The statin and control groups were similar in age (53.7 ± 14.2 years and 52.6 ± 17.6 years, respectively), sex (male 40% and 45%, respectively), diagnosis (non-Hodgkin's lymphoma 60% and 55%; ...multiple myeloma 10% and 20%; leukemia 30% and 25%, respectively), and in treatment with other chemotherapeutic agents (vincristine 90% and 95%; cyclophosphamide 80% and 85%; methotrexate 25% and 25%; and prednisolone 60% and 55% or dexamethasone 10% and 15%, respectively). In this regard, antioxidative properties are 1 of the main factors by which statins exert so-called pleiotropic effects. Because ANT-induced cardiotoxicity has been shown to be sufficiently triggered by cardiac oxidative stress and inflammation, in the present report it was hypothesized that statins, by their pleiotropic effects, might prevent ANT-induced cardiotoxicity.
Risk assessment is recommended for patients with congenital heart disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension. This study aims to compare an abbreviated version of the risk assessment ...strategy, noninvasive French model, and an abridged version of the Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management 2.0 risk score calculator, Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management Lite 2.
We enrolled a mixed prevalent and incident cohort of patients with congenital heart disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (n = 126). Noninvasive French model comprising World Health Organization functional class, 6-minute walk distance, and N-terminal pro-hormone of brain natriuretic peptide or brain natriuretic peptide was used. Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management Lite 2 includes functional class, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, 6-minute walk distance, brain natriuretic peptide/N-terminal pro-hormone of brain natriuretic peptide, and estimated glomerular filtration rate.
The mean age was 32.17 ± 16.3 years. The mean follow-up was 99.41 ± 58.2 months. Thirty-two patients died during follow-up period. Most patients were Eisenmenger syndrome (31%) and simple defects (29.4%). Most patients received monotherapy (76.2%). Most patients were World Health Organization functional class I-II (66.6%). Both models effectively identified risk in our cohort (P =.0001). Patients achieving 2 or 3 noninva-sive low-risk criteria or low-risk category by Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management Lite 2 at follow-up had a significantly reduced risk of death. Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management Lite 2 approximates noninvasive French model at discriminating among patients based on c-index. Age, high risk by Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management Lite 2, and the presence of 2 or 3 low-risk criteria by noninvasive French model emerged as an independent predictors of mortality (multivariate hazard ratio: 1.031, 95% CI: 1.005-1.058, P =.02; hazard ratio: 4.258, CI: 1.143-15.860, P =.031; hazard ratio: 0.095, CI: 0.013-0.672, P =.018, respectively).
Both abbreviated risk assessment tools may provide a simplified and robust method of risk assessment for congenital heart disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension. Patients not achieving low risk at follow-up may benefit from aggressive use of available therapies.
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a pathophysiological disorder that may involve multiple clinical conditions and complicate most systemic diseases. Systemic sclerosis (SSc), represents the leading ...cause of connective tissue disease (CTD) associated with PAH. Although SSc is a rare disease, it is associated with higher morbidity and early mortality than other rheumatological diseases due to developing SSc-associated interstitial pulmonary disease (ILD) and/or pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The impact of the early diagnosis on the prognosis is evident. In this context, in our study, we aimed to investigate the early changes in pulmonary vascular bed by measuring pulmonary arterial stiffness (PAS) in SSc patients without overt PAH. Sixty-two SSc patients and fifty-eight gender and age-matched, healthy subjects enrolled in this cross-sectional observational study. SSc patients were evaluated in terms of disease duration and severity. Modified rodnan skin score (mRSS) was calculated as disease severity index. Echocardiographic parameters were assessed and compared to the control group. Right ventricular (RV) diameters, systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP), and right ventricle myocardial performance index (RV-MPI) were significantly higher in the SSc group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and right ventricular fractional area change (RVFAC) were significantly lower in the SSc group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). PAS value (25.5 ± 9.2 kHz/ms vs. 18.1 ± 7.4 kHz/ms, p < 0.001) was significantly higher in the SSc group than in the control group. A statistically significant positive correlation relationship was detected between the PAS value and CRP, ESR, disease duration, mRSS. According to these results, in SSc patients, PAS as an inexpensive and easily applicable echocardiographic method might serve as a marker of early detection of PAH.
Thrombotic coronary artery occlusions usually manifest as acute coronary syndrome with cardiogenic shock, acute pulmonary edema, cardiac arrest, fatal arrhythmias, or sudden cardiac death. Although ...it usually occurs based on atherosclerosis, it can also occur without atherosclerosis. There is no predictor of coronary artery thrombosis clinically and no consensus regarding the optimal treatment. In the current literature, treatment options include emergency coronary artery bypass grafting, entrapment of thrombus in vessel wall with stent implantation, intracoronary thrombolysis, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, anticoagulation with heparin, and thrombus aspiration as reperfusion strategies. Here, we reviewed a new treatment strategy based on the literature, and a case series with successful results in hemodynamically stable patients with low-dose slow infusion tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for thrombotic coronary artery occlusions that allow coronary flow was reported. Prospective randomized studies and common consensus are needed on low-dose, slow-infusion tissue plasminogen activator treatment regimen and optimal treatment management for thrombotic coronary artery occlusions.
Risk stratification continues to evolve in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Our aim was to further confirm the risk assessment strategy in our cohort and to determine the most reliable model.
...We enrolled incident patients with idiopathic PAH (IPAH), heritable, drug-induced, congenital heart disease (CHD), connective tissue diseases (CTD) subsets, and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) from January 2008 to February 2018. Data from the baseline and subsequent follow-ups within 1 year of diagnosis were included. An abbreviated risk assessment strategy was applied using the following variables: functional class (FC), 6-minute walk distance (6 MWD), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) or BNP, right atrial (RA) area, pericardial effusion, the mean RA pressure, cardiac index, and mixed venous oxygen saturation. Three different methods were applied to categorize patients.
A total of 189 subjects (46+-17 years, 23% male) were included. Sixty-one patients had died. The survival differed significantly between the risk groups both at diagnosis and during the follow-up. Patients with a low-risk profile had a better survival rate. An abbreviated risk assessment tool predicted mortality at early follow-up in the entire group and CHD, CTD subsets, and CTEPH, separately. An overall mortality among risk categories was significantly different according to each categorization method. The most reliable model comprised FC, 6 MWD, NT pro-BNP/BNP, and the RA area at the follow-up.
The abbreviated risk assessment tool may be valid for the PAH subsets and CTEPH. Echocardiographic variables do matter. A model comprising FC, 6 MWD, NT pro-BNP/BNP, and the RA area at the follow-up could be useful for better prognostication.
Microvascular dysfunction is one of the pathophysiological mechanisms in heart failure. Nailfold videocapillaroscopy is a noninvasive technique used to examine the microvasculature.
In this study, we ...aimed to investigate the nailfold capillaroscopic abnormalities in heart failure patients with reduced and preserved ejection fraction and compare those with control group.
Three groups of patients were recruited for the study: HFrEF group includes the patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), HFpEF group, patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and control group, healthy asymptomatic individuals. Nailfold videocapillaroscopy was performed with a videodermatoscope and all nailfold images were evaluated for enlargement and hemorrhages.
Abnormal videocapillaroscopic findings including enlargement and/or hemorrhages were present in 7 (24%) patients in HFrEF group, 19 (66%) patients in HFpEF group and 11 (37%) in control group. The number of patients with abnormal videocapillaroscopic findings were significantly greater in HFpEF group compared to HFrEF (p < 0.05) and control groups (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was observed in videocapillaroscopic findings between HFrEF and control groups.
Our study showed that microvascular abnormalities demonstrated by videodermatoscopic examination of nailfold capillaries are considerably more common in HFpEF patients compared to HFrEF and control groups.
: An inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference (IASBPD) is defined as a blood pressure (BP) disparity of ≥10 mmHg between arms. IASBPDs are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular ...disease (CVD). Similarly, visceral fat accumulation (VFA) is clinically important because it is associated with higher cardiovascular disease risk. Accordingly, this study compared the body composition parameters of IASBPD individuals with individuals who did not express an IASBPD.
: The analysis included 104 patients. The blood pressures of all participants were measured simultaneously in both arms using automated oscillometric devices. Then patients were divided into two groups according to their IASBPD status: Group 1 (IASBPD- (<10 mmHg)); Group 2 (IASPPD+ (≥10 mmHg)). Body composition parameters were measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis.
: In 42 (40%) patients, the simultaneously measured IASBPD was equal to or higher than 10 mmHg. The right brachial SBP was higher in 63% of patients. There were no differences between the groups in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics. Regarding the two groups' body composition parameter differences, VFA was significantly higher in group 2 (
= 0.014).
: The IASBPD is known to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Although the body mass indexes (BMIs) of the two groups were similar, VFA levels in those with a greater than 10 mmHg IASBPD were found to be significantly higher. This finding may explain the increased cardiovascular risk in this group.
The newly identified adipokine chemerin has been shown to be associated with the components of MetS, inflammation and insulin resistance. In this study, the relationship between serum chemerin levels ...and the presence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) was evaluated in patients with MetS.
The study population consisted of 84 MetS patients (43 patients with CAD and 41 without CAD), who had coronary angiography for suspected coronary artery disease, and 46 healthy individuals as a control group. Angiographic CAD was defined as ≥ 50% luminal diameter stenosis of at least one major epicardial coronary artery. The severity of CAD was determined by the Gensini score. Serum chemerin levels were measured with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Serum chemerin levels were significantly higher in patients with MetS (n=84) than those in the control group (120.47±25.32 vs. 90.4±11.4 ng/ml P < 0.001). In addition, MetS patients with CAD had higher chemerin levels than MetS patients without CAD (128.7±26.6 vs. 115.7±15.2 ng/ml, P < 0.001). Serum chemerin levels had a significant positive correlation with the Gensini score (r=0.58, P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and chemerin levels were significant and independent predictors for determining the presence of angiographic CAD (OR=1.009, 95% CI: 0.972-1.057; P=0.003 and OR=0.925, 95% CI: 0.896-0.922; P < 0.001, respectively).
This study demonstrated that in patients with MetS, chemerin levels were higher in patients with CAD than patients without CAD and also showed a significant positive correlation with CAD severity.
The underlying mechanism of coronary slow flow (CSF) has not yet been clarified, although many studies have been conducted to understand its pathophysiology. In this study, we investigated the role ...of a very potent vasoconstrictor, urotensin-II (UII), in the pathophysiology of CSF. This prospective and controlled investigation aimed to evaluate the association between CSF and serum levels of UII.
Our study included 32 patients with slow flow in any coronary artery and 32 patients with normal coronary arteries. Coronary flow was calculated using the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) frame count (TFC) method, and CSF was defined as TFC ≥39 for the left anterior descending artery, TFC ≥27 for the circumflex coronary artery, and TFC ≥24 for the right coronary artery. UII levels in blood samples obtained from both groups were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method.
UII levels were significantly higher in the CSF group than in the control group 122 pg/mL (71-831), 95 pg/mL (21-635), respectively; p<0.001. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were lower in the CSF group, and leukocyte counts were significantly higher. A positive correlation between UII and mean TFC (r=0.524, p=0.002) was found in the CSF group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis determined that UII, HDL, and cigarette smoking were independent indicators in predicting CSF (OR=1.010, 95% confidence interval 1.002-1014, p=0.019; OR=0.927, 95% confidence interval 0.869-0.988, p=0.019; OR=5.755, 95% confidence interval 1.272-26.041, p=0.021, respectively).
Serum UII levels were found to be significantly higher in the CSF group, suggesting that UII may be one of the underlying factors in the pathogenesis of CSF.
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