Diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas in a patient with myocarditis, Brugada syndrome and arrhythmic syncope.

We present a case of a previously healthy 23-year-old male who presented with chest pain, palpitations and spontaneous type 1 Brugada electrocardiographic (ECG) pattern. Positive family history for sudden cardiac death (SCD) was remarkable. Initially, clinical symptoms in combination with myocardial enzymes elevation, regional myocardial oedema with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and inflammatory lymphocytoid-cell infiltrates in the endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) suggested the diagnosis of a myocarditis-induced Brugada phenocopy (BrP).

Ventricular Tachycardia Has Mainly Non-Ischaemic Substrates in Patients with Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases and a Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) is a potentially lethal arrhythmia that is most commonly attributed to coronary artery disease. We hypothesised that among patients with NSVT and preserved ejection fraction, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) would identify a different proportion of ischaemic/non-ischaemic arrhythmogenic substrates in those with and without autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs). In total, 80 consecutive patients (40 with ARDs, 40 with non-ARD-related cardiac pathology) with NSVT in the past 15 days and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction were examined using a 1.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging pattern in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases and ventricular tachycardia with preserved ejection fraction.

Background: Ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VT/VF) may occur in autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs). We hypothesized that cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) can identify arrhythmogenic substrates in ARD patients.

Patients - Methods: Using a 1.

Prospects of using cardiovascular magnetic resonance in the identification of arrhythmogenic substrate in autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is due to ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VT/VF) and may occur with or without any structural or functional heart disease. The presence of myocardial edema, ischemia and/or fibrosis plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of VT/VF, irrespective of the pathophysiologic background of the disease. Specifically, in autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs), various entities such as myocardial/vascular inflammation, ischemia and fibrosis may lead to VT/VF.

Magnetic resonance imaging-conditional devices: Luxury or real clinical need?

Although the risk of MRI scanning on patients with conventional devices is lower than initially thought, the patient's safety can only be guaranteed when using MRI-conditional devices. The most important modifications in MRI-conditional devices include a) Reduction in ferromagnetic components to reduce magnetic attraction and susceptibility artifacts; b) Replacement of the reed switch by a Hall sensor in order to avoid unpredictable reed switch behavior; c) Lead coil design to minimize lead heating and electrical current induction; d) Filter circuitry to prevent damage to the internal power supply; and e) Dedicated pacemaker programming to prevent inappropriate pacemaker inhibition and competing rhythms. Although many companies claim to have MRI-conditional devices, adoption in clinical practice is limited because a) Not all companies have MRI-conditional devices approved for both 1.

Is there a place for cardiovascular magnetic resonance conditional devices in systemic inflammatory diseases?

Rhythm disturbances and sudden cardiac death (SCD) are important manifestations of cardiac involvement in systemic inflammatory diseases (SID). The commonest events demanding the implantation of a device include ventricular tachycardia and atrioventricular block, mainly diagnosed in sarcoidosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma. In SCD, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) identified areas of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in 71% and provided an arrhythmic substrate in 76%, while during the follow-up, the extent of LGE identified a subgroup at increased risk for future adverse events.

Incidence and risk factors of coronary heart disease in elderly patients on chronic hemodialysis.

Aim: To determine the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in patients (pts) over 65 years (y) and its relation to common risk factors.

Methods: We retrospectively studied 128 hemodialysis (HD) pts (80 M and 48 F), mean age 73+/-6.5 years, mean time on HD 44.