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De-escalation to a beta-lactam improves outcomes for patients with a methicillin-susceptibleTo determine whether definitive antibiotic selection affects outcomes for patients with an ampicillin-susceptible enterococcal BSI.This retrospective cohort study included patients over 18 years of age receiving definitive therapy with vancomycin or a beta-lactam for one or more blood cultures positive forOne-hundred eighty-six patients received definitive therapy with either vancomycin (n = 45, 24.2%) or a beta-lactam (n = 141, 75.8%). The primary outcome, 30-day all-cause mortality, was not different between groups (6.7% vs 7.1%;For patients with an ampicillin-susceptible enterococcal BSI, definitive therapy with vancomycin or a beta-lactam was not independently associated with a difference in 30-day all-cause mortality. Whether definitive vancomycin is associated with poor long-term outcomes warrants further exploration.

An apparently healthy man of 26 years of age suddenly died. He was known to have had a small ventricular septal defect and complete right bundle branch block from early childhood. At post-mortem examination the small ventricular septal defect was found associated with an aneurysm of the membranous septum. Histological examination showed a normal atrioventricular node and bundle, adjacent to the aneurysm. There was fibrous interruption at the commencement of the right bundle branch, which was considered the basis of the bundle branch block. It was also considered that the right bundle branch block was of the hereditary type and that this, rather than the aneurysm of the membranous septum, was responsible for the unexpected death.

Background. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of pericardial effusion in acute myocardial infarction and the different prognosis associated with distinct patterns of pericardial effusion (anechoic/hypoechoic vs hyperechoic effusion). Methods. Five hundred eighty-five consecutive patients admitted to the Coronary Care Unit for acute myocardial infarction were initially considered. Forty of them were excluded due to a technically poor acoustic window. The remaining 545 patients were studied by two-dimensional echocardiography at admission, before discharge (after an average of 9 days in the Coronary Care Unit) and whenever there was an important change in the clinical status (chest pain, lipothymia or syncope, hemodynamic deterioration with systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg, cardiac arrest). Results. Pericardial effusion was found in 51 patients (9%). Three distinct textural patterns of pericardial effusion were noted on the basis of the echogenic properties: 1) anechoic or hypoechoic pericardial effusion was frequent (30 patients), mild or moderate and generally benign; 2) hyperechoic type 'A' effusion pattern was rare (2 patients) and associated with fever, leukocytosis and pericardial rubs; 3) hyperechoic type 'B' was frequent (19 patients), large and always associated with major complications (all cases cardiac tamponade and/or death). Conclusions. Pericardial effusion is not an uncommon finding in serial echo evaluation of patients with acute myocardial infarction, especially when infarction is anterior, extensive and Q wave. Echocardiographically detected pericardial effusion shows different textural patterns with hypoanechoic effusion more frequent, limited and prognostically benign than hyperechoic effusion larger and often associated with adverse events.

Idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia is a rare arrhythmia whose electrophysiological basis is not yet well-defined. We report a case of idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia caused by a reentrant circuit limited exclusively to the two fascicles of the left bundle branch.

Malignant ventricular arrhythmias have been reported in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot. The aim of this study was to examine ventricular repolarization time indexes, in terms of both absolute measures and dispersion across the myocardium, in young patients operated on for tetralogy of Fallot (32 patients; 19 males and 13 females, mean age 11.1 +/- 3.4 years); these electrocardiographic parameters have been shown to be effective in the identification of electrical myocardial instability and hence of risk for ventricular arrhythmias too. The electrocardiographic data of the study group were compared with those of 22 age-matched asymptomatic control subjects (14 males and 8 females, mean age 12 +/- 1.5 years). Furthermore it has also been investigated the possible influence on ventricular repolarization of known negative prognostic factors relative to the surgical approach, age at intervention, and presence of pulmonary obstruction and/or regurgitation. No patients in the study group revealed at the Holter recordings and/or at the exercise test severe ventricular arrhythmias. From the analysis of ventricular depolarization, expressed by QRS duration, emerged that it resulted significantly longer in total Fallot group (p < 0.0001), and in each subgroup (p < 0.05) compared to the control group. Particularly, patients operated through a right ventricular approach showed higher values of QRS interval (p < 0.05) than those operated through combined transatrial-transpulmonary approach. All patients operated on for tetralogy of Fallot showed, compared to control subjects, a non homogeneous prolongation of ventricular repolarization across the myocardium, as confirmed by the significant increase in the absolute indexes of ventricular repolarization, JTc (p < 0.001), QT (p < 0.0001) and QTc (p < 0.0001) with a concomitant prolongation of the indexes of dispersion of ventricular recovery time, QTc dispersion (p < 0.0001), JTc dispersion (p < 0.0001), "adjusted" QTc dispersion (p < 0.05) and T peak-T end interval (p < 0.0001). The non homogeneous ventricular repolarization across the myocardium, preceding the development of arrhythmic events, could be the effect of the right ventricular morphological and functional changes of tetralogy of Fallot predisposing to the development of ventricular reentry tachyarrhythmias.

We report a rare case of ectopic atrial tachycardia induced by ergometric stress test whose arrhythmogenic mechanism, after transesophageal electrophysiological study, seemed to be triggered activity. The patient was successfully treated with a beta-blocker (metoprolol), confirming the importance of autonomic modulation in the genesis of arrhythmias caused by afterdepolarizations.

Transesophageal atrial pacing is a diagnostic and therapeutic tool in patients with supraventricular reciprocating tachycardia (SVRT). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of transesophageal atrial pacing in the selection of the chronic treatment of SVRT. Between June 1993 and March 1995 we have performed transesophageal atrial pacing in 44 patients affected by atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT: n = 28) or atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT) using a concealed or manifest bypass tract (n = 16). After a basal (free drug state) transesophageal atrial pacing, we performed serial electropharmacological tests during chronic treatment with sotalol (160 mg/die), flecainide (200 mg/die) and propafenone (450 mg/die). At the end of these tests, the patients were finally discharged with the drug that allowed a more difficult induction or a wider cycle length, and that showed a better clinical tolerance. At the end of the electropharmacological tests 53.6% of the patients affected by AVNRT were discharged with sotalol, 17.8% with propafenone and 28.6% with flecainide. The follow-up of these 28 patients is 11.4 +/- 1.7 months. In the 79.2% of the patients the drug is still effective (absence of whatever episode of SVRT in the follow-up period). In the AVRT group, at the end of the electropharmacological tests, 25% of the patients were discharged with sotalol, 6.25% with propafenone, and 68.75% with flecainide. The follow-up of these 16 patients is 11.7 +/- 1.8 months. In the 78.6% of the patients the drug is still effective (absence of episode of SVRT in the follow-up period).

The prevalence of coronary artery disease is lower in women than in men. Ovarian estrogen is believed to decrease the risk of coronary heart disease. Today, there is an increasing demand for estrogen replacement not only for amelioration of menopausal subjective symptoms but also for the prophylactic action of estrogen against osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Is generally agreed that estrogen replacement therapy reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in postmenopausal women. Estrogen replacement therapy may protect against coronary heart disease by altering plasma lipoprotein concentrations, by increasing HDL cholesterol and decreasing LDL cholesterol, and thereby inhibiting progression of coronary artery atherosclerosis. Oral contraceptive can induce deterioration in glucose tolerance that has consistently been associated with insulin excess and insulin resistance. This situation can increase the coronary heart disease risk. New findings suggest that there may be independent cardioprotective effects of estrogen, such a direct inhibitory influence on thrombosis, vasospasm or atherogenesis, inhibiting atherosclerotic plaque formation in arterial walls.

Cardiac arrhythmias are common in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Several factors may contribute to the development of arrhythmias in these patients including hypoxemia, hypercapnia, acid-base disturbances. The aim of the study was to assess QTc dispersion in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, who are at high risk of arrhythmias. Interlead QT variability as measured on the 12-lead electrocardiogram is not a technical artifact but probably reflects regional differences in ventricular repolarization. Increased dispersion of ventricular recovery time is believed to provide a substrate which supports serious ventricular arrhythmias. We showed that in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, free of underlying structural heart disease, the QTc dispersion is significant greater (p = 0.036) than in a control group, despite a similar value in mean QTc value. The data of the present study suggest that the determination of dispersion of repolarization times may be affected by metabolic changes occurring in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The diagnosis of previous non-Q wave myocardial infarction by standard electrocardiographic investigation is uncertain, particularly in elderly patients because of concomitant disease. We have studied 31 elderly patients (aged 63-72 years) with a diagnosis of non-Q wave myocardial infarction between 1-6 months after this acute event. The patients underwent clinical-anamnestic examination, standard electrocardiography, vectorcardiography according to the Frank system and M-mode and 2-D echo-cardiography with continuous and pulsated Doppler. The ECG showed ST-T anomalies in 12 patients (38.7%) whereas the VCG showed anomalies of QRS-loop normal convexity in 27 patients (87%) and 16 of these (51.6%) showed bites criteria (durationor = 10 msec, voltageor = 0.1 mV, present at least on two planes). By echocardiography, regional hypo-akinesia was observed in 19 patients (61.3%). Although bites are not only present in myocardial infarction, they indicate an interruption of myocardial gradual electric activation, compatible with fibrous areas, and should be evaluated as a part of the clinical-anamnestic, laboratory and instrumental data.

The authors carried out a perspective study to determine the frequency of silent ischemia (SI), in 50 consecutive patients with end stage renal failure, during dialysis by Holter monitoring. Twenty patients had SI. The number of cardiovascular risk factors, principally diabetes, smoking and the underlying renal disease was related to ischemic events. Dialysis may predispose to and facilitate the detection of myocardial ischemia by the simultaneous presence of hypotension, hypovolemia, hypoxia and tachycardia. Holter monitoring may allow the detection of ischemic events and the identification of a subgroup of dialytic patients with a high cardiovascular risk.

Thalassaemia major determines an impaired effort tolerance because of a condition of severe anaemia, progressive left ventricular dysfunction, pulmonary circulation compromise. The aim of our study is to evaluate haemodynamic response to exercise in thalassaemic patients without clinical features of heart failure. We have selected 13 patients affected by thalassaemia major (Thal+; 10-18 years). Each patient was transfused when haemoglobin values were9-9.5 g/dl and was treated with desferrioxamine (40 mg/kg sc) when serum ferritin values were2,000 ng/ml. Thal+ patients were compared with normal subjects (Thal- 10-16 years). No patient assumed hypotensive therapy, no had familiar history of hypertension. Both groups have undergone an ergometric stress test at the cycloergometer, with increase of 25 W every 2 min, up to the reaching of the maximum age-related heart rate, or up to muscle exhaustion or unbearable dyspnea, followed by a 10 min recovery phase. The following parameters were taken in consideration: systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, heart rate (HR), the product of the heart rate by the systolic blood pressure (DP), at rest, at the maximum common work (MCW), at maximum stress and in the recovery phases. At rest, only DP showed significant differences between the two groups: in Thal+ patients higher than in Thal- (p = 0.045). At the MCW, Thal+ patients had SBP (p = 0.019), DBP (p = 0.01), HR (p = 0.035) and DP (p = 0.003) higher than Thal- patients. At maximum stress only DBP showed significant differences in Thal+ patients (p = 0.019), although Thal+ patients achieved lower levels of workload (p = 0.0001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A family history of hypertension can influence the behaviour of blood pressure during ergometric stress test (EST) in normotensive subjects, so that it is also used in the assessment of risk of hypertension. To evaluate the relationship between parental history and blood pressure values during exercise, 57 consecutive adolescents (aged 10-16 years) were studied. Out of them, 25 patients have not been considered because of the presence of organic pathologies of various nature that could interfere with the pressure behaviour. All patients underwent EST with a load increase of 25 W every 3 min until the maximal age-related heart rate. The patients were divided in 2 groups based on the presence (PH+ 13 patients, mean age 13 +/- 2 years) or on the absence (PH- 19 patients, mean age 13 +/- 2 years) of parental history of hypertension. No difference in body surface and maximum workload was observed between the 2 groups. Exercise test induced an increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP) both in PH- and PH+ patients, but no significant differences were found in any stage of the exercise in the 2 groups. Maximum heart rate (HR) was not different in the 2 groups and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was substantially unchanged during exercise. The variation of SBP (delta SBP) between maximum stress and first, third, fifth and tenth min of the recovery phase were considered. Besides, 4 SBP indexes were deduced from the ratio of SBP values at the first, third, fifth and tenth min of the recovery by the SBP value at the acme of stress.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Background: Diagnostic assessment and treatment have been described in detail in symptomatic WPW syndrome, but little information exists about significance and prognosis of an incidentally found ventricular pre-excitation (VPE) in asymptomatic children. The aim of the study was to evaluate, retrospectively, the role of electrophysiological study (EPS) in the assessment of the arrhythmic risk in asymptomatic patients with VPE. Material and Methods: Sixty-two asymptomatic children and adolescents (38 M/24 F, aged 9.8±5.1 years) referred to our Division between 1996 and 2002 for an incidentally found VPE underwent an EPS for arrhythmic risk stratification. The following parameters were examined: anterograde effective refractory period of the accessory pathway (AP), the 1-to-1 conduction over the AP, the inducibility of atrio-ventricular re-entrant tachycardia (AVRT) and the inducibility of atrial fibrillation (AF) with measurement of minimal RR between two consecutive preexcitated QRS complexes, the average RR interval of all cycles, and the percentage of preexcitated QRS complexes. Result: During the EPS, 36 patients (58.1%) experienced sustained SVT. The tachycardia was initiated in the basal state in 22 patients and after isoproterenol in the other 14. Orthodromic AVRT (cycle length 305.9±48.5 ms) was recorded in 29 patients. In three patients, both orthodromic and antidromic AVRT were recorded, with different cycle length (CL). Antidromic AVRT alone (CL 239.5±13.7 ms) was recorded in four patients. AF was recorded in nine patients: in six patients, it was recorded after the induction of orthodromic or antidromic AVRT, in the other three cases AF was the first and only arrhythmic event. The minimal RR between two consecutive pre-excitated QRS ranged between 250–230 ms (mean 237.5±9.6 ms). In the 26 patients who presented no induced sustained tachycardia in the EPS, the 1:1 conduction over the AP ranged between 210 and 600 ms (mean 279.6±75.2 ms). Conclusions: Electrophysiological evaluation remains the gold standard for assessing risk of life-threatening arrhythmias in patients with VPE. However, a high proportion of healthy children and adolescents with VPE can experience sustained AVRT and/or AF during EPS. These results raise questions about the necessity of an aggressive treatment approach to prevent those "rare" cases of sudden death.

Disturbances in cardiac sodium channel function are associated with inherited arrhythmia susceptibility. Mutations in SCN5A, which encodes the cardiac sodium channel (NaV1.5), cause congenital long QT syndrome type 3 (LQT3), Brugada syndrome (BrS) and a variety of cardiac conduction disorders (CCD) [1,2]. These disorders have can have complex genotype-phenotype relationships [3,4]. Here we report the clinical features of an LQTS family segregating a novel amino acid deletion mutation (N1472del) in SCN5A that produces a unique pattern of biophysical disturbances consistent with the clinical phenotype.

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