A New Score for Determining Thrombus Burden in STEMI Patients: The MAPH Score.

AIM: to investigate whether the MAPH score, which is a new score that combines blood viscosity biomarkers such as mean platelet volume (MPV), total protein and hematocrit, can be used to predict thrombus burden in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. METHODS: A total of 473 consecutive patients with STEMI were included in the study. Intracoronary tirofiban/abciximab infusion was applied to patients with thrombus load ≥3 and these patients (n = 71) were defined as the patient group with high thrombus load. MPV, age, hematocrit and total protein values of the patients were recorded. High shear rate (HSR) and low shear rate (LSR) were calculated from total protein and hematocrit values. Cut-off values were determined for high thrombus load by using Youden index, and score was determined as 0 or 1 according to cut-offs. The sum of the scores was calculated as the MAPH score. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients included in the study was 59.6 ± 12.6 (n = 354 male, 74.8%). There was no difference between the groups in terms of gender, HT and DM (P = .127, P = .402 and P = .576, respectively). In the group with high thrombus load; total protein, MPV and hematocrit values were higher (P < .001, P = .001 and P = .03, respectively). Comparison of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that the MAPH score had better performance in predicting higher thrombus load than both other self-containing parameters and HSR and LSR. CONCLUSION: The MAPH score may be a new score that can be used to determine thrombus burden in STEMI patients.

Relationship between CANLPH score and in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Aim: To evaluate the CANLPH score in in-hospital mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting. Materials & methods: The 999 patients were included in this retrospective cohort study. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, C-reactive protein/albumin ratio and platelet/hemoglobin ratio were determined and the CANLPH score was calculated as the sum score of 0 or 1 by the cutoff in each ratio. Results: Twenty-five patients who reached the primary end point were defined as the mortality group and the remaining as the nonmortality group. The CANLPH score was noninferior to the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II in receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis with difference between AUC: 0.0162, standard error (SE): 0.0394, z statistics: 0.682 and p = 0.494. Conclusion: The CANLPH score may be more appropriate in assessing the risk of in-hospital mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Lay abstract Mortality, morbidity and complications of coronary artery disease depend largely on inflammatory processes. The CANLPH score, a combination of three different ratios, can better determine inflammation. We aimed to evaluate the CANLPH score in in-hospital mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting. The 999 patients were classified into two groups according to the primary end point. Twenty-five patients (2.5%) who reached the primary end point were defined as the mortality group and the remaining 974 patients as the nonmortality group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/hemoglobin ratio and the CANLPH score were independent predictors of primary end point after coronary artery bypass grafting. The CANLPH score may be more appropriate than neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, C-reactive protein/albumin ratio and platelet/hemoglobin ratio in assessing the risk of in-hospital mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Assessment of subclinical right ventricular systolic dysfunction in coal miners using myocardial isovolumic acceleration.

OBJECTIVE: Several studies have been conducted regarding the effects of coal mining on the respiratory system. However, there is a lack of data concerning potential effects of coal mining on the cardiovascular system. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the potential subclinical right and left ventricular dysfunction in coal miners. METHODS: This single-center, prospective study included a total of 102 patients. Patient and control groups consisted of 54 coal miners and 48 healthy men, respectively. All patients underwent 12-lead electrocardiography, transthoracic echocardiography, and pulmonary function test. RESULTS: As compared to control group, coal miners had significantly higher right ventricular myocardial performance index (RVMPI) (0.41 ± 0.03 vs 0.37 ± 0.02, P < .001), lower right ventricular fractional area change (RVFAC) (33.55% ± 6.70% vs 37.04 ± 9.26 P < .05), lower tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) (1.54 ± 0.17 vs 1.73 ± 0.25, P < .001), lower myocardial isovolumic acceleration (IVA) (2.13 ± 0.16 vs 2.56 ± 0.36 P < .001) and decreased aortic distensibility (AD) (4.14 ± 2.18 vs 6.63 ± 3.91 P < .001). All of the echocardiographic parameters were positively correlated with exposure time to coal mine dust, except IVA. CONCLUSION: Echocardiographic parameters of both right and left ventricular dysfunction, including RVMPI, RVFAC, TAPSE, IVA, and AD, are impaired in coal miners.

Comparison of the Efficiencies of Buffers Containing Ankaferd and Chitosan on Hemostasis in an Experimental Rat Model with Femoral Artery Bleeding.

OBJECTIVE: In the first assessment of trauma patients with major vascular injuries, we need effective and rapid-acting homeostatic materials. In this study we compare the efficiencies of Ankaferd Blood Stopper® and a chitosan linear polymer (Celox®) in an experimental rat model with femoral artery bleeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty male Wistar albino rats weighing 200-250 g were divided into 3 groups: control, Ankaferd, and chitosan. The femoral artery and vein were visualized and bleeding was started by an incision. The bleeding time was recorded and categorized as 'bleeding stopped at the second minute', 'bleeding stopped at the fourth minute', and 'unsuccessful' if bleeding continued after the fourth minute. RESULTS: In the control group, 60% of the bleeding did not stop. In the first 4 min in the Ankaferd group, the bleeding stopped in all rats; only in 1 of the rats in the chitosan group did the bleeding not stop. In stopping the bleeding in the first 4 min, Ankaferd was similar to chitosan but better than the control group; the chitosan group was similar to the control, but the p-value was close to significance. CONCLUSION: For major arterial bleeding, the main treatment is surgical bleeding control, but outside of the hospital we can use buffers containing Ankaferd and chitosan on the bleeding region. The results of this study should be supported with larger studies. Furthermore, in our study, healthy rats were used. New studies are needed to evaluate the results of hypovolemic and hypotensive cases with major artery bleeding.