Risk of Myocardial Infarction With Oral Direct Thrombin Inhibitors: Trial Sequential Analysis Based on Two Published Data Sets
Oral direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) have been postulated to increase the risk of myocardial infarction (MI). The meta-analysis by Artang et al has exhaustively explored this topic by addressing 2 separate…
Value of EuroSCORE II in Predicting Total and Cardiac Mortality in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Interventions
We read the report by Capodanno et al exploring the role of the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) II in a series of 537 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary…
Recognition of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy as a Contemporary, Relatively Common, and Treatable Disease (from the International Summit V)
From September 27 to 29, 2013, the Fifth International Summit on Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, sponsored by the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, with the relevant title, “…
Meta-Analysis of Global Left Ventricular Function Comparing Multidetector Computed Tomography With Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging
We compare the diagnostic accuracy of multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) to cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) for evaluating global left ventricular function. We systematically searched PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL,…
Growth of the Aorta in Childhood
The recent report by Pees et al suggests that losartan decreases normalized aortic dimensions in patients with the Marfan syndrome. The authors do not take into account the normal decrease in…
Utility of the Penn Classification in Predicting Outcomes of Surgery for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection
The Penn classification, a risk assessment system for acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD), is based on preoperative ischemic conditions. We investigated whether Penn classes predict outcomes after surgery for…
Morphologic Features of Cardiac Sarcoidosis in Native Hearts of Patients Having Cardiac Transplantation
Described herein are 10 patients who underwent cardiac transplantation (CT) for severe chronic systolic heart failure resulting from cardiac sarcoidosis. None had the diagnosis of sarcoidosis established before CT except…
Effect of Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction on Right Ventricular Volumes and Exercise Capacity in Patients With Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot
Patients with tetralogy of Fallot and combined right ventricular outflow tract obstruction (RVOTO) and pulmonary regurgitation (PR) have a less dilated right ventricular (RV) and better RV function compared with…
Arterial Mechanics at Rest and During Exercise in Adolescents and Young Adults After Arterial Switch Operation for Complete Transposition of the Great Arteries
We sought to determine the arterial mechanics at rest and during exercise in adolescents and young adults with complete transposition of the great arteries after arterial switch operation and their…
