Incidence and predictors of atrial fibrillation and its impact on long-term survival in patients with supraventricular arrhythmias.

Aims: To determine the incidence and predictors of atrial fibrillation (AF) and its impact on survival in patients with other forms of supraventricular arrhythmias (SVAs) including atrial flutter (AFL), atrial tachycardia (AT), atrioventricular reentrant (AVRT), and AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). We hypothesized that SVA may increase risk of AF and concomitant AF may influence long-term survival.

Methods And Results: All patients who underwent catheter ablation for SVA from 2000 to 2010 were included in this study.

Pathology of second-generation everolimus-eluting stents versus first-generation sirolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting stents in humans.

Background: Clinical trials have demonstrated that the second-generation cobalt-chromium everolimus-eluting stent (CoCr-EES) is superior to the first-generation paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) and is noninferior or superior to the sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) in terms of safety and efficacy. It remains unclear whether vascular responses to CoCr-EES are different from those to SES and PES because the pathology of CoCr-EES has not been described in humans.

Methods And Results: A total of 204 lesions (SES=73; PES=85; CoCr-EES=46) from 149 autopsy cases with duration of implantation >30 days and ≤3 years were pathologically analyzed, and comparison of vascular responses was corrected for duration of implantation.

Left atrial appendage dimensions predict the risk of stroke/TIA in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Unlabelled: Risk of Stroke/TIA in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Introduction: Most strokes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) arise from thrombus formation in left atrial appendage (LAA). Our aim was to identify LAA features associated with a higher stroke risk in patients with AF using magnetic resonance imaging and angiography (MRI/MRA).

Cardiac troponin T elevation after coronary artery bypass grafting is associated with increased one-year mortality.

The results of the present study extend the value of assessing troponin T for the prediction of mortality rate 1 year after coronary artery bypass grafting; this study supports previous work that demonstrated the value of postoperative assessment of troponin T for the prediction of in-hospital adverse outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Postoperative troponin-T predicts prolonged intensive care unit length of stay following cardiac surgery.

Objective: To evaluate the use of postoperative cardiac troponin T (cTnT) for the prediction of prolonged intensive care unit length of stay following cardiac surgery.

Design: Prospective, single-center, observational cohort study of patients following cardiac surgical procedures. The enrollment period was from October through December 2000.

A comparison of cardiac troponin T and creatine kinase-MB for patient evaluation after cardiac surgery.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the role of serum markers of myocardial necrosis after cardiac surgery.

Background: The role of serum troponin T (TnT) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) for the risk stratification of patients after cardiac surgery remains undefined.

Methods: Serum levels of TnT and CK-MB were measured from 224 patients every 8 h after cardiac surgery.