[Telemonitoring and a real-time alert system in heart failure: a preliminary pilot study of feasibility, acceptability and efficacy].

Introduction: There is growing evidence that telemonitoring (TM) in heart failure (HF) seems to improve their outcome. TM platforms have not been designed and evaluated in Argentina. The objective was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, usability and preliminary efficacy of a HF TM platform.

Prognostic Value of the Leuko-Glycaemic Index in the Postoperative Period of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Introduction: High leuko-glycaemic index (LGI) (> 2000) has been associated with poor prognosis in many critical care settings. However, there is no evidence of LGI's prognostic value in the postoperative period of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This study aims to analyze the prognostic value of LGI in the postoperative period of CABG.

Effects of levosimendan on weaning and survival in adult cardiogenic shock patients with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation may be used to support patients with refractory cardiogenic shock. Many patients can be successfully weaned, the ability of some medications to facilitate weaning from veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were reported. To date, there are limited studies investigating the impact of levosimendan on veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation weaning.

[Blood glucose control during cardiac surgery. Report of the Emergency Council of the Argentine Society of Cardiology].

Hyperglycemia after cardiac surgery is a common finding associated with the worse outcomes affecting both diabetic and non diabetic patients. Despite the large number of publications available, there is no universally accepted approach to this problem. In an initiative of the Emergency Council of the Argentine Society of Cardiology, local experts gathered to discuss the management of hyperglycemia after adult cardiac surgery.

Aortic valve replacement in a patient with Osler-Rendu-Weber disease.

Osler-Rendu-Weber (hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia) disease is an uncommon disease characterized by the presence of abnormal telangiectasias and arteriovenous malformations that cause recurrent episodes of bleeding. We present a patient with Osler-Rendu-Weber disease, with a history of multiple major bleeding events and severe aortic valve stenosis, who underwent aortic valve replacement. Unexpectedly, the postoperative course was uneventful, and there was no untoward bleeding in the early or in the late postoperative follow-up.

Is early anticoagulation necessary after biological aortic valve replacement?

Early antithrombotic therapy after biological aortic valve replacement (AVR) is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of thromboembolic events (TE) without anticoagulation treatment during the first 3 months after surgery. Out of 143 consecutive patients who underwent biological AVR from January 1998 to December 2004, 127 patients who did not receive anticoagulation were included (89%).

Comparison of the amplitude of the P-wave from intracardiac electrocardiogram obtained by means of a central venous catheter filled with saline solution to that obtained via esophageal electrocardiogram.

Recognition of the P wave is important for the correct characterization of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. When the P wave is difficult to identify on standard electrocardiography (SECG), either esophageal electrocardiography (EECG) or intracardiac electrocardiography (IC-ECG), central venous catheter may be used. The feasibility of these methods has already been demonstrated, but there is no published study comparing them.