International journal of cardiology
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Comparative Study
Minor myocardial damage detected by troponin T is a powerful predictor of long-term prognosis in patients with acute decompensated heart failure.
The progression of chronic heart failure (CHF) is characterized by frequent exacerbation requiring hospitalization and high mortality. Clinical deterioration is triggered by many factors that could promote ongoing myocytes injury. We sought to determine whether a specific marker of cardiac injury, troponin T (cTnT), is associated with prognosis in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). ⋯ One third of patients with decompensated CHF had elevated levels of cTnT. Troponin T was an independent long-term prognostic marker of morbidity and mortality and it suggests a role of biochemical risk stratification in this setting.
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Letter Case Reports
Intracranial aneurysms, coronary aneurysms and descending aortic coarctation--unreported association.
Rare association of coronary artery aneurysms with intra cranial aneurysms is reported. Also, association of abdominal aortic coarctation with intracranial aneurysms is rare. ⋯ On evaluation, she was found to have intracranial aneurysms in the vertebral and basilar artery, coronary aneurysms and descending thoracic aortic coarctation. This association is unreported.
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Comparative Study
Cardiac troponin I release in acute pulmonary embolism in relation to the duration of symptoms.
To evaluate the release of cardiac troponin I in normotensive patients with acute pulmonary embolism in relation to the duration of symptoms. ⋯ The dynamics of cardiac troponin I release in acute pulmonary embolism in patients who present with symptoms of < or =72 h duration could be different from those who present with longer duration of symptoms. Therefore, the use of cardiac troponin I in risk stratification of acute pulmonary embolism might be limited to the patients presenting within 72 h of the onset of symptoms.
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To evaluate factors that identify patients with an acute coronary syndrome/myocardial infarction prior to hospital admission among patients with a suspected acute coronary syndrome who were transported by ambulance with and without ST elevation on the ambulance electrocardiogram (ECG). ⋯ Among patients with a suspected acute coronary syndrome, factors that increased the likelihood for an ongoing acute myocardial infarction could already be defined prior to hospital admission. For those with an ST elevation, factors were found in ECG pattern. For those without an ST elevation, such factors were found in elevation of biochemical markers, admission ECG, male gender and increasing age.