The relationship between left ventricular mass and insulin resistance in obese patients

AbstractObjectiveIn this study, we investigated the relationship between left ventricular mass and insulin resistance in obese patients.MethodsA total of 90 subjects, 66 women, and 24 men, with an age range from 24 to 56 years, were enrolled in the study. Forty-nine patients were in the obesity group whose body mass index (BMI) was >29.9kg/m2 and 41 subjects were in the control group with a BMI <25kg/m2. All of them were normotensive, nondiabetic, and did not have any cardiovascular disease. They were not taking any medication. Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured and BMI was calculated. Plasma glucose, insulin, serum total, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were measured, and insulin resistance was calculated via homeostasis model of assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Subjects were examined by echocardiography and left ventricular mass (LVM) and index (LVMI) were calculated with Devereux formula.ResultsInsulin levels, HOMA-IR, LVM, and LVMI were significantly higher in obesity group (p<0.01). Fasting glucose, triglyceride, fasting insulin levels, and waist circumference did not correlate with LVMI.ConclusionIn conclusion, though findings of the present study suggest increased left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in obese subjects compared to controls, it appears that the increased LVM or LVH is not linked to BMI and insulin resistance in this study population

A Research on the Determination of Brand Personality Perception of Universities

Along with getting strength of producers and increasing of competition, the necessity of the differentiation of products also has increased. This necessity has created brand utility and thanks to the studies on brands, new concepts are added to literature. In this paper brand personality which is one of these concepts was examined. Additionally branding of universities and the brand personalities of universities which are perceived by university students were searched. Another subject of this study is whether some nationalist attitudes which are known as consumer ethnocentrism impact on brand personality perceptions of the students. Available studies show that ethnocentrism affect on consumer purchasing behavior. The fact that patriotic and nationalist tendencies of the students also in the education field may be determining in their adopting a brand personality towards universities and choosing a school is the point of origin of the study. As a result of this study that the brand personalities perceived by the students of the state and private universities aren’t different each other, there isn’t any noteworthy difference between the students of the state and private universities regarding ethnocentric tendencies impact on university preferences and the ethnocentric tendencies of students have influence on the brand personality perceptions towards the state and private universities are determined

Acute myocardial infarction in a patient with hemophilia A and factor V Leiden mutation

Factor VIII:C, epsilon amino-caproic acid or tranexamic acid are prophylactic agents used in preventing hemorrhage pre-operatively in patients with hemophilia A. Although hemophilia A seems to be a factor that avoids the development of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) as it tends to be associated with increased bleeding, it should be kept in mind that prothrombotic agents used pre-operatively for prophylaxis may increase the risk for AMI in the presence of the factor V Leiden mutation. In this report, we discuss the development of AMI following the use of recombinant factor VIII and tranexamic acid for prophylaxis in a patient with known hemophilia before a tooth extraction in conjunction with the relevant literature

Interarm systolic blood pressure difference is associated with myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery

Background: Myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery (MINS) is closely related to increased cardiovascular mortality. Aim: To evaluate the relationship between MINS and interarm systolic blood pressure difference (IASBPD), which has previously been shown to correlate with the frequency of cardiovascular events and arterial arteriosclerotic processes

Interarm systolic blood pressure difference is associated with myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery

Background: Myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery (MINS) is closely related to increased cardiovascular mortality. Aim: To evaluate the relationship between MINS and interarm systolic blood pressure difference (IASBPD), which has previously been shown to correlate with the frequency of cardiovascular events and arterial arteriosclerotic processes

The Relationship of Acute Myocardial Infarction With or Without ST-Segment Elevation and Viscosity

We compared hemorheological parameters in 42 male patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), with (n = 22) or without (n = 20) ST-segment elevation and in 20 controls. Plasma and blood viscosity (cP), plasma protein (g/dL) and fibrinogen (mg/dL) concentrations, red (10(6)/mu L) and white (10(3)/mu L) blood cell counts, hemoglobin concentration (g/dL), and hematocrit (%) were compared. Plasma viscosity was significantly higher in patients with AMI with (P = .012) and without (P = .046) ST-segment elevation than in controls. Patients with AMI with and without ST-segment elevation had significantly lower albumin (P = .002 and P = .009) and globulin (P = .001 and P = .007) concentrations, red blood cell counts (P = .0001 and P = .004), and hematocrit (P = .014 and P = .040) and significantly higher fibrinogen concentrations (P = .0001 and P = .001) than controls. These findings suggest that AMI in males is associated with increased plasma viscosity and fibrinogen concentrations and with decreased albumin and globulin concentrations, erythrocyte count, and hematocrit, regardless of ST-segment elevation

Leptin as an important link between obesity and cardiovascular risk factors in men with acute myocardial infarction

Objective: The levels of leptin, a major regulator of lipid metabolism, may increase in obesity, and contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome. Leptin is produced by adipose tissue and is a peptide hormone, which has strong association with obesity, elevated cardiovascular risk, and morbidity. The present study was designed to evaluate the relationships between leptin levels, obesity, and cardiovascular risk factors in men with acute myocardial infarction. Methods and results: Twenty-four obese and twenty-three nonobese male patients, who had experienced their first myocardial infarction, were included in the study. Their leptin levels, biochemical parameters, and anthropometric measures were obtained. Mean leptin levels were significantly higher in the obese group compared to the nonobese group (2.53 ng/mL versus 1.23 ng/mL; p < 0.01). Leptin levels correlated positively with anthropometric measurements, triglyceride, fasting glucose, C-reactive protein, and uric acid levels, and negatively with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Conclusion: Findings indicate high leptin levels to be positively correlated with obesity and diastolic blood pressure in male patients with myocardial infarction

Acute myocardial infarction in a patient with hemophilia A and factor V Leiden mutation

Factor VIII:C, epsilon amino-caproic acid or tranexamic acid are prophylactic agents used in preventing hemorrhage pre-operatively in patients with hemophilia A. Although hemophilia A seems to be a factor that avoids the development of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) as it tends to be associated with increased bleeding, it should be kept in mind that prothrombotic agents used Pre-operatively for prophylaxis may increase the risk for AMI in the presence of the factor V Leiden mutation. In this report, we discuss the development of AMI following the use of recombinant factor VIII and tranexamic acid for prophylaxis in a patient with known hemophilia before a tooth extraction in conjunction with the relevant literature. (Cardiol J 2009; 16, 5: 458-461

A new gap in the novel anticoagulants' era: undertreatment

After long years of using warfarin for atrial fibrillation, new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) became available for decreasing the risk of ischemic stroke. Our aim was to observe the physicians prescribing patterns of NOACs. This prospective observational study included patients using NOACs applying consecutively to our outpatient clinic. Physical examination was performed, and patient history, electrocardiogram, transthoracic echocardiography, and biochemical results were collected. Bleeding and ischemic stroke risk scores (HAS-BLED and CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc scores) were calculated. We evaluated patients' characteristics, risk factors, concomitant drug usage, and physicians' choices. The study consisted of 174 patients using NOACs (dabigatran 113 patients, rivaroxaban 61 patients), with a mean age of 70.7 +/- 8.8 years. The mean HAS-BLED score was 1.74 +/- 0.9 and the mean CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score was 3.7 +/- 1.2. Fifty-three (30.4%) patients were prescribed low-dose NOAC according to the optimal dose, and 12 (6.8%) patients were prescribed high-dose NOAC according to the optimal dose. We compared optimal dose and undertreatment groups to find out if there was any predicting factor for physicians to use low dose of NOACs, but there was no significant difference between the two groups for age, sex, concomitant chronic disease, and CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc and HAS-BLED scores. NOACs were prescribed to patients mostly with high CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score and low HAS-BLED score. Low-dose NOAC usage according to the optimal dose was frequent. Frequent coagulation monitoring and drug incompliance are big deficiencies at atrial fibrillation in use of warfarin. NOACs overcome these difficulties; however, physicians' hesitation to use NOACs with the optimal dosage may be another limitation in real-world practice. Copyright (c) 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved