No abstract

Background: Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease that causes luminal narrowing. Patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) also exhibit an increased risk of death from cardiovascular complications. This risk is the same for symptomatic or asymptomatic patients. Over a 5-year period, patients with PAD have a 20% chance of suffering from a stroke or myocardial infarction. Additionally, their mortality rate is 30%. This study aimed to assess the relationship between coronary artery disease (CAD) complexity using SYNTAX score and PAD complexity using Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus II (TASC II) score. Methods:The study was designed as single-center cross-sectional observational and included 50 diabetic patients referred for elective coronary angiography and peripheral angiography was done.Results: Most of the patients were males (80%) and smokers (80%) with mean age of 62 years. The mean SYNTAX score was 19.88. There was a significant negative correlation between SYN-TAX score and ankle brachial index (ABI) (r = -0.48, P = 0.001) and a significant positive correlation with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level (R 2 = 26, P = 0.004). Complex PAD was found in nearly half of the patients with 48% having TASC II C or D classes. Those with TASC II classes C and D had higher SYNTAX scores (P = 0.046).Conclusions: Diabetic patients with more complex CAD had more complex PAD. In diabetic patients with CAD, those with worse glycemic control had higher SYNTAX scores and the higher the SYNTAX score, the lower the ABI.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including hypertension, is a leading cause of death worldwide and imposes an enormous burden on our societies [...]

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia in the non-cardiac intensive care unit (ICU). However, data concerning AF incidence and predictors in such populations are scarce and controversial. The study aimed to investigate the contributing factors of newonset AF in elderly patients within the medical intensive care setting.Methods: Patients admitted to ICU during a 6-month period were prospectively studied. Patients admitted for short period postoperative monitoring and patients with chronic or paroxysmal AF were excluded. The conditions involved as AF risk factors or "triggers" from demographic data, history, and echocardiography were recorded. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score was calculated. Electrolytes including some trace elements (zinc, copper, and magnesium) were analyzed. Results:The study included 142 patients (49% females). Mean age was 69.5 ± 7.3 years. AF was observed in 12%. Diagnosis of pneumonia (P < 0.001), low copper (P < 0.0001) and low zinc levels (P < 0.0001) was significantly associated with the occurrence of AF. By multivariate analysis, they remained statistically significant (odds ratio, 7.0; 95% confidence interval, 2.0 -24.6; P < 0.01).Conclusions: A significant fraction of ICU elderly patients manifests AF. The relevant factors contributing to AF incidence in the elderly are pneumonia and low zinc and low copper.