Publications (19) View all
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Article: Variability of post-exercise pulmonary capillary wedge pressure recovery. Implications for noninvasive echocardiographic diagnostics.
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ABSTRACT: AIM: The aim of our study was to assess the course of immediate post-exercise pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) changes to identify the optimal time window for the noninvasive diagnostics of exercise-induced PCWP elevation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seventy-one patients at risk of heart failure with normal left ventricular ejection fraction underwent simultaneous exercise echocardiography and right heart catheterization. The ratio of early left ventricular filling velocity (E) to early diastolic mitral annular velocity (e') was used to predict noninvasively exercise-induced PCWP elevation. Fifty-one patients had exercise-induced PCWP elevation ≥ 8 mmHg and reached peak exercise PCWP ≥ 20 mmHg. Rapid post-exercise recovery of PCWP within 2 min was achieved in 18 (35.3%) patients. Intermediate post-exercise PCWP recovery at 3 and 4 min was found in 16 (31.4%) patients while late post-exercise PCWP recovery (≥ 5 min) was achieved in 17 (33.3%) patients. CONCLUSION: The course of post-exercise PCWP recovery is highly variable, and a significant proportion of patients have only a brief period (≤ 2 min) of exercise-induced PCWP elevation. This fact should be taken into account in noninvasive assessment of exercise-induced PCWP.Biomedical papers of the Medical Faculty of the University Palacky, Olomouc, Czechoslovakia 03/2013; -
Article: HLA compatibility index: does it have a role in patients after heart transplantation?
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ABSTRACT: AIMS: To determine the impact of HLA compatibility measured by the Compatibility Index, on survival, rate of rejections, malignancies and infections in patients after heart transplantation (HTx). METHODS: We carried out a retrospective analysis of 182 consecutive patients who underwent heart transplantation in our center from January 2001 to April 2010. According to degree of HLA-A, B and DR matching (Compatibility Index, CI) the patients were divided in two groups, Group A (n=83) with an IC 0-17 and group B (n=99) with an IC 18-26. There was no significant difference in demographic parameters between recipients and donors. RESULTS: We found no difference in rates of rejections or infections between Group A and Group B (AR: 22 (26.5%) vs. 34 (34.3%), P=0.2539; infections: 21 (25.3%) vs. 27 (27%) P=0.7637). The distribution of infections in terms of type (bacterial, viral, fungal, including Aspergillus) was similar in both groups. The incidence of malignant tumours was infrequent (3 (3.6%) vs. 4 (4.0%), P=0.8817). We found trend toward lower level of tacrolimus in Group A. Long term survival was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results of our single-center trial, we found no impact of higher degree of HLA-A,-B, and -DR matching on survival, rejection episodes or infection. Further large studies are necessary to confirm our hypothesis that subjects with better HLA compatibility could require lower dose immunosuppression.Biomedical papers of the Medical Faculty of the University Palacky, Olomouc, Czechoslovakia 02/2013; -
Article: Impact of pulmonary hypertension on early hemodynamics, morbidity and mortality after orthotopic heart transplantation. A single center study.
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ABSTRACT: AIMS: To determine the effect of pre-existing pulmonary hypertension (PHT) on early hemodynamics, morbidity and mortality after heart transplantation (HTx). METHODS: Data were prospectively collected from 149 patients, who underwent HTx between January 2000 and December 2007. The subjects were divided into 3 groups: Group A (n=84) without PTH, group B (n=50) with mild to moderate PTH and group C (n=15) with severe PTH. We studied hemodynamic profile, tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR), incidence of acute cellular rejections (AR), infections, duration of hospitalization, 30-day mortality and a long-term survival. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar in all groups. Using vasodilator treatment PVR was successfully brought down to normal range 2.5 ± 0.6 Wood' units (WU) on the day 1 following the surgery in all groups. Over 80% of patients were treated in Group C, 32% in Group A and 46% in Group B. There was no significant difference in the severity of TR among the 3 groups early after HTx (severe TR was observed in 46%, 54%, 33%, respectively). There was no significant difference in incidence of AR (G ≥ 2 Banff classification) (23%, 23%, 33%, respectively), infections (28%, 32%, 33%, respectively) or duration of hospitalization (30, 30, 28 days, respectively). There was no correlation between pre-transplant PHT and 30-day mortality or a long-term survival. CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort, PHT dropped very quickly after HTx, and was not associated with acute right heart failure following the surgery. Reversible PTH does not have a negative impact on short- or long-term survival after HTx.Biomedical papers of the Medical Faculty of the University Palacky, Olomouc, Czechoslovakia 05/2012; -
Article: Predictors of failure following restrictive annuloplasty for chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation.
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ABSTRACT: We sought to determine the results of restrictive annuloplasty for chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation. Hospital outcome and serial clinical and echocardiographic (preoperative, discharge, 3 months, 12 months, 24 months) follow-up assessments were analyzed in 87 consecutive patients with chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation having coronary artery bypass grafting. Persistent/recurrent mitral regurgitation was defined by grade ≥2 at discharge/during follow-up. Hospital mortality was 5.7% and persistence of regurgitation was present in 8.4%. Mean follow-up was 24.4 ± 1.7 months and recurrent mitral regurgitation was observed in 32.4% patients. In multivariate analysis only anterior leaflet angle remained an independent predictive factor for regurgitation recurrence with cutoff 27° (sensitivity of 67% and specificity of 76%, p = 0.04). There is high occurrence of early and delayed restrictive annuloplasty failure, particularly in patients with increased anterior leaflet tethering.Journal of Cardiac Surgery 11/2011; 27(1):6-12. · 0.87 Impact Factor -
Article: Successful re-use of the transplanted heart.
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ABSTRACT: The case of re-use of a previously transplanted heart after brain death of the first recipient is reported. The second recipient was a 60-year-old man who suffered end-stage ischemic heart disease. The operative and postoperative course was uneventful, with the exception of secondary diabetes. The patient is post-transplantation by more than 10 months and is now in New York Heart Association functional class I. This case confirms the possibility of using this procedure, particularly in the situation when there is a shortage of organ donors.The Annals of thoracic surgery 10/2010; 90(4):1337-8. · 3.74 Impact Factor
