The Relationship between Frontal QRS-T Angle and Vitamin D Deficiency.

Background and Objectives: A deficiency in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels is associated with a number of cardiovascular situations, such as high blood pressure, heart failure, atherosclerotic heart disease, and peripheral artery disease. The frontal QRS-T angle has recently been proposed as a marker of ventricular repolarization. A wider frontal QRS-T angle has been positively correlated with adverse cardiac events. The objective of our study was to examine the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and the frontal QRS-T angle. Materials and Methods: A total of 173 consecutive patients aged 18-60 years undergoing routine cardiology check-up evaluation, and not receiving concurrent vitamin D treatment were included in the study. Patients were classified in three groups, depending on their vitamin D levels, and categorized as follows: Group 1-deficient (<20 ng/mL), Group 2-insufficient (20-29 ng/mL), or Group 3-optimal (≥30 ng/mL). The frontal QRS-T angle was determined using the automated reports generated by the electrocardiography machine. Results: The average age of participants was 45.8 (±12.2) years, and 55.5% of participants were female (p < 0.001). Individuals with low vitamin D concentrations exhibited a wider frontal QRS-T angle. It was determined that vitamin D level is an independent predictive factor for the frontal QRS-T angle. Conclusions: As the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D decrease, repolarization time assessed by frontal QRS-T angle is widened. Our findings indicate that lower concentrations of vitamin D may increase the susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmia.

Radiofrequency catheter ablation of supraventricular tachycardia in patient with deep brain stimulator.

Safety of radiofrequency ablation in patients with deep brain stimulation systems is not known. We report a patient with a deep brain stimulator who has undergone radiofrequency ablation.

Effects of 3 months of treatment with empagliflozin on left ventricle global longitudinal strain and myocardial mechano-energetic effiency.

PURPOSE: Sodium glucose transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors are employed in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure and coronary artery disease. In the present study, we aimed to investigate how Empagliflozin in SGLT 2 inhibitors affects cardiac contraction and pump efficiency in patients who have Diabetes Mellitus (DM) without cardiovascular disease. METHODS: The conventional echocardiographic records and biochemical values ​​of 62 patients who had DM without a history of cardiovascular disease were evaluated before using Empagliflozin. The myocardial mechano-energetic (MME) activity and index, and global longitudinal strain (GLS) were also calculated. After 3 months of Empagliflozin use, the tests were repeated and compared with previous data. A p < .05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Left ventricular GLS and MME efficiency were found to be significantly higher after treatment (-17.71 ± 2.12, -19.15 ± .71; p < .001 and 62.14 ± 18.21, 72.24 ± 26.57; p: .019). CONCLUSION: An increase was detected in left ventricular longitudinal strain and MME efficiency after using Empagliflozin for 3 months in patients with DM. This result suggests that Empagliflozin improves left ventricular pump efficiency and contraction.

Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with depressed myocardial mechanoenergetics.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between the myocardial mechanoenergetic efficiency index (MEEi) and the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) in the initial phase of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosis. METHODS: In this cohort study, we included a total of 382 eligible participants without cardiovascular disease in a tertiary outpatient clinic between January 2013 and January 2015. We recorded demographic, clinical, polysomnographic and echocardiographic variables of the patients. In addition, myocardial mechanoenergetic efficiency (MEE) and MEEi were calculated by an echocardiography-derived validated measurement. RESULTS: The mean (±SD) age of the participants was 48.47 ± 12.13, and male/female ratio was 287/95. Comparing with non-OSA, MEEi was significantly lower in OSA patients at all stages (0.35 ± 0.08 vs. 0.42 ± 0.05; p < .001). MEEi was negatively correlated with hypertension (r = -0.518, p < .001), body mass index (r = -0.382, p < .001), AHI (r = -0.656, p < .001), total apne (r = -0.525, p < .001), hypopnea (r = -0.415, p < .001), systolic pulmonary pressure (r = -0.318, p < .001), relative wall thickness (RWT; r = -0.415, p < .001), and positive correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction (r = 0.586, p < .001). According to multiple linear regression analysis AHI (ß = -0.625, p < .001), total apnea (ß = -0.402, p = .001), hypopnea (ß = -0.395, p = .001), LV ejection fraction (ß = 0.478, p < .001) and RWT (ß = -0.279, p < .001) have an independent relationship with MEEi. CONCLUSIONS: MEEi was lower in OSA patients. A reduced MEEi may reflect a disturbance in energy use of the myocardium. Consequently, our results may provide insight into the mechanisms leading to structural cardiac diseases in OSA patients.

The association of plasma oxidative status and inflammation with the development of atrial fibrillation in patients presenting with ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common supraventricular arrhythmia following ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Oxidative stress and inflammation may cause structural and electrical remodeling in the atria making these critical processes in the pathology of AF. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association between total oxidative status (TOS), total antioxidative capacity (TAC) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in the development of AF in patients presenting with STEMI. This prospective cohort study consisted of 346 patients with STEMI. Serum TAC and TOS were assessed by Erel's method. Patients were divided into two groups: those with and those without AF. Predictors of AF were determined by multivariate regression analysis. In the present study, 9.5% of patients developed AF. In the patients with AF, plasma TOS and oxidative stress index (OSI) values were significantly higher and plasma TAC levels were significantly lower compared to those without AF (p = .003, p = .002, p < .0001, respectively). Multivariate regression analysis results showed that, female gender (Odds ratio [OR] = 3.07; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.26-7.47; p = .01), left atrial diameter (OR =1.28; 95% CI =1.12-1.47; p < .0001), hs-CRP (OR =1.02; 95% CI =1.00-1.03; p = .001) and OSI (OR =1.10; 95% CI =1.04-1.18; p = .001) were associated with the development of AF in patients presenting with STEMI. The main finding of this study is that oxidative stress and inflammation parameters were associated with the development of AF in patients presenting with STEMI. Other independent predictors of AF were female gender, left atrial diameter and hs-CRP.

Influence of Instruments Used in Root Canal Preparation on Amount of Apically Extruded Debris.

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of ProTaper Gold, WaveOne Gold, ProTaper Universal, and WaveOne instruments on the amount of apically extruded debris. Eighty mandibular premolar teeth with straight root canals were selected and assigned to four groups (n = 20). The root canals were instrumented using ProTaper Gold, WaveOne Gold, ProTaper Universal, and WaveOne systems. Eppendorf tubes containing apically extruded debris were weighed three times, and mean values were calculated. The net mass of the extruded debris was calculated by subtracting the initial mass from the final mass. The groups were compared using one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc tests at a significance level of P < 0.05. The PTG group extruded less debris than the PTU group, and the WOG group extruded less debris than the WO group (P < 0.05). All the instrumentation systems tested in the present study were associated with apical extrusion of debris.

Effect of cholecalciferol replacement on vascular calcification and left ventricular mass index in dialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of oral cholecalciferol treatment on vascular calcification, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and other cardiac functions in dialysis patients. DESIGN AND METHODS: A six-month course of oral cholecalciferol treatment was recommended to dialysis patients with vitamin D insufficiency. While 26 patients were given cholecalciferol treatment, 17 patients who could not tolerate to therapy received standard therapy. Initial biochemical parameters were measured, and they were measured again after 6 months of treatment. Echocardiographic measurements were also performed, and the vascular calcification score (VCS) was calculated at baseline and at the 6th month. RESULTS: The cholecalciferol replacement group showed no significant change in LVMI and VCS values (p > 0.05). However, while LVMI was similar between groups at initial evaluation, it was lower in the cholecalciferol group at the 6th month when compared to the standard treatment group (141.8 ± 40.2 g/m(2) vs. 166.3 ± 31.4 g/m(2); p = 0.04). Likewise, left ventricular diastolic diameters (48.8 ± 5.1 mm vs. 47.5 ± 4.6 mm; p = 0.023) and left atrial diameters (41.2 ± 8.9 mm vs. 38.9 ± 8.1 mm; p = 0.006) decreased in the cholecalciferol group. Additionally, significant increases were observed in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and albumin levels, with a significant decrease in serum C-reactive protein levels. CONCLUSION: A lesser increase in left ventricular mass and better diastolic functions was observed in dialysis patients after 6 months of cholecalciferol treatment.

Predictive Ability of Inflammatory Markers on In-Hospital Outcomes in Patients Admitted to Coronary Care Unit (MORCOR-TURK INFLAME).

We investigated the prognostic implications of the systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII), atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and triglyceride/glucose index (TGI) in the MORtality predictors in the CORonary Care Units in TURKey (MORCOR-TURK) population. This is the largest registry of coronary care unit (CCU) patients in Turkey (3157 patients admitted to CCU in 50 different centers). The study population was divided into two according to in-hospital survival status; 137 patients (4.3%) died in-hospital follow-up. A significant correlation was found between death and SII, CAR, NLR, and PNI but not for AIP and TGI in logistic regression. In Model 1 (combining parameters proven to be risk predictors), the -2 log-likelihood ratio was 888.439, Nagelkerke R2 was 0.235, and AUC (area under curve) was 0.814 (95% CI: 0.771-0.858). All other models were constructed by adding each inflammatory marker separately to Model 1. Only Model 3 (CAR + Model 1) had a significantly greater AUC than Model 1 (DeLong P = .01). Our study showed that CAR, but not other inflammatory index, is a significant predictor of in-hospital mortality in CCU patients when added to proven risk predictors.

Baseline Characteristics of a Patient Cohort and Predictors of In-hospital MORtality in CORonary Care Units (MORCOR-TURK) Trial in Türkiye.

OBJECTIVE: The MORtality in CORonary Care Units in Türkiye (MORCOR-TURK) trial is a national registry evaluating predictors and rates of in-hospital mortality in coronary care unit (CCU) patients in Türkiye. This report describes the baseline demographic characteristics of patients recruited for the MORCOR-TURK trial. METHODS: The study is a multicenter, cross-sectional, prospective national registry that included 50 centers capable of 24-hour CCU service, selected from all seven geographic regions of Türkiye. All consecutive patients admitted to CCUs with cardiovascular emergencies between September 1-30, 2022, were prospectively enrolled. Baseline demographic characteristics, admission diagnoses, laboratory data, and cardiovascular risk factors were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 3,157 patients with a mean age of 65 years (range: 56-73) and 2,087 (66.1%) males were included in the analysis. Patients with arterial hypertension [1,864 patients (59%)], diabetes mellitus (DM) [1,184 (37.5%)], hyperlipidemia [1,120 (35.5%)], and smoking [1,093 (34.6%)] were noted. Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) was the leading cause of admission [1,187 patients (37.6%)], followed by ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in 742 patients (23.5%). Other frequent diagnoses included decompensated heart failure (HF) [339 patients (10.7%)] and arrhythmia [272 patients (8.6%)], respectively. Atrial fibrillation (AF) was the most common pathological rhythm [442 patients (14%)], and chest pain was the most common primary complaint [2,173 patients (68.8%)]. CONCLUSION: The most common admission diagnosis was acute coronary syndrome (ACS), particularly NSTEMI. Hypertension and DM were found to be the two leading risk factors, and AF was the most commonly seen pathological rhythm in all hospitalized patients. These findings may be useful in understanding the characteristics of patients admitted to CCUs and thus in taking precautions to decrease CCU admissions.

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.

Impact of drug interactions with direct oral anticoagulants on mortality in elderly with atrial fibrillation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of drug interactions with chronic direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) on mortality in older atrial fibrillation (AF) patients during the Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: We followed a total of 601 elderly patients (65 years of age) from the NOEL-Drug Registry cohort who were referred to a tertiary outpatient clinic between 9 March 2020 and 1 March 2021. We recorded clinical characteristics and medications for the last 3 months. In addition, all drug interactions were identified using Lexicomp®. Finally, we recorded retrospectively all death events, COVID-19 diagnosis, and relevant deaths from the database at the end of the study. According to logistic regression, we performed propensity score (PS) matching to reduce potential bias. Factors associated with total mortality in the 12 months were analyzed using multivariable Cox proportion hazard analysis. Results: The mean age [standard deviation (SD)] was 74.5 (±6.9), and the male/female ratio was 337/264. The prevalence of total mortality was 16.9% (n = 102). A total of 4472 drugs were analyzed for DOAC interaction. 81.8% of older AF patients were not at risk in terms of potential interaction. In the Cox proportional hazard model after PS-matching, previous DOAC use with class X interaction was associated with significantly higher mortality risk (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.745, 95% confidence interval: 1.465-5.172, p = 0.004). Conclusions: Our study showed that while most co-medications do not have significant interactions with DOACs, few serious drug interactions contribute to mortality in elderly patients with AF during the pandemic.

Introducción: Evaluar el efecto de las interacciones farmacológicas con anticoagulantes orales directos (ACOD) crónicos sobre la mortalidad en pacientes mayores con fibrilación auricular (FA) durante la pandemia de la enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Métodos: Seguimos a un total de 601 pacientes ancianos (65 años) de la cohorte NOEL-Drug Registry que fueron remitidos a una consulta externa de tercer nivel entre el 9 de marzo de 2020 y el 1 de marzo de 2021. Registramos las características clínicas y los medicamentos durante los últimos tres meses. Además, todas las interacciones medicamentosas se identificaron utilizando Lexicomp®. Finalmente, registramos retrospectivamente todos los eventos de muerte, el diagnóstico de COVID-19 y las muertes relevantes de la base de datos al final del estudio. De acuerdo con la regresión logística, realizamos un emparejamiento por puntaje de propensión (PP) para reducir el posible sesgo. Los factores asociados con la mortalidad total en los 12 meses se analizaron mediante análisis de riesgo de proporción de Cox multivariable. Resultados: La edad media (desviación estándar [DE]) fue de 74,5 (± 6,9) y la relación hombre/mujer, de 337/264. La prevalencia de mortalidad total fue del 16,9% (n = 102). Se analizaron un total de 4.472 fármacos para determinar la interacción con ACOD. El 81,8% de los pacientes mayores con FA no estaban en riesgo en términos de interacción potencial. En el modelo de riesgos proporcionales de Cox después del emparejamiento por PP, el uso previo de ACOD con interacción X clase se asoció con un riesgo de mortalidad significativamente mayor (índice de riesgo ajustado: 2,745; intervalo de confianza del 95%: 1,465-5,172; p = 0,004). Conclusión: Nuestro estudio mostró que, si bien la mayoría de los medicamentos concomitantes no tienen interacciones significativas con los ACOD, pocas interacciones farmacológicas graves contribuyen a la mortalidad en pacientes de edad avanzada con fibrilación auricular durante la pandemia.

Impact of drug interactions with direct oral anticoagulants on mortality in elderly with atrial fibrillation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of drug interactions with chronic direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) on mortality in older atrial fibrillation (AF) patients during the Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: We followed a total of 601 elderly patients (65 years of age) from the NOEL-Drug Registry cohort who were referred to a tertiary outpatient clinic between 9 March 2020 and 1 March 2021. We recorded clinical characteristics and medications for the last 3 months. In addition, all drug interactions were identified using Lexicomp®. Finally, we recorded retrospectively all death events, COVID-19 diagnosis, and relevant deaths from the database at the end of the study. According to logistic regression, we performed propensity score (PS) matching to reduce potential bias. Factors associated with total mortality in the 12 months were analyzed using multivariable Cox proportion hazard analysis. RESULTS: The mean age [standard deviation (SD)] was 74.5 (±6.9), and the male/female ratio was 337/264. The prevalence of total mortality was 16.9% (n=102). A total of 4472 drugs were analyzed for DOAC interaction. 81.8% of older AF patients were not at risk in terms of potential interaction. In the Cox proportional hazard model after PS-matching, previous DOAC use with class X interaction was associated with significantly higher mortality risk (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.745, 95% confidence interval: 1.465-5.172, p=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that while most co-medications do not have significant interactions with DOACs, few serious drug interactions contribute to mortality in elderly patients with AF during the pandemic.

Predictive outcomes of APACHE II and expanded SAPS II mortality scoring systems in coronary care unit.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the predictive values of the expanded Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II and Acute Physiologic Score and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score in predicting in-hospital mortality in coronary care unit (CCU) patients. METHODS: In this study, expanded SAPS II and APACHE II scores were calculated in the CCU of a single-center tertiary hospital. Patients admitted to CCU with any cardivascular indication were included in the study. Both scores were calculated according to previously determined criteria. Calibration and discrimination abilities of the scores in predicting in-hospital mortality were tested with Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit C chi-square and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analyses. RESULTS: A total of 871 patients were included in the analysis. The goodness-of-fit C chi-square test showed that both scores have a good performance in predicting survivors and nonsurvivors in CCU. Expanded SAPS II score has a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 91.8% with the cut-off value of 5.55, while APACHE II has a sensitivity of 75.9% and a specificity of 87.4% with the cut-off value of 16.5 in predicting mortality. CONCLUSION: Expanded SAPS II and APACHE II scores have good ability to predict in-hospital mortality in CCU patients. Therefore, they can be used as a tool to predict short-term mortality in cardiovascular emergencies.

Electrophysiological characteristics of epicardial atrial tachycardias and endocardial breakthrough site targeting for ablation: a single center experience.

BACKGROUND: Despite being increasingly observed in daily practice, epicardial atrial tachycardias (Epi AT) have not been extensively characterized. In the present study, we retrospectively characterize electrophysiological properties, electroanatomic ablation targeting, and outcomes of this ablation strategy. METHODS: Patients who underwent scar-based macro-reentrant left atrial tachycardia mapping and ablation patients with at least one Epi AT, which had a complete endocardial map, were selected for the inclusion. Based on current electroanatomical knowledge, Epi ATs were classified based by utilization of following epicardial structures: Bachmann's bundle, septopulmonary bundle, vein of Marshall. Endocardial breakthrough (EB) sites were analyzed as well as entrainment parameters. EB site was targeted for initial ablation. RESULTS: Among seventy-eight patients undergoing scar-based macro-reentrant left atrial tachycardia ablation, fourteen (17.8%) patients met the inclusion criteria for Epi AT and were included in the study. Sixteen Epi ATs were mapped, four utilizing Bachmann's bundle, five utilizing septopulmonary bundle, and seven utilizing vein of Marshall. Fractionated, low amplitude signals were present at EB sites. Rf terminated the tachycardia in ten patients; activation changed in five patients and in one patient atrial fibrillation ensued. During the follow-up, there were three recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: Epicardial left atrial tachycardias are a distinct type of macro-reentrant tachycardias that can be characterized by activation and entrainment mapping, without need for epicardial access. Endocardial breakthrough site ablation reliably terminates these tachycardias with good long-term success.

Rationale, Design, and Methodology of the MORCOR-TURK Trial: Predictors of In-hospital MORtality in CORonary Care Patients in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Coronary care units are sophisticated clinics established to reduce deaths due to acute cardiovascular events. Current data on coronary care unit mortality rates and predictors of mortality in Turkey are very limited. The MORtality predictors in CORonary care units in TURKey (MORCOR-TURK) trial was designed to provide information on the mortality rates and predictors in patients followed in coronary care units in Turkey. METHODS: The MORCOR-TURK trial will be a national, observational, multicenter, and noninterventional study conducted in Turkey. The study population will include coronary care unit patients from 50 centers selected from all regions in Turkey. All consecutive patients admitted to coronary care units with cardiovascular diagnoses between 1 and 30 September 2022 will be prospectively enrolled. All data will be collected at one point in time, and the current clinical practice will be evaluated (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT05296694). In the first step of the study, admission diagnoses, demographic characteristics, basic clinical and laboratory data, and in-hospital management will be assessed. At the end of the first step, the predictors and rates of in-hospital mortality will be documented. The second step will be in cohort design, and discharged patients will be followed up till 1 year. Predictors of short- and long-term mortality will be assessed. Moreover, a new coronary care unit mortality score will be generated with data acquired from this cohort. RESULTS: The short-term outcomes of the study are planned to be shared by early 2023. CONCLUSION: The MORCOR-TURK trial will be the largest and most comprehensive study in Turkey evaluating the rates and predictors of in-hospital mortality of patients admitted to coronary care units.

Evaluation of inflammation markers in mitral valve prolapse.

OBJECTIVE: Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is the most common cause of mitral regurgitation in developed countries. The role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of MVP is still not clear. In this study, we aimed to investigate how inflammatory markers such as monocyte/high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR), lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet/neutrophil ratio (PLR) are affected in MVP patients. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we included 461 patients with MVP and 459 normal echocardiographic patients, matched with gender and age. Inflammatory markers and all variables were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in age, sex, or body mass index between the two groups. Neutrophil counts (4,960 [3,900-6,780]. 4,200 [3,800-5,600], p < 0.001), NLR (2.488 [1.72-4.51], 1.857 [1.49-2.38], p < 0.001), MHR (14.9 [11.9-18.6], 12.2 [9.4-17.3], p = 0.003), PLR (122.4 [85-171], 104.4 [85-130], p < 0.001), and CRP (0.71 ± 0.50, 0.67 ± 0.33 p < 0.001) were significantly higher, and LMR (3.75 [2.75-5.09], 4.06 [3.12-4.83] p = 0.016) was significantly lower in the MVP group than the control group, respectively. In logistic regression analysis, NLR (odds ratio [OR]: 1.058 [1.047-1.072]; p < 0.001), LMR (OR: 1.560 [1.211-2.522]; p = 0.027), and PLR (OR: 1.015 [1.012-1.019]; p = 0.003) were found to be independent predictors for MVP presence. CONCLUSIONS: These parameters can be used as a simple, low-cost, practical tool to detect inflammation in MVP.

OBJETIVO: El prolapso de la válvula mitral (MVP) es la causa más común de insuficiencia mitral en los países desarrollados. El papel de la inflamación en la patogenia del MVP aún no está claro. En este estudio, nuestro objetivo fue investigar cómo los marcadores inflamatorios como la proporción monocitos/HDL (MHR), la proporción linfocitos/monocitos (LMR), la proporción neutrófilos/linfocitos (NLR) y la proporción plaquetas/neutrófilos (PLR) se ven afectados en pacientes con MVP. MÉTODOS: En este estudio retrospectivo, incluimos a 461 pacientes con PVM y 459 pacientes ecocardiográficos normales, emparejados por sexo y edad. Se compararon los marcadores inflamatorios y todas las variables entre los dos grupos. RESULTADOS: No hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas en edad, sexo o índice de masa corporal entre los dos grupos. El recuento de neutrófilos (4,960 [3,900-6,780], 4,200 [3,800-5,600], p < 0.001), NLR (2.488 [1.72-4.51], 1,857 [1.49-2.38], p < 0.001), MHR (14.9 [11.9-18.6]), (12.2 [9.4-17.3], p = 0.003), PLR (122.4 [85-171], 104.4 [85-130], p < 0.001) y PCR (0.71 ± 0.50, 0.67 ± 0.33 p < 0.001) fueron significativamente mayores y LMR (3.75 [2.75-5.09], 4.06 [3.12-4.83] p = 0.016) fue significativamente menor en el grupo MVP que en el grupo de control, respectivamente. En el análisis de regresión logística; NLR (OR: 1.058 [1.047-1.072]; p < 0.001), LMR (OR: 1.560 [1.211-2.522]; p = 0.027) y PLR (OR: 1.015 [1.012-1.019]; p = 0.003) se encontraron como predictores independientes para la presencia de MVP. CONCLUSIONES: Estos parámetros pueden utilizarse como una herramienta sencilla, práctica y de bajo costo para detectar la inflamación en el PVM.

Novel Drug Interaction index and Risk of Mortality in Older Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Receiving Non Vitamin K Oral Anticoagulants (NOEL Drug).

Drug interactions with novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) may decrease their advantages. We aimed to explore the drug interaction rates with NOACs and impacts of drug interaction index (DII) on mortality among older patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). In this retrospective cohort study, we enrolled 704 eligible patients aged 65≤ with AF between January 1, 2018 and December 30, 2019 in a tertiary outpatient cardiology clinic. We recorded demographic, clinical characteristics, and medications for the last 3 months. At the end of the evaluation visit (March 1, 2020), death events and dates were recorded. All medications were checked for drug interactions using Lexicomp® software. Each drug interaction was annotated according to risk grade. Moreover, we determined a new index ratio of C/D/X classes to total interactions called DII. The mean age was 75.19 ± 7.13 and 398 (56%) were male. Death events were observed in 106 (15%) patients. A total of 9883 drugs were analyzed for drug interactions. The majority of drug interactions were in class A (80.7%). Clinically relevant interactions were 14.6% (Class C/D/X). The area under receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.704 (95% confidence interval: 0.653-0.754) and 0.167 cutoff value (68.9% sensitivity and 80.2% specificity [3.11 positive likelihood ratio]) for DII to predict mortality. This study showed an overview of the NOACs interactions in older patients with AF. Additionally, the inappropriate NOAC dose and DII showed an association with mortality. NOAC treatment should be guided by drug interaction applications to reduce mortality.

Effects of new drug interaction index on drug adherence in older patients with hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: Hypertension is a challenging problem in the older population because of poor drug adherence (DA). We aimed to determine the DA and examine the drug interaction index (DII) on DA in older patients with hypertension. METHODS: In this cross-sectional, observational study, we enrolled 418 eligible patients aged ≥ 65 years between 1 February 2020 and 30 September 2020 in a tertiary hospital outpatient cardiology clinic. We prepared a questionnaire to record sociodemographic characteristics, morbidities, and drugs used by the population. The Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 (MMAS-8) was used for DA assessment. We identified drug interactions using the Lexicomp application. We calculated the DII from a ratio of clinically relevant interaction to total interaction. Descriptive tests and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to find independent factors on DA. RESULTS: The mean age (± standard deviation [SD]) was 72.91 (±6.47), and 272/146 were female/male in the study population. The most frequent comorbid disease was diabetes mellitus (23.5%). The percentage of patients having polypharmacy was 39.5, and the mean daily drug (±SD) use was 4.27 (±2.57). The most prescribed antihypertensive drugs were thiazide/derivates (29.8%) and angiotensin receptor blockers (24.8%). The mean MMAS-8 (±SD) was 4.55±0.98, and 321 (76.8%) participants had a poor DA. A total of 33.4% of patients had significant drug interaction. The mean DII (±SD) was 0.345±0.017. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for DII was 0.616 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.547-0.686). CONCLUSION: We defined a new index for drug interaction intensity. Furthermore, the DII may be a useful tool to study aspects of DA in older patients with hypertension.