Ventricular pre-excitation in the general population: a study on the mode of presentation and clinical course.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the mode of presentation and the clinical course of patients with ventricular pre-excitation (Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome), with special emphasis on asymptomatic cases in the general population. METHODS: Over an eight year period (1990-97) a prospective population based survey of cases with WPW pattern was conducted in a defined population in north west Greece (340 000 inhabitants). ECGs with WPW pattern were obtained from a widespread pool of ECGs within the health system. RESULTS: During the study period, 157 cases with WPW pattern were identified (49 female, 108 male). Ages ranged from infants to 84 years, mean (SD) 49.1 (21.0) years in female and 39.6 (20.6) years in male subjects (p < 0.01); 78 (49%) had no history of syndrome related symptoms. Asymptomatic subjects (n = 77; 24 female, 53 male) were older than symptomatic subjects (mean age 46.7 (21.0) v 38.5 (20.6) years, p < 0.03). Documented supraventricular tachycardia was recorded in 27 patients (17%) and atrial fibrillation in 12 (8%) (mean age at first episode 31.2 (18.3) and 51.6 (20.7) years, respectively, p < 0.01). During follow up (mean 55 months) no case of sudden death occurred. Three asymptomatic subjects reported episodes of brief palpitation. CONCLUSIONS: WPW pattern is more common, and diagnosed at a younger age, in men than in women. About half the patients with WPW pattern on ECG are asymptomatic at diagnosis and tend to remain so thereafter. No sudden cardiac death occurred during the study period.

Segmental wall motion abnormalities alter vulnerability to ventricular ectopic beats associated with acute increases in aortic pressure in patients with underlying coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether patients with coronary artery disease are susceptible to pressure related ventricular arrhythmias, and if so to identify possible risk factors. DESIGN: Interventional study. METHODS: Metaraminol was given to 43 patients undergoing coronary arteriography for ischaemic heart disease to increase their aortic pressure, provided their systolic blood pressure was < 160 mm Hg and they were in sinus rhythm, without any ventricular ectopic activity (or with fewer than six ventricular ectopic beats a minute) during a five minute control period. RESULTS: During the metaraminol infusion, systolic aortic pressure rose from 131 (15) to 199 (12) mm Hg (mean (SD)). Ventricular ectopy appeared (or ventricular ectopic beats increased by > 100%) in 13/43 patients. Ventricular ectopy was not related to age, sex, presence of hypertension, history of myocardial infarction, use of beta blockers, positive exercise test, number of vessels diseased, or heart rate change during metaraminol infusion. There was a strong relation between the appearance of ventricular arrhythmia and segmental wall motion abnormalities: 1/19 (5.3%, 95% confidence interval 0.1% to 26.0%) without abnormality; 2/12 (16.7%, 2.1% to 48.4%) with hypokinesia; and 10/12 (83.3%, 51.6% to 97.1%) with akinesia or dyskinesia, chi 2 = 22.7, p < 0.001). Ejection fraction was also a significant but not independent risk factor. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with segmental wall motion abnormalities are predisposed to ventricular ectopic beats during an increase in systolic aortic pressure. This could be explained by associated electrophysiological inhomogeneity. The presence of mechanical inhomogeneity, as may occur in postinfarction akinesia or dyskinesia, may affect the aortic pressure above which ventricular arrhythmias appear.

Usefulness of Renal Arteriography Following Coronary Angiography.

PURPOSE: To determine the usefulness of renal angiography in patients that underwent coronary angiography because of clinically suspected coronary artery disease. METHODS: Selective arteriography of the renal arteries was performed in 205 patients (mean age 60 +/- 8 years; 80% males) at the time after coronary angiography with the use of right coronary Judkins catheter. RESULTS: Two-hundred renal angiographies were judged technically adequate. Average additional fluoroscopy time was 3 +/- 2 min and 30 +/- 8 ml of additional contrast medium was used. Coronary artery disease (³ 50% narrowing) was found in 158 (79%). Renal arterial disease was found in 17 (8.5%) patients. Reduction in lumen diameter was < 50% in 11 patients (5.5%) including 3 patients with bilateral stenosis, and ³ 50% in 6 patients (3%). The only clinical variable associated with renal artery stenosis was peripheral vascular disease. CONCLUSION: There is no justification for doing routine renal angiography for patients undergoing coronary arteriography because the prevalence of severe renal artery stenosis is low.