Aims To investigate myocardial fibrosis (MF) in a large series of severe aortic stenosis (AS) patients using invasive biopsy and non-invasive imaging. Methods and results One hundred thirty-three patients with severe, symptomatic AS accepted for surgical aortic valve replacement underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and extracellular volume f...

BACKGROUND The purpose of the present study was to assess the trends in the use of ECV following published studies that had compared rhythm and rate control strategies on atrial fibrillation (AF), and the recommendations included in the current clinical practice guidelines. METHODS The REVERCAT is a population-based assessment of the use of electrical cardioversion (ECV) in treating persisten...

INTRODUCTION Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) refers to the spectrum of abnormalities of maturation and development of the hip. Breech presentation is associated with DDH. This risk factor can be modified by external cephalic version (ECV). The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of DDH in patients who successfully underwent ECV, as well as to evaluate need for these children...

Background Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is the most validated independent prognostic factor for mortality, ventricular arrhythmias and heart failure (HF) in non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy without etiology. However, mild or moderate reduction LVEF yield limited predictive value. The amount of fibrosis, detected by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on CMR, has also been validate...

BACKGROUND Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked, inherited disorder causing dilated cardiomyopathy with variable onset and progression. Currently we lack objective markers of the effect of therapies targeted towards preventing progression of subclinical cardiac disease. Thus, our aim was to compare the ability of native T1 and extracellular volume (ECV) measurements to differentiate...

Background Myocardial T1 and extracellular volume (ECV) derived from cardiovascular MRIs are more and more widely accepted as important markers for diagnosis, risk prediction and monitoring of cardiac disease. Yet data regarding long-term stability of myocardial T1 mapping are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term stability of native and postcontrast T1 mapping values ...

We read with interest the article published by Bird et al about the reproducibility of measured GFR by iohexol and Cr-51-EDTA [ 1 ]. We would like to make one comment and to share our own results on this fundamental (although understudied) topic. As we already pointed out in a NDT editorial, we share the same reserves about the opportunity to index glomerular filtration rate (GFR) with body sur...

OBJECTIVES To study the effect of ritodrine tocolysis on the success of external cephalic version (ECV) and to assess the role of ECV in breech presentation at our centre. MATERIAL AND METHODS A prospective randomized double-blind-controlled trial comparing ritodrine and placebo in ECV of singleton term breech pregnancy at a tertiary hospital. RESULTS Among the 60 patients who were recruite...

BACKGROUND Persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) is difficult to treat. In the absence of class I or III antiarrhythmic drugs sinus rhythm is maintained in only 30% of patients during the first year after electrical cardioversion (ECV). One of the remodeling processes induced by AF is fibrosis, which relates to inducibility and maintenance of AF. The renin-angiotensin system may play a important ...

Two themes feature prominently in current National Health Service (NHS) priorities: the importance of evidence-based health care and the value of informed choice for users of health services. There is evidence both within and outside health care showing that choices are in ̄uenced by the way options are presented. Nearly 20 000 women each year in the United Kingdom will have an uncomplicated bre...