QT dispersion is determined by the relative extent of normal, hibernating, and scarred myocardium in patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy. A dobutamine stress echocardiography study before and after surgical revascularization.

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to evaluate a possible association between QT dispersion (QTd) and the amount of viable and scarred myocardial tissue after revascularization in patients with coronary artery disease and impaired left ventricular (LV) function.

Methods: Twenty-two patients with ischemic LV dysfunction underwent dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) before and 6 months after surgical revascularization. Mean corrected QT-interval value and QTd were calculated at baseline and follow-up.

Phospholamban gene mutations are not associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a Northern Greek population.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetically transmitted cardiac disease characterized by unexplained myocardial hypertrophy and diverse clinical spectrum. Currently, more than 250 HCM-related mutations in 10 genes encoding contractile sarcomeric proteins have been identified. Phospholamban (PLN) is a modest modulator of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and may be a candidate gene responsible for cardiomyopathy.

Multiple episodes of ischemic preconditioning are not associated with loss of benefit: preliminary clinical experience.

Background: As a clinical analogue of ischemic preconditioning (IP), preinfarction angina (PA) shares a well-documented protective effect in the setting of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) by reducing infarct size, preserving left ventricular function and improving prognosis. In the experimental setting, multiple cycles of IP may induce the loss of this protection.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of repeated cycles of PA on clinical outcomes in patients exhibiting a first AMI.

N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels are elevated in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a counterregulatory hormone released by the ventricles of the heart. Its main actions are natriuresis and vasodilation. The authors studied N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels soon after an acute ischemic stroke.

Effects of variation of atrioventricular interval on left ventricular diastolic filling dynamics and atrial natriuretic peptide levels in patients with DDD pacing for complete heart block.

Aims: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of variation of atrioventricular (AV) interval (AVI) on left ventricular (LV) diastolic function and ANP and c-GMP levels during DDD pacing in patients with complete AV block and normal systolic function.

Methods: The study population comprised 22 patients (mean age 65.2+/-14.

Impaired systolic dysfunction of left ventricular longitudinal fibers: a sign of early hypertensive cardiomyopathy.

Background: Atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD) study by M-mode echocardiography can supply useful clinical information about left ventricular (LV) long-axis function.

Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that AVPD estimation could be used to detect early hypertensive cardiomyopathy.

Methods: The study population included 81 hypertensive patients with normal LV ejection fraction and fractional shortening, and 50 age- and gender-matched healthy controls.

Left ventricular Doppler characteristics in first-degree relatives of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Left ventricular (LV) diastolic function may be affected early in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), regardless of the phenotypic expression of the disease. The aim of the present study was to detect whether LV diastolic performance, evaluated by conventional Doppler echocardiography, is impaired in first-degree relatives of patients with phenotypically expressed HCM, who had no clinical, electrocardiographic, or echocardiographic signs of the disease. Twenty-two young adults having the previously described characteristics comprised the study population and 22 sex- and age-matched healthy individuals served as controls.

Usefulness of low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography for the evaluation of spontaneous recovery of stunned myocardium in patients with acute right ventricular infarction.

Right ventricular (RV) infarction (RVI) is usually associated with severe RV global dysfunction representing predominantly stunned myocardium that may respond favorably to reperfusion. We assessed the efficacy of low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE), performed early in the course of a reperfused RVI, to predict the recovery of RV systolic and diastolic function in 3 months, documenting the recovery of stunned myocardium. In all, 27 patients with acute, successfully thrombolyzed RVI comprised the study population.

Detection of myocardial viability by dobutamine stress echocardiography: incremental value of diastolic wall thickness measurement.

Objective: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of baseline diastolic wall thickness (DWT) alone and as an adjunct to dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) for prediction of myocardial viability in patients with ischaemic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, with the recovery of resting function after revascularisation as the yardstick.

Patients: 24 patients with ischaemic LV dysfunction (ejection fraction < 40%) scheduled for surgical revascularisation.

Setting: Regional cardiothoracic centre.

Evidence of left ventricular dysfunction in asymptomatic elderly patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a distinct entity in diabetic patients with congestive heart failure, who have no angiographic evidence of significant coronary artery stenosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate left ventricular (LV) function in 24 elderly patients (mean age 67 +/- 2 years) with type 2 diabetes, who were asymptomatic and had no history of hypertension, or coronary or valvular heart disease. LV systolic indices (ejection fraction [EF] and fractional shortening [FS]), diastolic indices (E wave, A wave, E/A ratio, isovolumic relaxation time [IVRT] and deceleration time [DT]) and the myocardial performance index (MPI) were evaluated with echocardiography.

Echocardiographic evaluation of spontaneous recovery of right ventricular systolic and diastolic function in patients with acute right ventricular infarction associated with posterior wall left ventricular infarction.

We evaluated right ventricular (RV) systolic and diastolic function in 30 patients with acute RV myocardial infarction on echocardiography. Systolic and diastolic function were impaired early in the setting of RV myocardial infarction, but improved significantly at 3 months.

Association between plasma homocysteine levels and coronary artery disease: a population-based study in northern Greece.

Objective: Elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels constitute a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). We prospectively examined the association of fasting tHcy levels in patients in Northern Greece who had established CAD.

Patients And Methods: Plasma fasting tHcy levels were measured in 42 patients with angiographically documented CAD and compared to 42 age-, sex-, BMI- and smoking habit-matched control subjects.

Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of right ventricular diastolic function in patients with mitral regurgitation.

Background And Aim Of The Study: The effect of left ventricular (LV) pressure overload on right ventricular (RV) diastolic function has been extensively studied. In contrast, no data are available concerning the influence of LV volume overload on RV diastolic function. Accordingly, RV diastolic function was studied in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) using Doppler echocardiography.

Evaluation of a Doppler-derived index combining systolic and diastolic left ventricular function in acute myocardial infarction.

Assessment of left ventricular (LV) function is crucial in the immediate postinfarction period. The authors evaluated the clinical applicability of the Doppler-derived myocardial performance index (MPI, defined as the sum of isovolumic contraction and relaxation times divided by LV ejection time) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) as to whether this index reflects the severity of LV dysfunction in this subgroup of patients. Post-AMI patients (n = 33) were compared with age- and sex-matched healthy subjects (n = 35).

Right ventricular diastolic function in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation.

Right ventricular diastolic function was evaluated using Doppler echocardiography in 40 patients with aortic regurgitation. Abnormal right ventricular relaxation and filling were the main findings of our study.

Screening for left ventricular dysfunction using a hand-carried cardiac ultrasound device.

Background: The hand-carried cardiac ultrasound (HCU) device is a recently introduced imaging device, which may be potentially useful in the primary care setting.

Aim: To test the screening potential of a HCU for the detection of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction by evaluating LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and inferior vena cava (IVC) collapse. Standard echocardiographic system (SE) and plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) measurements were used as a reference.

Evidence of ischemic preconditioning in patients experiencing first non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Background: Several studies have demonstrated the protective effects of preinfarction angina in Q wave myocardial infarction, implicating the role of ischemic preconditioning but this role remains uncertain in patients with a NSTEMI. Subendocardial viability in NSTEMI patients, is thought to be less dependent on collateral circulation and thus more likely to be protected by other mechanisms such as preconditioning.

Methods: We have studied prospectively 40 patients with first NSTEMI and with angiographically proven poor or no collateral development and compared two groups; those with versus those without preinfarction angina.

Preconditioning reduces QTc value in patients with first non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Background: Preinfarction angina (PA) consists a strong clinical correlate to ischemic preconditioning (PC) and seems to occur in a bimodal time course. The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of both forms of PC on QTc value representing myocardial electric stability, in patients with a first NSTEMI.

Methods: Forty-eight patients, with first NSTEMI and poor or no collateral development were enrolled in the study.

Can P wave wavelet analysis predict atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting?

The purpose of this study was the evaluation of Morlet wavelet analysis of the P wave as a means of predicting the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients who undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The P wave was analyzed using the Morlet wavelet in 50 patients who underwent successful CABG. Group A consisted of 17 patients, 12 men and 5 women, of mean age 66.

Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of right ventricular diastolic function in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Aims: Left ventricular diastolic function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy has been adequately studied. In contrast there are few studies concerning right ventricular diastolic function in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. We studied right ventricular diastolic function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy using Doppler echocardiography.

Dobutamine stress echocardiography for the detection of myocardial viability in patients with left ventricular dysfunction taking beta blockers: accuracy and optimal dose.

Objective: To assess the accuracy of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) and the optimal dose of dobutamine to detect myocardial viability in patients with ischaemic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction who are taking beta blockers, using the recovery of function six months artery revascularisation as the benchmark.

Patients: 17 patients with ischaemic LV dysfunction (ejection fraction < 40%) and chronic treatment with beta blockers scheduled to undergo surgical revascularisation.

Setting: Regional cardiothoracic centre.

An angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor improves left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in transfusion-dependent patients with beta-thalassemia major.

Background: Cardiac complications are the major cause of death in patients with beta-thalassemia major. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of long-term treatment with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril on left ventricular (LV) performance, with an emphasis on diastolic LV function because diastolic dysfunction has been found to be an early event in an asymptomatic thalassemic population with only mild impairment of LV systolic function.

Methods: We used echocardiography to study the impact of treatment with oral enalapril on the evolution of standard M-mode and Doppler indices, along with a recently introduced Doppler index of combined systolic and diastolic LV performance.

Mitral regurgitation protects from left atrial thrombogenesis in patients with mitral valve disease and atrial fibrillation.

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that mitral regurgitation (MR) has a protective effect on the development of left atrial thrombus (LAT) in patients with rheumatic heart disease and atrial fibrillation (AF). The study population consisted of 48 anticoagulated patients (mean age = 57.1 +/- 10 years).