Kardiol Pol
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Rhythm control versus rate control in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. Results of the HOT CAFE Polish Study.
Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) can be managed either by maintaining sinus rhythm using antiarrhythmic drugs and/or electrical cardioversion, or by leaving patients in AF and controlling ventricular rate without attempts to restore sinus rhythm. Which of these two strategies is superior, has not yet been definitively established. ⋯ The HOT CAFE Polish Study did not reveal significant differences in mortality between the two treatment strategies in patients with persistent AF. Although patients with SR had better improvement in some haemodynamical parameters, the hospitalisation rate was higher and the incidence of stroke was not reduced compared with the rate control group.
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The C677T mutation in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene is one of the causes of an elevated homocysteine plasma concentration and is probably one of the atherosclerotic risk factors. ⋯ The incidence of the mutation of allele T and the genotype TT was similar in patients and controls (51.7% vs 56.6%, and 9.2% vs 10.4%, NS, respectively). The folic acid and vitamin B12 levels were not related to the MTHFR genotype (folic acid: 8.1 ng/L in homozygotes TT vs 8.6 in heterozygotes CT and 8.3 in homozygotes CC; and vitamin B12: 273 pg/L vs 303.3 vs 314.3, respectively). Although homozygotes TT had significantly higher homocysteine concentration than heterozygotes and homozygotes CT or CC (15.4 vs 11.0 vs 11.2 micro mol/L, p<0.001), the odds ratio for CAD in genotype TT was 0.87 (95% CI 0.5-2.1, NS). The odds ratio in subjects with at least one mutated T allele was 0.82 (95%CI 0.5-1.4, NS). Homocysteine plasma concentration was significantly higher in patients with CAD than controls (12.8+/-5.1 vs 10.0+/-5.0 micro mol/L, p<0.001) and correlated significantly with folic acid (r= -0.28, p=0.0001), vitamin B12 (r= -0.19, p<0.005), age (r=0.35, p=0.0001) and creatinine (r=0.26, p=0.0001). The odds ratio for CAD in subjects with hyperhomocysteinemia was 7.1 (95%CI 3.4-14.9, p=0.001) and was 2.6 (95%CI 1.6-4.1, p=0.0001) with a homocysteine increase of 5 micro mol/L. Multivariate analysis showed that hyperhomocysteinemia was an independent risk factor of CAD (OR 2.7, 95%CI 1-7.2, p<0.05). Conclusions. Hyperhomocysteinemia rather than a mutation in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene, is an independent risk factor of coronary artery disease.
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Case Reports
[Iatrogenic hyperkalemia, bradyarrhythmia and the role of pacing in the elderly - three case reports].
Three elderly patients with severe symptomatic bradyarrhythmia due to iatrogenic hyperkalemia are presented. In all patients potassium - lowering therapy was effective; two patients required temporary pacing. The issue of iatrogenic hyperkalemia and treatment options are discussed.