The aim of our study was to determine the role of serum glucose–potassium ratio in predicting inhospital mortality in coronary care unit patients.

Background: Several clinical trials have assessed predictors for atrial fibrillation recur rence following cryoballoon catheter ablation. With these predictors, a practical and new scoring system can be developed to evaluate atrial fibrillation recurrence. The present study aimed to analyze the predictive value of the age, creatinine, and ejection fraction -left atrium score for potential recurrence of atrial fibrillation following cryoballoon cath- eter ablation in patients with symptomatic paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed records of patients undergoing cryoballoon cath- eter ablation. atrial fibrillation recurrence was defined as an emerging atrial fibrillation episode around 12-month follow-up (with the exclusion of a 3-month blanking period). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess predictors of atrial fibrilation recurrence. In addition, receiver operating characteristic analysis was harnessed to evaluate the performance of the age, creatinine, and ejection fraction, left atrium score in determining the risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence. Results: The study population comprised 106 subjects (age 52 +/- 13 years, 63.2% women) with paroxysmal (84.9%, n = 90) or persistent (15.1%, n = 16) atrial fibrillation. age, cre- atinine, and ejection fraction, left atrium score was significantly higher in subjects with atrial fibrillation recurrence in comparison to those with the maintenance of sinus rhythm. However, on multivariate logistic regression analysis, only the age, creatinine, and ejection fraction, left atrium score (OR = 12.93, 95% CI: 2.22-75.21, P = .004) served as an independent predictor of atrial fibrillation recurrence following cryoballoon catheter ablation. Conclusion: Age, creatinine, and ejection fraction, left atrium score had an independent association with the risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence in subjects with atrial fibrillation undergoing cryoballoon catheter ablation. Therefore, this score might potentially serve as a useful tool for risk stratification of patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: The present study evaluates the protective effect of amifostine (AMI) on acute toxicity in large vessels and the heart in rats with radiotherapy (RT) applied to the thorax. Methods: Twenty-one Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups: Alone RT (n = 7), amifostine plus RT (AMI+RT, n = 7), and control (n = 7) groups. The rats in the RT and AMI+RT groups received a single dose of 20 Gy radiation to the entire thorax. Prior to irradiation, AMI was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 200 mg/kg, 30 minutes before the procedure. Five days after irradiation, the levels of p53, CD68, and COX in the vascular tissue (aorta) were measured, along with the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) in the aortic and heart tissues. Results: The results showed that the level of MDA significantly increased after irradiation, but GSH levels did not change (P < .001 and P = 0.138). Malondialdehyde levels were significantly reduced by AMI, and GSH levels increased (P = .031 and P = .007). When comparing the control group with AMI + RT, MDA and glutathione levels were similar (P = .314 and P = .136). Histopathological evaluation revealed increased cellular inflammation (P = .002) and vascular damage (P = .015) in aortic tissue after thoracic RT irradiation, but no difference in terms of myofibrosis (P = .901) in heart tissue. Conclusion: AMI has a radioprotective and antioxidant effect against RT-induced cardiovascular toxicity.

OBJECTIVE: Prealbumin has been a reliable marker to predict protein energy malnutrition and hypercatabolic state. In this analysis, we particularly aimed to investigate the potential association between serum prealbumin levels and right ventricular dysfunction in patients receiving programmed hemodialysis. METHODS: A total of 57 subjects were included in the analysis. The subjects were then categorized into two groups: right ventricular dysfunction (n=18) and non-right ventricular dysfunction (n=39) groups. In all patients, detailed transthoracic echocardiography (following hemodialysis) were performed along with the evaluation of complete blood count, routine biochemistry parameters, and, in particular, serum prealbumin levels. RESULTS: Mortality rate at 3 years was found to be significantly higher in the right ventricular dysfunction group (p=0.042). Serum prealbumin levels were also significantly lower in the right ventricular dysfunction group compared with the non-right ventricular dysfunction group (23.83??8.50 mg/dL versus 31.38??6.81 mg/dL, p=0.001). In the receiver operating characteristics curve analysis, a prealbumin cutoff value of <28.5 mg/dL was found to predict right ventricular dysfunction, with a sensitivity of 67% and a specificity of 62% (area under the curve: 0.744). In the correlation analysis, a moderate yet significant positive correlation was demonstrated between serum prealbumin and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (r=0.365, p=0.005). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that low serum prealbumin might serve as a potential predictor of right ventricular dysfunction (and its clinical consequences) in patients receiving programmed hemodialysis.