Long-term outcome and sex distribution across ages of left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome.

Objective: Apical ballooning syndrome is a rare clinical entity that predominantly involves elderly women and is considered to be benign. We report our experience regarding this syndrome in terms of sex distribution and long-term outcome.

Methods: Between 1999 and 2006, we identified 28 consecutive patients affected by the apical ballooning syndrome.

Clinical outcome of patients undergoing low aggressive angioplasty combined with brachytherapy and short-term dual antiplatelet therapy for in-stent restenosis.

Objective: The impact of vessel injury on the outcome of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention combined with brachytherapy for in-stent restenosis is under investigation. We report our clinical experience adopting a low aggressive balloon angioplasty technique, to limit vessel trauma, associated with brachytherapy and short-term dual antiplatelet therapy.

Methods: Forty-nine consecutive patients, undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with brachytherapy for symptomatic in-stent restenosis, were prospectively observed for a median time of 21 + or - 8 months.

The additional prognostic value of coronary flow reserve on left anterior descending artery in patients with negative stress echo by wall motion criteria. A Transthoracic Vasodilator Stress Echocardiography Study.

Background: Vasodilator stress echocardiography allows imaging of left anterior descending (LAD) coronary flow reserve (CFR), which may provide additional prognostic information over regional wall motion.

Aim: To assess the prognostic value of CFR in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) and negative stress echo.

Methods: We studied 329 consecutive patients (193 men, age 61 +/- 13 years) with known (n = 101) or suspected (n = 228) CAD and negative stress echo by standard wall motion criteria.