Atrial fibrillation-related stroke in women: Evidence and inequalities in epidemiology, mechanisms, clinical presentation, and management.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common clinical arrhythmia and one of the major causes of stroke, heart failure, sudden death, and cardiovascular morbidity. Despite substantial advances in (interventional) rhythm control treatment during the last decade, anticoagulation for stroke prevention remains a major component of AF treatment.

Hypothesis: There are important sex-specific differences in AF-related stroke, resulting from sex-specific mechanisms and therapeutic differences.

Increasing age does not affect time to appropriate therapy in primary prevention ICD/CRT-D: a competing risks analysis.

Aims: To evaluate the impact of age on the clinical outcomes in a primary prevention implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)/cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) population.

Methods And Results: A retrospective, multicentre analysis of patients aged 60 years and over with primary prevention ICD/CRT-D devices implanted between 1 January 2006 and 1 November 2014 was performed. Survival to follow-up with no therapy (T1), death prior to follow-up with no therapy (T2), delivery of appropriate therapy with survival to follow-up (T3), and delivery of appropriate therapy with death prior to follow-up (T4) were measured.

Expression of secreted frizzled-related protein 1 and 3, T-cell factor 1 and lymphoid enhancer factor 1 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Frequency and mortality of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are increasing for decades. However, the molecular background of RCC tumorigenesis is still poorly understood. In current study we investigated the expression of TCF/LEF and SFRP family members (SFRP1 and SFRP3) to gain a better understanding of biological signaling pathways responsible for epidemiology and clinical parameters of clear cell RCC (cRCC).

Age trends in prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in Roma minority population of Croatia.

The Roma (Gypsy) are the largest European minority population characterized by poverty, social exclusion as well as by numerous life-style and cultural specificities, which all could have an adverse impact on their cardiovascular health. This study assesses the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk factors in community-based sample of 430 adult Roma, living in rural area of Croatia, by providing the actual and age-adjusted estimates using the European standard population. The most prominent classical CVD risk phenotypes (blood pressure, obesity, smoking, glucose and lipid profile) were selected, and the standard risk cut-offs were applied.

Combined endocardial and epicardial catheter ablation in arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia incorporating scar dechanneling technique.

Background: Ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C) has a low success rate. A more extensive epicardial (Epi) arrhythmogenic substrate could explain the low efficacy. We report the results of combined endocardial (Endo) and Epi VT ablation and conducting channel (CC) elimination.

Integration of 3D electroanatomic maps and magnetic resonance scar characterization into the navigation system to guide ventricular tachycardia ablation.

Background: Scar heterogeneity identified with contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance (CE-CMR) has been related to its arrhythmogenic potential by using different algorithms. The purpose of the study was to identify the algorithm that best fits with the electroanatomic voltage maps (EAM) to guide ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation.

Methods And Results: Three-dimensional scar reconstructions from preprocedural CE-CMR study at 3T were obtained and compared with EAMs of 10 ischemic patients submitted for a VT ablation.

[Pleural mesothelioma--case report].

Pleural mesothelioma is a rare neoplasm with the incidence of 1-2 per million people. The incidence is higher in male population (10-30/million), whereas the incidence in female population is 2 per million. It occurs predominantly at older age (65+ years).

E2 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism is predictive for obesity status in Roma minority population of Croatia.

Background And Aims: The Roma (Gypsies) are a transnational minority, founder population characterized by unique genetic background modeled by culturally determined endogamy. The present study explores whether the widely found cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk effects of ACE I/D, APOE (ε2, ε3, ε4), eNOS-VNTR and LEP G2548A polymorphisms can be replicated in this specific population.

Methods And Results: The community-based study was carried on 208 adult Bayash Roma living in rural settlements of eastern and northern Croatia.

Entrapment of the circular mapping catheter in the mitral valve in two patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation.

The circular catheter is a useful tool to guide and test pulmonary vein (PV) isolation in atrial fibrillation ablation. However, its shape may facilitate entrapment in cardiac structures. We describe the entrapment of a circular mapping catheter within the mitral valve apparatus after transseptal catheterization and mapping of the left atrium and PVs in two of our patients.

Defibrillation threshold decrease with the supradiaphragmatic extracardiac implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation technique.

Despite advances in implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) technology, the optimal ICD implantation technique for pediatric patients has not yet been established. One increasingly used option is totally extracardiac implantation. However, concern exists about the high defibrillation threshold (DFT) at the moment of implantation or during follow-up.

Traditional CVD risk factors and socio-economic deprivation in Roma minority population of Croatia.

Researches into health inequalities consistently show disadvantages in health status, morbidity and mortality for various ethnic minority groups. Current knowledge about prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) mainly derives from studies carried out in populations of European origin while the evidences involving Roma population are scarce. Roma, an ethnic minority of northern Indian origin, live in many countries throughout the world and are well known for preserved traditions and resistance to assimilation.

Abnormal systolic blood pressure during treadmill test and brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilatation impairment.

The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between systolic blood pressure during maximal treadmill test (SBP9mtt)) and flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD). Abnormal rise of SBP(mtt) is the phenomenon more frequent in hypertensive persons but it could be found in normotensive subjects too. 199 subjects referred to treadmill test were enrolled in the study.