Significant Correlates of Nocturnal Hypertension in Patients With Hypertension Who Are Treated With Antihypertensive Drugs.

Background: Nocturnal hypertension assessed by a home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) device is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. However, it is still difficult to assess nighttime blood pressure (BP) frequently. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to identify significant correlates of nocturnal hypertension assessed by an HBPM device in patients with hypertension who are treated with antihypertensive drugs.

Aortic aneurysm and craniosynostosis in a family with Cantu syndrome.

Cantu syndrome is an autosomal dominant overgrowth syndrome associated with facial dysmorphism, congenital hypertrichosis, and cardiomegaly. Some affected individuals show bone undermodeling of variable severity. Recent investigations revealed that the disorder is caused by a mutation in ABCC9, encoding a regulatory SUR2 subunit of an ATP-sensitive potassium channel mainly expressed in cardiac and skeletal muscle as well as vascular smooth muscle.

Thrombus in the left atrial septal pouch mimicking myxoma.

A 15 × 13 mm mobile ovoid mass attached via a 15 × 5 mm stalk to the interatrial septum in the left atrium was detected on transesophageal echocardiography and was diagnosed as a myxoma in a 70-year-old woman with chronic atrial fibrillation. She was prescribed anticoagulant therapy with warfarin before elective cardiac surgery and demonstrated no thromboembolic event during a 2.5-month period.

Longitudinal extent of lipid pool assessed by optical coherence tomography predicts microvascular no-reflow after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: Distal embolization during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may deteriorate microvascular reperfusion in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Reperfusion at the coronary microvascular level is important for STEMI and culprit plaque is associated with distal embolization and microvascular reperfusion. ST-segment resolution (ST-R) in the electrocardiogram reflects microvascular reperfusion after primary PCI.

Coronary angioscopic findings 9 months after everolimus-eluting stent implantation compared with sirolimus-eluting stents.

Objectives: We assessed angioscopic findings after everolimus-eluting stents (EES) implantation, compared with sirolimus-eluting stents (SES).

Background: Coronary angioscopy (CAS) provides an opportunity to assess neointimal coverage over stent struts, thrombus, and plaque color by direct visualization. CAS is a useful tool for evaluating stent struts after drug-eluting stent implantation.

Should we emergently revascularize occluded coronaries for cardiac arrest?: rapid-response extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and intra-arrest percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may be useful in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. However, little is known about the combination of ECMO and intra-arrest PCI. This study investigated the efficacy of rapid-response ECMO and intra-arrest PCI in patients with cardiac arrest complicated by acute coronary syndrome who were unresponsive to conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Three-year follow-up of sirolimus-eluting stents vs. bare metal stents for acute myocardial infarction.

Background: The long-term safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remain controversial.

Methods And Results: A total of 143 consecutive patients who presented between August 2004 and July 2006 with AMI and who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using sirolimus-eluting stents (SES), were compared with a historical control cohort of 129 consecutive patients who presented between August 2002 and July 2004 and who underwent primary PCI using bare metal stents (BMS). The rate of major adverse cardiovascular events at 3 years was significantly lower in the SES group than in the BMS group (20.

Usefulness of Lipoprotein (a) for predicting progression of non-culprit coronary lesions after acute myocardial infarction.

Background: The serum lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] level is genetically determined and remains consistent during a person's life. Previous cohort studies have reported that subjects with a high Lp(a) level are at high risk of cardiac events.

Methods And Results: This study consisted of 410 patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention within 24h of the onset of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Comparison of gender-specific mortality in patients < 70 years versus ≥ 70 years old with acute myocardial infarction.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the gender-specific mortality after acute myocardial infarction in those aged < 70 years versus ≥ 70 years. The present study consisted of 2,677 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction who had undergone coronary angiography within 24 hours after the onset of symptoms. The patients were divided into 2 groups: 1,810 patients < 70 years old and 867 patients ≥ 70 years old.

Who benefits most from mild therapeutic hypothermia in coronary intervention era? A retrospective and propensity-matched study.

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of the time interval from collapse to return of spontaneous circulation (CPA-ROSC) in cardiac arrest patients and the types of patients who will benefit from therapeutic hypothermia.

Methods: Four hundred witnessed adult comatose survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest of cardiac etiology were enrolled in the study. The favorable neurological outcome was defined as category 1 or 2 on the five-point Pittsburgh cerebral performance scale at the time of hospital discharge.

Glucometabolic responses during Glucose Tolerance Test: a comparison between known diabetes and newly detected diabetes after acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) newly detects diabetes (new diabetes) in a substantial number of patients without a history of diabetes (known diabetes) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Patients with new diabetes have poor outcomes, despite their lower HbA1c levels.

Methods: This study consisted of 53 patients with new diabetes and 47 patients with known diabetes who underwent GTT 1 week after AMI.

Assessment of outcomes and differences between in- and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients treated with cardiopulmonary resuscitation using extracorporeal life support.

Aim: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) using extracorporeal life support (ECLS) for in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) patients has been assigned a low-grade recommendation in current resuscitation guidelines. This study compared the outcomes of IHCA and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients treated with ECLS.

Methods: A total of 77 patients were treated with ECLS.

Effect of prodromal angina pectoris on the infarct progression in patients with first ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Prodromal angina pectoris (AP) has a cardioprotective effect by the mechanism of ischemic preconditioning, and the QRS score on the admission electrocardiogram (ECG) reflects myocardial damage at presentation. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of prodromal AP on infarct progression after the onset of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods And Results: The study group comprised 291 patients with a first ST-elevation AMI who underwent coronary angiography within 24 h of symptom onset.

Coronary angioscopic findings eight months after sirolimus-eluting stent implantation: a comparison between ST-elevation myocardial infarction and stable angina pectoris.

Aims: Conflicting data exist about the safety of the sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Previous studies have reported delayed neointimal proliferation over SES with high incidence of adhering thrombus. This study was undertaken to assess the neointimal coverage and thrombus formation after SES implantation between patients with STEMI and those with stable angina pectoris (SAP).

Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy after successful resuscitation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

A 69-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man were admitted to our hospital after successful resuscitation of out-of hospital cardiac arrest. In the first case, electrocardiogram showed mild ST-segment elevation in leads V3-V5. Coronary angiography did not show any obstructive coronary artery disease, and left ventriculography showed apical ballooning of the left ventricular chamber.

Presentation of Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy in men and women.

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that stress-induced Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy is likely to occur in elderly female patients.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate gender differences in the clinical characteristics of patients with Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy.

Methods: This study consisted of 102 patients with Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy.

Right atrial thrombosis after upgrading to a biventricular pacing/defibrillation system.

A 56-year-old man under right ventricular pacing for atrial fibrillation and bradycardia had congestive heart failure. He received a cardiac resynchronization pacemaker with a defibrillator. Four months later, follow-up transthoracic echocardiography showed a right atrial mass although he had no symptom.

Accidental connection between the atrial and ventricular stylets during a stimulation threshold test for pacemaker implantation.

This report describes a case of atrioventricular crosstalk during a stimulation threshold test. This phenomenon was likely due to the accidental connection between the atrial and ventricular stylets. Electrocardiologists should recognize atrioventricular crosstalk during a stimulation threshold test to avoid repositioning the atrial lead unnecessarily or inducing ventricular arrhythmia.

Therapeutic hypothermia in combination with percutaneous coronary intervention in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to left main coronary artery disease.

A 59-year-old man had a witnessed collapse while driving a car. Approximately 10 min after the call to emergency services, paramedics arrived and initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The first electrocardiogram (ECG) obtained by paramedics showed pulseless electrical activity.

History of diabetes mellitus as a neurologic predictor in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest of cardiac origin treated with mild hypothermia.

Aim: To investigate the impact of a history of diabetes mellitus on the neurologic outcome in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest of cardiac origin treated with mild hypothermia.

Methods: A prospective observational study was performed between September 2003 and July 2008. Eighty comatose survivors of cardiac arrest of cardiac origin were treated with mild hypothermia.

The decrease in QRS amplitude after aortic valve replacement in patients with aortic valve stenosis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of aortic valve replacement on electrocardiogram (ECG) in patients with aortic valve stenosis.

Methods: Serial 12-lead ECGs were obtained in 15 patients with aortic valve stenosis who underwent aortic valve replacement. Three ECG indexes for left ventricular hypertrophy were manually measured in each ECG: Sokolow-Lyon index (sum of S wave in V(1) and R wave in V(5)), Cornell voltage index (sum of R wave in aVL and S wave in V(3)), and Gubner index (sum of R wave in I and S wave in III).