The distribution of serum concentrations of HDLcholesterol (HDL-C), its correlation with other risk factors, its determinants and its association with coronary heart disease (CHD) likelihood was studied cross-sectionally in 2350 persons constituting the 2001/02 cohort of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Study. Moreover, the prediction of future fatal and nonfatal CHD w as investigated in the 1 997/98 cohort comprising 2362 men and women free of CHD. HDL-C was generally measured with dry chemistry method using a Reflotron apparatus, but utilizing the direct method without precipitation in year 2001 and w as validated in over 6% of the cohort in a reference laboratory. Mean HDL-C was 38.0±10.0 and 45.3±1 1.3 mg/di in men and women, respectively, whose mean age was 52±12 years in the cross-sectional analysis. HDL-C levels were under 40 mg/di in 64% of men and in 35.5 of women. The inverse relationship between HDL-C and triglyceride concentrations was deınonstrated in increas ing deciles. In linear regression ınodels compris ing ll variables, smoking habit, waist circumference and physical inactivity suppressed HDL-C, whereas alcohol use was associated with elevation of this !eve!. The slope of the linear regression allowed following estimated independent changes (p

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Hemodilution, hypothermia, and non-physiological circulation mechanics resulting from extracorporeal circulation (ECC) cause transient decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) which is also called phenomenon A. We investigated the effects of the amount and ingredient of the priming solution on phenomenon A. Twenty-four patients were equally allocated into three groups with respect to ECC priming solution amount and ingredient. Priming sol ution consisted, of 25 ml/kg lactated Ringer (crystalloid) in group I , of 15 ml/kg Jactated Ringer in group 2, and of 15 ml/kg HES %6 (colloid) in group 3. Phenomenon A s was defined as a decrease of the mean arterial pressure below 40 mmHg for at least 4 minutes after the initiation of ECC in spite of a blood flow of 2.5 l/m 2• Measurements w ere obtained at T ı (completion of cannulation), T2 (first minute of ECC) and at T3 (fifth minute of ECC). There were five patients -with phenomenon A in group I (62.5%), two in group 2 (25%), and one in group 3 (12.5%). We did not observe any correlation between MAP, blood cell count, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels in the three groups. W e think hemodilution (as the cause of phenomenon A) must have other causes. We conclude that hemodilution is one of the main causes of phenomenon A, but the exact mechanism is not known yet. We think that using less priming solution and choosing colloidal fluids may well decrease the ineidence of phenomenon A.

Despite modem intraoperative myocardial protection and improvements in surgical techniques, some degree of myocardial damage occurs during coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). Recently, cardiac troponin T (TnT) is used widely to detect myocardial damage in our country. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of myocardial damage detected by qualitative cardiac TnT during CABG, on functional recovery of the hibemating myocardium. Forty-one cases with coronary artery disease, left ventricular dysfunction and hibemating myocardium detected by dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) were included in this study. Qualitative TnT and serial CK-MB measurements were made after CABG. Repeat echocardiography was performed at the third month after CABG and left ventricular function and functional recovery was evaluated. The functional recovery of the ı9 TnT ( +) and 22 TnT (-) cases were compared. Results: The pa rameters of TnT ( +) and TnT (-) groups were listed below. The mean number of preoperative DSE (+)segment was 4,16 ± ı,43 and 3,68 ± ı ,25 (NS) in TnT ( +) and TnT(-) groups, respectively. The mean preoperative ejection fraction (EF) was 43 ± 1 ı % and 44 ± 9 % (NS), the mean number of impaired segment was 3,37 ± 1,07 and 3,13 ± ı,25 (NS), rate of impaired segments 83 ± 14 % and 85 ± 16 % (NS), peak postoperative CKMB value 67 ± 39 U and 44 ± 23 U (p<0.05), and the mean postoperative EF was 49 ± 8 % and 51 ± ll % (NS) in TnT ( +) and TnT (-) groups respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between two groups except the CK-MB value. In the TnT (+) 3 cases, CK-MB values elevated more three times than normal value. There was also no change in preoperative and postoperative EF values in these cases. CK-MB values of TnT ( +) group w ere fo und to be significantly elevated. There was no statistically significant difference between 2 groups in baseline preoperative values, postoperative improvement of hibemating segments, and global left ventricular function. Recovery of left ventricular function and hibemating segments were significantly depressed in 3 cases whom CK-MB values elevated obviously. Conclusions: Minor myocardial damage detected by qualitative TnT did not effect significantly recovery of hibemating myocardium in this study. Serious myocardial damage probably did not occur in the qualitative TnT (+) cases. Significantly increased quantitative TnT or CK-MB levels are related to extensive myocardial damage. Comparing quantibative studies to qualitative TnT evaluation will prove more information in this area.

Objectives: Silent. myocardial ischemia has been observed in hypertensive patients with a prevalence of 35-45%. Recently, aortic valve sclerosis has been identified as a manifestation of atherosclerotic process. The aim of our study was to investigate the association between silent ischemia, aortic valve sclerosis, and some other echocardiographic and laboratory parameters in a group of asymptomatic hypertensive individuals. Methods: The study group consisted of 131 consecutive hypertensive patients without any complaint of angina pectoris or congestive heart failure. Presence of silent ischemia was detected with T l 20 ı myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. In echocardiographic examination left ventricular geometry, systolic and diastolic function and valvular involvement were assessed. Severity of aortic valve seleresis was graded between O to 3 degrees. Results: Silent ischemia was detected in 46 patients (35%). They were significantly older, had a higher frequency of male gender and higher lipoprotein (a) levels than patients without ischemia (age: 6 ı ±9 years vs. 56±9 years; male gender: 57% vs. 35%, p=0.02; lipoprotein (a): 53±43 mg/di vs. 36±32 mg/di, p=O.O ı). Left ventricular mass, systolic and diastolic function did not differ between both groups. Silent ischemia was significantly correlated with the presence of aortic valve seleresis (r=0.27, p

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Authorship is key to science and careers. It provides scientists with recognition and respect. In recent years, as a result of researches getting ın ore complicated, the proliferation of authors was inevitable and thus the concept of author and authorship criteria has become the subject of great debate. The general rule concerning authorship in a science is that a person should be listed as an author if she ınakes a s ignificant contribution to research and publication. However, since the definition of significant contribution varies across different scientific fields there are no uniform standards for authorship criteria. In order to answer the question when should a person be listed as an author various ideas were suggested by scientific authorities and guidelines were prepared. Even though author and authorship criteria considering medical articles differ from discipline to discipline, important international medical journals use the statements on authorship issued by the International Commitlee of Medical Journal Editors. In this article, author, authorship criteria and the principles of listing authors in a publication of will be reviewed.

Infective endocarditis (IE) carries a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Rapid diagnosis, effective treatment, and early diagnosis of complications are necessary for good patient outcoıne. The variability in the eli nical presentation of IE requires diagnostic criteria which are both sensitive for disease detection and specific for its exclusion. With the Duke criteria it has been realised that echocardiographic findings carries high importance in the diagnosis of lE. Four typical echocardiographic findings which are vegetation, abscess dehiscence of presthetic valve, new valvular regurgitation, should be looked for in patients having suspicion of lE. In association with elinical symptoms these echocardiographic findings are the most powerful predictors of lE. Different studies have demonstrated that echocardiographic examination is not only useful in prompt and definite diagnos is but also it is necessary to determine effective treatment and to detect possible complications. The characteristic features of echocardiographic findings are closely related to the prognosis. During the assessment of echocardiographic predictors, detection of abcesses, fistulae, prosthetic valve dehiscence, obstructive vegetations, flail leaflets and heart failure are of high importance. Most of these complications cannot resolve with medical therapy alone, and surgical intervention can be needed. In brief, echocardiographic findings are of high importance in the diagnosis of lE, in determining the therapy which should be chosen, as well as in predicting morbidity and mortality.

Congenital abnormalities of superior vena cava are rare and usually seen in association with other congenital heart diseases. In the absence of any congenital cardiac abnormality the persistent left superior vena cava with noexisting absence of right superior vena cava is quite rare. In this report we present an asymptomatic case of persistent left superior vena cava having atrial fibrillation with no associated congenital heart disease.

Radiofrequency (RF) cathe ter ablation of atriofasc ic ular accessory pathways (AP) characterized by deeremental antegrade conduction property and result in antidromic tachycardia with Jeft bundle branch morphology is a current preferred theurapetic approach. Two patients, who were twenty-two and th irty-six years old, with atriofascicular AP and drug-resistant antidromic tachycardia were hospitalized for RF catheter ablation. In the first case, cardiac mapping was performed during antidromic tachycardia. White mapping using a long sheath th rough posterolateral tricuspid annulus, AP conduction was seen to cease temporarily during catheter manipulations. AP was succesfully ablated by RF currents delivered at the same location. In the second case, mapping was done during atrial pacing. AP was ablated through the posterolateral tricuspid annu lus where the conduction was terminated during the manipulation of catheter. In both cases, as the RF current was delivered, irregular Mahaim automatic tachycardia occurred with a similar QRS morphology to antidromic tachycardia. They were free of symptoms for about 3 months in the first case and 2 months in the second case.