Interventional PFO closure with the PFO-Star device appears to be a reliable and promising technique resulting in a low recurrence rate of thromboembolic events, especially stroke in patients with a history of cryptogenic ischemia presumably due to paradoxical embolization. To our knowledge, this is the largest coherent and prospective study for interventional PFO closure.

Interventional PFO closure appears to be safe and a promising technique in symptomatic PFO patients with a low incidence of periinterventional complications and recurrent thromboembolic events using three different devices (PFO-Star, Amplatzer PFO occluder or the CardioSeal/Starflex).

This work gives evidence for a differential recruitment of human PKC isoforms in various forms of myocardial hypertrophy and heart failure.

In severe and refractory cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction, levosimendan, added to current therapy, may contribute to improved survival compared with enoximone.