Relation of short-term heart rate variability to incident heart failure (from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).

Whether autonomic dysfunction predates the development of symptomatic heart failure (HF) or is simply a consequence of severe HF is unknown. We hypothesized that reduced heart rate variability (a marker of abnormal autonomic function) at baseline is associated with incident HF in subjects free of clinically recognized cardiovascular disease. In the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a population-based study of subclinical cardiovascular disease in adults aged 45 to 84 years, we measured the heart rate variability using a standard 30-second, 12-lead electrocardiogram to measure the standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN) and the root mean square of successive differences in RR intervals (RMSSD).

Associations between NOS1AP single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and QT interval duration in four racial/ethnic groups in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Backgrounds: QT is a risk factor for sudden cardiac death (SCD). A genome-wide association study identified NOS1AP variants associated with QT, which have been replicated in predominantly Caucasian (CAU) populations. We used the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis to examine association of QT with NOS1AP variants in an ethnically diverse cohort.

The prevalence of clinically relevant incidental findings on chest computed tomographic angiograms ordered to diagnose pulmonary embolism.

Background: Chest computed tomographic angiograms (CTAs) are frequently ordered for evaluation of suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) in the emergency department, but non-PE findings are often noted. Our objective was to determine the prevalence and management implications of incidental findings on chest CTAs ordered to assess for PE.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we reviewed 589 pulmonary CTAs that were ordered in the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital.

Relationship between genetic variants in myocardial sodium and potassium channel genes and QT interval duration in diabetics: the Diabetes Heart Study.

Background: Genetic variants in myocardial sodium and potassium channel genes are associated with prolonged QT interval and increased risk of sudden death. It is unclear whether these genetic variants remain relevant in subjects with underlying conditions such as diabetes that are associated with prolonged QT interval.

Methods: We tested single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in five candidate genes for association with QT interval in a family-based study of subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).