Search

Preoperative EP Characteristics of Post-CABG AF. Introduction: Increased atrial effective refractory period (AERP) dispersion is well correlated with vulnerability to atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the preoperative electrophysiologic characteristics of atrial abnormalities that may play an important role in the development of AF postoperatively in patients with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) have not been investigated in detail. Methods and Results: Fifty-six consecutive patients who underwent CABG were enrolled in this study. Eighteen patients (14 men and 4 women; mean age 57.7 ± 5.2 years ) with AF in the early postoperative period and 38 patients (28 men and 10 women; mean age 56.3 ± 6.4 years ) without AF were compared with regard to preoperative clinical, echocardiographic, angiographic, and electrophysiologic parameters. Preoperative PA interval and AERP dispersion values were higher (P < 0.05) in patients who developed AF in the early postoperative period. PA interval ( P < 0.05 , odds ratio = 1.64, 95% confidence interval 1.17–2.30), AERP in the high right atrium (AERP[sub HRA]; P < 0.05 , odds ratio = 0.94, 95% confidence interval 0.91–0.97), AERP in the right posterolateral atrium (AERP[sub RPL]; P < 0.05 , odds ratio = 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.63–0.98), AERP in the distal coronary sinus (AERP[sub DCS]; P < 0.05 , odds ratio = 0.84, 95% confidence interval 0.74–1.02), and AERP dispersion ( P < 0.001 , odds ratio = 1.29, 95% confidence interval 1.12–1.47) were independently related to post-CABG AF in univariate analysis. Increases in preoperative PA interval and AERP dispersion were found to be associated with a high risk for development of post-CABG AF. Conclusion: AERP dispersion is a suitable electrophysiologic indicator for atrial vulnerability. The presence of increased preoperative AERP dispersion and PA interval may indicate patients at high risk for development of AF in the early postoperative period after coronary artery bypass grafting. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 14, pp. 28-31, January 2003). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Takayasu arteritis with coronary artery involvement is rare and its association with secondary cardiac hypertrophy with severe outflow tract obstruction is not common. We describe a case of Takayasu arteritis, diagnosed 10 years ago, whose coronary artery involvement and obstructive cardiac hypertrophy are ascertained after our investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Noncompaction of ventricular myocardium is a unique congenital cardiomyopathy with its own clinical presentation and course. It is more frequently associated with complications of congestive heart failure, thromboembolism and malignant ventricular arrhythmias; however, concomitance of valvular pathologies or infective endocarditis with noncompaction of ventricular myocardium has seldom been reported. We describe herein the first case of left ventricular myocardial noncompaction presenting with Brucella endocarditis with aortic and mitral valve involvements, whom subsequently underwent successful medical and surgical treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]