The American journal of cardiology
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Comparative Study
Usefulness of high-dose intravenous human immunoglobulins treatment for refractory recurrent pericarditis.
The management of refractory recurrent pericarditis is challenging. Previous clinical reports have noted a beneficial effect of high-dose intravenous human immunoglobulins (IvIgs) in isolated and systemic inflammatory disease-related forms. In this article, we analyzed retrospectively our clinical experience with IvIg therapy in a series of clinical cases of pericarditis refractory to conventional treatment. ⋯ One patient did not respond to 3 cycles of IvIg and subsequently underwent pericardial window and long-term immunosuppressive treatment. No major adverse effect was observed in consequence of IvIg administration in all the cases. In conclusion, although IvIg mode of action is still poorly understood in this setting, this treatment can be considered as an option in patients with recurrent pericarditis refractory to conventional medical treatment and, in our small series, has proved to be effective in 8 of 9 cases.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Efficacy of antiarrhythmic drugs in adults with congenital heart disease and supraventricular tachycardias.
Supraventricular tachycardias (SVTs) are a major cause of morbidity in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). Few data exist on safety and efficacy of antiarrhythmic drugs in this population. Our aim was to determine the efficacy of antiarrhythmic drugs in adults with CHD and first-onset SVT on maintaining sinus rhythm after conversion. ⋯ However, adverse effects of medication occurred in 22% of the patients, mainly in patients taking amiodarone. In conclusion, in adults with CHD and first-onset SVTs, class III antiarrhythmics are more efficacious in maintaining sinus rhythm after cardioversion than other antiarrhythmics. Sotalol may be considered as the first-choice therapy as this is associated with fewer adverse effects than amiodarone.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Prevalence and prognostic role of various conduction disturbances in patients with the Brugada syndrome.
Prevalence and prognostic value of conduction disturbances in patients with the Brugada syndrome (BrS) remains poorly known. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) from 325 patients with BrS (47 ± 13 years, 258 men) with spontaneous (n = 143) or drug-induced (n = 182) type 1 ECG were retrospectively reviewed. Two hundred twenty-six patients (70%) were asymptomatic, 73 patients (22%) presented with unexplained syncope, and 26 patients (8%) presented with sudden death or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator appropriated therapies at diagnosis or during a mean follow-up of 48 ± 34 months. ⋯ In multivariate analysis, first degree AVB was independently associated with sudden death or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator appropriated therapies (odds ratio 2.41, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 5.73, p = 0.046) together with the presence of syncope and spontaneous type 1 ST elevation. In conclusion, conduction disturbances are frequent and sometimes diffuse in patients with BrS. First degree AVB is independently linked to outcome and may be proposed to be used for individual risk stratification.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Relation between preoperative renal dysfunction and cardiovascular events (stroke, myocardial infarction, or heart failure or death) within three months of isolated coronary artery bypass grafting.
Renal dysfunction is related to long-term mortality and myocardial infarction after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We aimed to investigate the association between preoperative renal dysfunction and early risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, or heart failure after CABG. From the Swedish Web-system for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-based care in Heart disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies registry, we included all 36,284 patients who underwent primary isolated CABG from 2000 to 2008 in Sweden. ⋯ Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for cardiovascular events after adjustment for age, gender, atrial fibrillation, left ventricular ejection fraction, diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease, and history of myocardial infarction, heart failure, or stroke was 1.24 (1.06 to 1.45) in patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 15 to 45 ml/min/1.73 m(2) but became nonsignificant after acute kidney injury was introduced into the statistical model. The risk of death was significantly increased in patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate of 15 to 45 ml/min/1.73 m(2) (odds ratio 1.76, 95% confidence interval 1.38 to 2.25) even after adjustment for all confounders. Renal dysfunction was associated with all-cause mortality but not with cardiovascular events during the first 3 postoperative months after primary isolated CABG.
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There are limited data about the effectiveness of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) for stent thrombosis treatment. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and outcomes of PPCI in patients with ST elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) due to stent thrombosis, and comparing the outcomes with patients treated for de novo coronary thrombosis. This was an observational cohort study of 2,935 patients who underwent PPCI from 2003 to 2011 with follow-up for a median of 3.0 years (interquartile range 1.2 to 4.6). ⋯ The poor outcome of stent thrombosis was particularly associated with early and late stent thromboses. Very late stent thrombosis appears to be a relatively less serious event, with similar outcomes to native vessel thromboses (MACE very late stent thrombosis 16.5%, 95% CI 8.2 to 28.6 vs native 15.1%, 95% CI 12.5 to 18.3, p = 0.245). In conclusion, stent thrombosis accounts for an increasing proportion of STEMI and is associated with worse outcomes compared with native artery occlusion.