Abstract Introduction: To clarify the potential protective role of cilostazol on rat myocardial cells with ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) models. Methods: The study was conducted with three groups of 10 Wistar rats (control group, rats without any coronary ischemia; sham group, rats with coronary ischemia but without cilostazol administration; and cilostazol group, rats with coronary ischemia and cilostazol administration). The level of myocardial injuries was measured by analyzing cardiac troponin T and creatine kinase MB levels in blood samples. In tissue samples, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), nitric oxide, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde were used to determine the amount of tissue damage. Tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin method, and samples were examined under light microscope. Results: The mean level of ATP was 104.4 in the cilostazol group and 149.1 in the sham group (P=0.044). SOD level was significantly higher in the cilostazol group than in the sham group (2075.3 vs. 1783.7, P=0.043). According to histopathological examination, all samples were classified as G0 in the control group. In the sham group, one sample was categorized as G1, six samples as G2, and three samples as G3. In the cilostazol group, nine samples and one sample were categorized as G1 and G2, respectively (P=0.011). Conclusion: Cilostazol has beneficial effects on Wistar rats’ myocardial cells in regard to decreasing inflammatory process, necrosis, and fibrosis. Our findings revealed that the use of cilostazol significantly decreased ATP and increased SOD levels in Wistar rats’ myocardial cells after IRI.

Abstract Introduction: Ankle-brachial pressure index is an objective, noninvasive test for predicting subclinical atherosclerotic diseases. We investigated the role of ankle-brachial pressure index measured with automated sphygmomanometer devices in the prediction of the development of acute kidney injury in patients undergoing major cardiac surgery. Methods: This single-centered, cross-sectional, and observational study was performed on 80 (66 males and 14 females, 58 ± 10 years) patients undergone cardiac surgery. Complete anamnesis, laboratory tests, intravenous fluids, medications, blood products, and all perioperative procedures were recorded in all patients before the surgery. Two automated sphygmomanometer devices giving equivalent results were used for measuring Ankle-brachial pressure index. The data in the first two days after the surgery were used for analysis. The criteria of AKIN were used in the diagnosis of acute kidney injury. Results: Twenty-one (23%) patients developed acute kidney injury in the postoperative period. None of the patients needed renal replacement therapy or died. There was no significant difference between mean ankle-brachial pressure index levels of patients with and without acute kidney injury (1.04 ± 0.17 and 1.06 ± 0.19, respectively, p=0.554). The mean ankle-brachial pressure index was significantly lower in patients with perioperative complications that cause hemodynamic instability (1.07 ± 0.14, 0.96 ± 0.13, p=0.016). On the multivariate analysis model, only perioperative hemodynamic complication development was found to be related to postoperative acute kidney injury. Conclusion: Ankle-brachial pressure index may have a role in predicting perioperative hemodynamic complications, which may cause acute kidney injury in patients undergoing major surgery. Simple automatic blood pressure devices can be used in daily practice for ankle-brachial pressure index measurement instead of complex and expensive doppler devices.

Resumen Introducción: El índice tobillo-brazo (ITB) es una prueba objetiva y no invasiva para diagnosticar la aterosclerosis asintomática. Investigamos el papel del índice tobillo-brazo medido a través de esfigmomanómetros automáticos para pronosticar el desarrollo de insuficiencia renal aguda en pacientes que se sometieron a una cirugía cardíaca mayor. Material y métodos: En este estudio observacional, transversal y unicéntrico, se incluyó a 80 pacientes (66 hombres y 14 mujeres de 58 ± 10 años) que se sometieron a una cirugía cardíaca. Se registraron los siguientes datos de todos los pacientes antes de la cirugía: anamnesis completa, análisis clínicos, líquidos intravenosos, medicamentos, productos hemoderivados e intervenciones perioperatorias. Para medir el ITB, se utilizaron dos esfigmomanómetros automáticos que arrojaron resultados similares. Se analizaron los datos recogidos los primeros dos días luego de la cirugía. Se siguieron los criterios de la AKIN para diagnosticar la insuficiencia renal aguda. Resultados: Veintiún pacientes (23 %) sufrieron insuficiencia renal aguda en el postoperatorio. Ninguno de los pacientes necesitó tratamiento renal sustitutivo ni falleció. No hubo diferencias significativas entre los valores medios del índice tobillo-brazo en pacientes con insuficiencia renal aguda y sin ella (1,04 ± 0,17 y 1,06 ± 0,19, respectivamente; p=0,554). El valor medio del ITB fue significativamente menor en pacientes con complicaciones perioperatorias que causan inestabilidad hemodinámica (1,07 ± 0,14; 0,96 ± 0,13; p=0,016). En el modelo de análisis multivariado, solo se encontró que la aparición de complicaciones hemodinámicas perioperatorias estaba relacionada con la insuficiencia renal aguda luego de la operación quirúrgica. Conclusión: Es posible que el ITB desempeñe un papel en la predicción de complicaciones hemodinámicas perioperatorias, que pueden causar insuficiencia renal aguda en pacientes sometidos a cirugía mayor. En la práctica diaria, pueden utilizarse dispositivos automáticos simples que calculan la tensión arterial para medir el índice tobillo-brazo, en lugar de dispositivos Doppler complejos y costosos.

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the predictive accuracy of SYNTAX score (SS) I and II for detecting significant carotid artery stenosis (CAS) in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Methods: The study population consisted of 416 patients. Clinical, demographic, and radiological records were retrospectively reviewed. Characteristics of patients with CAS (n=66) and patients without CAS (n=350) were compared before and after propensity score matching analysis. Results: Patients with significant CAS were older compared to those without significant CAS [(60 (53-65) vs. 63 (59-67); P=0.01]. However, atherosclerotic risk factors and SS I were similar between groups. SS II CABG and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were significantly higher in patients with CAS [37.4 (30.9-43.5) vs. 33.8 (29.9-38.9); P=0.02]. After propensity score matching analysis (66 vs. 66), age, SS II PCI and CABG were significantly higher in patients with CAS than those without CAS [37.4 (30.9-43.5) vs. 33 (29.3-36.9); P=0.03]. Age, SS II PCI and CABG were associated with CAS in logistic regression analysis [OR=1.086, 95% CI (1.032-1.143), P<0.001; OR=1.054, 95% CI (1.010-1.101), P=0.02; OR=1.078, 95% CI (1.029-1.129), P<0.01]. In ROC curve analysis, SS II PCI >33.1 had 68.2% sensitivity and 54.6% specificity [AUC=0.624, P=0.01, 95% CI (0.536-0.707)] whereas SS II CABG >26.1 had 81.8% sensitivity and 54.6% specificity [AUC=0.670, P<0.01, 95% CI (0.583-0.749)] to predict CAS. Pairwise comparison of ROC curves revealed similar statistical accuracy for prediction of CAS (z statistic: 0.683, P=0.49) Conclusion: SS II is useful to predict asymptomatic CAS in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease.

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the prognostic value of CHA2DS2-VASc score in individuals undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Methods: Records of consecutive 464 patients who underwent elective isolated CABG, between January 2015 and August 2017, were retrospectively reviewed. A major adverse cardiac event (MACE) was the primary outcome of this study. MACE in patients with low (L) (<2, n: 238) and high (H) (≤2, n: 226) CHA2DS2-VASc scores were compared. Univariate logistic regression analysis identified preditors of MACE. Results: Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral vascular disease were more frequent in the H group than in the L group. European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) I and SYNTAX I scores were similar in both groups while SYNTAX II-CABG score was significantly higher in the H group than in the L group. Postoperative myocardial infarction, need for intra-aortic balloon pump, acute renal failure, and mediastinitis were more frequent in the H group than in the L group. The H group had significantly higher in-hospital mortality and MACE rates than the L group (P<0.01). EuroSCORE I, SYNTAX II-CABG, and CHA2DS2-VASc scores were predictors for MACE. SYNTAX II-CABG > 25.1 had 68.4% sensitivity and 52.7% specificity (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.653, P=0.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.607-0.696) and CHA2DS2-VASc > 2 had 52.6% sensitivity and 84.1% specificity (AUC: 0.752, P<0.01, 95% CI: 0.710-0.790) to predict MACE. Pairwise comparison of receiver-operating characteristic curves revealed similar accuracy for both scoring systems. Conclusion: CHA2DS2-VASc score may predict MACE in patients undergoing isolated CABG.