Possible association of papillary muscle hypertrophy with the genesis of J-waves.

Background: Although J-waves have been known to be associated with vulnerability to ventricular fibrillation, their electrophysiologic mechanism remains to be elucidated. The papillary muscles (PMs) of the left ventricle (LV) have been recognized as the target site of radiofrequency ablation for ventricular arrhythmias. However, the relationship between PM hypertrophy and J-waves has not been investigated.

Glucose Fluctuations Aggravate Cardiac Susceptibility to Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by Modulating MicroRNAs Expression.

Background: The influence of glucose fluctuations (GF) on cardiovascular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) has been attracting much attention. In the present study, whether GF increase susceptibility to ischemia/reperfusion in the heart was investigated.

Methods And Results: Male rats were randomly assigned to either a control, DM, and DM with GF group.

Endothelial Function Predicts New Hospitalization due to Heart Failure Following Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy.

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been established as a treatment for patients with chronic heart failure (HF). We tested the hypothesis that assessment of peripheral endothelial function is associated with the long-term outcome of CRT and its linkage to coronary flow reserve (CFR) was also investigated.

Methods: From 2010, a total of 34 consecutive patients implanted with CRT for the treatment of advanced HF were evaluated at baseline (immediately before CRT) and 6-8 months after CRT.

Cardiac autonomic dysfunction in patients with head-up tilt test-induced vasovagal syncope.

Background: Vasovagal syncope (VVS) is the result of an autonomic reflex that has a final effect of reducing sympathetic drive and increasing vagal activity. However, whether syncopal symptoms are associated with pathological cardiac autonomic modulation is not fully known. We tested the hypothesis that cardiac autonomic function is impaired in patients with VVS.

Combination therapy of cilostazol and bepridil suppresses recurrent ventricular fibrillation related to J-wave syndromes.

Background: Brugada syndrome and idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (VF) associated with inferolateral early repolarization patterns are termed "J-wave syndromes." In such patients, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is first-line therapy for prevention of sudden cardiac death. However, frequent ICD shocks due to recurrent VF remain serious problems.

Plasma norepinephrine is an independent predictor of adverse cerebral and cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetic patients without structural heart disease.

Background: Resting plasma norepinephrine (NE) level was reportedly related to high mortality in patients with heart failure. The current study investigated whether resting NE could predict long-term major adverse cerebral and cardiovascular events (MACCEs) in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients without heart disease.

Methods And Subjects: We evaluated resting NE in 95 patients with type 2 diabetes who did not have severe complications.

False tendons may be associated with the genesis of J-waves: prospective study in young healthy male.

Background: Recent studies showed that J-waves are associated with vulnerability to ventricular fibrillation. Recently we reported the association between false tendons (FTs) and J-waves in a retrospective study.

Methods And Results: We prospectively studied 50 young healthy men (mean age 24.