[Biventricular resynchronization in the management of severe cardiac insufficiency]. / Resynchronisation biventriculaire dans la prise en charge de l'insuffisance cardiaque severe.

Heart failure is a major problem of public health, it represents a frequent status among patients with heart disease, and its implications in term of mortality and cost are high. Non Pharmacological treatment of heart failure most commonly designed as cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has demonstrate efficacy to improve functional class, exertion capacity, left ventricular ejection fraction, reduction of mitral regurgitation, and probably mortality at midterm. The most recent studies emphasize on the role of implantable cardioverter defibrillate or (ICD) combined with CRT to reduce mortality. More trials are needed to valid this concept.

[Prognostic value of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in assessing intrahospital outcome of unstable angina]. / L'intérêt de la CRP ultrasensible dans l'évaluation du pronostic intrahospitalier de l'angor instable.

Inflammation has been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of unstable angina. CRP has been demonstrated to be a reliable marker of prognosis is unstable angina. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of CRP in assessing short outcome of unstable angina. Our study is a prospective double blinded one. We measured CRP in 33 consecutive patients admitted for unstable angina at the 24th and 48th hour. The mean age is 60 years (30 to 84 years). There were 22 men and 11 women. 8 patients were included in class I of Braunwald classification, 5 were in class II and 20 in class III. 14 patients presented cardiac events. The CRP mean value was significantly higher among these patients (12 mg/l vs 5 mg/l, p < 10.4). Patients having a CRP > or = 3 mg/l have a higher risk of developing complications (66% vs 13%, p = 0.002). Elevation of CRP predicted poor outcome of intrahospital evolution with a sensitivity of 86%, a specificity 68%, a positive and negative predictive values of 66% and 86%. The CRP in our preliminary study is an independent risk factor of early outcome of unstable angina. In association with clinical scores and other cardiac markers will lead to a better identification of high risk patients.