Journal of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Research
Volume:13 Issue: 1, Feb 2021

This review article describes demographic features, comorbidities, clinical and imaging findings, prognosis, and treatment strategies in penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer (PAU) and closely related entities using google scholar web search. PAU is one of the manifestations of the acute aortic syndrome (AAS) spectrum. The underlying aorta invariably shows atherosclerotic changes or aneurysmal dilatation. Hypertension is the most common contributing factor, with chest or back pain being the usual manifestation. Intramural hematoma (IMH) is the second entity associated with both PAU and aortic dissection (AD), more so with the latter. Chest radiograph can show mediastinal widening, pleural, or pericardial fluid in rupture. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is the imaging modality of choice to visualize PAU, with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) adding diagnostic value. Lesser-known entities of intramural blood pool (IBP), limited intimal tears (LITs), and focal intimal disruptions (FID) are also encountered. PAU can form fistulous communication with adjacent organs whereas IMH may propagate to dissection. CTA aids in defining the management, open or endovascular options in surgical candidates.

Recently, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been considered as a major health problem around the globe. This severe acute respiratory syndrome has a bunch of features, such as high transmission rate, which are adding to its importance. Overcoming this disease relies on a complete understanding of the viral structure, receptors, at-risk cells or tissues, and pathogenesis. Currently, researches have shown that besides the lack of a proper anti-viral therapeutic method, complications provided by this virus are also standing in the way of decreasing its mortality rate. One of these complications is believed to be a hematologic manifestation. Commonly, three kinds of coagulopathies are detected in COVID-19 patients: disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), pulmonary embolism (PE), and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). In this paper, we have reviewed the relation between these conditions and coronavirus-related diseases pathogenesis, severity, and mortality rate.

Aortic valve stenosis is the most frequent cardiac valve pathology in the western world. In high-risk patients, conventional aortic valve replacement (C-AVR) carries high rates of morbidity and mortality. In the last few years, rapid-deployment valves (RDV) have been developed to reduce the surgical risks. In this work, we aimed to compare the mid-term outcomes of rapid-deployment AVR (RD-AVR) with those of the C-AVR in high-risk patients.

This retrospective case-control study identified 23 high-risk patients who underwent RD-AVR between 12/2015 to 01/2018. The study group was compared with a control group of 46 patients who were retrospectively selected from a database of 687 C-AVR patients from 2016 to 2017 which matched with the study group for age and Euro SCORE II.

RD-AVR group presented more cardiovascular risk factors. Euro SCORE II was higher in the RD-AVR group (P=0.06). In the RD-AVR group, we observed significantly higher mean prosthetic size (P<0.001). In-hospital mortality was zero in RD-AVR group versus 2 deaths in C-AVR group. Hospital stay was longer in the RD-AVR group with statistical significance (P=0.03). In the group AVR with associated cardiac procedures, while comparing subgroups RD-AVR versus C-AVR, early mean gradient was lower in the first cited (P=0.02). The overall mean follow-up was 10.9 ± 4.3 months.

The RD-AVR technique is reliable and lead to positive outcomes. This procedure provides a much larger size with certainly better flow through the aortic root. It is an alternative to C-AVR in patients recognized to be surgically fragile.

Inadequate control of diabetes mellitus (DM) leads to considerable cardiovascular implications like diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Cardiomyocyte apoptosis is one of the main mechanisms of DCM pathogenesis associated with hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, inflammation, hyperlipidemia and several other factors. Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fenugreek) has been long used as a traditional medicine and has many therapeutic effects, including anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemia, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. The current study aimed to investigate cardioprotective effects of fenugreek seed on diabetic rats.

Diabetes was induced in forty-two male rats by injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (60 mg/ kg). Diabetic animals were treated with three different doses of fenugreek seed extract (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) or metformin (300 mg/kg) for six weeks by gavage. Nondiabetic rats served as controls. Glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides levels were measured in the blood samples, and oxidative stress markers as well as gene expression of ICAM1, Bax and Bcl2 were assessed in the cardiac tissues of the experimental groups.

Diabetic rats exhibited increased serum glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides levels, elevated markers of oxidative stress thiobarbituric acid–reacting substances (TBARS) levels , total thiol groups (SH), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and enhanced apoptosis cell death (ratio of Bax/Bcl2). Fenugreek seed extract considerably improved metabolism abnormalities, attenuated oxidative stress and diminished apoptosis index.

Our study suggests that fenugreek seed may protect the cardiac structure in STZ-induced diabetic rats by attenuating oxidative stress and apoptosis.

This study was conducted to investigate prevalence and predictors of slow coronary flow phenomenon (SCF) phenomenon.

This cross-sectional study was performed at Imam Ali Cardiovascular Hospital affiliated with the Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), Kermanshah province, Iran. From March 2017 to March 2019, all the patients who underwent coronary angiography were enrolled in this study. Data were obtained using a checklist developed based on the study’s aims. Independent samples t tests and chi- square test (or Fisher exact test) were used to assess the differences between subgroups. Multiple logistic regression model was applied to evaluate independent predictors of SCF phenomenon.

In this study, 172 (1.43%) patients with SCF phenomenon were identified. Patients with SCF were more likely to be obese (27.58±3.28 vs. 24.12±3.26, P<0.001), hyperlipidemic (44.2 vs. 31.7, P<0.001), hypertensive (53.5 vs. 39.1, P<0.001), and smoker (37.2 vs. 27.2, P=0.006). Mean ejection fraction (EF) (51.91±6.33 vs. 55.15±9.64, P<0.001) was significantly lower in the patients with SCF compared to the healthy controls with normal epicardial coronary arteries. Mean level of serum triglycerides (162.26±45.94 vs. 145.29±35.62, P<0.001) was significantly higher in the patients with SCF. Left anterior descending artery was the most common involved coronary artery (n = 159, 92.4%), followed by left circumflex artery (n = 50, 29.1%) and right coronary artery (n = 47, 27.4%). Body mass index (BMI) (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.04-2.15, P<0.001) and hypertension (OR 1.59, CI 1.30-5.67, P=0.003) were independent predictors of SCF phenomenon.

The prevalence of SCF in our study was not different from the most other previous reports. BMI and hypertension independently predicted the presence of SCF phenomenon.

Lower-extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) can lead to a wide spectrum of symptoms that can progress from claudication to amputation. The prognostic nutritional index (PNI), which is calculated using the levels of albumin and lymphocyte, is an accepted indicator of immunological and nutritional status. In this study, the association between nutritional status determined using the PNI, and extremity amputation in patients with lower-extremity PAD was investigated.

Lower-extremity PAD patients who had been admitted to the cardiology clinic of the Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training & Research Hospital with stage 2b or higher claudication, and who were technically unsuitable for revascularization or underwent unsuccessful revascularization procedure were enrolled in this retrospective study. Patients were grouped according to whether or not limb amputation had been performed previously. Potential factors were tested to detect independent predictors for amputation with logistic regression analysis.

A study group was formed with 266 peripheral artery patients. The amputated group (39 patients) had a higher number of hypertensive (76.9% vs 57.7%; P = 0.032) and diabetic (92.3% vs 54.2%; P <0.001) patients than those in the non-amputated group (227 patients). The median PNI value of the amputated group was lower than that of the non-amputated group (31.8 vs 39.4; P <0.001). Multivariate logistic regression showed that the PNI (OR: 0.905, 95% CI: 0.859 – 0.954; P <0.001) was independently related with amputation.

Immune-nutritional status based on PNI was independently associated with limb amputation in patients with lower-extremity PAD.

Quantitative analysis of cardiac biomarkers, troponin I and CPK-MB, estimates the extent of myocardial injury while extent of benefit from coronary collateral circulation (CCC) to protect myocardium during acute myocardial infarction (AMI) needs validation. We analysed if the extent of collaterals had impact on baseline biomarkers at the time of coronary angiogram.

We analysed 3616 consecutive patients who presented with AMI and underwent invasive coronary angiography (CAG) with intent to revascularisation with biomarkers assessment at the time of CAG. CCC to Infarct related artery (IRA) were graded as per Rentrop grading viz. poorly-developed CCC (Grade 0/1 as Group A) and well-developed CCC (Grade 2/3 as Group B).

Both groups (A and B) were matched for demographics, traditional risk factors, SYNTAX 1 Score, time to CAG from onset of angina and eGFR. 36.59% of patients had Non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) as compared to 63.41% ST -segment elevation infarction (STEMI). Overall Troponin I (P=0.01, P=0.01) and CPK MB (P=0.00, P=0.002) values were lower in group B in both NSTEMI and STEMI groups respectively. Troponin I and CPK-MB were significantly lower in group B [with NSTEMI for SVD (Single vessel disease) (P=0.05) and DVD (Double vessel disease) (P=0.04),but not for TVD (Triple vessel disease) and with STEMI in SVD (P=0.01), DVD (P=0.01) and TVD (P=0.001)].

Patients with well-developed coronary collaterals had a lower rise in biomarkers in AMI as compared to those with poor collaterals amongst both NSTEMI and STEMI groups.

In this study, we aimed to assess the relationship of cardiac and hepatic T2* magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) values as a gold standard for detecting iron overload with serum ferritin level, heart function, and liver enzymes as alternative diagnostic methods.

A total 58 patients with beta-thalassemia major who were all transfusion dependent were evaluated for the study. T2* MRI of heart and liver, echocardiography, serum ferritin level, and liver enzymes measurement were performed. The relationship between T2* MRI findings and other assessments were examined. Cardiac and hepatic T2* findings were categorized as normal, mild, moderate, and severe iron overload.

22% and 11% of the patients were suffering from severe iron overload in heart and liver, respectively. The echocardiographic findings were not significantly different among different iron load categories in heart or liver. ALT level was significantly higher in patient with severe iron overload than those with normal iron load in heart (P=0.005). Also, AST level was significantly lower in normal iron load group than mild, moderate, and severe iron load groups in liver (P<0.05). The serum ferritin level was significantly inversely correlated with cardiac T2* values (r = -0.34, P=0.035) and hepatic T2* values (r = -0.52, P=0.001).

Cardiac and hepatic T2* MRI indicated significant correlation with serum ferritin level.

During the recent years, several studies have investigated that hyperuricemia is associated with greater incidence of contrast induced nephropathy (CIN). Most of them are in acute conditions like primary percutaneous coronary interventions. This study aimed to assess the relationship between high serum uric acid and incidence of acute kidney injury in patients undergoing elective angiography and angioplasty.

This prospective study was conducted on 211 patients who were admitted to hospital for elective coronary angiography or angioplasty. The researchers measured serum creatinine and uric acid on admission and repeated creatinine measurement in 48 hours and seven days after the procedure. According to serum uric acid, the patients were divided into two groups; group 1 with normal uric acid and group 2 with hyperuricemia which was defined as uric acid more than 6 mg/dL in women and 7 mg/dL in men. CIN is defined as an increased creatinine level of more than 0.5 mg/dL or 25% from the baseline in 48 hours after the intervention.

In total, 211 patients with mean age of 60.58 years were enrolled in the study. Of these, 87 (41.2%) patients were in the high uric acid group and 124 (58.8%) were in the normal uric acid group. CIN was occurred in 16 patients (7.5%). Seven out of 16 (8.04%) were in the high uric acid and nine (7.2%) were in the normal uric acid group. There were no significant differences between the two groups (P =0.831).

The frequency of CIN development was not different in the patients with hyperuricemia.

Exercise pulmonary hypertension (exPH) has been defined as total pulmonary resistance (TPR) >3 mm Hg/L/min and mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) >30 mm Hg, albeit with a considerable risk of false positives in elderly patients with lower cardiac output during exercise.

We retrospectively analysed patients with unclear dyspnea receiving right heart catheterisation at rest and exercise (n=244) between January 2015 and January 2020. Lung function testing, blood gas analysis, and echocardiography were performed. We elaborated a combinatorial score to advance the current definition of exPH in an elderly population (mean age 67.0 years±11.9). A stepwise regression model was calculated to non-invasively predict exPH.

Analysis of variables across the achieved peak power allowed the creation of a model for defining exPH, where three out of four criteria needed to be fulfilled: Peak power ≤100 Watt, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure ≥18 mm Hg, pulmonary vascular resistance >3 Wood Units, and mPAP ≥35 mm Hg. The new scoring model resulted in a lower number of exPH diagnoses than the current suggestion (63.1% vs. 78.3%). We present a combinatorial model with vital capacity (VCmax) and valvular dysfunction to predict exPH (sensitivity 93.2%; specificity 44.2%, area under the curve 0.73) based on our suggested criteria. The odds of the presence of exPH were 2.1 for a 1 l loss in VCmax and 3.6 for having valvular dysfunction.

We advance a revised definition of exPH in elderly patients in order to overcome current limitations. We establish a new non-invasive approach to predict exPH by assessing VCmax and valvular dysfunction for early risk stratification in elderly patients.

Vascular access thrombosis increases the risk of mortality and morbidity in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on hemodialysis (HD). This study aimed to evaluate hereditary thrombophilia factors in HD patients and its association with tunneled cuffed catheters’ thrombosis.

In this cross-sectional study, 60 consecutive patients with ESRD on HD with tunneled cuffed catheters were selected. Inherited thrombophilia factors (Anti-thrombin III, Protein C, Protein S, and Factor V Leiden) were measured and the patients were followed for 3 months to evaluate the incidence of catheter-related thrombosis. The association between these factors and catheter thrombosis was assessed.

The mean age of patients was 60.30 ± 8.69 years. Forty-seven patients (78.30%) were female and thirteen patients (21.70%) were male. The most common cause of ESRD was diabetes mellitus (41.67%). The most catheter site was the right internal jugular vein (55%). There were 22 (36.67%) and 8 (13.33%) cases of thrombosis and mortality, respectively. The association between hereditary thrombophilia factors and catheter thrombosis was not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

In this small group of our patients, the frequency of hereditary thrombophilia was not significantly different between those with and without thrombosis of tunneled HD catheter.

We report a 66-year-old male patient with severe right lower extremity swelling resulting from diffuse pelvic mass with compression on right external iliac vein. The patient had papillary urothelial carcinoma of bladder seven years ago and radical cystectomy and ureterostomy was performed. Recurrence of malignancy had occurred five years after the operation. The patient had also bilateral diffuse lung metastasis. The external iliac vein had severe stenosis and invasion of pelvic mass into the vein was evident on venography. Venoplasty of external iliac vein was performed throughout the stenosis. A venous stent of 80 mm length and 12 mm diameter was introduced over the guidewire and deployed in the external iliac vein. Dramatic clinical response was evident since postoperative day two. Swelling of right lower extremity was resolved dramatically on three-month and six-month follow-up visits. We believe that endovascular venous recanalization of iliac veins is feasible and safe in patients with unresectable and diffuse pelvic masses.

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with unilateral absence of pulmonary artery and the anomalous coronary artery is a rare combination. Detailed preoperative evaluation of coronary artery anatomy is must to prevent injury to the major vessels crossing right ventricular outflow tract. We report a rare association of single coronary artery with left circumflex artery crossing right ventricular outflow tract close to the pulmonary annulus in tetralogy of Fallot with absent left pulmonary artery in 11-year-old girl. Though there is a great diversity of coronary anomalies in tetralogy of Fallot, the prepulmonic course of left circumflex artery crossing the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) close to the pulmonary annulus has rarely been described in the literature. The patient underwent successful primary single lung intracardiac repair. Right ventricular outflow tract obstruction was treated by handmade valved pericardial autologous conduit and release of the tethering of hypoplastic native unicuspid pulmonary valve leaflet maintaining its integrity.