Research in Cardiovascular Medicine
Volume:5 Issue: 14, Jan-Mar 2016

Anxiety is one of the most primary and common reactions to a cardiac event can lead to hypertension, tachycardia, and high cardiac output. To investigate the predictors of clinical anxiety aggravation at the end of a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program.Patients and This retrospective study used a database of a CR ward of a hospital in Iran. The demographic and clinical information of 574 patients participating in the CR program from April 2005 through April 2010 were analyzed. In order to determine the predictors of anxiety, binary logistic regression was performed. After adjustment for gender, age and education, the results showed that 16.7% of the patients completed their CR program with increased levels of clinical anxiety. The following study variables were independently predictive of increased anxiety at the end of the CR program: male gender (OR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.11 to 3.33, P = 0.048), no history of diabetes (OR = 4.24, 95% CI = 172 to 10.44, P = 0.002), family history of cardiac disease (OR = 2.63, 95% CI = 1.03 to 6.74, P = 0.043), and not quitting smoking (OR = 3.29, 95% CI = 1.38 to 7.85, P = 0.007). These variables could explain 9% - 15% of the variance in the dependent variable. It is possible to predict higher anxiety levels at the end of the CR program and implement preventive measures to control anxiety by considering certain demographic and clinical variables. Future studies should assess the predictive power of other variables.

Pulmonary hypertension is common among patients with hyperthyroidism, and Graves’ disease constitutes the most common cause of thyrotoxicosis. We report the case of a female patient admitted to the cardiology department with shortness of breath and pretibial myxedema. The diagnostic work-up revealed combined pre- and post-capillary pulmonary hypertension due to Graves’ disease superimposed on left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Restoration of thyroid function led to normalization of the pulmonary pressure and symptom resolution. Thyroid disease is a cause of reversible pulmonary hypertension and thus should be appropriately considered in the diagnostic algorithm in patients with dyspnea, clinical signs of hyperthyroidism and elevated pulmonary pressure.

The crucial role of inflammation in the development and progression of atherosclerosis has been previously described. However, there is insufficient data available to demonstrate the changes in high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) during clopidogrel therapy. In the present study, we aimed to assess the changes in the inflammatory marker of coronary heart disease, i.e., hs-CRP during clopidogrel therapy, in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We also evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of clopidogrel, if any, in different groups of patients.Patients and The study population included 650 consecutive patients who underwent elective, urgent, or emergent PCI. Patients received a 300-mg loading dose of clopidogrel (Plavix®) and aspirin either 24 hours before the planned PCI, or immediately before the procedure in patients with urgent or emergent PCI, followed by a 75-mg daily maintenance dose for up to 12 weeks. At the end of the 12th week, hs-CRP was re-assessed. Six hundred-fifty patients including 386 (59.4%) male and 264 (40.6%) female subjects were enrolled in the study. The mean hs-CRP level was 15.36 ± 9.83 mg/L with a median of 14 mg/L (interquartile range 8 to 19.6 mg/L). Female, hypertensive, diabetic, and non-smoking patients had higher reductions in hs-CRP in response to clopidogrel therapy compared to male, non-hypertensive, non-diabetic and smoker patients, respectively (all P < 0.005). The changes in the hs-CRP levels were also statistically different in patients with various index events before PCI (P < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in the mean reduction of hs-CRP between the patients without stent implantation and those with bare metal or drug-eluting stents (P = 0.07), respectively. We found that the use of clopidogrel in patients undergoing PCI had favorable effects on the suppression of hs-CRP. This effect appears to be heightened and more apparent in some group of patients with co-morbidities such as diabetes and hypertension.

Overweight and obesity in children are a serious problem. They are increasingly prevalent and associated with a wide range of health problems in adulthood. Monitoring their status is essential for effective planning in the health system.. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children below 5 years in Tehran in 2012.Patients and This cross-sectional study employed data provided by the urban health equity assessment in Tehran. The sample comprised a total of 4656 children under 5 years, recruited via multistage sampling. Data were collected through questionnaires and anthropometric measures of height and weight. The WHO child growth standards were used to determine overweight and obesity. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests, with SPSS version 11.5. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children were 12% and 23.7% respectively. The prevalence of overweight was significantly higher in girls than boys and the prevalence of obesity was significantly higher in boys than girls (P = 0.001). Obesity was more prevalent in children from high economic percentiles, but this finding was not statistically significant. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children under 5 years is high. Overweight and obesity should be considered an epidemic and serious health problem in Tehran. They certainly require more attention and intervention.

In some patients with chest pain, selective coronary angiography reveals slow contrast agent passage through the epicardial coronary arteries in the absence of stenosis. This phenomenon has been designated the slow coronary flow (SCF) phenomenon. In this study, we aimed to describe the demographic and clinical findings and presence of common atherosclerosis risk factors in patients with the SCF phenomenon.Patients and Between October 2014 and March 2015, demographic data, clinical histories, atherosclerosis risk factors, and laboratory and angiographic findings were recorded for all consecutive patients scheduled for coronary angiography and diagnosed with the SCF phenomenon, as well as a control group (patients with normal epicardial coronary arteries; NECA). SCF was diagnosed based on the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame count (TFC). A TFC > 27 indicated a diagnosis of SCF phenomenon. Among the 3600 patients scheduled for selective coronary angiography, 75 (2%) met the SCF criteria. SCF and NECA patients did not exhibit statistically significant differences in traditional risk factors except for hypertension, which was more prevalent in SCF than NECA patients (52% versus 31%, P = 0.008). A multivariable analysis indicated a low body mass index, presence of hypertension, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) level, and high hemoglobin level as independent predictors of the SCF phenomenon; of these, hypertension was the strongest predictor (odds ratio = 6.3, 95% confidence interval: 2.2 - 17.9, P = 0.001). The SCF phenomenon is relatively frequent, particularly among patients with acute coronary syndrome who are scheduled for coronary angiography. Hypertension, a low HDL-c level, and high hemoglobin level can be considered independent predictors of this phenomenon.

Recently, the potential of L-arginine supplementation as a novel and effective strategy for weight loss and improving biochemical parameters in obese patients has been under consideration. To evaluate the influence of 8-week oral L-arginine supplementation on body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), triceps skinfold (TS), subscapular skinfold (SS), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), plasma fasting blood sugar (FBS), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in patients with BMI values > 29.9 or visceral obesity (WC > 102 cm in men or > 88 cm in women).Patients and Ninety obese patients were included in a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomized to receive either L-arginine (3 or 6 g thrice daily) or placebo for 8 weeks. Anthropometric and biochemical indices, dietary intake, and blood pressure values were measured at the baseline and after the 8-week intervention. Significant decreases in anthropometric parameters, blood pressure (SBP, DBP), FBS, HbA1c, LDL, MDA (P < 0.001), TG (P = 0.02), and TC (P = 0.002) and a significant increase in HDL (P < 0.001) were observed in the intervention group, compared to the control group. In the control group, no significant differences were found between the baseline and end-of-intervention measurements. In conclusion, oral L-Arginine supplementation appears to improve anthropometric parameters, blood pressure values, and some blood biochemical indices associated with cardiovascular disease prevention.

Ventricular septal defects (VSD) is one of the most frequent congenital cardiac malformations and cardiac conduction disorders are still one of the serious postoperative complications in this surgery. This study aimed to compare the incidence of conduction disorders with the use of continuous compared to interrupted suturing techniques in VSD surgical repair.Patients and Previously recorded data of 231 patients who underwent surgical closure of VSD between January 2009 and January 2012 at the Rajaie cardiovascular medical and research center were retrospectively reviewed. VSD surgical repair was performed using continues suturing technique in group A patients (n = 163, 70.6%) and interrupted suturing technique in group B patients (n = 68, 29.4%). The most common concomitant congenital anomaly was Tetralogy of Fallot (27.3%). Twenty-four (10.4%) patients had intraoperative cardiac arrhythmia, including 19 (8.2%) transient and 5 (2.2 %) permanent arrhythmia. During their ICU stay, ventricular arrhythmia and complete heart block were observed in 34 (14.7%) and 5 patients (2.2%), respectively. At the time of the last follow-up, incomplete right bundle branch block (RBBB), complete RBBB, RBBB with left anterior hemi-block, and complete heart block were identified in 84 (36.4%), 42 (18.2%), 29 (12.6%), and 5 patients (2.2%), respectively. The results revealed that group A patients were most likely to have had cardiac arrhythmias during their ICU stay and at the time of last follow-up (P < 0.001), while the intraoperative incidence of cardiac arrhythmia during surgery was not statistically significant between the two groups (P = 0.06). In the absence of any statistical differences in the other risk factors between the two groups, the difference in the incidence of conduction disorders can be attributed to the type of suturing used during the procedure.

Gated single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is known as a feasible tool for the measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) and volumes, which are of great importance in the management and follow-up of patients with coronary artery diseases. However, considering the technical shortcomings of SPECT in the presence of perfusion defect, the accuracy of this method in heart failure patients is still controversial. The aim of the present study was to compare the results from gated SPECT MPI with those from echocardiography in heart failure patients to compare echocardiographically-derived left ventricular dimension and function data to those from gated SPECT MPI in heart failure patients.Patients and Forty-one patients with severely reduced left ventricular systolic function (EF ≤ 35%) who were referred for gated SPECT MPI were prospectively enrolled. Quantification of EF, end-diastolic volume (EDV), and end-systolic volume (ESV) was performed by using quantitative gated spect (QGS) (QGS, version 0.4, May 2009) and emory cardiac toolbox (ECTb) (ECTb, revision 1.0, copyright 2007) software packages. EF, EDV, and ESV were also measured with two-dimensional echocardiography within 3 days after MPI. A good correlation was found between echocardiographically-derived EF, EDV, and ESV and the values derived using QGS (r = 0.67, r = 0.78, and r = 0.80 for EF, EDV, and ESV, respectively; P < 0.001) and ECTb (r = 0.68, 0.79, and r = 0.80 for EF, EDV, and ESV, respectively; P < 0.001). However, Bland-Altman plots indicated significantly different mean values for EF, 11.4 and 20.9 using QGS and ECTb, respectively, as compared with echocardiography. ECTb-derived EDV was also significantly higher than the EDV measured with echocardiography and QGS. The highest correlation between echocardiography and gated SPECT MPI was found for mean values of ESV different. Gated SPECT MPI has a good correlation with echocardiography for the measurement of left ventricular EF, EDV, and ESV in patients with severe heart failure. However, the absolute values of these functional parameters from echocardiography and gated SPECT MPI measured with different software packages should not be used interchangeably.

The effects of the risk factors of ischemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke on the occurrence of these diseases differ between different populations. To study the difference in the effects of different cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors on the incidence of IHD and stroke in an Iranian adult population.Patients and The Isfahan Cohort Study (ICS) is a longitudinal study that followed up 6323 subjects older than 35 years with no history of CVD since 2001. Of the original sample, only 5431 participants were contacted and followed up until 2011. The end points were the occurrence of IHD (defined as fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and sudden cardiac death) and stroke. After 10 years of follow-up, 564 new cases of IHD and 141 new cases of stroke were detected. The relative risks (RRs) of cardiometabolic risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level, current smoking, obesity, high waist-to-hip ratio, family history of CVD, and metabolic syndrome were compared between IHD and stroke patients. The ratio of relative risks (RRR) was calculated for comparing two RRs and estimated adjusted RRR was calculated by using generalized linear regression with a log link and binomial distribution. The RRs of the occurrence of IHD and stroke in diabetic patients were 1.94 and 3.26, respectively, and the difference was statistically different (P = 0.016). The RR of high LDL-C was significantly higher for IHD than for stroke (P = 0.045), while all the other risk factors showed similar RRs for IHD and stroke, with no significant difference in their RRR, including hypertension. Diabetes and hypertension had the highest RRs for IHD, followed by diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension for stroke. The effect of diabetes mellitus on stroke was more significant than on IHD, and the effect of high LDL-C level was more significant on IHD than on stroke, other risk factors, including hypertension, have similar RRs for IHD and stroke. Health care professionals need more training regarding the RRs of these risk factors in the Iranian society, and health decision makers should consider it in their future policies.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCMP) is a rare acute cardiomyopathy characterized by acute chest pain syndrome, similar to myocardial infarction, except that no significant stenosis is observed on coronary angiography in patients with this condition; these findings aid the diagnosis of TCMP. We discuss an unusual case of TCMP in a 45-year-old woman with complete heart block and significant coronary artery stenosis. Maximal exercise test and perfusion scan after 1 month from the acute event did not show any ischemia; therefore, revascularization was not recommended. Her follow-up with normal echocardiographic data 3 years after the first event showed no recurrence. The present case and a few previous cases have showed that severe coronary artery disease may be occur in patients with TCMP and that TCMP may be associated with a high-degree atrioventricular block. The association between atrioventricular conduction block and TCMP as well as significant coronary stenosis is rarely reported; therefore, coronary angiography should be performed in all patients with clinical TCMP and the previous definition should be reconsidered. The occurrence of arrhythmia and later recovery is expected in these patients (due to a catecholamine surge).

Atherosclerosis is a complex multifocal arterial disease involving interactions between multiple genetic and environmental factors. In the present study, we investigated the possible association between NOS3 (rs1799983), MTHFR (rs1801133), APOB (rs5742904) and TNF-α (rs361525) polymorphisms and the risk of coronary atherosclerotic lesions in Iranian patients.Patients and In the case-control study, 108 patients with coronary atherosclerosis disease and 95 control subjects with no family history of cardiovascular disease were enrolled. Genotypes for NOS3, MTHFR, APOB and TNF-α polymorphisms were identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). We specifically detected the NOS3 TT genotype in 12 patients (11.11%) and did not find the same genotype in any of the controls. The frequencies of T allele in patients and the controls were 24% and 17.8%, respectively. The prevalence of the MTHFR TT genotype was 16.7% in patients and 2.2% in control groups. The prevalence of the APOB-100 (R3500Q) mutation in this patient population was 0%. The frequency of the A allele in the TNF-α gene was 11.1% and 11% in patients and controls, respectively, and the AA genotype was undetected. Our results show a significant association of NOS3 and MTHFR gene polymorphisms with coronary atherosclerotic lesions. Therefore, these variants might influence the risk of coronary artery disease, specifically in the Iranian population.

Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a novel biomarker reflecting inflammation status and fibrosis involving worsening of both cardiac and renal functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between Gal-3 serum levels and microalbuminuria in a group of chronic heart failure (CHF) outpatients.Patients and We enrolled CHF outpatients having stable clinical conditions and receiving conventional therapy. All patients underwent clinical evaluation, routine chemistry analysis, echocardiography, and evaluation of the urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR). Among the patients enrolled, 61 had microalbuminuria (UACR, 30-299) and 133 normoalbuminuria (UACR, < 30). Patients with normoalbuminuria showed significantly higher levels of Gal-3 than those without (19.9 ± 8.8 vs. 14.6 ± 5.5 ng/mL). The stepwise regression analysis indicated that Gal-3 was the first determinant of microalbuminuria (odds ratio [OR]: 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02 - 1.14, P = 0.012), followed by diabetes (OR 2.14; 95% CI: 1.00 - 4.57; P = 0.049) and high central venous pressure (OR 2.80; 95% CI: 1.04 - 7.58; P= 0.042). Our findings indicate an independent association between Gal-3 levels and microalbuminuria, an early marker of altered renal function. This suggests the possible role of Gal-3 in the progression of cardiorenal syndrome in CHF outpatients.