Effects of Upgrade Versus De Novo Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy on Clinical Response and Long-Term Survival: Results from a Multicenter Study.

Background: Benefits of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on morbidity and mortality in selected patients are well known. Although the number of upgrade procedures from single- or dual-chamber devices to CRT is increasing, there are only sparse data on the outcomes of upgrade procedures compared with de novo CRT. This study aimed to evaluate clinical response and survival in patients receiving de novo versus upgrade CRT defibrillator therapy.

Safety of transient elastography in patients with implanted cardiac rhythm devices.

Background: At present the use of transient elastography (TE) in patients with pacemaker (PM) or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) devices is not recommended, since the safety due to the electromagnet embarked in the vibrator for producing the shearwave has not been evaluated. However, no adverse events of sonographic examinations in this patient group have been reported.

Aims: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the safety of TE in patients with PM or ICD.

Optimal Anticoagulation Strategy for Cardioversion in Atrial Fibrillation.

For many patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation, cardioversion is performed to restore sinus rhythm and relieve symptoms. Cardioversion carries a distinct risk for thromboembolism which has been described to be in the order of magnitude of 1 to 3 %. For almost five decades, vitamin K antagonist therapy has been the mainstay of therapy to prevent thromboembolism around the time of cardioversion although not a single prospective trial has formally established its efficacy and safety.

Role of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and cystatin C to estimate renal function in patients with and without heart failure.

Blood cystatin C has increasingly been used as an endogenous marker for estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and evaluating prognosis in patients with acute or chronic heart failure. The goal of the study was to investigate the impact of heart failure on the determination of renal function based on cystatin C or creatinine in nonacute cardiac patients. A total of 880 consecutive and clinically stable patients with heart disease were prospectively evaluated.

Cardiac (31)P-MRS compared to echocardiographic findings in patients with hypertensive heart disease without overt systolic dysfunction--preliminary results.

Purpose: To evaluate changes in high energy phosphate (HEP) metabolism in patients with hypertension and diastolic dysfunction but with normal LVEF>55% assessed by echocardiography and tissue Doppler.

Material And Methods: 20 patients (16 men and 4 women, mean age 57+/-13 years) were studied with phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy and echocardiography. MRS was performed at 1.