Objective-To investigate cardiovascular changes and survival times following complete interventional device occlusion of uncomplicated left-to-right shunting patent ductus arteriosus in dogs. Design-Retrospective cohort study. Animals-24 dogs with uncomplicated patent ductus arteriosus that was fully occluded and reevaluated within 24 hours, approximately 3 months, and 1 year after the procedure. Procedures-Information ...

Aims: To determine the relation between thrombus aspiration (TA) and/or intra-lesion (IL) abciximab with pre-stent Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grade and infarct size (IS) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods and results: The INFUSE-AMI trial randomised 452 patients with anterior ...

OBJECTIVE: Circulating levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides are recognized risk factors for cardiovascular disease. We tested the hypothesis that the cumulative effects of common genetic variants for lipids are collectively associated with subclinical atherosclerosis and incident coronary heart disease. APPROACH AND RESULTS: ...

This study was designed to assess the effect of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy on left-ventricular (LV) chamber size and function in children with idiopathic isolated growth hormone deficiency (GHD) using conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). Thirty patients (19 boys and 11 girls) with idiopathic isolated GHD ...

AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess the association between the proportions of penumbra-visualized by late gadolinium enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (LGE-CMR)-after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and the prevalence of ventricular tachycardia (VT). METHODS: One-hundred and sixty-two AMI patients, successfully, treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) ...

Aim: Multislice computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) can be used to detect coronary plaques that predict the risk of cardiovascular events. This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with the extent of coronary plaques detected using CTCA and to determine the value of adiponectin measurement for identifying high-risk ...

Objectives:Few studies have investigated the relationships between visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and coronary stenosis and noncalcified plaques at the subclinical stage. The aim of this study was to investigate relationship between VAT and coronary lesions assessed by coronary computed tomography (CT) in an apparently healthy population.Design:Retrospective cross-sectional studySubjects:1658 subjects free ...

OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to determine how best to use high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hscTnT) to diagnose myocardial infarction. METHODS: A total of 358 patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes sampled at admission and 2, 4, and 6 to 8 hours. Both contemporary cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and hscTnT were ...

The predictive value of leukocyte counts has been reported in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the total leukocyte count and neutrophil-lymphocyte (N/L) ratio for mortality due to AMI. A total of 522 patients with acute ST-elevated MI were included in the ...

Aim: The TRUTH trial demonstrated that 8-month statin therapy alters the composition of coronary artery plaque using virtual histology (VH)-intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). The extended TRUTH study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between changes in coronary atherosclerosis and mid-term clinical outcomes and identify the factors associated with cardiovascular events.Methods: Of ...

Frontal plane T-wave axis and QRS-T angle are novel electrocardiographic ventricular repolarization parameters that have been scarcely evaluated in type 2 diabetes. The aim was to investigate the factors associated with these parameters of abnormal ventricular repolarization in a cross-sectional analysis of 594 patients with type 2 diabetes. Clinical, laboratory, ...

BACKGROUND: The 2011 European Society of Cardiology guidelines state that acute coronary syndrome (ACS) may be excluded with a rapid 3 h high-sensitivity troponin T (HsTnT) sampling protocol. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic performance of HsTnT in patients with chest pain admitted with possible ACS in routine ...

Rationale: Despite a recent decline of in-hospital mortality due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the incidence of ischemic heart failure (HF) in post-AMI patients is increasing. Although various microRNAs have been proposed as diagnostic indicators for AMI, no microRNAs have been established as predictors of ischemic HF that develop after ...

A case was 53-year-old female with dilated-phase hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. She was classified as New York Heart Association functional class III heart failure despite receiving optimal medical therapy. The electrocardiogram taken showed intraventricular conduction delay with a QRS width of 194 msec. The left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic and systolic volumes, and ejection ...

The effect of anticoagulation by heparin on patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS), receiving early dual antiplatelet therapy, has not been fully evaluated. We classified 355 patients with NSTE-ACS according to the adequacy of anticoagulation (percentage of low activated partial thromboplastin time [APTT] level). The 6-hour APTT level ...

OBJECTIVES: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing complete revascularization (CR) vs. incomplete revascularization (IR) in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD). BACKGROUND: There is conflicting data regarding the benefits of CR in patients with multivessel CAD. METHODS: We identified observational studies and subgroup analysis of ...

OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the relative safety and efficacy of different drug-eluting stents (DES) and bare metal stents (BMS) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) using a network meta-analysis. BACKGROUND: The relative safety of DES and BMS in patients with STEMI continues to be debated, and whether ...

Rivaroxaban is a Factor Xa inhibitor that was recently reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration as a potential therapy to reduce the risk of recurrent atherothrombotic events in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Approval of this drug would represent a paradigm shift away from dual antiplatelet therapy towards long-term ...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Coronary bifurcation lesions can be approached using a simple or a complex strategy. In clinical trials with first-generation drug-eluting stents, the complex strategy was not superior to the simple approach. However, to date, the best strategy when using second-generation drug-eluting stents has not been defined. METHODS: We ...

BACKGROUND: Predictors of long-term mortality after discharge after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are well characterized. However, these established risk factors are based on data almost exclusively derived from older studies without consistent use of revascularization therapy and adjunctive therapy with statins, platelet inhibitors, beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors/ARBs. We therefore sought ...

OBJECTIVES: The spectrum of patients with 'angina and normal coronary arteries' ranges from severe vasospasm to atypical chest pain. Among those with typical angina, however, little is known about similarities in the clinical profile and circadian presentation between typical nonvasospastic angina and normal coronary arteries (tANCA) and vasospastic angina (VA). ...

High residual platelet reactivity (RPR) on clopidogrel treatment has been associated with increased risk for ischemic events during follow-up in patients with acute coronary syndromes. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence, predictors, and clinical consequences of high RPR in a large population of patients with non-ST-segment ...

BACKGROUND: -Ultrafiltration (UF) is a widely used technology for inpatient management of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) in patients with volume overload. However, the safety and efficacy of UF in patients with heart failure and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, HFPEF) need further clarification. We hypothesized that UF could ...

BACKGROUND: MANUAL THROMBUS ASPIRATION (MTA) IS COMPLETELY INEFFECTIVE IN 30% OF CASES, AND THE HIGH PROFILES OF THE CATHETERS PREVENT THEIR USE IN TORTUOUS AND CALCIFIED VESSELS. THE RHEOLYTIC THROMBECTOMY (RT) DEVICE HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVED THROMBUS REMOVAL IN ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION AS COMPARED WITH MTA. NO DATA EXIST ...

AIMS: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves the clinical status of patients with congestive heart failure, although left ventricular epicardial pacing may increase transmural dispersion of repolarization (TDR). The aim of this study was to investigate the time-dependent effect of CRT on ventricular repolarization and ventricular arrhythmia at mid-term follow-up.METHODS AND ...

Aims Few studies have investigated oxygen supply/demand relations in right ventricle (RV). The current study compared changes in myocardial oxygen uptake (MVO2) and its determinants, myocardial blood flow (MBF) and oxygen extraction (EO2), in RV and left ventricle (LV) during stimulation with inotropic drugs. Main Methods Twenty-one anesthetized dogs were ...

PURPOSE: To analyse the impact of four different definitions of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on number of events and all-cause mortality after AMI. METHODS: We retrospectively examined number of AMI events and mortality according to four different definitions of AMI, among 1494 patients admitted to Haukeland University Hospital in Norway ...

BACKGROUND: During the cardiac cycle, the ventricle undergoes a twisting motion because of the oblique orientation of the left ventricular (LV) myofibers. This can be quantified by speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE). In mitral regurgitation (MR) in humans, the short axis deformation has been suggested as being pivotal to LV function. Decreased ...

BACKGROUND: -Electrical excitability in the ventricular wall is influenced by cellular electrophysiology and passive electrical properties of the myocardium. Action potential (AP) rise time, an indicator of myocardial excitability, is influenced by conduction pattern and distance from the epicardial surface. This study examined AP rise times and conduction velocity (CV) ...

Background:There are considerable differences in the type of treatments offered to patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), in terms of the speed and urgency with which they are admitted, treated and discharged from hospital. The impact of these different treatment experiences on patients' illness perception and motivation for behavioural ...

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest the significance of right ventricular (RV) function in the outcome in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVSD); however, global assessment of RV remains to be determined by echocardiogram because of its complex geometry. This study aimed to validate RV outflow tract fractional shortening (RVOT-FS) in the ...

We sought to describe the evaluation, treatment, and follow-up of adolescents who presented to a single institution with chest pain and an elevated troponin I value in the absence of typical symptoms of pericarditis or myocarditis. Materials and methods We performed a retrospective review of patients in the age group ...

AbstractEnhanced expression of integrin αvβ3 is commonly used as a biomarker for angiogenesis, which is one of the key pathophysiologic processes in cerebral infarct. Integrin αvβ3 can be imaged with arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptide agents. In this study, characteristics of positron emission tomography (PET) using a 68Ga-labeled RGD were investigated ...

This survey was conducted to provide an insight into the current clinical practice regarding the use of cardioversion for atrial fibrillation (AF) in Europe. Responses were received from 57 centres across Europe, 71.9% of which were university hospitals. For electrical cardioversion, general anaesthesia was managed by an anaesthesiologist in 73.9% ...

BACKGROUND: The American Heart Association Caruth Initiative (AHACI) is a multiyear project to increase the speed of coronary reperfusion and create an integrated system of care for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in Dallas County, TX. The purpose of this study was to determine if the AHACI improved key ...

Objectives: To evaluate the long-term outcomes of patients with ostial lesions who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with and without the use of IVUS. Background: A higher rate of adverse cardiac events is associated with PCI of ostial lesions compared with non-ostial disease. Methods: From 7/2002 to 8/2010, 225 patients ...

To explore the 2-year clinical outcomes in patients with unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease treated with overall new drug-eluting stent (DES) options. Recent available data have shown the feasibility and the safety of new DESs, mainly evaluating the everolimus-eluting stents in the setting of ULMCA disease. Patients with ...

BACKGROUND: Hematocrit is an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk in middle and old age, but whether hematocrit is also a predictor at younger ages is presently not known. In this study, we examined whether hematocrit measured in adolescence was associated with the risk of myocardial infarction later in life. METHODS: ...

BACKGROUND: The burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is much more pronounced in Eastern Europe, a spatial gradient within Europe still exists. However, former studies showed a significantly lower CVD mortality of German repatriates from the Former Soviet Union compared with the German population. METHODS: All-cause, CVD and ischemic heart disease ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Octogenarians (age≥80 years) with coronary artery disease constitute a high-risk group. However, octogenarian patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the drug-eluting stents (DES) era have not been widely reported. We aimed to identify clinical outcomes in octogenarian compared with non-octogenarian AMI patients. METHODS AND SUBJECTS: We ...

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular remodeling (LVR) after AMI characterizes a factor of poor prognosis. There is little information in the literature on the LVR analyzed with three-dimensional echocardiography (3D ECHO). OBJECTIVE: To analyze, with 3D ECHO, the geometric and volumetric modifications of the left ventricle (VE) six months after AMI in ...

BACKGROUND: The association between silent myocardial ischemia (SMI) and coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors in asymptomatic patients with no prior history of CAD referred for stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is unknown. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated patients who underwent MPI over a 3.4-year period to identify those who did ...

OBJECTIVE: Dimethylglycine is linked to lipid metabolism, and increased plasma levels may be associated with adverse prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease. We evaluated the relationship between plasma dimethylglycine and risk of incident acute myocardial infarction in a large prospective cohort of patients with stable angina pectoris, of whom ...

Introduction: Stent deployments with geographical miss (GM) are associated with increased risk of target-vessel revascularization and peri-procedural myocardial infarction. The aim of the current study was to investigate the underlying biomechanical mechanisms for adverse events with GM. The hypothesis is that stent deployment with GM (longitudinal, LGM, i.e. stent not ...

BACKGROUND: The level of platelet reactivity (PR) inhibition obtained after P2Y12-ADP receptor antagonist loading dose (LD) is associated with the ischemic and bleeding risk following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in acute coronary syndromes (ACS). OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the level of PR inhibition achieved by a 180mg LD of ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Periodontitis and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are two diseases that share common risk factors. The role of periodontitis as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease has been under debate. The aim of this study was to investigate whether an association exists between periodontitis and AMI in ...

BACKGROUND: The vascular and gastrointestinal effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including selective COX-2 inhibitors (coxibs) and traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (tNSAIDs), are not well characterised, particularly in patients at increased risk of vascular disease. We aimed to provide such information through meta-analyses of randomised trials. METHODS: We undertook meta-analyses ...

OBJECTIVES: We performed systematic review and meta-analysis to understand the role of stress CMR in assessing cardiovascular prognosis in patients with known or suspected CAD. BACKGROUND: While stress cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is excellent for the diagnosis of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), the prognostic value of stress CMR ...

A paucity of published data evaluating the outcomes of older patients (age ≥70 years) undergoing revascularization for unprotected left main coronary artery disease is available. We performed aggregate data meta-analyses of the clinical outcomes (all-cause mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, repeat revascularization, and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events at ...

The CHADS2 scoring system was found to be a good predictor for risk stratification of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. The effectiveness of this scoring system in assessing thrombogenic milieu before direct-current cardioversion has not yet fully been established on a large scale. In this study, data from 2,369 ...