Assessment of the left atrial volume index and plasma NT-proANP level in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVES:

Acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction is associated with ventricular dysfunction due to ischemia-induced progressive myocardial damage. The decrease in ventricular compliance causes left atrial dilatation and stretching of the atrial myocardium, which are the main stimuli for the secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide. The aim of this study was to evaluate left atrial dimensions and atrial natriuretic peptide levels in patients early after their first acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction and assess the probable interaction between coronary lesions and these measurements.

METHODS:

A total of 110 patients with acute myocardial infarction and 50 controls were studied. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide was measured at admission. Left ventricular function, diameter, and volume index were evaluated using transthoracic echocardiography. Gensini and vessel scores of the patients who underwent coronary angiography were calculated.

RESULTS:

Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide in the patients with myocardial infarction was increased compared with that in controls (3.90±3.75 vs. 1.35±0.72 nmol/L, p<0.001). Although the left atrial diameter was comparable in patients and controls, the left atrial volume index was increased in patients with acute myocardial infarction (26.5±7.1 vs. 21.3±4.9 mL/m², p<0.01). Multivariate regression analysis showed a strong independent correlation between the left atrial volume index and the plasma atrial natriuretic peptide level (β = 0.23, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS:

The left atrial volume index and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide level were correlated in patients with acute myocardial infarction.     

Right ventricular involvement in anterior myocardial infarction: a tissue Doppler-derived strain and strain rate study

OBJECTIVE:

Strain and strain rate imaging is currently the most popular echocardiographic technique that reveals subclinical myocardial damage. There are currently no available data on this imaging method with regard to assessing right ventricular involvement in anterior myocardial infarction. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate right ventricular regional functions using a derived strain and strain rate imaging tissue Doppler method in patients who were successfully treated for their first anterior myocardial infarction.

METHODS:

The patient group was composed of 44 patients who had experienced their first anterior myocardial infarction and had undergone successful percutaneous coronary intervention. Twenty patients were selected for the control group. The right ventricular myocardial samplings were performed in three regions: the basal, mid, and apical segments of the lateral wall. The individual myocardial velocity, strain, and strain rate values of each basal, mid, and apical segment were obtained.

RESULTS:

The right ventricular myocardial velocities of the patient group were significantly decreased with respect to all three velocities in the control group. The strain and strain rate values of the right mid and apical ventricular segments in the patient group were significantly lower than those of the control group (excluding the right ventricular basal strain and strain rate). In addition, changes in the right ventricular mean strain and strain rate values were significant.

CONCLUSION:

Right ventricular involvement following anterior myocardial infarction can be assessed using tissue Doppler based strain and strain rate     

Splenic Artery Transposition Graft Usage for the Supply of the Right Hepatic Artery: A Case Report

Hepatic artery aneurysms are responsible for 12% to 20% of all visceral arterial aneurysms. Because most patients are asymptomatic, this disease is generally diagnosed incidentally during radiologic examination. Aneurysm rupture develops in 14% to 80% of cases, depending on the aneurysmatic segment''s diameter and location, as well as other etiologic factors. Mortality rates associated with rupture range between 20% and 70%. Thus, early diagnosis and timely initiation of medical interventions are critical to improve survival rates. Here, we present a male patient, age 69 years, with a hepatic artery aneurysm that was detected incidentally. The 3-cm aneurysm was detected on contrast-enhanced computed tomography and extended from the common hepatic artery to the hepatic trifurcation. A laparotomy was performed using a right subcostal incision. After dissection of the hepatoduodenal ligament, the common, right, and left hepatic arteries, as well as the gastroduodenal artery, were suspended separately. Then, the aneurysmatic hepatic artery segment was resected, and the gastroduodenal artery stump was ligated. An end-to-end anastomosis was formed between the left and common hepatic arteries, followed by an end-to-end anastomosis formed between the right hepatic artery and splenic artery using a splenic artery transposition graft. Postoperative follow-up examinations showed that both hepatic arterial circulations were good, and no splenic infraction had developed.     

Increased inflammatory markers are associated with obesity and not with target organ damage in newly diagnosed untreated essential hypertensive patients

The aim of this study was to investigate whether inflammatory markers are associated with hypertensive end organ damage or obesity in patients with hypertension. Seventy newly diagnosed essential hypertensive patients (29 men and 41 women aged 49.6 ± 9.5 y) and 25 age-sex-matched normotensive subjects (12 men and 13 women aged 45.8 ± 7.3 y) were asked about their family history of hypertension and smoking habits, and body mass index (BMI) was recorded and blood samples were taken to measure fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), and homocysteine levels. In hypertensive patients, creatinine clearance, urinary albumin extraction, and left ventricular mass index were determined. Hypertensive patients had significantly higher BMIs and inflammatory markers when compared with normotensive healthy controls. The CRP was positively associated with BMI (P < .05), diastolic blood pressure (P < .05), fibrinogen (P < .01), urinary albumin extraction (P < .01), and left ventricular mass index (P < .05). The BMI and serum fibrinogen level were independently associated with CRP. The effect of inflammation on the development of hypertensive end organ damage may be associated with obesity, so that control of obesity may eliminate the inflammatory state in hypertensive patients and also hypertensive end organ damage.