Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with dermatomyositis without clinically evident cardiovascular disease.

Objective: To assess left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in patients with dermatomyositis (DM) without clinically evident cardiovascular (CV) disease and to estimate whether there is an association between the duration of DM and LV diastolic dysfunction (LVDD).

Methods: The study included 51 patients with DM (43 women and 8 men) who had no clinically evident CV disease and 51 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls. Echocardiographic and Doppler studies were conducted in all patients and controls.

[Community-based management for chronic heart failure patients under the professional guidance of upper first-class hospital staff].

Objective: To establish a community-based management model for heart failure patients under the professional guidance of upper first-class hospital staff.

Methods: Two hundreds heart failure (New York Heart Function II-IV) patients aged from 35 to 85 in two communities of Chengdu city were divided into two groups by cluster randomization: the management group and the control group. The community hospital doctors were trained for the evaluation and management of heart failure according standardized guidelines by upper first-class hospital doctors, and responsible for the management of patients in the management group.