Increased CRP/albumin ratio is associated with superficial venous reflux disease and varicose vein formation

Orcun Unal, Didem Melis Oztas, Metin Onur Beyaz, Ibrahim Erdinc, Mert Meric, Mustafa Ozer Ulukan, Atalay Karakaya, Fatma Nihan Turhan Caglar, Murat Ugurlucan

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):430-434 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.012  

Background: It has been recently postulated that inflammation may have an effect on varicose vein development and prognosis, besides increased venous pressure. CRP/albumin (CAR) is a novel inflammatory marker associated with poor prognosis in a various group of patients. Our aim in this study was to investigate the relation between varicose greater saphenous vein (VSM) diameter and CAR. Methods: A total of 150 patients with patients VSM insufficiency (Group 1, n: 114) and normal VSM (n: 36) were included in the study. The diameter of the VSM was measured with B-mode ultrasound, and reflux was quantified based on valve closure time using Doppler spectral...

Inflammatory response after ExoVasc^® personalized external aortic root support (PEARS) procedure in patients with Marfan syndrome or non-Marfan genetic aortopathy

Radka Kočková, Jiří Malý, Alice Krebsová, Marek Laboš, Jan Pirk

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):435-440 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.003  

Background: The study aimed to determine the severity of inflammatory response after the personalized external aortic root support (PEARS) procedure in comparison to after the standard prophylactic aortic root surgery (SPARS). Materials and methods: The study was a single-centre, retrospective, based on hospital record analysis of patients who underwent the PEARS procedure (PEARS group) or SPARS (SPARS group) during 1998-2017. C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood count (WBC), and echocardiography were routinely obtained. Fever was defined as body temperature ≥38 °C. Diagnosis of pericarditis included a minimum of three signs from chest pain,...

In-stent restenosis treatment with seal-wing paclitaxel-eluting balloon catheters

Leoš Pleva, Pavel Kukla, Jana Zapletalová, Ota Hlinomaz

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):442-447 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.013  

Objectives: We aimed to compare the long-term clinical outcomes of seal-wing and iopromide-coated paclitaxel eluting balloon catheters (PEB) in the treatment of bare-metal stent restenosis (BMS-ISR). Methods: A 3-year clinical follow-up of 132 patients with BMS-ISR was performed, of whom 64 were treated with seal-wing PEB; the control group consisted of 68 patients from iopromide-coated PEB branch of the previous TIS study. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE; cardiovascular [CV] death, myocardial infarction [MI], or target vessel revascularization [TVR]). Results: Compared to iopromide-coated PEB, the incidence...

(Echocardiographic assessment of left atrial remodeling as a predictor for the nonvalvular atrial fibrillation recurrence)

Miroslava Hriňová, Zuzana Mesárošová, Petra Poliačiková

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):449-458 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.043  

Aim: The evaluation of echocardiographic parameters and indication of various methods of measurement of the left atrium (LA) size. To find an appropriate parameter which would be the most precise predictor for the atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence. Methods and results: A prospective analysis was executed during the period of June 2016 to June 2018. The inclusion criteria were non-valvular AF and planned electric cardioversion. Monitored parameters: anatomical parameters (LA size in M-mode, LA capacity measured by the Simpson's method) and functional parameters (reservoir function evaluation via 3D echocardiography, LA EF and 2D speckle tracking,...

Carotid artery plaque structure in the context of symptomatic/asymptomatic nature of carotid artery stenosis

Didem Melis Oztas, Bukem Tanoren Bilen, Leyla Turker Sener, Metin Onur Beyaz, Mustafa Ozer Ulukan, Orcun Unal, Mehmet Burcin Unlu, Paulo Eduardo Ocke Reis, Murat Ugurlucan

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):459-465 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.027  

Objective: In this paper, we examined the relationship between atherosclerotic plaque characteristics and symptomatic carotid artery disease. Material and methods: Twenty-two patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy were enrolled into the study. Thirteen patients were male and remaining 9 patients were female. The mean age was 60.2±9.6 years.The carotid artery stenosis ranged between 75% and 99%. Eight patients were asymptomatic and remaining 14 patients were symptomatic. Ten patients suffered stroke. One of them had recurrent transient ischemic attacks, 4 patients had dizziness, and one of them had amaurosis fugax. The extracted plaques...

(Early and late complications of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation)

Veronika Franková, Pavlína Rabasová, Jana Haluzíková

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):466-474 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.052  

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is a recognized and sophisticated method of extracorporeal circula- tion used in critical or life-threatening conditions. During extracorporeal circulation, many complications can occur, not only clinical, but also organizational and technical. The aim of the literature review was to assess the early and late complications of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. 14 retrospective studies were selected for content analysis. The total number of patients in the analysed studies numbered 7,165 patients on ECMO. Of these, 6,193 were on VA-ECMO and 326 on VV-ECMO. The most common complication of ECMO was bleeding, followed...

Hydroxychloroquine versus hydroxychloroquine-azithromycin combination therapy on QT interval prolongation of COVID-19 patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Yohanes Krisnantyo Adi Pinandito, Qorina Nadya Salfi, Kezia Warokka Putri, Jefferson Caesario, I Gusti Hanif Rahmadi, Melisa Suhargo, Aulia Rafikasari, Rerdin Julario, Subur Prajitno

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):475-480 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.025  

Research related to the treatment of COVID-19 put hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)-based as a treatment option. The effectiveness of HCQ can be increased if combined with azithromycin (AZM). However, HCQ can trigger arrhythmias in the form of QT interval prolongation. Combining AZM to HCQ might also amplify the risk of QT prolongation. Since the mechanism remains elusive, a systematic review study of existing research is absolutely necessary. This study aimed to compare the incidence of QT interval prolongation in COVID-19 patients who received HCQ therapy with those who received HCQ-AZM therapy. The design used is comparative study of two independent groups....

(Virtual reality in education of healthcare professionals in cardiology at the beginning of 2021)

Otakar Jiravský, Filip Jiravský, Jan Hečko, Miroslav Hudec, Radim Špaček, Jan Chovančík, Libor Škňouřil, Martin Fiala

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):481-485 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.020  

Electronic media are picking over a dominant role in education, one of the key responsibiliies of healthcare professionals. At present, even professional education uses websites, blogs, video blogs, and mobile applications. Virtual imaging is another newly available technology. It offers reality-like experiences, which can be useful for picking up, processing, memorizing, and subsequent utilizing of information by the user. Despite relatively short availability of virtual imaging, some hardware options can be now employed together with content primarily aimed at educating healthcare professionals.

(Cardiac troponins: current data on the diagnostic value and analytical characteristics of new determination methods)

Aleksey M. Chaulin, Dmitry V. Duplyakov

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):486-493 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.041  

The high levels of prevalence, morbidity, and mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) encourage researchers to conduct further research to find new biomarkers and improve methods of determining old biomarkers to optimize early diagnosis of CVDs. Relatively recently, new highly and ultrasensitive methods of cardiac troponin determination have been introduced into clinical practice, where the key advantage is the possibility of making an early optimal decision on the choice of further management tactics for patients admitted to the emergency department with chest pain. Currently, a considerable number of highly sensitive methods for determining...

Near-infrared spectrometry: the future of renal graft perfusion monitoring?

Štěpán Malý, Jakub Křístek, Libor Janoušek, Jiří Froněk, Róbert Novotný

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):494-496 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.026  

Vascular complications are one of the major complications in renal transplantation (RTx). Early vascular complication occurring within a few hours or days after RTx can severely compromise renal graft (RG) function and can even lead to a transplanted renal graft (RG) loss. Near-infrared spectrometry (NIRS) measuring of RG perfusion and oxygen saturation is a newly emerging and promising diagnostic procedure. Based on various studies, real-time NIRS parameters correlate with Doppler's ultrasonography (DU) RG parameters. With further advancements in technology, NIRS has a very high chance of becoming a gold standard in the monitoring of renal transplants...

(Atypical manifestation of Takotsubo syndrome during COPD exacerbation)

Michael Jenšovský, Kateřina Pelechová, Josef Veselka

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):498-501 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.008  

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a clinical syndrome characterized by an acute and reversible left ventricle dysfunction. It affects predominantly postmenopausal women with a history of neurologic or psychiatric disorders and psychological or physical stress shortly before the onset of TTS. Rare cases of TTS can be associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma exacerbation. Our case report presents a male patient without neurologic or psychiatric disorders, without a clear psychological trigger and with atypical clinical features.

(Hypoplasia of the posterior mitral leaflet - are we familiar with it?)

Adéla Kadlečková, Oana Raluca Ioniţă, Jiří Weichet, Petr Kačer, Hana Línková

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):502-505 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2020.117  

Hypoplasia of the posterior mitral leaflet is a rare congenital heart disease that occurs isolated and is also associated with another congenital heart disease. It presents with symptomatic or asymptomatic mitral regurgitation. So far, 21 case reports with this malformation have been reported in the literature. This article describes two patients with hypoplasia of the posterior mitral leaflet. The first patient is a 59-year-old man with an accidental finding of posterior mitral leaflet hypoplasia, in whom a conservative approach has been chosen. The second patient is a 48-year-old man with posterior mitral leaflet hypoplasia and bicuspid aortic valve,...

(Accidental finding of intracardiac tumor in a patient with dextrocardia after hysterectoma for leiomysarcoma)

Adéla Gábrlíková, Martin Porzer, Pavel Kukla, Pavel Hurník

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):506-508 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.029  

Sarcomas are soft tissues' malign tumors with a severe prognosis. In the case of myocardial disease, it is more often a secondary disease accompanying other primary disease. The development of the patient's disease is determined by the basic diagnosis and hemodynamic impact of intracardiac tumor spread. We present a case of a young patient with severe mitral stenosis caused by valve obstruction with a metastatic tumor mass. Cardiac deficiency was a secondary finding during a follow-up CT scan.

(Catheter based therapy of cor triatriatum sinister - case report)

Stanislav Juhás, Miroslav Gbúr, Peter Kirsch, Tomáš Grendel, Claudia Gibarti, Monika Jankajová, Gabriel Valočik

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):509-512 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.028  

Cor triatriatum sinister (CTS) is a rare cardiac congenital anomaly. Left atrium is separated by the membrane which is the cause of obstruction in blood flow from pulmonic veins to mitral valve, and mimicks the clinic manifestation of mitral stenosis with pulmonic congestion and pulmonary hypertension. Surgical resection of the membrane is the best option, but there is also possibility of transcatheter intervention. We here present the patient with the anomaly of CTS, who underwent cardiac catheterization and successful balloon dilatation of the orifice in the membrane with positive haemodynamic and clinical result.

(Aortomitral continuity reconstruction in double-valve infective endocarditis)

Miroslav Kolárik, Petr Fila, Jiří Ondrášek, Daniela Žáková, Petr Němec

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):513-517 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.030  

We introduce a case of a 53-year-old male after mitral valve repair presenting with fever, weight loss and spinal pain during several months. After admission for ischemic stroke a transoesophageal echocardiography proved an evacuated periannular abscess of aortic valve. At next examination a disease progression was detected with involvement of aortomitral continuity. This form of disease is a rare manifestation of infective endocarditis. The patient was referred to operation using modified Commando procedure technique. An aortic homograft was implanted with preserved anterior mitral leaflet which allowed a complete resection of infected tissue and...

(Summary of consesus statement on the management of patients with implantable pacemakers and cardioverter-defibrillators undergoing radiotherapy)

Lucie Nečasová, Irena Koniarová, Josef Kautzner, Luděk Haman, Dan Wichterle, Lucie Šedivá, Martin Doležel

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):518-522 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2021.094  

The summary of the consesus document provides the framework that analyzes the potential failure modes of implanted cardiac devices (implantable cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators - cardiac implantable electronic devices) in context of radiotherapy procedures and proposes the methodology for patient management in every step of the entire radiotherapy process. The summary is intended for radiation oncologists, cardiologists, arrhythmologists, medical physicists, dosimetrists, clinical engineers and technicians, nurses and other health professionals, that partake in the treatment of patients with such devices.

Petr Bartůněk a Ctibor Povýšil (editoři): Proměny času – proměny zdraví

Jan Petrášek

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):523-524  

John R. Fowler Jr., Nandkumar M. Rawool: Ultrazvuk ruky a horní končetiny. Praktické postupy

Jan Petrášek

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):524  

Uvádíte správně použitou literaturu?

Jan Petrášek

Cor Vasa 2021, 63(4):525-528