Atrial ectopy after pulmonary vein isolation and left heart reverse remodeling in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Maintenance of sinus rhythm after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with left atrial (LA) and ventricular (LV) reverse remodeling, although the degree varies among individuals. We hypothesized that frequent premature atrial complex (PAC) after PVI may attenuate the left heart reverse remodeling benefited from maintenance of sinus rhythm.

Methods: We included 82 AF patients who underwent first-time PVI and 24-h Holter recordings at 6 months after PVI.

High-sensitive cardiac troponin T as a novel predictor for recurrence of atrial fibrillation after radiofrequency catheter ablation.

Aims: We aimed to determine whether elevated serum high-sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs-TnT) levels predict atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI).

Methods And Results: We included 125 consecutive patients with AF (paroxysmal, n = 79; persistent, n = 46) who underwent first-time PVI. Serum hs-TnT, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), atrial natriuretic peptide, and plasma B-type natriuretic peptide levels were measured in venous samples collected before PVI.

Pre-Procedural Serum Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Levels Predict Left Atrial Reverse Remodeling After Catheter Ablation in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the role of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels to predict left atrial (LA) reverse remodeling in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients.

Background: Although LA reverse remodeling after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for AF was reported to be associated with favorable outcomes and improvement of LA and left ventricular function, the predictor has not been extensively evaluated.

Methods: This study included 104 consecutive patients who underwent RFCA for AF.

A novel echocardiographic index of inefficient left ventricular contraction resulting from mechanical dyssynchrony.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the possibility of using our novel echocardiographic index of inefficient left ventricular (LV) contraction in patient selection for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

Methods: Forty consecutive patients with LV ejection fraction < or = 35% were divided into 2 groups, 9 CRT candidates and 31 non-CRT candidates based on conventional criteria. A global LV time-area curve and regional LV time-area curves in 6 radial sectors were obtained using two-dimensional echocardiography in the short-axis view with speckle tracking.

Small coronary calcium deposits and elevated plasma levels of oxidized low density lipoprotein are characteristic of acute myocardial infarction.

Aim: Predictions of the onset of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in high risk individuals are of great clinical importance. Among various risk factors, elevated levels of oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) in plasma have been shown to reflect unstable coronary plaques. Coronary calcification is a common finding in the elderly, however, its clinical implications as a risk factor for plaque rupture are controversial.

[Efficacy of percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy and intrapericardial instillation for the management of refractory pericardial effusion: a case report].

Percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy and intrapericardial instillation seemed to be less invasive and effective treatments for refractory pericardial effusion. A 65-year-old man who suffered from refractory pericardial effusion associated with gastric cancer and had been hospitalized three times for pericardiocentesis, complained of dyspnea at rest and visited our emergency room. Echocardiography showed a large amount of pericardial effusion all around the heart and signs of cardiac tamponade.

[Primary aldosteronism with ventricular fibrillation: a case report].

A 60-year-old female had sudden onset of syncope. The emergency service noticed that she suffered cardiopulmonary arrest (ventricular fibrillation: VF). After defibrillation in the ambulance, she was transported to our emergency department.

[Primary effusion lymphoma complicating cardiac tamponade: a case report].

A 76-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of exertional dyspnea and leg edema during the previous month. Her systolic blood pressure on admission was 80 mmHg with 12 mmHg of pulsus paradoxous, and her pulse rate was 110 beats/min. Chest radiography revealed marked cardiomegaly and echocardiography showed massive pericardial effusion mainly behind the left ventricle and collapse of the right ventricle.

Protective effect of high diastolic blood pressure during exercise against exercise-induced myocardial ischemia.

Background: Hypertension is one of the risk factors for coronary artery disease. However, because most coronary blood flow to the left ventricle occurs during diastole, high diastolic blood pressure during exercise may have a protective effect against exercise-induced myocardial ischemia. The aim of the present study was to test this hypothesis.

Impact of diabetes mellitus on worsening of the left ventricular ejection fraction in exercise-gated 201Tl myocardial single photon emission computed tomography in patients with coronary artery disease.

It remains uncertain whether factors other than the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) are associated with the worsening of the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by exercise. In the present study the impact of coronary risk factors on the worsening of LVEF by exercise was investigated in 391 patients with known or suspected CAD using exercise-gated (201)Tl scanning to calculate the LVEF. Significant worsening of the LVEF by exercise was defined as >4.

Identification of cardiac sarcoidosis with (13)N-NH(3)/(18)F-FDG PET.

Unlabelled: To our knowledge, no study investigating the usefulness of cardiac PET for detection of myocardial involvement of sarcoidosis is available. We investigated whether (13)N-NH(3)/(18)F-FDG PET could identify cardiac involvement in patients with sarcoidosis.

Methods: Seventeen patients with cardiac sarcoidosis underwent cardiac (13)N-NH(3)/(18)F-FDG PET under fasting condition.

Incremental value of assessment of regional wall motion for detection of multivessel coronary artery disease in exercise (201)Tl gated myocardial perfusion imaging.

Unlabelled: Assessment of reversible perfusion defects in exercise (201)Tl perfusion SPECT has low sensitivity and high specificity for detection of multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD). The goal of this study was to evaluate whether worsening of left ventricular regional wall motion assessed by an automated algorithm in exercise (201)Tl electrocardiography-gated SPECT had incremental diagnostic value over perfusion data for detection of multivessel CAD.

Methods: Two hundred one patients underwent exercise (201)Tl gated SPECT.

Incremental value of left ventricular ejection fraction for detection of multivessel coronary artery disease in exercise (201)Tl gated myocardial perfusion imaging.

Unlabelled: Assessment of reversible defects in exercise (201)Tl perfusion SPECT has low sensitivity and high specificity for detection of multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD). The goal of this study was to evaluate whether the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in exercise (201)Tl gated SPECT had incremental diagnostic value over perfusion data for detection of multivessel CAD.

Methods: One hundred eighty-two patients underwent exercise (201)Tl gated SPECT.