Central blood pressure obtained by cuff-based oscillometry as a determinant of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients.

Objective: Limited and conflicting data have been reported on the prognostic relevance of central blood pressure (CBP) compared with brachial blood pressure (BP) in the anticipation of hypertension-mediated organ damage and the majority of data derived using applanation tonometry with its known complexities. The objective of the present study was to investigate the diagnostic factors of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) with a special highlight on the utility of non-invasive oscillometric CBP measurement and derived hemodynamic indices compared to brachial BP as indicators of LVH.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 300 hypertensive patients (mean age 55.

Effect of reperfusion strategy on QT dispersion in patients with acute myocardial infarction: Impact on in-hospital arrhythmia.

Background: Myocardial ischemia and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) increase QT dispersion (QTD) and corrected QT dispersion (QTcD), and are also associated with ventricular arrhythmia.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of reperfusion strategy [primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) or fibrinolytic therapy] on QTD and QTcD in STEMI patients and assess the impact of the chosen strategy on the occurrence of in-hospital arrhythmia.

Methods: This prospective, observational, multicenter study included 240 patients admitted with STEMI who were treated with either PPCI (group I) or fibrinolytic therapy (group II).

Veno-arterial rail and over the wire technique for atrial septal defect closure in a patient with interrupted inferior venae cava.

Transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defect (ASD II) is considered the treatment of choice when anatomically suitable and clinically indicated. This is routinely done through the inferior vena cava via a femoral venous approach; however, certain anatomical anomalies, such as congenital interruption of inferior vena cava with azygos continuation, render the delivery of the device either difficult or not possible. When this anomaly is also associated with dextrocardia, the technical challenge increases further due to the unusual orientation of the interatrial septum.

Subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography and its relation to ambulatory arterial stiffness index in hypertensive patients.

Background: Increased arterial stiffness is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among hypertensive patients.

Objectives: To assess the relationship between ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI) and subclinical left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction assessed by 2-D speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE).

Methods: We enrolled 70 consecutive patients with hypertension.

Very Long-Term Follow-Up After Coronary Rotational Atherectomy: A Single-Center Experience.

We assessed the very long-term follow-up of a large cohort of unselected patients treated with coronary rotational atherectomy (RA). All 143 patients who underwent RA at our institution from 2000 to 2013 and with complete baseline and follow-up information were analyzed in a retrospective manner. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were defined as the composite of target vessel revascularization (TVR), acute myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality.

Echocardiographic assessment of mitral valve morphology after Percutaneous Transvenous Mitral Commissurotomy (PTMC).

Aims: PTMC produces significant changes in mitral valve morphology as improvement in leaflets mobility. The determinants of such improvement have not been assessed before.

Methods And Results: The study included 291 symptomatic patients with mitral stenosis undergoing PTMC.