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Abstract Background Premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) is one of the major health concerns leading to considerable death and disabilities. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship of dietary patterns with risk of PCAD. Methods Iran premature coronary diseases (IPAD) is a case-control study consists of 3159 participants. Obstructive CAD in ≥ 75% of at least one coronary artery or ≥ 50% in the left main artery based on coronary angiography in women under 70 and men under 60 years old was considered PCAD. The habitual dietary intake of participants was collected using a semi-quantitative validated food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to extract dietary patterns. Results Three main dietary patterns including healthy, Western and high-fat, high-sugar were identified. Patients categorized in the last tertile of the healthy dietary pattern had a decreased risk of PCAD (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.64–0.93), while those in the top tertile of Western (OR = 2.38, 95 CI:1.97–2.86) and High-fat simple carbohydrate (HFSC) (OR = 3.10, 95% CI:2.57–3.75) diets had increased risk of PCAD. Conclusions A healthy dietary pattern was significantly related to a decreased risk of PCAD presence, whereas Western and HFSC diets were connected to a higher risk of PCAD.

Objectives Little is known about the mortality rate of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in older people form low- and middle-income countries. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the predictors of one-year mortality in older people with STEMI in Kermanshah, Iran. Methods & Materials This is a cohort study that was conducted on 421 older patients with STEMI admitted to Imam-Ali Hospital in Kermanshah from July 3, 2018, to December 21, 2019. Descriptive statistics were used to report the risk factors, and univariate and multiple Cox proportional-hazards model were used to investigate predictors of one-year mortality. Results The patients had a mean age of 73.51±6.73 years. The majority of them were male (67.5%), residents of Kermanshah (74.9%), and illiterate (60.8%). Reperfusion therapy was administered for 86.0% of patients (50.4% with percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI] and 30.4% with thrombolytic treatment). The follow-up period was 350.62 person-years. In one year, 76 patients (18.5%) died, of whom 12.4% had PCI, 16.1% thrombolytic treatment, and 0.38% no reperfusion therapy. Independent predictors of mortality were: No reperfusion therapy (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.42, 95% CI, 1.14%, 5.11%) and glomerular filtration rate (HR:0.97, 95% CI, 0.94%, 0.99%). Conclusion In this study, the older patients with STEMI treated by PCI had a lower one-year mortality rate. It is recommended to establish a comprehensive STEMI network to enhance timely reperfusion for these patients and improve their health literacy.

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide, resembling an epidemic. With industrialization and lifestyle shifts, more young individuals are experiencing acute myocardial infarctions. The objective of this study is to examine the one-year outcomes of acute myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation among patients under 40 years old. Materials and Methods: In this study, we included patients diagnosed with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) who were referred to Imam Ali Heart Hospital in Kermanshah, as part of a prospective cohort study. Our objective was to determine the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack, stroke, and mortality, among these patients. Results: In this study, we examined 118 patients diagnosed with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). Of these, 93.2% were male and 6.8% were female. The mean age of the participants was 34.81 years (standard deviation 4.79). During the one-year follow-up, no cases of stroke were observed among the patients. However, the prevalence of angina, heart failure (HF), and myocardial infarction (MI) among the patients was 15.3%, 7.6%, and 2.5%, respectively. Conclusions: In the one-year outcomes of ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction in patients under 40 years of age, it was observed that the majority of individuals who died were smokers. This finding underscores the critical importance of addressing smoking as a significant risk factor, even when patients receive appropriate and timely medical care for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Moreover, smoking can potentially render treatment measures ineffective. Therefore, the significance of screening for and addressing risk factors should not be underestimated.

Abstract Objective Mitral valve failure is one of the most common valvular heart diseases worldwide. Valve replacement and repair have an impact on the quality of life of patients. Therefore, the present study was conducted to compare the quality of life in patients with mitral valve replacement and those who underwent mitral valve repair. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we considered all cardiac patients with ischemic mitral insufficiency who underwent mitral valve repair and patients with a history of valve replacement in Imam Ali Hospital of Kermanshah between 2014 and 2020. Two Minnesota and general quality of life questionnaires along with a checklist for demographic variables were used for data collection. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 21 software. Results The mean quality of life score based on the general quality of life scale in the valve repair group was 32.33 (SD = 2.29) and in the valve replacement group 32.89(SD = 2.60), (p = 0.917). Also, mean quality of life, as measured by the Minnesota MLHFQ was 60.89(SD = 17.67) in the valve repair group and 63.42 (SD = 12.13) in the valve replacement group (p = 0.308). The results showed that the average general quality of life was different in study groups regarding education. Tukey’s post hoc test showed that the average general quality of life in illiterate people is significantly lower than in people with academic degrees (P-value = 0.001). Conclusion The quality of life of the patients in both the valve repair and replacement groups was at an average level. There was no significant difference between the general quality of life and the Minnesota scales, suggesting that both tools can be effectively used to measure patients’ quality of life. The study’s findings can be valuable for monitoring patients, screening for conditions, and enhancing communication between doctors and patients.

Abstract Objective: The cardioprotective effects of nuts are well established. However, the positive impacts of nuts in preventing CVD at a younger age, a condition known as premature coronary artery disease (PCAD), is still debated. Therefore, we aim to determine the association between nuts and PCAD occurrence and its severity in different Iranian ethnicities. Design: This case–control study was conducted within the framework of the Iran-premature coronary artery disease (I-PAD) study, an ongoing multi-centric study on Iranian patients of different ethnicities. Setting: This multi-centric case–control study was conducted in among 3253 persons under the age of 70 years in women and 60 years in men from different ethnicities in Iran. Participants: Information on nut consumption was collected using a validated FFQ. Subjects were selected from among the candidates for angiography. Cases were those whose coronary angiography showed stenosis of more than 75 % in at least one vessel or more than 50 % of the left main artery, while the control group participants had normal angiography results. Results: In the crude model, compared to the first quartile, the highest quartile of nut consumption was significantly associated with a lower risk of PCAD (OR = 0·26, 95 % CI (0·21, 0·32); P for trend = 0·001). In the top quartile of nut intake, a substantial decrease in PCAD was observed after controlling for putative confounders (OR = 0·32; 95 % CI (0·24, 0·43); P for trend = 0·001). Additionally, a 75 % decrease in the risk of severe PCAD was observed in the participants in the highest quartile of nut intake. Conclusion: A significant inverse association was observed between nut intake and the risk and severity of PCAD in the Iranian population. Large-scale clinical trials are required to confirm these findings.

Introduction: Few studies have investigated the characteristics of patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) according to age and sex in Iran. This study aims to investigate the risk factors profile, treatment, and mortality of STEMI based on age and sex. Methods: From 10th June 2016 to December 2019 a total of 2816, STEMI patients referred to the Imam Ali heart center of Kermanshah were included in the study. Profile of the risk factors, epidemiology, treatment and 30- day mortality for all cases in the age categories of 18-49, 50-64, and≥65 years were studied. Results: There were 1256 (44.6%) middle-aged STEMI patients, and 2181 (77.45%) were male. The elderly had a longer median door-to-balloon and symptom-to-balloon time and received less primary PCI. In the absence of primary PCI, the rate of 30-day mortality in women was higher than in men, and the mortality rate increased with age. The risk of death in middle-aged women was higher than that of men. Also, in the middle-aged group, after multivariable adjustment, previous bypass surgery, diabetes, and Killip class≥2 was associated with significant increase in the risk of death. Conclusion: The present study showed that young people with STEMI had a high risk of heart failure and anterior infarction compared to the older age groups. Women had more risk factors for STEMI and a higher mortality rate than men. Therefore, there is a need to educate young age groups and women to modify their lifestyles and intervene in the risk factors of heart diseases.

INTRODUCTION: Hypertension is widely known as a significant factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases. However, there is increasing interest in the potential link between low admission systolic blood pressure (SBP) and higher mortality rates. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between admission SBP and the probability of one-year mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).METHOD: This study, which used data from registries, focused on patients diagnosed with STEMI between July 2018 and December 2019. The patients were divided into three groups based on their admission SBP: normal (< 112 mm Hg), elevated (112–140 mm Hg), and hypertension (≥140 mm Hg), and were followed for one year. The researchers used Cox proportional models to analyze the data, which allowed them to estimate crude and fully adjusted hazard ratios, along with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (HR, 95% CI).RESULTS: This study, which included 1159 patients with a mean age of 60.71±12.19, 914 (78.86%) were male, and 108 (9.32%) died within one year. Among the patients, 276 had a normal admission SBP, 338 had elevated SBP, and 545 had hypertension. Those with hypertension had a higher-risk profile, including factors such as hyperlipidemia, BMI, LDL levels, anterior myocardial infarction, and a higher prevalence of females. The crude and fully adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for the relationship between elevated admission SBP and mortality were calculated as 0.36 (95% CI: 0.23-0.56) and 0.43 (95% CI: 0.23-0.81), respectively.CONCLUSION: The study's findings indicate a connection between increased admission SBP and a decreased probability of one-year mortality among patients with STEMI. Unlike the general population, where there is a direct linear correlation between SBP and the risk of future cardiovascular events, this research demonstrates an inverse relationship between SBP and one-year mortality.

Abstract Background Population ageing is considered one of the biggest challenges facing the world, and the status of the elderly in society and their quality of life (QOL) have proved to be a concern in professional and scientific research circles. As a result, the current study sought to investigate the role of pain self-efficacy (PSE) as a moderator in the relationship between sense of coherence (SOC), spiritual well-being, and self-compassion with QOL in Iranian elderly with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Method This was a correlational study of the path analysis type. The statistical population included all elderly people with CVD who were at least 60 years of age in Kermanshah Province, Iran, in 2022, of whom 298 (181 men and 117 women) were selected using convenience sampling and according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The participants answered questionnaires from the World Health Organization on QOL, Paloutzian and Ellison’s spiritual well-being, Nicholas’s PSE, Antonovsky’s SOC, and Raes et al.’s self-compassion. Results The results of path analysis demonstrated that the hypothesized model of this study has a good fit in the studied sample. There were significant paths between SOC (β = 0.39), spiritual well-being (β = 0.13) and self-compassion (β = 0.44) with PSE. Although there were significant paths between SOC (β = 0.16) and self-compassion (β = 0.31) with QOL, there was no significant path between spiritual well-being and QOL (β = 0.06). Besides, there was a significant path between PSE and QOL (β = 0.35). Finally, PSE was found to mediate the relationship of SOC, spiritual well-being and self-compassion with QOL. Conclusion The results may provide psychotherapists and counselors working in this field of inquiry with advantageous information to choose or create a useful therapeutic method to work with the elderly with CVD. Meanwhile, other researchers are suggested to examine other variables which may serve a mediating role in the mentioned model.

Objectives Older diabetic patients with myocardial infarction (MI) are vulnerable group. This study aims to compare the prevalence of risk factors, type of reperfusion therapy, and mortality in diabetic and non-diabetic elderly with MI. Methods & Materials This is a cohort study. The statistical population consists of all older adults (age ≥60 years), whose information was available in the ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) registry system of Imam Ali hospital in Kermanshah, Iran from July 2016 to January 2020. Of these, 1460 participants with STEMI were selected based on the inclusion criteria and divided into two diabetic and non-diabetic groups. Their information was recorded by trained nurses using a checklist surveying demographic information, medical records, cardiovascular disease risk factors, clinical and diagnostic tests, type of treatment, and death at the time of admission, hospitalization and discharge. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney and chi-square test in Stata software, version 14. P

Introduction: Studies have linked secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure to adverse health effects. The high prevalence of heart disease necessitates the need for studies in this field. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the exposure to SHS in cardiac patients. Method: This study is a cross-sectional descriptive study. A total of 430 patients who were referred to Imam Ali Hospital in Kermanshah, Iran, in 2020 were included in the study based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The researchers collected and recorded demographic information, disease history, and exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) through a digital questionnaire. Bivariate analysis was conducted using a chi-square test and an independent T-test, depending on the variable scale. Results: The results of the study showed that 237 patients were male (55.12 %) and 193 were female (44.8 %). The prevalence of exposure to secondhand smoke was 72.09 %. Notably, the highest rate of exposure to secondhand smoke was associated with 'exposure to tobacco smoke in public places' with a rate of 69.30 %. Additionally, it was observed that approximately 39.07 % of patients reported exposure to secondhand smoke in public places at least once a week. Conclusion: The present study has found that cardiac patients frequently experience secondhand smoking exposure, with public settings being the primary location of exposure. Implementing intervention strategies and enacting laws that prohibit smoking can effectively mitigate the negative impact of SHS exposure.

Introduction: Cigarette smoking is a preventable cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Despite the adverse effects of smoking, some studies have reported the term “smoker’s paradox’, meaning better outcomes in smokers following acute myocardial infarction.Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between smoking status and one-year mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).Materials and methods: This was a registry-based cohort study of STEMI patients from Imam-Ali hospital, Kermanshah, Iran. Consecutive STEMI patients (July 2016-October 2018) were stratified by smoking status and followed for one year. Cox proportional models were used to estimate crude, age-adjusted, and full-adjusted hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals (HR, 95%CI).Results: Of 1975 patients (mean age 60.1 years, 76.6% male) included in the study, 48.1% (n=951) were smokers (mean age 57.7 years, 94.7% male). Crude and age-adjusted HR (95% CI) for the associations of smoking and mortality were 0.67 (0.50-0.92) and 0.89 (0.65-1.22), respectively. After adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, body-mass index, anterior wall myocardial infarction, creatine kinase-MB, glomerular filtration rate, left ventricular ejection fraction, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and hemoglobin, smoking was associated with increased risk of mortality: HR (95% CI: 1.56 (1.04-2.35).Conclusions: In our study, smoking was associated with an increased risk of mortality. Although the smokers had a better outcome, this would be reversed after controlling for age and the other STEMI associated factors.

Background: Obesity is strongly associated with increased cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. However, numerous studies have suggested the existence of an “obesity paradox” in which overweight and mildly obese patients often exhibit a better outcome than their leaner counterparts. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the association between BMI and in-hospital and one-year outcomes.Methods: This hospital-based research was conducted as a part of the Kermanshah STEMI Registry. Following the application of inclusion criteria, a total of 2,397 STEMI patients were evaluated. The data were collected using a standardized case report developed by the European Observational Registry Program (EORP). Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2) was classified into underweight (

Objectives The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors is different in the elderly and middle-aged. Therefore the present study aims to compare the prevalence of risk factors affecting ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), type of treatment, and mortality rate in these two groups. Methods & Materials This retrospective cohort study included 1 071 elderly and middle-aged ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients who had referred to Kermanshah Imam Ali Hospital for 23 months from January 2017 to November 2019. Demographic information, cardiovascular risk factors, type of treatment, and mortality were examined. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, independent t test, and Chi-square test in Stata software version 14 with a significance level of 0.05. Results In the present study, the prevalence of risk factors, including smoking, high triglyceride, overweight, and obesity in the middle-aged group was significantly more than the elderly group (P < 0.05). The low-density lipoprotein (LDL) mean (mg/dL) in the middle-aged group (99.26 ± 71.69) was significantly higher than the elderly group (96.29 ± 8.5) (P < 0.05). The rate of primary angioplasty use was higher in the middle-aged (55.31%) than in the elderly (48.52%). Other results indicated that the overall mortality rate in the elderly (15.7%) was higher than in the middle-aged (4.4%) (P < 0.001). The prevalence of myocardial infarction, stroke, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 60 was significantly higher in the elderly group compared to the middle-aged (P < 0.05). Conclusion The prevalence of low glomerular filtration rate (GFR), hyperlipidemia, and hypertension, myocardial infarction and stroke is higher in the elderly than in the middle-aged, while the prevalence of vital risk factors, such as smoking, triglycerides, overweight, and obesity in the middle-aged group is significantly higher than the elderly. If these risk factors are planned and controlled in middle age, people will be less at risk for myocardial infarction in aging.

BACKGROUND: Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) is the leading cause of global mortality. Moreover, Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) is the most important predictor of post-AMI mortality. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between smoking cessation and LVEF following one year from the STEMI.CASE REPORT: The present study was a part of the Kermanshah STEMI Registry and included 825 smokers admitted to Imam Ali Hospital, Kermanshah, Iran, with AMI during a 2-year study period. Data collection was performed using the standardized case report form by the European Observational Registry Program (EORP). Moreover, multiple logistic regression was used to compare LVEF between the patients who had quit smoking post-AMI and those who were still smokers after one year. Also, one-to-one Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was used to reduce the assessment error and selection bias, increase the result accuracy, and minimize the effects of confounders on the LVEF-smoking relationship.Results: Following one year after AMI, 219 (26.55%) patients had quit smoking, while 606 (73.45%) still smoked. Using the PSM, a total of 168 ex-smokers were matched to 168 current smokers. Moreover, it was shown that LVEF was higher in current smokers compared to ex-smokers. However, the difference was not significant. Also, multiple logistic regression showed that the Odds Ratio (OR) of LVEF reduction was insignificantly higher in ex-smokers (OR=1.13; 95% CI: 0.98-1.29) compared to current smokers. Multivariate regression analysis found similar results even after the application of PSM (OR 1.02; 95% CI: 0.82-1.22).CONCLUSIONS: Given the low rate of smoking cessation after MI, physicians are recommended to ask about the smoking status of MI patients at each office visit or re-admission and strongly recommend quitting smoking.

ABSTRACT Introduction: This study was aimed to evaluate the sex-based differences in baseline characteristics and one-year outcomes of men and women undergoing mitral valve repair for infective endocarditis. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed at Imam Ali Hospital affiliated with the Kermanshah University of Medical Science. From March 21, 2014, to October 21, 2021, all patients who underwent mitral valve repair for infective endocarditis were enrolled in this study. Data were obtained using a checklist developed based on the study’s objectives. Independent samples t-tests, paired samples t-tests, and chi-squared test (or Fisher’s exact test) were used to assess the differences between subgroups. Results: Of 75 patients, 26 were women (34.7%) and 49 were men (65.3%). Women were more likely to have diabetes mellitus (20.4% vs. 57.7%, P=0.0001), hypertension (49% vs. 80.8%, P=0.007), and hypercholesterolemia (55.1% vs. 80.8%, P=0.027). Conversely, men were more likely to have a history of smoking (38.8% vs. 7.7%, P=0.004). After one year, women had significantly higher mortality (0% vs. 7.7%, P=0.049), major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (51.0 vs. 76.9, P=0.029), mitral valve reoperation (8.1% vs. 34.6%, P=0.003), and treatment failure (30.6% vs. 61.5%, P=0.009) rates than men. Conclusion: Mortality, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, mitral valve reoperation, and treatment failure rates were higher in women than in men. The worse outcomes in women may be explained by their more adverse clinical risk profile.

BackgroundUltra-processed foods (UPF) consumption may affect the risk of PCAD through affecting cardio metabolic risk factors. This study aimed to evaluate the association between UPFs consumption and premature coronary artery disease (PCAD).MethodsA case–control study was conducted on 2,354 Iranian adults (≥ 19 years). Dietary intake was assessed using a validated 110-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and foods were classified based on the NOVA system, which groups all foods according to the nature, extent and purposes of the industrial processes they undergo. PCAD was defined as having an stenosis of at least single coronary artery equal and above 75% or left main coronary of equal or more than 50% in women less than 70 and men less than 60 years, determined by angiography. The odds of PCAD across the tertiles of UPFs consumption were assessed by binary logistic regression.ResultsAfter adjustment for potential confounders, participants in the top tertile of UPFs were twice as likely to have PCAD compared with those in the bottom tertile (OR: 2.52; 95% CI: 1.97–3.23). Moreover, those in the highest tertile of the UPFs consumption had more than two times higher risk for having severe PCAD than those in the first tertile (OR: 2.64; 95% CI: 2.16–3.22). In addition, there was a significant upward trend in PCAD risk and PCAD severity as tertiles increased (P-trend

Abstract Background and Aims Low‐ and middle‐income nations account for at least three‐quarters of cardiovascular disease deaths worldwide. This study aimed to obtain real knowledge about ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients and provide the context for developing a principles for care quality improvement. Method This cross‐sectional study was conducted from July 2018 through December 2019. The study sample consisted of1169 eligible patients based on inclusion criteria. The data were collected using the standard EROP and three specialized, trained questionnaires. The collected data were checked by the quality control officer and analyzed using Stata Version 14. Results Patient baseline characteristics showed that body mass index, low‐density lipoprotein, high‐density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were higher in women. Also, females recorded a considerable history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia compared to men. The results also showed that most men were smokers (46.80%). Aspirin (94.27%), statins (91.48%), and clopidogrel (90.68%) were the common medications used at hospital discharge for patients. Conclusion The present study suggests that identifying and managing modifiable risk factors can improve cardiovascular disease outcomes. Also, considering the early identification of STEMI patients with new therapies can effectively decrease the rate of cardiovascular disease and its attributed health outcomes.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Prosthetic valve dysfunction is a potentially critical complication of heart valve replacement. An easy and quickly applicable diagnostic procedure is required for recognizing the prosthetic valve dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to prospectively define the diagnostic value of D-dimer and INR level in predicting prosthetic valve dysfunction. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in 70 patients suspected to have prosthetic valve dysfunction admitted to Imam Ali Hospital, affiliated with Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), Kermanshah Province, Iran. Cinefluoroscopy, as the gold standard diagnostic test, was used for the diagnosis of prosthetic valve dysfunction in enrolled patients. Two milliliters of blood from each patient were taken into a tube containing sodium citrate anticoagulant. To evaluate D-dimer, the cutoff value was set at 500 ng/ml. Also, to evaluate international normalized ratio (INR), the cutoff value was set at 2. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), and negative likelihood ratio (NLR) of the serum markers were used to describe predictive properties. Results: Of 70 patients, 27 (38.6%) were male and 43 (61.4%) were female, and the mean age was 54.67±15.11 years (range, 18 to 80 years). Of 70 patients, 27 (38.6%) had prosthetic heart valve malfunction demonstrable by fluoroscopy, and 19 patients (27.1%) had D-dimer levels >500 ng/ml. Elevated D-dimer levels (>500 ng/ml) have been indicated to have sensitivity of 70.4%, and hence an NPV of 84.3%, specificity of 100%, PPV of 100%, NLR of 0.3, and the infinity value of PLR for predicting prosthetic valve dysfunction. There was a significant relationship between fluoroscopy and D-dimer test (P=0.001). A kappa coefficient value of 0.745 indicated a substantial agreement between D-dimer and fluoroscopy testing. Mixing test (combination of D-dimer and INR) showed to have 100% sensitivity, and hence a NPV of 69.8%, specificity of 69.8%, PPV of 51.8%, NLR of 1.41, and PLR of 1.44 for predicting prosthetic valve dysfunction. Conclusion: D-dimer with moderate sensitivity and high specificity is an ideal marker for the diagnosis of prosthetic valve dysfunction in suspected patients. Enhanced plasma D-dimer level is not by itself diagnostic of a prosthetic valve dysfunction but may alert physicians to refer the patient for more detailed examination, preferably by fluoroscopy. Mixing test with 100% sensitivity can apply as a rule-out test.

BackgroundThe precise impact of sex difference on in-hospital mortality in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients are unclear, and the studies are no longer consistent. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the impact of sex differences in a cohort of STEMI patients.MethodsWe analyzed the data of 2647 STEMI patients enrolled in the Kermanshah STEMI Cohort from July 2017 to May 2020. To accurately clarify the relationship between sex and hospital mortality, propensity score matching (PSM) and causal mediation analysis was applied to the selected confounder and identified intermediate variables, respectively.ResultsBefore matching, the two groups differed on almost every baseline variable and in-hospital death. After matching with 30 selected variables, 574 male and female matched pairs were significantly different only for five baseline variables and women were no longer at greater risk of in-hospital mortality (10.63% vs. 9.76%, p = 0.626). Among the suspected mediating variables, creatinine clearance (CLCR) alone accounts for 74% (0.665/0.895) of the total effect equal to 0.895(95% CI: 0.464-1.332). In this milieu, the relationship between sex and in-hospital death was no longer significant and reversed -0.233(95% CI: -0.623-0.068), which shows the full mediating role of CLCR.ConclusionOur research could help address sex disparities in STEMI mortality and provide a consequence. Moreover, CLCR alone can fully explain this relationship, which can highlight the importance of CLCR in predicting the short-term outcomes of STEMI patients and provide a useful indicator for clinicians.

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the psychological determinants of adherence to treatment among patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) referring to Imam Ali Hospital in Kermanshah, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 227 patients (mean age=58.10, SD = 13.44) with CVDs, randomly selected amongst those admitted to Imam Ali cardiovascular center of Kermanshah in 2018. Data were collected through Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), the Jefferson Scale of Patient’s Perceptions of Physician Empathy (JSPPPE), the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ), and Adherence to Treatment Questionnaire. The relationships between the criterion and predictor variables were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression (stepwise method) in IBM SPSS Statistics-23. Results: The adherence to treatment was associated with meaning in life (r=0.367), patients’ perceptions of physician empathy (r=0.218), and illness perception (r=-0.238), at the 0.01 level. Meaning in life, patient’s perceptions of physician empathy, and illness perception explained 18.6% of the variance in adherence to treatment. Meaning in life (beta=0.367 and P≤0.001) was the most influential predictor of adherence to treatment. Additionally, there was a significant difference in the score of adherence to treatment by gender (23.46±4.42 for female vs. 24.77±3.53 for male, P = 0.030). Conclusion: The patients’ perceptions of physician empathy, meaning in life, and illness perception were important factors to predict adherence to treatment in patients with CVDs. Gender was a significant predictor of the adherence to treatment.

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

BACKGROUND: Premature coronary artery disease (CAD) is still prevalent worldwide and may differ in various ethnicities. Due to the presence of different ethnicities in Iran, the Iran-premature coronary artery disease (I-PAD) study aimed to determine the frequency of premature CAD and related risk factors based on each ethnicity.METHODS: In this multi-center case-control study, 4000 patients with premature CAD from ten different ethnicities who lived in different cities of Iran and underwent coronary angiography were enrolled (women aged ≤ 70 and men ≤ 60 years). Patients with CAD defined as obstruction equal or above 75% in at least a single coronary artery or left main ≥ 50% were included in the case group, while patients with normal coronary arteries were included in the control group. Lifestyle behaviors, cardiometabolic risk factors, anthropometric measurements, and other variables were collected. Serum, whole blood, buffy coat, plasma, urine, stool, and saliva samples were stored.RESULTS: The number of patients enrolled until April 2020 was 2071. The mean age of patients was 53.51 ± 7.52 and 934 (45.09%) of patients were women. To date, about 39.6% of the patients were normal. Also, about 26.0% were with one-vessel disease (1VD), 15.0% with two-vessel disease (2VD), and 15.2% with three-vessel disease (3VD). More than 30000 patients' biosamples from across the country have been stored.CONCLUSION: Knowing the frequency of premature CAD according to different ethnicities with major differences in their lifestyle behaviors and risk factors can assist health decision-makers. In addition, I-PAD biosamples will be an invaluable source.

BACKGROUND: Circadian variation is known as an important factor in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Moreover, the circadian pattern may help in disease prevention and better medication prescription. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the circadian pattern of symptom onset in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 777 patients admitted to the Imam Ali Cardiovascular Center, Kermanshah, Iran, with a diagnosis of STEMI from March 2018 to February 2019. Data were collected using a checklist developed based on the study's objectives. Differences between subgroups were assessed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post-hoc testing and chi-square test (or Fisher’s exact test).RESULTS: Out of the 777 patients, 616 (79.3%) were men. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of age of the patients was 60.93 ± 12.86 years. 380 patients (48.9%) were current smoker, 40.3% were hypertensive, 21.1% had hypercholesterolemia, 18.3% had diabetes mellitus (DM), 25.2% had history of angina, and about 15.0% had history of myocardial infarction (MI). The occurrence of STEMI was most common during hours between 06:01-12:00 (27.7%), followed by 12:01-18:00 (27.3%), 00:00-06:00 (24.3%), and 18:01-24:00 (20.7%), respectively. Gender was significantly associated with circadian pattern of STEMI. Women showed a double peak of symptom onset in 06:01-12:00 and 12:01-18:00.CONCLUSION: The present study of Iranian patients displayed circadian pattern of STEMI with 2 peaks in the morning and afternoon, and the both peaks were dominated by women.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the in-hospital mortality of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), according to gender and other likely risk factors. Methods: This study reports on data relating to 1,484 consecutive patients with STEMI registered from June 2016 to May 2018 in the Western Iran STEMI Registry. Data were collected using a standardized case report developed by the European Observational Registry Program (EORP). The relationship between in-hospital mortality and potential predicting variables was assessed multivariable logistic regression. Differences between groups in mortality rates were compared using chi-square tests and independent t-tests. Results: Out of the 1484 patients, 311(21%) were female. Women were different from men in terms of age (65.8 vs. 59), prevalence of hypertension (HTN) (63.7% vs. 35.4%), diabetes mellitus (DM) (37.7% vs. 16.2%), hypercholesterolemia (36.7% vs. 18.5%) and the history of previous congestive heart failure (CHF) (6.6% vs. 3.0%). Smoking was more prevalent among men (55.9% vs. 13.2%). Although the in-hospital mortality rate was higher in women (11.6% vs. 5.5%), after adjusting for other risk factors, female sex was not an independent predictor for in-hospital mortality. Multivariable analysis identified that age and higher Killip class (≥II) were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality rate. Conclusion: In-hospital mortality after STEMI in women was higher than men. However, the role of sex as an independent predictor of mortality disappeared in regression analysis. The gender based difference in in-hospital mortality after STEMI may be related to the poorer cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor profile of the women.

Background: Identifying the long-term predictors of recurrent cardiovascular events may help improve the quality of care and prevent subsequent events. We aimed to investigate the predictors of 1-year major cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients discharged after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in a tertiary hospital in Iran. Methods: This registry-based cohort study included consecutive STEMI patients between 2016 and 2019 in Imam-Ali Hospital, Kermanshah, Iran. All patients discharged alive from STEMI hospitalization were followed up for 1 year for MACE, consisting of all-cause mortality, nonfatal MI, and nonfatal stroke. We estimated the hazard ratio (HR) and the 95% confidence interval (95% CI) using Cox proportional-hazard models to evaluate potential predictors, including demographic characteristics, medical history, cardiovascular risk factors, laboratory tests, reperfusion therapy, and medications. Results: During 2187.2 person-years, 21 patients were lost to follow-up (success rate =99.1%). Of 2274 post-discharge STEMI patients (mean age =60.26 y; 21.9% female), 151 (6.6%) experienced MACE, including, all-cause mortality (n=115, 5.1%), nonfatal MI (n=20, 0.9%), and nonfatal stroke (n=16, 0.7%). Independent predictors of MACE were age (HR:1.02; 95% CI: 1.00–1.04), no education vs ≥12 years of formal schooling (HR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.17–3.67), stroke history (HR: 2.37; 95% CI: 1.48–3.81), the glomerular filtration rate (HR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97–1.00), the body mass index (HR: 0.94; 95% CI:, 0.89–0.99), peak creatine kinase-MB (HR: 1.00; 95% CI: 1.00–1.002), thrombolysis vs primary percutaneous coronary intervention (HR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.21–2.81), and left ventricular ejection fraction

Objective Smoking is a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and a known factor influencing the severity and pattern of CAD. We summarized evidence regarding the effect of smoking on the number of occluded coronary arteries and the severity and pattern of CAD. Methods We extracted data from observational studies reporting the pattern and severity of CAD in smokers. The quality of studies was assessed using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist, and results are reported in the Garrard table. The review process followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Results We screened 11 studies including 6037 samples. Six studies reported no relationship between smoking and the number of damaged arteries. One study reported that smoking was related to occlusion in the left anterior descending artery, but there was no relationship between smoking and the location of occlusion in the arteries. Smoking was related to CAD severity in five studies. Conclusions Smoking was found to be related to CAD severity and location of the damaged artery in the heart. However, there was no significant association of smoking with the number of damaged arteries and location of arterial occlusion.

Objective: breast arterial calcification (BAC) is one of the most prevalent mammographic findings and has been debated as a marker of cardiovascular disease (CVDs). The present study aimed to assess the findings of stress echo in women with BAC. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on women who undergo mammography for routine breast cancer screening at Imam Reza hospital, western Iran from March 2018 to July 2018. The patients underwent stress echocardiography to evaluate the probability of myocardial ischemia (MI). Chi-square and independent t-tests were used to assess the differences between subgroups. Results: BAC was present in 61 (15.2%) women. The mean age of the patients with BAC was significantly higher than the patients without BAC (58.59± 7.82 vs. 55.32±6.57, p =0.003). Prevalence rates of the menopause (88.5% vs. 71.1%, p=0.009), hypertension (29.5% vs. 17.7%, p=0.032), and hypercholesterolemia (24.6% vs. 13.0, p=0.018) were significantly higher in the patients with BAC compared to the patients without BAC. The prevalence rate of MI symptoms in the patients with BAC was equal to 24.6%. Significantly, more women with BAC were positive for myocardial ischemia compared to the women without BAC (24.6% vs. 8.5%, p

Simulating groups and their behaviors have been one of the important topics recently. This paper proposes a novel velocity-based method to simulate the realistic behavior of groups moving in a specific formation in a virtual environment including other groups and obstacles. The proposed algorithm, we called “DGB—Discretionary Group Behavior”, takes advantage of ORCA (Optimal Reciprocal Collision Avoidance) half-planes for both grouping and collision avoidance strategy. By considering new half-planes for each agent, we can have more reasonable and intelligent behavior in front of challenging obstacles and other agents. Unlike recent similar works, independent members in a group do not have predefined connections to each other even though they can keep the group’s formation while moving and trying to follow their best neighbors discretionarily in critical situations. Through experiments, we found that the proposed algorithm can yield more human-like group behavior in a crowd of agents.

Background: In patients who undergoing PCI, association between right ventricular function and outcome of the procedure remained unclear. The present study aimed to determine association between echocardiography findings of systolic right ventricular function and functional status of patients following PCI. Methods: In a cross-sectional study conducted at Imam Ali hospital and heart center in Kermanshah, Iran in 2013, 40 patients with history of inferior wall myocardial infarction (Inf MI) according to previous electrocardiography (ECG) in past hospitalization for MI who were candidate for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on right coronary artery (RCA) and had left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 40% were included. The subjects underwent echocardiography on admission to assess echocardiography indices of systolic right ventricular function including tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), tricuspid annular systolic velocity (TASV), Tei-index (Myocardial performance index), and RV fractional area (RVFA) change that was repeated one month later. Baseline functional status was assessed based on the New York Heart Association functional classification score (NYHA score) that divided to 4 grades. Results: NYHA score improved following PCI procedure (from 2.20±0.46 to 1.10±0.30, P

Introduction & Objective: Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in all countries in the recent century and congestive heart failure (CHF) is the reason of death in most pa-tients . The most common causes of CHF are ischemic heart disease, myopathies , valvular disease and hypertension. Mortality reduction is the aim in CHF treatment. Combination of glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK) has been used in the treatment of acute coronary syndrome and chronic CHF for two decades and different results reported. The current study performed to evaluate the efficacy of GIK to accelerate resolving signs and symptoms in patients with acute CHF. Materials & Methods: NT. pro BNP and H.s CRP are two components which increase in acute CHF and decrease after treatment. These parameters were evaluated in our clinical trial study.50 patients admitted with the diagnosis of acute CHF and EF