Harry J G M C Crijns

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of the 3 most commonly used noninvasive myocardial perfusion imaging modalities, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and positron emission tomography (PET) perfusion imaging for the diagnosis of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Additionally, the effect of test and study characteristics was explored.

BACKGROUND: Accurate detection of obstructive CAD is important ...

BACKGROUND: Many patients with atrial fibrillation are at high risk for stroke and require antithrombotic therapy. Antiarrhythmic drugs have not previously been shown to reduce the risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation. The effect of dronedarone, a new multichannel-blocking antiarrhythmic drug, on stroke has been evaluated in a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, ATHENA (A placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-arm Trial to assess the efficacy of dronedarone 400 mg BID for the ...

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess whether management of heart failure (HF) guided by an individualized N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) target would lead to improved outcome compared with HF management guided by clinical assessment alone.

BACKGROUND: Natriuretic peptides may be attractive biomarkers to guide management of heart failure (HF) and help select patients in need of more aggressive therapy. The PRIMA (Can PRo-brain-natriuretic peptide ...

OBJECTIVE: The reporting of depressive symptoms following myocardial infarction may be confounded by complaints originating from the myocardial infarction. Therefore, it is difficult to estimate the effects of post-myocardial infarction depression and its treatment on cardiovascular prognosis. The authors' goal was to study the relationship between depressive symptom dimensions following myocardial infarction and both somatic health status and prospective cardiovascular ...

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of cardioversion on left and right atrial volume in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation and to determine the influence of mitral valve disease on atrial size.

BACKGROUND: Atrial enlargement is a common finding in atrial fibrillation and has been associated with an increased risk for embolic stroke. In addition, atrial enlargement may hamper long-term maintenance of sinus rhythm after cardioversion.

METHODS: Forty-one ...

BACKGROUND: The EURObservational Research Programme-Atrial Fibrillation General Registry Pilot Phase (EORP-AF Pilot) provides systematic collection of contemporary data regarding the management and treatment of 3119 subjects with AF from 9 member European Society of Cardiology (ESC) countries. In this analysis, we report the development of symptoms, use of antithrombotic therapy and rate vs. rhythm strategies, as well as determinants of mortality and/or stroke/transient ischaemic attack ...

BACKGROUND: The combination of left bundle branch block (LBBB) morphology and QRS duration is currently used to select patients for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). These parameters, however, have limitations. This study evaluates the value of QRS area compared with that of QRS duration and morphology in the association with clinical and echocardiographic outcomes in a large cohort of CRT patients.

METHODS: A retrospective multicentre study was conducted in 1492 CRT patients. ...

BACKGROUND: Vitamin K antagonists, the current standard treatment for prophylaxis against stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation, require regular monitoring and dose adjustment; an unmonitored, fixed-dose anticoagulant regimen would be preferable. The aim of this randomised, open-label non-inferiority trial was to compare the efficacy and safety of idraparinux with vitamin K antagonists.

METHODS: Patients with atrial fibrillation at risk for thromboembolism ...

OBJECTIVES: We studied the influence of rate control or rhythm control in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) on quality of life (QoL).

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation may cause symptoms like fatigue and dyspnea. This can impair QoL. Treatment of AF with either rate or rhythm control may influence QoL.

METHOD: Quality of life was assessed in patients included in the Rate Control Versus Electrical Cardioversion for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation (RACE) study (rate vs. rhythm ...

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate left ventricular function and atrial and ventricular diameters in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) treated with rate or rhythm control.

BACKGROUND: Restoration of sinus rhythm in patients with persistent AF may improve left ventricular function and reduce atrial dimensions. Adequate rate control in AF may preserve ventricular function.

METHODS: In 335 patients included in the RAte Control versus Electrical ...

BACKGROUND: Maintenance of sinus rhythm is the main therapeutic goal in patients with atrial fibrillation. However, recurrences of atrial fibrillation and side effects of antiarrhythmic drugs offset the benefits of sinus rhythm. We hypothesized that ventricular rate control is not inferior to the maintenance of sinus rhythm for the treatment of atrial fibrillation.

METHODS: We randomly assigned 522 patients who had persistent atrial fibrillation after a previous electrical cardioversion ...

BACKGROUND: Despite improvements in the management of atrial fibrillation, patients with this condition remain at increased risk for cardiovascular complications. It is unclear whether early rhythm-control therapy can reduce this risk.

METHODS: In this international, investigator-initiated, parallel-group, open, blinded-outcome-assessment trial, we randomly assigned patients who had early atrial fibrillation (diagnosed ≤1 year before enrollment) and cardiovascular conditions to receive ...

BACKGROUND: Dronedarone is a new antiarrhythmic drug that is being developed for the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation.

METHODS: We conducted a multicenter trial to evaluate the use of dronedarone in 4628 patients with atrial fibrillation who had additional risk factors for death. Patients were randomly assigned to receive dronedarone, 400 mg twice a day, or placebo. The primary outcome was the first hospitalization due to cardiovascular events or death. Secondary outcomes ...

AIMS: Guideline-adherent therapy for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation has been associated with better outcomes, in terms of thromboembolism (TE) and bleeding.

METHODS AND RESULTS: In this report from the EuroObservational Research Programme-Atrial Fibrillation (EORP-AF) Pilot General Registry, we describe the associated baseline features of 'high risk' AF patients in relation to guideline-adherent antithrombotic treatment, i.e. whether they were adherent, over-treated, or ...