Comparison of Flow-Mediated Dilatation and Endothelin-1 Levels Between Normal and Obese AdolescentsOriginal research articles

Meity Ardiana, Nur Aisiyah Widjaja, Achmad Tri Ludfy Avianto, Achmad Faisal Dwi Raharja

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(6):574-579 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.055  

Background: Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is one of the major mechanisms in various cardiovascular dis- eases. ED is associated with obesity and hypertension, which is reflected by low flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) value and high endothelin-1 (ET-1) level in adults or older. However, their value in adolescents is less known. This study aims to compare the FMD and ET-1 between obesity with hypertension, obesity without hypertension, and normal adolescents. Method: A total of 72 Indonesian adolescents with a mean age of 195 (178-217) months and dominated by males (61%) were classified into the three following groups obesity with hypertension (n = 21),...

Could Serum YKL-40 Level be the New Cardiovascular Risk Prediction Model?Original research articles

Gökhan Ceyhun, Onur Altinkaya, Cüneyt Şeker, Ahmet Kiziltunc

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(6):570-573 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.056  

Objective: Since cardiovascular diseases are a cause of serious morbidity and mortality, it is important to detect and treat them in advance. For this reason, many risk scales have been created, but there is currently no biochemical marker in routine use to estimate cardiovascular risk. Atherosclerosis is the most important reason for the development of cardiovascular disease, and vascular inflammation plays a role in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. It has been observed in many studies that the serum YKL-40 level has an effect on many steps in the development process of this inflammation. SCORE2 are used by the European Society of Cardiology...

MEMORANDUM O VZÁJEMNÉ SPOLUPRÁCICurrent news

Doc. MUDr. Svatopluk Býma, CSc., MUDr. Petr Šonka, Prof. MUDr. Petr Ošťádal, Ph.D., FESC, MUDr. Hana Skalická, CSc., FESC, Prof. MUDr. Miloš Táborský, CSc., FESC, FACC, MBA

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(6):567-569 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.096  

(The Cor et Vasa journal - 65 years from publication of the first issue (now with impact factor))Editorial

Michael Aschermann

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(6):565-566 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.092  

(Czech and Slovak cardiologists celebrate 95 years of their society's existence)Editorial

Michael Aschermann, Aleš Linhart

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(6):563-564 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.091  

Daniel E. Lieberman: Příběh lidského těla. Evoluce, zdraví a nemociBook reviews

Prof. MUDr. Jan Petrášek, DrSc.

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):556  

Sedmdesát let primáře MUDr. Ladislava Grocha, Ph.D.Personalia

Michael Aschermann, Jiří Vítovec a Lenka Špinarová

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):554-555  

Významné životní jubileum profesorky Zuzany MoťovskéPersonalia

Petr Widimský, Michael Aschermann

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):552-553  

Průkopník české kardiologie, prof. MUDr. Michael Aschermann, DrSc., slaví osmdesáté narozeninyPersonalia

Aleš Linhart, Petr Widimský, Jiří Vítovec

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):549-551  

Pan profesor Jan Petrášek slaví 95. narozeninyPersonalia

Michael Aschermann, Jaromír Hradec

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):548  

An unusual case of left-sided hemitruncus arteriosus associated with aortic arch hypoplasiaCase reports

Hande Akilli, Hadeil Alhashmi, Aslan Babayigit, Serap Yucel, Didem Melis Oztas, Murat Ugurlucan, Emin Tireli

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):543-545 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.035  

Hemitruncus arteriosus is among the rarest congenital cardiovascular defects. Pathology usually involves the right pulmonary artery. It may occur either isolated or associated with other cardiac defects such as septal defects and tetralogy of Fallot; however, it is seldom associated with aortic arch pathologies. We represent an unusual case of a 15-day-old neonate with left-sided hemitruncus arteriosus associated with aortic arch hypoplasia, coarctation of the aorta, patent ductus arteriosus, and craniofacial abnormalities, who underwent surgical correction.

Connection of superior vena cava to left atrium in a newborn followed with unexplained mild cyanosisCase reports

Mehmet Turan Basunlu, Gizem Sari, Emre Oteyaka, Mehmet Sait Dogan, Turkay Saritas, Abdullah Erdem, Chousein Amet, Abdullah Sert, Didem Melis Oztas, Gamze Demirel, Halil Turkoglu, Murat Ugurlucan

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):539-542 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.034  

Abnormal drainage of the superior vena cava into the left atrium is a rare congenital cardiac malformation. It leads to cyanosis due to right-to-left shunt. In this report we present the management strategy of a 43-day-old baby who was investigated for mild cyanosis since birth and was diagnosed with superior vena cava draining into the left atrium.

A rare case of cardiac arrest caused by hyponatremiaCase reports

Michal Kalina, Dominik Flak, Jan Beneš

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):534-538 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.057  

Hyponatremia, characterized by sodium levels below 135 mmol/l, is the most prevalent electrolyte disorder worldwide. It presents with a wide range of clinical symptoms, particularly in the neurological and gastrointestinal domains, occasionally leading to cardiac arrhythmias. In our specific case, severe hyponatremia resulting from potomania resulted in sinus bradycardia with alternating atrioventricular block and subsequent cardiac arrest. Restoration of sinus rhythm was achieved following correction of the sodium levels. However severe hyponatremia and long-lasting CPR resulted in brain oedema, which ultimately led to brain death. Per national regulations,...

(Complex treatment and its complications in a patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy)Case reports

Zuzana Holubcová, Matej Strýček, Rostislav Polášek, Pavol Tomašov

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):529-533 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.066  

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a genetic disorder characterized by increased left ventricle thickness greater than 15 milimetres in the absence of any other explanatory cause. The diagnostics and treatment of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy include search for a management of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, risk stratification for sudden cardiac death and genetic testing and screening of family members. This case report describes a young man with a chronic skin disease on permanent biological therapy who had a family history of sudden cardiac death and had recently been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with symptomatic...

Time to change the family diagnosis: Arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathyCase reports

Michaela Veselá, Gabriela Dostálová, Zuzana Hlubocká, Petr Kuchynka, Vladimír Tuka, Tomáš Kovárník, Martin Mašek, Aleš Linhart

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):525-528 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.033  

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy is an inherited cardiomyopathy characterized by fibrofatty replacement and a high risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. This myocardial disorder is typically transmitted through autosomal dominant pattern and caused by pathogenic variants in the desmosomal and extradesmosomal genes. In this case, we are presenting a family with three members who have arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy. The condition was found to be caused by a nonsense mutation (c.1754 T>G (p. Leu585Ter)) in the desmoplakin (DSP) gene. Unfortunately, two of the family members were initially misdiagnosed and treated for...

Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease PatientsReview articles

Anastasiia Melenevych, Olga Melenevych

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):518-524 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.051  

Prevention of adverse cardiovascular (CV) events is a challenging part of managing patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Common pathophysiological mechanisms are a prerequisite for the mutual burden of comorbid pathology, COPD, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Controversies in the assessment of traditional CV risk factors, untimely detection of existing CVD, heterogeneity of the course of COPD, and the influence of COPD medications on CV risk - all these indicate the need for additional clarifications regarding the assessment of CV risk in patients with COPD. This review summarizes recent studies on CV risk assessment in patients...

(Coarctation of the aorta in a newborn with mitral and aortic valve anomalies)Review articles

Mariana Perušičová, Viktor Tomek, Václav Chaloupecký, Jan Janoušek

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):512-517 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.050  

Coarctation of the aorta is one of the most common congenital heart defects with usually favourable intermediate and long-term prognosis. Coarctation of the aorta is often associated with other heart congenital defects, especially obstructive lesions of the left-sided cardiac structures. The combination of aortic coarctation with a borderline left ventricle, mitral and/or aortic valve anomalies or stenosis is associated with a higher risk of reintervention or early mortality. One-third of infants with coarctation require urgent management in the neonatal period, and most infants experience normal growth of the initially smaller left ventricle after...

Arterial hypertension and significant DNA damage - from cell lines to patientsOriginal research articles

Radka Hazuková

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):506-511 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.075  

Arterial hypertension (HT) is a key risk factor and a widespread chronic disease that contributes to the development of a number of cardiac and non-cardiac diseases. Therefore, HT is one of the important causes of morbidity, disability, and mortality. The aetiology of HT is multifactorial. Oxidative stress appears to be the main driver in the aetiology of HT and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The role of DNA damage is newly discussed in the context of oxidative stress and in the genesis of CVD with a view to new therapeutic targets. Regarding current guidelines with defined gaps in the evidence, the aim of this paper was to present a comprehensive...

The Correlation of Level of Surgical Risk with High Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin in Non-Cardiac Surgical PatientsOriginal research articles

Desak Ketut Sekar Cempaka Putri, Mochamad Yusuf Alsagaff, Budi Susetyo Pikir, Muhamad Robiul Fuadi

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):500-505 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.052  

Background: Myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery (MINS) is an important issue, directly related to the mortality rate within 30 days after surgery. High sensitivity cardiac troponin (HS troponin) is the preferred biomarker for diagnosing myocardial damage because it is the most sensitive and specific heart biomarker currently available, making it suitable for detecting MINS. The aim of this study is to analyse the relationship between changes in HS troponin levels and surgery-related risks in non-cardiac surgery patients as a marker of myocardial injury. Method: This study is an analytical observational cross sectional study that included all...

Extremity Ischemia after Peripheral Vascular Intervention in Newborns with Congenital Heart Disease: Our Single Center ExperienceOriginal research articles

Kenan Abdurrahman Kara, Ergin Arslanoğlu, Fatih Yiğit, Eylem Tunçer, Nihat Çine, Hakan Ceyran

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):495-499 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.067  

Background: Acute limb ischemia (ALI) is a rare but serious condition that can cause significant lifetime morbidity or mortality in the pediatric population. It is usually post-traumatic or iatrogenic. Results: In the study, 127 newborns who were followed up with arterial monitoring in our intensive care unit between 2019-2021 were screened retrospectively. Invasive arterial monitoring was performed on the upper extremities in 83 patients and the lower extremities in 44 patients. Acute extremity ischemia was observed in three (6%) patients who underwent lower extremity monitoring and eight (9%) patients with upper extremity ischemia. Primarily, extremity...

(The role of the catchment cardiologist - adults with congenital heart disease)Original research articles

Radka Hazuková

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):488-494 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.068  

Aim: To describe the role of the catchment cardiologist and to map the real practice in his catchment outpatient clinic related to adults with congenital heart diseases (CHD). Material and methods: A cohort of adults with CHD was selected by a retrospective analysis of the electronic database of adults in the catchment cardiologist's outpatient clinic for a 7-year period. Unambiguous cases were included. Uncertain cases and cases not meeting the criteria of CHD (valvular abnormalities without haemodynamic defects, persistent foramen ovale, arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy) were excluded. Results: Of the total number of examined adults (N = 2338, age 63.7±16.2...

(Intra-individual variability of lipoprotein(a) and its potential impact on treatment decisions regarding this risk factor)Original research articles

Tereza Nezbedová, Otto Mayer Jr.

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):481-486 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.064  

Introduction: Lipoprotein(a) represents a virtually overlooked risk factor for which targeted treatment may be available soon. It has been suggested that Lp(a) concentrations are stable over time and need to be mea- sured only once in a lifetime. We aimed to verify this in clinical practice. Methods: The study includes 490 patients in whom Lp(a) was repeatedly collected, and we assessed its intra-individual variability. Results: A total of 1657 individual Lp(a) determinations were performed, with a median of 3 examinations/patient and an interval between the first/last determination of 1.1 years. The mean coefficient of variability (CVi, ratio of the...

Evaluation of an effect of profundoplasty on peripheral tissue perfusion in patients with peripheral arterial disease using transcutaneous oximetryOriginal research articles

Dominik Maduda, Luboš Kubíček, Katěrina Bílá, Robert Staffa

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):474-480 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.065  

Introduction: Profunda femoris artery (PFA) is an important artery that provides perfusion of the lower limb tissues via collateral circulation in case of superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusion. Isolated angiovascular reconstruction, APF reconstruction (profundoplasty), is a debated topic in the scientific literature regard- ing the importance of collateral circulation and its contribution to improving the patient's clinical condi- tion. This project aims to evaluate the impact of isolated profundoplasty on the improvement of lower limb perfusion and thus to contribute to the decision-making process for the indication of this type of procedure....

Daniel Z. Lieberman a Michael E. Long: Dopamin. Molekula, která určuje osud lidstvaBook reviews

Prof. MUDr. Jan Petrášek, DrSc.

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):468  

Docent MUDr. Petr Němec, CSc., MBA, oslavil 70. narozeninyPersonalia

prof. MUDr. Jan Černý, CSc., MUDr. Petr Fila, Ph.D.

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):467  

(Critical comments on the document "2023 ESC Guidelines for the Management of Endocarditis")Commentary

Jiří Beneš

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):455-465 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.053  

The article contains criticism of the 2023 ESC Guidelines for the management of endocarditis, which was published by the European Society of Cardiology in autumn 2023 and which was translated into Czech and published in the Cor et Vasa journal in spring 2024. The Guidelines contain a number of formal and factual mistakes in the field of antibiotic prophylaxis and treatment. The author of the critical comments advises Czech doctors not to accept the recommended regimens of antibiotic prophylaxis and therapy without prior consultation with the local antibiotic center or antibiotic consultant.

Never Give Up: A Case Report on Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement by MyVal for Degenerated Mitral Bioprosthesis During Hostilities in UkraineCase reports

Mykola Stan, Andrii Khokhlov, Oleh Zelenchuk, Borys Todurov, Natalia Ponych, Serhii Sudakevych, Stepan Maruniak

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):452-454 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.032  

The following clinical case presents the experience of using the MyVal (Meril Life Sciences) transcatheter biological aortic valve prosthesis to eliminate severe insufficiency of a degenerated mitral valve (MV) bioprosthesis, which occurred in the context of constant military operations, related air alerts, and power outages, which complicated the logistics of this procedure.

Coronary Artery Fistula As An Unexpected Cause of Heart Failure: A Case ReportCase reports

Andrianto, Alqi Yutha, Primasitha Maharany Harsoyo

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):448-451 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.023  

Coronary artery fistulae (CAF) are uncommon epicardial connections between coronary vessels and either a heart chamber, known as coronary cameral fistula (CCF), or the major vessels of the heart, such as pulmonary arteries or veins. Most patients remain asymptomatic in the first two decades, thus making their presence all the more concealed. Following the third decade, occurrence of both symptoms and complications rises. The primary pathophysiological issue in coronary fistulae is believed to be the coronary steal phenomenon. The symptoms experienced are contingent on the extent of steal or shunt. We report the case of a 70-year-old man presenting...

Bilateral Acute Limb Ischemia due to Severe Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis and Atrial Fibrillation with Neglected International Normalized Ratio ControlCase reports

Muhammad Aditya, Tita Rif'atul Mahmudah, I Gde Rurus Suryawan

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):444-447 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.039  

Acute limb ischemia (ALI) poses a critical threat to limb viability, necessitating urgent revascularization interventions. This case report discusses a 47-year-old Asian woman with bilateral ALI due to severe rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) and atrial fibrillation (AF), with neglected international normalized ratio (INR) control. The patient presented with sudden bilateral leg pain at rest, accompanied by bluish discoloration and sensory loss. Echocardiographic findings indicated severe rheumatic MS along with a thrombus in the left atrial appendage. The computed tomography angiogram revealed a near-total thrombus originating from the upper abdominal...

(Swimming induced pulmonary edema as an unusual cause of acute dyspnea)Case reports

Kateřina Gottwaldová, Marie Bulíčková, Marek Houra

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):440-443 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.028  

Swimming induced pulmonary edema is an acute, potentially life-threatening condition that has a good prognosis with early, correct diagnosis and therapy. It affects physically active individuals, more often women, during sports activities such as swimming or diving. Clinical manifestations are sudden shortness of breath, cough, hypoxemia. Risk factors are identified, including previously undiagnosed cardiac disease. This implies the importance of preventive examinations for physically active individuals.