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C Ceconi

Publications and source records attributed to C Ceconi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive accuracies of non-invasive tests, singly and in combination, for diagnosis of hibernating myocardium.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the best test(s) for predicting functional recovery of hibernating myocardium after reperfusion. METHODS: A prospective study to compare echocardiographic left ventricular diastolic wall thickness (> or =5 mm), low-dose dobutamine echocardiography and rest-redistribution thallium-201 scintigraphy, alone and in combination, for predicting recovery of left ventricular akinesis after surgical revascularization. RESULTS: Twenty-eight consecutive patients aged 58+/-9 years were studied. Of the 448 left ventricular segments, 263 were akinetic at rest; 230/263 (87%) had wall thickness > or =5 mm, 135 (51%) had a positive response and 175 (66.5%) were graded viable on thallium. Of akinetic segments 61% improved after surgery. Left ventricular score decreased from 2.3+/-0.4 to 1.8+/-0.4 (P<0.01) and ejection fraction increased from 27+/-10 to 37+/-14% (P<0.01). For predicting results at 1 year, diastolic wall thickness had a sensitivity and a predictive accuracy of a negative test of 100% but a specificity of 28% and predictive accuracy of a positive test of 61%. The addition of dobutamine echocardiography or thallium-201 improved the predictive accuracy of a positive test to 76% and 69%, respectively; the addition of both tests was not of greater benefit than that of a single test. CONCLUSIONS: Diastolic wall thickness <5 mm on echocardiography was the best simple and single predictor of non-recovery of left ventricular dysfunction. The addition of dobutamine echocardiography or thallium-201, but not both, was the best solution for predicting recovery of left ventricular dysfunction. In times of limited resources, these findings are important from a clinical point of view.

Adult↗

Apoptosis in the skeletal muscle of patients with heart failure: investigation of clinical and biochemical changes.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the contribution of apoptosis in the development of the skeletal myopathy in chronic heart failure. DESIGN: The electrophoretic pattern of myosin heavy chains (MHC), fibre cross sectional area, number of in situ nick end labelling (TUNEL) positive apoptotic myocyte nuclei, and the tissue levels of caspase-3, Bcl-2, and ubiquitin were determined in biopsies taken from the vastus lateralis muscle. The study involved nine patients with severe chronic heart failure caused by ischaemic heart disease and hibernating myocardium and five controls. RESULTS: In chronic heart failure patients the vastus lateralis showed a significant increase of MHC(2a) and MHC(2b) and a greater degree of fibre atrophy, as demonstrated by the decreased cross sectional area. There was also an increased number of TUNEL positive apoptotic myocyte nuclei. Tissue concentrations of Bcl-2 were decreased, while those of caspase-3 and ubiquitin were increased. Peak oxygen consumption (VO(2)) was negatively correlated with the number of TUNEL positive nuclei and the fibre cross sectional area. There was a correlation between the number of apoptotic nuclei and the fibre cross sectional area, but no correlation between myosin heavy chains and number of apoptotic nuclei. CONCLUSIONS: Myocyte apoptosis occurs in the skeletal muscle of patients with chronic heart failure, and its magnitude is associated with the severity of exercise capacity limitation and the degree of muscle atrophy. Muscle atrophy contributes to the limitation of exercise capacity, together with the increased synthesis of fast, more fatiguable myosin heavy chains.

Adult↗

Changes in oxidative stress and cellular redox potential during myocardial storage for transplantation: experimental studies.

BACKGROUND: Cardioplegic solutions assure only a sub-optimal myocardial protection during prolonged storage for transplantation. The ultimate cause of myocardial damage during storage is unknown, but oxygen free radicals might be involved. We evaluated the occurrence of oxidative stress and changes in cellular redox potential after different periods of hypothermic storage. METHODS: Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts were subjected to a protocol mimicking each stage of a cardiac transplantation procedure: explantation, storage and reperfusion. Three periods of storage were considered: Group A = 5 hours, Group B = 15 hours, and Group C = 24 hours. Oxidative stress was determined in terms of myocardial content and release of reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, and cellular redox potential as oxidized and reduced pyridine nucleotides ratio (NAD/NADH). Data on mechanical function, cellular integrity and myocardial energetic status were collected. RESULTS: At the end of reperfusion, despite the different timings of storage, recovery of left ventricular developed pressure (46.1+/-7.0, 54.7+/-6.7, and 45.7+/-7.4% of the baseline pre-ischaemic value), energy charge (0.81+/-0.02, 0.81+/-0.02, and 0.77+/-0.01) and NAD/NADH ratio (8.87+/-1.08, 9.39+/-1.72, and 10.26+/-1.98) were similar in all groups (A, B and C). On the contrary, the rise in left ventricular resting pressure (LVRP) and GSH/GSSG ratio were significantly different between Group C, and Groups A and B (p<0.0001, analyzed by Generalized Estimating Equations model for repeated measures, and p<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The pathophysiology of myocardial damage during hypothermic storage cannot be considered as a normothermic ischaemic injury and parameters other than energetic metabolism, such as thiolic redox state, are more predictive of functional recovery upon reperfusion.

Animals↗

Induction of functional inducible nitric oxide synthase in monocytes of patients with congestive heart failure. Link with tumour necrosis factor-alpha.

AIMS: We studied the induction of monocytic inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and the tumour necrosis factor-alpha system in patients with congestive heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty-three congestive heart failure patients and 15 healthy subjects were studied. Antigenic tumour necrosis factor-alpha and its soluble receptors, measured by ELISA, were increased in chronic heart failure and the increase was related to the clinical severity of the syndrome (tumour necrosis factor-alpha from 8.2+/-5.2 in NYHA class II to 18.2+/-7.2 in class III and 26.9+/-13.2 pg. ml(-1)in class IV, P<0.0001 classes III and IV vs class II; soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor I from 1.0+/-0.2 in class II to 2.3+/-1.1 in class III and 5.5+/-3.2 ng. ml(-1)in class IV, P<0.0001 classes III and IV vs class II; soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor II from 2.7+/-0.7 in class II to 4.9+/-1.9 in class III and 8.4+/-5.0 ng. ml(-1)in class IV, P<0.002 classes III and IV vs class II). Monocytic inducible nitric oxide synthase assessed by Western blot, was expressed only in congestive heart failure patients (13 out of 43). The association among monocytic inducible nitric oxide synthase expression, tumour necrosis factor-alpha system activation, neurohormones and other clinical parameters was studied. The univariate logistic regression showed that inducible nitric oxide synthase expression was strictly associated with NYHA class (P<0.05), antigenic tumour necrosis factor-alpha (P<0.01) and its soluble receptors (P<0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that antigenic tumour necrosis factor-alpha was the only predictor for monocytic inducible nitric oxide synthase expression (P<0.05, RR=2.75, CI 1. 34-5.43). CONCLUSIONS: Inducible nitric oxide synthase is expressed in circulating monocytes of patients with severe congestive heart failure. This phenomenon is linked to the activation of the tumour necrosis factor-alpha system.

Adult↗

Role of A2A receptor in the modulation of myocardial reperfusion damage.

Adenosine protects myocardium from ischemia and reperfusion damage; however, the mechanism of action is still under discussion. We investigated whether (a) adenosine protects isolated crystalloid-perfused rabbit heart from ischemia/ reperfusion injury; (b) this action is receptor mediated and what receptor subtypes are involved, and (c) this action is dependent on an enhanced nitric oxide production. Our results showed a cardioprotective effect of adenosine (10(-4) M), of nonselective adenosine-receptor agonist 5'-N-ethyl-carboxamidoadenosine (NECA; 5 x 10(-6) M), and of A2A agonists CGS 21680 (10(-8) and 10(-6) M), 2-hexynylNECA (10(-7) M). On the contrary, A1 agonist CCPA (10(-8) and 10(-6) M) does not provide any protection. The effect has been achieved in terms of significant reduction in contracture development during reperfusion [diastolic pressure was 46.8 +/- 7.1 mm Hg (p < 0.01); 46.1 +/- 7.8 mm Hg (p < 0.01); 46.9 +/- 5.5 mm Hg (p < 0.01); and 59.3 +/- 6.7 mm Hg (p < 0.05) with 10(-4) M adenosine, 5 x 10(-6) M NECA, 10(-6) M CGS 21680, and 10(-7) M 2-hexynylNECA, respectively, versus 77.6 +/- 5.0 mm Hg in control]; reduced creatine phosphokinase release (13.5 +/- 1.6, 22.2 +/- 7.9, 14.2 +/- 3.3, and 14.1 +/- 4.5 U/gww in treated hearts vs. 34.6 +/- 7.2 U/gww in controls; p < 0.05); improved energy metabolism [adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content is 9.9 +/- 0.5, 10.4 +/- 0.6, 9.8 +/- 0.5, and 10.5 +/- 0.5 micromol/gdw in treated hearts vs. 7.6 +/- 0.2 micromol/gdw; p < 0.05]. Moreover, our data indirectly show a functional presence of A2A receptors on cardiomyocytes as the protection is A2A mediated and exerted only during reperfusion, although in the absence of blood and coronary flow changes. These activities appear independent of nitric oxide pathways, as adenosine and 2-hexynylNECA effects are not affected by the presence of a nitric oxide-synthase inhibitor (10(-4) M L-NNA).

Adenosine↗

Improved exercise tolerance after losartan and enalapril in heart failure: correlation with changes in skeletal muscle myosin heavy chain composition.

BACKGROUND: In congestive heart failure, fatigue-resistant, oxidative, slow type I fibers are decreased in leg skeletal muscle, contributing to exercise capacity (EC) limitation. The mechanisms by which ACE inhibitors and AII antagonists improve EC is still unclear. We tested the hypothesis that improvement in EC is related to changes in skeletal muscle composition toward type I fibers. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eight patients with congestive heart failure, NYHA classes I through IV, were treated for 6 months with enalapril (E) 20 mg/d, and another 8 with losartan (L) 50 mg/d. EC was assessed with maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing at baseline and after treatment. Myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition of the gastrocnemius was studied after electrophoretic separation of slow MHC1, fast oxidative MHC2a, and fast glycolytic MHC2b isoforms from needle microbiopsies obtained at baseline and after 6 months. EC improved in both groups. Peak V(O2) increased from 21.0+/-4.7 to 27.6+/-4.3 mL . kg-1 . min -1 (P=0.011) in the L group and from 17.5+/-5.0 to 25.0+/-5.5 mL . kg-1 . min -1 (P=0.014) in the E group. Similarly, ventilatory threshold changed from 15.0+/-4.0 to 19.9+/-4.9 mL (P=0. 049) with L and from 12.0+/-1.9 to 15.4+/-3.5 mL (P=0.039) with E. MCH1 increased from 61.2+/-11.2% to 75.4+/-7.6% with L (P=0.012) and from 60.6+/-13.1% to 80.1+/-10.9% (P=0.006) with E. Similarly, MHC2a decreased from 21.20+/-9.5% to 12.9+/-4.4% (P=0.05) with L and from 19.9+/-7.8% to 11.8+/-7.9% (P=0.06) with E. MHC2b changed from 17. 5+/-6.5% to 11.7+/-5.2% (P=0.07) with L and from 19.5+/-6.4% to 8. 1+/-4.6% (P=0.0015) with E. There was a significant correlation between net changes in MHC1 and absolute changes in peak V(O2) (r2=0.29, P=0.029) and a trend to significance for MHC2a and 2b. CONCLUSIONS: Six months' treatment with L and with E produces an improvement in EC of similar magnitude. These changes are accompanied by a reshift of MHCs of leg skeletal muscle toward the slow, more fatigue-resistant isoforms. Magnitude of MHC1 changes correlates with the net peak V(O2) gain, which suggests that improved EC may be caused by favorable biochemical changes occurring in the skeletal muscle.

Angiotensin II↗

Different outcomes of the reperfused myocardium: insights into the comments of stunning and hibernation.

There are several potential outcomes of myocardial ischaemia. When ischaemia is severe and prolonged, irreversible damage occurs and there is no recovery of contractile function. Interventions aimed at reducing mechanical activity and oxygen demand either before ischaemia or during reperfusion have been shown to delay the onset of ischaemic damage and to improve recovery during reperfusion. When myocardial ischaemia is less severe but still prolonged, myocytes may remain viable but exhibit depressed contractile function. Under these conditions, reperfusion restores complete contractile performance. This type of ischaemia leading to a reversible, chronic left ventricular dysfunction has been termed 'hibernating myocardium'. It is important clinically recognize hibernation as reperfusion of hibernating myocardium by angioplasty or heart surgery restores contraction and this correlates with long term survival. A third possible outcome after a short period of myocardial ischaemia is a transient post-ischaemic ventricular dysfunction, a situation termed 'stunned myocardium'.

Chronic Disease↗

Apoptosis of skeletal muscle myofibers and interstitial cells in experimental heart failure.

UNLABELLED: Congestive heart failure (CHF) is characterized by a limb skeletal muscle myopathy with shift from the slow aerobic, fatigue resistant fibers, to the fast, anaerobic ones, and muscle bulk loss. Apoptosis (A) has been recently demonstrated to play a role in several cardiovascular diseases. AIM OF THE STUDY: we have investigated the role of A in the skeletal muscle of the hindlimbs in an experimental model of CHF. ANIMALS AND METHODS: CHF was induced in 7 males 80-100 g Sprague-Dawley rats with 30 mg/kg monocrotaline. Five age and diet matched controls were also studied. The time course of A was also studied in additional animals at day 0, 17, 24 and 30 days. RESULTS: At day 27 the electrophoretic analysis of myosin heavy chains (MHCs) demonstrated in the CHF rats the occurrence of a myopathy, with disappearance of slow MHC1 in the Tibialis Anterior (TA), and a significant shift from the slow to the fast isoforms in the soleus and EDL. With in situ DNA nick-end labelling (TUNEL) we found in the TA of CHF animals a significantly higher number of TUNEL positive nuclei (0.43 +/- 0.24 v 0.08 +/- 0.02, P<0.02 and TUNEL positive myonuclei (0.031 +/- 0.012 v 0.0025 +/- 0.005, P<0.02). The time course of A showed a progressive rise in interstitial and myocyte A, accompanied by a drop in fibers cross-sectional area and muscle weight/body weight, that came out to be significant at 30 days. Western blot showed a lower expression of Bcl-2 at 27 days and a further drop at 30 days in the CHF rats. Double staining for TUNEL and antibody against anti-MHC2a and anti MHC2b + 2x showed that A occurs non-selectively in all the myofiber types. BetaANP and Right Ventricle Mass/Volume (RVM/V) correlated significantly with total apoptotic nuclei. CONCLUSIONS: In CHF myofibers A can lead to muscle atrophy. Endothelial cells A may produce an imbalance in myofibres nutrition with relative ischemia that triggers the preferential synthesis of fast anaerobic myosin as an adaptive mechanism or alternatively induce myofibres death.

Animals↗

Skeletal muscle myosin heavy chain expression in rats with monocrotaline-induced cardiac hypertrophy and failure. Relation to blood flow and degree of muscle atrophy.

BACKGROUND: In congestive heart failure (CHF) the skeletal muscle of the lower limbs develops a myopathy characterised by atrophy and shift from the slow to the fast type fibres. The mechanisms responsible for these changes are not clear yet. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the influence of blood flow and degree of muscle atrophy on the myosin heavy chains (MHC) composition of the soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) of rats with right ventricle hypertrophy and failure. METHODS: CHF was induced in 16 rats by injecting 30 mg/kg monocrotaline. Eight animals had the same dose of monocrotaline but resulting in compensated right ventricle hypertrophy. Two age- and diet-matched groups of control animals (nine and five respectively) were also studied. The relative percentage of MHC1 (slow isoform), MHC2a (fast oxidative) and MHC2b (fast glycolytic) was determined by densitometric scan after electrophoretic separation. The relative weights of soleus and EDL (muscle weight/body weight) were taken as an index of muscle atrophy. Skeletal muscle blood flow was measured by injecting fluorescent micropheres. RESULTS: CHF and Control (Con) rats showed similar degree of atrophy both in soleus (0.40 +/- 0.06 vs. 0.44 +/- 0.06 p = NS), and EDL (0.47 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.45 +/- 0.02, p = 0.09). In CHF rats these two muscles showed a statistically significant MHCs redistribution toward the fast type isozymes. In fact in EDL of CHF rats MHC2a was 30.5 +/- 6.1% vs. 35.8 +/- 8.6% of the Con (p < 0.05). MHC2b was however higher (68.5 +/- 6.6% vs. 61.0 +/- 9.6%, p = 0.017). In the soleus of CHF rats MHC1 was decreased (87.6 +/- 3.4% vs. 91.9 +/- 5.2%, p = 0.02), while MHC2a was increased (12.04 +/- 3.5% vs. 7.9 +/- 5.2%; p = 0.028). Similar changes were not found in the muscles of the compensated hypertrophy animals. No correlation was found between MHC pattern and the relative muscle weight in the CHF animals. Soleus blood flow in CHF rats was significantly lower than that of Con (0.11 +/- 0.03 ml/min/g vs. 0.22 +/- 0.03 p < 0.05), while no differences were found in EDL (0.06 +/- 0.02 ml/min/g vs. 0.08 +/- 0.02, p = NS). CONCLUSIONS: In rats with CHF a skeletal muscle myopathy characterised by a shift of the MHCs toward the fast type isoforms occurs. The magnitude of the shift correlates neither with the degree of atrophy, nor with the skeletal muscle blood flow, suggesting that these two factors do not play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of the myopathy.

Animals↗

Oxidative stress during myocardial ischaemia and heart failure.

Oxidative stress is a condition in which oxidant metabolites exert toxic effects because of their increased production or an altered cellular mechanism of protection. The heart needs oxygen but it is also susceptible to oxidative stress, which occurs during post-ischaemic reperfusion, for example. Ischaemia causes alterations in the defence mechanisms against oxygen free radicals. At the same time, production of oxygen free radicals increases. In man, there is evidence of oxidative stress during surgical reperfusion of the whole heart, or after thrombolysis, and it is related to transient left ventricular dysfunction or stunning. At present, there are few data on oxidative stress in the failing heart. It is not clear whether the defence mechanisms of the myocyte are altered or whether the production of oxygen free radicals is increased, or both. Recent data have shown a close link between oxidative stress and apoptosis. Importantly, tumour necrosis factor causes a rapid rise in intracellular reactive oxygen intermediates and apoptosis. This series of events is not confined to the myocytes, but also occurs at the level of endothelium, where tumour necrosis factor causes expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, production of the reactive radical nitric oxide, oxidative stress and apoptosis. The immunological response to heart failure may result in endothelial and myocyte dysfunction through oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis. A better understanding of these mechanisms may lead to novel therapeutic strategies.

Animals↗

Catecholamines: the cardiovascular and neuroendocrine system.

The development of profound autonomic dysfunction and of neuroendocrine activation characterizes and possibly contributes to the progression of heart disease to congestive heart failure. Sympathetic activation is a generalized process and the proposed mechanisms for neurohumoral activation include decreased input from excitatory afferences and increased input from excitatory chemoceptors and metabaroceptor. These phenomena vary to a great extent in different subjects: in the more impaired patients, renal and cardiac overflow of catecholamines can increase three- and ten-fold, respectively, accounting for about 60% of the increase of noradrenaline in congestive heart failure. Efficient methods to quantify sympathetic cardiovascular influences and neuroendocrine indices have been developed and it has been recognized that sympathoneural activation independently predicts the survival of patients. The pathophysiological role and the clinical relevance of neuroadrenergic abnormalities also constitute the grounds for the understanding of the therapeutic benefit obtained with interventions aimed at mitigating the harmful consequences of adrenergic hyperactivity.

Cardiovascular System↗

The neuroendocrine and sympathetic nervous system in congestive heart failure.

A review of recent randomized clinical trials has shown that neurohormonal activation starts early in the natural history of left ventricular dysfunction and levels of the circulating hormones increase in proportion to the severity of heart failure. Most studies suggest that high levels of neurohormones predict a poor prognosis. Among the several neurohormones, the sympathetic system is the one which is activated earlier, it increases in proportion to the severity of the disease and has a negative prognostic implication. These concepts have been also proven in untreated patients. Augmented sympathetic activity in the syndrome of heart failure is initially beneficial, appears to be adaptive and helps support blood pressure and cardiac output. Prolonged and excessive sympathetic activation has deleterious effects with adverse consequences at both cardiac and vascular levels which aggravates the clinical status of the syndrome and negatively affects its prognosis. Evidence is accumulating that, contrary to popular belief, beta-blockers may be beneficial in heart failure by inhibiting sympathetic activation. In addition to neuroendocrine activation, another class of biologically active molecules, termed cytokines, are excessively secreted by cells in heart failure. Important among these cytokines are tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6. They appear to exert deleterious effects on the heart and circulation which may be also involved in the progression of heart failure.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Recognized molecular mechanisms of heart failure: approaches to treatment.

Abnormalities of cytosolic calcium handling and myocyte energetics appear to play an important role in mediating contractile dysfunction in heart failure. Systolic and diastolic dysfunction in the failing heart are related to abnormalities of the excitation-contraction mechanism as well as myofilament calcium sensitivity. These abnormalities can be viewed as a compensatory mechanism as the myocytes by down regulating its function and metabolic activity preserve energy consumption and allow better maintenance of basal cellular homeostasis. The end point of myocyte dysfunction, however, is a reduced contraction, which, in turn, might cause a reduced cardiac output and a threatening of arterial pressure. This causes a second level of adaptation, which implies a neuroendocrine response of the whole organism. Consequently, the syndrome of congestive heart failure is characterized not only by impaired ventricular function, but also by an increase in some endogenous substances leading to vasoconstriction and water and salt retention. Although activation of the systems that release these substances is presumed to be compensatory, the sympathetic nervous system and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system as well as the endothelins may contribute to the pathogenesis of the syndrome. Opposite to the effects of these systems are those evoked by the release of atrial natriuretic peptides. The peptides exert a potent direct vasodilatation and natriuresis. In addition, atrial natriuretic peptides inhibit the release of norepinephrine from nerve terminals and suppress the formation of renin. However, the natriuretic and vasodilator effects of these peptides in patients with congestive heart failure are outweighed by the sodium retention and vasoconstriction caused by sympathetic stimulation and activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. The reasons for this are not entirely known. The atrial stretch receptors that are responsible for the release of the atrial peptides become impaired, and it has been suggested that patient with heart failure may adapt to the physiologic effects of atrial natriuretic peptides. The possibility that congestive heart failure is in part a humoral disease is reviewed here and consequently pharmacologic treatment aimed at reducing the effects of the neuroendocrine response as to be advantageous for patients with heart failure.

Animals↗

Evaluation of signal-averaged cardiokymography for the detection of ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction.

UNLABELLED: Cardiokymography (CKG) is a non-invasive method for the detection of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Issues of the present study were to evaluate the feasibility, sensitivity and specificity of a recently developed signal-averaged CKG system for detecting patients with pharmacologically induced ischaemic left ventricular wall motion abnormalities (WMA) during pharmacologic stress echocardiography (SE). Precordial CKG curves were recorded in 100 consecutive patients who underwent dobutamine-SE for suspected CAD. For interpretation, CKG curves were classified into three different types, depending on the degree of systolic outward motion. CKG test results were regarded as positive (indicating myocardial ischaemia) if there was a change of the baseline CKG type at peak pharmacologic stress. The CKG test results were positive in 18 of 27 patients with a pathologic dobutamine-SE (sensitivity 67%), but did not show any change of the prior CKG type in 57 of 69 patients with a normal SE (specificity 83%). Patients with a true positive CKG test had significantly (P<0.05) more echocardiographic segments with WMA than patients with a false negative CKG test. CONCLUSIONS: Signal-averaged CKG can detect patients with ischaemic ventricular dysfunction. Sensitivity of CKG in detecting patients with WMA depends on the extent of left ventricular ischaemia. Further studies are needed to define the diagnostic value of signal-averaged CKG in the non-invasive detection of patients with suspected CAD.

Adult↗