Cardiac valvular involvement in granulomatosis with polyangiitis in long-term observation.

Introduction And Objectives: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is an antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated systemic vasculitis and is characterized by inflammation of blood vessels. The aim of the present study was to assess cardiac valvular changes in patients with GPA in a cohort of 105 patients followed for a mean of six years.

Methods: We followed 105 patients (mean age 50.

Predictors of cardiovascular events in patients with primary systemic vasculitis: A 5 years prospective observational study.

Introduction: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is one of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA) - associated systemic vasculitis and is characterised by inflammation of blood vessels. Systemic vasculitis exhibits an enhanced cardiovascular morbidity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has become a leading cause of death in this group of patients.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of clinical manifestation of atherosclerosis and its relation with classic risk factors for atherosclerosis, echocardiographic parameters and laboratory findings in GPA patients.

A Recurrent Exertional Syncope and Sudden Cardiac Arrest in a Young Athlete with Known Pathogenic p.Arg420Gln Variant in the Gene.

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is one of causes of sudden cardiac death in the young, especially in athletes. Diagnosis of CPVT may be difficult since all cardiological examinations performed at rest are usually normal, and exercise stress test-induced ventricular tachycardia is not commonly present. The identification of a pathogenic mutation in or is diagnostic in CPVT.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing in adult cardiology: expert opinion of the Working Group of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology of the Polish Cardiac Society.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is an important diagnostic tool in contemporary clinical practice. This document presents an expert opinion from the Working Group on Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology of the Polish Cardiac Society concerning the indications, performance technique, and interpretation of results for CPET in adult cardiology. CPET is an electrocardiographic exercise test expanded with exercise evaluation of ventilatory and gas exchange parameters.

Exercise training program in patients with NYHA III class systolic heart failure - Parallel comparison to the effects of resynchronization therapy.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess exercise capacity and echocardiographic parameters in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in NYHA III functional class, after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation followed by 6 months of supervised rehabilitation in ICD patients.

Materials And Methods: The study included patients with HFrEF and impaired left ventricle systolic function (LVEF ≤ 35%), divided into two groups: CRT group - patients after CRT-D implantation > six weeks, and ICD-rehab group - patients after ICD implantation > six weeks, followed by 6 months of supervised aerobic interval training and the conditioning exercises. At baseline and after 6 months in all the patients cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPX) and standard echocardiographic examinations were performed.

Clinical, echocardiographic, and pacing parameters affecting atrial fibrillation burden in patients with tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome.

Background: The influence of various factors on atrial fibrillation (AF) development in the population of tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome (TBS) patients remains unclear. There are no data on the impact of different right ventricular pacing percentage (RVp%) profiles.

Aim: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relationship between the AF burden (AFB) and various clinical, echocardiographic, and pacing parameters in TBS patients.

Improvement of exercise tolerance in cardiopulmonary testing with sustained safety after regular training in outpatients with systolic heart failure (NYHA III) and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. Prospective 18-month randomized study.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of individual training on the level of physical capacity and echocardiographic parameters in patients with systolic heart failure (SHF), NYHA III and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).

Material And Methods: The study included 84 patients with SHF, randomly assigned to one of two groups: with regular training (ICD-Ex) and a control group (ICD-control). The ICD-Ex group participated in a hospital rehabilitation program which after discharge was individually continued for 6 months in an outpatient setting.

Efficacy and safety of antazoline in the rapid cardioversion of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (the AnPAF Study).

Aims: The aim of the study was to assess the clinical efficacy of antazoline, a first-generation anti-histaminic agent, in the rapid conversion of paroxysmal non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) to sinus rhythm in patients without heart failure.

Methods And Results: This study was a single center, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, superiority clinical trial. We enrolled patients with an AF episode lasting less than 43 h, in stable cardiopulmonary condition.

Hospital-based and telemonitoring guided home-based training programs: effects on exercise tolerance and quality of life in patients with heart failure (NYHA class III) and cardiac resynchronization therapy. A randomized, prospective observation.

Unlabelled: Cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator function (CRT-D) along with an optimal medical therapy improves symptoms, cardiac efficiency, quality of life (QoL) and prognosis in patients with heart failure (CHF). The aim of the study was to assess effects of hospital-based and home-based/telemonitoring exercise training.

Methods: The prospective, randomized study was conducted in 52 patients (pts), aged 45-75years (mean 62±9.

Osteoprotegerin in patients with degenerative aortic stenosis and preserved left-ventricular ejection fraction.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate value of osteoprotegerin (OPG) in patients with degenerative aortic stenosis and preserved left-ventricular ejection fraction.

Methods: We have prospectively followed 70 patients with aortic stenosis (mean aortic gradient ≥15 mmHg) and preserved left-ventricular ejection fraction for 1 year. In all patients, echocardiography and blood tests (OPG, lipids, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) were performed at baseline and after 1 year of follow-up.

Comparison of the rhythm control treatment strategy versus the rate control strategy in patients with permanent or long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation and heart failure treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy - a pilot study of Cardiac Resynchronization in Atrial Fibrillation Trial (Pilot-CRAfT): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The only subgroups of patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation in which the efficacy of cardiac resynchronization therapy has been scientifically proven are patients with indications for right ventricular pacing and patients after atrioventricular junction ablation. However it is unlikely that atrioventricular junction ablation would be a standard procedure in the majority of the heart failure patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy and concomitant atrial fibrillation due to the irreversible character of the procedure and a spontaneous sinus rhythm resumption that occurs in about 10% of these patients.

Methods/design: Pilot-CRAfT is the first randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of a rhythm control strategy in atrial fibrillation patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy devices.

Potential prevention of pacing-induced heart failure using simple pacemaker programming algorithm.

Introduction: Right ventricular pacing (RVP) causes ventricular desynchronization and may lead to the development of heart failure (HF). Prolongation of atrioventricular delay (AVD) in DDDR pacemakers reduces unnecessary RV stimulation. The aim of the study was to verify the influence of RVP reduction on HF symptoms.

Radiofrequency ablation of numerous premature ventricular contractions in a cardiac resynchronisation therapy patient: a long-term follow-up.

We present a case study of a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy and a cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) device who was repeatedly hospitalised due to heart failure (HF) exacerbations. A successful radiofrequency ablation of numerous premature ventricular contractions enabled the proper action of CRT and stabilised the patient's condition in NYHA II without HF subsequent hospitalisations during a 30 month follow-up.

Pre-hospital delay of treatment in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention: experience of cardiac centre located in the vicinity of the centre of Warsaw.

Background: Early reperfusion therapy with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) improves left ventricular function and reduces mortality.

Aim: To assess the time delay in treatment of patients with STEMI referred to a twenty-four-hour interventional centre located in the vicinity of the centre of Warsaw.

Methods: We analysed 350 consecutive STEMI patients admitted to our Department between October 2005 and September 2006.

Impact of cardiac resynchronisation therapy on adaptation of circulatory and respiratory systems to exercise assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise test in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) has become a valuable therapeutic tool in patients with advanced chronic heart failure (CHF). The search for optimal methods for the assessment of CRT efficacy is still underway.

Aim: To evaluate the impact of implantation of CRT devices in patients with CHF on adaptation of circulatory and respiratory systems to maximal exercise assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPX) and 6-minute walking tests (6MWT).

Quality of life in patients undergoing cardiac resynchronisation therapy.

Background: Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) is often recommended for the treatment of patients with severe heart failure and cardiac dyssynchrony. The procedure efficacy should be evaluated not only by objective criteria and clinical end points, but also by patients' subjective opinion of their everyday functioning.

Aim: To assess the quality of life (QoL) in patients treated with CRT.

[Value of electrocardiographic treadmill test for rate control strategy in permanent atrial fibrillation].

Aim: of our study was to determine the correlation between physical activity tolerance assesed by exercise tolerance test (ETT) and dynamics of change of echocardiographic parameters of left atrium (LA) and left ventricle (LV) in standard transtoracic echocardiography (TTE) in long-term follow up of patients with persistent nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF).

Materials And Methods: We studied 67 patients (W/M: 23/44; mean age 63.2 +/- 7.

Serum troponin I and myoglobin after monophasic versus biphasic transthoracic shocks for cardioversion of persistent atrial fibrillation.

This study compared the effects of standard monophasic versus biphasic direct current shocks for cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) on the release of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and myoglobin (Myo). We randomized 48 patients with persistent AF (mean age = 61.4 +/- 10.

[Myoglobin and troponin I as markers of myocardial damage during cardioversion of atrial fibrillation].

Unlabelled: We performed direct comparison of safety and efficacy of monophasic and biphasic shock cardioversion (CV) of atrial fibrillation (AF). Troponin I (cTnl) and myoglobin (My) were used as markers of potential myocardial and skeletal muscle damage during the procedure.

Methods: 63 patients (p.