Reproducibility of chronic and acute infarct size measurement by delayed enhancement-magnetic resonance imaging.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of acute and chronic infarct size (IS) by delayed enhancement (DE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Background: Infarct size measurements can be used as surrogate end point to reduce the sample size in studies comparing different reperfusion strategies in myocardial infarction (MI). Delayed enhancement MRI is a rather new technique, and so far infarct IS reproducibility has not been established appropriately.

Functional and morphological skeletal muscle abnormalities correlate with reduced electromyographic activity in chronic heart failure.

Background: Exercise intolerance and early muscle fatigue are key symptoms in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). In advanced stages of the disease, profound metabolic abnormalities have been described finally leading to a catabolic state with progressive loss of muscle bulk. The aim of this study was to investigate morphological, functional and electromyographical parameters of the skeletal muscle in CHF.