[Aortic distensibility indices evaluated by transoesophageal echocardiography in patients with coronary artery disease or aortic valve stenosis].

Introduction: The authors examined the aortic distensibility indices evaluated by transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in patients with ischaemic heart disease and in aortic stenosis cases with normal epicardial coronary arteries.

Patients And Methods: 126 consecutive patients with chest pain were enrolled into the study with the following results: 17 patients showed normal epicardial coronary arteries, 23 patients had non-significant coronary artery disease, 44 patients had significant one-vessel disease and 42 patients had significant multivessel disease. Their results were compared to 16 aortic stenosis cases but with negative coronary angiograms.

Indices of aortic distensibility and coronary flow velocity reserve in patients with different grades of aortic atherosclerosis.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation of the elastic properties of the descending aorta, the coronary flow velocity reserve (CFR) and the grade of aortic atherosclerosis (AA) in patients who have undergone coronary angiography.

Methods: A total of 113 consecutive patients (77 men and 36 women, aged 31-80 years) underwent stress transoesophageal echocardiographic (STEE) assessment of the CFR. The grade of AA and the indices of aortic distensibility were evaluated during the same session of STEE.

Atherosclerosis of the descending aorta predicts cardiovascular events: a transesophageal echocardiography study.

Purpose: Previous studies have shown that atherosclerosis of the descending aorta detected by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a good marker of coexisting coronary artery disease. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether the presence of atherosclerosis on the descending aorta during TEE has any prognostic impact in predicting cardiovascular events.

Material And Methods: The study group consisted of 238 consecutive in-hospital patients referred for TEE testing (135 males, 103 females, mean age 58 +/- 11 years) with a follow up of 24 months.

Coronary flow velocity reserve and indices describing aortic distensibility in patients after coronary angiography.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the elastic properties of the descending aorta and the coronary flow velocity reserve (CFR) in patients after coronary angiography.

Methods And Patients: We recruited 112 subjects with stable angina pectoris without a previous myocardial infarction: 17 consecutive patients with anatomically normal coronary arteries, 24 patients with non-significant coronary artery disease (CAD), 31 patients with significant left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) disease and 40 patients with multivessel disease (MVD). Transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is useful for evaluation of the elastic properties of the descending aorta.

Relationship between hypercholesterolemia, lipid-lowering therapy and coronary flow velocity reserve evaluated by stress transesophageal echocardiography in patients with a negative coronary angiogram.

Unlabelled: The coronary flow velocity reserve (CFR) depends not only on vascular, extravascular, and rheological factors, but also on metabolic factors, such as the cholesterol level. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between hypercholesterolemia, the application or not of 6 months lipid-lowering therapy, and the CFR evaluated by pharmacological stress transesophageal echocardiography (PSTEE) in patients without major coronary artery disease.

Patients And Methods: Sixty-nine patients with a negative coronary angiogram were enrolled in the study.

[Clinical role of flow velocity of left atrial auricle for prediction of short and long term success of cardioversion in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation].

Introduction: Echocardiographic parameters for predicting cardioversion (CV) outcome and long-term sinus rhythm (SR) maintenance in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) are not accurately defined.

Aims: The authors aim was to evaluate the role of left atrial appendage (LAA) flow velocity detected by transesophageal echocardiography before CV for prediction of short and long-term (1 year) outcome of CV in patients with nonvalvular AF.

Methods: One hundred and nine patients (66 males, mean age: 57 +/- 13 years) with nonvalvular AF lasting more than 48 hours but less than 1-year duration underwent transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography before either electrical or pharmacological CV attempt.

Clinical value of left atrial appendage flow for prediction of long-term sinus rhythm maintenance in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: This study evaluated the role of various clinical and echocardiographic parameters, including the left atrial appendage (LAA) anterograde flow velocity, for prediction of the long-term preservation of sinus rhythm (SR) in patients with successful cardioversion (CV) of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF).

Background: Echocardiographic parameters for assessing long-term SR maintenance after successful CV of nonvalvular AF are not accurately defined.

Methods: Clinical, transthoracic echocardiographic and transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) data--measured in AF lasting >48 h--of 186 consecutive patients (116 men, mean age: 65 +/- 9 years) with successful CV (electrical or pharmacologic) were analyzed for assessment of one-year maintenance of SR.