Circulation. Cardiovascular imaging
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Circ Cardiovasc Imaging · Mar 2014
Prognostic value of nonobstructive and obstructive coronary artery disease detected by coronary computed tomography angiography to identify cardiovascular events.
The contribution of plaque extent to predict cardiovascular events among patients with nonobstructive and obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is not well defined. Our objective was to evaluate the prognostic value of plaque extent detected by coronary computed tomography angiography. ⋯ Among patients with nonobstructive CAD, those with extensive plaque experienced a higher rate of cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction, comparable with those who have nonextensive disease. Even among patients with obstructive CAD, greater extent of nonobstructive plaque was associated with higher event rate. Our findings suggest that regardless of whether obstructive or nonobstructive disease is present, the extent of plaque detected by coronary computed tomography angiography enhances risk assessment.
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Patients with Fontan circulation have reduced exercise capacity. The absence of a presystemic pump may limit flow through the pulmonary circulation, restricting ventricular filling and cardiac output. We evaluated exercise hemodynamics and the effect of sildenafil on exercise hemodynamics in Fontan patients. ⋯ In Fontan patients, sildenafil improved cardiac index during exercise with a decrease in total pulmonary resistance index and an increase in stroke volume index. This implies that pulmonary vasculature represents a physiological limitation, which can be attenuated by sildenafil, the clinical significance of which warrants further study.
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Circ Cardiovasc Imaging · Jan 2014
Comparative StudyLeft ventricular diastolic function is associated with symptom status in severe aortic valve stenosis.
In aortic valve stenosis (AS), the occurrence of heart failure symptoms does not always correlate with severity of valve stenosis and left ventricular (LV) function. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that symptomatic patients with AS have impaired diastolic, longitudinal systolic function, and left atrial dilatation compared with asymptomatic patients. ⋯ URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00294775.
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Circ Cardiovasc Imaging · Jan 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyMulticenter, randomized trial of quantitative pretest probability to reduce unnecessary medical radiation exposure in emergency department patients with chest pain and dyspnea.
Use of pretest probability can reduce unnecessary testing. We hypothesize that quantitative pretest probability, linked to evidence-based management strategies, can reduce unnecessary radiation exposure and cost in low-risk patients with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome and pulmonary embolism. ⋯ URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01059500.
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Circ Cardiovasc Imaging · Jan 2014
Validation of noninvasive indices of global systolic function in patients with normal and abnormal loading conditions: a simultaneous echocardiography pressure-volume catheterization study.
Noninvasive indices based on Doppler echocardiography are increasingly used in clinical cardiovascular research to evaluate left ventricular global systolic chamber function. Our objectives were to clinically validate ultrasound-based methods of global systolic chamber function to account for differences between patients in conditions of abnormal load, and to assess their sensitivity to load confounders. ⋯ Current ultrasound methods have limited accuracy to characterize global left ventricular systolic chamber function in a given patient. The Doppler-derived peak ejection intraventricular pressure difference should be preferred for this purpose because it best correlates with the reference index and is more robust in conditions of abnormal load.