Atorvastatin Treatment for Atrial Fibrillation Reduces Serum High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Levels.

We investigated whether serum hs-CRP levels predict the efficacy of atrial fibrillation (AF) treated with atorvastatin. Bibliographic databases were exhaustively searched for studies relevant to the research topic. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) criteria, combined with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS), were applied for study quality assessment.

Effect of Atorvastatin on Serum Levels of Total Cholesterol and High-Sensitivity C-reactive Protein in High-Risk Patients with Atrial Fibrillation in Asia.

Purpose: The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the effects of atorvastatin on serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and total cholesterol in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients in Asia.

Methods: By searching English and Chinese language-based electronic databases (ie, PubMed, EBSCO, Ovid, SpringerLink, Wiley, Web of Science, Wanfang database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and VIP database), we identified 13 studies relevant to our topic of interest. Data were collected from the 13 studies and analyzed with Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (version 2.

A computer-aided diagnostic algorithm improves the accuracy of transesophageal echocardiography for left atrial thrombi: a single-center prospective study.

Objectives: We investigated whether transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) assisted with a computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) algorithm was superior to TEE in diagnosing left atrial (LA)/left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombi in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in a single prospective study.

Methods: Transesophageal echocardiography was performed in patients with AF, and images were reconstructed. Gray level co-occurrence matrix-based features were calculated and then classified using an artificial neural network.

[Relationship between plasma brain natriuretic peptide concentration and clinical prognosis in patients of acute myocardial infarction].

Objective: To evaluate the value of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in estimating risk stratification in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to determine the relationship between BNP and adverse cardiac events after AMI.

Methods: The 135 subjects were selected into the study, including 25 healthy subjects and 110 patients with a first AMI. The plasma concentrations of BNP were measured at two to four days after infarction in patients and healthy controls.

[Evaluation of right ventricular function by tissue Doppler echocardiography and Tei index in right ventricular myocardial infarction].

Objective: With tissue Doppler imaging and right ventricular Tei index, right ventricular function in patients with right ventricular myocardial infarction (RVMI) was assessed.

Method: 51 patients admitted to coronary care units and diagnosed as acute inferior myocardial infarction were further studied with the ECG criterion of ST segment elevation >or= 1mm in V(4R) to establish the diagnosis of RVMI. 23 patients were thus diagnosed as RVMI and 28 patients not.