title: Analysis of circadian distribution of premature ventricular contractions in patients after heart transplantation.
abstract: The aim of our study was to analyze circadian distribution of premature ventricular contractions (PVC) and its coupling interval (CI) in patients after orthotopic heart transplantation (HTx). Forty-two patients (5 females, 37 males) were monitored from 2 weeks to 5 years after HTx; 180 24-hour Holter ECG studies were performed. All recordings were divided into two groups: group I, within 1 month after HTX; and group II, after 1 month. Patients with more than 250 PVC/24 hours were selected for distribution of PVC and CI evaluation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ventricular arrhythmias occur frequently in patients after heart transplantation. In patients with high Lown scale arrhythmias low occurrence (< 250/24 hours) of PVC was frequently observed (IVa: 81.8%; IVb: 84.7%). Similar patterns of circadian distribution (CD) of PVC and CD of HR in denervated heart after HTx suggest the influence of circulating catecholamines on their occurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Coronary Disease, Medical School of Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pietrucha
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matysek
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Piwowarska
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mroczek-Czernecka
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gackowski
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stobierska
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nessler
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Musiałek
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dziatkowiak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005117:Cardiac Complexes, Premature / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged