Left Atrial Volume Index at Peak Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography Predicts the Extent of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with Normal Resting Wall Motion.

Background: Left atrial volume indexed to body surface area (LAVI) measured at rest is an independent predictor of adverse cardiovascular outcome at long-term follow-up. We explored the value of LAVI measured at peak dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) to identify patients with significant coronary artery disease (CAD) and to discriminate those with multivessel CAD.

Methods: We enrolled 100 patients of 134 consecutively screened patients without resting wall-motion abnormalities (WMA) referred for DSE.

Pre-ejection mitral annular motion velocity responses to dobutamine infusion: A quantitative approach for assessment of myocardial viability.

Background: Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is widely used for detection of myocardial viability. The main limitation of DSE is its subjective interpretation. Assessment of mitral annular motion velocities with tissue Doppler imaging is a simple and quantitative measurement.

QT Interval and QT Dispersion in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis: Revisiting the Old Theory.

Aims: We sought to explore the response of the corrected QT (QTc) interval duration and QT dispersion (QTD) to hemodialysis.

Methods: We enrolled 50 patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing regular hemodialysis. Blood samples were drawn for measurement of serum electrolytes, and a 12-lead ECG was performed to measure the QTc interval duration and QTD, immediately before and just after dialysis sessions.

Relationship between cardiovascular risk as predicted by established risk scores and coronary artery plaque composition as detected by virtual histology intravascular ultrasound analysis: the PREDICT pilot study.

Aims: Identification of subclinical high-risk plaques is potentially important because they may have greater likelihood for rupture and thrombosis. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between in vivo coronary artery plaque composition using intravascular ultrasound virtual histology (IVUS-VH) and cardiovascular risk as predicted by clinical risk scores in patients with non-obstructive stable coronary artery disease.

Methods And Results: Forty patients undergoing elective coronary angiography revealing <50% coronary artery stenoses were prospectively included.

Relationship between systolic pulsed wave tissue Doppler parameters and both invasive and noninvasive reperfusion criteria in patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Despite normal flow in the infarct-related artery after primary percutaneous coronary intervention, patients may not achieve adequate perfusion at the tissue level. We examined the applicability of pulsed wave tissue Doppler (PTD) in detection of successful myocardial reperfusion.

Methods: In all, 24 patients with anterior infarction were enrolled.