Safety and efficacy of catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia in elderly patients with structural heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: Data regarding the age-specific outcomes of VT ablation in patients with structural heart disease (SHD) are scarce. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the outcomes of VT ablation in elderly vs. younger patients with SHD.

Risk stratification of the patients with Brugada type electrocardiogram: a community-based prospective study.

Aims: Risk stratification of patients with Brugada electrocardiogram (ECG) is being strongly debated. Conflicting results have been suggested from international registries, which enrolled non-consecutive cases, studied with different programmed electrical stimulation (PES) protocols. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the incidence of arrhythmic events and the prognostic role of clinical presentation, ECG, and of a standardized PES protocol in consecutive cases from a community-based population.

Primary angioplasty and routine utilization of thrombus aspiration devices: feasibility and results in a consecutive series of 486 patients.

Background: Primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is the treatment of choice for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in high-volume centres with experienced operators, but is often limited by a suboptimal microvascular perfusion due to distal embolization and impaired myocardial perfusion. The present study investigates whether routine use of thrombus aspiration (TA) devices is feasible in daily practice, along with its safety and effectiveness.

Methods: This study is based on a series of 486 consecutive STEMI patients treated at our single institution by the same three operators (from 2001 to 2005).

[Heart rupture in acute myocardial infarction: multicenter observational study of the coronary unit of Piedmont].

Background: The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the incidence of cardiac rupture during myocardial infarction (MI) as well as the predictive value of the main cardiac rupture risk factors.

Methods: The study was carried out in 17 coronary care units (CCU) between January and December 1999 in the Piedmont region (Italy).

Results: The incidence of cardiac rupture was 1.