Influence of contact force on voltage mapping: A combined magnetic resonance imaging and electroanatomic mapping study in patients with tetralogy of Fallot.

Background: Voltage criteria for ventricular mapping have been obtained from small series of patients and prioritizing high specificity.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyse the potential influence of contact force (CF) on voltage mapping and to define voltage cutoff values for right ventricular (RV) scar using the tetralogy of Fallot as a model of transmural RV scar and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as reference.

Methods: Fourteen patients (age 32.

Pulmonary vein stenosis: Etiology, diagnosis and management.

Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) is rare condition characterized by a challenging diagnosis and unfavorable prognosis at advance stages. At present, injury from radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation has become the main cause of the disease. PVS is characterized by a progressive lumen size reduction of one or more pulmonary veins that, when hemodynamically significant, may raise lobar capillary pressure leading to signs and symptoms such as shortness of breath, cough, and hemoptysis.

Differential behavior between S100A9 and adiponectin in coronary artery disease. Plasma or epicardial fat.

Aims: S100A9 is a new inflammatory marker associated with obesity and cardiovascular disease. Because epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is an inflammatory source in coronary artery disease (CAD), our aim was to evaluate the S100A9 levels in plasma and EAT and its association with CAD.

Main Methods: Blood, EAT and/or subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) biopsies were obtained from 89 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery.

Adiponectin and p53 mRNA in epicardial and subcutaneous fat from heart failure patients.

Objective: Heart failure (HF) is associated with a pro-inflammatory state in epicardial fat, but the involved mechanisms are not entirely clear. The aim of our study was to assess the relationship between p53 and adiponectin mRNA in epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) in patients with heart failure and its sympathetic regulation.

Methods: Epicardial adipose tissue and SAT samples were obtained from 63 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery.

Baseline epicardial adipose tissue adiponectin levels predict cardiovascular outcomes: a long-term follow-up study.

Objective: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) produces a wide range of adipokines and has recently been linked to the physiopathology of cardiovascular (CV) and metabolic diseases. We aimed to study whether EAT and subcutaneous (SAT) adiponectin and leptin expression levels are associated with CV complications during long-term follow-up.

Methods And Results: EAT and SAT samples were obtained during surgery - mainly CABG (n=77) - from 137 patients (mean age 69.

Changes in lipid transport-involved proteins of epicardial adipose tissue associated with coronary artery disease.

Objective: Recent studies have focused on the potential role of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) in the physiopathology of several metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, especially coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to study whether there are differences in the proteome and the secretome between epicardial and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) from patients with and without CAD.

Methods: EAT and SAT samples were collected from 64 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery either for coronary artery bypass grafting or valve surgery.

Variations in platelet proteins associated with ST-elevation myocardial infarction: novel clues on pathways underlying platelet activation in acute coronary syndromes.

Objective: Our aim in this study was to provide novel information on the molecular mechanisms playing a major role in the unwanted platelet activation associated with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods And Results: We compared the platelet proteome of 11 STEMI patients to a matched control group of 15 stable chronic ischemic cardiopathy patients. In addition, we did a prospective study to follow the STEMI patients over time.

Coronary artery disease is associated with higher epicardial retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) and lower glucose transporter (GLUT) 4 levels in epicardial and subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Objective: Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), produced by adipocytes and hepatocytes, contributes to an unfavourable lipid profile and insulin resistance, which can contribute to the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). Recently, several studies have shown that epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) differs from subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and plays a role on the physiopathology of CAD because of its proximity to the coronary arteries. We aimed to study the expression and secretion levels of RBP4 in both fat tissues and explore its possible association with CAD.

Proteins involved in platelet signaling are differentially regulated in acute coronary syndrome: a proteomic study.

Background: Platelets play a fundamental role in pathological events underlying acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Because platelets do not have a nucleus, proteomics constitutes an optimal approach to follow platelet molecular events associated with the onset of the acute episode.

Methodology/principal Findings: We performed the first high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis-based proteome analysis of circulating platelets from patients with non-ST segment elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS).

Relationship between epicardial adipose tissue adipocyte size and MCP-1 expression.

Adipocyte size has been associated to increase in inflammatory cytokines expression that can be related to the cardiovascular risk of obesity. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) was discovered to play a key role in cardiovascular diseases by producing several inflammatory adipokines. We sought to study whether EAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) mean adipocyte sizes are related to the expression of adipokines in patients with cardiovascular diseases.

High-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis analysis of atrial tissue proteome reveals down-regulation of fibulin-1 in atrial fibrillation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia found in clinical practice. We combined high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry (MS) to compare the atrial proteome of subjects with AF versus controls with sinus rhythm (SR). Our aim was to identify novel differentially regulated proteins that could be related to the development of the arrhythmia.

Proteomic analysis of epicardial and subcutaneous adipose tissue reveals differences in proteins involved in oxidative stress.

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is an endocrine organ adjacent to coronary arteries and myocardium without anatomy barriers. Locally produced adipokines may reflect or affect to cardiovascular physiology and pathology. Our aim was to study the protein expression profiles of EAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) to identify local candidate molecules characterizing EAT in patients with cardiovascular disease.

[Adipokines as novel cardiovascular disease markers. Pathological and clinical considerations].

Adipose tissue exhibits a high level of metabolic activity that stems from the synthesis and secretion of hormones associated with energy metabolism. These hormones have a direct effect on the structure and function of the heart and on the cardiovascular system as a whole. Since the discovery of leptin, a group of adipokines produced mainly by adipose tissue, but also by other tissues, has been identified.

Why and when do patients with heart failure and normal left ventricular ejection fraction die? Analysis of >600 deaths in a community long-term study.

Background: The aim of the study was to examine the causes of the death of patients with heart failure (HF) and evaluate the differences in this respect between patients with and without depression of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Method: All patients hospitalized with HF between 1995 and 2002 in the cardiology service of a tertiary hospital were assessed. LVEF was evaluated by echocardiography during hospitalization and was considered normal when it was > or =50%.

Extension of coronary artery disease is associated with increased IL-6 and decreased adiponectin gene expression in epicardial adipose tissue.

Unlabelled: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) expresses lower levels of adiponectin in patients with CAD and higher levels of inflammatory mediators such as IL-6 and leptin than subcutaneous adipose tissue. This showed one important role of EAT in coronary artery disease. However, the relationship of EAT adiponectin and IL-6 levels to the extension of coronary artery disease has not hitherto been determined.