001)] and frequency domain [total power (P=0.002), VLF (P<0.001), LF (P<0.001), HF (P=0.001), LF/HF (P=0.034)] HRV parameters as compared to controls. In logistic regression analysis, the HRR (OR 0.927, 95% CI 0.872 to 0.985, P= 0.014), METs (OR 0.562, 95% CI 0.355 to 0.890, P= 0.014), pNN50 (OR 0.729, 95% CI 0.566 to 0.941, P= 0.015) and HF (OR 0.952, 95% CI 0.911 to 0.994, P= 0.027) were independently associated with type 1 DM. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that HRV parameters and HRR were significantly reduced in patients with type 1 versus healthy controls. We found that HRV parameters correlated with HRR in type 1 diabetic patients. There is a relationship between CAN and inflammation and also, there may be a relationship between CAN and intensive glycaemic control according to this study.

Heart rate recovery index in patients with psoriasis.

OBJECTIVES: In clinical practice, autonomic functions are indirectly investigated with heart rate recovery (HRR) index measurements. Our aim was to evaluate the HRR index in patients with psoriasis, which is a systemic inflammatory disease. STUDY DESIGN: The study population included 39 psoriasis patients (18 female, mean age 48±15 years) and 40 control group (18 female, mean age 44±9 years) healthy individuals. The severity of psoriasis was calculated using the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI). None of the study patients had a PASI score >50. All of the participants underwent treadmill exercise testing using the Bruce protocol. RESULTS: According to basic clinical and demographic characteristics, both groups were similar with regard to age, body mass index, and fasting glucose and cholesterol levels. No significant differences were observed in the systolic or diastolic blood pressures or resting heart rates between the two groups. All patients and control-group participants had sinus rhythm and normal 12-lead ECG results at rest. All subjects completed the exercise tests to exhaustion without rhythm abnormalities, ischemic changes, or other complications. The maximal heart rate and metabolic equivalents achieved during the exercise stress test (EST) were similar in the psoriasis and control group (163±16 vs. 170±16, p=0.07; 9.8±0.9 vs. 10.1±1.0, p=0.24, respectively). The 1st, 3rd, and 5th minute HRR indices of patients with psoriasis were similar to those of the control group (HRR1: 30±12, 32±18, p=0.71; HRR3: 57±13, 64±17, p=0.10; HRR5: 64±15, 68±16, p=0.46, respectively). CONCLUSION: The HRR index, which is calculated by an EST and associated with autonomic nervous system function, is not effected in mild to moderate psoriasis patients.

Relation between indices of end-organ damage and mean platelet volume in hypertensive patients.

Mean platelet volume (MPV) has been recognized as an independent risk factor of hypertension. Hypertensive end-organ damage worsens the prognosis in hypertensive patients. We aimed to investigate the relationship between MPV levels and subclinical end-organ damage in hypertensive patients. One hundred and sixteen hypertensive patients (81 women, 35 men, with a mean age of 53 ± 11) were included in the study. There was no correlation between MPV and left-ventricular mass index (LVMI) (r = 0.145; P = 0.14) or albuminuria (r = 0.009; P = 0.93). Among the individuals that had grade I and grade II retinopathy, MPV levels (8.3 ± 2 fL, 8.2 ± 1.3 fL; P = 0.28) were similar either. We concluded that there was no correlation between MPV and markers of end-organ damage in hypertensive patients.

The relationship between mean platelet volume with metabolic syndrome in obese individuals.

The metabolic syndrome is closely associated with atherosclerotic risk factors and increased mortality. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an indicator of platelet activation which also shows a close relationship with cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlates of metabolic syndrome, its components and MPV adjusted for obesity in a large population study. A total of 2298 individuals with a mean age of 50 (age range 18-92) were interviewed. Nine hundred and twenty obese participants, who had BMI 30 kg/m² or more, further evaluated for the presence of metabolic syndrome. Five hundred and thirteen [396 women (70.2%)] had metabolic syndrome and the rest 407 individuals [324 women (79.6%)] served as the control group. The BMI, SBP, DBP, waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, visceral fat, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and triglyceride was higher significantly in metabolic syndrome group (P = 0.002 for BMI and P < 0.001 for the others). No significant difference was observed between groups regarding low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, white blood cells, platelet counts, MPV, hematocrit and hemoglobin (P > 0.05 for all). The presence of metabolic syndrome and its components do not constitute a difference in MPV values in obese patients with a BMI 30 kg/m² or more.

Impact of body mass index on left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of obesity is increasing in the developed and developing world. It is an independent risk factor for heart failure. Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction has been demonstrated to be a strong predictor of heart failure. In the present study we aimed to assess the impact of body weight on LV diastolic function. METHODS: The study was conducted on 2,228 participants (1,424 women, 804 men with a mean age of 49). Traditional and tissue Doppler echocardiographic examination were performed in all of the participants. The demographic and echocardiographic data were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the independent predictors of association of LV diastolic function. The study sample was divided into four groups: group 1 (body mass index [BMI] < 25.0 kg/m(2) ), group 2 (BMI 25.0-29.9 kg/m(2)), group 3 (BMI ≥ 30-39.9 kg/m(2)), and group 4 (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m(2)). RESULTS: Septal E was significantly lower in groups 2 and 3 compared to group 1 (P = 0.003). Septal A and septal A' were significantly higher whereas septal E' and lateral E' were significantly lower in the groups 2, 3, and 4 compared to the normal weight group (P < 0.001). Lateral A', deceleration time, and ejection time were significantly higher in obese when compared to the normal weight (P = 0.025, P < 0.001, and P = 0.009, respectively). The E/E' ratio was significantly higher in groups 2, 3, and 4 compared to the group 1 (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that age, BMI (OR = 1.060 [95% CI = 1.040 and 1.080]; P < 0.001), hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were independent predictors of LV diastolic dysfunction. CONCLUSION: BMI is an independent predictor of LV diastolic dysfunction along with age, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus.

Amount of ST wave resolution in patients with and without spontaneous coronary reperfusion in the infarct -related artery after primary PCI: an observational study.

OBJECTIVE: In patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a patent infarct-related artery (IRA) on initial angiography was associated with better angiographic results and improved prognosis compared with patients without spontaneous reflow. The role of systematic emergency PCI in patients with spontaneous reperfusion during myocardial infarction is debated. We compared the amount of ST wave resolution (STR) in patients with and without spontaneous coronary reperfusion (SCR) in the infarct related artery. METHODS: This study was designed as an observational cohort study. One hundred sixty-one consecutive patients (121 males, 40 females, with a mean age of 56±10 years) who had STEMI and treated with primary PCI without previous thrombolytic therapy were included in the study. All patients were treated with primary PCI within 12 hours from the onset of the symptoms and had stent implantation in the culprit lesion. ST wave resolution was measured as percent resolution of ST segment elevation from electrocardiogram (ECG), before and after PCI, classified as complete (>70%), partial (30% to 70%), or absent (<30%). SCR was defined as a TIMI grade III flow in the IRA on baseline coronary angiogram. The amount of ST wave resolution (STR) in patients with and without SCR in the IRA was compared. We used Chi-square test, Student's t-test and the Mann-Whitney U test for statistical analysis. RESULTS: At the baseline coronary angiography 40 (25%) patients had SCR and 121 patients (75%) had TIMI flow grade 0, 1 or 2 (non-SCR group). ST segment resolution amount was significantly higher in patients without SCR (53±17 versus 13±23 mm; p<0.001). In fact; in five patients whom had patent infarct related artery in initial angiography, ST segment elevation increased according to pre-PCI ECG. CONCLUSION: Mean ST wave resolution was lower in patients with spontaneous coronary reperfusion who were treated with primary PCI compared to their counterparts who did not have spontaneous coronary reperfusion on initial coronary angiography.