Fractional flow reserve of intermediate lesions on collateral donor coronary arteries after myocardial infarction

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is the gold standard for the functional assessment of coronary arteries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between angiography, QCA and FFR in borderline lesions on collateral donor coronary arteries. In addition, FFR is compared with the angiographic appearance of collaterals to infarction-related arteries and echocardiographically assessed viability of infarct related the LV wall. In 60 patients with previous IM and occluded IRA, functional assessment of borderline coronary stenosis (30-70% DS) on collaterals donor artery was performed. We have not found statistically significant differences in these parameters between groups with different angiographic appearances of collaterals and different viability of distal myocardium. However, we found higher FFR values in diabetic patients (p=0.018). Higher FFR values in diabetic patients reveal the negative effects of diabetes on collateral growth and myocardial viability

The subchronic effects of 3,4-methylendioxymethamphetamine on oxidative stress in rat brain

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the subchronic effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine on several oxidative stress markers: index of lipid peroxidation (ILP), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, superoxide radical (O2.-) levels, and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in the frontal cortex, striatum and hippocampus of the rat. The study included 64 male Wistar rats (200-250 g). The animals were treated per os with of 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) every day for 15 days. The subchronic administration of MDMA resulted in an increase in ILP, SOD and O2.-, and a decrease in GSH, from which we conclude that oxidative stress was induced in rat brain

Fractional flow reserve in patients with intermediate values of Duke Treadmill Score and borderline coronary lesions

Despite the wide usage of exercise ECG tests and Duke Treadmill Score (DTS) in clinical practice, no comparison between this scoring system and Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) has yet been made, particularly in cases of angiographically verified borderline lesions. Thirty patients with single coronary lesions and angiographically assessed borderline stenosis (between 30-70%) and previously calculated intermediate values of DTS between -10 to +4 were examined using FFR. Adequate specificity and sensitivity (0.769 and 0.556, respectively) were in a more narrow range of -0.5 to -10. Sex and age did not have an influence on the DTS values. There was a correlation between the values of FFR and age (r=0.395, p=0.031) and between angiographic assessment of stenosis and quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) (r=0.648, p<0.0001). In the study population, a decision on revascularization could not be based solely on angiographic or QCA assessment of the artery or on the values of DTS

Fractional Flow Reserve Method in Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory without Cardiosurgical Backup: Initial Experiences

Background: Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of death in a modern world. This dictates the development a network of Catheterization laboratories without cardiosurgical capabilities.Aim: We postulate that the most valuable tool in the decision process on myocardial revascularization is fractional flow reserve (FFR), especially when we deal with borderline coronary lesions.Material and Methods: A total of 72 patients with 94 intermediate coronary stenosis (30%-70% diameter reduction) were included in this study. We tested FFR and angiography based decision model on myocardial revascularization.Results:  Mean FFR value on left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) was lower than in others two arteries (p=0.017). FFR after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was significantly better (p&lt;0.0001). The decision for PCI predominates before FFR diagnostics, but after FFR the decision is quite opposite. There is a weak negative correlation between FFR and diameter of stenosis assessed by angiography (r= - 0.245 p=0.038) and positive correlation between diameter of stenosis assessed by angiography and by quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) (r=0.406 p&lt;0.0005).Conclusion:  Our results strongly suggest that FFR is necessary tool in centers without possibilities of heart team onsite consultation and that prevents numerous unnecessary PCI

Two different ischaemic heart entities with the same clinical presentation

In this article we report two patients with different ischaemic heart entities who had sustained chest pain and showed numerous abnormal electrocardiograms (ECGs). To our knowledge, this is a very important report for the differential diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which may give almost identical clinical presentation, ECGs and laboratory findings, making coronarography necessary for final diagnosis

Fractional flow reserve of intermediate lesions on collateral donor coronary arteries after myocardial infarction

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is the gold standard for the functional assessment of coronary arteries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between angiography, QCA and FFR in borderline lesions on collateral donor coronary arteries. In addition, FFR is compared with the angiographic appearance of collaterals to infarction-related arteries and echocardiographically assessed viability of infarct related the LV wall. In 60 patients with previous IM and occluded IRA, functional assessment of borderline coronary stenosis (30-70% DS) on collaterals donor artery was performed. We have not found statistically significant differences in these parameters between groups with different angiographic appearances of collaterals and different viability of distal myocardium. However, we found higher FFR values in diabetic patients (p=0.018). Higher FFR values in diabetic patients reveal the negative effects of diabetes on collateral growth and myocardial viability

Association between Galectin-3 levels within central and peripheral venous blood, and adverse left ventricular remodelling after first acute myocardial infarction

© 2019, The Author(s). Our study investigates association between Galectin-3 levels and adverse left ventricular remodelling (LVR) at six months. Fifty-seven patients following first acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were enrolled in this study and blood samples collected on day 1 from the femoral vein and artery, the right atrium near the coronary sinus and the aortic root, and on day 30, from the cubital vein. Patients with LVESV ≥20% at six months, were included in the LVR group. On day 1, Galectin-3 plasma levels in the femoral vein (10.34 ng/ml ± 3.81 vs 8.22 ng/ml ± 2.34, p = 0.01), and near coronary sinus (10.7 ng/ml ± 3.97 vs 8.41 ng/ml ± 2.56, p = 0.007) were higher in the LVR group. Positive correlations between Galectin-3 levels from aortic root and coronary sinus, aortic root and femoral vein, and coronary sinus and femoral vein, were observed in both groups. On day 30, Galectin-3 concentration in the cubital vein was an independent risk factor of LVR six months post-AMI, demonstrating 1.5-fold increased risk. Day-30 Galectin-3 also showed positive correlations with echocardiography parameters indicative of diastolic and systolic dysfunction. Determining Galectin-3 plasma concentration on day 30 following AMI could have beneficial prognostic value in predicting LVR

Fractional flow reserve method in cardiac catheterization laboratory without cardiosurgical backup: Initial experiences

Background: Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of death in a modern world. This dictates the development a network of Catheterization laboratories without cardiosurgical capabilities. Aim: We postulate that the most valuable tool in the decision process on myocardial revascularization is fractional flow reserve (FFR), especially when we deal with borderline coronary lesions. Material and Methods: A total of 72 patients with 94 intermediate coronary stenosis (30%-70% diameter reduction) were included in this study. We tested FFR and angiography based decision model on myocardial revascularization. Results: Mean FFR value on left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) was lower than in others two arteries (p=0.017). FFR after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was significantly better (p<0.0001). The decision for PCI predominates before FFR diagnostics, but after FFR the decision is quite opposite. There is a weak negative correlation between FFR and diameter of stenosis assessed by angiography (r= - 0.245 p=0.038) and positive correlation between diameter of stenosis assessed by angiography and by quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) (r=0.406 p<0.0005). Conclusion: Our results strongly suggest that FFR is necessary tool in centers without possibilities of heart team onsite consultation and that prevents numerous unnecessary PCI. © 2013 Simic I

The subchronic effects of 3,4-methylendioxymethamphetamine on oxidative stress in rat brain

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the subchronic effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine on several oxidative stress markers: index of lipid peroxidation (ILP), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, superoxide radical (O2.-) levels, and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in the frontal cortex, striatum and hippocampus of the rat. The study included 64 male Wistar rats (200-250 g). The animals were treated per os with of 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) every day for 15 days. The subchronic administration of MDMA resulted in an increase in ILP, SOD and O2.-, and a decrease in GSH, from which we conclude that oxidative stress was induced in rat brain

Coronary artery spasm – One medical entity with different treatment options

© 2018, Inst. Sci. inf., Univ. Defence in Belgrade. All rights reserved. Introduction. Myocardial infarction (MI) is characterized by a critical myocardial ischemia followed by an irreversible myocardial cell damage or death. Case report. We presented two similar clinical cases with the ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) diagnosis due to a prolonged coronary artery spasm, but with different treatment options due to different basic patophysiological supstrates and clinical presentations. Conclusion. Coronary artery spasm is a very complex pathophysiological entity with a different medication therapy management. Although the percutaneous coronary intervention can be the first choice, the treatment strategy should be carefully planned