The findings of the present study show that transradial coronary angiography and angioplasty are safe, feasible, and effective with similar results to those of the transfemoral approach. However, procedural duration and radiation exposure are higher using the transradial access. In contrast to the transfemoral route, the rate of major vascular complications was negligible using the transradial approach.

To assess the reasons for the frequent cardiovascular complications in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), 61 out of 131 normotensive ESRD patients originally examined (mean ESRD duration: 71 ± 41 months) were followed over 2.5 years by echo-, electro- and mechanocardiography. Clinical and biochemical parameters were comparable. The prevalence of pericardial effusion (3%), pericardial thickening (14%), aortic valve sclerosis (14%) and mitral valve anulus sclerosis (12%) was unchanged. The interventricular septum diameter (14.3 ± 3.0 vs. 16.4 ± 3.4 mm), index of left-ventricular (LV) wall asymmetry (1.25 ± 0.30 vs. 1.52 ± 0.36) and left atrial diameter (38.3 ± 5.4 vs. 42.6 ± 3 mm) increased (p < 0.001). The LV end-systolic diameter decreased slightly (35.8 + 6.3 vs. 34.2 ± 6.4 mm; p < 0.05), with no significant changes for end-diastolic diameter (50.4 ± 6.3 vs. 49.3 ± 6.1 mm), muscle mass index (189 ± 57 vs. 197 ± 50 g/m²), stroke volume (86.1 ± 26.2 vs. 85.7 ± 26.7 7 ml/m²) and fractional shortening (29.1 ± 7 vs. 30.8 ± 8.6%). We conclude that the predominant finding in ESRD is an LV hypertrophy progressing towards an asymmetric septum hypertrophy, while the increase of the primarily enlarged left atrial diameter over 30 months reflects a further deterioration of the diastolic LV dysfunction.

In patients without thromboembolic risk factors undergoing biological AVR administration of ASA confers no advantage compared to no antiplatelet therapy. Functional status, thromboembolic events and survival were not adversely affected by withholding any antiplatelet therapy. Guidelines need to be reviewed for the antithrombotic therapy of patients without risk factors undergoing bioprosthetic AVR.

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The data indicate that patients with severe conduction disturbances or sinus node dysfunction requiring permanent pacemaker implantation are more likely to have CAD with subsequent myocardial revascularization in the presence of at least one atherosclerotic risk factor. A causal association between the need for pacemaker and CAD could not be established from the results.