Cardiovascular magnetic resonance validation of fractional changes in annulo-apical angles and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion for rapid assessment of right ventricular systolic function.

Purpose: To evaluate the use of right ventricular (RV) annulo-apical angle (AA) changes acquired by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), alongside tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), for its association with RV systolic function.

Materials And Methods: Thirty patients with varying RV dysfunction and 10 normal controls were enrolled and scanned after obtaining written consent. Systolic change in AAs, alpha (α), beta (β), and theta (θ), subtended by a triangle connecting the septal and lateral extent of the tricuspid valve annulus and RV apex, and TAPSE were measured.

A pilot project of familial screening in patients with bicuspid aortic valve disease.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is a common congenital cardiac abnormality, is often familial, and is associated with dilatation of the aortic root. The risk of dissection is significantly higher than that in the general population, occurring at a younger age than in patients with idiopathic aortic aneurysms. Current ACC/AHA guidelines recommend familial echocardiographic screening which, to the present authors' knowledge, is not performed routinely and uniformly.

Lipid-lowering therapy in chronic kidney disease: is there a role for ezetimibe?

The use of lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) results in a reduction in atherosclerotic cardiovascular events but not mortality. The risk reduction for patients on dialysis appears to be less than in pre-dialysis CKD. These findings may be due to the higher rate of non-atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease found in end-stage disease.

Is high body mass index associated with increased risk of groin complications using manual compression after diagnostic coronary angiography?

There is a common perception that high body mass index (BMI) is associated with an increased risk of bleeding complications at the site of femoral puncture when manual compression is used for achieving hemostasis. Because of lack of evidence to support or refute this, we conducted a study to assess whether raised BMI is associated with increased risk of groin complications. 15 cases of groin complications after manual compression over 2 years and 40 controls were each divided into 3 groups according to BMI.