OBJECTIVE The influence of diabetes on cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) remains unclear. The aims of the current study were to 1) assess the changes in left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function and 2) evaluate long-term prognosis in CRT recipients with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 710 CRT recipients (171 with diabetes) were included from an ongoing regis...

OBJECTIVE Coronary slow-flow phenomenon (CSFP) is an angiographic diagnosis characterised by a low rate of flow of contrast agent in the normal or near-normal epicardial coronary arteries. Many of the patients with CSFP may experience recurrent acute coronary syndromes. However, current clinical practice tends to underestimate the impact of CSFP due to the yet unknown effect on the cardiac func...

AIMS 2 dimensional (2D) strain analysis detects subclinical left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction. Our aim was to evaluate changes in LV systolic and diastolic function in breast cancer patients early after anthracycline chemotherapy, and to identify predisposing factors. METHODS AND RESULTS 140 patients were assessed by detailed echocardiography before and within seven days post treatme...

We investigated whether plasma brain and atrial natriuretic peptide (BNP and ANP, respectively) levels could reflect left ventricular (LV) geometry and function in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. A positive correlation was found between LV mass index (LVMI) and plasma ANP levels in 84 untreated, hypertensive patients, but not between LVMI and plasma BNP levels. As compare...

OBJECTIVES The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of long-term β(1)-aderergic receptor (AR) blockade on left ventricular (LV) remodeling and function in patients with chronic, isolated, degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR). BACKGROUND Isolated MR currently has no proven therapy that attenuates LV remodeling or preserves systolic function. METHODS Thirty-eight asymptomatic sub...

BACKGROUND Frequent ventricular ectopic beats (VEB) in patients without significant cardiac disease are usually classified as benign arrhythmia. However, they may alter cardiac performance. RF ablation can effectively eliminate VEB. AIM To evaluate the effects of RF ablation on selected haemodynamic parameters of left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function and exercise capacity in p...

AIMS In a recent genome-wide association study, WD-repeat domain 12 (WDR12) was associated with early-onset myocardial infarction (MI). However, the function of WDR12 in the heart is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS We characterized cardiac expression of WDR12, used adenovirus-mediated WDR12 gene delivery to examine effects of WDR12 on left ventricular (LV) remodeling, and analyzed relationship b...

BACKGROUND Studies have shown cardiac changes induced by intense and regular physical activity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cardiac structures and function in soccer players, cyclists and long-distance runners, and compare them with non-athlete controls. MATERIAL AND METHODS Cardiac structural, systolic, and diastolic function parameters in 53 athletes and 36 non-athlete control...

Left ventricular (LV) systolic function increases with passive heat stress (HS); however, less is known about diastolic function. Eight healthy subjects (24.0 +/- 2.0 yr of age) underwent whole body passive heating approximately 1 degrees C above baseline (BL). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure biventricular volumes, function, filling velocities, volumetric flow rates, and ...

OBJECTIVE To investigate relative contributions of glucose status and arterial stiffness to markers of left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic dysfunction after 8 years of follow-up. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In the population-based prospective Hoorn Study, 394 individuals with preserved LV systolic and diastolic function participated, of whom 87 had impaired glucose metabolism and 128...