Assessment of epicardial adipose tissue and carotid/femoral intima media thickness in insulin resistance.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is a combination of multiple cardiovascular (CV) risk factors including insulin resistance (IR). Carotid, femoral intima media thickness (IMT), and epicardial fat thickness (EFT) are considered as novel cardiometabolic risk factors. We aimed to test the hypothesis that carotid, femoral IMT, and EFT are increased in patients with IR. METHODS: We enrolled consecutively and prospectively 113 patients with IR. Then we collected data from an age- and sex-matched control group of 112 individuals without IR. Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index value >2.5 was accepted as IR. Patients with diabetes mellitus, CV diseases, systolic heart failure, chronic liver or renal diseases were excluded. On B-mode duplex ultrasound the mean IMT at the far wall of both left and right common carotid/femoral arteries were measured manually. EFT was measured on the free wall of the right ventricle at end-diastole from the parasternal long-axis views by standard transthoracic 2D echocardiography. RESULTS: Both carotid IMT and EFT were significantly higher in patients with IR compared to controls (0.80±0.21mm vs 0.60±0.21mm; p<0.001 and 7.34±1.96mm vs 5.22±1.75mm; p<0.001, respectively). However, there were no significant differences in femoral IMT between the groups (0.74±0.20 vs 0.69±0.17; p=0.062). In multivariate linear regression analysis age (ß=0.223, p=0.010), 2-h blood glucose (ß=0.198, p=0.021), and IR (ß=0.369, p<0.001) were independent predictors of EFT. On the other hand age (ß=0.363, p<0.001) and IR (ß=0.321, p<0.001) were independent predictors of carotid IMT. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with IR have increased carotid IMT and EFT, but not femoral IMT. This apparent incoherence may be due to the involvement of carotid arteries prior to femoral arteries in patients with IR.

Assessment of Subclinical Atherosclerosis by Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Epicardial Adipose Tissue Thickness in Prediabetes.

Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose intolerance (IGT) are predictors of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We tested the hypothesis that epicardial fat thickness (EFT) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), as markers of early atherosclerosis, are increased in patients with prediabetes. We prospectively enrolled 246 patients (162 with prediabetes and 84 controls). Prediabetes was defined according to American Diabetes Association criteria, and patients were divided into 3 groups: group 1-IFG, group 2-IGT, and group 3-IFG + IGT. Both cIMT and EFT were significantly greater in patients with prediabetes compared with controls (0.81 ± 0.20 mm vs 0.68 ± 0.16 mm, P < .001 and 7.0 ± 2.0 mm vs 5.6 ± 1.6 mm, P < .001, respectively). This difference was mainly attributed to patients with IGT. Age, waist circumference, and 2-hour glucose independently predicted cIMT, while 2-hour glucose was the only independent predictor of EFT in multivariate analysis among other relevant parameters for cIMT and EFT. The cIMT and EFT (measured noninvasively) could be useful indicators of CVD risk in these patients. In order to prove this hypothesis, long-term prospective studies with greater patient numbers are required.

[Preferences regarding invasive diagnostic procedures in patients aged 70 years or over presenting with acute coronary syndrome and relationship with short-term mortality]. / Akut koroner sendrom ile basvuran 70 yas ve üzeri hastalarda invaziv tanisal yöntem tercihleri ve bunun erken dönem mortalite ile iliskisi.

OBJECTIVES: We prospectively classified patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) into two age groups, <70 years and ≥70 years, and investigated the frequency of cardiac catheterization, the predictors of cardiac catheterization in the older patient population, and determined early mortality in patients treated with or without cardiac catheterization. STUDY DESIGN: The study included 1,101 patients admitted with ACS. The patients were prospectively classified in two age groups, <70 years (n=762; mean age 55±9 years) and ≥70 years (n=339; mean age 76±5 years). Data on demographic characteristics, clinical and laboratory findings, and the presence or absence of cardiac catheterization were recorded. The predictors of cardiac catheterization were assessed in the overall patient group and in those ≥70 years of age, and 30-day mortality rates were determined. RESULTS: Compared with the older group, in younger patients cardiac catheterization was more frequent (74.4% vs. 50.7%, p=0.0001) and earlier (p=0.023), and decision for percutaneous coronary intervention was more common (52.7% vs. 40.7%, p=0.010), whereas coronary bypass grafting was performed more frequently in the older group (43% vs. 31.2%, p=0.010). Overall 30-day mortality rates showed significant differences in both groups between patients treated with or without cardiac catheterization (<70 years: 3.7% vs. 18.3%, p<0.0001; ≥70 years: 5.6% vs. 21%, p<0.0001). Logistic regression analysis showed the following as significant predictors of cardiac catheterization in patients ≥70 years of age: heart failure (OR: 3.853, p=0.017), systolic blood pressure <100 mmHg (OR: 3.602, p=0.008), creatinine clearance <60 ml/min (OR: 2.761, p=0.001), and ST-segment elevation ≥1 mm on the electrocardiogram (OR: 2.817, p=0.0001). CONCLUSION: Invasive diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are implemented less frequently in elderly patients. These procedures, which offer obvious mortality benefit, should be considered in elderly patients after meticulous risk evaluation.

Postoperative diagnosis of aorto-right ventricular outflow tract fistula caused by stab wound: a case report.

Traumatic aorto-right ventricular fistulas are rare lesions after penetrating thoracic injuries. Although aorto-right ventricular fistulas are well tolerated initially, most of them result in heart failure over a variable period. Penetrating cardiac trauma cases often need prompt cardiac surgery that does not allow further and detailed imaging methods for early diagnosis of lesions such as intracardiac defects and intracardiac fistulas. In this article, we report a case of aorto-right ventricular outflow tract fistula after a stab wound that was diagnosed on the second day after first successful surgery for acute tamponade.