The presence and the duration of obesity were associated with impairment of subclinical biventricular systolic and diastolic function. These findings have the potential to increase awareness of subclinical cardiac manifestations in patients with isolated obesity and influence their early management.

We investigated sexual function in female patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). A total of 20 consecutive female patients (38.273.8 years) with CAD diagnosed by coronary angiography and 15 healthy subjects (37.975.4 years) were enrolled in this study. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was used to assess sexual function in all the participants. Women with psychiatric disorders, gynecologic and systemic diseases that may affect sexual function were excluded from the study. The other exclusion criteria were usage of antidepressants and drugs affecting sexual function. Patients with CAD and healthy women were comparable in age, body mass index and education level. Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) was diagnosed in 12 of 20 women with CAD (60%), whereas five of 15 healthy women (33.3%) were found to have FSD (Po0.05). Patients with CAD had a significantly lower number of sexual intercourse episodes per month than healthy women volunteers (2.24 versus 5.2, respectively; Po0.05). The FSFI total score was clearly significantly decreased in the CAD group compared with that in healthy controls (17.872.9 and 26.074.8, P ¼ 0.001). When the subscores of each domain of FSFI were evaluated, all the subscores of FSFI, except the satisfaction domain, in patients with CAD were significantly lower than those of healthy subjects (Po0.05). This preliminary study demonstrates that female patients with CAD have distinct sexual dysfunction compared with healthy controls. Women with CAD should be evaluated also in terms of sexual function to provide better quality of life.

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In patients with hyperhomocysteinaemic CAD, folic acid and NAC lowered plasma homocysteine levels and improved endothelial function. The effects of both treatments in improvement of EDD were similar.

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Slow coronary flow (SCF) is a well recognized clinical entity, characterized by delayed opacification of coronary arteries in the presence of normal coronary angiogram. There is currently no data evaluating myocardial systolic function in SCF phenomenon. This study was performed to evaluate regional and global systolic function using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), strain (S) and strain rate imaging (SRI) in patients with slow coronary flow. A total of 35 patients with slow coronary flow and otherwise normal coronary arteries (mean age 48 +/- 7 years) (SCF group) and 21 patients with normal coronary angiograms (mean age 50 +/- 12 years) (control group) were included in the study. These patients were prospectively assessed for evaluation of regional and global left ventricular function by conventional echocardiography, systolic TDI, peak S, and peak systolic strain rates (SRs) There was a significant difference in peak SRs (-1.1 +/- 0.2 vs. -1.8 +/- 0.2 1/s, P < or = 0.0001) but similar in systolic TDI (42 +/- 20 vs. 44 +/- 21 mm/s, P = 0.77) and S (20.7 +/- 7.7 vs. 23.7 +/- 8.8, P = 0.14) between groups. SRs showed a good correlation with mean TIMI frame count (r = -0.80, P < or = 0.0001). As the number of coronary artery with SCF increased global strain rate decreased further. In case of one or two or three coronary artery with SCF global strain rates were 1.4 +/- 0.2; 1.1 +/- 0.3; 0.9 +/- 0.2 1/s, respectively, P < or = 0.0001. Although ejection fraction was preserved, global and regional strain rate were decreased in SCF. In brief, there is an impairment in longitudinal left ventricular systolic function in patients with SCF.

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