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Objectives: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common causes of preventable ischemic stroke and is related to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. There is a lack of data in Turkey on the use of new oral anticoagulants (NOACs), and time in therapeutic INR range (TTR) in vitamin K antagonist users and AF management modality. In this multi-center trial, we aimed to analyze, follow and evaluate the epidemiological data in non-valvular AF patients., Study Design: Four thousand one hundred consecutive adult patients from 42 centers with at least one AF attack identified on electrocardiography will be included in the study. Patients with rheumatic mitral valve stenosis and prosthetic valve disease will be excluded from the study. At the end of one year, the patients will be evaluated in terms of major cardiac end points (death, transient ischemic attack, stroke, systemic thromboembolism, major bleeding and hospitalization)., Results: First results are expected in June 2015. Data about major cardiovascular end-points will be available in January 2016., Conclusion: The rates and kind of oral anticoagulant use, TTR in vitamin K antagonist users and main management modality applied in non-valvular AF patients will be determined by AFTER-2 study. In addition, the rate of major adverse events (MACEs) and the independent predictors of these MACEs will be detected (AFTER-2 Study ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02354456.).

Objectives: Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) has been defined as a dilated artery luminal diameter that is at least 50% greater than the diameter of the normal portion of the artery. Isolated CAE is defined as CAE without significant coronary artery stenosis and isolated CAE has more pronounced inflammatory symptoms. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is widely used as a marker of inflammation and an indicator of cardiovascular outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease. We examined a possible association between NLR and the presence of isolated CAE., Study Design: In this study, 2345 patients who underwent coronary angiography for suspected or known ischemic heart disease were evaluated retrospectively. Following the application of exclusion criteria, our study population consisted of 81 CAE patients and 85 age- and gender-matched subjects who proved to have normal coronary angiograms. Baseline neutrophil, lymphocyte and other hematologic indices were measured routinely prior to the coronary angiography., Results: Patients with angiographic isolated CAE had significantly elevated NLR when compared to the patients with normal coronary artery pathology (3.39 ± 1.36 vs. 2.25 ± 0.58, p<0.001). A NLR level >= 2.37 measured on admission had a 77% sensitivity and 63% specificity in predicting isolated CAE at ROC curve analysis. In the multivariate analysis, hypercholesterolemia (OR=2.63, 95% CI 1.22-5.65, p=0.01), obesity (OR=3.76, 95% CI 1.43-9.87, p=0.007) and increased NLR (OR=6.03, 95% CI 2.61-13.94, p<0.001) were independent predictors for the presence of isolated CAE., Conclusion: Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio is a readily available clinical laboratory value that is associated with the presence of isolated CAE.

Myocardial infarction (MI) following a bee sting is a highly unusual reaction. A 65-year-old man allergic to honeybee venom was admitted to the emergency department suffering from a wasp sting with urticaria. The patient had a history of bare metal stent (BMS) 9 months previously with regular drug use. He experienced chest pain after the sting and electrocardiography revealed ST-segment elevation in the chest leads. Subsequently, the patient developed ventricular tachycardia disrupting hemodynamics. Sinus rhythm was obtained by cardioversion. Coronary angiogram revealed total stent thrombosis (ST) in the midportion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Primary coronary intervention was successfully performed. Presence of shared pathways in allergic reaction and MI pathogenesis may be responsible for de novo or ST. To our knowledge, this is the first case of total occlusive late ST in BMS following a wasp sting.

Objectives: We analyzed the distribution of cumulative all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and incident coronary heart disease (CHD) across the seven geographic regions of Turkey and presented overall and coronary mortality findings of the 2010 survey of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Study., Study Design: A total of 1406 participants were surveyed. Information on the mode of death was obtained from first-degree relatives and/or health personnel of local heath offices. Information on survivors was obtained from history, physical examination, and 12-lead electrocardiography., Results: Of the surveyed participants, 686 were examined; information on health status was obtained in 577 subjects, and 32 participants (14 women, 18 men; mean age 72.3±15.6 years) were ascertained to have died. The total duration of follow-up was 2,520 person-years. Nineteen deaths were of coronary (n=16) or cerebrovascular (n=3) origin. Cumulative 20-year assessment of the entire cohort for the age bracket of 45-74 years disclosed a high coronary mortality rate, being 7.4 and 4.1 per 1000 person-years in men and women, respectively, and representing a limited decline after year 2000. Age-adjusted Cox regression analysis comprising 433 deaths and 506 incident CHD cases over a 7.3-year follow-up showed similar mortality rates across the regions, and a significantly high CHD incidence in males of the Black Sea and Marmara regions and in females of the Southeast Anatolia. Currently, 480,000 incident CHD cases are estimated yearly in Turkey., Conclusion: The high age-adjusted overall mortality in Turkey shows nonsignificant differences across geographic regions, whereas the age-adjusted CHD incidence is high in the Black Sea and Marmara regions.

Objectives: We investigated the effect of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on in-hospital results in patients undergoing primary percutaneous angioplasty for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)., Study Design: The study included 2,486 patients (2,070 men, 416 women) who were treated with primary angioplasty for STEMI. Of these, 273 patients (11%) were found to have CKD (glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min/1.73 m2) before the procedure. Patients with and without CKD were evaluated with respect to demographic and clinical features, primary angioplasty findings, and in-hospital clinical results., Results: Patients with CKD exhibited a higher mean age, Killip class, and higher frequencies of female gender, diabetes, hypertension, anemia, and previous myocardial infarction (p<0.05). Angioplasty showed higher rates of right coronary artery lesion, multivessel disease, contrast nephropathy, unsuccessful procedure, and increased stenosis rate and stent length in CKD patients (p<0.05). Cardiovascular mortality occurred in 11.7% and 1.4% of patients with and without CKD, respectively (p<0.001). Patients with CKD had significantly higher incidences of target vessel revascularization, major cardiac events, stroke, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, hemodialysis, ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation, severe heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and significant hemorrhage (p<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that CKD was an independent predictor of mortality (OR=4.1, 95% CI 1.83-9.17; p=0.001)., Conclusion: Our findings show that CKD patients undergoing primary angioplasty for STEMI have an increased risk profile and poorer in-hospital results, and that CKD represents an independent risk factor for mortality.

Objectives: We evaluated in-hospital and long-term clinical results of female patients following primary angioplasty for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), in comparison with male patients., Study Design: We reviewed 2,644 patients (2,188 males, 456 females) who underwent primary angioplasty for STEMI between October 2003 and March 2008. Data on female patients concerning demographic and clinical characteristics, primary angioplasty results, in-hospital and 25-month follow-up results were compared with those of male patients., Results: Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, anemia, shock, and renal failure were more common in female patients, while smoking was more frequent in males (p<0.05). The mean age was higher in female patients (63.9±11.7 vs. 55.2±11.3 years, p<0.001). Females also presented with higher values of glucose, mean platelet volume, and platelet count, and lower hemoglobin and hematocrit values (p<0.05). The frequencies of multivessel disease and procedure failure were significantly higher, and pain-to-balloon time was significantly longer in females (p<0.05). Mortality associated with cardiovascular causes occurred in 148 patients (5.6%), being significantly higher in females (9.4% vs. 4.8%, p<0.001). In-hospital mortality, major cardiac events, stroke, cardiogenic shock, and major bleeding were more frequent in women (p<0.05). Long-term mortality rate was also significantly higher in females (10% vs. 4.5%, p<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed female gender as one of the independent predictors of mortality (odds ratio=1.75, 95% CI 1.02-2.99; p<0.04)., Conclusion: Female patients with STEMI undergoing primary angioplasty have a higher risk profile and poorer in-hospital and follow-up clinical results. Therefore, female patients should be treated more aggressively.

Objectives: We analyzed 2009 survey of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor (TARF) Study to assess the distribution of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in urban and rural areas and sex-specific coronary mortality in the age-bracket of 45 to 74 years., Study Design: The Marmara and Middle East regions have been surveyed every odd year in the TARF Study. In 2009, 1,655 participants were surveyed. Information on the mode of death was obtained from first-degree relatives and/or health personnel of local heath office; 960 participants underwent physical examination and ECG recording, and 572 subjects were evaluated on the basis of information obtained regarding health status., Results: In the survey, 23 men and 20 women were ascertained to have died. Twenty-one deaths were attributed to coronary disease and four deaths to cerebrovascular events. Assessment of the entire cohort in the age bracket of 45-74 years after a 19-year follow-up disclosed a high coronary mortality with 7.5 per 1000 person-years in men and 3.9 in women. In a Cox regression analysis comprising 405 deaths (235 cardiovascular) and over 24,000 person-year follow-up, age-adjusted cardiovascular mortality was similar in rural and urban participants. All-cause mortality was higher in females living in urban areas than those living in rural areas (HR 1.41; 95% CI 1.02-1.96)., Conclusion: Cardiovascular mortality both in absolute terms and as a share of overall mortality persists to be high among Turkish adults, with similar rates in urban and rural areas. Age-adjusted all-cause mortality rate is higher among urban versus rural women.

Objectives: We investigated the incidence, predictors, and prognosis of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)., Study Design: We reviewed 2,541 consecutive patients (2,111 males, 430 females; mean age 56.5+/-11.8 years) who underwent primary PCI for STEMI. Data on clinical, angiographic findings, and in-hospital outcomes were collected. Gastrointestinal bleeding was defined as apparent upper or lower GIB or melena requiring cessation of antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy and administration of erythrocyte infusion., Results: Gastrointestinal bleeding was observed in 27 patients (1.1%). Compared to 2,514 patients without GIB, patients with GIB were older (65.9+/-13.5 years vs. 56.4+/-11.8 years; p<0.001), exhibited higher frequencies of female gender (p=0.016), renal failure (p<0.001), and admission anemia (p<0.001), and had a lower procedural success rate (77.9% vs. 91.5%; p=0.02). The development of GIB was associated with significantly higher in-hospital mortality (18.5% vs. 2.9%; p<0.001), longer hospital stay (13.1+/-6.8 days vs. 7.0+/-3.7 days, p=0.02), and increased inotropic requirement (37% vs. 6.7%; p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, inotropic requirement (OR 4.17, 95% CI 1.7-10.4; p=0.002), age above 70 years (OR 3.33, 95% CI 1.4-8.0; p=0.007), and glomerular filtration rate lower than 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) (OR 2.96, 95% CI 1.2-7.4; p=0.02) were independent predictors of in-hospital GIB., Conclusion: The development of GIB is not an uncommon complication after primary PCI for STEMI. These patients have a prolonged hospital stay and increased in-hospital mortality. Increased inotropic requirement, age above 70 years, and impaired renal function are independent predictors of this complication.

Objectives: We analyzed the temporal trend and regional distribution of age at all-cause death and the sex-specific and age-bracket defined coronary mortality in the 18-year follow-up of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Study., Study Design: The participants of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Study who have been examined in even years were last surveyed in August 2008. A total of 1,582 individuals were surveyed, which constituted half of the alive participants of the overall cohort. Information on death was obtained from first-degree relatives and/or health personnel of local heath offices. Survivors were evaluated by history, physical examination, and 12-lead electrocardiography. The cumulative follow-up was 56,700 person-years., Results: Of 1,582 participants, 868 (431 men, 437 women) were examined, in 604 subjects information was gathered, and 47 participants (26 men, 21 women) were ascertained to have died. Twenty-two deaths were classified as of coronary origin. Cumulative assessment of the entire cohort in the age bracket of 45-74 years disclosed coronary mortality to be 7.64 per 1000 person-years in men and 3.84 in women and persisted to be the highest among 30 European countries, whereas overall mortality declined at a greater proportion. Overall mean ages at death were deferred within a 12-year period by 7.4 years in men and 6 years in women, to 71.9 and 74.8 years, respectively. The extension of this mean survival was similar among urban-rural areas and geographic regions., Conclusion: Coronary mortality declined modestly, but life expectancy of Turkish adults rose by a mean of nearly seven years in the 12 years to 2003-08, without showing major differences in sex, urban-rural dwelling, or geographic regions.