In Regard to Otelea et al.

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Are Female Patients More Overlooked in the Diagnosis of Fabry Disease?

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A Spider in the Spider’s View: Behçet’s Disease-related Giant Coronary Aneurysm

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Um Stent Mal Colocado na Artéria Septal Perfurante: Fístula Ventricular Direita, Hematoma do Septo Interventricular e Obstrução da Via de Saída do Ventrículo Direito

Resumo As fístulas coronário-camerais, embora consideradas em sua maioria como entidades congênitas, também têm sido encontradas como complicações de grandes traumas e intervenções coronárias percutâneas (ICPs).1 Por outro lado, o hematoma do septo interventricular (SIV) pode potencialmente surgir principalmente durante intervenções de oclusão total crônica retrógrada (OTC) e tem um curso benigno nesse contexto.2 Aqui, descrevemos uma complicação desafiadora da ICP (e sua estratégia de manejo) apresentando hematoma do SIV, fístula ventricular direita e obstrução da via de saída do ventrículo direito (VSVD) devido a um stent coronário mal implantado na artéria septal perfurante (ASP)

The Effect of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Level Within the Reference Range on In-Hospital and Short-Term Prognosis in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients

Background and objectives: Despite being within the normal reference range, changes in thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels have negative effects on the cardiovascular system. The majority of patients admitted to hospital with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are euthyroid. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TSH level on the prognosis of in-hospital and follow-up periods of euthyroid ACS patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 629 patients with acute coronary syndrome without thyroid dysfunction were included in the study. TSH levels of patients were 0.3–5.33 uIU/mL. Patients were divided into three TSH tertiles: TSH level between (1) 0.3 uIU/mL and <0.90 uIU/mL (n = 209), (2) 0.90 uIU/mL and <1.60 uIU/mL (n = 210), and (3) 1.60 uIU/mL and 5.33 uIU/mL (n = 210). Demographic, clinical laboratory, and angiographic characteristics were compared between groups in terms of in-hospital and follow-up prognosis. Results: Mean age was 63.42 ± 12.5, and 73.9% were male. There was significant difference between tertiles in terms of TSH level at admission (p < 0.001), the severity of coronary artery disease (p = 0.024), in-hospital mortality (p < 0.001), in-hospital major hemorrhage (p = 0.005), total adverse clinical event (p = 0.03), follow-up mortality (p = 0.022), and total mortality (p < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the high–normal TSH tertile was found to be cumulative mortality increasing factor (OR = 6.307, 95%; CI: 1.769–22.480; p = 0.005) during the 6-month follow-up period after hospitalization and discharge. Conclusions: High–normal TSH tertile during hospital admission in euthyroid ACS patients is an independent predictor of total mortality during the 6-month follow-up period after hospitalization and discharge

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Transthoracic Echocardiography: Investigation of Concordance between the Two Methods for Measurement of the Cardiac Chamber

Background and objectives: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is the gold standard method for the detection of ventricular volumes and myocardial edema/scar. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) imaging is primarily used in the evaluation of cardiac functions and chamber dimensions. This study aims to investigate whether the chamber diameter measurements are concordant with each other in the same patient group who underwent TTE and CMR. Materials and Methods: The study included 41 patients who underwent TTE and CMR imaging. Ventricular and atrial diameter measurements from TTE-derived standard parasternal long axis and apical four-chamber views and CMR-derived three- and four-chamber views were recorded. The concordance between the two methods was compared using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and Bland–Altman plots. Results: Of the patients, 25 (61%) were male and the mean age was 48.12 ± 16.79. The mean ICC for LVDD between CMR observers was 0.957 (95% CI: 0.918–0.978), while the mean ICC between CMR and TTE measurements were 0.849 (95% CI: 0.709–0.922) and 0.836 (95% CI: 0.684–0.915), respectively. The mean ICC for the right ventricle between CMR observers was 0.985 (95% CI: 0.971–0.992), while the mean ICC between CMR and TTE measurements were 0.869 (95% CI: 0.755–0.930) and 0.892 (95% CI: 0.799–0.942), respectively. Passing–Bablok Regression and Bland–Altman plots indicated high concordance between the two methods. Conclusions: TTE and CMR indicated high concordance in chamber diameter measurements for which the CMR should be considered in patients for whom optimal evaluation with TTE could not be performed due to their limitations

The Inflammation-Based Glasgow Prognostic Score as a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Intensive Cardiovascular Care Unit

Background: The Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), which is obtained from a combination of C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum albumin level, predicts poor prognoses in many cancer types. Systemic inflammation also plays an important role in pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of inflammation-based GPS on in-hospital and long-term outcomes in patients hospitalized in intensive cardiovascular care unit (ICCU). Methods: A total of 1004 consecutive patients admitted to ICCU were included in the study, and patients were divided into three groups based on albumin and CRP values as GPS 0, 1, and 2. Patients’ demographic, clinic, and laboratory findings were recorded. In-hospital and one-year mortality rates were compared between groups. Results: Mortality occurred in 109 (10.8%) patients in in-hospital period, 82 (8.1%) patients during follow-up period, and thus, cumulative mortality occurred in 191 (19.0%) patients. Patients with a high GPS score had a higher rate of comorbidities and represented increased inflammatory evidence. In the multivariate regression model there was independent association with in-hospital mortality in GPS 1 patients compared to GPS 0 patients (Odds ratio, (OR); 5.52, 95% CI: 1.2–16.91, p = 0.025) and in GPS 2 patients compared to GPS 0 patients (OR; 7.01, 95% CI: 1.39–35.15, p = 0.018). A higher GPS score was also associated with a prolonged ICCU and hospital stay, and increased re-hospitalization in the follow-up period. Conclusion: Inflammation based GPS is a practical tool in the prediction of worse prognosis both in in-hospital and one-year follow-up periods in ICCU patients

The Relationship between Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging Lesions and 24-Hour Rhythm Holter Findings in Patients with Cryptogenic Stroke

Background and objectives: Cranial magnetic resonance imaging findings of patients considered to be cryptogenic stroke may be useful in determining the clinical and prognostic significance of arrhythmias, such as atrial premature beats and atrial run attacks, that are frequently encountered in rhythm Holter analysis. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between short atrial runs and frequent premature atrial contractions detected in Holter monitors and infarct distributions in cranial magnetic resonance imaging of patients diagnosed with cryptogenic stroke. Materials and Methods: We enrolled the patients with acute ischemic stroke whose etiology were undetermined. We divided the patients in two groups according to diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging as single or multiple vascular territory acute infarcts. The demographic, clinical, laboratory, echocardiographic, and rhythm Holter analyses were compared. Results: The study investigated 106 patients diagnosed with cryptogenic stroke. Acute cerebral infarctions were detected in 31% of the investigated patients in multiple territories and in 69% in a single territory. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the total premature atrial contraction count (OR = 1.002, 95% CI: 1.001⁻1.004, p = 0.001) and short atrial run count (OR = 1.086, 95% CI: 1.021⁻1.155, p = 0.008) were found as independent variables that could distinguish between infarctions in a single or in multiple vascular territories. Conclusions: Rhythm Holter monitoring of patients with infarcts detected in multiple vascular territories showed significantly higher premature atrial contractions and short atrial run attacks. More effort should be devoted to the identification of cardioembolic etiology in cryptogenic stroke patients with concurrent acute infarcts in the multiple vascular territories of the brain

Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index: A Novel Predictor of Coronary Thrombus Burden in Patients with Non-ST Acute Coronary Syndrome

Background and Objectives: Excessive coronary thrombus burden is known to cause an increase in mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in NSTE-ACS (non-ST acute coronary syndrome) patients. We investigated the association between the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and coronary thrombus burden in patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) who underwent coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Materials and Methods: A total of 389 patients with the diagnosis of NSTEMI participated in our study. Coronary thrombus burden was classified in the TIMI (thrombolysis in myocardial infarction) thrombus grade scale and patients were divided into two groups: a TIMI thrombus grade 0–1 group (n = 209, 157 males) and a TIMI thrombus grade 2–6 group (n = 180, 118 males). Demographics, angiographic lesion images, coronary thrombus burden, clinical risk factors, laboratory parameters, and SII score were compared between the two groups. Results: The high thrombus burden patient group had a higher neutrophil count, WBC count, platelet count, and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) (p < 0.001). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that at a cutoff of 1103, the value of SII manifested 74.4% sensitivity and 74.6% specificity for detecting a high coronary thrombus burden. Conclusions: Our study showed that the SII levels at hospital admission were independently associated with high coronary thrombus with NSTEMI