International journal of cardiology
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Review Meta Analysis
Benefits and risks of additional ablation of complex fractionated atrial electrograms for patients with atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
The benefits and risks of additional complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAE) ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) remain unclear. ⋯ The adjunctive CFAE ablation could provide additional benefit in terms of reducing recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmia for patients with nonparoxysmal AF but not for patients with paroxysmal AF after a single procedure with or without antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs). The main risk of adjunctive CFAE ablation is the increasing rate of untraceable postablation ATs.
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Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Long-term outcomes of biodegradable polymer versus durable polymer drug-eluting stents in patients with diabetes a pooled analysis of individual patient data from 3 randomized trials.
There is ongoing debate on the optimal drug-eluting stent (DES) in diabetic patients with coronary artery disease. Biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stents (BP-DES) may potentially improve clinical outcomes in these high-risk patients. We sought to compare long-term outcomes in patients with diabetes treated with biodegradable polymer DES vs. durable polymer sirolimus-eluting stents (SES). ⋯ In patients with diabetes, biodegradable polymer DES, compared to durable polymer SES, were associated with comparable overall clinical outcomes during follow-up to 4 years. Rates of stent thrombosis were significantly lower with BP-DES.
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Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Coronary artery bypass grafting with minimal versus conventional extracorporeal circulation; an economic analysis.
This study aims to develop a methodological framework for the comparative economic evaluation between Minimal Extracorporeal Circulation (MECC) versus conventional Extracorporeal Circulation (CECC) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in different healthcare systems. Moreover, we evaluate the cost-effectiveness ratio of alternative comparators in the healthcare setting of Greece, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. ⋯ Surgery with MECC may be dominant (lower cost and higher effectiveness) compared to CECC in coronary revascularization procedures and therefore it represents an attractive new option relative to conventional extracorporeal circulation for CABG.
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Review Case Reports
How to face emergencies in heart failure patients with ventricular assist device.
Ventricular assist device (VAD) technology has rapidly evolved, and VADs are now seen as a reliable lifesaving option to support the failing heart in the short- and long-term: in some cases, VAD therapy represents a well-accepted treatment option for advanced heart failure that can obviate the need for heart transplantation. In the near future, more and more cardiologists will encounter VAD patients in their clinical practice and need to know how to handle the inherent risks associated with VAD use. ⋯ Here, we describe two emergency scenarios in VAD patients, two paradigmatic clinical in-hospital situations, in different settings. Following a brief overview of the role of cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers in VAD patients, we propose a working algorithm that might help to ensure a timely and efficient response to acute demands in this setting.