<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Background and aim:</bold> The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between ECG findings and blood parameters indicative of inflammation and myocardial injury in COVID-19 patients.
<bold>Methods:</bold> The study included 159 females and 194 males. Demographics, ECG findings (axis, rhythm, branch block, ST- and T-wave changes, premature ventricular contractions, early repolarization, S1Q3T3, fragmented QRS [fQRS], rate, PR, QRS, QT interval, QTc, P-wave dispersion) and albumin, D-dimer, ferritin, pro-BNP, procalcitonin, protein, troponin T, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) were recorded.
<bold>Results:</bold> In the study, 45% of the cases were female and 55% were male. The mean age of the included patients was 45.7 ± 24.4 years. The most frequent comorbidities were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and hypertension (HT) in both groups. The incidence of fQRS on the 1st day was significantly higher in patients with negative COVID-19 test (23% for positive RT-PCR versus 35.6% for negative RT-PCR, p = 0.016). QTc values on the 3rd and 5th day were significantly higher in patients with negative RT-PCR (p = 0.045 and p = 0.042, respectively). Albumin and procalcitonin were significantly higher in patients with positive COVID-19 test results (p = 0.018 and p &lt;0.001, respectively). Patients with fragmented QRS presented significantly lower serum albumin (40.62 ± 4.73 g/L vs. 42.92 ± 3.72 g/L, p = 0.01), and protein levels (p = 0.02), as well as lower lymphocyte count, and significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein (47.01 ± 65.01 mg/L vs. 24.55 ± 44.17 mg/L, p = 0.001), D-dimer (p = 0.009), neutrophil count, pro-BNP (p = 0.004), troponin T (p &lt;0.001), NRL and CAR (1.28 ± 1.83 versus 0.6 ± 1.11, p &lt;0.001).
<bold>Conclusion:</bold> Patients with COVID-19 infection presented significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein, D-dimer, neutrophil, pro-BNP, procalcitonin, troponin T, NLR, and CAR, and significantly lower levels of albumin, lymphocyte count, and serum proteins, indicating the level of inflammation and its relationship with myocardial injury. Further follow-up studies are required, on larger patient sets, for the development of risk prediction tools in COVID-19 patients.
</abstract>

Relationship between ECG Findings and Serum Biomarkers in COVID-19 Patients

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Background:</bold> The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between serum biomarkers of left ventricular dysfunction and systemic inflammation in the first days after the acute episode, and to investigate their role for early identification of patients at high risk for post-infarction heart failure.
<bold>Materials and methods:</bold> In total, 123 subjects admitted to the Intensive Cardiovascular Care Unit of the Cardiology Clinic of the Târgu Mureș County Clinical Emergency Hospital, Romania, with acute myocardial infarction were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Based on the level of NT-proBNP, the study population was divided into 2 groups: Group 1 (n = 92), with NT-proBNP &lt;3,000 pg/mL, and Group 2 (n = 31), with NT-proBNP >3,000 pg/mL.
<bold>Results:</bold> Biomarkers reflecting systemic inflammation presented significantly higher values in patients with elevated NT-proBNP (hs-CRP – 12.3 ± 8.9 mg/L vs. 3.6 ± 6.7 mg/L, p &lt;0.0001, and interleukin 6 – 27.6 ± 30.7 pg/mL vs. 8.6 ± 6.2 pg/mL, p &lt;0.0001). However, cell adhesion molecules VCAM and ICAM were not significantly different between the groups. Patients in Group 2 presented significantly higher rates of major cardiovascular events and rehospitalizations in the first year after the acute coronary event, with 13.33% event rate for patients in Group 2 compared to 8.7% in Group 1 (p &lt;0.05).
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> Serum biomarkers of ventricular dysfunction are strongly associated with systemic inflammation and ventricular impairment in the immediate phase after an acute myocardial infarction. Systemic inflammation has a higher impact on the clinical outcomes and progression to heart failure than the local coronary inflammation expressed by cell adhesion molecules.
</abstract>

“George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology

Biomarkers of Systemic Versus Local Inflammation During the Acute Phase of Myocardial Infarction, as Predictors of Post-infarction Heart Failure

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Background and aim:</bold> Uric acid elevation has been shown to be an important risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrobascular disease. QT dispersion (QTd) is a parameter that shows the heterogeneity of ventricular repolarization and can be calculated noninvasively from surface electrocardiography. Increased QTd has been associated with severe arrhythmia and risk of sudden death in many patients and disease groups. In this context, we aimed to investigate the effect of uric acid levels on QTd and the effects of decrease in uric acid levels on QTd.
<bold>Methods:</bold> A total of 225 patients with normal renal function were included in the study; 133 of these patients were hyperuricemic (>7 mg/dL), and the remaining 72 patients were normouricemic (Group 1). The hyperuricemic patients were randomly divided into 2 groups, one group (n = 67) was given placebo (Group 2) for 4 months, and the remaining 66 patients were given allopurinol 300 mg/day (Group 3).
<bold>Results:</bold> Hyperuricemic patients had higher hsCRP and QTd and lower eGFR values compared to the normouricemic control group. After 4 months of treatment, 66 patients treated with allopurinol showed a significant decrease in serum uric acid, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and hsCRP levels, and a significant increase in eGFR. Although the QTd values in the treatment group did not decrease to the same levels as in the normouricemic control group, a statistically significant decrease was found compared to their baseline values. In hyperuricemic control and normouricemic control patients, there were no differences in the levels of uric acid, hsCRP, eGFR, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and QTd values compared to baseline values.
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> There was a significant association between elevated serum uric acid and QTd, as well as with inflammatory biomarkers. Also, patients who had received hypouricemic therapy during the follow-up period presented a significant decrease in inflammatory markers as well as QTd. This indicates the beneficial effects of decreasing uric acid levels in decreasing the risk for future major adverse events related to ventricular arrhythmias.
</abstract>

Department of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine

Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine

Increased QT Dispersion and High Risk of Ventricular Arrhythmias is Associated with Hyperuricemia in Individuals with Normal Renal Function

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Introduction:</bold> Severe back pain caused by a thrombosed and ruptured aortic abdominal aneurysm can imitate a lumbar disc herniation.
<bold>Case presentation:</bold> We present the case of a 72-year-old diabetic patient with chronic atrial fibrillation, who had been experiencing high-intensity low back pain and claudication in the last year prior to his presentation. After experiencing a minor trauma, a lumbar MRI examination was performed, which revealed a retroperitoneal tumoral mass compressing and eroding the L2–L4 vertebral bodies. Computed tomography angiography showed an infrarenal aortic aneurysm (3.374 × 3.765 cm) which appeared to have ruptured and thrombosed. The question arising was when did the rupture occur, how massive was the damage, and how suitable for reconstruction was the aortic wall below the origin of the renal arteries. An open repair was scheduled and performed. The intraoperative finding was ruptured aneurysm of the thrombosed infra-abdominal aorta. The thrombosis extended along the common iliac and external iliac branches. We performed an aortobifemoral bypass using a 16 × 8 mm Dacron graft, clamping the aorta above the origin of the renal arteries.
<bold>Conclusion:</bold> The unintentional diagnosis, due to a minor fall, was overall a fortunate event for this patient. Aortic aneurysms may present with lumbar pain that can be mistakenly interpreted as a spinal issue.
</abstract>

Late Rupture of a Thrombosed Aortic Abdominal Aneurysm – a Case Report

AHEAD OF PRINT

Volume 10 (2024): Issue 1 (March 2024)

Volume 9 (2023): Issue 4 (December 2023)

Volume 9 (2023): Issue 3 (September 2023)

Volume 9 (2023): Issue 2 (June 2023)

Volume 9 (2023): Issue 1 (March 2023)

Volume 8 (2022): Issue 4 (December 2022)

Volume 8 (2022): Issue 3 (September 2022)

Volume 8 (2022): Issue 2 (June 2022)

Volume 8 (2022): Issue 1 (March 2022)

Volume 7 (2021): Issue 4 (January 2021)

Volume 7 (2021): Issue 3 (September 2021)

Volume 7 (2021): Issue 2 (June 2021)

Volume 7 (2021): Issue 1 (March 2021)

Volume 6 (2020): Issue 4 (December 2020)

Volume 6 (2020): Issue 3 (September 2020)

Volume 6 (2020): Issue 2 (June 2020)

Volume 6 (2020): Issue 1 (March 2020)

Volume 5 (2019): Issue 4 (December 2019)

Volume 5 (2019): Issue 3 (September 2019)

Volume 5 (2019): Issue 2 (June 2019)

Volume 5 (2019): Issue 1 (March 2019)

Volume 4 (2018): Issue 4 (December 2018)

Volume 4 (2018): Issue 3 (September 2018)

Volume 4 (2018): Issue 2 (June 2018)

Volume 4 (2018): Issue 1 (March 2018)

Volume 3 (2017): Issue 4 (December 2017)

Volume 3 (2017): Issue 3 (September 2017)

Volume 3 (2017): Issue 2 (June 2017)

Volume 3 (2017): Issue 1 (March 2017)

Volume 2 (2016): Issue 4 (December 2016)

Volume 2 (2016): Issue 3 (September 2016)

Volume 2 (2016): Issue 2 (June 2016)

Volume 2 (2016): Issue 1 (March 2016)

Volume 1 (2015): Issue 2 (December 2015)

Volume 1 (2015): Issue 1 (July 2015)

Journal of Cardiovascular Emergencies

 The Journal of Cardiovascular Emergencies aims to publish top quality papers related to acute conditions in any cardiovascular pathology. The journal will mainly focus on recent advances in the field of diagnosis and treatment of the most common causes of cardiovascular emergencies, including acute coronary syndromes, acute heart failure, acute aortic diseases, pulmonary embolism, peripheral arterial diseases or cardiac arrhythmia. Interdisciplinary approaches will be extremely welcomed, presenting new advances in the approach of different other pathologies (i.e. stroke) from the cardiovascular perspective.  The Journal of Cardiovascular Emergencies will publish high-quality basic and clinical research related to these topics, in a common approach that will integrate the clinical studies with the pre-clinical work dedicated to discovery of new mechanisms involved in the development and progression of acute cardiovascular conditions.  Especially in the case of acute coronary syndromes, the journal will try to provide the entire cardiology community with the perspective of the regional cardiology networks in Central and Eastern European countries, reflecting the regional model of care in cardiovascular acute conditions.  The journal will primarily focus on publishing original research papers, but also other types of materials (such as review articles, case reports, state of the art papers, comments to editor, etc) will be extremely welcomed.  Rejection Rate   30%   Archiving  Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections.  Plagiarism Policy  The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process. 