International heart journal
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The right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) is considered the arrhythmogenic region that gives rise to Brugada syndrome. To obtain a better understanding of this substrate, we performed electroanatomic mapping of the right ventricle (RV) in patients with Brugada syndrome. ⋯ The low voltage zone area (< 1.5 mV) was larger (16.1% versus 7.8%, P < 0.01) and the bipolar electrogram duration was greater (81.6 ± 7.8 ms versus 53.4 ± 5.6 ms, P < 0.01) in the patients with Brugada syndrome versus the control patients; the bipolar electrogram duration was greater in the septal portion and free wall of the RVOT. Our data suggest that regional endocardial conduction slowing based on structural abnormalities exists at the RVOT in Brugada syndrome.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Role of preoperative atorvastatin administration in protection against postoperative atrial fibrillation following conventional coronary artery bypass grafting.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common postoperative arrhythmias in patients who undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of preoperative atorvastatin on postoperative atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass (CCABG). One hundred consecutive patients undergoing elective CCABG, without history of AF or previous statin treatment, were enrolled and randomly assigned to a statin group (atorvastatin 20 mg/d, n = 49) or a control group (placebo, n = 51) starting 7 days preoperatively. ⋯ Kaplan-Meier curves confirmed a significantly better postoperative atrial fibrillation-free survival in the statin group (χ(2) = 7.466, P = 0.006). Logistic regression analysis showed preoperative atorvastatin treatment was an independent factor associated with a significant reduction in postoperative AF (OR = 0.235, P = 0.007), whereas high postoperative CRP levels were associated with increased risk (OR = 2.421, P = 0.015). Preoperative atorvastatin administration may inhibit inflammatory reactions to prevent atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass.
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Comparative Study
Adaptive servo ventilation improves cardiac dysfunction and prognosis in chronic heart failure patients with Cheyne-Stokes respiration.
Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) is often observed in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Although adaptive servo ventilation (ASV) is effective for CSR, it remains unclear whether ASV improves the cardiac function and prognosis of patients with CHF and CSR. Sixty patients with CHF and CSR (mean left ventricular ejection fraction 38.7%, mean apnea hypopnea index 36.8 times/hour, mean central apnea index 19.1 times/hour) were enrolled in this study. ⋯ In contrast, none of these parameters changed in the Non-ASV group. Importantly, Kaplan-Meier analysis clearly demonstrated that the event-free rate was significantly higher in the ASV group than in the Non-ASV group. Adaptive servo ventilation improves cardiac function and prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure and Cheyne-Stokes respiration.
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High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), which has properties similar to those of proinflammatory cytokines, is released from activated immune cells and necrotic cells. It is known that cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) induces systemic inflammation and aortic cross-clamping induces myocardial ischemia. This study was conducted to clarify whether HMGB1 is released in CPB-supported cardiac surgery in comparison to off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) where CPB is not used. ⋯ IL-6 and IL-10 increased after aortic declamping in the CPB group and after coronary revascularizations in the OPCAB group. Based on these results, we conclude that the major factor involved in the increase in HMGB1 level might be myocardial ischemia/reperfusion during cardiac surgery. Activation of immune cells, altered tissue perfusion, and pulmonary ischemia and reperfusion could be additional factors that increase the HMGB1 level in CPB-supported cardiac surgery.