Risk Prediction Models and Scores in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) has historically been linked with sudden cardiac death (SCD). Currently, it is well established that only a subset of patients is at the highest risk stratum for such a catastrophic event. Detection of patients belonging to this high-risk category can allow for timely defibrillator implantation, changing the natural history of HCM.

Left atrial appendage occlusion with the Amplatzer Amulet for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: the first case in Greece.

Left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion has been introduced into clinical practice as a valuable alternative to oral anticoagulation for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. In this case presentation we describe the first LAA occlusion in Greece using the Amplatzer Amulet device. We also briefly discuss issues related to procedural safety and multimodality imaging for LAA occlusion.

Determinants of functional mitral regurgitation severity in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy versus nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Aims: Functional mitral regurgitation (MR) is prevalent among patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and is associated with a poorer prognosis. Our aim was to assess the primary determinants of MR severity in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) and nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Methods And Results: Patients with functional MR secondary to ICM (n = 55) and DCM (n = 48) were prospectively enrolled.

Chronotropic incompetence and its relation to exercise intolerance in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Diminished functional capacity is common in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), although the underlying mechanisms are complicated. We studied the prevalence of chronotropic incompetence and its relation to exercise intolerance in patients with HCM.

Methods: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed in 68 patients with HCM (age 44.

Significance of serum uric acid in pulmonary hypertension due to systemic sclerosis: a pilot study.

Systemic sclerosis is a connective tissue disease, which may lead to elevated pulmonary arterial pressure due to pulmonary arterial hypertension and/or left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Uric acid (UA) has been shown to be elevated in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) and heart failure. We aimed to investigate the potent relationship between serum UA and pulmonary pressure as well as functional capacity in patients with SSc.

Left atrial volume and N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide are associated with elevated pulmonary artery pressure in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Early detection of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) is essential as it leads to substantial morbidity and mortality irrespective of its etiology. The aim of our study was to determine whether noninvasive biochemical and/or echocardiographic indices can predict the presence of PH in these patients. We prospectively studied 66 patients (mean age of 57.

Prevalence and clinical outcomes of incidentally diagnosed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence and prognosis of patients incidentally diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC). We studied 380 consecutive patients with HC (49.3 +/- 17.

Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction as a risk factor for sudden cardiac death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The effect of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) at rest on the incidence of sudden death (SD) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is rather conflicting. The aim of this study was the evaluation of LVOTO at rest as a new potential risk factor for SD in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. A total of 166 patients (112 men, 51.

Identification of high risk patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a northern Greek population.

Background: The percentage of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients who are in high risk for Sudden Death (SD) constitutes only a minority of all HCM population but the incidence of SD in this subset is high (at least 5% annually). The identification of this small but important proportion of high risk HCM patients has been the clue in the clinical evaluation of these patients.

Methods: Our study cohort consisted from 123 patients with HCM who are currently followed up in our Institution.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with midventricular obstruction and apical aneurysm formation in a single family: case report.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an extremely heterogeneous disease. An under recognized and very often missed subgroup within this broad spectrum concerns patients with left ventricular (LV) apical aneurysms in the absence of coronary artery disease.

Case Presentation: We describe a case of HCM with midventricular obstruction and apical aneurysm formation in 3 patients coming from a single family.

Differences in echocardiographic characteristics of functional mitral regurgitation in ischaemic versus idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: a pilot study.

Introduction: Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) is a common complication in patients with ischaemic (ICM) or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), as a consequence of left ventricular (LV) remodelling. The aim of this study was to elucidate the differences in FMR between patients with ICM and DCM utilising conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography.

Methods: We studied 21 patients with ICM and 17 with DCM using conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with late enhancement of the non-hypertrophied left ventricular segments.

A 56-year-old asymptomatic man was referred for further evaluation because he displayed a rapid T-wave change on the ECG, from positive T waves to giant negative T waves in the anterolateral precordial leads, within 2 years. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed mild left ventricular apical hypertrophy without obstruction. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with focal hyperenhancement of the non-hypertrophic basal lateral segment of the left ventricle and absence of hyperenhancement of the hypertrophied apical segments.

Right ventricular function in ischemic or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: Differentiation between ischemic (ICM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has important therapeutic implications because the former may benefit from coronary revascularization. The aim of this study was to investigate right ventricular (RV) function using tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) and compare the TDE parameters of the RV among patients with ICM and DCM.

Methods And Results: Forty-two patients with ICM and 40 patients with DCM were studied with conventional echocardiography and TDE.

Clinical significance of tissue Doppler imaging in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: A transmitral E/septal Ea ratio > or =15 is a predictor of adverse outcome in cardiac disease, so it was hypothesized that a septal E/Ea >/=15 would predict the risk of adverse outcome, including sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT), cardiac arrest, implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) discharge, or sudden death (SD) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

Methods And Results: The study group comprised 96 consecutive patients with HCM (median age 53 years) who completed all noninvasive tests for risk stratification. The endpoint of the study was defined as death, cardiac arrest, documented sustained VT, or ICD-discharge.

Subaortic and midventricular obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with extreme segmental hypertrophy.

Background: Subaortic and midventricular hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a patient with extreme segmental hypertrophy exceeding the usual maximum wall thickness reported in the literature is a rare phenomenon.

Case Presentation: A 19-year-old man with recently diagnosed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) was referred for sudden death risk assessment. The patient had mild exertional dyspnea (New York Heart Association functional class II), but without syncope or chest pain.