Background: Sodium‐glucose co‐transporter‐2 (SGLT2) inhibitors improve cardiovascular outcomes in heart failure (HF), but their effect on sleep quality (SQ) and patient‐centered outcomes remains unclear.Objective: This study aims to evaluate the impact of SGLT2 inhibitor use on SQ, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with HF.Methods: This longitudinal observational study included 95 HF patients grouped by SGLT2 inhibitor use. A total of 79 patients (SGLT2 inhibitor group: 33; non‐SGLT2 inhibitor group: 46) completed a 6‐month follow‐up. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), anxiety with the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and quality of life with the Short Form‐36 (SF‐36). Subgroup analyses were conducted based on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and logistic regression was used to identify predictors of PSQI improvement.Results: At baseline, PSQI scores were slightly better in the SGLT2 inhibitor group (p = 0.036), while BAI and SF‐36 scores were similar. At follow‐up, the SGLT2 inhibitor group showed significant improvements in PSQI (p < 0.001) and BAI (p = 0.002), whereas no significant changes were observed in the non‐SGLT2 inhibitor group for either PSQI (p = 0.698) or BAI (p = 0.373). PSQI improvement was observed in SGLT2 users regardless of LVEF. In multivariate analysis, SGLT2 inhibitor use was an independent predictor of PSQI improvement (adjusted OR: 4.255; p = 0.010).Conclusion: SGLT2 inhibitor use was associated with improved SQ and reduced anxiety in patients with HF, suggesting symptom‐related benefits beyond cardiovascular effects.

Aim: Myocarditis, an inflammatory disease of the myocardium, can range from asymptomatic cases to severe forms such as fulminant myocarditis. The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) has emerged as a potential biomarker for various inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to determine the effect of SII on the prognosis of young adults with acute myocarditis and compare it with other cardiac markers.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients aged 18-40 years who were admitted to the emergency department with a diagnosis of acute myocarditis between January 2014 and January 2024. Patients were divided into non-fulminant and fulminant myocarditis groups based on diagnostic criteria.Results: SII, troponin I and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels were significantly higher in the fulminant myocarditis group (p < 0.001 for all). Logistic regression analysis identified SII and NT-proBNP as independent predictors of fulminant myocarditis but not for troponin I (p = 0.064). The optimal cutoff value for SII in diagnosing fulminant myocarditis was 1020, with a sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 83%, outperforming troponin I. Patients with SII ≥1020 had a significantly higher risk of adverse outcomes.Conclusion: The SII enables early detection of adverse outcomes and is an independent predictor of prognosis in young adults with myocarditis.

Objective: Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are the standard treatment for patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≤35%) to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death. Loop diuretics can cause electrolyte imbalances, leading to an increased incidence of ICD shocks. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) have shown cardiovascular benefits in patients with heart failure (HF), but their effects on ventricular arrhythmias and ICD shocks, particularly in patients receiving different doses of loop diuretics, are not fully understood. This study evaluated the effects of furosemide dose and SGLT2i use on ICD shocks in HF patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF). Materials and Methods: HFrEF patients using oral furosemide and undergoing ICD implantation in our clinic were followed for 12 months to monitor ICD shocks for ventricular arrhythmias. They were grouped according to daily oral furosemide dose and SGLT2i use. Results: Out of 175 patients, the use of high-dose furosemide (>80 mg/day) was significantly higher in the ICD shock group compared to the non-shock group (38.8% vs. 16.7%, p = 0.001), while the use of SGLT2i was lower (19.4% vs. 45.4%, p < 0.001). ICD shocks occurred in 67.6% of patients on high-dose furosemide without SGLT2i and 30.0% with SGLT2i (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified the absence of SGLT2i as an independent predictor of ICD shocks. Conclusions: SGLT2i was associated with reduced ventricular arrhythmias and ICD shocks in HF patients, even when high doses of furosemide were used. The absence of SGLT2i in HF treatment was an independent predictor of ICD shocks.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate hand grip strength following transradial coronary procedures and to identify main factors influencing these changes. Patients and methods: Between December 2023 and March 2024, a total of 123 patients (92 males, 31 females; mean age: 63.0±9.2 years; range, 39 to 84 years) with stable angina pectoris who were scheduled for elective percutaneous transradial coronary intervention were included. Hand grip measurements were repeated one day after the transradial procedure and six months later. At six months of follow-up, the patients were divided into two groups based on the change in hand grip strength: those whose hand grip strength remained unchanged (n=84, Group 1) and those whose hand grip strength decreased (n=39, Group 2). The results were compared between the groups. Results: At the end of the follow-up, 31.7% of the 123 patients had reduced hand grip strength. Radial artery occlusion (RAO) occurred in 8.9% of patients and was significantly associated with reduced grip strength at six months (p=0.013). Active smokers also showed a persistent reduction in hand grip strength at six months (p=0.003). Independent predictors of reduced grip strength included RAO (p=0.038), current smoking (p<0.001), and prolonged hemostasis band removal time (p=0.008). Conclusion: Radial artery occlusion, current smoking, and prolonged hemostasis band removal time were identified as significant factors associated with the reduction in hand grip strength following the transradial approach. Recognizing these risk factors may help clinicians develop strategies to prevent hand function loss and support recovery more effectively.

Background: Non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) has a significant impact on cardiovascular mortality in elderly patients. Identification of high-risk patients is essential to optimize clinical management. This study investigates the relationship between the TyG index and CAD complexity, as measured by the SYNTAX score, in elderly patients with NSTE-ACS. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 216 patients aged >65 years undergoing coronary angiography stratified according to tertiles of the TyG index and the SYNTAX score (SYNTAX score ≤ 22 versus SYNTAX score > 22). Results: After adjustment for confounders, the TyG index was identified as an independent predictor of moderate/high scores (SYNTAX score > 22). As a continuous variable, it was significantly associated with moderate/high SYNTAX scores in both diabetic (P = 0.003) and nondiabetic groups (P = 0.004). When presented as a categorical variable, the TyG index remained a significant predictor after adjustment for sex, hypertension, BMI, and glomerular filtration rate. Compared with the T1 group, the risk of a moderate/high SYNTAX score was 5.410-fold (95% CI: 1.034–28.315; P = 0.046) and 7.774-fold (95% CI: 1.836–32.916; P = 0.005) higher in the T2 and T3 groups, respectively. The TyG index showed superior predictive ability for CAD complexity with an AUC of 0.747 compared with the AUC of 0.624 for HbA1c (P = 0.005). Conclusion: This study showed that the TyG index is an independent predictor of moderate/high SYNTAX scores in elderly patients with NSTE-ACS, demonstrating superior predictive performance compared to HgA1c and highlighting its potential as a valuable tool for assessing CAD severity in this population.