Time interval from the initiation of the electrocardiographic P wave to the start of left atrial appendage ejection flow: A novel method for predicting atrial fibrillation recurrence

Objective: The incidence of paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence is high and unpredictable. in this study, a novel noninvasive method that was thought to reflect the interatrial. conduction time was investigated to predict AF recurrence. This method was on the basis of the measurement of time interval from initiation of the electrocardiographic P wave to the start of left atrial (LA) appendage (LAA) ejection How (P-LAA)

Vitamin D receptor polymorphisms among the Turkish population are associated with multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease characterized by demyelination and axonal degeneration affecting the central nervous system. Among the genetic factors suggested to be associated with this disease are polymorphisms to the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene. We tested the hypothesis that polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene are associated with MS. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship of MS with the VDR gene Fok-I, Bsm-I and Taq-I polymorphisms among the Turkish population. This study contains 271 MS patients and 203 healthy controls. Genomic DNA was isolated from the samples and the VDR gene Fok-I, Bsm-I and Taq-I polymorphism regions were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR products were digested, and the genotypes were determined based on size of digested PCR products. Our results demonstrate associations between MS and the distribution of the VDR gene Fok-I T/T polymorphism genotype in a dominant model, VDR gene Fok-I T allele frequency, distribution of VDR gene Taq-I C/C polymorphism genotype in a dominant model and VDR gene Taq-I C allele frequency (Pearson test, p0.05) or allele frequency (Pearson test, p\u3e0.05). Fok-I and Taq-I VDR gene polymorphisms are significantly associated with MS in dominant, homozygote and heterozygote inheritance models among the Turkish population

Use of tissue Doppler echocardiography in early detection of left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with mitral regurgitation

Objective: Left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) and left ventricular (LV) end-systolic diameter measurements are the most widely accepted and utilized methods to demonstrate LV dysfunction in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR). However, these parameters still have many drawbacks in predicting early LV dysfunction. This study investigates the clinical usefulness of tissue Doppler echocardiography technique in detecting early disturbance of myocardial contractility in asymptomatic patients with chronic, severe MR and normal LV ejection fraction values. Methods and Results: Regional systolic peak velocities of mitral annular motion during the ejection phase of systole ( SW2) were obtained at the mitral annuli of the ventricular septal, lateral, anteroseptal, posterior, anterior and inferior wall sites in the long axis in 31 asymptomatic patients with severe MR ( with a regurgitant volume of more than 50 ml) and with EFs more than 60%. The patients were grouped according to their dP/dt values ( more or less than 1300 mmHg/s) estimated non-invasively by using continuous Doppler wave of MR SW2 measurements of Group I were higher than Group II in all of the analyzed segments. The difference was statistically significant for all of the segments. SW2 values of the whole study group was moderately correlated with dP/dt measurements in all of the analyzed segments other than the interventricular septum. Conclusion: SW2 measurements in the long axis, which are considered to be relatively independent from afterload conditions may be helpful in early detection ( while EF is still in normal range) of LV systolic dysfunction during the follow-up of patients with chronic MR