Heart : official journal of the British Cardiac Society
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Left atrial volume assessed by transthoracic three dimensional echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging: dynamic changes during the heart cycle in children.
To assess the dynamic changes in left atrial volume by transthoracic three dimensional echocardiography and compare the results with those obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). ⋯ Three dimensional echocardiography and MRI were both useful methods for studying the physiological volume changes in the left atrium in children. These methods may be used for further study of the systolic and diastolic function of the heart.
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To examine the relation between cardiac autonomic tone, assessed by baroreflex sensitivity and heart rate variability, and left ventricular function, arrhythmias on Holter monitoring, and clinical variables in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. ⋯ The weak correlation between baroreflex sensitivity and heart rate variability suggests that these two indices explore different aspects of cardiac autonomic control in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The weak or absent correlation between baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate variability, and other potential non-invasive risk predictors, including left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular end diastolic diameter, and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia on Holter monitoring, indicate that these variables may have independent prognostic value in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.
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To investigate the value of the Parsonnet score (PS) in identifying preoperatively patients that are likely to spend < 24 hours on the intensive care unit (ICU) following cardiac surgery. ⋯ PS is an impartial and objective method of predicting postoperative complications and ICU stay < 24 hours. This is of value in selecting a cohort of patients likely to maintain a smooth flow of patients through the cardiothoracic unit when resources are limited to a few free ICU beds.
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In patients with postischaemic left ventricular dysfunction, segments recovering function after revascularisation (hibernating myocardium) may not respond during dobutamine echocardiography, despite preserved [(18)F] 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) uptake at positron emission tomography. ⋯ Hibernating myocardium is characterised by a reduced coronary vasodilator reserve which improves on revascularisation and shows a spectrum of ultrastructural changes that influence the response to dobutamine, while FDG uptake is invariably preserved.
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Multicenter Study
Racial variation in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in essential hypertension.
To perform a longitudinal comparison of morbidity and mortality among white, south Asian and Afro-Caribbean hypertensive patients in relation to baseline demographic characteristics and clinic and ambulatory blood pressure variables. ⋯ South Asian origin was an independent predictor of all cause events, mainly because of an excess of coronary events in this group. Ambulatory but not clinic blood pressure was of additional value in predicting subsequent morbidity and mortality.