BackgroundThe N-terminal fragment of pro Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-pro BNP) is a neuro-hormone synthesized in the cardiac ventricles in response to increased wall tension. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between the NT-pro BNP levels and the New York Heart Association function class (NYHA Fc) of dyspnea and echocardiographic findings for the patients who visited our cardiology departments.MethodsFrom October, 2002 to April, 2003, serum NT-pro BNP levels were measured in 348 patients who visited the Samsung Medical Center and the Jong Koo Lee Heart Clinic.ResultsThe NT-pro BNP levels were increased with the progression of NYHA Fc of dyspnea (p<0.001 by ANOVA), the increase in the systolic left ventricular internal dimension (p<0.05), and the decrease in the ejection fraction (p<0.01). For the NYHA Fc I patients, the NT-pro BNP levels were positively correlated with age (p<0.001) and left atrial size (p<0.001). For the patients with ischemic heart disease, the NT-pro BNP levels were also positively correlated with the NYHA Fc (p<0.001 by ANOVA). The NT-pro BNP levels were increased with the increase in the systolic (p<0.001) and diastolic pressure (p=0.017), the left ventricular internal dimension as well as the decrease in the ejection fraction (p<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the NT-pro BNP levels was 0.994 (95% confidence interval, 0.979-0.999), and the most reliable cut-off level for the NT-pro BNP was 293.6 pg/mL.ConclusionThe NT-pro BNP levels were positively correlated with the NYHA Fc of dyspnea and the systolic dysfunction for the patients who visited our cardiology departments. A 300 pg/mL value for the NT-pro BNP cut-off point appears to be a sensitive level to differentiate dyspnea originating from an ailing heart or not for the patients who visited our cardiology departments.

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Background and Objectives：The Maze operation is known to be an effective measure for restoring sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship of preand post-operative left atrial volume (LAV) and diameter (LAD) with successful restoration of sinus rhythm in the Maze operation. Subjects and Methods：The subjects for this study were 28 patients who underwent open-heart surgery in conjunction with the Maze-Ⅲ operation for chronic AF from October, 2002, to April, 2003 Electrocardiographic and transthoracic echocardiographic studies were done pre-operatively and three months post-operatively. LAV and LAD were assessed and corrected for body surface area (LAV index=LAV/BSA, LAD index=LAD/BSA). Results：Sinus rhythm was restored and maintained in 22 of the 28 patients (78.6%). Between the group with successful restoration of sinus rhythm (Group A；n=22) and the group with unsuccessful restoration (Group B；n=6), there was no difference in age, gender, and NYHA functional class. The duration of AF in group A was significantly shorter than that of B (3.6±2.7 years versus 15.8±7.5 years, p=0.003). Group A and B did not show any difference in pre-operative left ventricular ejection fraction. However, pre-operative LAV index in group A was significantly smaller than that of group B (80.7±22.4 mL/m 2 versus

Background：Recent advances of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and transradial coronary intervention (TRI) have made it possible to reduce the local complication rate and the time until a return to ambulation. The aim of this study is to assess the safety and the patient satisfaction of the TRI-based one-day admission program for PCI. Methods：Total 230 consecutive patients underwent TRI on the day of admission, according to pre-determined inclusion criteria, from May 2001 to October 2003. The subjects were examined for clinical and angiographic characteristics. The patients having a same-day discharge were telephone-interviewed one day and seven days after discharge to assess late complications and the patients' satisfaction. Results：The mean age of the subjects was 59±9 years and 77.4% were male patients. 169 (73.4%) had stable angina and 37 (16.1%) had unstable angina. Stents were implanted in 178 cases (69.3%). Of the 230 patients who underwent TRI, 206 patients (89.6%) could discharge on the same day after the procedure. The procedure was successful in 98.5%. The average hospital stay for them was 9.4±1.4 hours. Two subjects reported hematoma near the puncture site within 24 hours after discharge, and one reported this problem 7 days after discharge. During the follow-up, there were no cases reporting chest pain needing rehospitalization or such complications as subacute vessel closure. No deaths, myocardial infarctions or revascularization were noted during the follow-up period. The majority of the patients (n=197, 95.6%) were satisfied with the same-day admission and discharge. Conclusions：Sameday admission and discharge after TRI seems to be safe as well as satisfactory for not low-risk patients. (Korean Circulation J 2004 ; 34 (7) : 647-654) KEY WORDS：Coronary disease；Angioplasty；Radial artery.