Biomedical subjects

Samuele Baldasseroni

Publications and source records attributed to Samuele Baldasseroni.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Determinants of thoracic electrical impedance in external electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation.

The success of external cardioversion (ECV) of atrial fibrillation depends on generating sufficient transmyocardial current for defibrillation with minimal myocardial injury. Thoracic electrical impedance plays an important role in the relation between the delivered energy and transmyocardial current. This study assessed the determinants of thoracic electrical impedance in ECV of atrial fibrillation. ECV of atrial fibrillation was performed in 80 consecutive patients (mean age 73 +/- 9 years; men 69%; body mass index 26.0 +/- 3.6 kg/m(2)) within 12 months, using biphasic shocks (Multipulse Biowave) delivered through adhesive pads in an anteroposterior position. Thoracic electrical impedance was measured using the first shock. The mean thoracic electrical impedance was 57.7 +/- 12.3 Omega (energy 71 +/- 43 J, current intensity 33 +/- 12 A). Sinus rhythm was immediately restored in 75 patients (94%). Thoracic electrical impedance was greater (60.9 +/- 11.8 vs 51.7 +/- 11.0 Omega, p = 0.001) in patients requiring >1 shock (65%). At multivariate linear regression analysis (R = 0.761, p <0.001), female gender (+9.7 +/- 2.0 Omega, p <0.001), body mass index (+1.5 +/- 0.3 for a 1 kg/m(2) increase, p <0.001), hemoglobin concentration (+1.9 +/- 0.6 for a 1 g/dl increase, p = 0.004), and the presence of chronic heart failure (-5.3 +/- 2.0 Omega, p = 0.009) were independent predictors of thoracic electrical impedance. In conclusion, to increase ECV efficacy and minimize complications, the delivered energy should be adjusted in accordance with the clinical variables that independently affect thoracic electrical impedance and, hence, transmyocardial current.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Reduced cardiocirculatory complications with unrestrictive visiting policy in an intensive care unit: results from a pilot, randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies suggest that open visiting policies are preferred by most patients and visitors in intensive care units (ICUs), but no randomized trial has compared the safety and health outcomes of unrestrictive (UVP) and restrictive (RVP) visiting policies. The aim of this pilot, randomized trial was to compare the complications associated with UVP (single visitor with frequency and duration chosen by patient) and RVP (single visitor for 30 minutes twice a day). METHODS AND RESULTS: Two-month sequences of the 2 visiting policies were randomly alternated for 2 years in a 6-bed ICU, with 226 patients enrolled (RVP/UVP, n=115/111). Environmental microbial contamination, septic and cardiovascular complications, emotional profile, and stress hormones response were systematically assessed. Patients admitted during the randomly scheduled periods of UVP received more frequent (3.2+/-0.2 versus 2.0+/-0.0 visits per day, mean+/-SEM) and longer (2.6+/-0.2 versus 1.0+/-0.0 h/d) visits (P<0.001 for both comparisons). Despite significantly higher environmental microbial contamination during the UVP periods, septic complications were similar in the 2 periods. The risk of cardiocirculatory complications was 2-fold (odds ratio 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.5; P=0.03) in the RVP periods, which were also associated with a nonsignificantly higher mortality rate (5.2% versus 1.8%; P=0.28). The UVP was associated with a greater reduction in anxiety score and a significantly lower increase in thyroid stimulating hormone from admission to discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Despite greater environmental microbial contamination, liberalizing visiting hours in ICUs does not increase septic complications, whereas it might reduce cardiovascular complications, possibly through reduced anxiety and more favorable hormonal profile.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

In-hospital and one-year outcomes of patients with high-risk acute myocardial infarction treated with thrombolysis or primary coronary angioplasty.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to observe the outcomes of high-risk patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with primary angioplasty and intravenous thrombolysis in a community setting. METHODS: A prospective study of the in-hospital and 12-month outcomes was conducted in 17 cardiology centers where primary angioplasty was available, and in 30 where it was not. Three thousand seventy-four patients in the first 12 hours of an evolving infarction were recruited; among these, 2227 patients who met one or more pre-defined criteria of increased risk were included in the study. RESULTS: Thrombolysis and primary angioplasty were respectively performed in 1090 and in 721 patients; 416 patients (18.7%) received no reperfusion treatment. The incidence of the primary combined in-hospital endpoint (death, non-fatal reinfarction and stroke) was similar in patients treated with thrombolysis (9.2%) and with primary angioplasty (10.7%) (odds ratio--OR 1.19, 95% confidence interval--CI 0.86-1.63, p = NS), and was higher (22.6%) in patients receiving no reperfusion treatment as compared to thrombolysis (OR 3.30, 95% CI 2.36-4.63, p < 0.0001). The occurrence of the 12-month endpoint (death, reinfarction, congestive heart failure and recurrent angina) was lower after primary angioplasty than after thrombolysis (26.8 vs 35.0%, OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.55-0.84, p = 0.0003), due to a lower incidence of angina. At multivariate analysis, older age, anterior infarction, Killip class > 1, high heart rate, and low systolic blood pressure on admission were all significantly associated with a higher incidence of both endpoints. The adjusted analysis confirmed that, despite similar in-hospital results after both reperfusion treatments, primary angioplasty was independently associated with better 1-year outcomes (relative risk 0.66, 95% CI 0.56-0.79, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In this observation in the community setting, a strategy of primary angioplasty in patients with high-risk myocardial infarction was not better than thrombolysis in terms of mortality or recurrent infarction, but was associated with less angina at 1 year.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Intraventricular conduction defects in patients with congestive heart failure: left but not right bundle branch block is an independent predictor of prognosis. A report from the Italian Network on Congestive Heart Failure (IN-CHF database).

BACKGROUND: In industrialized countries the prevalence of congestive heart failure (CHF) is increasing. Many clinical factors have been shown to influence the prognosis of CHF. The effect of a wide QRS on mortality is debated; while left bundle branch block (LBBB) has been already identified as a negative prognostic factor, the effect of right bundle branch block (RBBB) is still unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the association of these two intraventricular conduction defects on the prognosis of CHF. METHODS: Data were derived from the Italian Registry of CHF. Entry in the Registry required that patients had a diagnosis of CHF based on the European Society of Cardiology guidelines. We analyzed the 1-year follow-up data of 5517 outpatients with CHF of different etiologies. The presence of a wide QRS was defined if the duration was > 120 ms. RESULTS: A wide QRS was present in 2066 patients (37.5%), 25.2% with LBBB, 6.1% with RBBB, 6.2% with other intraventricular defects. At univariate analysis patients with complete LBBB had a significantly higher 1-year mortality than those without (16.1 vs 11.9%) but this was not true for complete RBBB (11.9 vs 11.9%). Even after multivariate adjustment, complete LBBB still remained an independent predictor of death (relative risk 1.36, 95% confidence interval 1.15-1.61). CONCLUSIONS: LBBB but not RBBB is an independent predictor of death in CHF.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

[Ongoing trials and future prospects].

Rosuvastatin is a new statin with a great number of pharmacological benefits related to the capacity of modifying favorably the lipid profile but also for the selective binding with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, relative hydrophilic properties and selectivity for hepatic cells. Rosuvastatin demonstrated to be more efficacious in reducing LDL cholesterol levels than other statins and to be capable of increasing HDL cholesterol levels. It is well tolerated in a wide range of dosages maintaining its effectiveness. Many trials are ongoing with the aim to evaluate not only the efficacy of rosuvastatin in terms of surrogate endpoints but also in terms of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The usefulness of rosuvastatin will be evaluated also in selective patient populations affected by advanced renal disease or chronic heart failure. Two relevant research projects have been started recently, the GALAXY Programme, designed for evaluating the efficacy of rosuvastatin in atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease and the GISSI-HF trial planned with the aim of testing the efficacy of this statin on morbidity and mortality in chronic heart failure and investigating the pharmacological effects on the pathophysiological mechanisms of heart failure.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗

PubMed2002

Left bundle-branch block is associated with increased 1-year sudden and total mortality rate in 5517 outpatients with congestive heart failure: a report from the Italian network on congestive heart failure.

BACKGROUND: A deleterious effect of complete left bundle-branch block (LBBB) on left ventricular function has been established. Nevertheless, the independent effect of a widened QRS on mortality rate in congestive heart failure (CHF) is still controversial. Therefore, we carried out this analysis to determine whether LBBB is an independent predictor of mortality in CHF. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed the large Italian Network on CHF Registry of unselected outpatients with CHF of different causes. The registry was established by the Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists in 1995. Complete 1-year follow-up data were available for 5517 patients. The main underlying cardiac diagnosis was ischemic heart disease in 2512 patients (45.6%), dilated cardiomyopathy in 1988 patients (36.0%), and hypertensive heart disease in 714 patients (12.9%). Other causes were recorded in the remaining 303 cases (5.5%). LBBB was present in 1391 patients (25.2%) and was associated with an increased 1-year mortality rate from any cause (hazard ratio, 1.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.41 to 2.05) and sudden death (hazard ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.21 to 2.06). Multivariate analysis showed that such an increased risk was still significant after adjusting for age, underlying cardiac disease, indicators of CHF severity, and prescription of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers. CONCLUSION: LBBB is an unfavorable prognostic marker in patients with CHF. The negative effect is independent of age, CHF severity, and drug prescriptions. These data may support the rationale of randomized trials to verify the effects on mortality rate of ventricular resynchronization with multisite cardiac pacing in patients with CHF and LBBB.

Adolescent↗