Disease progression rate is a strong predictor of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with cardiac laminopathies: a primary prevention cohort study.

Aims: Cardiac disease progression prior to first ventricular arrhythmia (VA) in LMNA genotype-positive patients is not described.

Methods And Results: We performed a primary prevention cohort study, including consecutive LMNA genotype-positive patients from our centre. Patients underwent repeated clinical, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic examinations.

Septal contraction predicts acute haemodynamic improvement and paced QRS width reduction in cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Aims: Three distinct septal contraction patterns typical for left bundle branch block may be assessed using echocardiography in heart failure patients scheduled for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). The aim of this study was to explore the association between these septal contraction patterns and the acute haemodynamic and electrical response to biventricular pacing (BIVP) in patients undergoing CRT implantation.

Methods And Results: Thirty-eight CRT candidates underwent speckle tracking echocardiography prior to device implantation.

The role of echocardiography in management of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, characterized by increased left ventricular wall thickness. Echocardiographic studies are essential for establishing the diagnosis, evaluating the extent of disease, and risk stratification. Echocardiography is also recommended in regular screening of the genotype-positive relatives.

Synthesis of an Alleged Byproduct Precursor in Iodixanol Preparation.

, -Bis(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)-2,4,6-triiodo-5-(-(oxiran-2-ylmethyl)acetamido)isophthalamide (), the alleged precursor of several minor byproducts formed when the X-ray contrast agent iodixanol is synthesized from 5-acetamido- , -bis(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)-2,4,6-triiodoisophthalamide (), has been successfully prepared with an overall yield of 25%. Epoxide enabled the confirmation of its presence in the reaction mixture during the preparation of iodixanol when amide was used as the starting material.

Contractility surrogates derived from three-dimensional lead motion analysis and prediction of acute haemodynamic response to CRT.

Background: Patient-specific left ventricular (LV) lead optimisation strategies with immediate feedback on cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) effectiveness are needed. The purpose of this study was to compare contractility surrogates derived from biventricular lead motion analysis to the peak positive time derivative of LV pressure (dP/dt in patients undergoing CRT implantation.

Methods: Twenty-seven patients underwent CRT implantation with continuous haemodynamic monitoring.