Cardiac involvement in MRI in young population after COVID-19: A single tertiary center experience.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) causes morbidity and mortality in an increasing number of people worldwide. Although it mainly affects the respiratory system, it influences all organs, including the heart. It is associated with a broad spectrum of widespread cardiovascular problems ranging from mild myocardial injury to fulminant myocarditis. We aimed to evaluate the presence and prevalence of cardiac involvement in asymptomatic or symptomatic patients after they recovered from COVID 19 infection. METHODS: A total of 100 consecutive patients with COVID-19 proven by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), under 40 years of age and without any known additional chronic diseases were analyzed retrospectively for cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) results and symptoms. RESULTS: Cardiac involvement was detected in 49 out of 100 patients on CMR imaging. In the cardiac involvement group, the number of patients with chest pain and/or dyspnea was 41 (84%), which was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Twenty-four patients (47%) in the without cardiac involvement group were asymptomatic and this was also statistically significant (p = 0.001). LV ejection fraction was statistically significantly lower in the group with cardiac involvement (61% vs 66%, p = 0.001). LV stroke volume and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) were statistically significantly lower in patients with cardiac involvement (p = 0.028 and p = 0.019, respectively). CONCLUSION: Based on single center experience, myocardial involvement is common in symptomatic patients after COVID-19. More studies are needed for long-term side effects and clinical results in these patients.

Association of the Novel Inflammatory Marker Systemic Immune-Inflammation index and Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis.

This study investigated whether the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is an independent predictor of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for severe aortic stenosis. TAVR patients (n = 130) were included in the study. The patients were divided into 2 groups: those who developed CIN [CIN (+)] and those who did not [CIN (-)]. The SII was calculated as the ratio of the product of the total neutrophil count and the total platelet count to the lymphocyte count. CIN developed in 20 (15.3%) patients after TAVR. White blood cell count (7.66 ± 1.75 vs 6.78 ± 1.71 103/mm3P = .038), neutrophil count (5.1 (3.9-6.7) vs 4.2 (3.5-5.1) 103/mm3P = .024), neutrophillymphocyte ratio (4.20 (2.39-7.00) vs 2.75 (2.06-3.88), P = .010) and SII index (1069 (616-1514) vs 598 (426-955), P = .003) were at higher levels in patients with CIN. In addition, the SII index was an independent predictor for the development of CIN. The SII index, which can be easily calculated from a complete blood count, is an independent predictor of CIN in patients undergoing TAVR for severe aortic stenosis.

Assessment of Pulmonary Arterial Hemodynamic and Vascular Changes by Pulmonary Pulse Transit Time in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection.

INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary arterial hypertension and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a well-known association. Pulmonary pulse transit time (pPTT) is a recent echocardiographic marker that might be used for evaluation of pulmonary arterial stiffness (PAS) in patients with HIV infection. We aimed to investigate whether pPTT elevated in patients with HIV infection compared to healthy controls and its association with echocardiographic indices of right ventricular functions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty HIV (+) patients from infectious disease outpatient clinics and fifty age- and sex-matched HIV (-) healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. pPTT was measured from pulmonary vein flow velocity as the time interval between the R-wave in the electrocardiography and corresponding peak late systolic was then calculated as the mean from two separate pw-Doppler measurements. RESULTS: pPTT, tricuspid annular peak systolic excursion (TAPSE) and right ventricle fractional area change (FAC) were significantly lower in patients with HIV than control patients (177.1 ± 34.9 vs. 215.7 ± 35.7 msn, P < 0.001; 2.33 ± 0.28 vs. 2.19 ± 0.22, P = 0.039; 45 [4.25] vs. 41.1 [4.0], P = 0.032, respectively). pPTT was positively correlated with FAC, TAPSE and cluster of differentiation 4 count (r = 0.210; P = 0.036, r = 0.256; P = 0.041, r = 0.304; P = 0.044, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that pPTT, TAPSE, and right ventricle FAC levels were lower in patients with HIV infection. pPTT is an important predictor in patients with HIV expected to develop pulmonary vascular pathology.

Diurnal rhythm of blood pressure in patients with polycythemia vera.

AIMS: Polycythemia vera increases the risk of hypertension, but there is limited information about the effect on daily blood pressure fluctuations. This study aimed to demonstrate how diurnal blood pressure rhythm is affected in polycythemia vera patients. METHODS: Fifty (50) patients (33 men; mean age 48 ± 15 years) with a diagnosis of polycythemia vera and 51 age and sex-matched healthy subjects for the control group were prospectively evaluated. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were evaluated by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) as average 24-hour, daytime and nighttime measures. RESULTS: Average 24-hour SBP and DBP, daytime SBP and DBP were similar in both groups. However, nighttime SBP and DBP were significantly higher in the polycythemia vera group compared with the control group (125.3 ± 17.2 and 73.7 ± 12.2 vs. 118.9 ± 12.2 and 69.5 ± 8.5; P = 0.034 and P = 0.044). Both nocturnal SBP fall and nocturnal DBP fall were blunted in the polycythemia vera group compared with the control group (-6.9 ± 8.9 and -11.3 ± 12.2 vs. -11.6 ± 7.7 and -16.3 ± 12.0, respectively). Both hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were positively correlated with nocturnal SBP fall (r = 0.306, P = 0.002 and r = 0.355, P < 0.001; respectively) in all patients. CONCLUSION: We found that the polycythemia vera group had significantly decreased nocturnal dipping compared with healthy controls. The SBP fall was also positively correlated with hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.

Platelet Membrane Γ-Glutamyl Transferase-Specific Activity and the Clinical Course of Acute Coronary Syndrome.

γ-Glutamyl transferase (GGT) participates in oxidative and inflammatory reactions inside the atheroma plaque and platelets. We evaluated whether platelet membrane γ-glutamyl transferase (Plt-GGT) activity is a predictor of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) during 3 months follow-up of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS; MACE-3M). We included 105 patients who were hospitalized consecutively with the diagnosis of ACS. Patients with an MACE-3M were older, more likely to have hypertension, hyperlipidemia, family history of coronary artery disease(CAD), thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) risk score >4, higher Plt-GGT and serum GGT activities, serum C-reactive protein level, and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) when compared to those without MACE-3M (all P values ≤.05). By receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, 265 mU/mg for Plt-GGT, 30 U/L for serum GGT, and 45% for LVEF were determined as cutoff values to discriminate MACEs. Platelet GGT activity >265 mU/mg, TIMI risk score >4, and family history of CAD were independent predictors of MACE-3M (all P values <.05). Platelet GGT activity was as an independent predictor for MACEs in patients with ACS during the 3 months follow-up.

Parameters of ventricular repolarization in patients with autoimmune hepatitis.

OBJECTIVE: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a liver disorder that affects both children and adults. It is characterized by inflammatory liver histology, elevated transaminase level, circulating nonorgan-specific autoantibodies, and increased level of immunoglobulin G in the absence of known etiology. Ventricular repolarization has been evaluated using T wave and QT interval measurements in patients with hepatic cirrhosis. Ventricular repolarization may be defined using QT interval, QT dispersion, and T wave measurements. Recently, it has been demonstrated that peak and end of the T wave (Tp-e) interval, Tp-e/QT, and Tp-e/corrected QT interval (QTc) ratios can be novel indicators for prediction of ventricular arrhythmias and mortality. In this study, an investigation of ventricular repolarization using Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio in patients with AIH was performed. METHODS: Total of 31 patients with AIH and 31 controls were enrolled in the present study. Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT, and Tp-e/QTc ratios were measured on 12-lead electrocardiogram. RESULTS: QT interval (378.9±41.4 vs. 350.0±22.7; p=0.001), QTc interval (396.8±46.7 vs. 367.3±34.9; p=0.039), Tp-e interval (68.2±12.3 vs. 42.5±6.8; p<0.001), Tp-e/QT ratio (0.18±0.02 vs. 0.12±0.01; p<0.001) and Tp-e/QTc ratio (0.17±0.02 vs. 0.11±0.01; p<0.001) were significantly higher in patients with AIH than control patients. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicated that Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT, and Tp-e/QTc ratios were greater in patients with AIH.

Assessment of the atrial electromechanical properties of patients with human immunodeficiency virus.

The relationship between atrial fibrillation and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was evaluated. Electro-echocardiographic methods can be used to predict the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). In this study, we aimed to investigate the atrial electromechanical delay (AEMD) parameters of HIV (+) patients. Forty-two HIV (+) patients and 40 HIV (-) healthy volunteers were prospectively enrolled in this study. The electromechanical properties of the subjects' atria were evaluated with tissue Doppler imaging. The left-AEMD, right-AEMD and inter-AEMD were increased in the HIV (+) patients relative to the controls (p=0.003, p<0.001, and p<0.001, respectively). The CD4 count was inversely correlated with the inter-AEMD (r=-0.428, p<0.001). The CD4 count was an independent predictor of the inter-AEMD (ß=0.523, p=0.007). Our study demonstrated that both the inter- and intra-atrial electromechanical delays were prolonged in the patients with HIV. This non-invasive and simple technique may provide significant contributions to the assessment of the risk of atrial arrhythmia in patients with HIV.