Volume 35, Issue 4

Low left ventricular ejection fraction and renal insufficiency are factors that increase the risk of coronary artery bypass graft surgery in patients with diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to group patients with low left ventricular ejection fraction undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery according to the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus and to evaluate postoperative...

The aim of the study was to analyse the correlation between maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) expression and heart rate variability (HRV) in heart failure patients with ventricular arrhythmia (VA).

Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) is considered an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Klotho, an anti-aging gene, has cardiovascular protective effects. At present, the association between klotho and AAC in the general population is uncertain. We investigated the relationship between serum soluble α-klotho (SSKL) and AAC in 2 327 participants from the National...

We aimed to assess the echocardiographic parameters of cardiac structure and function in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and atrial fibrillation (AF). Thirty-seven HFpEF patients with AF were selected, while 38 patients with simple HFpEF in the same period were selected as controls. Three-dimensional speckletracking echocardiography was performed on both...

The aim of this study was to determine adiponectin and copeptin levels that might be prognostic for cardiovascular mortality (CvsM) in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients who had percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Heart rate variability is a non-invasive method of assessing global health through the analysis of the autonomous central nervous system, including both the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of resistance training on heart rate variability at rest in elderly individuals undergoing six months of resistance training with progressive loads.

Heart failure is a major cause of global morbidity and mortality. Studies in laboratory animals have shown the direct protective effects of α-klotho on the cardiovascular system although it has limited expression in the heart. The association between α-klotho and cardiovascular disease is still controversial in different clinical studies. We designed a cross-sectional study in order to...

The optimal choice of surgery in coarctation of the aorta (CoA) remains controversial but it needs to be individualised. However, in most conditions, a surgical approach through thoracotomy maintains adequate exposure to create aortic patency. This study aimed to assess the efficiency and reliability of thoracal approaches in the treatment of CoA by examining the mid- and late-term outcomes, and...

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality worldwide, with dyslipidaemia being one of the major risk factors. Point-of-care testing (POCT) allows for the rapid measurement of serum lipids. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of serum lipid measurement by the Fujifilm™ NX700 POCT compared to a gold-standard clinical laboratory method (Medpace, Leuven, Belgium).

Single-ventricle physiology is a critical cardiac condition requiring early diagnosis and intervention. The objectives of this study were to report on the management and outcomes of patients diagnosed with single-ventricle physiology in central South Africa.