-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: AIMS: The aim of the present study is to estimate the procedure (implantation) cost, the total hospitalization cost and annual follow-up cost, in patients subjected to pacemaker (PM) and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation.METHODS AND RESULTS: A single-center, prospective, cost-of-illness study was conducted between August 2008 and July 2009. In total, 464 consecutive patients were recruited (370 were subjected to PM implantation and 94 to ICD implantation). Resource data were assessed at patients' enrolment in the study and at 6th and 12th months of patients' follow-up. Then, the procedure cost, the total hospitalization cost as well as the annual patients' follow up costs were calculated using a bottom-up approach. The mean (95% confidence interval) procedure cost of PM and ICD implantation (including the costs of devices, electrodes, other supplies, and personnel's time) was calculated to be €1803 (€1758-€1858) and €13 521 (€13 153-€13 892), respectively. The mean total hospitalization cost (including procedure cost, hospitalization cost, cost of laboratory and imaging diagnostic examinations and the indirect cost attributed to productivity lost due to patient's hospitalization) was €3926 (€3711-€4167) for PM and €17 764 (€16 852-€18 692) for ICD. The mean annual cost (direct and indirect) was €1816 (€1433-€2421) for PM and €2819 (€2115-€3703) for ICD. No difference was detected in the annual cost between patients with initial implantation and replacement.CONCLUSION: These data revealed that although these devices are associated with a relatively high upfront cost, the annual societal cost following the implantation is low. Therefore, implantation of such devices should be encouraged since these devices reduce the morbidity and mortality without a high economic burden to society.
Europace 11/2012; · 1.98 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to examine autonomic disorders in patients with different types of vasovagal syndrome by performing both a cardiac sympathetic innervation evaluation and a head-up tilt-test with heart rate variability (HRV) analysis.
We enrolled 60 patients with vasovagal syncope (32 women, mean age 40 ± 16 years), and 20 age-matched controls. We assessed the integrity and function of the myocardial pre-synaptic nerve endings and in the sympathovagal activity, using (123)I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy and time-domain indexes of HRV. A significantly lower heart/mediastinum ratio was found in the syncopal patients compared with the control group, both at 10 min (1.9 ± 0.25 vs. 3.6 ± 1.7, P = 0.02) and at 4 h (1.79 ± 0.12 vs. 2.07 ± 0.19, P = 0.04), whereas washout rate was significantly greater in syncopal patients (5.5 ± 3.7 vs. 2 ± 0.19, P = 0.04). There were no significant differences in any of the above parameters between patients with different types of syncope. In addition, the majority of the patients showed multiple adrenergic innervation defects in the left ventricular myocardium. No significant difference was found in any of the HRV time-domain indexes. However, a correlation was found between root-mean-square of the difference between successive RRs and washout rate in syncopal patients (r = -0.256, P = 0.48).
Patients with vasovagal syncope induced by tilt testing reveal a high degree of disturbance of myocardial adrenergic innervation and multiple adrenergic innervation defects. This suggests a possible predominance of cardiac adrenergic activity in those with abnormal cardiac MIBG scintigraphy.
Europace 03/2012; 14(9):1352-8. · 1.98 Impact Factor
-
International journal of cardiology 03/2011; 147(2):326-8. · 7.08 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Acute aortic syndromes (AAS) remain one of the most challenging medical emergencies. Making a prompt and accurate diagnosis is a race against time, where delay may be disastrous for the patient's life. Prompt and accurate diagnosis using imaging modalities has been available for many years, but the major concern is how the clinician's suspicion should be aroused concerning the possibility of an acute aortic syndrome, especially in cases of atypical clinical presentation and/or poor signs during clinical examination. Since the first case report publication in 1995, novel biochemical markers have been used for the rapid diagnosis of AAS, such as smooth muscle myosin heavy chains, serum soluble elastin fragments, and d-dimers, with the latter being the most widely used in clinical trials. Despite their potential, all these substances need to be re-evaluated in large randomized trials before they can be included as biomarkers of high sensitivity and specificity in clinical practice.
International journal of cardiology 11/2010; 145(1):3-8. · 7.08 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Little is known about sleep quality in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU). The aim of this study was to assess nocturnal sleep in these patients, away from the CCU environment, and to evaluate potential connections with the disease process.
Twenty-two patients with first ever ACS, who were not on sedation or inotropes, underwent a full-night polysomnography (PSG) in our sleep disorders unit within 3 days of the ACS and follow-up PSGs 1 and 6 months later.
PSG parameters showed a progressive improvement over the study period. There was a statistically significant increase in total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency, slow wave sleep (SWS), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, while arousal index, wake after sleep onset (WASO) and sleep latency decreased. Six months after the acute event, sleep architecture was within the normal range.
Patients with ACS have marked alterations in sleep macro- and micro-architecture, which have a negative influence on sleep quality. The changes tend to disappear over time, suggesting a relationship with the acute phase of the underlying disease.
Sleep Medicine 02/2010; 11(2):149-53. · 3.40 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Echocardiography represents an invaluable diagnostic tool for the detection of intracardiac masses while simultaneously provides information about their size, location, mobility and attachment site as well as the presence and extent of any consequent hemodynamic derangement. A 29-year-old asymptomatic young woman with incidental transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) discovery of an aortic valve mass is presented. The 2-dimensional TTE showed a mobile, pedunculated mass, attached by a thin stalk to the aortic surface of the right coronary aortic cusp at the junction of its base with the anterior aortic wall. The importance of valve sparing tumour resection even in asymptomatic patients is emphasised.
Cardiovascular Ultrasound 10/2009; 7:43. · 1.26 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The purpose of the present study was to determine the relationship between anemia and parameters derived from 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. We found that patients with anemia had significantly elevated nocturnal systolic and mean blood pressure and a trend for increased diastolic blood pressure. In addition, anemic patients had significantly lower dipping status compared to patients with normal hemoglobin levels.
International journal of cardiology 01/2009; 142(1):95-6. · 7.08 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Congenital left ventricular (LV) diverticula are rare findings, particularly when first diagnosed in adulthood. We describe successful surgical repair of an isolated congenital apical LV diverticulum associated with an abnormal submitral apparatus in a young adult who received his diagnosis following a peripheral embolism. We intraoperatively identified an abnormally originating belly of the posteromedial papillary muscle, which arose from the interventricular septum, causing partition of the LV cavity and forming an apical aneurysmal communicating chamber. This anatomy of abnormal papillary muscle bifurcation was possibly the mechanism for the development of the apical diverticulum and to the best of our knowledge has not previously been described. Reattachment of the abnormal belly to its normal position preserved mitral valve competence, and an endoventricular patch repair restored LV volume and geometry.
Heart Surgery Forum 02/2008; 11(2):E75-7. · 0.63 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Several studies suggest the clinical efficacy of carvedilol in reducing atrial and ventricular arrhythmias in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) due to congestive heart failure (CHF) or following myocardial infarction. However, the mechanisms supporting its antiarrhythmic efficacy have been derived from experimental studies. In this prospective, placebo-controlled trial we examined the electrophysiological effects of a high oral dose of carvedilol in patients with CHF and LVD due to non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.
Thirty-one patients with stable CHF underwent electrophysiological study and were randomly assigned to treatment with carvedilol or placebo. After 2 months of treatment the study was repeated.
Carvedilol prolonged almost all conduction times. In the same group atrial and ventricular effective refractory periods were significantly prolonged, while the parameters of repolarization remained virtually unchanged. The prolongation of refractoriness was most pronounced in the atrium. The change in ventricular refractoriness was correlated with ejection fraction (r = 0.94, p < 0.01) suggesting that patients with more preserved left ventricular function responded to treatment with greater prolongation.
Even after a short period of administration carvedilol has marked and diffused electrophysiological effects that would be beneficial for patients with CHF and may contribute to the positive outcome of clinical trials.
Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy 02/2008; 22(3):169-76. · 3.13 Impact Factor
-
Hellenic journal of cardiology: HJC = Hellēnikē kardiologikē epitheōrēsē 51(2):133-41. · 1.23 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Bifurcation lesions of native coronary arteries are common in daily practice and different strategies for percutaneous coronary intervention have been suggested for their treatment. The "crush" technique, with the use of drug-eluting stents in both the main and the side branch, is a relatively simple procedure that ensures complete lesion coverage, even for bifurcations that have extensive disease within the side branch. We present the case of a bifurcation lesion in a Y-shaped saphenous venous graft in a patient who had previously undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The literature lacks reports regarding the management of such patients. Implementation of the "crush" technique in the specific case resulted in a satisfactory angiographic and long-term clinical outcome.
Hellenic journal of cardiology: HJC = Hellēnikē kardiologikē epitheōrēsē 51(4):368-73. · 1.23 Impact Factor
