Usefulness of Excellent Functional Capacity in Men and Women With Ischemic Exercise Electrocardiography to Predict a Negative Stress Imaging Test and Very Low Late Mortality.

Exercise electrocardiography (ExECG) is widely employed to assess patients for coronary artery disease but it has limited diagnostic accuracy. Many patients with positive (ischemic) tests based on exercise-induced ST depression undergo secondary evaluation by noninvasive stress imaging. We hypothesized that high functional capacity in patients with positive ExECG could predict: (1) negative results in secondary evaluation by exercise echocardiography (ESE) or myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) and (2) low mortality on late follow-up.

Delphi poll to assess consensus on issues influencing long-term adherence to treatments in cystic fibrosis among Italian health care professionals.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the level of consensus among Italian health care professionals (HCPs) regarding factors that influence adherence to cystic fibrosis (CF) treatments.

Methods: A Delphi questionnaire with 94 statements of potential factors influencing adherence was developed based on a literature review and in consultation with a board of experts (n=4). This was distributed to a multidisciplinary expert panel of HCPs (n=110) from Italian CF centers.

Survival in Patients with Degenerative Mitral Stenosis: Results from a Large Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Severe mitral annular calcification causing degenerative mitral stenosis (DMS) is increasingly encountered in patients undergoing mitral and aortic valve interventions. However, its clinical profile and natural history and the factors affecting survival remain poorly characterized. The goal of this study was to characterize the factors affecting survival in patients with DMS.

Progression of degenerative mitral stenosis: insights from a cohort of 254 patients.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Degenerative mitral stenosis (DMS) is an increasingly common echocardiographic finding, yet the clinical and biological behavior and rate of progression of the condition are unknown.

Methods: A total of 254 patients was identified from the authors' echocardiographic database with DMS, defined as severe mitral annular calcification with extension into the mitral leaflets resulting in transmitral flow acceleration with a mean diastolic gradient of >2 mmHg in the absence of commissural fusion. Each patient required paired echocardiograms to have been recorded at least three months apart.

Barriers to surgery in severe aortic stenosis patients with Class I indications for aortic valve replacement.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Despite a dismal natural history of severe aortic stenosis (AS) in patients with symptoms, there is a high non-surgical rate. The study aim was to analyze in detail the decision-making process for aortic valve replacement (AVR) that follows the diagnosis of severe AS with Class I indications, in order to identify the barriers to surgery.

Methods: A total of 187 consecutive patients (105 men, 82 women; mean age 74 +/- 14 years) with severe AS, defined as aortic valve area (AVA) <1.