Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame count in coronary arteries without visible atherosclerosis in coronary angiography of patients with stable coronary artery disease

To investigate the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction [TIMI] frame count [TFC] in the coronary arteries without visible atherosclerosis in coronary angiography of patients with stable coronary artery disease [CAD]. Eighty-three patients [mean age 58 +/- 10, 31 [37%] males], who underwent coronary angiographic evaluation for stable angina in Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey, Cardiology clinic between 2006-2007 were enrolled. Forty patients with normal coronary arteries were defined as group I. Group II consisted of 43 patients, who have one normal coronary artery in the setting of stable CAD defined as stenoses 50% or greater in at least one major coronary artery. Coronary blood flow and microvascular perfusion was evaluated by TFC. In group II, the TFC of left anterior descending artery [LAD] in 15 patients, TFC of circumflex artery [CX] in 18 patient, and TFC of right coronary artery [RCA] in 10 patients were evaluated. In group II, the TFC of LAD [37 +/- 12 versus 29 +/- 12, p=0.015] and CX [22 +/- 8 versus 18 +/- 9, p=0.035] were significantly higher than those in group I. The TFC of RCA was similar between groups [17 +/- 9 versus 17 +/- 8, p=0.990]. After the adjustment of the risk factors by multivariate regression analyses, the association between TFC and clinical characteristic was statistically non-significant. The TFC decreased in angiographically normal LAD and CX arteries in the setting of stable angina pectoris. The important predictor was CAD alone, irrespective of the clinical parameters

Plasma homocysteine level in cardiac syndrome X and its relation with duke treadmill score

To investigate the plasma homocysteine level and the relationship between plasma homocysteine level and duke treadmill score DTS in cardiac syndrome X CSX patients. Seventy-nine patients 36 male, 43 female, mean age: 50 +/- 8.8 years admitted to Gazi University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey with typical effort angina, positive stress test, and angiographically normal coronary arteries between January and September 2006 were included in this prospective and controlled study. Thirty asymptomatic patients 11 male, 19 female, mean age: 47.6 +/- 8.3 years with 2 cardiovascular risk factors were chosen as a control group. Plasma homocysteine level was measured in both groups and DTS was calculated in the CSX group. Plasma homocysteine was measured with the AxSYM homocysteine immunoassay method in both groups. Plasma homocysteine level was higher in the CSX group compared to the control group 16.5 +/- 4.9 ?mol/L, n=79, versus 12.4 +/- 4.1 ?mol/L, n=30, p<0.001. The DTS was -2.7 +/- 5.3 in the CSX group. There was a negative correlation between the DTS and homocysteine levels in the CSX group. r=-0.506, p<0.001. Plasma homocysteine level, which is known to cause endothelial dysfunction and microvascular ischemia were higher in CSX patients. Also, this increase in homocysteine level inversely correlated with the DTS, which represents the magnitude of ischemia