Uric acid elevation in atrial fibrillation.

Introduction: Uric acid is a cardiovascular risk marker associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Recently, atrial fibrillation (AF) has been associated with inflammation and oxidative stress. We therefore investigated the association between AF and uric acid levels.

Determinants of plasma NT-pro-BNP levels in patients with atrial fibrillation and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the clinical and echocardiographic determinants of plasma NT-pro-BNP levels in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Methods: NT-pro-BNP levels were measured in 45 patients with paroxysmal AF, 41 patients with permanent AF and 48 controls.

Results: NT-pro-BNP levels were found significantly elevated in patients with paroxysmal (215+/-815 pg/ml) and permanent AF (1,086+/-835 pg/ml) in relation to control population (86.

Correlation between morphologic characteristics and local temperature differences in culprit lesions of patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible correlation between morphologic and functional characteristics of culprit lesions (CL) in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and chronic stable angina (CSA).

Background: Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) provides morphologic assessment and intracoronary thermography (ICT) evaluates the local inflammatory activation of CL.

Methods: Eighty-one consecutive patients, 48 with ACS and 33 with CSA, were enrolled.

Correlation of systemic inflammation with local inflammatory activity in non-culprit lesions: beneficial effect of statins.

Background: In patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) increased systemic and local inflammatory activation in culprit lesions is observed. It is unknown, however, whether systemic inflammation is correlated with non-culprit lesion inflammatory activation. Moreover, the effect of statins on non-culprit lesion inflammation has not been extensively investigated.

Open ended circulation pattern: a rare case of a protective coronary artery variation and review of the literature.

Persistent intercoronary communications, forming the so-called open ended coronary circulation pattern, are rare findings of coronary angiography. A case of intercoronary connection between the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and the right coronary artery (RCA), with an obstructive lesion, and no evidence of myocardial infarction is presented. This is an exceptional variant, only 20 cases of which were found in the literature.

Coronary sinus thermography in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: correlation with systemic inflammation and left ventricular contractility.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that patients with heart failure have increased myocardial heat production. Coronary sinus (CS) thermography is a new method for the evaluation of left ventricular heat production.

Aims: We investigated whether the CS blood temperature is increased in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) compared to a control group and whether the CS blood temperature correlates with ejection fraction and systemic inflammatory activation.

Early repolarization syndrome: is it always benign?

Early repolarization syndrome is a well-recognized idiopathic electrocardiographic phenomenon characterized by prominent J wave and ST-segment elevation predominantly in left precordial leads. The syndrome shares remarkable cellular, ionic, and electrocardiographic similarities with the Brugada syndrome and idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (a variant of the Brugada syndrome with ST-segment elevation in inferior leads). Although early repolarization syndrome is considered a benign entity, its arrhythmogenic potential still remains unknown.

Elevated plaque temperature in non-culprit de novo atheromatous lesions of patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Objectives: We investigated whether there is increased temperature in non-culprit lesions, and the correlation of clinical syndrome with heat production of non-culprit lesions.

Background: There is a controversy regarding whether there is widespread inflammation involving non-culprit lesions, or whether inflammatory involvement is limited to the culprit lesion. Coronary thermography assesses the local inflammatory involvement in atherosclerotic lesions.

Patients with type two diabetes mellitus: increased local inflammatory activation in culprit atheromatous plaques.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) predisposes to coronary artery disease (CAD). The progression of CAD has recently come to be regarded as an inflammatory activation. Thermography detects local inflammatory involvement as heat generation.

Increased heat generation from atherosclerotic plaques in patients with type 2 diabetes: an increased local inflammatory activation.

Objective: Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes show increased inflammatory activation. Thermography detects local inflammatory involvement as heat generation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether patients with CAD and diabetes have increased local heat generation compared with nondiabetic patients.