Non-invasive assessment of coronary artery bypass grafts and native coronary arteries using 64-slice computed tomography: comparison with invasive coronary angiography.

Introduction And Objectives: Although the diagnostic accuracy of CT in the non-invasive assessment of coronary arteries and grafts is known to be high, only a few studies have investigated the technique's reliability for the combined assessment of native coronary arteries, grafts, and vessels lying distal to anastomoses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 64-slice CT for assessing coronary grafts and native coronary arteries.

Methods: In the study, 64-slice CT was used to evaluate 36 patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery and had a clinical indication for angiographic graft assessment.

Late gadolinium enhancement-cardiovascular magnetic resonance identifies coronary artery disease as the aetiology of left ventricular dysfunction in acute new-onset congestive heart failure.

Aims: We evaluated the ability of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) to identify acute new-onset heart failure (HF) with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD), whether or not in relation to underlying coronary artery disease (CAD), in patients with no clinical evidence of associated ischaemic cardiomyopathy.

Methods And Results: Hundred consecutive patients admitted with acute new-onset decompensated HF and EF <40%, with no clinical or electrocardiographic data suggestive of CAD. The patients were classified according to the presence or absence of significant CAD (stenosis > or =70% in at least one major vessel).

[Long-term clinical and angiographic follow-up of drug-eluting stents in patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction].

Introduction And Objectives: Drug-eluting stents (DES) have proven to be effective in reducing the rate of restenosis and have, therefore, been incorporated into the treatment of patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI). The aim of this study was to investigate long-term clinical and angiographic outcomes following the use of DESs in patients with STEMI.

Methods: A prospective study involving clinical and angiographic follow-up was performed in 81 patients with STEMI who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention including DES implantation.

[Prognostic value of discharge hemoglobin level in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure].

Introduction And Objectives: Recent studies show that the prevalence of anemia in patients with heart failure is high and indicate that its presence leads to increased mortality and morbidity. Our aims were to determine the prevalence of anemia in patients hospitalized for heart failure and to study the long-term prognostic significance of anemia by evaluating its relationship with mortality (total and due to heart failure) and readmission for heart failure.

Methods: The study included 242 consecutive patients admitted to our cardiology department and discharged with a diagnosis of congestive heart failure.