Cor et Vasa, 2005 (vol. 46), issue 5
Original research articles
Patterns of blood pressure and heart rate responses to the head-up tilt test
Branislav Stančák, Zuzana Kočišová, Erika Komanová, Silvia Mišíková
Cor Vasa 2005, 46(5)
Background:The head-up tilt test represents a useful tool in detecting predisposition to vasovagally mediated syncope, but relations among physiological variables during the test and prediction of results in the earlier phase of tilting are not sufficiently elucidated. Methods:We evaluated the patterns of heart rate and blood pressure changes and their interrelationship during a 70-degree tilt depending on the type of predominant response in 125 patients with unexplained syncope. The baseline test lasted for 44 minutes. When tilting was negative, another 16 minutes were added after nitroglycerin provocation. According to their...
Is poststenotic aortic root dilatation dependent on the degree of aortic stenosis?
Kateřina Linhartová, Václav Beránek, František Šefrna, Jaroslav Kropáček, Markéta Pešková
Cor Vasa 2005, 46(5)
Aim:To identify factors, which affect aortic root width in patients with dominant aortic stenosis. Method:An analysis of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiographic examinations performed in our laboratory within a year. A total of 217 patients with dominant aortic stenosis and a maximum gradient ł 25 mm Hg were included, of these 30 with bicuspid and 187 with tricuspid aortic valves were examined. Not eligible for analysis were patients with more than moderate aortic regurgitation. Results:The aortic root diameter in patients was greater in the bicuspid valve was significantly greater compared with...
Review articles
Antiphospholipid syndrome and its manifestations in arterial and venous system.
Jana Hirmerová
Cor Vasa 2005, 46(5)
The term "antiphospholipid syndrome" refers to the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies and a hypercoagulability syndrome. Antiphospholipid antibodies are a very heterogeneous group of autoantibodies, with their laboratory diagnosis based on ELISA tests as well as on coagulation assays for the detection of so called lupus anticoagulant. The principal clinical criteria of the antiphospholipid syndrome are vascular thrombosis and complications of pregnancy. Nevertheless, there is a broad spectrum of possible clinical manifestations, which may encompass many specialties, including cardiology, angiology and phlebology. Many studies have confirmed an...
Case reports
Failed "stentless" bioprosthesis implantation into the aortic position in the presence of aortic annular deformation due to associated cardiac disease.
Jiří Široký, Tomáš Hájek, Lubomír Bartůněk
Cor Vasa 2005, 46(5)
We report two cases of unsuccessful "stentless" bioprosthesis implantation into the aortic position in patients with hemodynamically significant aortic defect and aortic annular deformation due to associated cardiac disease (1. A calcified mitral annulus, without a hemodynamically significant defect, 2. Aortic annulus infiltration in the presence of infectious endocarditis /IE/).Both reported cases eventually required stent bioprosthesis reimplantation. Experience with both cases evaluates aortic annular deformity as a potential contraindication to use of stentless bioprostheses into the aortic position.
Intramyocardial abscess as a complication of incomplete postinfarction rupture-a case report.
Jaroslav Ulman, Petr Frídl, Jiří Kettner, Eva Koudelková, Tomáš Marek, Jan Pirk
Cor Vasa 2005, 46(5)
We report the case of incomplete post-infarction left ventricular inferior wall rupture complicated by infectious endocarditis with the development of intramyocardial abscess and left ventricular pseudoaneurysm.
Short communication
Repair of infarcted myocardium by autologous mononuclear bone marrow cell transplantation: the role of quantitative Tc-99m-MIBI SPECT/F-18-FDG PET in the monitoring of therapy
Milan Kamínek, Jaroslav Meluzín, Ladislav Groch, Stanislav Janoušek, Jiří Mayer, Jiří Prášek, Jaroslav Staníček, Miroslav Mysliveček
Cor Vasa 2005, 46(5)
The aim of this study was to assess the role of MIBI SPECT/FDG PET imaging in the monitoring of infarcted myocardium therapy by autologous mononuclear bone marrow cell transplantation. We analyzed a total of 25 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) associated with irreversible injury after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (at least two dysfunctional segments with no contractile reserve on dobutamine echocardiography and < 55% of maximal MIBI or < 50% of maximal FDG uptake). In addition to standard therapy, 16 patients were treated by cell transplantation, while 9 patients were randomly included into the control group. Using...
Extending the indication for beta-blocker use: the SENIOR trial
Lenka Špinarová
Cor Vasa 2005, 46(5)
The goal of the SENIOR (Study of the Effects of Nebivolol Intervention on Outcomes and Rehospitalisation in Seniors with Heart Failure) trial was to evaluate the effect of nebivolol on the morbidity and mortality of elderly patients with chronic heart failure regardless of ejection fraction.The entry criterion was age over 70 years and heart failure defined as hospitalization for congestive heart failure over the past 12 months or a left ventricular ejection fraction below 35% at follow-up within the past six months.The primary endpoint was a pooled parameter of total mortality or cardiovascular hospitalization. Secondary endpoints included...
Current concepts of the role of copper in the pathogenesis of heart failure.
Filip Málek, Rudolf Špaček
Cor Vasa 2005, 46(5)
Studies on changes in serum copper levels in patients in the acute and chronic phases of myocardial infarction have turned attention to the participation and role of copper ions in the pathophysiology of heart failure. The cause of changes in the serum copper levels of heart failure patients after myocardial infarction is not known yet. Several hypotheses have been proposed, which could explain the relationship between copper metabolism and the pathophysiology of heart failure. An attractive hypothesis has suggested a role of copper ions in catecholamine synthesis. According to another hypothesis, alterations in copper levels in heart failure patients...