Heart rate variability can be affected by gender, blood pressure, and insulin resistance Reply

Durakoglugil, Emre/0000-0001-5268-4262WOS: 000351850500019PubMed: 26065312[No abstract available

The role of serum bilirubin levels in determining venous thromboembolism

duman, hakan/0000-0002-1441-7320WOS: 000491548200004PubMed: 30922986Objective: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a disease that includes both deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Bilirubin is an endogenous anti-inflammatory marker associated with atherothrombosis. the purpose of our study was to investigate the association of serum bilirubin levels with the presence of VTE. Methods: A total of 103 patients with VTE (distal DVT, n = 34; proximal DVT, n = 30; PE, n = 39) and 50 control patients were cross-sectionally enrolled. Peripheral venous duplex ultrasound and computed tomography were used for the diagnosis of VTE. Fasting blood samples were drawn for biochemical analyses. Results: Baseline characteristics were not different between groups. the VTE group had lower bilirubin level (9.0 +/- 2.6 mu mol/L vs 7.3 +/- 3 mu mol/L; P = .001) and higher high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentration (0.8 [0.3-2] mg/L vs 1.1 [0.2-3] mg/L; P = .008) and white blood cell count (7.4 +/- 1.5 x 10(9)/L vs 8.2 +/- 2.7 x 10(9)/L; P = .02) compared with control patients. in the analysis of variance, the levels of total direct bilirubin and hs-CRP were clearly different between the control group and VTE subgroups (distal and proximal DVT and PE). the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed a cutoff value of 8.9 mu mol/L for total bilirubin (sensitivity, 74%; specificity, 55%) and an area under the curve of 0.659 (P < .001). Conclusions: Bilirubin level, hs-CRP concentration, and white blood cell count were independently associated with VTE

The role of urotensin II and atherosclerotic risk factors in patients with slow coronary flow

Durakoglugil, Emre/0000-0001-5268-4262; Cetin, Mustafa/0000-0001-6342-436X; Erdogan, Turan/0000-0003-2986-5457; duman, hakan/0000-0002-1441-7320WOS: 000390989800005PubMed: 28180005Background: Slow coronary flow (SCF) is an angiographic finding characterized with delayed opacification of epicardial coronary arteries without obstructive coronary disease. Urotensin II (UII) is an important vascular peptide, which has an important role in hypertension, coronary artery disease, and vascular remodeling in addition to potent vasoconstrictor effect. Objectives: We investigated UII levels, hypertension, and other atherosclerotic risk factors in patients with SCF, a variety of coronary artery disease. Methods: We enrolled 14 patients with SCF and 29 subjects with normal coronary arteries without SCF. We compared the UII levels and the atherosclerotic risk factors between patients with SCF and control subjects with normal coronary flow. Results: UII concentrations were significantly higher in patients with SCF compared to controls (711.0 +/- 19.4 vs. 701.5 +/- 27.2 ng/mL, p = 0.006). We detected a positive correlation between SCF and age (r = 0.476, p = 0.001), BMI (r = 0.404, p = .002), UII concentrations (r = 0.422, p = 0.006), and hypertension (r = 0.594, p = 0.001). Conclusion: We identified increased UII levels in patients with SCF. We think that UII concentrations may be informative on SCF pathogenesis due to relationship with inflammation, atherosclerosis, and vascular remodeling

The effect of epicardial adipose tissue thickness with irritable bowel syndrome

Durakoglugil, Emre/0000-0001-5268-4262; duman, hakan/0000-0002-1441-7320; Erdogan, Turan/0000-0003-2986-5457WOS: 000446564700008PubMed: 30317341Objective: To investigate the association of epicardial adipose tissue thickness with irritable bowel syndrome. Methods: This case-control and observational study was conducted in Recep Tayyip Erdogan University between January and December 2014, and comprised patients of irritable bowel syndrome and healthy controls who underwent a complete transthoracic echocardiographic examination as well as measurements of epicardial adipose tissue. They were screened for psychiatric or organic bowel diseases for the sake of precise diagnosis. Epicardial fat thickness was measured perpendicularly in front of the right ventricular free wall at end-diastole.SPSS 15 was used to analyse the data. Results: of the 75 subjects, 44(59%) were patients and 31(41%) were controls. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups except epicardial adipose tissue thickness, which was significantly elevated in patients (p<0.001). C-reactive protein was significantly higher in patients (p=0.002). Epicardial adipose tissue (p<0.001) and haematocrit (p<0.05) were independent predictors of irritable bowel syndrome. Conclusion: Increased epicardial adipose tissue thickness, and accompanying low-grade inflammation appeared to be involved in irritable bowel syndrome pathogenesis

THE RELATIONSHIPS OF ISOLATED CORONARY ARTERY ECTASIA WITH UROTENSIN 2 LEVELS, HYPERTENSION AND OTHER ATHEROSCLEROTIC RISK FACTORS

Durakoglugil, Emre/0000-0001-5268-4262WOS: 000346319200024Aims: Isolated coronary artery ectasia (ICAE) is characterized with ectasia of the coronary arteries due to inflammation, atherosclerosis and positive vascular remodelling without concomitant stenosis. Urotensin II (UII) is an important vascular peptide which has influence on vascular remodelling in addition to potent vasoconstrictor effect. We investigated UII levels, hypertension, and other atherosclerotic risk factors in patients with ICAE. Materials and methods: Among 1820 patients who underwent coronary angiography between May 2010 and 2011 in our hospital, 20 patients (18 male) with ICAE, and 28 patients (11 male) with normal coronary arteries (NCA) were enrolled. We compared UII levels, risk factors between patients with ICAE and NCA. Results: UII concentrations were significantly higher in patients with ICAE compared to controls (700.0 +/- 16.6 ng/ml vs. 708.0 +/- 33.5 ng/ml, p:0.02). Moreover, patients with ICAE tended to be older, with higher BMI, lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and more prevalent hypertension. ICAE correlated positively with UII levels (r:0.339, p:0.02), advanced age (r:0.594, p: 0.001), BMI (r:0.390, p: 0.005) whereas a negative correlation existed between HDL-C, and ICAE (r:-0.305, p:0.037). Conclusion: We identified increased UII levels in patients with ICAE. Higher UII concentrations may further imply the role of atherosclerosis in ICAE pathogenesis due to its relationship with inflammation, atherosclerosis and vascular remodelling

Increased Epicardial Adipose Tissue is Associated with the Extent of Aortic Dissection

WOS: 000588732200005PubMed: 33299785Background: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a biologically active organ that has endocrine and paracrine functions. Endothelial dysfunction, systemic, and local inflammatory response, due to bio-active molecules produced by EAT, may affect aortic dissection propagation and extent. We investigated the association between EAT thickness and the extent of aortic dissection. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 78 patients with aortic dissection diagnosed by thoracoabdominal Computerized Tomography (CT). EAT was measured from the thickest part of the perpendicular plane between the pericardium and free wall of the right ventricle using CT. Aortic dissection length was measured from the beginning to the end of the dissection flap at sagittal images. Results: We included 78 patients with the mean age of 63.9 +/- 11.7 and 57 (73.5%) patients were male. Dissection length was correlated positively with EAT (r = 0.409, p < 0.001), body mass index (r = 0.408, p = 0.018), and admission systolic blood pressure (r = 0.830, p = 0.026) whereas an inverse correlation existed between age and dissection length (r = 0.318, p = 0.005). Multivariate analysis identified age and EAT as independent predictors of dissection length. Conclusion: Increased EAT was independently associated with the extent of aortic dissection. We think that either paracrine and endocrine functions of EAT might have contributed to the extent of aortic dissection

The relationship between total atrial conduction time and left atrial global strain in patients with psoriasis vulgaris

Cetin, Mustafa/0000-0001-6342-436X; duman, hakan/0000-0002-1441-7320WOS: 000472793500006PubMed: 31360181Introduction: Psoriasis vulgaris is a chronic, multisystem disease that results in the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) over time. in this study, our goal was to assess predictors of AF in patients with psoriasis, including total atrial conduction time (TACT) and left atrial global longitudinal strain (LAGLS). Material and methods: A total of 80 individuals, including 40 psoriasis patients and 40 healthy controls, were enrolled in the study. A physical examination was performed, biochemical parameters were studied, and Holter electrocardiography was carried out. Conventional echocardiography, atrial tissue Doppler, and speckle tracking echocardiography were recorded. Results: No significant difference was observed between psoriasis patients and healthy controls with regard to age, and the average duration of psoriasis was 5.7 years. High-sensitivity C reactive protein levels were higher in the patient group compared to the control group (respectively, group 1: 1 +/- 0.8; group 2: 0.6 +/- 0.3, p < 0.05). Atrial arrhythmia was not detected in the Holter ECG monitoring. A significant moderate negative correlation between TACT and LAGLS (r = -0.57, p < 0.05) was observed, and there was a significant moderate positive correlation between the duration of disease and TACT (r = 0.52, p < 0.05). Conclusions: in the current study, we determined that LAGLS decreased, TACT was prolonged, and P-wave dispersion increased in patients with psoriasis. the current results may improve predictions of AF risk in psoriasis patients in clinical practice

Endothelial dysfunction, subclinical atherosclerosis and LDL cholesterol are the independent predictors of left atrial functions in hypertension

Cetin, Mustafa/0000-0001-6342-436X; KALAYCIOGLU, EZGI/0000-0003-2122-1817; Ozyildiz, Ali Gokhan/0000-0003-0679-9434WOS: 000511731200011PubMed: 31586295Left atrial function has an important role in determining optimal performance of the heart. Increase of left atrial dysfunction and volume are poor prognostic factors. in this study, we investigated independent determinants of left atrial function in non-diabetic patients with de novo hypertension. the study included 124 consecutive non-diabetic patients with de novo hypertension. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation, carotid intima-media thickness, transthoracic echocardiography, 24-h rhythm holter, and aortic stiffness measurements were recorded. in echocardiography, left atrial maximum (LAMaV) and minimum (LAMiV) volumes were calculated. Left atrium total emptying fraction (LATEF) and total emptying volume (LATEV) were divided into two groups according to the mean levels. Multivariate analysis was performed after correlation analysis for LATEV and LATEF mean levels. By logistic regression analysis, systolic blood pressure (OR 0.882, 95% CI 0.784-0.992, p = 0.036), percent of flow-mediated dilation (OR 0.747, 95% CI 0.595-0.938, p = 0.012), and presence of carotid plaque (OR 0.014, 95% CI 0.001-0.188, p = 0.001) were found as independent variables that determine LATEF. Age (OR 0.879, 95% CI 0.795-0.972, p = 0.012), smoking (OR 23.739, 95% CI 2.699-208.810, p = 0.004), left ventricular mass index (OR 1.052, 95% CI 1.012-1.094, p = 0.011), mitrale E-wave velocity (OR 1.108, 95% CI 1.031-1.191, p = 0.005) and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol (OR 0.942, 95% CI 0.911-0.974, p = 0.001) were independent predictors of LATEV. in non-diabetic patients with de novo hypertension endothelial dysfunction, subclinical atherosclerosis and LDL cholesterol levels independently affect left atrial function

Total Bilirubin Levels Predict Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Patients With Prediabetes

Vuruskan, Ertan/0000-0001-6820-3582; Durakoglugil, Emre/0000-0001-5268-4262; duman, hakan/0000-0002-1441-7320WOS: 000386036600005PubMed: 26921264Bilirubin may have important antiatherosclerotic effects. Prediabetes (PD), the intermediate stage before diabetes mellitus, is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We evaluated the relationship between serum bilirubin levels and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), as a surrogate marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, in patients with PD. We enrolled 170 consecutive patients with PD. the patients underwent ultrasonography to evaluate cIMT. the patients were divided into groups according to cIMT values (<0.9 vs 0.9 mm). the patients with cIMT 0.9 mm had significantly higher diastolic blood pressure, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and glycated hemoglobin values compared with patients having cIMT < 0.9 mm, whereas total and direct bilirubin values were significantly lower in this group. Multivariate regression analyses revealed NLR and total bilirubin as the independent predictors of subclinical atherosclerosis. the present study demonstrated that NLR and lower total bilirubin levels were independent predictors of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with PD. Simple measures such as NRL and total bilirubin may provide predictive information regarding the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with PD

Arterial Stiffness Measured Via Carotid Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity Is Associated With Disease Severity in COPD

Ozkaya, Sevket/0000-0002-8697-4919; Durakoglugil, Emre/0000-0001-5268-4262; KAYHAN, SERVET/0000-0003-4226-2781; Erdogan, Turan/0000-0003-2986-5457WOS: 000331427800015PubMed: 23821765BACKGROUND: Patients with COPD face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and increased cardiac mortality. Carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) is a validated measure of arterial stiffness, a well recognized predictor of adverse cardiovascular outcomes, and offers higher predictive value than classical cardiovascular risk factors. We investigated the association between COPD and arterial stiffness using cf-PWV as a noninvasive technique. METHODS: This clinical study was prospective, observational, and cross-sectional. Sixty-two subjects with stable COPD and 22 healthy controls underwent physical examination, chest x-rays, pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gas analysis, and 6-min walk test, and cf-PWV was measured via a validated tonometry system. RESULTS: the COPD subjects had greater arterial stiffness than the control subjects, and that difference was associated with lower FEV1, P-aO2, and oxygen saturation during the 6-min walk test. We observed higher cf-PWV in the COPD subjects with severe COPD than in the subjects with mild to moderate COPD. Only FEV1 was an independent predictor of cf-PWV. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that arterial stiffness is increased in subjects with more severe and advanced COPD than in those with mild to moderate COPD. Air flow limitation and hypoxemia may induce increased arterial stiffness in COPD patients