Is cardiac resynchronisation therapy feasible, safe and beneficial in the very elderly?

Objective: To evaluate whether cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) implantation was feasible and safe in octogenarians and the association with symptoms.

Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing CRT implantation were recruited from two UK centers. Patients grouped according to age: < 80 & ≥ 80 years.

Routine laboratory tests can predict in-hospital mortality in acute exacerbations of COPD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has a rising global incidence and acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) carries a high health-care economic burden. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis is able to create decision trees to classify risk groups. We analysed routinely collected laboratory data to identify prognostic factors for inpatient mortality with AECOPD from our large district hospital.

AVNRT unmasking asymptomatic ALCAPA (anomalous left coronary artery arising from the pulmonary artery) with preserved left ventricular function in middle age.

We present the unusual case of a 49-year-old female with a previously undiagnosed anomalous left coronary artery arising from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) presenting in middle age with atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) and preserved left ventricular function. She subsequently underwent successful translocation of her anomalous left coronary artery to the aorta.