Adnan Dogan

Relationship between mean platelet volume and atrial thrombus in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Platelets and clotting cascade play a major role in development of atrial thrombus in patients with atrial fibrillation. The mean platelet volume (MPV) reflects platelet size and is considered a marker and determinant of platelet function because larger platelets are hemostatically more reactive than platelets of normal size, increasing the propensity to thrombosis. We have investigated the relationship between MPV and left atrial thrombus in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. A total of 205 consecutive patients (men: 67.3%, women: 32.7%; mean age: 62.3 ± 12.8) who had persistent atrial fibrillation, undergone transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography. Study individuals were divided into two groups. Group 1 (n: 96, 46.8%): atrial fibrillation complicated with atrial thrombus and group 2 (n: 109, 53.2%): atrial fibrillation free of thrombus, which was identified by means of transesophageal echocardiogram. The MPV, platelet distribution weight, and platelet count were measured. There was no difference in terms of MPV, platelet distribution weight, and platelet count in two groups. MPV was not correlated with thrombus and spontaneous echo contrast. Left atrial thrombus was included in multivariate logistic regression analysis and only low ejection fraction was a predictor of left atrial thrombus (P = 0.04). This is first report showing that MPV is not related with left atrial thrombus in patients with atrial fibrillation. According to our result, MPV cannot be considered as an index of left atrial thrombus in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Predictors of thrombus burden and no-reflow of infarct-related artery in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: importance of platelet indices.

Preprocedural high-thrombus burden (HTB) of infarct-related artery (IRA) is a harbinger of procedural complications following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The HTB of IRA can lead to poor outcomes by various mechanisms, including no-reflow phenomenon, increased myocardial necrosis and with subsequent reduced survival benefit at follow-up. In this study, we investigated the relationship between all platelet indices on admission and thrombus burden and the no-reflow phenomenon after primary PCI of IRA in patients with STEMI. We retrospectively enrolled 475 patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI. Study population was divided into two groups according to the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction thrombus grade of IRA as low-thrombus burden or HTB. There were no statistically significant differences in platelet indices, including platelet count, platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR), mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution with (PDW) among the groups. However, in the subgroup analysis, P-LCR, MPV and PDW were significantly higher in the no-reflow patients than reflow patients despite similar platelet count (P for all < 0.001). The cutoff value of P-LCR for predicting no-reflow was 26.5% with a sensitivity of 67.0% and a specificity of 62% (area under the curve, 0.689; 95% confidence interval, 0.614–0.765; P < 0.001). Furthermore, P-LCR, MPV and PDW had similar AUC (0.689, P < 0.001; 0.688, P < 0.001; and 0.677, P < 0.001; respectively) for predicting no-reflow phenomenon after primary PCI. As a result, all of the platelet indices have no effect on thrombus load of IRA, however, these parameters seem to impair epicardial perfusion after primary PCI.

Negative Effects of Acute Sleep Deprivation on Left Ventricular Functions and Cardiac Repolarization in Healthy Young Adults

Sleep deprivation (SD) is associated with an increased incidence of adverse cardiovascular events, we aimed to determine the impact of acute SD on structural and functional alterations of the left ventricle (LV) and on electrocardiogram (ECG) markers including T wave peak‐to‐end interval (TpTe), QT interval, and TpTe/QT ratio in healthy subjects after a night of SD.

Relationship between platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and coronary slow flow.

Objective The coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP), which is characterized by delayed distal vessel opacification in the absence of significant epicardial coronary disease, is an angiographic finding. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between platelet-to- lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and coronary blood flow rate. Methods This is a retrospective observational study. It was based on two medical centers. A total of 197 patients undergoing coronary angiography were included in the study, 95 of whom were patients with coronary slow flow without stenosis in coronary angiography and 102 of whom had normal coronary arteries and normal flow. Results The PLR was higher in the coronary slow flow group compared with the control groups (p=0.001). In the correlation analysis, PLR showed a significant correlation with left anterior descending (LAD) artery thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count. After multiple logistic regression, high levels of PLR were independently associated with coronary slow flow, together with hemoglobin. Conclusion PLR was higher in patients with CSFP and we also showed that PLR was significantly and independently associated with CSFP

Giant Pulmonary Artery Aneurysm: 12 Years of Follow-up. Case Report and Review of the Literature

Pulmonary artery aneurysm (PAA) is defined as pulmonary artery diameter of greater than 4 cm. PAA is not frequently encountered in clinical practice. There is a rare report in giant low-pressure PAA in terms of long-term follow-up. Herein, we sought to report a case of idiopathic PAA that was followed for 12 years in view of its learning points and to review the current literature for PAA. Herein we observed learning points according to long-term follow-up of PAA case as follows. PAA progressed dramatically after reaching a diameter greater than 6 cm and resulted in 7.87 cm in 2 years according to our case observation. Pericardial effusion may develop after a dramatic increase of PAA diameter. The reason for pericardial effusion is not always dissection or rupture; the presence of pericardial effusion possibly stemmed from the impairment of lymphatic drainage because of pressure effect on lymphatic circulation. Progressive increase of dilatation may lead to cough, as in our case.

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio predicts poor functional capacity in patients with heart failure.

OBJECTIVES We aimed to assess the relationship between neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (N/L ratio) and functional capacity (FC) of patients with compensated heart failure (CHF). STUDY DESIGN A total of 94 consecutive CHF patients and age-gender matched 70 subjects with normal echocardiographic examination were enrolled. Peripheral venous blood samples were drawn before echocardiography examination and treadmill test in all study population. The treadmill test based on modified Bruce protocol was used to determine the functional status of CHF patients. Poor FC was defined as <5 metabolic equivalant (MET) in the exercise test. Afterwards, patients with CHF were divided into two groups with respect to the top and bottom 3 of the N/L ratio. RESULTS FC (3.2 ± 2.05 MET vs. 6.1 ± 2.04 MET, p<0.001), ejection fraction (%31.5 ± 7.64 vs. %34.8 ± 6.82, p=0.028) were found to be lower and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level (3360 ± 2742 pg/dl vs. 1613 ± 1334 pg/dl, p<0.001) pulmonary artery pressure (46.3 ± 11.50 mmHg vs. 41.5 ± 9.45 mmHg, p=0.049), left atrial diameters (4.6 ± 0.52 cm vs. 4.3 ± 0.43 cm, p=0.005), E/Ea ratio (12.2 ± 4.37 vs. 9.2 ± 3.20, p<0.001) were found to be higher in CHF patients with an N/L ratio >3 than with an N/L ratio <3. The N/L ratio, and log-NT-proBNP level were determined to be a predictive factor of poor FC (odds ratio [OR]=3.085, 95% confidence interval [CI]= 1.520-6.260, p=0.002 and OR=1.585, 95% CI=1.201-2.091, p=0.001, respectively). A cut-off point of 2.74 for the N/L ratio had 79.4% sensitivity and 80% specificity in predicting poor FC. CONCLUSION N/L ratio can be used to predict poor FC in patients with CHF.

Coronary artery tortuosity: comparison with retinal arteries and carotid intima-media thickness

BACKGROUND AND AIM We conducted a prospective study to investigate the possible relationship between the tortuosity of coronary arteries (TCA) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), and also compare TCA to retinal artery tortuosity. METHODS One hundred and five participants with nonsignificant coronary plaque or normal coronary angiogram were included. To determine subclinical atherosclerosis, maximum CIMT was measured. Retinal tortuosity was evaluated ophthalmically. RESULTS Among all demographic variables and risk factors, only female gender and height were significantly associated with TCA (p = 0.001, p = 0.01, respectively). Retinal artery tortuosity and retinal artery atherosclerosis were more common inpatients with TCA compared to patients without TCA (p < 0.001, R = 0.6; p = 0.002, R = 0.4, respectively). CIMT was greater in participants with TCA than patients without TCA (p = 0.001), and also the presence of carotid artery plaque was more common in patients with TCA (p < 0.001). There was a significant correlation between the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis and TCA (p = 0.005, R = 0.3). Likewise, a significant correlation was found between subclinical atherosclerosis and retinal artery tortuosity (p = 0.02, R = 0.3). Multivariate analysis identified female gender (p < 0.008), retinal arterytortuosity (p < 0.001), and CIMT (p = 0.02) as independent predictors of TCA. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that, whatever the mechanism is: 1) TCA is associated with female gender and short stature; 2) TCA is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis even in patients with entirely normal appearing coronary arteries on coronary angiography; 3) Retinal artery tortuosity is correlated with TCA and can be a surrogate for systemic arterial tortuosity.

The usefulness of plateletcrit to predict cardiac syndrome X in patients with normal coronary angiogram

Introduction Cardiac syndrome X (CSX) is a clinical entity defined as the triad of typical angina pectoris on exercise, electrocardiographic or metabolic findings of ischemia and normal epicardial coronary arteries. Platelets, whose amount in the blood is indicated with plateletcrit (PCT), play an important role in inflammatory and thrombotic processes and the physiopathology of cardiovascular events. Aim To investigate the association between cardiac syndrome X and PCT and platelet count. Material and methods A total of 113 patients with normal coronary angiogram were included in the study. Fifty patients with typical chest pain and evidence of myocardial ischemia in non-invasive tests formed the CSX patient group. The control group consisted of 63 age- and gender-matched patients with normal coronary arteries but without angina. Results The mean PCT value of the CSX group was significantly higher than that of the control group (0.22 ±0.06 vs. 0.19 ±0.04; respectively, p=0.03). Higher PCT was found to be associated with the presence of CSX in patients with normal coronary arteries by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusions We suggest that high PCT may predict the presence of cardiac syndrome X in patients with normal coronary arteries. The value of PCT appears additive to conventional expensive methods commonly used in CSX prediction.

Coronary sinus dilatation is a sign of impaired right ventricular function in patients with heart failure.

Objective: The coronary sinus (CS) has been largely ignored by physicians due to a lack of adequate data about the importance of CS enlargement in patients with heart failure (HF). We aimed to assess whether CS dilatation develops in patients with HF and to demonstrate its relation with global myocardial function of the right ventricle (RV). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 45 healthy subjects and 95 HF patients exhibiting left ventricular systolic dysfunction on echocardiographic examination (EF <45%) secondary to ischemic (n=56) or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (n=39) were enrolled. Patients with severe renal dysfunction and/or valve disease were excluded. CS was measured by echocardiography from the posterior atrioventricular groove in the apical four-chamber view. The RV myocardial performance index (MPI), which reflects both systolic and diastolic function of the ventricle, was detected using tissue Doppler imaging, and patients with an RV MPI >0.55 were defined as having impaired RV myocardial function. ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, Pearson’s correlation, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used for the statistical analysis. Results: The CS and RV MPI values were significantly greater both in patients with ischemic and idiopathic DCM than in controls (8.79±1.7 mm and 8.33±2.1 mm vs. 5.74±0.6 mm, and 0.64±0.07 and 0.62±0.08 vs. 0.43±0.02; p<0.001 for both, respectively). For the prediction of HF patients with impaired RV function, the cut-off value for the diameter of the CS was 7.35 mm, with a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 79%. Conclusion: The CS diameter can be used as a novel echocardiographic marker that provides information about impaired RV function in patients with HF.

Impaired circadian rhythm of blood pressure in normotensive patients with rheumatic mitral valve stenosis.

BackgroundThe aim of the present cross-sectional study was to evaluate either non-dipper-type or dipper-type circadian rhythm of blood pressure (BP) in normotensive rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) patients. Methods and resultsEighty-eight normotensive rheumatic mitral valve disease (RMVD) patients and 41 normal participants were enrolled in the study. All participants underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Nocturnal BP dipping was calculated as follows: (awake BP−asleep BP)×100/awake BP. Patients with a nocturnal reduction in average daytime systolic BP and diastolic BP of less than 10% were classified as nondippers. Patients with RMVD were divided into two groups with respect to the top and bottom 1.5 cm2 of the mitral valve area (MVA). There was a highly significant relationship between the two groups with control in the frequency of a nondipping status (&khgr;2=22.721; d.f.=2; P<0.001). Afterwards, the Mann–Whitney U-test was used to compare the two groups and the control group. There was no difference in the frequency of nondipping between patients with an MVA of greater than 1.5 cm2 and the control group (P>0.05). However, the nondipping level was higher in patients with an MVA of less than 1.5 cm2 than in the control group and in patients with RMVD with an MVA of greater than 1.5 cm2 (P<0.001 and <0.001, respectively). ConclusionThe circadian BP rhythm is impaired and the incidence of nondipping BP is higher in patients with MS than in normal patients. Moreover, we believe that autonomic nervous system dysfunction in patients with MS may be detected efficiently using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.