A case of an anomalous hypertrophied muscle band in the left ventricle.

A hypertrophied muscle band (HMB) in the left ventricle (LV), which can be misinterpreted as apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, is a rare echocardiographic finding in a patient with normal LV wall thickness. Not only are symptoms produced, but changes in the electrocardiogram (ECG) are limited to the repolarization phase and show no progression even in a large HMB. Hence, we report a case of a 25-year-old woman who visited a local medical clinic due to epigastric discomfort in January 2007.

Comparison between measured and calculated length of side branch ostium in coronary bifurcation lesions with intravascular ultrasound.

Purpose: Accurate evaluation of side branch (SB) ostium could be critical to the treatment of bifurcation lesions. We compared measured and calculated values of side branch ostial length (SBOL) in coronary bifurcation lesions with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).

Materials And Methods: Pre-intervention and post-intervention IVUS was performed in 113 patients who underwent stent implantation of bifurcation lesions.

Clinical outcomes of infrapopliteal angioplasty in patients with critical limb ischemia.

Background And Objectives: With recent advances in equipment and techniques, infrapopliteal angioplasty has shown results that are comparable to those of surgical bypass in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and the feasibility of infrapopliteal angioplasty in patients with CLI.

Subjects And Methods: Between March 2002 and May 2008, infrapopliteal angioplasty was performed on 118 limbs of 101 patients (79 males; mean age 66 years) with CLI (Rutherford category 4, 5 or 6).

Impact of multivessel coronary disease with chronic total occlusion on one-year mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background And Objectives: The impact of multivessel coronary disease (MVD) with chronic total occlusion (CTO) on one-year mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is not clearly known. We investigated the impact of MVD with concurrent CTO lesion on one-year mortality in patients with AMI.

Subjects And Methods: We studied 1008 consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography between November 2005 and December 2008 with a diagnosis of AMI.

Comparison of clinical outcome of infrapopliteal angioplasty between Korean diabetic and non-diabetic patients with critical limb ischemia.

Background: Although infrapopliteal angioplasty may salvage the majority of limbs under threat of amputation, this procedure is still limited in diabetic patients. The purpose of the present study was to compared the outcomes of infrapopliteal angioplasty between Korean diabetic patients and non-diabetic patients with critical lower limb ischemia (CLI).

Methods And Results: Between March 2002 and May 2008, infrapopliteal angioplasty was performed on 108 limbs of 93 patients (71 male; mean age, 68 years, range, 27-91 years) with CLI (Rutherford-Becker category 4, 5 or 6).

The impact of circadian variation on 12-month mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background And Objectives: Although circadian variation in the onset of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been reported in a number of studies, not much is known about the impact of circadian variation on 12-month mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of circadian variation on 12-month mortality in patients with AMI.

Subjects And Methods: Eight hundred ninety two patients (mean age 67±12; 66.

Prognostic value of standard electrocardiographic parameters for predicting major adverse cardiac events after acute myocardial infarction.

Background: The prognostic value of electrocardiographic (ECG) variables in predicting major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the era of modern therapy is unclear. This study was conducted to evaluate the prognostic significance of ECG parameters in predicting 1-year MACEs for AMI patients.

Methods: Between January 2006 and January 2008, 529 AMI patients were included.

Examining the relationship between triggering activities and the circadian distribution of acute aortic dissection.

Background And Objectives: There are limited data examining triggering activities and circadian distribution at the onset of acute aortic dissection (AAD) in the context of diagnostic and anatomical classification. The aim of this study was to further investigate this relationship between triggering activities and circadian distribution at the onset of AAD according to diagnostic and anatomic classification.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 166 patients with AAD admitted to Kyungpook National University Hospital between July 2001 and June 2009 were included.

Electrocardiography patterns and the role of the electrocardiography score for risk stratification in acute pulmonary embolism.

Background And Objectives: Data on the usefulness of a combination of different electrocardiography (ECG) abnormalities in risk stratification of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) are limited. We thus investigated 12-lead ECG patterns in acute PE to evaluate the role of the ECG score in risk stratification of patients with acute PE.

Subjects And Methods: One hundred twenty-five consecutive patients (63±14 years, 56 men) with acute PE who were admitted to Kyungpook National University Hospital between November 2001 and January 2008 were included.

Presence of conduction abnormalities as a predictor of clinical outcomes in patients with infective endocarditis.

There have been no studies that have assessed the possible correlation between conduction abnormality (CA) and systemic embolism, or the long-term outcomes of patients with infective endocarditis (IE). In this study, 82 consecutive patients with IE and interpretable electrocardiography (ECG) were admitted to Kyungpook National University Hospital from July 2002 to June 2008. ECGs obtained at the time of admission or during hospitalization were analyzed.

Prognosis and natural history of drug-related bradycardia.

Background And Objectives: The prognosis and natural history of bradycardia related to drugs such as beta-blockers and non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers are not well known.

Subjects And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 38 consecutive patients (age 69+/-11, 21 women) with drug-related bradycardia (DRB) between March 2005 and September 2007. A drug-associated etiology for the bradycardia was established based on the medical history and patient response to drug discontinuation.

A case of coronary artery dissection after aortic replacement in acute type a aortic dissection.

A 59-year-old woman was transferred to our institution with a diagnosis of acute type A aortic dissection. During aortic replacement surgery, the dissection had not extended to the orifice of the left coronary artery. However, ST segment elevation was observed on an electrocardiogram monitor immediately postoperatively.

Gender differences among korean patients with coronary spasm.

Background And Objectives: The gender differences among Korean patients with coronary spasm have not been defined. We thus determined the gender differences among Korean patients with coronary spasm.

Subjects And Methods: Patients with chest pain and/or syncope who were admitted to Kyungpook National University Hospital between January 2001 and August 2008 were included.

Clinical manifestations of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in Korean patients.

Background: The clinical manifestations of the Korean patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) are not well known.

Methods: The clinical data of Korean patients who met the Task Force Criteria for ARVC were analyzed.

Results: Thirty-seven patients (41.

Prevalence of the Brugada-type ECG recorded from higher intercostal spaces in healthy Korean males.

Background: Electrocardiograms (ECGs) recorded from the higher intercostal spaces (ICSs) are reported to be helpful for the diagnosis of Brugada syndrome (BS). However, the prevalence of Brugada-type ECG changes recorded from the higher ICSs is unknown in the healthy Korean population.

Methods And Results: A total of 225 healthy Korean male subjects with a mean age of 44+/-13 (20-69) years with no syncope or family history of sudden death were enrolled in the present study.