The aim of this study is to investigate the association between neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and severity of coronary atherosclerosis. A total of 172 patients undergoing coronary angiography were included in the study. Control group consisted of patients with normal coronary arteries. Patients with coronary stenosis were divided into 2 groups by use of Gensini scores. The NLR was higher in severe atherosclerosis group compared with mild atherosclerosis and control groups (P < .001). In correlation analysis, NLR showed significant correlation with Gensini score. A cutoff value of 2.5 for NLR predicted severe atherosclerosis with a sensitivity and specificity of 62% and 69%, respectively. After multivariate analysis, high levels of NLR were independent predictors of severe atherosclerosis together with glucose and high-density lipoprotein. Our study suggests that the NLR is a predictor of severe atherosclerosis that may be useful for cardiac risk stratification in patients with coronary artery disease.

No abstract

Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a marker of platelet activation. An increased MPV is associated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and long-term mortality. The aim of this study was to compare MPV in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Also, we investigated the value of MPV on in-hospital mortality and long-term prognosis of patients with STEMI and NSTEMI. We studied 429 patients with AMI (70.4% male, 61.9 ± 12.4 years; 279 patients with STEMI, 150 patients with NSTEMI). MPV and platelet count were similar in both groups. Elevated MPV increased the risk of death by 3.1-fold (p < 0.001) in STEMI group during the hospitalization. However, increased MPV was not associated with in-hospital mortality in NSTEMI group. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of MPV was 0.868 (95% CI, 0.830-0.907) for predicting two-year mortality. A cut-off point of 11.1 fL showed a sensitivity of 81% and a specifity of 77% for prediction of two-year mortality. Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed two-year mortality rate of 12.5% in patients with MPV >11.1 fL versus 9.9% in patients with MPV <11.1 fL (p < 0.001). Cox regression analysis showed MPV to be an independent predictor of two-year mortality (Hazard ratio 1.7; 95% CI 1.5-1.9; p < 0.001). An increased MPV is an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients with STEMI. However, elevated levels of MPV did not predict in hospital mortality in NSTEMI group. The increase in MPV values was independently correlated with two-year mortality in all study patients.

This study demonstrates that right ventricular strain and strain rate were lower in patients with left ventricular inferior wall myocardial infarction with, compared to without, right ventricular infarction.

The essential trace elements play important roles in the maintainance of the normal structure and physiology of cells. Several research groups have demonstrated that they also play important roles in states of cardiovascular diseases. Our aim is to investigate whether there is a relationship between trace elements (Zn and Cu) and the degree of atherosclerosis. The sample consisted of 67 patients with coronary artery disease and 26 clinically healthy individuals. Ninety-three subjects were separated into four groups according to their Gensini scores, the number of diseased vessels, the presence of acute coronary syndrome, and ejection fraction. Each group was divided into three subgroups, and serum zinc and copper levels were measured for each individual. The serum levels of zinc and copper were found to be significantly lower in patients with atherosclerosis than in the control group, but there were no significant differences in the serum levels of Cu and Zn between severe atherosclerosis and mild atherosclerosis. In Spearman's rank correlation, the zinc and copper levels were correlated with the Gensini score and the number of diseased vessels. The present study revealed a relationship between the serum levels of zinc and copper and atherosclerosis, but not between these levels and the severity of the disease.