Finn Gustafsson

..The review is partly based on discussions between basic scientists and clinical trialists at the Cardiovascular Clinical Trials Forum 2009 and subsequently updated to encompass the most recent developments...

..One possible, practical method to apply such continuous quality assurance may be by means of electronic medical record databases...

..The advantages of creating screening databases in conjunction with a given clinical trial are described; and finally, the potential for posttrial database studies to become a platform for training young scientists is outlined...

..To describe the association between age and risk factors in patients hospitalised with congestive heart failure (CHF) and to determine the effect of age on mortality...

..The aim of this study was to evaluate how BMI influences mortality in patients hospitalized with CHF, and to address in particular whether the effect of BMI is influenced by left ventricular (LV) systolic function...

..However, little information is available to describe if such programs are successful in initiating and up-titrating BBs in daily clinical practice...

..These agents have led to excellent outcomes but have shortcomings in terms of efficacy and toxicity. A new class of immunosuppressants, proliferation signal inhibitors, may meet some of these shortcomings...

..A second aim was to identify risk factors for death or hospital admission...

..In this review possible strategies are outlined and important areas for research are identified. It is suggested that trials are designed specifically to address prognosis and treatment in this growing population...

..To evaluate the importance of a history of hypertension on long-term mortality in a large cohort of patients hospitalised with congestive heart failure (CHF)...

..Aggressive medical treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, beta blocker and aldosterone antagonist was used, and the patient remained stable without circulatory support several months after device removal...

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..The aim of this study was determine whether mortality risk in women and men hospitalized with congestive heart failure is different...

..Predictors of improvement in renal function after conversion to PSI-based treatment remain unknown...

..The aim of the article is to review the efficacy and safety of various renal sparing strategies in cardiac transplantation...

..Blood pressure monitoring provides objective documentation of the cardiovascular effects of liquorice, which may be useful in the management of this disorder...

..Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (DD) is common after myocardial infarction (MI) despite preservation of left ventricular ejection fraction, yet it remains unclear how or whether DD affects cardiac hemodynamics with stress...

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..The impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) on these biomarkers, and their relation to prognosis remains unknown...

..The usefulness of brain-natriuretic-peptide (BNP) and N-terminal-pro-brain-natriuretic-peptide (NT-proBNP) for monitoring of chronic heart failure (CHF) patients has been questioned because of high levels of unexplained variation...

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..To investigate the incidence and outcome of driveline infections in patients supported with a continuous flow left ventricular assist device (HeartMate II (HMII)) and to study the microbiological aetiology...

..In a prospective study, we therefore evaluated the association between plasma adiponectin levels and mortality among patients with CHF...

..The purpose of the present study was to determine the prognostic importance for all-cause mortality of lung function variables obtained by spirometry in an unselected group of patients admitted with heart failure (HF)...

..We investigated whether a prognostic threshold level of the cardiac peptide, NT-proBNP, could be identified...

..Although the precise mechanisms remain unclear, immunosuppressive therapy has been reported to influence this expression...

..15-0.20. There is no cerebral extraction, and short-term moderate exercise does not affect these values. Our findings suggest that the kidneys extract BNP and NT-proBNP to a similar extent in healthy young men...

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..Furthermore low NT-proBNP values are associated with a lower risk of death, independently of age, gender, and LVEF...

..The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and prognostic significance of hyponatraemia in a large cohort of HF outpatients followed in clinics participating in the Danish Heart Failure Clinics Network...

..We hypothesized that sildenafil would reduce filling pressure during exercise in patients with diastolic dysfunction after myocardial infarction...

..We examined the importance of renal function by estimated GFR (eGFR) and se-creatinine as an independent long-term prognostic factor...

..Heart failure (HF) is increasingly prevalent among the growing number of elderly people, but not well studied. We sought to evaluate disease pattern and importance of prognostic factors among very elderly patients with HF...

..This study was, therefore, designed to evaluate whether plasma sodium and hyponatremia (< 135 mM) are associated with mortality risk in patients with MI...

..The proposed use of NT-proBNP for monitoring of CHF patients will require accurate information about long-term CV of the peptide...

..These findings emphasize the potential role of exercise echocardiography in studying exercise hemodynamics in LVAD patients...

..A second aim was to characterize patients with DM with respect to severity of CHF...

..Previous studies on the effect of heart failure clinics have shown a reduction in hospitalizations, reduced cost and improved quality of life...

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..We conducted a systematic review of randomized trials to compare the benefits and harms of tacrolimus versus cyclosporine as primary immunosuppression after heart transplantation...

..The observation that high sodium intake improves cardiac performance, induces peripheral vasodilatation, and suppresses the release of vasoconstrictor hormones does not support the advice for HF patients to restrict dietary sodium...

..This study investigated the influence of the mechanical blood pump HeartMate II (HMII) (Thoratec Corporation, Pleasanton, California) on blood coagulation and platelet function...

..Our aim was to assess post-transplant outcomes and survival in patients with and without FPH undergoing VAD implantation as bridge to transplant...

..The present data reveal no clear difference with respect to tolerability of carvedilol and bisoprolol, and no parameter predicts tolerability...

..Previous studies suggest that phosphordiesterase-5 inhibition has a favorable effect on the myocardium as well as on the pulmonary and systemic vasculature...

..Heart transplantation is often contraindicated in the first years after treatment for cancers, and LVAD as "bridge to recovery" may be warranted in similar patients...

..There were no clear predictors of VT/VF, and it is argued that prophylactic ICD implantation should be considered in patients supported with a continuous-flow LVAD...

..Secondary aims were to study a possible relationship between right and left ventricular function and pulmonary function...

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..The objective was to evaluate the prevalence of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) in patients with heart failure (HF) due to systolic dysfunction...

..beta-Blockers are a cornerstone in the treatment of systolic heart failure treatment, but not all beta-blockers are effective or in this setting...

..We hypothesized that the effects of BMI and age on plasma concentrations of NT-proBNP are associated with GFR...

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..The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence and incidence of AF in patients with HF and to determine the prognostic impact of baseline AF and the development of new onset AF...

..The aim of our study was to examine the levels of N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients with HF and AF versus HF and sinus rhythm (SR) and if NT-proBNP has prognostic influence in patients with AF...

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..The metabolic syndrome was associated with lower Nt-proBNP levels and shifted the positive relationship between Nt-proBNP and pulse pressure to the right, creating a possible link between the metabolic syndrome and hypertension...

..We investigated plasma YKL-40 levels in patients with CHF and evaluated the possible predictive value with respect to overall mortality and recurrent cardiovascular outcomes...

..The aim of this study was to determine whether they predicted CV events independently of established CV risk factors and whether they did so in an additive fashion...

..Furthermore, data on the use of natriuretic peptides for monitoring of stable patients with CHF are sparse...

..Patients with anemia and high levels of NT-pro-BNP have a markedly increased mortality risk...

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..The long-term effect of beta-blockade on the plasma levels of natriuretic peptides BNP and its N-terminal counterpart, NT-proBNP, as risk markers in heart failure (HF) is obscure...

..The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of CHLTx in patients with FAC...

..Mutations within several genes are HH-associated, the most common being the HFE gene. In a large cohort of HF patients, we sought to determine the etiological role and the prognostic significance of HFE genotypes...

..Interleukin-2 receptor antagonists (IL-2Ras) are used increasingly for induction therapy. We conducted a systematic review of randomized trials assessing IL-2Ras...

..This study was designed to assess whether pharmacologically treated depression was associated with increased mortality risk in systolic heart failure (SHF) patients...

..The study aim was to test mitochondrial OXPHOS capacity in LVSD myocardium compared with OXPHOS capacity in a comparable patient group without LVSD...

..The first Danish paediatric heart transplantation (HTx) was performed at Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, in Copenhagen in 1991. We describe our experiences during the first 20 years with paediatric HTx...

..The model points to an altered endothelial function as a key factor in the development of vascular changes characteristic of hypertension...

..The findings suggest that smooth muscle cells in mesenteric arterioles may not be well coupled and favour that conducted vasomotor responses in these vessels are propagated through the endothelial cell layer...

..CONCLUSION: In hospitalized heart failure patients, particularly in younger patients with ischemic heart disease, mortality risk is inversely related to left ventricular systolic function...

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..It is unknown whether AF influences the degree of endothelial dysfunction in patients with systolic HF...

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..The aim of the present study is to describe the results of this new treatment in Denmark...

..We therefore evaluated NT-proBNP as a risk marker for mortality and hospitalization and developed a simple algorithm for risk stratification based on NT-proBNP as a continuous variable...

..This review discusses the current state of knowledge and indications for destination therapy in end-stage heart failure...

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