Outcome in patients with an ICD incorporating cardiac resynchronisation therapy: differences between primary and secondary prophylaxis.

Background: The incidence of ventricular tachyarrhythmias in ICD patients with cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT-D) is not well studied.

Aim: To analyse event free survival in CRT-D patients with a primary or a secondary prophylactic ICD indication.

Methods: Prospective, single centre.

Ten-year follow-up of recipients of a kidney or heart transplant who received induction therapy with a monoclonal antibody against the interleukin-2 receptor.

Objectives: Twelve years ago, we performed two randomized clinical trials to investigate safety and efficacy of induction therapy with BT563, a highly potent murine monoclonal antibody against the interleukin-2 receptor after kidney and heart transplantation. We analyzed the long-term safety and efficacy data from all 120 patients who participated in the two randomized trials after kidney and heart transplantation 10 years ago.

Materials And Methods: One of these two trials was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, with 60 primary and secondary kidney allograft recipients (cadaveric and living-related donors).

Differences between patients with a preserved and a depressed left ventricular function: a report from the EuroHeart Failure Survey.

Aims: Due to a lack of clinical trials, scientific evidence regarding the management of patients with chronic heart failure and preserved left ventricular function (PLVF) is scarce. The EuroHeart Failure Survey provided information on the characteristics, treatment and outcomes of patients with PLVF as compared to patients with a left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD).

Methods And Results: We performed a secondary analysis using data from the EuroHeart Failure Survey, only including patients with a measurement of LV function (n = 6806).

Abdominal aortic aneurysms after heart transplantation.

Background: In recent years abdominal aortic aneurysms were diagnosed in several heart transplant recipients at our center. Only case reports or small series have been reported previously and little is known about abdominal aortic aneurysms after heart transplantation. Therefore, the goals of this study were to estimate the incidence of this condition after heart transplantation, to identify risk factors for its development, and to assess its clinical consequences.