Epicardial adipose tissue thickness and systemic sclerosis

İstanbul Bilim Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi.Purpose: Microvasculopathy and endothelial damage are prominent features of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and increases risk of cardiovascular disease. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is localized beneath the visceral pericardium and has been shown to be closely related with coronary artery disease (CAD). The goal of this study was to investigate the thickness of EAT in SSc patients who had no previous or current history of cardiac involvement. Methods: Thirty patients with SSc and 30 healthy controls (HC) were included to the study. Measurement of EAT was evaluated using echocardiography and Doppler imaging technique. Results: EAT thickness was significantly higher in SSc group compared to HC (6.2±0.9 mm vs. 5.3±0.6 mm, p=0.01) and it was correlated with disease severity score (r=0.45, p=0.01) in SSc patients.\nConclusion: This is the first study, displaying a significantly higher EAT thickness in patients with SSc. We believe that further studies are needed to clarify the role of adipose tissue in patients with SSc

The effect of RAAS inhibitors on acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and in-hospital mortality in the hypertensive Covid-19 patients

Introduction We have aimed to investigate the relationship between use of angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin-receptor-blocker (ARB) drugs and acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) and in-hospital mortality in hypertensive Covid-19 patients. Material and method Consecutive 1345 patients diagnosed with Covid-19 between April and October 2020 who met inclusion criteria were divided into two groups based on presence and absence of AHRF and mortality. The groups were compared regarding epidemiological, clinical, radiological, laboratory findings and treatments methods. The patient groups ACEI, ARB and other antihypertensive drugs (non-ACEI/ARB) were compared regarding same parameters. Results Median age was 68 (60–76) years in the patient group including 805 (59.9.1%) females. Of the patients, 475 (35.3%), 644 (47.9%) and 226 (16.8%) were using ACEIs, ARBs and non-ACEI/ARB, respectively. AHRF and in-hospital mortality developed in 1053 (78.3%) and 290 (21.6%) patients, respectively. Age, gender, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus (DM), neutrophil, lymphocyte, creatinine, D-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP), ACEI, beta blocker and aspartate transaminase (AST) found statistically significant in the univariable logistic regression performed to identify independent predictors of mortality were included multivariable logistic regression model. Age (OR: 1.066, 95%CI: 1.049–1.083; p < .001), DM (OR: 1.682, 95%CI: 1.238–2.286; p = .001), neutrophil (OR: 1.041, 95%CI: 1.007–1.077; p = .019), creatinine (OR: 1.178, 95%CI: 1.048–1.325; p = .006), CRP (OR: 1.008, 95%CI: 1.006–1.010; p < .001), ACEI (OR: 0.718, 95%CI: 0.521–0.988; p = .042), AST (OR: 1.005, 95%CI: 1.001–1.010; p = .010) were found associated with in-hospital mortality. Conclusion In our study, it was not detected clinically significant difference between three groups with regard to their relation with in-hospital mortality