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(Circulation. 2005;111:2015.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.

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An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

	CLINICAL AND ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC DETERMINANTS OF LONG-TERM SURVIVAL AFTER SURGICAL MYECTOMY IN OBSTRUCTIVE HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY, by Woo et al.

 
The study by Woo et al is an update of the important surgical experience with septal myectomy for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) over 25 years at Toronto General Hospital, with an experienced operating surgeon. This is one of the most important consecutive single-center surgery series for this disease worldwide, representing the standard for surgical outcomes for HCM. The clinical and echocardiographic predictors of long-term survival and freedom from cardiovascular morbidity after myectomy were (1) female gender (OR 3.3; 95% CI 2.0–5.4; P<0.0001), (2) history of preoperative atrial fibrillation (OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.1–3.3; P=0.02), and (3) preoperative left atrial diameter 46 mm (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.5–4.3; P=0.0008). Myectomy provided excellent relief for left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in patients with HCM. Preoperative clinical and echo variables help predict the long-term outcome after myectomy. See p 2033.

	PIVOTAL ROLE FOR ENDOTHELIAL TETRAHYDROBIOPTERIN IN PULMONARY HYPERTENSION, by Khoo et al.

 
Loss of endothelial nitric oxide bioavailability has been implicated in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension. Recent evidence suggests that the cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is an important regulator of nitric oxide synthase enzymatic function. Khoo and colleagues use a range of complementary gene-modified murine models to demonstrate that endothelial BH4 availability in the pulmonary circulation regulates the pathophysiological response to hypoxia, providing evidence for a novel and important role for endothelial BH4 in the pulmonary vasculature. Endothelial BH4 availability appears to be important in maintaining pulmonary vascular homeostasis, is a mediator in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension, and may be a novel therapeutic target. See p 2126.

	EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY OF SIROLIMUS-ELUTING STENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF RESTENOSIS AFTER CORONARY STENT PLACEMENT, by Neumann et al.

 
The advent . . . [Full Text of this Article]