Introduction. One of the inflammatory factors affecting the prognosis of myocardial infarction is the high level of neutrophil count in the blood. In this study, we investigated the relationship of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in peripheral blood with ST-segment resolution and clinical outcomes of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) receiving thrombolytic therapy. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted on the patients referring to the emergency department in Tabriz, Iran who were diagnosed with STEMI and began receiving treatment with reteplase. The patients were asked questions to gather information about their demographic characteristics as well as their risk factors, level of response to thrombolytic therapy, etc. For all of the patients, electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded and different blood tests were performed upon their admission to the emergency department and the obtained data were fed into SPSS Version 19 to explore the possible relationships among different variables. Results. The findings of this study revealed that there is no significant relationship between either NLR or PLR of patients suffering from myocardial infarction and their level of response to thrombolytic therapy. Moreover, no significant relationship was observed between NLR or PLR of these patients and their ejection fraction. However, the results indicated that NLR and PLR associated with an increase in the incidence rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in STEMI patients. Conclusion. The results of this study indicated that NLR and PLR are directly associated with the rate of in-hospital major adverse effects following STEMI irrespective of the ST resolution.

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is responsible for a great number of unintentional deaths all over the world. The diagnosis is very difficult due to its various symptoms that mimic numerous illnesses. Misdiagnosis can lead to cell death and cognitive deficits which are irreversible. Therefore, knowing the situations in which CO poisoning occurs is of great importance in clinical suspicion and evaluation. The most common ones are listed by the Centers for disease control and prevention of the United States. Although this is very helpful; we encountered some patients affected in bathrooms without any nearby source of CO production. It reflects the need for re-assessment of the other ways that CO can be transmitted. Also physicians should be alert to consider possible CO poisoning in any patient whose symptoms began after taking a bath, not only the ones near the water-heater. (JAEM 2012; 11: 183-4)

Superior cavopulmonary anastomosis is a type of palliative cardiac surgeries that usually done in children with cyanotic and complex congenital heart disease who have single ventricle profile. BDG shunt is staged palliation procedure for single ventricle patients who are candidates for total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC). Sometimes the surgeon misses ligating or intentionally leaves the azygos vein as a fenestration or emergency exit. This allows an abnormal flow from the superior vena cava (SVC into azygos vein). These patients can present progressive desaturation, chest tightness, progressive dyspnea, edema and shortness of breath. Therapeutic options include observation, surgical ligation and trans catheter closure. Because of high risks and extra traumas of surgery and greater chance for difficulties and the feasibility of trans catheter therapy, it is done in some centers as a method of choice.

Ebstein malformation of tricuspid valve is a congenital disease of tricuspid valve with associated right ventricular cardiomyopathy. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a form of inherited left ventricular cardiomyopathy caused by sarcomeric protein gene mutations with inherent risks of sudden cardiac death. Here we report a rare case with co-occurrence of Ebstein malformation of tricuspid valve and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a young patient.