Assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis with carotid intima-media thickness in patients with scleroderma

Aim: Inflammation has an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. The risk of atherosclerosis and its complications is higher for patients with diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis in whom inflammatory activity is high than for healthy individuals. However, several studies have shown conflicting results in patients with scleroderma. In this study, carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was compared in patients with scleroderma and a control group. Methods: Thirty patients diagnosed with scleroderma (mean age 51.3 ± 11.8 years) and 30 healthy volunteers were included in the study. The groups were similar regarding age, gender, and risk factors for atherosclerosis. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups regarding age, gender, lipid level, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus prevalence (p>0.05). The mean CIMT (scleroderma group: 0.070±0.011, control group: 0.048±0.008,

Effect of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors on periprocedural myocardial infarction in patients with metabolic syndrome

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been reported as a risk factor for cardiovascular events. The aim of the present study is to investigate the association between chronic angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) therapy and the rate of periprocedural myocardial infarction (PMI) after elective coronary stenting among patients with MetS. Methods: The inclusion criteria were MetS and plan for elective percutaneous coronary intervention. To assess the effect of ACE-I treatment on the incidence of PMI, measurements of cardiac biomarkers (CK-MB mass and troponin I) were performed at baseline and 24 h after the procedure. Results: A total of 459 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were recruited to chronic ACE-I treatment and ACE-I naive groups in a 2/1 ratio. Baseline troponin I and CK-MB levels were similar in both treatment groups, whereas they were significantly lower in ACE-I group 24 h after the procedure. Univariate analysis identified body mass index (BMI), LDL cholesterol, nitrate and ACE-I use as significant factors for the development of PMI. Multivariate regression model revealed that body mass index increased and use of nitrate and ACE-I decreased the probability of PMI independent from confounding factors (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.05–1.23, p = 0.002 for BMI; OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.14–0.48, p = 0.01 for nitrate use, OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.27–0.93, p = 0.03 for ACE-I use). Conclusions: This prospective observational cohort trial demonstrated that chronic ACE-I therapy was an independent predictor for reduced PMI among patients with MetS who underwent elective coronary intervention

A Giant Left Atrial Myxoma Neovascularized from the Right Coronary Artery

Myxomas are benign and the most common tumors of the cardiac muscle (Reynen, 1995). They are predominantly located in the left atrium. Clinical manifestations may vary according to the localization and the size of the myxoma. On the other hand, imaging of a myxoma by contrast dye during coronary angiography is a rare sign, which displays the vascular supply of the tumor. Here, we report the case of a 51-year-old man presenting with presyncope and palpitations due to a giant left atrial myxoma having its vascular supply from the right coronary artery (RCA)

Serum neuron-specific enolase, a marker of neuronal injury, increases after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation

Objective Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) can lead to thromboembolic complications, especially stroke. We measured the periprocedural serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) level, which is a biomarker of neuronal injury, after ablation of AF. Methods Forty-three patients with paroxysmal AF were prospectively enrolled before radiofrequency ablation. A neurological examination was performed before and after the procedure. The serum NSE level was determined before and at the end of the procedure and at 2, 24, and 48 h after the procedure. Results No patients developed new neurological deficits. However, the median (interquartile range) NSE level increased after ablation from 6.7 (3.87) ng/mL at baseline to 11.48 (5.3) ng/mL at 24 h postoperatively. The NSE level exceed the upper reference limit of normal (17 ng/mL) in 14 patients (33%), and these patients were found to have a larger left atrium. Conclusions Serum NSE increased in most of the patients undergoing ablation for AF, and it exceeded the normal limit in one-third of the patients. Although NSE is a biomarker of neuronal injury, the clinical importance of this increase after AF ablation and its relationship with the left atrial diameter should be evaluated in a longitudinal study