BACKGROUND Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves hemodynamics and symptoms of heart failure by reducing ventricular dyssynchronity. Conversely, recent studies have demonstrated that right univentricular pacing in patients with an ejection fraction below 40% aggravates heart failure. In this retrospective study, we compared progression of disease in patients with mild to moderate hear...

The reflex regulation of sympathetic nerve activity has been demonstrated to be impaired in the chronic heart failure (CHF) state compared with the normal condition (Liu JL, Murakami H, and Zucker IH. Circ Res 82: 496-502, 1998). Exercise training (Ex) appears to be beneficial to patients with CHF and has been shown to reduce sympathetic outflow in this disease state (Hambrecht R, Hilbrich L, E...

BACKGROUND Identification of individual factors associated with high defibrillation threshold (DFT) seems to be of high clinical importance. Impedance cardiography (ICG) may be used for non-invasive evaluation of the haemodynamic status. Whether ICG parameters may improve identification of patients with high DFT has not yet been examined. AIM To evaluate clinical risk factors of high DFT incl...

BACKGROUND Beta-2 microglobulin (B2M) is considered as a surrogate marker for middle molecule uremic toxins and a key component in dialysis-related amyloidosis. However, few studies have evaluated role of B2M in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of plasma B2M level with some metabolic and cardiac performance factor...

OBJECTIVES We sought to determine whether patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) avoid the left lateral decubitus (LLD) position during sleep and, if so, whether this avoidance would be more pronounced in those with greater degrees of cardiomegaly. BACKGROUND Anecdotal reports suggest that, in patients with CHF, the LLD position is associated with discomfort due to the enlarged apical h...

Aims In peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), electrocardiography (ECG) and its relationship to echocardiography have not yet been investigated in large multi-centre multi-ethnic studies. We aimed identify ECG abnormalities associated with PPCM, including regional ethnic differences, their correlation echocardiographic features. Methods results studied 411 patients from the EURObservational PPCM re...

Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is one of the commonest chronic hemolytic anaemias in the Sudan; it is a disease with high mortality and morbidity. This study was conducted aiming to observe the clinical pattern of cardiac abnormalities in children with sickle cell anaemia, and to assess the relationship between the cardiac abnormalities and the severity of the disease. The study was conducted in sic...

BACKGROUND Solid evidence shows that cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves prognosis, physical capacity and quality of life in selected groups of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Nonetheless, marked percentage of patients seem not to benefit from CRT. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty consecutive patients (aged 66.3 +/- 8.7 years, 57 men - 95%, 3 women - 5%) with CHF (71.7% with...

background beta-2 microglobulin (b2m) is considered as a surrogate marker for middle molecule uremic toxins and a key component in dialysis-related amyloidosis. however, few studies have evaluated role of b2m in patients with chronic kidney disease (ckd). objectives the purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of plasma b2m level with some metabolic and cardiac performance factors ...