Marko Mornar Jelavić

Metabolic syndrome: infl uence on clinical severity and prognosis in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the metabolic syndrome (MS) infl uence on clinical severity and prognosis in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods We prospectively analysed 250 patients with acute STEMI treated with primary PCI, between September 2011-2012. MS was diagnosed by the revised National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) criteria. Patients were divided into two groups (with/without MS) and compared by their baseline data (medical history, demographic and anthropometric data) and parameters of severity (clinical, laboratory, echocardiography, coronary angiography and in-hospital complications data) and prognosis (major adverse cardiovascular events and sick leave duration (SLD) during 12 months of follow-up). Results Our study included 136 (54.4%) and 114 (45.6%) patients with and without MS, respectively. MS patients had longer hospitalization (9.0 vs 8.0 days), higher rates of total in-hospital complications (25.0% vs14.9%), higher number of signifi cantly stenosed coronary arteries (CAs) (2 vs1), higher stent diameters (3.5 vs3.0 mm) ,higher rate of signifi cantly stenosed proximal and middle CAs segments (94.1% vs86.7%), and longer SLD (16 vs10 weeks) (P <0.05). MS was independently associated with higher risk of total in-hospital complications (odds ratio (OR) 1.90, confi dence interval (CI) [1.06-3.64], P= 0.047) and with higher risk of ? 2 signifi cant stenosed CAs (OR 1.72, CI [1.04-2.84], P= 0.034). Conclusion MS in acute STEMI is an important predictor of total in-hospital complications and severity of CAs disease, but not for other parameters of severity and prognosis. MS patients have longer SLD.

The importance of two metabolic syndrome diagnostic criteria and body fat distribution in predicting clinical severity and prognosis of acute myocardial infarction

Introduction The interrelation between metabolic syndrome (MetS) (the revised National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) and International Diabetes Federation (IDF)) and obesity indices in predicting clinical severity and prognosis of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is insufficiently known. Material and methods This prospective study included 250 acute STEMI patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The patients with/without MetS were analyzed by baseline (medical history, demography and obesity indices: overall – body mass index (BMI) vs.central – body adiposity index (BAI), conicity index (Cindex), visceral adiposity index (VAI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR)), severity (clinical presentation, laboratory, echocardiography, coronary angiography and in-hospital complications) and prognostic parameters (major adverse cardiovascular events and sick leave duration during 12-month follow-up). Results There were 136 (54.4%) and 147 (58.8%) patients with MetS (NCEP-ATP III) and MetS (IDF), respectively. MetS (NCEP-ATP III) increased the risk of > 1 significantly stenosed coronary artery (CA), very high BAI increased the risk of dyspnea, Cindex > 1.25/1.18 increased the risk of total in-hospital complications, increased VAI increased the risk of coronary segment 3 significant stenosis, WHR ≥ 0.90/0.85 increased the risk of proximal/middle coronary segments (especially of segment 1) significant stenosis, WHtR ≥ 63/58 increased the risk of heart failure, and the number of significantly stenosed CAs increased the risk of total MACE (p < 0.05). Conclusions MetS (NCEP-ATP III) and several central obesity indices are superior to BMI in predicting acute STEMI severity (clinical presentation, in-hospital complications, severity of coronary disease), while WC and MetS (IDF) have no influence on it. They all have no influence on prognosis.

Correlation between Concentration of Air Pollutants and Occurrence of Cardiac Arrhythmias in a Region with Humid Continental Climate

In this study, we investigated the correlation of air temperature, pressure and concentration of air pollutants with the rate of admissions for cardiac arrhythmias at two clinical centers in the area with a humid continental climate. This retrospective study included 3749 patients with arrhythmias admitted to emergency department (ED). They were classified into four groups: supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), ventricular tachycardia (VT), atrial fibrillation/undulation (Afib/Aund), and palpitations (with no ECG changes, or with sinus tachycardia and extrasystoles). The number of patients, values of meteorological parameters (average daily values of air temperature, pressure and relative humidity) and concentrations of air pollutants (particles of dimensions ~10 micrometers or less (PM(10)), ozone (O(3)) and nitrogen dioxide (NO(2))) were collected during a two-year period ( July 2008-June 2010). There were 1650 (44.0%), 1525 (40.7%), 451 (12.0%) and 123 (3.3%) patients with palpitations, Afib/Aund, SVT and VT, respectively. Spearman’s correlation yielded positive correlation between the occurrence of arrhythmias and air humidity on the day (r=0.07), and 1 (r=0.08), 2 (r=0.09) and 3 days before (r=0.09), and NO(2) particles on the day (r=0.08) of ED admission; palpitations and air humidity on the day (r=0.11), and 1 (r=0.09), 2 (r=0.07) and 3 days before (r=0.10), and PM(10) (r=0.11) and NO(2) (r=0.08) particles on the day of ED admission; and Afi b/Aund and air humidity 2 days before (r=0.08) ED admission (p<0.05 all). In conclusion, there was a very weak positive correlation of the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias with air humidity and concentration of air pollutants in the region with a humid continental climate.

Sexual Activity in Patients with Cardiac Diseases

SUMMARY – In this article, we outline the latest guidelines published by the American Heart Association on sexual activity in patients with coronary artery disease, heart failure, structural heart diseases, arrhythmias, implanted pacemakers or cardioverter defibrillators, as well as on treatment options of sexual dysfunction. Sexual activities are similar to mild/moderate physical activity during a short period. Most patients are recommended to involve in sexual activity after prior comprehensive evaluation of physical condition. Those with stable cardiac symptoms and good functional capacity are at a low risk of adverse cardiovascular events, and others require treatment or stabilization before involving in sexual activity. Stress testing is useful in evaluating safety of sexual activity in patients with questionable or undetermined risk. Treatment of sexual dysfunction includes counseling of patients and their sexual partners, and drug treatment with phosphodiesterase inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil) which have been demonstrated to be safe and effective, in men, and with serotonin reuptake inhibitors (flibanserin) and local vaginal estrogen administration in women. In conclusion, in routine clinical practice, patients should be approached individually and multidisciplinarily in order to detect and eliminate the factors that interfere with normal sexual activities and disturb the quality of life.

Korelacija između pojave i pogoršanja respiracijskih bolesti i onečišćenja zraka unutar dozvoljenih granica

The aim of the study was to investigate the unknown effect of air pollutants on the occurrence or deterioration of respiratory diseases in the area with a humid continental climate. This retrospective study included 5868 patients with respiratory symptomatology (upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), pneumonia, acute bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma) admitted to emergency department (ED). The number of patients, values of meteorological parameters (mean daily values of air temperature pressure and relative humidity) and concentrations of air pollution particles (≤10 μm (PM10), ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)) were collected during a two-year ( July 2008 - June 2010) period. There were 1839 (31.3%), 1712 (29.2%), 1313 (22.4%), 614 (10.5%) and 390 (6.6%) patients with pneumonia, COPD, URTI, acute bronchitis and asthma, respectively. The mean daily concentrations of NO2 (25.9 (1.7-89.7) μg/m3), O3 (47.1 (4.7-135.4) μg/m3) and PM10 particles (25.7 (4.6-146.6) μg/m3) were below the legally defined thresholds. Among other results, the occurrence of respiratory diseases showed positive Spearmans correlation with the values of air humidity (days 0-3, r=0.15 to 0.19), PM10(days 0-3, r=0.10 to 0.13) and NO2 concentrations (day 0, r=0.11), and negative correlation with the values of air temperature (days 0-3, r=-0.36 to -0.34), pressure (day 0, r=-0.10) and O3 concentrations (days 0-3, r=-0.21 to -0.22) (p<0.05 all). In conclusion, the occurrence of respiratory diseases showed correlation with weather conditions and air pollutants despite the legally permitted values in the region with a humid continental climate.

The influence of air pollutants on appearance of acute myocardial infarction in the region with humid continental climate.

The paper analyzes the influence of air pollutants on the incidence of acute heart failure in the city of Zagreb.