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Biomedical subjects

F Cobelli

Publications and source records attributed to F Cobelli.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Arterial baroreflex modulation of heart rate in patients early after heart transplantation: lack of parasympathetic reinnervation.

BACKGROUND: Orthotopic heart transplantation results in cardiac denervation. The presence of cardiac parasympathetic reinnervation in humans has been widely debated based on the application of differing indirect measures of autonomic control. However no attempt has been made to analyse the reflex heart rate response to baroreceptor stimulation whose occurrence is generally considered a reliable marker of the ability to activate cardiac vagal reflexes. This study tested the hypothesis that the presence of donor heart RR interval lengthening following phenylephrine induced blood pressure increase would be an index of parasympathetic reinnervation. METHODS: Baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) was assessed in 30 patients (mean age 51+/-12 years) 1-24 months after heart transplantation carried out by the standard Lower-Shumway technique. In 6 patients the recipient atrium rate response (P-P interval) to baroreceptor stimulation by phenylephrine was also simultaneously determined by transesophageal recording. RESULTS: None of the 30 patients showed prolongation of RR intervals in the donor heart. The average BRS value was -0.28+/-0.54 ms/mmHg (range -1.3-0.7 ms/mm Hg). In the 6 patients in whom BRS was obtained at both the recipient atrium (P-P) and donor heart (R-R) the changes were 7.6+/-5.7 ms/mm Hg and -0.38+/-0.58 ms/mm Hg respectively (p = 0.02), thus confirming that the absent RR interval lengthening in the donor heart is the consequence of efferent vagal fiber interruption. CONCLUSIONS: The absence of any RR interval prolongation following phenylephrine induced baroreceptor stimulation demonstrates that vagal efferent reinnervation of the donor heart does not occur up to 24 months in patients operated via the standard Lower-Shumway procedure. It is also suggested that analysis of baroreceptor reflexes is a more specific method in the examination of cardiac parasympathetic reinnervation.

Arteries↗
PubMed1999

Heart failure-related myopathy. Clinical and pathophysiological insights.

AIMS: To evaluate the relationship of skeletal and respiratory muscular dysfunction with the degree of clinical severity, cardiac impairment and exercise intolerance in patients with chronic heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ninety-one patients (age 52.7+/-8 years) on standard therapy and in a stable clinical condition with normal nutritional status underwent evaluation of (1) clinical severity and metabolic status (NYHA class, weight, albuminaemia, natraemia, cortisol, insulin, neurohormones), (2) cardiac function (Echo, right heart catheterization), (3) exercise tolerance (peak VO(2)), (4) dynamic isokinetic forces of the quadriceps and hamstring (Cybex method), and respiratory muscle strength (maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures). Fifty patients had a peak VO(2)<14 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1)(10.6+/-2) and 41 had values >/=14 (18.3+/-4). In the former group, leg and respiratory strength were significantly lower (extensors: 80+/-24 vs 100.9+/-22 Nm; flexors: 48.5+/-24 vs 75.3+/-22, both P<0.001; maximal expiratory pressure: 85.5+/-30 vs 104.8+/-31, P<0.01). Muscular strength was not related to indices of clinical severity, metabolic status, neurohormones or to the degree of systolic/diastolic cardiac function, but it was related to weight and age. Multivariate analysis of the peak VO(2)with clinical, haemodynamic and peripheral indicators showed weight (beta= 0.32, P = 0.007), muscular strength (beta= 0.32, P = 0.01) and NYHA class (beta= 0.31, P = 0.001) as the only independent predictors. The joint adjusted R(2)value was 0.48 (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Muscular dysfunction is part of the syndrome of heart failure. Together with symptom perception, it predicts nearly half of the variation in exercise tolerance.

Female↗
PubMed1999

Relationship between psychological profile and cardiological variables in chronic heart failure. The role of patient subjectivity.

AIM: To analyse the relationships between the psychological profile, the satisfaction profile and cardiological variables in patients with chronic heart failure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty-two male patients with chronic heart failure in a stable clinical condition underwent cardiological evaluation and psychological assessment by means of two instruments: the Cognitive Behavioural Assessment 2.0 Battery and the Satisfaction Profile. RESULTS: Patients scored higher than healthy subjects in terms of psychophysiological disorders and depression. Patients in NYHA class III reported higher anxiety and depression scores and had more frequent problems in daily life than patients in NYHA classes I and II. Class III patients also reported lower satisfaction levels in many aspects of psychological and physical functioning. Pulmonary resistances >2.5 Wood units, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure >0. 18 mmHg and a diagnosis of ischaemic cardiomyopathy were associated with low satisfaction levels in the Satisfaction Profile 'physical functioning' factor. To be listed for heart transplantation and a history of more than three hospitalizations were related to low satisfaction levels in many items of the Satisfaction Profile. Finally, stepwise multiple regression showed that NYHA class, depression score and pulmonary capillary resistance accounted for 32% of the variance in the Satisfaction Profile physical functioning factor score. CONCLUSION: On the basis of chronic heart failure diagnosis only, a generic pattern of psychological distress can be predicted, common to many severe chronic diseases. Shifting from objective mental health measures towards the domain of subjective satisfaction, the only link which emerges is between objective cardiological data and satisfaction with physical functioning. Satisfaction in terms of other life aspects does not seem to be related to cardiological variables. These results support the importance of subjectivity in health related quality of life, as well as objective measures.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Peak exercise oxygen consumption in chronic heart failure: toward efficient use in the individual patient.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to 1) assess the short-, medium-and long-term prognostic power of peak oxygen consumption (VO2) in patients with heart failure; 2) verify the consistency of a nonmeasurable anaerobic threshold (AT) as a criterion of nonapplicability of peak VO2; 3) develop simple rules for the efficient use of peak VO2 in individualized prognostic stratification and clinical decision making. BACKGROUND: Peak VO2, when AT is identified, is among the indicators for heart transplant eligibility. However, in clinical practice the application of defined peak VO2 cutoff values to all patients could be inappropriate and misleading. METHODS: Six hundred fifty-three patients consecutively considered for eligibility for heart transplantation were followed up. Outcomes (cardiac death and urgent transplantation) were determined when all survivors had a minimum of 6 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Contraindication to the exercise test identified very high risk patients. The relatively small sample of women did not allow inferences to be drawn. In men, peak VO2 stratified into three levels (< or = 10, 10 to 18 and >18 ml/kg per min) identified groups at high, medium and low risk, respectively. The prognostic power of peak VO2 < or = 10 ml/kg per min was maintained even when the AT was not detected. In patients in New York Heart Association functional class III or IV, peak VO2 did not have prognostic power. In patients in functional class I or II, peak VO2 stratification was prognostically valuable, but less so at 6 than at 12 or 24 months. Age did not influence peak VO2 prognostic stratification. CONCLUSIONS: A contraindication to exercise testing should be considered a priority for listing patients for heart transplantation. Only in less symptomatic male patients does a peak VO2 < or = 10 ml/kg per min identify short-, medium- and long-term high risk groups. A peak VO2 >18 ml/kg per min implies good prognosis with medical therapy.

Anaerobic Threshold↗
PubMed1998

Predictors of primary atrial fibrillation and concomitant clinical and hemodynamic changes in patients with chronic heart failure: a prospective study in 344 patients with baseline sinus rhythm.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the incidence, predisposing factors and significance of the onset of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with chronic congestive heart failure (CHF). BACKGROUND: The association between CHF and AF is well documented, but the factors that predispose to the onset of the arrhythmia and its impact remain controversial. Methods. We prospectively followed up 344 patients with CHF and sinus rhythm (SR). Over a period of 19 +/- 12 months (mean +/- SD), 28 patients developed atrial fibrillation (AF), which became chronic in 18. RESULTS: At baseline, no differences were found in any clinical and hemodynamic variables between patients who developed chronic AF and those who did not. Reversible AF occurring during follow-up and lower mitral flow velocity at atrial contraction as detected at the last evaluation in SR were independent predictors of the subsequent development of chronic AF. When AF occurred, New York Heart Association functional class worsened (from 2.4 +/- 0.5 to 2.9 +/- 0.6, p = 0.0001), peak exercise oxygen consumption declined (from 16 +/- 5 to 11 +/- 5 ml/kg per min, p = 0.002), cardiac index decreased (from 2.2 +/- 0.4 to 1.8 +/- 0.4, p = 0.0008), and mitral and tricuspid regurgitation increased (from grade 1.8 +/- 1.1 to grade 2.4 +/- 1.4, p = 0.0001 and from grade 1.0 +/- 1.2 to grade 1.8 +/- 1.2, p = 0.001, respectively). Systemic thromboembolism occurred in 3 of the 18 patients with AF. Nine of 18 patients died after AF, and the occurrence of AF was a predictor of major cardiac events. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with CHF, reversible AF and reduction of left atrial contribution to left ventricular filling predict the subsequent development of chronic AF. The onset of AF is associated with clinical and hemodynamic deterioration and may predispose to systemic thromboembolism and poorer prognosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

The development of hyperventilation in patients with chronic heart failure and Cheyne-Strokes respiration: a possible role of chronic hypoxia.

AIM: To analyze the relationship between daytime respiratory and cardiac function in patients with compensated chronic heart failure (CHF) with and without periodic breathing (PB) or Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR). PATIENTS: We studied 132 patients (female, 13%; mean age, 53+/-8 years; body mass index, 25.9+/-3.5 kg/m2; left ventricular ejection fraction <40%; 23% in New York Heart Association class I, 43% in class II, and 34% in class III-IV). METHODS: Measurement of pulmonary function and blood gases, hemodynamic evaluation, analysis of breathing profile, echocardiography, recording of ECG, beat-to-beat arterial oxygen saturation, and respiration during spontaneous breathing. RESULTS: Fifty-eight percent of patients showed PB or CSR. Patients with PB or CSR have greater cardiac function impairment. Mean values of lung volumes and PaO2 were similar in the three groups of patients considered. In contrast, patients with PB or CSR had an increased minute ventilation and reduced PaCO2 values. Interestingly, patients with PB or CSR had lower values of arterial content of O2 and systemic oxygen transport (SOT) than patients with a normal breathing pattern (SOT, 394+/-9.8, 347+/-9.6, 438+/-11 mL of O2/min/m2, respectively; analysis of variance p<0.001). Weak correlations were found among lung volumes, blood gases, and cardiac function parameters: ie, vital capacity was correlated inversely with pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) (-0.25; p<0.05); PaCO2 with PCWP (r=0.26; p<0.05), lung-to-ear circulation time (LECT) (r=-0.4; p<0.05), SOT (r=-0.33; p<0.0001), and cardiac index (CI) (r=0.27; p=0.003). Multiple regression analyses showed that arterial PCO2 was significantly correlated with SOT, LECT, and CI (r=0.51; r2=0.26; p<0.000001); the correlation became stronger considering only CSR patients (r=0.64; r2=0.4; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that patients with daytime breathing disorders have chronic hypocapnia. A reduced SOT may be one of the stimuli determining increased minute ventilation in these patients.

Cheyne-Stokes Respiration↗
PubMed1998

[An analysis of the decision process in the pharmacological treatment of a patient with chronic heart failure by means of a therapy management information system: the experience of the Montescano Heart Failure Unit].

A computer-based system integrated into the hospital information system for the pharmacological management of the chronic heart-failure patients admitted to the heart-failure unit of Montescano is presented. The major aims of the system involved monitoring the patients' treatment history and the related therapeutic decision-making. The treatment history of the first 151 consecutive CHF patients admitted after the system implementation is examined. The prescribed drug doses at admission and at discharge are compared, as well as the differences in etiology and NYHA class between patients discharged with or without each drug. Several considerations can be drawn from this analysis. First of all, in heart failure patients the choice of drugs is limited and optimal treatment is a result of individualized dosages. Secondly, time and trials are necessary to obtain optimal treatment. Consequently, continuity of care and in- and out-hospital networks are advisable. Third, a computer-based system offers advantages not only for the pharmacological management itself, but also for improving the quality of care through continuous analysis of the decision-making process.

Cardiology Service, Hospital↗
PubMed1997

Abnormal awake respiratory patterns are common in chronic heart failure and may prevent evaluation of autonomic tone by measures of heart rate variability.

BACKGROUND: Reduced heart rate variability, particularly in the Very-low-frequency (VLF) spectral band, has been found to be a marker for poor prognosis in patients after myocardial infarction, but the origin of the VLF oscillations is unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that the power of cardiovascular oscillations in the VLF band in awake patients with mild to severe chronic heart failure is greatly increased by the common occurrence of unrecognized irregularity of breathing, which may confound the use of heart rate variability measures as indexes of autonomic tone or prognosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Among 110 consecutive patients referred for consideration of transplantation, 90 were in sinus rhythm, of whom 10 were excluded as unstable. The remaining 80 patients underwent recordings of ECG, beat-to-beat arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), and respiration during both spontaneous and controlled breathing. During spontaneous awake breathing, 64% showed periodic breathing or Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR), which was associated with dominant power in the VLF band of all signals. This VLF power accounted for 55%, 77%, and 87% of heart rate variability, respectively, in patients with normal breathing, periodic breathing, and CSR. It was reduced by 48% and 62%, respectively, during controlled breathing in patients with periodic breathing or CSR. Controlled ventilation also improved oxygen saturation and markedly reduced its variability. CONCLUSIONS: Breathing disorders are surprisingly common in awake patients with poor left ventricular function and produce large VLF oscillations in heart rate variability. If measures of heart rate variability are used for prognostic purposes during both short-term and long-term recordings, the confounding effects of variable respiratory patterns should be excluded. Respiratory rehabilitation might help control potentially hazardous surges in sympathetic tone.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Dobutamine and nitroprusside infusion in patients with severe congestive heart failure: hemodynamic improvement by discordant effects on mitral regurgitation, left atrial function, and ventricular function.

OBJECTIVES: In patients with severe heart failure additional therapeutic support with intravenous inotropic or vasodilator drugs is frequently used in the attempt to obtain hemodynamic control. The nature and extent to which diastolic filling, atrial function, and mitral regurgitation are modified by these drugs have not been fully explored. The aim of this study was to compare the acute adaptations of the left ventricular performance, left atrial function, and mitral regurgitation that accompanied hemodynamic improvement during intravenous dobutamine and nitroprusside infusions in patients with severe chronic heart failure. METHODS: Forty consecutive patients with severe heart failure were evaluated by simultaneous echo-Doppler and hemodynamic investigations at baseline and during nitroprusside and dobutamine administration. Mitral flow velocity variables, left atrial and ventricular volumes, left atrial reservoir, conduit and pump volumes, and mitral regurgitation jet area were compared by analysis of variance for repeated measurements. RESULTS: Nitroprusside increased cardiac output (2.1 +/- .5 vs 2.6 +/- .5 L/min/m2, p < 0.004), reduced left ventricular filling pressure (25 +/- 6 vs 14 +/- 4 mm Hg, p < 0.0001), and improved left atrial pump volume (19 +/- 3 vs 26 +/- 12 ml, p < 0.02) without variations in left atrial reservoir and conduit volume. The restoration of preload reserve and improvement of the atrial contribution to left ventricular diastolic filling were demonstrated by the Doppler mitral flow pattern, which moved from a restrictive to a normal pattern. Furthermore mitral regurgitation decreased in all patients (9 +/- 4.6 vs 4.6 +/- 3.4 cm2, p < 0.0001). Dobutamine increased cardiac output (2.1 +/- .5 vs 2.8 +/- .6 L/min/m2), but the effects on pulmonary wedge pressure and mitral regurgitation were variable and unpredictable. Left atrial reservoir and conduit volumes increased, whereas left atrial pump volume did not change (19 +/- 13 vs 22 +/- 14 ml, p = NS). Furthermore Doppler mitral flow showed a persistent restrictive pattern. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with advanced congestive heart failure both nitroprusside and dobutamine improve cardiac output, with different adaptations of left ventricular performance and left atrial function. Nitroprusside seems to restore both atrial and ventricular pump function better. Careful echo-Doppler monitoring during drug infusion provides information relevant to the clinical treatment of individual patients.

Atrial Function, Left↗
PubMed1997

Depressed arterial baroreflex sensitivity and not reduced heart rate variability identifies patients with chronic heart failure and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia: the effect of high ventricular filling pressure.

In chronic heart failure (CHF) the contributing role of increased sympathetic activity and hemodynamic dysfunction in the genesis of ventricular arrhythmias has not been well established. To assess the relation between severe ventricular arrhythmias, hemodynamic impairment, and autonomic nervous system derangement, 142 patients with CHF in sinus rhythm underwent 24-hour electrocardiographic recording, right-sided heart catheterization, and evaluation of sympathovagal balance by heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). Patients were grouped according to the absence (without nonsustained ventricular tachycardia [NSVT]; n = 87) or presence (with NSVT; n = 55) of NSVT. Patients with NSVT had higher pulmonary artery and capillary pressures and more pronounced signs of sympathetic activation and parasympathetic withdrawal compared with those without NSVT. However, logistic regression analysis revealed that depressed BRS but not reduced HRV was significantly associated with the presence of NSVT, at both univariate analysis and after adjustment for clinical and hemodynamic variables. Moreover, it was found that when depressed BRS was associated with high pulmonary capillary pressure, the odds ratio for having NSVT rose markedly from 3.8 to 6.5. In conclusion, this study indicates that in stable CHF the assessment of arterial baroreflex function, but not HRV analysis, allows identification of patients at high risk of NSVT. It is suggested that the effect of depressed BRS is strengthened by the simultaneous presence of increased myocardial wall stress. These data support the hypothesis of a contributory role of autonomic nervous system dysfunction as expressed by the inability to activate effective vagal reflexes and an indirect index of ventricular stretch in the genesis of life-threatening arrhythmias.

Autonomic Nervous System↗
PubMed1997

Staged discharge out of hospital of the Novacor left ventricular assist system (LVAS) recipients.

The mobility afforded by the wearable Novacor LVAS provides the possibility for the recipients to leave the hospital, with undoubted improvements in their quality of life. A staged program for discharging LVAS recipients from the hospital has been set up at the Policlinico San Matteo of Pavia together with the Rehabilitation Center of Montescano and Baxter Novacor Service support, in order to proceed smoothly towards patient's self sufficiency and to minimize any associated risk. The steps are: stay in the hospital ward, discharge to Rehabilitation Center and discharge to home. Several excursions with and without an LVAS team member are encouraged before final discharge to home. Simple criteria of eligibility must be fulfilled to move to the next step. Every move towards a reduced presence of specialized personnel includes an appropriate training of the patient and relatives and a technical checkout of the needed equipment. During the stay at the Rehabilitation Center primarily the physical training and psychological preparation are taken care of by means of tailored programs. When the patient is discharged to home, the check of patient condition is performed weekly at the Rehab Center, bloodwork and technical evaluation is assessed once every two weeks and technical inspections at home twice per year. Complications are reported as in hospital protocol. Control parameters of the LVAS are reported only in case of alarms or abnormal operation. Periodic review of patient training is performed during the check visits, mostly focused on how to address emergency situations. The hospital is responsible for providing one LVAS operator available on call (all hours). Up to date, 11 patients received an implant of LVAS, 9 of them with the wearable system. All of these 9 patients made excursions out of the hospital and 4 patients have successfully undergone the staged program, showing a satisfactory general condition and restoration to social life.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Skeletal muscle function at low work level as a model for daily activities in patients with chronic heart failure.

AIM: Metabolic exercise abnormalities have been reported in chronic heart failure patients. This study sought to evaluate whether these abnormalities affected daily activity. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 16 patients with moderate-to-severe chronic heart failure and in eight controls we measured femoral flow (thermodilution) and metabolism (glucose, lactate, free fatty acids, blood gas values) at rest and during a constant load of 20 W, which may mimic a daily activity. At rest, chronic heart failure patients had a leg flow similar to controls, but showed a higher leg oxygen consumption (4.6 +/- 0.6 vs 2.6 +/- 0.4 ml.min-1; P < 0.05), a higher arteriovenous oxygen difference (7.2 +/- 0.5 vs 5.4 +/- 0.7 ml.dl-1; P < 0.05), and a lower femoral vein pH (7.37 +/- 5.03 vs 7.42 +/- 0.01; P = 0.01). At 20 W, chronic heart failure patients had a leg flow similar to controls, but showed increased lactate release (from resting 11.7 +/- 33 to 142 +/- 125 micrograms.min-1 P < 0.0001 vs controls, from resting 5.7 +/- 15.4 to 50 +/- 149 micrograms.min-1 ns), higher arterial concentration of free fatty acids (781 +/- 69 vs 481 +/- 85 mumol.l-1; P < 0.01), lower femoral vein HCO3 (24.1 +/- 2.6 vs 26.3 +/- 1.7 mmol.l-1; P < 0.05) and base excess (-2.3 +/- 2.3 vs -0.24 +/- 1.7 mmol.l-1; P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: In chronic heart failure patients, the important cellular metabolic alterations already present at rest partially affect daily activities, owing to a further decrease in the efficiency of muscle metabolic processes, and may preclude tolerance of heavier activities. Such alterations appear, at least in part, independent of peripheral haemodynamic responses to exercise.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1997

From clinical data records to research: a database system for the study of clinical and functional indicators of chronic heart failure.

The identification of reliable clinical and functional indicators of Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) is currently a major research challenge for physicians dealing with this pathology. With the aim of providing an adequate infrastructure for this research, we have developed a Database System where all relevant information concerning CHF patients during follow-up can be efficiently recorded, monitored, extracted and easily transferred to commercial packages for data processing and statistical analysis. Patient clinical status is recorded every 6 months, whereas data from several laboratory investigations are recorded every 12 months. All complications or events between two successive controls are recorded too. Patients needing cardiac transplantation are entered in a transplantation waiting list. The Database is fully integrated into the Hospital Information System and meets the standards of the national database of CHF patients. It grows with the concurrent activity of several independent teams, all of which have access to complete and structured information for research purposes. A user-friendly procedure allows the export in a standard format (Microsoft Excel) of all patients' data pertaining to a selected set of controls and variables of interest. These data are used directly for analysis or sub-selections are performed by the investigator through a simple query language. Depending on the objectives and complexity of the research, different commercial statistical analysis packages are available, which are used by clinical investigators autonomously or with the aid of a statistician. This overall approach allows great autonomy of each user in extracting, manipulating and statistically analyzing data. The Database has been in use at the Heart Failure Unit of our Rehabilitation Center since October 1992 and 595 patients have been enrolled since then. Several studies based on these data have been performed and more than 120 scientific communications and 30 articles in national and international journals have been produced. Hence, this experience represents a successful example of how clinical data records can be efficiently and effectively linked to valuable clinical research.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Age limits for heart transplantation: medical aspects.

OBJECTIVE: To contribute to the analysis of the medical issue of aging as a selection criteria for heart transplantation (HT) METHODS: Elderly candidates (52 subjects, aged > or = 60) were compared with younger patients (64 candidates, aged 50-55) in: clinical pattern (sex, etiology, duration of disease); laboratory and instrumental data (multiple organ function, hemodynamics, maximal and submaximal exercise capacity, nutritional status); follow-up (death, transplantation, status I, decompensation, complications) of at least 6 months. RESULTS: When compared with younger candidates, over 60 patients did not differ in clinical pattern, in all instrumental data, in end-organ function, in transplantation rate, in fatal and non-fatal cardiac events. In both groups the medical management was similarly complex. CONCLUSION: In regard to the medical issue, no reasons emerged to exclude older patients suitable from HT.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

[The psychological side of chronic heart failure. A pluriannual experience].

The present study summarizes the authors' experience reached in the last four years with chronic heart failure patients', particularly referring to the psychological aspects. The 218 male patients (age 51.7 +/- 8.3) psychological profile (obtained by means of the CBA 2.0 Primary Scales) has shown higher scores in the anxiety, depression and psychophysiological disorders scales and lower scores in some of the fear scales, compared with the reference normative group. The CBA 2.0 Schedule 4 has enlightened suicidal ideas, eating and sleep disorders, economic and sexual problems. The comparison between the psychological and the many cardiological variables taken into account, has not allowed to highlight significant relationships on the whole. Our data support the necessity to introduce other--likely subjective--variables in the studies aimed at analyzing the relationships between psychological and cardiological factors in the chronic heart failure patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Assessment of right ventricular function in patients with congestive heart failure by echocardiographic automated boundary detection.

In patients with chronic heart failure, echocardiographic automated boundary detection (ABD) can reliably assess right ventricular function. The measurements obtained by ABD were highly reproducible, strongly correlated with radionuclide right ventricular ejection fraction, and superior to those obtained by conventional manual echocardiographic methods.

Electrocardiography↗