Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is associated with increased morbidity, extended hospital stay, and higher costs. We compared an atorvastatin plus N-acetylcysteine (NAC) regimen with NAC alone in patients undergoing coronary angiography. A total of 130 patients (mean age 54 +/- 10; 77 men) undergoing coronary angiography were studied. Seven CIN cases occurred in the NAC group and 2 in the atorvastatin + NAC group; this difference was not significant. Baseline mean creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were similar between the 2 groups, whereas after the procedure there was a significant creatinine decrease and eGFR increase in the atorvastatin + NAC group. Change in creatinine (baseline creatinine-creatinine after the procedure) was also significantly higher in patients taking statin plus NAC. Atorvastatin may be effective in protecting patients undergoing coronary angiography from CIN.
Mean platelet volume (MPV) has been recognized as an independent risk factor of hypertension. Hypertensive end-organ damage worsens the prognosis in hypertensive patients. We aimed to investigate the relationship between MPV levels and subclinical end-organ damage in hypertensive patients. One hundred and sixteen hypertensive patients (81 women, 35 men, with a mean age of 53 ± 11) were included in the study. There was no correlation between MPV and left-ventricular mass index (LVMI) (r = 0.145; P = 0.14) or albuminuria (r = 0.009; P = 0.93). Among the individuals that had grade I and grade II retinopathy, MPV levels (8.3 ± 2 fL, 8.2 ± 1.3 fL; P = 0.28) were similar either. We concluded that there was no correlation between MPV and markers of end-organ damage in hypertensive patients.
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