Risk of sudden death in end-stage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: It remains unclear whether end-stage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is associated with as high a rate of sudden death as occurs among HCM patients with preserved left ventricular (LV) systolic function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of sudden death among patients with end-stage HCM and to identify high-risk end-stage patients.

Methods And Results: A total of 490 consecutive patients with HCM, who were diagnosed and followed-up at our hospital, were analyzed retrospectively.

Systolic blood pressure at admission as a predictor of the response to initial carperitide therapy in patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure with left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

Purpose: In patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD), the role of initial vasodilator therapy remains uncertain. The present study aimed to evaluate the acute efficacy of initial carperitide therapy and to predict its response in ADHF patients with LVSD.

Methods: Twenty-four consecutive patients with ADHF and LVSD were enrolled.

Significance of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: Although oxidative stress mediated by reactive oxygen species plays an important role in the pathogenesis of heart failure (HF), good clinical markers for reactive oxygen species in patients with HF have not been established. 8-Hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) is formed from deoxyguanosine in DNA by hydroxyl free radicals and might serve as a sensitive biomarker of intracellular oxidative stress in vivo. Thioredoxin (TRX) is known to be induced in cells as a radical scavenger against oxidative stress.