We investigated whether the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) 48 hours after admission is related to 30-day and long-term mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who were treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We evaluated 318 consecutive patients with STEMI who were undergoing primary PCI. The relationship between the LMR and all-cause mortality (30-day and long-term) was analyzed by categorizing the patients into tertiles (T) according to LMR-T1 (>2.46), T2 (1.67-2.46), and T3 (<1.67). The T3 group exhibited the highest risk of 30-day all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 8.093 [1.006-65.074]; P = .049). For long-term mortality, a significantly higher mortality risk was observed in both T2 (HR: 2.005 [1.021-3.939]; P = .043) and T3 groups (HR: 2.374 [1.160-4.857]; P < .001) compared to the T1 group (reference group). In multivariate analysis, these associations remained unaltered even after adjusting for confounders. A low LMR at 48 hours after admission may be independently associated with both 30-day and long-term mortality in patients with STEMI who were treated with primary PCI. This marker may be used for identifying patients with STEMI at high risk.

Results of this study have demonstrated increased levels of circulating IL-6 in patients with coronary ectasia which might indicate a possible role of inflammatory processes. Absence of a significant correlation between the dimensions of the ectatic segments and IL-6 levels might be due to the narrower range of the diameters of the coronary arteries compared with the abdominal aorta.

This study suggest that PFO is not more common in patients with migraine compared with healthy subjects. Therefore, our findings suggest that the relationship between migraine headache and the presence of PFO is questionable.

Levosimendan improves right ventricular systolic and diastolic functions.

Background Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common and life-threatening condition associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Pleural effusion occurs in about one in three cases; however, data on its prognostic value are scarce. Purpose To investigate the association between pleural effusion and both 30-day and long-term mortality in patients with acute PE. Material and Methods We retrospectively evaluated 463 patients diagnosed with acute PE using computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA). Echocardiographic, demographic, and laboratory data were collected. The study population was divided into two groups: patients with and without pleural effusions. Pleural effusion detected on CT was graded as small, moderate, and large according to the amount of effusion. The predictors of 30-day and long-term total mortality were analyzed. Results Pleural effusions were found in 120 patients (25.9%). After the 30-day follow-up, all-cause mortality was higher in acute PE patients with pleural effusions than in those without (23% versus 9%, P < 0.001). Also, patients with pleural effusions had significantly higher incidence of long-term total mortality than those without pleural effusions (55% versus 23%, P < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, pleural effusion was an independent predictor of 30-day and long-term mortality (odds ratio [OR], 2.154; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.186-3.913; P = 0.012 and OR, 1.591; 95% CI, 1.129-2.243; P = 0.008, respectively). Conclusion Pleural effusion can be independently associated with both 30-day and long-term mortality in patients with acute PE.

Background: Several studies have showed an association between psoriasis and cardiovascular (CV) diseases and metabolic syndrome (MS). Assessment of CV risk in patients with psoriasis has become an important issue. Epicardial fat thickness (EFT) is an emerging cardiometabolic risk factor and has been shown to be related to atherosclerosis. EFT has not been studied in the context of psoriasis. Objective: To compare the EFT in psoriasis patients with that in control subjects. Methods: 31 patients with psoriasis and 32 control subjects were included in this case-control study. EFT was evaluated by two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. Results: EFT was significantly higher in psoriasis patients compared to controls (p = 0.027). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the association of EFT with psoriasis was independent of MS and age. Conclusion: EFT, which has been suggested as a cardiometabolic risk factor in various diseases, is also independently associated with psoriasis.

EFT, BMI, and TG may play an important role in predicting serum FGF-21 level which may be a potential therapeutic target in cardiometabolic disorders in the future.

Background: With further progression of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, the left atrial (LA) contribution to LV filling gradually decreases, and LA dysfunction deteriorates the decreased LV filling in patients with heart failure (HF). Hypothesis: This study sought to investigate the effects of levosimendan on LA function in patients with HF. Methods: A total of 60 patients having acute decompensated HF with ischemic cardiomyopathy and LV ejection fraction (LVEF) <40% were included in the study. Patients were randomized to levosimendan (n = 30) or to dobutamine (n = 30). Before and 24 h after treatment, LVEF, mitral inflow peak E and A wave velocity, E/A ratio, mitral lateral annulus peak Em wave velocity, E/Em ratio, LA volumes, and from the LA volumes the active emptying fraction (AEF), passive emptying fraction (PEF), and reservoir fraction (RF) were measured. Results: All LA volumes were significantly reduced after levosimendan administration, but in the dobutamine group only minimal volume (Vmin) was reduced. Although AEF increased in both groups, the improvement of AEF was greater in the levosimendan group than in the dobutamine group (14%±9% versus 2%±1%, p = 0.001). The PEF (12%±8% versus 21%±6%, p = 0.04) and RF (23%±4% versus 38%±3%, p = 0.001) significantly increased after levosimendan administration, whereas these parameters did not change after dobutamine. In patients receiving levosimendan, there was a significant, positive correlation between PEF and Em (r = 0.475, p = 0.008), and there were significant negative correlations between PEF and E/Em (r = −0.491, p = 0.006), and AEF and E/Em (r = −0.654, p = 0.001).Conclusions: Left atrial functions respond better to levosimendan than to dobutamine in decompensated HF.