Electrical cardioversion for persistent or chronic atrial fibrillation: outcome and clinical factors predicting short and long term success rate.

Aims: To assess the effectiveness and to identify predictors for successful electrical cardioversion (ECV) and maintenance of sinus rhythm, in long term follow up of patients with persistent (PAF) and chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF).

Methods And Results: Retrospective analysis of medical records of 68 patients with PAF or CAF, who underwent 91 cardioversions. ECV was successful in 86 attempts (94.

Clinical manifestations of sarcoid liver disease.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology that involves many organs and has different clinical manifestation. We reviewed the clinical manifestations of sarcoid liver disease. Liver involvement in sarcoidosis can be serious and life-threatening, independent of its lung and other organ involvement.

[Q fever pericarditis].

Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii--an obligate, gram negative, intracellular bacteria. The term Q (Query) was first used because at the time the disease was named its etiology was unknown. Q fever is divided into acute and chronic infections characterized by different evolution, serological profiles and treatment.