Journal of the American College of Cardiology
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Sep 2010
Clinical TrialMidregional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide and outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
The purpose of this study was to examine the prognostic value of midregional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP) in patients with acute ischemic stroke. ⋯ MR-proANP is a prognostic marker in the acute phase of stroke, improving the discriminatory value of the NIHSS, independently predicting post-stroke mortality and functional outcome. (The "COSMOS"-Study [Copeptin in Osmoregulation and Stress Assessment]; NCT00390962).
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Sep 2010
The value of defibrillator electrograms for recognition of clinical ventricular tachycardias and for pace mapping of post-infarction ventricular tachycardia.
The purpose of this study was to assess the value of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) electrograms (EGMs) in identifying clinically documented ventricular tachycardias (VTs). ⋯ Stored ICD EGMs usually are an accurate surrogate for 12-lead ECGs for differentiating clinical VTs from other VTs. Pace mapping based on ICD EGMs has variable resolution but may be useful for identifying a VT exit site.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Sep 2010
Differential associations between specific depressive symptoms and cardiovascular prognosis in patients with stable coronary heart disease.
The purpose of this research was to evaluate the relationship between cognitive and somatic depressive symptoms and cardiovascular prognosis. ⋯ In patients with stable CHD, somatic symptoms of depression were more strongly predictive of cardiovascular events than cognitive symptoms, although the CIs surrounding these estimates had substantial overlap. These findings are highly consistent with those of previous studies. Further research is needed to understand the pathophysiological processes by which somatic depressive symptoms contribute to prognosis in patients with CHD.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Aug 2010
Transapical aortic valve implantation in 175 consecutive patients: excellent outcome in very high-risk patients.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of transapical aortic valve implantation in a single center with expanded procedural experience and to compare it with predicted risk for conventional aortic valve surgery. ⋯ The outcome of transapical aortic valve implantation was very favorable and already reproducible during the learning curve. The method has become de facto our institutional primary choice for treatment of high-risk patients with severe aortic valve stenosis.