Handgrip-enhanced myocardial fractional flow reserve for assessment of coronary artery stenoses.

Background: Fractional flow reserve (FFR) may yield false-negative results in up to 12% of lesions tested, and there is a zone of uncertainty at borderline values.

Methods: Forty-eight patients were investigated by means of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE), coronary angiography, and FFR assessment of 48 coronary lesions before, during, and immediately after handgrip exercise.

Results: Mean FFR values were lower during and immediately after handgrip exercise as compared with baseline (0.

Coronary angiography using a portable super-C-arm imaging system in a district general hospital.

Background: New generation portable super-C-arm imaging systems may offer an alternative means of performing coronary angiography at a lower cost compared with a fixed laboratory. We evaluated the use of one such system (GE-OEC 9800) in a district hospital setting.

Methods: The demographics, procedure and screening times, emitted radiation dose and diagnoses of the first 200 consecutive patients were obtained from a prospective database.

Reperfusion in acute myocardial infarction: current concepts.

Myocardial reperfusion is the treatment of choice in acute myocardial infarction. Pharmacological thrombolysis restores coronary artery patency in about two thirds of patients with acute myocardial infarction. However, mechanical reperfusion with primary angioplasty and stenting achieves higher patency rates with less complications, especially in high-risk patients.

C-Reactive protein concentrations and angiographic characteristics of coronary lesions.

Background: C-Reactive protein (CRP) is a strong predictor of clinical outcome in coronary artery disease (CAD), and inflammation has been implicated in the process. We aimed to evaluate whether CRP concentrations measured with a new, automated particle-enhanced immunoturbidimetric method for high-sensitivity CRP may be related to specific high-risk angiographic features of coronary lesions.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we examined 103 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac catheterization for suspected CAD.

Comparison of myocardial fractional flow reserve and intravascular ultrasound for the assessment of slotted-tube stents.

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and myocardial fractional flow reserve (FFR) have been reported to provide similar results for assessment of coil stent deployment. Their relative value in slotted-tube stents has not been investigated. Fourteen patients subjected to coronary angioplasty and IVUS-guided elective stenting with a slotted-tube stent underwent IVUS assessment and FFR measurement following stent implantation at inflation pressures of 12 and 18 atm.