Holter monitoring for 24 hours in patients with thromboembolic stroke and sinus rhythm diagnosed in the emergency department

It is well known that patients with ischemic stroke show ST-T abnormalities and various rhythm abnormalities on an electrocardiogram (ECG). The most commonly encountered rhythm abnormality is atrial fibrillation. it was recently shown that paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is an important causative factor in patients with stroke. Detection of PAF is important in identifying the cause, prognosis, and treatment in patients with thromboembolic stroke. Investigators in the present study followed patients with thromboembolic stroke who had been admitted to the emergency department in sinus rhythm; 24-h Holter monitoring was used, and patients were assessed at referral and every 6 h for 24 h with ECG, which was used to detect rhythm disturbances, especially PAF. In 26 patients with stroke who came to the emergency department, acute thromboembolic stroke was diagnosed on the basis of magnetic resonance imaging; no rhythm abnormalities were noted on Holter monitoring. Eighteen patients were male and 8 were female (mean age: 66 +/- 13 y). Arrhythmia was identified on ECG in 3 patients (11%) and on 24-h Holter monitoring in 24 patients (92%). PAF was diagnosed in 3 patients (11%) on ECG and in 11 patients (42%) on Holter monitoring. in 2 patients, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia was detected only on Holter monitoring, which was found to be significantly superior to ECG for the detection of arrhythmias (P < .001). Investigators found no significant relationship between PAF and variables such as hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, history of myocardial infarction, ST-T changes, and elevations in cardiac markers. However, a significant relationship (P <.01) was seen between nonsustained ventricular tachycardia and a history of myocardial infarction. No relationship was discerned between arrhythmia and stroke localization. Study results suggested that (1) PAF is a commonly diagnosed rhythm abnormality, and (2) Holter monitoring is superior to routine ECG for the detection of arrhythmias such as PAF in patients anticipated to have thromboembolic stroke with sinus rhythm

Coexistence Of Cor Triatriatum And Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis In An Adult Patient

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Diagnostic Accuracy And Clinical Utility Of Echocardiographic Indices For Detecting Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction In Patients With Coronary Artery Disease And Normal Ejection Fraction

Objective: The aim of present study was to assess the clinical utility and diagnostic accuracy of diastolic dysfunction criteria that were recommended in current American Society of Echocardiography and European Association of Echocardiography recommendations for prediction of increased LVEDP (>16 mmHg) in patients with coronary artery disease and normal EF. Methods: Forty-five consecutive patients (mean age=61.5 +/- 10.3 years) referred for cardiac catheterization were enrolled in this prospective study. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging within 24 hours before cardiac catheterization. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) (LVEDP>16 mmHg, n=23; LVED = 34 ml/m(2) (sensitivity=60.0% and specificity=90.0%) and ratio of transmitral to septal annular velocities during early filling (septal E/e' ratio) 15 (sensitivity=30.4% and specificity=95.5%) had more reasonable sensitivity and specificity. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis revealed that best predictors of high LVEDP were septal E/e' [area under curve (AUC)=0.694, standard error (SE)=0.66, p=0.01] and LAVI (AUC=0.669, SE=0.63, p=0.045]. There were statistically significant correlations between LVEDP and septal E/e' (r=0.541, p=0.001) and LAVI (r=0.461, p=0.002). A proposed algorithm consisting LAVI >= 34 ml/m(2) and septal E/e' >8 could determine diastolic dysfunction with a 95.6% sensitivity and 54.5% specificity. Conclusion: Septal E/e' (>= 15) and LAVI (>= 34 ml/m(2)) were the better predictors of the increased LVEDP than the other echocardiographic parameters. There were statistically significant moderate positive correlations of LVEDP with septal E/e' and LAVI. Combination of LAVI and septal E/e' is useful to detect diastolic dysfunction. (Anadolu Kardiyol Derg 2011; 11: 666-73

The Early Predictors Of Ventricular Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction: The Role Of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha

Objective: Ventricular remodeling (VR) is a pathologic process characterized by progressive ventricular dilatation occurring after acute myocardial infarction (MI) leading to left ventricular systolic dysfunction. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) levels to predict the left VR. Methods: This prospective observational cohort study included 72 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed MI with age ranging between 38-87 years (mean 59 +/- 12 years). Control group was consisted of 30 patients with no additional systemic disease and normal coronary arteriograms. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed to all patients and controls both in the beginning of the study and in the 6th follow-up. A coronary arteriography was also performed to all patients. Patients with an increment in the diastolic volume index more than 20% in the follow-up compared with basal values included in the VR subgroup. The patient subgroup with VR consisted of 19 patients. Statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA and Kruskal Wallis tests for comparison of variables between groups. Logistic regression and ROC analyses were used for evaluation of accuracy of TNF-alpha in prediction of VR. Results: There were no significant differences between groups according to demographic characters. The basal plasma levels of TNF-alpha were higher in the patient subgroup with VR as compared with patients without VR and controls (14.59 +/- 4.28 pg/ml vs 7.30 +/- 4.48 pg/ml, and 1.64 +/- 1.49 pg/ml, p = 10.33 pg/ml were found to have 89.5% sensitivity and 79.3% specificity to predict the development of VR. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the increment of plasma TNF-alpha levels in the acute phase of MI and the close relationship between the TNF-alpha levels and VR in the patients with first MI. (Anadolu Kardiyol Derg 2009; 9: 84-90)Wo

Effects Of Acute Exercise On Fibrinolysis And Coagulation In Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

Acute physical exertion may trigger an acute coronary syndrome. Furthermore, acute physical exercise may influence hemostatic markers in healthy individuals. However, the effect of acute exercise on blood fibrinolysis and coagulation in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) is still not well understood. Nineteen untrained patients with angiographically proven CAD (age, 58 +/- 9 years, 12 males), and 25 age- and sex-matched controls without CAD (age, 56 6 years, 16 males) underwent a treadmill exercise test. Global fibrinolytic capacity (GFC) and prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F 1 + 2) levels were measured before exercise, at peak exercise, and 2 hours after recovery. There were no differences between the groups with respect to left ventricular ejection fraction, history of hypertension, body mass index, and serum lipids. Before exercise, GFC was significantly lower in patients with CAD when compared with controls (1.40 +/- 0.43 versus 3.28 +/- 1.19 mu g/mL, respectively; P 0.05), F 1 + 2 levels of patients with CAD were still significantly elevated (1.15 +/- 0.43 versus 1.84 +/- 0.06 nmol/L; P = 0.002). Acute exercise increases coagulation and fibrinolysis both in untrained subjects with and without CAD. However, in patients with CAD, the equilibrium between fibrinolysis and coagulation during peak exercise is disturbed in favor of coagulation after recovery.WoSScopu