Clinical impact of diabetes mellitus on 2-year clinical outcomes following PCI with second-generation drug-eluting stents; Landmark analysis findings from patient registry: Pooled analysis of the Korean multicenter drug-eluting stent registry.

Background: Patients with diabetes mellitus are at an increased risk for adverse clinical events following percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). However, the clinical impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) on second-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation is not well-known. The aim of the current analysis was to examine the clinical impact of DM on clinical outcomes and the time sequence of associated risks in patients treated with second-generation DES.

The impact of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation on the left atrial volume and function: study using three-dimensional echocardiography.

Purpose: The exact correlation between the baseline left atrial (LA) volume (LAV) and atrial fibrillation (AF) radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) outcomes and changes to the LA after AF RFCA has not yet been fully understood. We sought to evaluate the serial changes in the LAV and LA function after RFCA using 3D echocardiography.

Methods: Consecutive patients who received RFCA of paroxysmal (PAF) or persistent AF (PeAF) at our center between January 2013 and March 2016 were included.

NOAC Adherence of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation in the Real World: Dosing Frequency Matters?

Background And Objectives:  Nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) require stricter medication adherence. We investigated the NOACs adherence in real-world practice.

Methods:  We screened all patients in our cardiology department the day before their outpatient appointment, over a 5-month period.

Novel method for the prediction of para-Hisian premature ventricular complexes from the electrocardiogram.

Background: Catheter ablation of para-Hisian (PH) premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) has a high risk of heart block. This study aimed to find the electrocardiographic (ECG) predictors of PH-PVCs.

Methods: We enrolled 47 patients who underwent an electrophysiologic study for catheter ablation of PVCs and analyzed the ECG characteristics, retrospectively.

The incidence of left atrial appendage thrombi on transesophageal echocardiography after pretreatment with apixaban for cardioversion in the real-world practice.

The risk of thromboembolisms during the post-cardioversion period is high. For patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF), anticoagulation with warfarin (INR 2.0~3.

Usefulness of the Doppler flow of the ophthalmic artery in the evaluation of carotid and coronary atherosclerosis.

Background And Objectives: There is little information about the relationship between the Doppler flow of the ophthalmic artery (OA) and carotid and coronary atherosclerosis. The aim of the investigation was to assess the clinical usefulness of the Doppler flow of the OA to estimate the severity of carotid and coronary atherosclerosis.

Subjects And Methods: The study was a retrospective analysis of the findings in 140 patients (mean age: 60 years, male: 64%) who underwent coronary angiography (CA) for the evaluation of typical angina between July 2010 and October 2011 in our single center.