Impact of SMART Pass filter in patients with ajmaline-induced Brugada syndrome and subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator eligibility failure: results from a prospective multicentre study.

Aims: Ajmaline challenge can unmask subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) screening failure in patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS) and non-diagnostic baseline electrocardiogram (ECG). The efficacy of the SMART Pass (SP) filter, a high-pass filter designed to reduce cardiac oversensing (while maintaining an appropriate sensing margin), has not yet been assessed in patients with BrS. The aim of this prospective multicentre study was to investigate the effect of the SP filter on dynamic Brugada ECG changes evoked by ajmaline and to assess its value in reducing S-ICD screening failure in patients with drug-induced Brugada ECGs.

[Periprocedural management of anticoagulation therapy and in-hospital outcomes in patients with warfarin indication undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Data from the WAR-STENT registry].

Background: In patients with an indication for oral anticoagulation (OAC) with warfarin, the management of OAC peri-procedure of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is still not fully defined. To investigate clinical practice and outcomes associated with continuation vs interruption of OAC, with or without bridging with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), we examined the database of the observational, prospective, multicenter Italian WAR-STENT registry.

Methods: The WAR-STENT registry was conducted in 2008-2010 in 37 Italian centers and included 411 consecutive patients in 157 of whom the peri-procedural international normalized ratio (INR) value was available.

Twelve-month outcome of patients with an established indication for oral anticoagulation undergoing coronary artery stenting and stratified by the baseline risk of bleeding: Insights from the Warfarin and Coronary Stenting (War-Stent) Registry.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcome of patients with an established indication for oral anticoagulation (OAC) undergoing coronary stent implantation (PCI-S) and stratified by the baseline risk of bleeding.

Material And Methods: The database of the prospective, multicentre, observational WAR-STENT registry (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00722319) was analyzed and patients with atrial fibrillation and CHADS-VASc score ≥2, mechanical heart valve, prior cardiac embolism, intra-cardiac thrombus and recent venous thromboembolism who were treated with either triple (warfarin, aspirin and clopidogrel) or dual (warfarin and clopidogrel) or dual antiplatelet (aspirin and clopidogrel) therapy, identified.

Determination of dansylated amino acids and biogenic amines in Cannonau and Vermentino wines by HPLC-FLD.

Free amino acids (AA) and biogenic amines (BA) were quantified for the first time in Cannonau and Vermentino wines, the two most popular "Controlled Designation of Origin" wines from Sardinia (Italy). An analytical method for the simultaneous determination of AA and BA was developed, using selective derivatization with dansyl chloride followed by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Thirty-two compounds were identified in the wines analysed.

Left atrial diverticula in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation: morphologic analysis and clinical impact.

Introduction: Left atrial diverticula (LAD) have been reported to be (1) at risk for intracavitary thrombosis and cardiac perforation during ablation and (2) sites of extrapulmonary vein foci. In atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation, their presence might undermine procedure safety and efficacy. This observational study evaluates the morphology and clinical impact of LAD in patients undergoing AF ablation.

Ad hoc transradial coronary angioplasty strategy: experience and results in a single centre.

Background: The combination of diagnostic and angioplasty as a single procedure is becoming common practice in many institutions, but the feasibility of this strategy performed with the transradial approach in a large group of patients has not been evaluated. This study was performed to explore the feasibility, safety and cost-effectiveness of the transradial approach as a single procedure for diagnostic angiography and angioplasty, including stent implantation.

Methods: From February 1999 and November 2000 the percutaneous transradial approach was attempted in 800 patients with functional radial arch attested using Allen's test.

[Primary angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction: experience and results in the first 1,000 consecutive patients].

Background: One of the biggest debates in modern cardiology regards the relative merit of primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) versus thrombolysis for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction with persistent ST-segment elevation. After the excellent results with primary PTCA in trials and meta-analyses, the next question is whether such results might be duplicated in "real world" conditions.

Methods: Between January 1995 and April 2003, 1000 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction, out of 2272 (44%) with ST-segment elevation admitted to the coronary care unit at the Cardiology Department of the S.

Transradial approach for renal percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting: a feasibility pilot study.

Background: Stent implantation of renal stenosis (RS) has been reported on extensively; this technique is perceived as superior to balloon angioplasty alone and less invasive than surgical revascularization. With the development of new accessories and stents, we can now improve and optimize procedural and clinical results. In this pilot study, we tested an alternative minimally invasive approach for renal stenting: the transradial artery catheterization (TAC) and a 6 French (Fr) system for stenting.