Gregory I Chlouverakis

Oral anticoagulation prevents ischemic strokes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Early detection of AF and subsequent initiation of oral anticoagulation help to prevent strokes in AF patients. Implanted cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators allow seamless detection of atrial high rate episodes (AHRE), but the best antithrombotic therapy in patients with AHRE is not known.

RATIONALE: Stroke risk is higher in pacemaker patients with AHRE than in those without, but the available ...

BACKGROUND: Significant left main coronary artery stenosis is an accepted indication for surgical revascularization. The potential of angiography to evaluate the hemodynamic severity of a stenosis is limited. The aims of the present study were to assess the long-term clinical outcome of patients with an angiographically equivocal left main coronary artery stenosis in whom the revascularization strategy was based on fractional flow reserve (FFR) and to determine the relationship between ...

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of amiodarone and propafenone in the conversion of chronic atrial fibrillation in a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of amiodarone and propafenone in the treatment of patients with chronic atrial fibrillation has not been adequately studied.

METHODS: One hundred one patients (48 men, mean age 64 +/- 9 years) with atrial fibrillation lasting >3 weeks ...

OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether the serum markers of collagen turnover differed in various forms of atrial fibrillation (AF) and in sinus rhythm (SR) in humans.

BACKGROUND: Structural alterations and fibrosis have been implicated in the generation and perpetuation of AF.

METHODS: Serum C-terminal propeptide of collagen type-I (CICP), C-terminal telopeptide of collagen type-I (CITP), matrix metalloproteinase-1, and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 were measured as ...

The appropriate treatment for the restoration of sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) of recent onset is still the subject of controversy. In this prospective, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, we investigated the effectiveness and safety of procainamide, propafenone, and amiodarone, administered intravenously, for the conversion of recent-onset AF. We enrolled 362 consecutive patients (183 men; age 34 to 86 years; mean 65+/-10) with AF ...

To assess the variability of head-up tilt table testing, 35 patients with vasovagal syncope, shown by a positive tilt table test, underwent a second test 1 week later. Also, on the day before each test, spectral and time-domain indexes of heart rate variability were derived from Holter recordings to examine the stability of autonomous nervous system activity in these patients. Fifteen healthy volunteers served as a control group and also underwent two tilt table tests with prior Holter ...

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To investigate the efficacy and safety of amiodarone administered as the drug of first choice in the conversion of atrial fibrillation, regardless of its duration.

DESIGN: : Prospective, randomized, controlled clinical study.

SETTING: : Tertiary cardiac referral center.

PATIENTS: Two-hundred eight consecutive patients (102 men; mean [+/- SD] age, 65 +/- 10 years) with atrial fibrillation.

INTERVENTIONS: One-hundred eight patients received amiodarone, and 100 patients ...

AIM: To examine tumour samples immunohistochemically for MUC1 (episialin), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and c-erbB-2, since the disruption of the cell-cell adhesion system by MUC1 and the c-erbB oncoprotein family is known to be important in the development of metastasis in human cancers.

METHODS: 93 tumour samples from patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer treated with surgery alone were examined for episialin, EGFR, and c-erbB-2.

RESULTS: Episialin ...

BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) acts by phosphorylating specific tyrosine kinase receptors on endothelial cell membrane promoting angiogenesis. The study of the activation status of VEGF receptors in human malignancies has recently become feasible by means of specific monoclonal antibodies recognising the phosphorylated form of these receptors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the current study, we investigate the expression of the phosphorylated VEGFR2/KDR receptor ...

OBJECTIVES: We investigated prospectively whether serum markers of collagen turnover could be used as predictors for the occurrence of malignant ventricular arrhythmias in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDC) who had received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) for primary prevention.

BACKGROUND: Extracellular matrix alterations in NIDC might provide electrical heterogeneity, thus potentially contributing to the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmia and ...

BACKGROUND: The role of atrial overdrive pacing (AOP) in sleep apnea remains uncertain. We prospectively evaluated the effect of AOP after 24 hours and after one month in patients with the obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome and compared it with the use of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (n-CPAP).

METHODS: We studied 16 patients with a moderate or severe case of the obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (baseline mean apnea-hypopnea index, 49) and normal left ...

BACKGROUND: Autonomic function in inflammatory bowel disease has not yet been studied by means of analysis of 24-hour heart rate variability.

AIM: To measure heart rate variability in inflammatory bowel disease patients in remission.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Study population comprised 27 patients with inflammatory bowel disease in remission and 28 healthy, sex- and age-matched controls. Two frequency ranges were analysed: low frequency (0.06-0.15 Hz) and high frequency (0.15-0.40 ...

The efficacy and safety of intravenous procainamide in the conversion of atrial fibrillation was investigated. A total of 114 patients without severe heart failure were randomized to receive either intravenous procainamide (1 g over 30 minutes, followed by an infusion of 2 mg/min over 1 hour) or placebo in a double-blind trial. Digoxin (0.5 mg intravenously) was administered to all patients who had not previously been receiving digoxin. Treatment was considered successful if sinus rhythm ...

The aim of this study was to examine whether the indexes of heart rate variability (HRV) are stable from day-to-day in patients with vasovagal syncope and whether the stability of the HRV indexes is linked with that of the clinical results of the tilt test. Nineteen patients with a history of syncopal episodes and a positive tilt test underwent a second test 1 week later. Of these, 11 (group P-P) also had a positive second test, whereas 8 (group P-N) had a negative second test. Fifteen ...

OBJECTIVES: Although recent studies suggest that inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF), it remains controversial whether it is a consequence or a cause of the arrhythmia.

DESIGN: Prospective study.

SETTING: Tertiary referral centre.

PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS: In 52 patients with persistent AF lasting >3 months, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was measured before and after electrical cardioversion.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: All patients ...