We investigated whether the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) can predict stent thrombosis (STh) and high mortality rate in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We analyzed data of 102 patients with STh and 450 patients with STEMI admitted to 2 high volume hospitals. Preprocedural NLR was significantly higher in patients with STh (P < .001). There was a significantly higher mortality rate in patients with high NLR during hospitalization (P < .001). Also, in the STh group there was a significantly higher mortality rate in patients with high NLR (P < .001). In receiver–operating characteristic analysis, NLR >4.8 had 56% sensitivity and 68% specificity for predicting STh. The NLR >4.9 had 70% sensitivity and 65% specificity for predicting in-hospital mortality. On multivariate regression analysis, NLR was found to be significantly related to STh. In patients with STEMI, preprocedural high NLR is associated with both STh and higher mortality rates.

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with many diverse cardiovascular disorders, such as hypertension, heart failure, stroke, coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation. The relationship between Vitamin D and the development of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) has not been studied. Therefore, we assessed the relationship between Vitamin D and the development of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after CABG. Medical records of consecutive patients who underwent CABG surgery were retrospectively reviewed for the development of atrial fibrillation in the postoperative period. Vitamin D, other biochemical parameters, and clinical and echocardiographic parameters were evaluated in all patients. The independent variables for the development of postoperative atrial fibrillation were defined and their predictive values were measured. The study group consisted of 128 patients, of whom 41 (32%) developed POAF. Age, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, history of transient ischaemic attack/stroke, heart failure, left atrial diameter, platelet:largecell ratio, and creatinine, urea, uric acid, calcium and potassium levels were identified as important variables for the development of POAF. However, with logistic regression analysis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR: 28.737, 95% CI: 0.836-16.118, p < 0.001), heart failure (OR: 15.430, 95% CI: 0.989-7.649, p = 0.006), diabetes mellitus (OR: 11.486, 95% CI: 0.734-11.060, p = 0.001) and left atrial diameter (OR: 1.245, 95% CI: 0.086-6.431, p = 0.011) appeared as independent variables predicting the development of POAF. In our study, although there was a significant negative correlation between Vitamin D and left atrial diameter, Vitamin D level was not an independent predictor for POAF.

Cerit L, et al. Korean Circ J. 2016 Nov;46(6):798-803. https://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2016.46.6.798