Phrenic nerve displacement by intrapericardial balloon inflation during epicardial ablation of ventricular tachycardia: Four case reports.

Background: Phrenic nerve (PN) injury is one of the recognized possible complications following epicardial ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT). High-output pacing is a widely used maneuver to establish a relationship between the PN and the ablation catheter tip. An absence of PN capture is usually considered an indication that it is safe to ablate, and that successful ablation may be performed at adjacent sites.

Use of wearable cardioverter-defibrillator in association with catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation-related tachycardiomyopathy.

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is an effective therapy in patients known to be at high risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD). Nevertheless, ICD implantation is not indicated in transient or reversible causes of SCD. Wearable cardioverter-defibrillator is increasingly used for SCD prevention in patients with a transient risk of ventricular arrhythmia.

Subclinical cardiovascular damage in patients with HCV cirrhosis before and after treatment with direct antiviral agents: a prospective study.

Background: Cirrhosis is associated with morpho-functional cardiovascular alterations.

Aims: To detect early features of cardiovascular damage in HCV-compensated cirrhotic patients using myocardial deformation indices and carotid arterial stiffness, and, further, to evaluate their short-term behaviour after HCV eradication with direct antiviral agents (DAAs).

Methods: Thirty-nine consecutive patients with HCV cirrhosis, without previous cardiovascular events, were studied and matched for age, gender and cardiovascular risk factors to 39 controls without liver or cardiovascular disease.

Five-year prospective study on cardiovascular events, in patients with erectile dysfunction and hypotestosterone.

Objective: Testosterone levels play a role in cardiac and vascular pathology. In the present study we investigated the prognostic significance of this hormone for cardiovascular outcome, in a 5-year follow-up.

Materials And Methods: Our cohort included 802 adult subjects, from 40 to 80 years.

Climatic variables in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: role of temperature.

Background: Recent studies documented a seasonal (summer) and circadian (morning) temporal distribution of takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC).

Aim: The aim of our study was to investigate whether there is a relationship among season, temperature and the occurrence of TTC. A second aim of our study was the comparison of climatic variables in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy versus acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Fetuin-A is Associated to Serum Calcium and AHSG T256S Genotype but Not to Coronary Artery Calcification.

Vascular calcification has been recently associated to an increased cardiovascular risk and mortality. In few studies, Fetuin-A showed an association to coronary artery calcification (CAC), although the physiopathological mechanism underlying this association has not been fully established yet. Seventy-four patients with one or more cardiovascular risk factor and asymptomatic for coronary vasculopathy were included in the study.

A Risk Score Derived from the Analysis of a Cluster of 27 Serum Inflammatory Cytokines to Predict Long Term Outcome in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: a Pilot Study.

Background: The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical utility and prognostic significance of a cluster of 27 serum cytokines for risk stratification after myocardial infarction.

Materials And Methods: We enrolled 33 consecutive patients admitted to our institution for acute myocardial infarction and prospectively followed. We evaluated traditional cardiovascular risk factors and assayed, during the acute phase, 27 serum cytokines (IL-1, IL-1ra, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL -7, IL-8, IL-9, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, EOTAXIN, FGF, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-γ, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, PDGF, RANTES, TNF-α, VEGF) potentially associated with cardiovascular risk.

Erectile dysfunction is associated with low total serum testosterone levels and impaired flow-mediated vasodilation in intermediate risk men according to the Framingham risk score.

Background: The role erectile dysfunction (ED) coupled with low testosterone levels as early markers of atherosclerosis is not well understood.

Objectives: To analyze the relationship between serum testosterone levels with both ED and brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD), in a primary prevention sample of men.

Methods: We enrolled 802 asymptomatic, intermediate CV risk patients, according to the Framingham Risk Score, aged 40-80 years, who underwent the ultrasound examination of FMD, the evaluation of ED and the assessment of total serum testosterone levels.

An evaluation of coronary atherosclerosis using coronary CT in subjects with asymptomatic carotid lesions.

Unlabelled: The evaluation of coronary lesions in patients with asymptomatic carotid plaque represents a very promising line of research to assess cardiovascular risk and the possible implementation of a more aggressive prevention therapy.

Methods: In this study we enrolled 102 patients with intermediate to high cardiovascular risk but no history of coronary artery disease. The first group, consisting of 51 patients, underwent a Coronary CT scan (CCT-group) as well as carotid ultrasonography.

[TAVI in degenerative aortic stenosis treatment: state of the art and future perspectives].

Degenerative aortic stenosis is the most common form of heart valve disease in developed countries and predominantly affects the elderly. Aortic valve replacement (AVR) has been the gold standard, but recently, transcatheter aortic valve implantation has emerged as an effective therapeutic alternative to conventional AVR for high-risk patients. This review analyzed the literature about AVR, with the objective of evaluating the outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients who are not eligible for surgery showing an improvement in quality of life and middle-term outcomes.

A rare case of a coronary artery anomaly detected on multidetector computed tomography.

An anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery arising from the opposite sinus with an interarterial course is a rare condition that is associated with a high risk of sudden cardiac death during or after strenuous exertion. We herein report the case of a 47-year-old woman presenting with chest pain, syncope and palpitations who presented with a rare coronary artery anomaly on multidetector computed tomography coronary artery (MDCT-CA) with prospective electrocardiogram (ECG) gating.

A life-threatening complication of parenteral nutrition: how to prevent cardiac tamponade?

Complications caused by incorrect central venous insertion are numerous. Cardiac tamponade is a rare, but well-documented complication that is often lethal. We present the case of a patient with cardiac tamponade caused by incorrect tip position and infusion of hyperosmolar fluids such as for parenteral nutrition.

[Troponin and periprocedural myocardial infarction: the "breadcrumb" or the "mad flight of Icarus"?].

Percutaneous coronary interventions cause frequently an increase in myocardial necrosis markers. Is troponin elevation after percutaneous coronary intervention a predictor of events at follow-up or a consequence of the procedure with no cause-effect relationship with prognosis? The debate is still open.

Diagnostic and therapeutic impact of double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) in a series of 100 patients with suspected small bowel diseases.

Background: Double-balloon enteroscopy is a newly developed endoscopic method allowing non-surgical full-length exploration of the small bowel, biopsies sample and endoscopic treatment of previously inaccessible lesions.

Aim: To prospectively assess the diagnostic and therapeutical impact of double-balloon enteroscopy in patients with suspected or documented small bowel disease.

Patients And Methods: One hundred consecutive patients referring to our centre for suspected small bowel disease underwent double-balloon enteroscopy.

Intra-hospital transport of the anaesthetized patient.

This study evaluated the anaesthetic management of 20 patients, undergoing intra-operative radiation therapy for pancreatic or rectal tumours. Patients with a re-approximated surgical incision were transferred from the operating room to the radiotherapy department while still under anaesthesia. The risks of such transport as well as guidelines for the patient's care during this phase are examined.

[Intraoperative radiotherapy: anesthesiologic problems during transport of patients].

In this study the condition of anesthesia in 8 patients, undergoing intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) for pancreatic or rectal tumors, is evaluated. Patients with reapproximated surgical incision were transferred from the operating room to the radiotherapy department while still under anesthesia. The risks of such transport as well as guidelines for the patient's care during this phase are examined.

[A comparison of the hemodynamic effects of midazolam and propofol during anesthetic induction in patients at vascular risk].

The haemodynamic effects of midazolam or propofol, with a low dose of fentanyl, were studied during induction of anaesthesia and tracheal intubation in 20 patients undergoing aortic reconstructive surgery. This study demonstrates that both drugs induce important modifications of haemodynamic parameters undesirable in elderly, high-risk patients.

[The effects of nitrous oxide on evoked potentials recorded during enflurane and isoflurane anesthesia].

The effects on median nerve somatosensory evoked potentials produced by nitrous-oxide (67%) were studied in 20 patients undergoing elective surgery under enflurane or isoflurane anaesthesia. This study demonstrates that nitrous-oxide does not significantly modify spinal (N13) and cortical (N20) component latencies nor central conduction time. The addition of nitrous-oxide to enflurane or isoflurane (up to 1 MAC) causes a significant reduction of N20 amplitude.

[Somatosensory evoked potentials during isoflurane anesthesia].

Changes in Sensory Evoked Potentials (SEPs) produced by different concentrations of isoflurane with or without N2O have been studied. In all subjects the early components have always remained well defined. A significant increase of N 13 and N 20 latency and of the central conduction time has been noted.