Objective: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a major global cause of death. The common approach in primary prevention of cardiovas- cular disease is to identify patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease. This article analyzes and compares the application of 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guideline and the 2011 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guideline for the management of dyslipidemias for primary prevention in Turkish population.
Methods: The study included 833 patients (482 women and 351 men). Risk scores were calculated according to both guidelines and indications for statin treatment were determined according to sex and age group. Variables are presented as mean±SD or median with interquartile range for continuous data and as proportions for categorical data. Variables were analyzed by unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square or Fischer’s exact test as appropriate.
Results: The ACC/AHA would suggest statin treatment in 415 patients out of 833 (49.5%), while ESC would recommend statin for 193 patients out of 833 (23.1%) (p<0.001). Statins would be recommended for 40.4% of women and 62.6% of men for primary prevention by the ACC/AHA, while this figure was 12% for women and 38.4% for men according to the ESC guideline (p<0.001 for both).
Conclusion: When compared to the ESC guideline, the ACC/AHA guideline suggests augmented statin treatment for primary prevention in Turk- ish population. (Anatol J Cardiol 2017; 17: 92-6)

Objective: We investigated the possible association of serum acylation stimulating protein (ASP) with cardiometabolic disorders and the evi- dence of autoimmune activation.
Methods: Population-based randomly selected 1024 participants were cross-sectionally and prospectively analyzed. ASP concentrations were measured with a validated ELISA kit. Correlations were sought separately in subjects with no cardiometabolic disorders (n=427) designated as “healthy.”
Results: ASP was positively correlated with total testosterone and inversely correlated with platelet activating factor (PAF), PAF-acetylhydro- lase (AH), in each gender, and positively correlated in “healthy” men with lipoprotein [Lp](a) and apolipoprotein B. Correlations of ASP with PAF values ≥22 nmol/L were abolished, contrasted to a strongly inverse one in subjects with PAF <22 nmol/L. In linear regression analyses in the whole sample, ASP was inversely associated independently with PAF and PAF-AH and, in men, positively with Lp(a) and sex hormone-binding globulin. Prevalent and (at 2.0 years’ follow-up) incident metabolic syndrome (MetS, n=393), diabetes (n=154), and coronary heart disease (CHD, n=171) were analyzed by sex-, age-, and Lp(a)-adjusted logistic regression, using tertiles of ASP and PAF. The lower two (<42 nmol/L) ASP tertiles were a risk factor in combined sexes for MetS and diabetes. In women, incident CHD was predicted by either reduced or elevated ASP tertiles.
Conclusion: Findings can be explained by the notion of operation of immune responses against both ASP and oxidized PAF-like lipids of Lp(a) to yield for “reduced” values and increased likelihood of cardiometabolic disorders. (Anatol J Cardiol 2017; 17: 97-106)

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and feasibility of an enhanced heart failure (HF) education with a 6-month telephone follow- up program in post-discharge ambulatory HF patients.
Methods: The Hit-Point trial was a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial of enhanced HF education with a 6-month telephone follow-up pro- gram (EHFP) vs routine care (RC) in patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction. A total of 248 patients from 10 centers in various geographical areas were randomized: 125 to EHFP and 123 to RC. Education included information on adherence to treatment, symptom recognition, diet and fluid intake, weight monitoring, activity and exercise training. Patients were contacted by telephone after 1, 3, and 6 months. The primary study endpoint was cardiovascular death.
Results: Although all-cause mortality didn’t differ between the EHFP and RC groups (p=NS), the percentage of cardiovascular deaths in the EHFP group was significantly lower than in the RC group at the 6-month follow up (5.6% vs. 8.9%, p=0.04). The median number of emergency room visits was one and the median number of all cause hospitalizations and heart failure hospitalizations were zero. Twenty-tree percent of the EHFP group and 35% of the RC group had more than a median number of emergency room visits (p=0.05). There was no significant difference regarding the median number of all–cause or heart failure hospitalizations. At baseline, 60% of patients in EHFP and 61% in RC were in NYHA Class III or IV, while at the 6-month follow up only 12% in EHFP and 32% in RC were in NYHA Class III or IV (p=0.001).
Conclusion: These results demonstrate the potential clinical benefits of an enhanced HF education and follow up program led by a cardiologist in reducing cardiovascular deaths and number of emergency room visits with an improvement in functional capacity at 6 months in post-discharge ambulatory HF patients. (Anatol J Cardiol 2017; 17: 107-12)

Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess long-term prognostic value of high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HTPR) in patients after acute myocardial infarction (MI) and its association with possible risk factors.
Methods: This prospective, case-control study was an observation of 198 patients who had acute MI. Response to aspirin and clopidogrel was assessed using impedance aggregometry. Patients were divided into groups of adequate response, dual poor responsiveness (DPR), poor re- sponsiveness to aspirin (PRA), and poor responsiveness to clopidogrel (PRC). Simultaneously, potential risk factors of HTPR development were recorded. After 5 years, MI recurrence and overall mortality were assessed.
Results: HTPR was more frequent in New York Heart Association Class III and IV patients, and in patients with left ventricle systolic dysfunction. Five-year mortality rate was higher in all groups of patients with HTPR compared to patients with sufficient response to antiplatelet treatment: in PRA patients, 38.1% vs. 19.2%, p<0.01; in PRC patients, 45.2% vs. 17.3%, p<0.001; and in DPR patients, 50.0% vs. 19.9%, p<0.05. Risk of repeat MI also increased (hazard ratio [HR] 4.0, p<0.05 for DPR group; HR 4.37, p<0.01 for PRA group; and HR 3.25, p<0.05 for PRC group).
Conclusion: PRA, PRC, and DPR are independent predictors of increased 5-year mortality and risk of repeat non-fatal MI. The study has demon- strated that HTPR is frequently observed in patients with severe heart failure and left ventricle systolic dysfunction. (Anatol J Cardiol 2017; 17: 113-8)

Objective: Previous studies revealed the relationship between stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and serum adropin level, but this relation- ship has not been investigated in patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). The present study is an analysis of the relationship between adropin and severity of CAD assessed based on SYNTAX score in patients with NSTEMI.
Methods: A total of 109 participants, 80 patients with NSTEMI and 29 healthy individuals, were prospectively enrolled in the study. Patients with NSTEMI were divided to 2 groups: high SYNTAX score (≥32) (35 patients) and low SYNTAX score (<32) (45 patients). Adropin level was measured from blood serum samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test.
Results: Patients with NSTEMI and high SYNTAX score had significantly lower serum adropin level (2357.30 pg/mL±821.58) compared to NSTEMI patients with low SYNTAX score (3077.00 pg/mL±912.86) and control group (3688.00±956.65). Adropin cut-off value for predicting high SYNTAX score on receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was determined to be 2759 pg/mL, with a sensitivity of 63% and a specificity of 57%. Adropin was an independent predictor for high SYNTAX score (odds ratio=0.999; 95% confidence interval: 0.998–1.000; p=0.007).
Conclusion: Adropin could be an alternative blood sample value for predicting severity of CAD. (Anatol J Cardiol 2017; 17: 119-24)

Objective: We examined the change in apelin concentration and its relationship with left ventricular diastolic function in patients treated for hypertension.
Methods: Ninety treatment-naive patients with newly diagnosed hypertension and 33 age- and sex-matched control subjects were prospectively enrolled. Patients with hypertension were randomized to treatment either with telmisartan 80 mg or amlodipine 10 mg. Apelin concentration was measured and echocardiography was performed at baseline and after 1 month of treatment.
Results: The data of 77 patients and 33 controls were analyzed. Mean age, gender, baseline blood pressure, apelin levels, and echocardiographic measurements were similar between the treatment groups (p>0.05 for all). Apelin concentration was significantly lower in patients with hyper- tension than in controls. There was a significant increase in apelin level after 1 month of treatment in both groups (0.32±0.17 vs. 0.38±0.17 ng/dL in telmisartan group, p=0.009, and 0.27±0.13 vs. 0.34±0.18 ng/dL in amlodipine group, p=0.013). Diastolic function improved significantly in both groups (p<0.05) but was not significantly associated with change in apelin concentration.
Conclusion: Apelin concentration increased significantly after 1 month of effective treatment with telmisartan or amlodipine to a similar extent. Change in apelin concentration was not associated with improvement in diastolic function. (Anatol J Cardiol 2017; 17: 125-31)

Objective: Because of the ongoing and recurring inflammatory state in familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), patients may experience a high risk of cardiovascular events. Our aim was to investigate the arterial stiffness and associated factors in patients with FMF.
Methods: Sixty-nine consecutive FMF patients (including 11 females) and 35 controls (including 5 females) were enrolled in the study. The demographical, clinical, and laboratory data and genetic mutations of the patients were recorded. In the study, FMF patients according to the Tel-Hashomer criteria were included, whereas patients with other known inflammatory rheumatologic disease, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, those under the age of 18 years, or those refusing to participate in the study were excluded. Arterial stiffness measurements were performed using the TensioMed device (TensoMed Ltd, Budapest, Hungary).
Results: The patient and control groups were similar in terms of the mean ages, BMIs, gender, systolic blood pressures, and smoking. FMF patients had a higher pulse wave velocity (PWV) (7.73±1.3 and 7.18±1.1 m/s; p=0.03) and lower brachial and aortic augmentation indexes (–64.6±14.6% and –54.6±25.9%, p=0.041 and 4.9±7.4% and 14.0±11.5%, p=0.025, respectively) compared with the controls. Thirty-one (45%) patients were in the “during-attack” state and had higher PWV (8.17±1.6 and 7.38±0.9 m/s; p=0.027) compared with the asymptomatic patients. PWV was correlated to serum CRP, WBC, ESR, fibrinogen, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios (r=0.666, 0.429, 0.441, 0.388, and 0.460, respectively). The genetic mutation and predominant attack type had no effect on arterial stiffness.
Conclusion: FMF patients have increased arterial stiffness during attacks compared with asymptomatic patients and controls. The impaired arterial stiffness is correlated to the severity of the inflammatory state rather than to the attack type or genetic mutations. (Anatol J Cardiol 2017; 17: 132-8)

Objective: Nurses are usually first witnesses to in-hospital sudden cardiac arrests. Training of nurses has an impact on the efficiency and outcome of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and thus, assessment of CPR knowledge among undergraduate nurses is very important to improve training program.
Methods: The questionnaire comprised of three parts about CPR knowledge: the first dealing with general questions to understand the impor- tance of CPR in clinical practice; the second comprising the main goal and accuracy of CPR intervention; and the last consisting of questions targeting the indications, methods, and effectiveness of CPR. Descriptive statistics and multiple response analyses were done by IBM SPSS version 20.
Results: The students had good knowledge about the importance of CPR in clinical practice and stood average in knowing its indications and effectiveness. The mean score was 64.62±17.84 out of 100 points. While only 11% of them were completely aware about the universal compres- sion ventilation ratio, 16.2% were aware of the current compression depth. In addition, 21.8% of participants have only indicated the order of CPR being compression, airway, and breathing.
Conclusion: Knowledge of CPR is good among the nursing students. However, skills of CPR have to be improved by current training programs at regular intervals. Their knowledge and practical approach have to be updated with the current guidelines in CPR. (Anatol J Cardiol 2017; 17: 140-5)

Objective: Our hypothesis was that percutaneous PDA closure in babies less than 2 kg was a safe and effective method. The aim of this study is to share our experience in transcatheter PDA closure in infants whose body weight is less than 2 kg in order to support our hypothesis.
Methods: Between July 1997 and October 2014, 382 percutaneous PDA closures were done in our center. Nineteen patients who weighed less than 2 kg were included in this retrospectively study. The other inclusion criteria were 1) being symptomatic and PDA was thought as a possible contributor of medical state and 2) persistence of PDA after medical closure treatment. Patients who had sepsis and bleeding diathesis were excluded. According to size and shape of PDA, different types of devices were used such as detachable coils and Amplatzer duct occluders. Data was expressed as mean (SD) or median (minimum–maximum). Comparisons of means and medians were performed with Student’s t-test and with Mann–Whitney U test, respectively.
Results: The median patient age and weight were 32 days and 1603 g (range 910–2000 g) respectively. Mean PDA diameter was 3.2±1.3 mm. Mor- phology of PDA was type A in 7 patients, type C in 10, type E in 1, and type B in 1 patient. There were no reported major complications. Stenosis of left pulmonary artery was detected in four patients, all of which resolved in 6 months follow-up.
Conclusion: Percutaneous PDA closure in babies less than 2 kg is a safe and effective method that can be an alternative to surgery. Main distin- guishing feature of this study is that it includes the largest cohort of patients less than 2 kg whose PDA closed percutaneously. (Anatol J Cardiol 2017; 17: 147-53)