Objectives: We aimed to analyze 1) overall and coronary mortality findings in the Turkish Adult Risk Factor (TARF) study survey 2012 and 2) the temporal trends in prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its distribution across seven geographic regions.
Study design: Information on the mode of death was obtained from first-degree relatives and/or health personnel of a local health office. Information collected in survivors was based on history, physical examination of the cardiovascular system and Minnesota coding of resting electrocardiograms.
Results: Of 1527 participants to be surveyed, 796 were examined; information was obtained on the health status in 502 subjects, and death was ascertained in 56 participants. Thirty deaths were attributed to coronary and cerebrovascular disease. Cumulative 22-year evaluation of participants in the age bracket 45-74 years revealed coronary mortality to be high, with 7.6 per 1000 person-years in men and 3.8 in women. Data used from 1754 identical subjects (median age 46 years initially), and examined in two periods 12 years apart, indicated an increase in the prevalence of MetS by 1.3% per aging of 1 year. Analysis across geographic regions showed a rise in the prevalence in the Mediterranean region, already having highest prevalence along with Southeast Anatolia, while the prevalence declined in the Marmara region and persisted to be lowest in the Aegean region.
Conclusion: The prevalence of MetS in Turkish adults aged 40 years or over, currently standing at 53%, shows significant differences across geographic regions, being highest in the two southern regions and lowest in the Aegean region.

Objectives: It has been proposed that human platelet antigen- 1 (HPA-1) gene polymorphism is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) and affects platelet function. We aimed to investigate the distribution of HPA gene polymorphism between angiographic CAD and a control group and the relation between HPA gene polymorphism and platelet aggregation.
Study design: The study population consisted of 94 patients with angiographic CAD and 115 patients without angiographic CAD. Platelet aggregation was measured with impedance aggregometry on the fifth day of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Platelet aggregation >480 AU*min was defined as the clopidogrel resistance group. Blood samples were obtained from all participants at discharge for investigating HPA- 1 gene polymorphism.
Results: There was no significant difference in the distribution of HPA-1 gene polymorphism between the control and CAD groups (78.7% vs. 78.1% for A allele and 21.3% vs. 21.9% for B allele, p=NS). The analysis between groups with and without clopidogrel resistance revealed no significant difference in the distribution of HPA-1A and HPA-1B alleles between the groups (A allele 78.7% vs. 78.9% and B allele 21.3% vs. 21.1%, p=NS). In the CAD group, there were no significant differences in platelet aggregation between HPA-1A and HPA- 1B alleles (294±240 vs. 259±261 AU*min, p=NS).
Conclusion: The distribution of HPA-1 gene polymorphism was not different in CAD patients compared to the control group. HPA-1 gene polymorphism was not associated with platelet aggregation or clopidogrel resistance assessed by impedance aggregometry in the CAD group.

Dual antiplatelet therapy combining aspirin and clopidogrel is the standart care for patients WHO ave ACS or undergoing PCI according to guidelines.Itss well established that the antiplatelet response to clopidogrel varies widely among patients.Patients displaying little attenuation of platelet reactivity under therapy are recognized as clopidogrel resistant.Different mechanisms responsible for the phenomenon of clopidogrel resistance have been suggested with genetic polymorphisms being one of the most widely studied.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between HbA1c levels and the severity of coronary artery stenosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) without diabetes mellitus.
Study design: In this study, we included 65 patients (11 females, mean age: 57±11.42 years; 54 males, mean age: 54.56±8.51 years) who were diagnosed as acute myocardial infarction without diabetes mellitus. During hospitalization, fasting blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose and HbA1C were measured in each patient. Gensini score was used to assess the severity of coronary artery disease.
Results: Twenty patients (30.8%) had hypertension, 15 (23.1%) had impaired fasting glucose, 10 (15.3%) had combined impaired fasting and postprandial glucose, 28 had a low HDL cholesterol (45%), and 30 (46%) had abdominal obesity. Coronary angiography revealed one-vessel disease in 13 patients (20%), and two- and three-vessel disease in 52 patients (80%). There were no significant differences in terms of high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), total cholesterol, fasting glucose, and postprandial glucose (0.068, 0.974, 0.178, 0.677, respectively). There was no significant relation between the Gensini score and HbA1c levels (p=0.299), but there was a significant relation between the Gensini score and obesity (p=0.024).
Conclusion: In our study, no significant relationship could be determined between the Gensini score and HbA1C, fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels, lipid profile, and hs-CRP levels in patients with nondiabetic ACSs

Objectives: Several studies have evaluated a relationship between increased red cell distribution width (RDW) and morbidity and mortality of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). In this study, we aimed to investigate the association of serum RDW levels and development of coronary collateral vessel (CCV) in patients with ACS.
Study design: We evaluated 226 patients with ACS in this prospective and cross-sectional study. Traditional laboratory and clinical parameters and serum RDW levels were measured on admission. All patients underwent coronary angiography on the first day after admission and patients with >80% stenosis were included in the study. The CCV was graded according to the Rentrop scoring system, and a Rentrop grade 0 was accepted as no CCV development (Group 1), while Rentrop grades 1-2-3 were accepted as presence of CCV development (Group 2).
Results: Only levels of RDW were significantly higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 (Group 1 RDW 14.6±1.9, Group 2 RDW 14.1±1.4, p=0.02). The predictive value of serum RDW level for absence of collaterals (sensitivity of 58% and specificity of 54%, area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve = 0.573) was 13.90.
Conclusion: We found that high levels of RDW were associated with absence of CCV in patients with ACS.

Objectives: This study was designed to assess the safety, compliance and efficacy of amlodipine (Aml) and valsartan (Val) single-pill combination (SPC) in a large hypertensive patient population.
Study design: This is a non-interventional, observational, open label study conducted in 166 centers in Turkey with a 24-week follow-up period.
Results: Of the 1184 enrolled patients, two-thirds were female (62.2%). The mean age was 57.7±11.3 years, and 26.1% of the patients were older than 65 years. The majority of patients (82.3%) were overweight or obese. During the course of the study, 150 (12.7%) patients experienced a total of 174 adverse events (AEs). The overall mean (SD) compliance rate was determined to be 96.9 (0.2)%. The most commonly reported AE was edema, with a new-onset edema incidence of 6.7%. In the entire group, Aml/Val SPC significantly reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), with a reduction of 29.6±0.9 / 14.7±0.6 mmHg (for each, p<0.001).
Conclusion: As a result of the low incidences of AEs and new-onset edema, the safety profile of Aml/Val SPC proved to be optimal. Aml/Val SPC reduced BP efficiently and met the needs of most patients to achieve the targets. Aml/Val SPC seems to be a beneficial option for effective BP control, which is a key factor influencing cardiovascular outcome.

Objectives: Chronic heart failure (CHF) has been associated with an increased risk of poorer cognitive performance in older adults. Reversibility of cognitive impairment after medical treatment has been reported, although the restorative effects of enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) on cognitive performance have not been studied. We investigated the effect of EECP on cognitive functions in CHF patients.
Study design: Thirty-six individuals (mean age: 66±8 years) who were diagnosed with CHF and were New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II-III and Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) Class II-III participated in this study. Neuropsychological assessment was performed in these patients.
Results: Patients in the EECP treatment group showed a statistically significant improvement in spontaneous naming (p=0.011) and forward row score of the attention subset among domains of cognition (p=0.020) and interference time of executive function (p=0.012).
Conclusion: Enhanced external counter pulsation resulted in improvement in all domains of cognitive functions except verbal and visual memory tests.

Several studies have determined an association between obesity and increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia. Currently, due to the increased frequency of obesity, food-, plant-, and drug-based therapies for weight loss have gained great attention. A 14-year-old female patient presented with complaints of palpitation of one-hour onset. Blood pressure was 110/70 mmHg and peripheral pulses were present. She had been using golden berry extract pill three times a day for 10 days. The electrocardiogram showed nonsustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT). Echocardiographic examination and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were normal. She returned to sinus rhythm following amiodarone infusion. She refused the electrophysiologic study, which plays a vital role in the diagnosis and establishment of the appropriate therapy. Although there was no decrease in body mass index (BMI) of the patient during the two-year follow-up, she had no complaint or evidence of VT on intermittent rhythm Holter studies. This case suggests the primary role of golden berry extract use in the development of VT, rather than obesity.

Trisomy 18, or Edwards syndrome, is the second most common chromosome anomaly after trisomy 21. Various types of congenital heart diseases are seen in the majority of trisomy 18 patients. Palliative treatment of right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) stenosis includes options like balloon dilatation, stenting and surgery. Herein, we present a case with trisomy 18 and double outlet right ventricle, pulmonary stenosis, and ventricular septal defect. During the follow-up, at the age of three months, his saturation dropped to 70% and an interventional procedure was planned. The patient was considered high risk, and after discussing treatment options with the family, RVOT stenting was chosen. The patient was lost on the 8th day of the follow-up.

We present a six-year-old boy with a history of recurrent syncope whose physical examination and family history were inconclusive. Laboratory findings, 12-lead ECG, chest radiography, Holter monitoring, event recorder monitoring, echocardiography, coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography, Brugada challenge test (ajmaline), cranial magnetic resonance imaging, and awake/sleep electroencephalogram were all unremarkable. Since syncope was exercise-induced, an electrophysiology study was also performed, but revealed no inducible ventricular arrhythmias. Implantable loop recorder (ILR) was implanted. Three weeks later, bidirectional ventricular tachycardia was found in ILR record during presyncope that was related to exercise. The patient, with the diagnosis of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, was started on highdose beta-blocker therapy. Due to the recurrence of syncopes despite the presence of beta-blockers, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator was implanted.

Device embolization is a potentially serious complication of percutaneous vascular interventions. Various devices and techniques can be used for the retrieval procedure. Herein, we report the retrieval of a stent that slipped off the balloon in the left main coronary artery and then embolized to the right femoral artery in a 77-year-old male. The stent could not be retrieved by snare, but was removed from the coronary tree via a balloon advanced inside it. The stent then embolized into the right femoral artery. Using a balloon catheter advanced through the stent and then via a biopsy forceps advanced over a femoro-femoral wire loop, we were able to remove the stent from the patient. In conclusion, there is no proven standard method for the retrieval of embolized material. Different techniques and devices can be used depending on the creativity of the operator as well as the individual situation of the case.

Paravalvular leak (PVL) is a common complication after surgical valve replacement. Most PVLs remain clinically silent; however, some may require reoperation due to symptomatic PVL. Surgical closure of PVL remains the most common therapy for these defects; however, redo surgery has some disadvantages, including a high recurrence rate as well as high morbidity and mortality rates. Percutaneous closure of PVLs has emerged as an alternative to surgical closure. A 42-year-old male patient underwent a second percutaneous closure due to residual mitral paravalvular leak. During the procedure, the closure device embolized in the descending aorta. The device was captured with a snare and successfully retrieved, and then PVL was successfully occluded with another device.

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare congenital anomaly and one of the causes of myocardial ischemia. It often presents with atypical signs and symptoms, especially in childhood. In this case report, an 11-year-old girl presented with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in our clinic and was followed for 5 years, echocardiography (ECHO) showed multiple left to right shunts on the interventricular septum (IVS) the confirmation of which was done by multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and coronary angiography. Therefore, we suggest that ALCAPA be suspected in patients diagnosed with DCM.

GGT is an old serum enzyme that widely used as a marker of hepatobiliary disease or alcohol consumption. In patiens with raised serum GGT levels, we usually think about a problem with biliary epithelium, cholestasis, or excessive alcohol consumption. GGT itself without other inflammatory markers may not provide information to clinicans about the burden of atherosclerosis.

I read the paper entitled ''Intracranial hemorrhage due to pulmonary thromboembolism in heparin therapy and therapeutic management of patients hospitalized with massive pulmonary embolism after discharge'' by Dr. Beşli et al.[1] that you have been published in your journal. I have some comments about this paper.

Letter to Editor

gerekli değildir.