Unnamed: 0 int64 0 2.34M | titles stringlengths 5 21.5M | abst stringlengths 1 21.5M |
|---|---|---|
20,100 | Establishing a Rodent Model of Ventricular Fibrillation Cardiac Arrest With Graded Histologic and Neurologic Damage With Different Cardiac Arrest Durations. | The aim of the study was to establish a ventricular fibrillation (VF) cardiac arrest (CA) resuscitation model with consistent neurologic and neuropathologic damage as potential therapeutic target.</AbstractText>Prospectively randomized groups of experiments in two phases. In phase 1 four groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 5) were resuscitated after 6 min VFCA with 2 and 6 min basic life support durations (BLS) with and without adrenaline. In phase 2 the most promising group regarding return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival was compared with a group of 8 min CA. Resuscitability, neurologic deficit scores (NDS), and overall performance category (OPC) were assessed daily; histolopathology of the hippocampal CA1 region [hematoxylin and eosin- (viable neurons), Fluoro-Jade- (dying neurons), and Iba-1 immunostaining (microglial activation-semiquantitative)] on day 14.</AbstractText>Two minutes BLS and with adrenaline as most promising group of phase 1 compared with an 8 min group in phase 2 exhibited ROSC in 8 (80%) vs. 9 (82%) animals and survivors till day 14 in 7 (88%) (all OPC 1, NDS 0 ± 0) vs. 6 (67%) (5 OPC 1, 1 OPC 2, NDS 0.83 ± 2.4) animals. OPC and NDS were only significantly different at day 1 (OPC: P = 0.035; NDS: P = 0.003). Histopathologic results between groups were not significantly different; however, a smaller variance of extent of lesions was found in the 8 min group. Both CA durations caused graded neurologic, overall, such as histopathologic damage.</AbstractText>This dynamic global ischemia model offers the possibility to evaluate further cognitive and novel neuroprotective therapy testing after CA.</AbstractText> |
20,101 | Blunt thoracic trauma and cardiac injury in the athlete: contemporary management. | Commotio cordis and cardiac injuries are rare events usually following a chest blunt traumas during sports activities. Various etiologies have been identified to cause electrical (commotio cordis) and/or structural (contusion and further injuries) damage, but high-velocity tools such as baseballs or hockey pucks (also called projectiles) have been chiefly identified. Clinical consequences are challenging, varying from uncomplicated supraventricular arrhythmias to cardiac wall rupture. Ventricular fibrillation is the most remarkable outcome leading to cardiac arrest in some individuals. In this article, up-to-date epidemiological and pathophysiological issues are discussed, along with the most suitable assistance protocols of the injured athlete in the sports arena. Current knowledge about traumatic sports injuries and ensuing cardiovascular sequelae made significant steps forwards than in the past. The majority of athletes (especially the youngest ones) wearing chest protectors are usually preserved from serious outcomes and sudden cardiac death, but further technical effort is encouraged to attain more satisfactory barriers against projectile's impact. Educational campaigns among students, closer team surveillance, implementation of the sports arenas with adequate rescue devices and medical assistance remain mandatory items in contact sports activity. |
20,102 | Low Serum Levels of Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid are Risk Factors for Cardiogenic Syncope in Patients with Brugada Syndrome. | The n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have antiarrhythmic effects, possibly via modulation of the cardiac ion channels. Nevertheless, it is unknown whether low serum levels of n-3 PUFAs are risk factors for ventricular fibrillation in patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS). We retrospectively reviewed data from 62 men with BrS and evaluated their serum levels of EPA and DHA, and the risk factors for sudden cardiac death, including a history of cardiogenic syncope. Nineteen patients had a history of cardiogenic syncope, and their EPA and DHA levels were significantly lower than those of the patients without syncope. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that low EPA and DHA levels were associated with the incidence of syncope. The receiver-operator characteristic curve showed the area under the curves of EPA and DHA for history of syncope were 0.84 and 0.72, respectively. In conclusion, low levels of EPA and DHA are risk factors for cardiogenic syncope in patients with BrS, which suggests that n-3 PUFAs play important roles in preventing ventricular fibrillation in BrS. |
20,103 | Predictors of 1-Year Mortality After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Patients With and Without Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease. | Advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an independent predictor of mortality in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We aimed to identify predictors of 1-year mortality in patients after TAVI stratified by the presence or absence of advanced CKD (defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤30 ml/min/1.73 m<sup>2</sup> or permanent renal replacement therapy). Patients (n = 1204) from 10 centers in Europe, Japan, and Israel were included: 464 with and 740 without advanced CKD. Advanced CKD was associated with a 2-fold increase in the adjusted risk of 1-year all-cause death (p <0.001), and a 1.9-fold increase in cardiovascular death (p = 0.016). Interaction-term analysis was used to identify and compare independent predictors of 1-year mortality in both groups. Impaired left ventricular ejection fraction and poor functional class were predictive of death in the advanced CKD group (odds ratio [OR] 2.27, p = 0.002 and OR 3.87, p = 0.003, respectively) but not in patients without advanced CKD (p for interaction = 0.035 and 0.039, respectively), whereas bleeding was a predictor of mortality in the nonadvanced CKD group (OR 3.2, p = 0.005) but not in advanced CKD (p for interaction = 0.006). Atrial fibrillation was associated with a 2.2-fold increase (p = 0.032) in the risk of cardiovascular death in the advanced CKD group but not in the absence of advanced CKD (p for interaction = 0.022). In conclusion, the coexistence of advanced CKD and either reduced left ventricular ejection fraction or poor functional class has an incremental effect on the risk of death after TAVI. In contrast, bleeding had a greater effect on risk of death in patients without advanced CKD. |
20,104 | Heart rate prediction of outcome in heart failure following myocardial infarction depend on heart rhythm status an analysis from the high-risk myocardial infarction database initiative. | Heart rate has been reported to be associated with adverse outcome in heart failure (HF) and myocardial infarction (MI), but conflicting evidence exists regarding its impact in patients with associated atrial fibrillation (AF).</AbstractText>We investigated the differential impact of heart rate on clinical outcomes according to the presence or absence of AF in patients with reduced systolic function and/or HF after MI.</AbstractText>We studied the association of heart rate with outcome using Cox-models in a merged dataset (n=28,771) of four randomized trials (CAPRICORN, EPHESUS, OPTIMAAL, and VALIANT).</AbstractText>At baseline, 3736 (13%) patients had AF. We identified a significant interaction between AF and heart rate, and a decreasing effect of heart rate with time, heart rate being less associated with outcome after 1year of follow-up (both p for interaction <0.001). We report associations with outcome separately in patients with and without AF. In addition, as neutral associations with outcome after 1year were estimated after adjustment on confounding factors, only association for the first year follow-up were provided. 10-bpm increase in heart rate conferred increased risk for all-cause mortality (1.27 [1.21 to 1.33], p<0.0001), CV-mortality (1.28 [1.22 to 1.34], p<0.0001), and HF-hospitalisation (1.25 [1.19 to 1.31], p<0.0001) in patients without AF. In contrast, in patients with AF, the incremental risk for 10-bpm increase in heart rate was attenuated for all-cause (1.14 [1.06 to 1.23], p=0.0007), CV-mortality (1.12 [1.03 to 1.22], p=0.006), and HF-hospitalisation (1.16 [1.07 to 1.26], p=0.0006, p for interaction with AF <0.001 for all outcomes).</AbstractText>In patients with reduced systolic function and/or HF post-MI, higher heart rate predicts increased major cardiovascular events during the first year following MI in patients without AF. This association is markedly attenuated in subjects with AF.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,105 | Impact of cardio-renal syndrome on adverse outcomes in patients with Fabry disease in a long-term follow-up. | Fabry disease (FD) is a rare X-linked lysosomal storage disease with a deficiency of α-galactosidase A leading to progressive sphingolipid accumulation in different organs, among them heart and kidney. We evaluated the impact of cardio-renal syndrome (CRS) on the incidence of major cardiovascular complications and death in a prospective FD cohort.</AbstractText>A total of 104 genetically proven FD patients were annually followed at the University Hospitals Zurich and Bern. The main outcome was a composite of incident renal replacement therapy (RRT), hospitalisation due to decompensated Heart Failure, new onset atrial fibrillation, pacemaker/ICD implantation, stroke/TIA and death. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and left ventricular myocardial mass index (LVMMI) where explored as the primary exposure variables. During the median follow-up of 103 [59-155] months, events occurred in 27 patients. In a Cox regression analysis, both higher LVMMI and lower eGFR were independently associated with a greater risk of developing adverse events after adjustment for multiple confounders (HR 1.67 [1.04-2.73] P=0.03 per SD increase in LVMMI, HR 0.45 [0.25-0.83], P=0.01 per SD decrease in eGFR). In patients with CRS, the risk to develop events was significantly increased if adjusted for demographics and RRT (HR 4.46 [1.07-18.62], P=0.04), approaching significance if additionally adjusted for hypertension (HR 4.05 [0.95-17.29], P=0.06). In Kaplan-Meier-Analysis, the poorest event-free survival was observed among patients with CRS.</AbstractText>CRS was associated with a high risk to develop cardiovascular complications and death, emphasizing the importance of its prevention and early recognition. A focus on cardio-reno-protective therapies is crucial.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,106 | Theory of the development of alternans in the heart during controlled diastolic interval pacing. | The beat-to-beat alternation in action potential durations (APDs) in the heart, called APD alternans, has been linked to the development of serious cardiac rhythm disorders, including ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. The length of the period between action potentials, called the diastolic interval (DI), is a key dynamical variable in the standard theory of alternans development. Thus, methods that control the DI may be useful in preventing dangerous cardiac rhythms. In this study, we examine the dynamics of alternans during controlled-DI pacing using a series of single-cell and one-dimensional (1D) fiber models of alternans dynamics. We find that a model that combines a so-called memory model with a calcium cycling model can reasonably explain two key experimental results: the possibility of alternans during constant-DI pacing and the phase lag of APDs behind DIs during sinusoidal-DI pacing. We also find that these results can be replicated by incorporating the memory model into an amplitude equation description of a 1D fiber. The 1D fiber result is potentially concerning because it seems to suggest that constant-DI control of alternans can only be effective over only a limited region in space. |
20,107 | Suppression of turbulence by heterogeneities in a cardiac model with fiber rotation. | Electrical scroll wave turbulence in human ventricles is associated with ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death. We perform three-dimensional simulations on the basis of the anisotropic Fenton-Karma model and show that macroscopic, insulating heterogeneities (e.g., blood vessels) can cause the spontaneous formation of pinned scroll waves. The wave field of these vortices is periodic, and their frequencies are sufficiently high to push the free, turbulent vortices into the system boundaries where they annihilate. Our study considers cylindrical heterogeneities with radii in the range of 0.1 to 2 cm that extend either in the transmural or a perpendicular direction. Thick cylinders cause the spontaneous formation of multi-armed rotors according to a radius-dependence that is explained in terms of two-dimensional dynamics. For long cylinders, local pinning contacts spread along the heterogeneity by fast and complex self-wrapping. |
20,108 | Effects of mechanical feedback on the stability of cardiac scroll waves: A bidomain electro-mechanical simulation study. | In this work, we investigate the influence of cardiac tissue deformation on re-entrant wave dynamics. We have developed a 3D strongly coupled electro-mechanical Bidomain model posed on an ideal monoventricular geometry, including fiber direction anisotropy and stretch-activated currents (SACs). The cardiac mechanical deformation influences the bioelectrical activity with two main mechanical feedback: (a) the geometric feedback (GEF) due to the presence of the deformation gradient in the diffusion coefficients and in a convective term depending on the deformation rate and (b) the mechano-electric feedback (MEF) due to SACs. Here, we investigate the relative contribution of these two factors with respect to scroll wave stability. We extend the previous works [Keldermann et al., Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 299, H134-H143 (2010) and Hu et al., PLoS One 8(4), e60287 (2013)] that were based on the Monodomain model and a simple non-selective linear SAC, while here we consider the full Bidomain model and both selective and non-selective components of SACs. Our simulation results show that the stability of cardiac scroll waves is influenced by MEF, which in case of low reversal potential of non-selective SACs might be responsible for the onset of ventricular fibrillation; GEF increases the scroll wave meandering but does not determine the scroll wave stability. |
20,109 | Elevated plasma miRNA-122, -140-3p, -720, -2861, and -3149 during early period of acute coronary syndrome are derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. | Our previous study has found that circulating microRNA (miRNA, or miR) -122, -140-3p, -720, -2861, and -3149 are significantly elevated during early stage of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study was conducted to determine the origin of these elevated plasma miRNAs in ACS.</AbstractText>qRT-PCR was performed to detect the expression profiles of these 5 miRNAs in liver, spleen, lung, kidney, brain, skeletal muscles, and heart. To determine their origins, these miRNAs were detected in myocardium of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and as well in platelets and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs, including monocytes, circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and lymphocytes) of the AMI pigs and ACS patients.</AbstractText>MiR-122 was specifically expressed in liver, and miR-140-3p, -720, -2861, and -3149 were highly expressed in heart. Compared with the sham pigs, miR-122 was highly expressed in the border zone of the ischemic myocardium in the AMI pigs without ventricular fibrillation (P < 0.01), miR-122 and -720 were decreased in platelets of the AMI pigs, and miR-122, -140-3p, -720, -2861, and -3149 were increased in PBMCs of the AMI pigs (all P < 0.05). Compared with the non-ACS patients, platelets miR-720 was decreased and PBMCs miR-122, -140-3p, -720, -2861, and -3149 were increased in the ACS patients (all P < 0.01). Furthermore, PBMCs miR-122, -720, and -3149 were increased in the AMI patients compared with the unstable angina (UA) patients (all P < 0.05). Further origin identification revealed that the expression levels of miR-122 in CECs and lymphocytes, miR-140-3p and -2861 in monocytes and CECs, miR-720 in monocytes, and miR-3149 in CECs were greatly up-regulated in the ACS patients compared with the non-ACS patients, and were higher as well in the AMI patients than that in the UA patients except for the miR-122 in CECs (all P < 0.05).</AbstractText>The elevated plasma miR-122, -140-3p, -720, -2861, and -3149 in the ACS patients were mainly originated from CECs and monocytes.</AbstractText> |
20,110 | Fatal Pulmonary Embolism in the Setting of Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome Attributed to Ovarian Tuberculosis. | In developed countries, tuberculosis remains a health care challenge due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and immigration from endemic regions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 9557 new cases in 2015, with extrapulmonary involvement in 20.2% of the cases. We present a 33-year-old woman from Cape Town, South Africa, who developed abdominal pain and fever while working on a cruise ship. She sought medical where she underwent computed tomography of her chest, abdomen, and pelvis with findings suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis and an 8.9-cm pelvic mass. HIV testing was positive and the patient was started on antiretroviral therapy. Bronchoscopy confirmed the presence of acid-fast bacilli, and she was started on rifampin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol. She remained persistently febrile, raising suspicion for immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. However, despite empiric antibiotics, the patient remained persistently febrile, tachycardic, and on day 10 of admission she went into ventricular fibrillation and expired. Autopsy revealed an occlusive thrombus in the left main pulmonary artery in addition to necrotizing granulomata in multiple organs and bilateral tubo-ovarian abscesses. Postmortem cultures for were positive for <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i>, all consistent with disseminated <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i>. Although previous reports underscore the association between tuberculosis and hypercoagulability, the exact mechanism remains unknown. In this article, we report a case of disseminated tuberculosis complicated by bilateral tubo-ovarian abscesses with fatal pulmonary thrombus formation. |
20,111 | Amiodarone, lidocaine, magnesium or placebo in shock refractory ventricular arrhythmia: A Bayesian network meta-analysis. | Recent evidence challenges, the superiority of amiodarone, compared to other anti-arrhythmic medications, as the agent of choice in pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF). We conducted Bayesian network and traditional meta-analyses to investigate the relative efficacies of amiodarone, lidocaine, magnesium (MgSO4) and placebo as treatments for pulseless VT or VF. Eleven studies [5200 patients, 7 randomized trials (4, 611 patients) and 4 non-randomized studies (589 patients)], were included in this meta-analysis. The search was conducted, from 1981 to February 2017, using MEDLINE, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library. Estimates were reported as odds ratio (OR) with 95% Credible Interval (CrI). Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) modeling was used to estimate the relative ranking probability of each treatment group based on surface under cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). Bayesian analysis demonstrated that lidocaine had superior effects on survival to hospital discharge, compared to amiodarone (OR, 2.18, 95% Cr.I 1.26-3.13), MgSO4 (OR, 2.03, 95% Cr.I 0.74-4.82) and placebo (OR, 2.42, 95% Cr.I 1.39-3.54). There were no statistical differences among treatment groups regarding survival to hospital admission/24 h (hrs) and return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Probability analysis revealed that lidocaine was the most effective therapy for survival to hospital discharge (SUCRA, 97%). We conclude that lidocaine may be the most effective anti-arrhythmic agent for survival to hospital discharge in patients with pulseless VT or VF. |
20,112 | Effect of Atrial Fibrillation on Contrast-Induced Nephropathy Development in Patients With Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction. | We investigated the relationship between atrial fibrillation (AF) and contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI); 1045 consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions were enrolled. Risk factors for CIN were investigated. Baseline characteristics, except oral anticoagulant use, were similar between patients with and without AF. Patients with CIN show higher presence of diabetes mellitus (DM), coronary artery bypass graft surgery history, Mehran score, baseline creatinine levels, baseline glomerular filtration rate (GFR), peak troponin levels, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and presence of AF ( P < .05). In multivariate logistic regression analyses, the presence of DM (odds ratio [OR], 2.333; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.222-4.457; P = .010), Mehran score (OR, 1.269; 95% CI, 1.152-1.398; P < .001), baseline GFR (OR, 0,954; 95% CI, 0.944-0.964 P < .001), left anterior descending artery originated infarction (OR, 1.594; 95% CI, 1.061-2.398; P = .025), LVEF value (OR, 0.956; 95% CI, 0.926-0.986; P = .005), and the presence of AF (OR, 3.830; 95% CI, 1.239-11.839; P = .020) were independent predictors of CIN. Atrial fibrillation can be related to CIN development in patients with NSTEMI. |
20,113 | Atrial Fibrillation in Heart Failure: a Therapeutic Challenge of Our Times. | Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) are growing cardiovascular disease epidemics worldwide. There has been an exponential increase in the prevalence of AF and HF correlating with an increased burden of cardiac risk factors and improved survival rates in patients with structural heart disease. AF is associated with adverse prognostic outcomes in HF and is most evident in mild-to-moderate left ventricular (LV) dysfunction where the loss of "atrial kick" translates into poorer quality of life and increased mortality. In the absence of underlying structural heart disease, arrhythmia can independently contribute to the development of cardiomyopathy. Together, these 2 conditions carry a high risk of thromboembolism due to stasis, inflammation and cellular dysfunction. Stroke prevention with oral anticoagulation (OAC) remains a mainstay of treatment. Pharmacologic rate and rhythm control remain limited by variable efficacy, intolerance and adverse reactions. Catheter ablation for AF has resulted in a paradigm shift with evidence indicating superiority over medical therapy. While its therapeutic success is high for paroxysmal AF, it remains suboptimal in persistent AF. A better mechanistic understanding of AF as well as innovations in ablation technology may improve patient outcomes in the future. Refractory cases may benefit from atrioventricular junction ablation and biventricular pacing. The value of risk factor modification, especially with regard to obesity, sleep apnea, hypertension and diabetes, cannot be emphasized enough. Close interdisciplinary collaboration between HF specialists and electrophysiologists is an essential component of good long-term outcomes in this challenging population. |
20,114 | Meta-analysis of Fragmented QRS as an Electrocardiographic Predictor for Arrhythmic Events in Patients with Brugada Syndrome. | Fragmented QRS (fQRS) is an electrocardiographic marker related to ventricular fibrillation (VF) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in various clinical settings. Current data regarding the prognostic significance of fQRS in Brugada syndrome (BrS) are contradictory. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the presence of fQRS as a risk stratification tool in BrS. Electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library) were searched until May 2016. Eight observational studies accumulating data on 1,637 BrS patients (mean age: 47 ± 11 years) were included in this meta-analysis. The mean follow-up duration ranged from 21 to 96 months. fQRS was found to be an independent predictor of future arrhythmic events in BrS (RR:3.88, 95% CI 2.26 to 6.65, <i>p</i> < 0.00001) with moderate heterogeneity (I<sup>2</sup> = 54%, <i>P</i> = 0.03). When analyzing VF as independent end-point, the RR for VF was 3.61, and its 95% CI was 2.11 to 6.18, <i>p</i> < 0.00001. This meta-analysis showed that BrS patients with fQRS are at high risk for future arrhythmic events. The presence of fQRS warrants prospective evaluation as valid arrhythmogenic risk marker in BrS. |
20,115 | A 54-year-old man with new-onset ventricular fibrillation. | A 54-year-old man without significant medical history presented with sudden-onset chest discomfort and multiple episodes of ventricular fibrillation requiring external defibrillation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Coronary angiography ruled out significant artery stenosis. Both ventriculography and echocardiography revealed decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (25%). On examination, he was haemodynamically stable. The lungs were clear to auscultation and there was no jugular venous dilation. The cardiac examination revealed a regular rate and rhythm without murmur. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) images were shown (figure 1).heartjnl;103/23/1922/F1F1F1Figure 1Cardiac magnetic resonance with a T1-weighted inversion recovery image (A) and 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (B) in a 54-year-old man with new-onset ventricular fibrillation.</AbstractText>Which of the following would be the next best step?Implantable loop recorderElectrophysiological testing for radiofrequency catheter ablationEndomyocardial biopsyGenetic testing.</AbstractText>© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,116 | Burden and contributing factors associated with tricuspid regurgitation: a hospital-based study. | Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is common in patients referred for cardiac assessment. Nonetheless, current estimates of its prevalence and contributing factors are limited. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence and demographics of TR in patients referred for echocardiography assessment at two University-affiliated hospitals.</AbstractText>A total of 6711 consecutive Chinese patients were recruited as part of the Chinese Valvular Heart Disease Study (CVATS).</AbstractText>The most common valvular lesion was TR (54.7%), followed by mitral regurgitation (44.7%) and aortic regurgitation (26.5%). Clinically significant (moderate or severe) TR was identified in 8.4% with the proportion increased from 3.9% amongst those aged <51 to 15.9% in those aged ≥81. Multivariable adjustment demonstrated that significant TR was associated with age, congenital heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, left-sided valvular heart disease (VHD), impaired left ventricular ejection fraction <50%, atrial fibrillation and pulmonary hypertension.</AbstractText>Among all types of VHD, TR was the most common and was identified in over half of the subjects and clinically significant in 8.4%. These unique data provide contemporary clinical and epidemiological characteristics of TR in a large cohort of patients referred for cardiac assessment and confirm the increased burden of TR in the aged population.</AbstractText> |
20,117 | Mitral regurgitation severity correlates with symptoms and extent of left atrial dysfunction: Effect of mitral valve repair. | We aimed to assess the relationship between mitral regurgitation (MR) severity, symptoms, and left atrial (LA) structure and function, before and after mitral valve repair (MVR).</AbstractText>Global peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) was evaluated in 37 patients with severe symptomatic MR and preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (60.4% ± 4.6%) before and 3 months after MVR and was compared with values from 30 age- and gender-matched controls.</AbstractText>Before surgery, PALS was worse in patients than in controls and indexed LA volume was greater (P < .0001 for both). After MVR, PALS deteriorated further and LA volume decreased (P = .001 and P = .05, respectively) as did LV ejection fraction, longitudinal strain (P = .05 and P < .001, respectively), and LV mass (P < .0001). Before surgery, LA volume correlated modestly with LV end-diastolic volume (R = 0.51; P = .01); effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA) correlated with PALS (R = -0.69, P < .001) and with LV longitudinal strain (R = 0.54, P = .01), and New York Heart Association class correlated with PALS (R = -0.69, P < .001), EROA (R = 0.69, P < .001), and LA volume (R = 0.51, P = .04). LA volume was the strongest predictor of global PALS reduction (P < .001), whereas global PALS was the main predictor of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) (P < .001).</AbstractText>In patients with severe MR, EROA correlate with symptoms and LA PALS, which itself predicts the occurrence of postoperative AF. Strain values were superior to 2D data for the prediction of postoperative AF.</AbstractText>© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,118 | Atrial fibrillation modifies the association between pulmonary artery wedge pressure and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. | During right heart catheterization, pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) is often assumed to reflect left ventricular filling pressure. We sought to determine the impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) on the relationship between PAWP and left ventricular filling pressure, as measured by left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP).</AbstractText>We performed simultaneous left and right heart catheterization in 123 patients (mean age 69 years, 28% with AF) referred for suspicion of pulmonary hypertension (PH). The correlation between PAWP and LVEDP was moderate (R2</sup> = 0.42). The relationship between PAWP and LVEDP was modified by heart rhythm (P for interaction <0.01). In sinus rhythm, PAWP underestimated LVEDP (Bland-Altman mean difference: -2.96 mmHg, limits of agreement 6.6 to -12.5; R2</sup>  = 0.54), whereas in AF, PAWP overestimated LVEDP (Bland-Altman mean difference: 4.76 mmHg; limits of agreement: 12.2 to -3.3; R2</sup> = 0.58). These differences impacted the differentiation between pre- and post-capillary PH, dependent on the use of either PAWP or LVEDP. In AF, post-capillary PH based on PAWP would have been classified as pre-capillary PH in 35% of patients if based on LVEDP. The opposite is true for sinus rhythm where 31% of pre-capillary PH based on PAWP would have been classified as post-capillary PH if based on LVEDP.</AbstractText>The relationship between PAWP and LVEDP varies by heart rhythm, with PAWP being higher than LVEDP among AF patients and lower than LVEDP among patients in sinus rhythm. Rhythm status and influences on the PAWP-LVEDP relationship should be considered when distinguishing between pre-capillary and post-capillary PH.</AbstractText>© 2017 The Authors. European Journal of Heart Failure © 2017 European Society of Cardiology.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,119 | Device Management in Heart Failure. | Medical devices have become an integral part of comprehensive heart failure management. Not all heart failure patients, however, accrue benefit from every new device, and even with extensive practice guidelines, this remains an evolving field.</AbstractText>The addition of implantable devices, like internal cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), and novel pacing technologies, including cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), have helped to compliment goal-directed medical therapy and positively impact prognosis in multiple high-quality clinical trials. This review attempts to summarize the rapidly evolving literature with respect to existing device guidelines for routine implantable devices as well as some available and future technologies that are not yet a part of routine guidelines. ICD, CRT, and other implantable devices continue to save lives, decrease hospitalizations, and evolve the management of patients with heart failure beyond the capabilities of optimal guideline-directed medical therapy alone.</AbstractText> |
20,120 | Mechanisms Underlying Epicardial Radiofrequency Ablation to Suppress Arrhythmogenesis in Experimental Models of Brugada Syndrome. | This study sought to test the hypothesis that elimination of sites of abnormal repolarization, via epicardial RFA, suppresses the electrocardiographic and arrhythmic manifestations of BrS.</AbstractText>Brugada syndrome (BrS) is associated with ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation leading to sudden cardiac death. Nademanee et al. reported that radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of right ventricular outflow tract epicardium significantly reduced the electrocardiogram and arrhythmic manifestations of BrS. These authors concluded that low-voltage fractionated electrogram activity and late potentials are caused by conduction delay within the right ventricular outflow tract and that the ameliorative effect of RFA is caused by elimination of this substrate. Szel et al. recently demonstrated that the abnormal electrogram activity is associated with repolarization defects rather than depolarization or conduction defects.</AbstractText>Action potentials (AP), electrograms, and pseudoelectrocardiogram were simultaneously recorded from coronary-perfused canine right ventricular wedge preparations. Two pharmacological models were used to mimic BrS genotype: combination of INa</sub> blocker ajmaline (1 to 10 μM) and IK-ATP</sub> agonist pinacidil (1 to 5 μM); or combination of Ito</sub> agonist NS5806 (4 to 10 μM) and ICa</sub> blocker verapamil (0.5 to 2 μM). After stable induction of abnormal electrograms and arrhythmic activity, the preparation was mapped and epicardial RFA was applied.</AbstractText>Fractionated low-voltage electrical activity was observed in right ventricular epicardium but not endocardium as a consequence of heterogeneities in the appearance of the second upstroke of the epicardial AP. Discrete late potentials developed as a result of delay of the second upstroke of the AP and of concealed phase 2 re-entry. Epicardial RFA of these abnormalities normalized Brugada pattern and abolished arrhythmic activity, regardless of the pharmacological model used.</AbstractText>Our results suggest that epicardial RFA exerts its ameliorative effect in the setting of BrS by destroying the cells with the most prominent AP notch, thus eliminating sites of abnormal repolarization and the substrate for ventricular tachycardia ventricular fibrillation.</AbstractText> |
20,121 | Concomitant ablation for atrial fibrillation during septal myectomy in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. | The appearance of atrial fibrillation is associated with significant clinical deterioration in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; therefore, maintenance of sinus rhythm is desirable. Guidelines and most articles have reported the results of catheter ablation and pharmacologic atrial fibrillation treatment; nevertheless, data regarding concomitant procedures during septal myectomy are limited. The aim of this study was to assess the outcomes of concomitant atrial fibrillation treatment in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.</AbstractText>Between 2010 and 2013 in our clinic, 187 patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy underwent extended myectomy. In 45 cases, concomitant Cox-Maze IV procedure was performed; however, obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was the primary indication for surgery. Atrial fibrillation was paroxysmal in 26 patients (58%) and nonparoxysmal in 19 patients (42%). The mean age of patients was 52.8 ± 14.2 years (range, 22-74 years). Mean peak gradient was 90.7 ± 24.2 mm Hg, and interventricular septum thickness was 26.1 ± 4.3 mm. Mean atrial fibrillation duration was 17.3 ± 8.5 months.</AbstractText>There were no early deaths. No procedure-related complications occurred with regard to ablation procedure. Complete atrioventricular block was achieved in 2 patients (4.0%). Mean crossclamping time was 61 ± 36 minutes. Peak left ventricular outflow tract gradient was 12.6 ± 5.5 mm Hg based on transesophageal echocardiography. The Maze IV procedure was used for ablation in all patients (radiofrequency ablation with bipolar clamp + cryolesion for mitral and tricuspid lines). Because of the atrial wall thickness (5-6 mm), applications were performed 8 to 10 times on each line. There were no cases of pacemaker implantation due to sinus node dysfunction. All patients were discharged in stable sinus rhythm. Mean follow-up was 23.7 ± 1.3 months. The rate of atrial fibrillation freedom was 100% (45 patients) at 6 months, 89% (40 patients) at 1 year, and 78% (35 patients) at 24 months.</AbstractText>Concomitant ablation atrial fibrillation during septal myectomy in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a safe and effective procedure and should be considered carefully in this patient group.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,122 | Implementation of automatic external defibrillator using real time ventricular fibrillation detecting algorithm based on time domain analysis. | The increase in mortality associated with arrhythmia is an inevitable problem of modern society such as westernized eating habits and an increase in stress due to industrialization, and the related social costs are increasing. In this regard, the supply of automatic external defibrillator (AED) used outside hospitals is increasing mainly in public institutions, and AED is a medical practice performed by non-medical personnel. Therefore, studies on arrhythmia detection algorithm to make accurate clinical judgment for proper use are increasing. In this paper, we propose a time domain analysis method to detect arrhythmia in real time and implement AED by porting it to programmable gate array and digital signal processor. The analysis of the phase domain improves the detection rate of R-peak using the differentiated electrocardiogram (ECG) waveform rather than the existing ECG waveform and makes it easy to distinguish the normal ECG from the arrhythmia signal in the phase domain. The proposed algorithm was verified by simulation using Labview and ModelSim, and it was verified that the proposed algorithm works effectively by performing animal experiments using the implemented AED. |
20,123 | Recurrent Graves' hyperthyroidism after prolonged radioiodine-induced hypothyroidism. | Radioactive iodine (RAI) is the most cost effective therapy for Graves' disease (GD). Patients with GD who have become hypothyroid after therapeutic RAI, rarely develop recurrence of disease. Herein we describe a case of recurrence of thyrotoxicosis after 2 years of hypothyroidism.</AbstractText>We present the clinical features, laboratory findings, imaging and management of an unusual case of recurrent hyperthyroidism.</AbstractText>A 48-year-old male presented to the emergency room with a 2-day history of palpitation, chest discomfort and 30 pounds of weight loss. Examination was remarkable for rapid and irregular pulse, diffuse thyromegaly and brisk deep tendon reflexes but no eye changes or tremors. Laboratory tests showed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) of <0.004 (0.3-5.6 mIU/ml), free thyroxine (FT4) 4.96 (0.9-1.8 ng/dl), free triiodothyronine (FT3) >20 (1.8-4.7 pg/ml), total thyroxine >800 (80-200 ng/dl). Electrocardiogram showed atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response. RAI uptake and scan showed a homogenous gland with 54% uptake in 6 h and 45% in 24 h. He was treated with propranolol and propylthiouracil with some clinical improvement. He subsequently underwent RAI therapy and developed hypothyroidism after 8 weeks. Hypothyroidism was treated with levothyroxine. At 2 years after RAI ablation, he again developed symptoms of hyperthyroidism and had suppressed TSH. The levothyroxine dose was stopped, 3 weeks after discontinuing levothyroxine, he remained hyperthyroid with TSH of 0.008 and FT4 of 1.62 and FT3 of 4.8. RAI uptake demonstrated 17% uptake at 24 h.</AbstractText>Recurrent hyperthyroidism in GD is uncommon after development of post-ablative hypothyroidism. Our case illustrates the need for continued surveillance.</AbstractText> |
20,124 | Impact of acute left ventricular apical thrombus on cardioversion for atrial fibrillation. | Among patients undergoing cardioversion for atrial fibrillation, the presence of left ventricular thrombus is a relatively uncommon and challenging clinical dilemma. While left atrial appendage thrombus is a contraindication to cardioversion, there is paucity of data regarding the safety of cardioversion in with the presence of left ventricular apical thrombus. Also, thrombus characteristics such as protrusion and mobility on echocardiography are known risk factors for systemic embolism. In this article, we present a case highlighting the management of atrial fibrillation in the setting of left ventricular dysfunction, acute heart failure, and echocardiographic evidence of acute left ventricular apical thrombus. |
20,125 | Characteristics of sleep-disordered breathing in patients with atrial fibrillation and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. | Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) represents a common and highly relevant co-morbidity in patients with atrial fibrillation (Afib). Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been identified as an independent risk factor for developing Afib and for Afib recurrence after treatment, but the role of central sleep apnea (CSA) is less clear. This study investigated characteristics of SDB in Afib patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (PEF).</AbstractText>Consecutive patients (07/2007 to 03/2016) with documented Afib at hospital admission and PEF undergoing 6-channel cardiorespiratory polygraphy (PG) screening were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 211 patients were included (146 men; age 68.7 ± 8.5 years). Only 6.6% of patients had no SDB (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] < 5/h). When moderate-to-severe SDB (AHI ≥ 15/h) was classified based on the predominant type of apneas and hypopneas, OSA (≥ 80% obstructive events) was found in 15% of patients, CSA (≥ 80% central events) in 10%, and 36% had mixed sleep apnea. For patients with Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR; 34%), time spent in CSR increased significantly as total AHI increased (p < 0.001); total CSR duration was 20, 50, and 117 min, respectively, in patients with mild, moderate, and severe SDB.</AbstractText>SDB was highly prevalent in this cohort of patients with Afib and PEF. The proportion of patients with moderate-to-severe OSA, for whom treatment is recommended by current guidelines, was about 15%. With 36% of patients presenting with moderate-to-severe mixed sleep apnea and almost 10% of patients having CSA, treatment guidelines for these types of SDB in the setting of Afib are needed.</AbstractText> |
20,126 | End-tidal carbon dioxide and defibrillation success in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. | Basing on the relationship between the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the responsiveness of VF to the defibrillation we aimed to assess whether the values of ETCO2 in the minute before defibrillation could predict the effectiveness of the shock.</AbstractText>We retrospectively evaluated the reports generated by the manual monitor/defibrillator (Corpuls by GS Elektromedizinische Geräte G. Stemple GmbH, Germany) used for cases of VF cardiac arrest from January 2015 to December 2016. The mean ETCO2 value of the minute preceding the shock (METCO260</sub>) was computed. A blind evaluation of the effectiveness of each shock was provided by three cardiologists.</AbstractText>A total amount of 207 shocks were delivered for 62 patients. When considering the three tertiles of METCO260</sub> (T1:METCO260</sub> ≤ 20mmHg; T2: 20mmHg < METCO260</sub> ≤ 31mmHg and T3: METCO260</sub> > 31mmHg) a statistically significant difference between the percentages of shock success was found (T1: 50%; T2: 63%; T3: 78%; Chi square p=0.003; p for trend <0.001). When the METCO260</sub> was lower than 7mmHg no shock was effective and when the METCO260 was higher than 45mmHg no shock was ineffective. Shocks followed by ROSC were preceded by higher values of METCO260</sub> as compared either to ineffective shocks or effective ones without ROSC.</AbstractText>This is the first demonstration of the relation between ETCO2 and defibrillation effectiveness. Our findings stress the pivotal role of High Quality CPR, monitored via ETCO2, and suggest ETCO2 monitoring as an additional weapon to guide defibrillation.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,127 | Postimplantation ventricular ectopic burden and clinical outcomes in cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator patients: a MADIT-CRT substudy. | Frequent ventricular ectopy on preimplantation Holter has been associated with attenuated benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). However, it is unclear whether ectopic burden measured post-CRT implantation can be utilized to evaluate long-term prognosis. We aimed to describe the association between post-CRT implantation ectopic burden and subsequent risk of clinical outcomes.</AbstractText>At the 12-month follow-up visit, 24-hour Holter recordings were performed in 698 CRT-D patients from the MADIT-CRT study. The mean number of ventricular premature complexes (VPCs/hour) was calculated. High ectopic burden was defined as >10 VPCs/hour and low burden as ≤10 VPCs/hour. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to assess the association between 12-month ectopic burden and the risk of the end points of heart failure (HF) or death and ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VT/VF).</AbstractText>At 12 months, 282 (40%) patients presented with low ectopic burden and 416 (60%) patients presented with high ectopic burden. The 3-year risk of HF/death and VT/VF was lower in patients with a low burden (7% and 8%) and significantly higher (25% and 24%) in patients with high burden. In multivariate analyses, patients with a high ectopic burden had approximately threefold increased risk of both HF/death (HR=2.76 [1.62-4.70], p < .001) and VT/VF (HR=2.79 [1.69-4.58], p < .001).</AbstractText>In CRT-D patients with mild heart failure, high ectopic burden at 12-month follow-up was associated with a high 3-year risk of HF/death and VT/VF and threefold increased risk as compared to patients with low burden. Ectopic burden at 12 months may be a valuable approach for evaluating long-term prognosis.</AbstractText>© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,128 | Diagnostic yield of asymptomatic arrhythmias detected by mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry and autotrigger looping event cardiac monitors. | Asymptomatic arrhythmias can have important therapeutic implications in certain patient populations, for example, atrial fibrillation in patients with prior ischemic stroke. We sought to compare the diagnostic yield of two commercially available monitoring systems with automated arrhythmia detection algorithms.</AbstractText>We queried a large, proprietary database containing rhythm data for patients receiving ambulatory EKG monitoring (BioTelemetry, Malvern, PA, USA). We compared all patients prescribed mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry (MCOT™, Braemar Manufacturing, LLC, Eagan, MN, USA) versus autotrigger looping event recorder (AT-LER) devices over a consecutive 8-month period. Data from both device types were analyzed for diagnostic yields in detecting asymptomatic (device-triggered) arrhythmias consisting of atrial fibrillation (of any detected duration), bradycardia (ventricular rate ≤ 40 bpm), ventricular pause (≥ 3 seconds), supraventricular tachycardia (≥ 6 consecutive supraventricular beats), and ventricular tachycardia (≥ 4 consecutive premature ventricular contractions). The mean time to first diagnosis of each arrhythmia for each device was determined. Physician-designated diagnostic codes for patients prescribed each device were also determined from the database.</AbstractText>The MCOT™ device had significantly higher diagnostic yields of all evaluated asymptomatic arrhythmias than the AT-LER. The MCOT™ device also produced an earlier mean time to diagnosis for all evaluated asymptomatic arrhythmias. These findings were noted despite a shorter average prescription length for MCOT™ monitored patients.</AbstractText>In patients with conventional diagnostic monitoring indications, MCOT™ had significantly higher diagnostic yields for five asymptomatic arrhythmias compared to the AT-LER.</AbstractText>© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,129 | Identification of electrocardiographic risk markers for the initial and recurrent episodes of ventricular fibrillation in patients with Brugada syndrome. | New onset of ventricular fibrillation (VF) in asymptomatic patients with Brugada-type ECG is not frequent, but it cannot be negligible. Risk markers for predicting VF are usually based on results of analysis in symptomatic patients, and they have not been determined for asymptomatic patients. We analyzed ECG markers in patients with Brugada syndrome to differentiate the risk factors for VF in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.</AbstractText>The subjects were 471 patients with Brugada syndrome and we divided the subjects into two groups: Asymptomatic group (n = 326) and Symptomatic group (syncope: n = 122, VF: n = 23). We analyzed the following ECG markers: RR, PQ, QRS, QT and Tpeak-Tend (Tpe) intervals, ST level, atrial fibrillation (AF), atrioventricular block, spontaneous type 1 ECG, early repolarization (ER) and fragmented QRS (fQRS).</AbstractText>During follow-up (91 ± 64 months), 41 patients experienced VF (Asymptomatic: n = 10, Symptomatic: n = 31). Univariable analysis showed that spontaneous type 1 ECG, Tpe interval (≥95 milliseconds), high ST level (≥0.52 mV) and fQRS were common predictors for VF in both the Asymptomatic and Symptomatic groups. In addition to the common risk factors, wide QRS (≥107 milliseconds), long QT interval (≥420 milliseconds), ER and AF were predictors for VF in Symptomatic group. Multivariable analysis of the Symptomatic group showed fQRS, Tpe and ER were independent predictors of prognosis.</AbstractText>fQRS and Tpe interval are common risk factors for VF in both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients, whereas ER is a predictor for recurrent VF.</AbstractText>© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,130 | Differences in clinical characteristics in patients with first ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and ventricular fibrillation according to sex. | We aimed to assess sex differences in clinical characteristics, circumstances of arrest, and procedural characteristics in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with ventricular fibrillation (VF) prior to angioplasty.</AbstractText>Cases of VF with first STEMI (n = 329; 276 men and 53 women) were identified from the GEVAMI study, which is prospectively assembled case-control study among first STEMI patients in Denmark.</AbstractText>Compared to men, women experienced symptoms for a longer time interval prior to angioplasty (140 vs. 166 min, p = 0.020), and were more likely to present with VF later during transport to the hospital rather than prior to emergency medical services arrival (36 vs. 52%, p = 0.040). Prior to VF, women had a significantly lower income (p = 0.002) and education level (p = 0.008), were less likely to consume alcohol (3 vs. 6 units, p = 0.040), more likely to smoke (71 vs. 52%, p = 0.007), and more likely to have depression (25 vs. 10%, p = 0.002) or a history of angina (59 vs. 42%, p = 0.030). Even though women had more angina within a year prior to VF, no difference was observed in self-reported contact with the healthcare system (p = 0.200). In multivariable logistic regression models, history of angina (OR = 2.70; p = 0.006), low educational level (OR = 2.80, p = 0.012) and low income (OR = 6.00, p = 0.005) remained significantly associated with female sex. There were no differences in procedural characteristics between men and women.</AbstractText>We found several sex differences in clinical characteristics and circumstances of arrest. The importance of seeking acute medical attention when experiencing angina should be emphasized in women, especially in women with low socioeconomic status.</AbstractText> |
20,131 | Sudden cardiac death in a dog during Holter recording-R on T phenomenon. | A 6-year-old castrated male Golden Retriever was diagnosed with severe subaortic stenosis with severe left atrial enlargement and high heart rate due to atrial fibrillation. Treatment with digoxin and diltiazem to control ventricular response rate was initiated. Ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring (Holter monitoring) was performed at the beginning of treatment and was repeated to evaluate the patient's response to drug therapy. Drug dose adjustments were made based on response to therapy as assessed by Holter monitoring. The dog experienced sudden death at home 19 days after beginning treatment while wearing the Holter monitor. Analysis of the Holter recording revealed marked increase in number and complexity of ventricular arrhythmias. A ventricular premature complex occurring on a T wave (R on T) was noted preceding the polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. This arrhythmia immediately degenerated into ventricular fibrillation followed by asystole. This case report describes the arrhythmia that preceded cardiac arrest and reviews the risk factors that could have potentiated the fatal arrhythmia in this dog. |
20,132 | Spanish Catheter Ablation Registry. 16th Official Report of the Spanish Society of Cardiology Working Group on Electrophysiology and Arrhythmias (2016). | This report describes the findings of the 2016 Spanish Catheter Ablation Registry.</AbstractText>Data were retrospectively collected by means of a standardized questionnaire completed by each of the participating centers.</AbstractText>Data were collected from 83 centers. A total of 13 482 ablation procedures were performed (the highest historically reported in this registry), with a mean of 162.4 ± 116 and a median of 136 procedures per center. The most frequently treated ablation targets were atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia (n = 3058; 22.7%), atrial fibrillation (n = 2953; 21.9%), and cavotricuspid isthmus (n = 2892; 21.4%). There was a peak in ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation, which, for the first time in this registry, became the second most treated substrate. After exclusion of atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia with underlying heart disease, the overall success rate was 86%. The rate of major complications was 2.3%, and the mortality rate was 0.05%. In all, 2.7% of the ablations were performed in pediatric patients.</AbstractText>The Spanish Catheter Ablation Registry systematically and uninterruptedly records the ablation procedures performed in Spain, showing a progressive rise in the number of ablations performed, with a high success rate and a low percentage of complications.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,133 | Sensor-Based Physiologic Control Strategy for Biventricular Support with Rotary Blood Pumps. | Rotary biventricular assist devices (BiVAD) are becoming a clinically accepted treatment option for end-stage biventricular failure. To improve BiVAD efficacy and safety, we propose a control algorithm to achieve the clinical objectives of maintaining left-right-sided balance, restoring physiologic flows, and preventing ventricular suction. The control algorithm consists of two proportional-integral (PI) controllers for left and right ventricular assist devices (LVAD and RVAD) to maintain differential pump pressure across LVAD (ΔPL) and RVAD (ΔPR) to provide left-right balance and physiologic flow. To prevent ventricular suction, LVAD and RVAD pump speed differentials (ΔRPML, ΔRPMR) were maintained above user-defined thresholds. Efficacy and robustness of the proposed algorithm were tested in silico for axial and centrifugal flow BiVAD using 1) normal and excessive ΔPL and/or ΔPR setpoints, 2) rapid threefold increase in pulmonary vascular or vena caval resistances, 3) transient responses from exercise to rest, and 4) ventricular fibrillation. The study successfully demonstrated that the proposed BiVAD algorithm achieved the clinical objectives but required pressure sensors to continuously measure ΔPL and ΔPR. The proposed control algorithm is device independent, should not require any modifications to the pump or inflow/outflow cannulae/grafts, and may be directly applied to current rotary blood pumps for biventricular support. |
20,134 | Very-Low-Density Lipoprotein of Metabolic Syndrome Modulates Gap Junctions and Slows Cardiac Conduction. | Very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) is a hallmark of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and each manifestation of MetS is related to atrial fibrillation (AF) risks. Slowed atrial conduction is a mechanism of AF in MetS. We hypothesized that VLDL can modulate and reduce atrial gap junctions. VLDLs were separated from normal (Normal-VLDL) and MetS (MetS-VLDL) individuals. VLDLs (15 µg/g) and equivalent volumes of saline (CTL) were injected respectively to C57BL/6 mice for 6 weeks. Electrocardiograms demonstrated that MetS-VLDL induced prolongation of P wave (P = 0.041), PR intervals (P = 0.014), QRS duration and QTc interval (both P = 0.003), but Normal-VLDL did not. Optical mapping of perfused hearts confirmed slowed conduction on atria and ventricles of MetS-VLDL mice. Slowed cardiac conduction was associated with significant atrial and ventricular remodeling, along with systolic dysfunction and comparable intra-cardiac fibrosis. MetS-VLDL induced downregulation of Cx40 and Cx43 at transcriptional, translational and tissue levels, and it also enhanced O-GlcNAcylation of Cx40 and Cx43. Protein structure analyses predicted O-GlcNAcylation at serine 18 of Cx40 and Cx43 which may impair stability of gap junctions. In conclusion, MetS-VLDL modulates gap junctions and delays both atrial and ventricular conduction. VLDL may contribute to the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation and ventricular arrhythmias in MetS. |
20,135 | Pregnancy in women with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: data from the European Society of Cardiology initiated Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac disease (ROPAC). | We report the maternal and foetal outcomes at birth and after 6 months in a cohort of pregnant women with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Although most women with HCM tolerate pregnancy well, there is an increased risk of obstetric and cardiovascular complications.</AbstractText>All pregnant women with HCM entered into the prospective worldwide Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac disease (ROPAC) were included in this analysis. The primary endpoint was a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), which included death, heart failure (HF), thrombo-embolic event, and arrhythmia. Baseline and outcome data were analysed and compared for patients with MACE vs. without MACE and for patients with obstructive HCM vs. non-obstructive HCM. Sixty pregnant women (mean age 30.4 ± 6.0 years) with HCM (41.7% obstructive) were included. No maternal mortality occurred in this cohort. In 14 (23%) patients at least one MACE occurred: 9 (15.0%) HF and 7 (12%) an arrhythmia (6 ventricular and 1 atrial fibrillation). MACE occurred most commonly during the 3rd trimester and postpartum period. In total, 3 (5.0%) women experienced foetal loss. Women with MACE had a higher rate of emergency Caesarean delivery for cardiac reasons (21.4% vs. 0%, P = 0.01). No significant differences in pregnancy outcome were found between women with obstructive and non-obstructive HCM. NYHA functional class of ≥II and signs of HF before pregnancy, were associated with MACE.</AbstractText>Although most women with HCM tolerated pregnancy well, cardiovascular complications were not uncommon and predicted by pre-pregnancy status facilitating pre-pregnancy counselling and targeted antenatal care.</AbstractText>Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,136 | Ventricular Fibrillation and Myocardial Depression Following Pulmonary Valve Replacement in Tetralogy of Fallot With an Intramural Coronary Artery and Coronary Artery Compression by Chest Tube. | We describe the case of a 10-year-old male with a history of repaired Tetralogy of Fallot and known intramural right coronary artery (RCA) who presented for bioprosthetic pulmonary valve replacement. The operation was complicated by postoperative ventricular fibrillation arrest. Selective coronary angiography revealed external compression of the mid-RCA by a mediastinal chest tube that improved immediately upon removal of the tube. Ultimately, the patient required additional unroofing of the intramural coronary for full recovery. This case highlights the need to thoroughly investigate malignant ventricular dysrhythmias following pediatric cardiac surgery and to rule out coronary insufficiency, which may be due to both extrinsic and/or intrinsic lesions. |
20,137 | Coronary angiography findings in cardiac arrest patients with non-diagnostic post-resuscitation electrocardiogram: A comparison of shockable and non-shockable initial rhythms. | To investigate the impact of coronary artery disease in a cohort of patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest with non-diagnostic electrocardiogram.</AbstractText>From March 2004 to February 2016, 203 consecutive patients resuscitated from in or out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest and non-diagnostic post-resuscitation electrocardiogram (defined as ST segment elevation or pre-sumably new left bundle branch block) who underwent invasive coronary angiogram during hospitalization were included. For purpose of analysis and comparison, patients were classified in two groups: Initial shockable rhythm (ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation; n</i> = 148, 72.9%) and initial non-shockable rhythm (n</i> = 55, 27.1%). Baseline characteristics, coronary angiogram findings including Syntax Score and long-term survival rates were compared.</AbstractText>Sudden cardiac arrest was witnessed in 95.2% of cases, 66.7% were out-of-hospital patients and 72.4% were male. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between groups except for higher mean age (68.1 years vs</i> 61 years, P</i> = 0.001) in the non-shockable rhythm group. Overall 5-year mortality of the resuscitated patients was 37.4%. Patients with non-shockable rhythms had higher mortality (60% vs</i> 29.1%, P</i> < 0.001) and a worst neurological status at hospital discharge based on cerebral performance category score (CPC 1-2: 32.7% vs</i> 53.4%, P</i> = 0.02). Although there were no significant differences in global burden of coronary artery disease defined by Syntax Score (mean Syntax Score: 10.2 vs</i> 10.3, P</i> = 0.96) there was a trend towards a higher incidence of acute coronary lesions in patients with shockable rhythm (29.7% vs</i> 16.4%, P</i> = 0.054). There was also a higher need for ad-hoc</i> percutaneous coronary intervention in this group (21.9% vs</i> 9.1%, P</i> = 0.03).</AbstractText>Initial shockable group of patients had a trend towards higher incidence of acute coronary lesions and higher need of ad-hoc</i> percutaneous intervention vs</i> non-shockable group.</AbstractText> |
20,138 | Survival and prognostic factors in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a meta-analysis. | Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder but data on survival rates are still conflicting and have not so far been quantitatively reviewed. The aim of this study is to conduct a meta-analysis of cohort studies to assess pooled survival rates and prognostic factors for survival in patients with HCM. Nineteen studies were included representing 12,146 HCM patients. The pooled 1-, 3-, 5- and 10-year survival rates were 98.0%, 94.3%, 82.2% and 75.0%, respectively. Among patients with HCM, age, NYHA functional class, family history of sudden death (FHSD), syncope, atrial fibrillation, non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (nsVT), maximum left ventricular wall thickness and obstruction were significant prognostic factors for cardiovascular death. For sudden cardiac death, FHSD, nsVT, and obstruction showed significant predictive values. Moreover, estimation of population attributable risk (PAR) suggested that nsVT was the strongest predictor for cardiovascular death (13.02%, 95% CI 3.60-25.91%), while left ventricular outflow tract obstruction/mid-ventricular obstruction (LVO/MVO) was the strongest predictor for all-cause death and sudden cardiac death (10.09%, 95% CI 4.72-20.42% and 16.44%, 95% CI 7.45-31.55%, respectively). These risk factors may thus be useful for identifying HCM patients who might benefit from early diagnosis and therapeutic interventions. |
20,139 | A female patient with hypokalaemia-induced J wave syndrome: An unusual case report. | Prominent J waves can be seen in life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias such as Brugada syndrome, early repolarization syndrome, and ventricular fibrillation. We herein present an unusual case report of hypokalemia-induced J wave syndrome and ST (a part of ECG) segment elevation.</AbstractText>A 52-year-old woman with chief complaints of chest pain for 2 hours and diarrhea showed a marked hypokalemia (2.8 mmol/L) and slightly elevated creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) (57.5 U/L). The electrocardiographic (ECG) recording was normal upon admission and computed tomography (CT) aorta angiography excluded an aorta dissection. ECG done 17 hours after admission showed ST segment elevation and elevated J wave in leads II, III and aVF, and fusion of T and U wave in all leads.</AbstractText>We first thought that the diagnosis of this patient was acute myocardial syndrome.</AbstractText>Potassium chloride and oflocaxin treatment was given to the patient.</AbstractText>Laboratory test showed the level of serum potassium ion increased to 3.4 mmol/L and CK-MB did not have any significant change. The infusion of potassium chloride-induced disappearance of the elevated J wave, although QT (a part of ECG) intervals were still longer than that upon admission.</AbstractText>This case tells us that hypokalaemia might induce J wave and elevated ST segments which should be distinguished from acute myocardial syndrome.</AbstractText> |
20,140 | Impact of chocolate on the cardiovascular health. | The antioxidants such as polyphenols, especially flavonols, present in large quantitites in cocoa, cause vasodilation, modulate inflammatory markers and cardiovascular health, and possess a range of protective cardiovascular effects. On the other hand, overconsumption of chocolate can lead to tachyarrhythmias, supraventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation due to its caffeine content. This review describes both the cardioprotective and adverse effects of chocolate and its constituents. |
20,141 | Noninvasive assessment of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure by deceleration time of early diastolic mitral annular velocity in patients with heart failure. | To examine the diagnostic ability of the deceleration time of early mitral annular velocity (e'DT) as determined by tissue Doppler velocity image, a method for assessing LV filling pressure.</AbstractText>Estimation of LV filling pressure by Doppler echocardiography requires a combination of various parameters. Therefore, there remains a need for a simple index in LV filling pressure estimation. The e' is known to be reduced and delayed with increased LV filling pressure during development of heart failure. Thus, we hypothesized that e'DT would be shortened as LV filling pressure is increased.</AbstractText>Simultaneous LV end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) measurement and Doppler echocardiography were performed in 94 patients who were admitted to our hospital for heart failure. Exclusion criteria were atrial fibrillation, mitral valve surgery, and acute coronary syndrome.</AbstractText>The e'DT in 31 patients with LVEDP >16 mm Hg (68±13 ms) was significantly shorter than that in 63 patients with LVEDP ≤16 mm Hg (103±27 ms). Both e'DT and early transmitral flow velocity (E)/e' were significantly correlated with LVEDP. In 30 patients with 10-14 E/e', significance of correlation in e'DT was remained, while E/e' was not. The area under the ROC curve for prediction of LVEDP >16 mm Hg for e'DT was greater than that for E/e' (0.91 vs 0.74, P=.046).</AbstractText>The e'DT is useful to assess LV filling pressure, especially in 10-14 E/e'. This simple tissue Doppler index may be a potential parameter for easily distinguishing between mild and severe heart failures.</AbstractText>© 2017, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,142 | The electrocardiographic "triangular QRS-ST-T waveform" pattern in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: Incidence, pathophysiology and clinical implications. | A specific ECG pattern of presentation of ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI), characterized by "triangular QRS-ST-T waveform" (TW), has been associated with poor in-hospital prognosis but longitudinal data on its incidence and clinical impact are lacking. We prospectively evaluated the incidence and prognostic meaning of the TW pattern in a cohort of consecutive STEMI patients.</AbstractText>All STEMI patients who presented within 12h of symptoms onset and showed no complete bundle branch block or paced ventricular rhythm were included. The TW pattern was defined as a unique, giant wave (amplitude≥1mV) resulting from the fusion of the QRS complex, the ST-segment and the T-wave and showing a "triangular" morphology with a positive polarity in the leads exploring the ischemic region.</AbstractText>Among 428 consecutive STEMI patients, 367 fulfilled the enrollment criteria. The TW pattern was identified in 5 of 367 patients (1.4%) on the admission ECG. This subset of STEMI patients with TW pattern significantly more often showed a left main coronary artery involvement (2/4, 50% vs 2/322, 0.6%; p<0.001), experienced ventricular fibrillation (5/5, 100% vs 35/362, 9.6% p<0.001), had cardiogenic shock (4/5, 80% vs. 14/362, 3.8%, p<0.001) and died during hospitalization (2/5, 40% vs 15/362, 4.1% p=0.02), compared with those with other ST-segment elevation ECG patterns.</AbstractText>The TW pattern is an uncommon ECG finding, which reflects the presence of a large area of transmural myocardial ischemia and predicts cardiogenic shock accounting for high in-hospital mortality. When present, this ECG pattern should prompt aggressive therapeutic strategies, including mechanical support of circulation.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,143 | Outcomes differ by first documented rhythm after witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in children: an observational study with prospective nationwide population-based cohort database in Japan. | To evaluate and compare outcomes and impacts of delay of time to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by type of first documented rhythm in paediatric patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).</AbstractText>We enrolled 3968 paediatric (aged <18 years) OHCA patients whose events were witnessed between 2005 and 2012 from a prospective nationwide population-based cohort database in Japan. We assessed and compared their neurologically favourable 1-month survival according to first documented rhythm: pulseless ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (pVT/VF), pulseless electrical activity (PEA), or asystole. Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients with pVT/VF, PEA, and asystole totalled 556 (14.0%), 1249 (31.5%), and 2163 (54.5%), respectively. The proportion of overall neurologically favourable 1-month survival in patients with pVT/VF, PEA, and asystole was 36.5, 5.0, and 1.8%, respectively, in the entire study population, and 73.8, 27.7, and 13.8%, respectively, in patients who achieved pre-hospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). As the time from collapse to CPR lengthened, the number of patients with asystole increased, whereas those of pVT/VF and PEA decreased (P < 0.001). After paediatric OHCA, earlier initiation of CPR resulted in higher rates of pre-hospital ROSC (adjusted odds ratio 0.97, 95% confidence interval 0.95-0.99, P = 0.018), which led to much better patient outcomes than in the total study population.</AbstractText>We confirmed that pVT/VF and early ROSC in general were associated with better outcomes in patients with witnessed paediatric OHCA.</AbstractText>Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,144 | Sensitivity and specificity of two different automated external defibrillators. | The aim was to investigate the clinical performance of two different types of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).</AbstractText>Three investigators reviewed 2938 rhythm analyses performed by AEDs in 240 consecutive patients (median age 72, q1-q3=62-83) who had suffered cardiac arrest between January 2011 and March 2015. Two different AEDs were used (AED A n=105, AED B n=135) in-hospital (n=91) and out-of-hospital (n=149).</AbstractText>Among 194 shockable rhythms, 17 (8.8%) were not recognized by AED A, while AED B recognized 100% (n=135) of shockable episodes (sensitivity 91.2 vs 100%, p<0.01). In AED A, 8 (47.1%) of these episodes were judged to be algorithm errors while 9 (52.9%) were caused by external artifacts. Among 1039 non-shockable rhythms, AED A recommended shock in 11 (1.0%), while AED B recommended shock in 63 (4.1%) of 1523 episodes (specificity 98.9 vs 95.9, p<0.001). In AED A, 2 (18.2%) of these episodes were judged to be algorithm errors (AED B, n=40, 63.5%), while 9 (81.8%) were caused by external artifacts (AED B, n=23, 36.5%).</AbstractText>There were significant differences in sensitivity and specificity between the two different AEDs. A higher sensitivity of AED B was associated with a lower specificity while a higher specificity of AED A was associated with a lower sensitivity. AED manufacturers should work to improve the algorithms. In addition, AED use should always be reviewed with a routine for giving feedback, and medical personnel should be aware of the specific strengths and shortcomings of the device they are using.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,145 | Peptide Composition of Stroke Causing Emboli Correlate with Serum Markers of Atherosclerosis and Inflammation. | The specific protein composition of stroke-causing emboli is unknown. Because ischemic stroke has a varied etiology, it is possible that the composition of the thrombus from which an embolus originated will have distinctive molecular characteristics reflective of the underlying pathophysiology. We used mass spectrometry to evaluate the protein composition of retrieved emboli from patients with differing stroke etiologies and correlated the protein levels to serum predictors of atherosclerosis.</AbstractText>Emboli from 20 consecutive acute stroke patients were retrieved by thrombectomy during routine stroke care. Thrombus proteins were extracted, digested, and multidimensional fractionation of peptides was performed. Fractionated peptides underwent nano-liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Spectra were searched using Mascot software in which results with p</i> < 0.05 (95% confidence interval) were considered significant and indicating identity. The results were correlated to A1</sub>C, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) taken on admission.</AbstractText>Eleven patients had atrial fibrillation, four had significant proximal vessel atherosclerosis, two were cryptogenic, and three had other identified stroke risk factors (left ventricular thrombus, dissection, endocarditis). Eighty-one common proteins (e.g., hemoglobin, fibrin, actin) were found in all 20 emboli. Serum LDL levels correlated with Septin-2 (r</i>s</sub> = 0.78, p</i> = 0.028), Phosphoglycerate Kinase 1 (r</i>s</sub> = 0.75, p</i> = 0.036), Integrin Alpha-M (r</i>s</sub> = 0.68, p</i> = 0.033) and Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (r</i>s</sub> = 0.63, p</i> = 0.05). Septin-7 levels inversely correlated to ESR (r</i>s</sub> = -0.84, p</i> = 0.01). No significant protein correlations to A1</sub>C or tPA use were found.</AbstractText>Our exploratory study presents mass spectrometry analysis of thrombi retrieved from acute stroke patients and correlates the thrombus proteome to clinical features of the patient. Notably, we found proteins associated with inflammation (e.g., Integrin Alpha-M) in emboli from patients with high LDL. Although these findings are tempered by a small sample size, we provide preliminary support for the feasibility of utilizing proteomic analysis of emboli to discover proteins that may be used as markers for stroke etiology.</AbstractText> |
20,146 | Concomitant Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome Add to the Atrial Arrhythmogenic Phenotype in Male Hypertensive Rats. | Besides hypertension, obesity and the metabolic syndrome have recently emerged as risk factors for atrial fibrillation. This study sought to delineate the development of an arrhythmogenic substrate for atrial fibrillation in hypertension with and without concomitant obesity and metabolic syndrome.</AbstractText>We compared obese spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-obese, n=7-10) with lean hypertensive controls (SHR-lean, n=7-10) and normotensive rats (n=7-10). Left atrial emptying function (MRI) and electrophysiological parameters were characterized before the hearts were harvested for histological and biochemical analyses. At the age of 38 weeks, SHR-obese, but not SHR-lean, showed increased body weight and impaired glucose tolerance together with dyslipidemia compared with normotensive rats. Mean blood pressure was similarly increased in SHR-lean and SHR-obese when compared with normotensive rats (178±9 and 180±8 mm Hg [not significant] versus 118±5 mm Hg, P</i><0.01 for both), but left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was more increased in SHR-obese than in SHR-lean. Impairment of left atrial emptying function, increase in total atrial activation time, and conduction heterogeneity, as well as prolongation of inducible atrial fibrillation durations, were more pronounced in SHR-obese as compared with SHR-lean. Histological and biochemical examinations revealed enhanced triglycerides and more pronounced fibrosis in the left atrium of SHR-obese. Besides increased expression of profibrotic markers in SHR-lean and SHR-obese, the profibrotic extracellular matrix protein osteopontin was highly upregulated only in SHR-obese.</AbstractText>In addition to hypertension alone, concomitant obesity and metabolic syndrome add to the atrial arrhythmogenic phenotype by impaired left atrial emptying function, local conduction abnormalities, interstitial atrial fibrosis formation, and increased propensity for atrial fibrillation.</AbstractText>© 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,147 | Sudden death mechanisms in nonischemic cardiomyopathies: Insights gleaned from clinical implantable cardioverter-defibrillator trials. | Sudden cardiac death (SCD) represents a major cause of death among patients with heart failure. Although scar-based, macroreentrant ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation is the primary etiology for SCD among patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, a more diverse set of mechanisms and substrates is likely at play for the diverse group of patients characterized by nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NICM). These causes may include scar-based reentry, but also neurohormonal stimulation (sympathetic, parasympathetic, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone), inflammation, and nonarrhythmic processes occurring in the context of a genetic predisposition. In addition to basic and translational science, observations from large randomized clinical trials of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) can also offer insight and support for specific mechanisms of SCD in these patients. This review will discuss the background of SCD in NICM, its potential mechanisms based on experimental and theoretical models, and the evidence for these mechanisms that can be derived from clinical trials of ICD therapy. |
20,148 | Outcomes of rescue cardiopulmonary support for periprocedural acute hemodynamic decompensation in patients undergoing catheter ablation of electrical storm. | In patients with ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) electrical storm (ES) undergoing catheter ablation (CA), hypotension due to refractory VT/VF, use of anesthesia, and cardiac stunning due to repeated implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shocks might precipitate acute hemodynamic decompensation (AHD).</AbstractText>We evaluated the outcomes of emergent cardiopulmonary support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to rescue AHD in patients undergoing CA of ES.</AbstractText>Between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2016, 21 patients with ES (VT in 11 and premature ventricular complex-triggered VF in 10) were referred for CA and had periprocedural AHD requiring emergent ECMO support.</AbstractText>In 14 patients, AHD occurred a mean of 1.5 ± 1.7 days before the procedure. In the remaining 7 patients, AHD occurred during or shortly after the procedure. ECMO was started successfully in all patients. Ablation was performed in 18 patients (9 with VF and 9 with VT). In patients with VF, premature ventricular complex suppression was achieved in 8 of 9 (89%). In those with VT, noninducibility was achieved in 7 of 9 (78%). After a median follow-up of 10 days, 16 patients died (13 during the index admission). Death was due to refractory VT/VF in 4 patients, heart failure in 11, and noncardiac cause in 1 patient. Seven patients survived beyond 6 months postablation; 5 remained free of VT/VF and 3 ultimately received a destination therapy (heart transplantation in 2 and left ventricular [LV] assist device in 1).</AbstractText>In patients with ES undergoing CA, the outcomes of ECMO support as rescue intervention for AHD are poor. The majority of these patients die of refractory heart failure in the short-term. Strategies to prevent AHD including preemptive use of hemodynamic support may improve survival.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,149 | Cardiac sympathectomy for the management of ventricular arrhythmias refractory to catheter ablation. | Catheter ablation is now a mainstay of therapy for ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). However, there are scenarios where either physiological or anatomical factors make ablation less likely to be successful.</AbstractText>The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that cardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD) may be an alternate therapy for patients with difficult-to-ablate VAs.</AbstractText>We identified all patients referred for CSD at a single center for indications other than long QT syndrome and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia who had failed catheter ablation. Medical records were reviewed for medical history, procedural details, and follow-up.</AbstractText>Seven cases of CSD were identified in patients who had failed prior catheter ablation or had disease not amenable to ablation. All patients had VAs refractory to antiarrhythmic drugs, with a median arrhythmia burden of 1 episode of sustained VA per month. There were no acute complications of sympathectomy. One of 7 patients (14%) underwent heart transplant. No patient had sustained VA after sympathectomy at a median follow-up of 7 months.</AbstractText>Because of anatomical and physiological constraints, many VAs remain refractory to catheter ablation and remain a significant challenge for the electrophysiologist. While CSD has been described as a therapy for long QT syndrome and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, data regarding its use in other cardiac conditions are sparse. This series illustrates that CSD may be a viable treatment option for patients with a variety of etiologies of VAs.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,150 | Increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias in survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with chronic total coronary occlusion. | Chronic total occlusion (CTO) is common in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors with coronary artery disease. It is unclear whether CTO contributes to ventricular arrhythmias in this population.</AbstractText>This study sought to evaluate the impact of unrevascularized CTOs on the occurrence of appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy and all-cause mortality in OHCA survivors with coronary artery disease.</AbstractText>This was a retrospective study that included all consecutive OHCA survivors with coronary artery disease who received an ICD from December 1999 until June 2015. Study end points were appropriate ICD therapy and all-cause mortality.</AbstractText>We identified 217 OHCA survivors (mean age 63 ± 10 years; 187 men (86%)) with coronary artery disease. Unrevascularized CTO was present in 71 of 217 patients (33%) at the time of ICD implantation. During a median follow-up of 61 months (interquartile range, 28-97 months), 57 of 217 patients (26%) experienced an appropriate ICD therapy. Patients with CTO had a higher incidence of appropriate ICD therapy in comparison to patients without CTO (log-rank, P = .002). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified CTO (hazard ratio 2.07; 95% confidence interval 1.23-3.50; P = .007) as an independent predictor of appropriate ICD therapy. The presence of CTO was not associated with a higher mortality rate (log-rank, P = .18).</AbstractText>In OHCA survivors with coronary artery disease receiving an ICD for secondary prevention, CTO was an independent predictor for the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias but not for mortality.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,151 | Prevalence, predictors, and prognostic implications of PR interval prolongation in patients with heart failure. | To determine the prevalence, incidence, predictors, and prognostic implications of PR interval prolongation in patients referred with suspected heart failure.</AbstractText>Consecutive patients referred with suspected heart failure were prospectively enrolled. After excluding patients with implantable cardiac devices and atrial fibrillation, 1420 patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HeFREF) [age: median 71 (interquartile range IQR 63-78) years; men: 71%; NT-ProBNP: 1319 (583-3378) ng/L], 1094 with heart failure and normal ejection fraction (HeFNEF) [age: 76 (70-82) years; men: 47%; NT-ProBNP: 547 (321-1171) ng/L], and 1150 without heart failure [age: 68 (60-75) years; men: 51%; NT-ProBNP: 86 (46-140) ng/L] were included. The prevalence of first-degree heart block [heart rate corrected PR interval (PRc) > 200 ms] was higher in patients with heart failure (21% HeFREF, 20% HeFNEF, 9% without heart failure). In patients with HeFREF or HeFNEF, longer baseline PRc was associated with greater age, male sex, and longer QRS duration, and, in those with HeFREF, treatment with amiodarone or digoxin. Patients with heart failure in the longest PRc quartile had worse survival compared to shorter PRc quartiles, but PRc was not independently associated with survival in multivariable analysis. For patients without heart failure, shorter baseline PRc was independently associated with worse survival.</AbstractText>PRc prolongation is common in patients with HeFREF or HeFNEF and associated with worse survival, although not an independent predictor of outcome. The results of clinical trials investigating the therapeutic potential of shortening the PR interval by pacing are awaited.</AbstractText> |
20,152 | Failure to Treat Life-Threatening Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias in Contemporary Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators: Implications for Strategic Programming. | In clinical trials, manufacturer-specific, strategic programming of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), including faster detection rates, reduces unnecessary therapy but permits therapy for ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VF). Present consensus recommends a generic rate threshold between 185 and 200 beats per minute, which exceeds the rate tested in clinical trials for some manufacturers. In a case series, we sought to determine the relationship between programmed parameters and failure of modern ICDs to treat VF.</AbstractText>We reviewed cases in which normally functioning ICDs failed to deliver timely therapy for VF from April 2015 to January 2017 at 4 institutions. Of 10 ambulatory patients, 5 died from untreated VF, 4 had cardiac arrests requiring external shocks, and 1 was rescued by a delayed ICD shock. VF did not satisfy programmed detection criteria in 9 patients (90%). Seven of these patients had slowest detection rates that were consistent with generic recommendations but not tested in a peer-reviewed trial for their manufacturer's ICDs. Manufacturer-specific factors interacted with fast detection rates to withhold therapy, including strict VF episode termination rules, enhancements to minimize T-wave oversensing, and features that restrict therapy to regular rhythms in ventricular tachycardia zones. Untreated VF despite recommended programming accounted for 56% of sudden deaths and 11% of all deaths during the study period.</AbstractText>Complex and unanticipated interactions between manufacturer-specific features and generic programming can prevent therapy for VF. More data are needed to assess the risks and benefits of translating evidence-based detection parameters from one manufacturer to another.</AbstractText>© 2017 The Authors.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,153 | Intrabronchial Catheter Resuscitation for Respiratory and Cardiorespiratory Arrest. | We sought to determine whether intrabronchial oxygenation would provide adequate gas exchange during both anesthesia induced apneic and cardiopulmonary arrest and cardiac massage (CPR).</AbstractText>Ten pigs underwent general anesthesia with mechanical ventilation. Blood gases were measured in each animal at 4 min intervals for up to 28 min. An intrabronchial catheter (4 L/min O2) was inserted through an endotracheal tube after respirator cessation. Group A animals (6) were resuscitated with the catheter but without CPR. Group B animals (4) were rendered apneic and cardioplegic and resuscitated by CPR for 28 min using the intrabronchial device.</AbstractText>All group A animals were resuscitated and survived after 24 min of apnea. Mean pO2 decreased from 378 mmHg (95% confidence interval [CI], 288-468) to 292 mmHg (95% CI, 246-339), P = 0.009; pCO2 increased from 52 mmHg (95% CI, 43-61) to 137 mmHg (95% CI, 116-158), P < 0.0001; and pH decreased from 7.32 (7.29-7.36) to 6.98 (6.92-7.03), P < 0.0001. In a control animal bronchial catheter oxygen flow ceased at baseline and pO2 decreased from 268 to 30 mmHg by 20 min. In group B animals mean pO2 decreased from 426 mmHg (95% CI, 273-579) to 130 mmHg (95% CI, 92-168) after 28 min, P < 0.0001; pCO2 increased from 49 mmHg (95% CI, 41-58) to 73 mmHg (95% CI, 61-86), P = 0.03; and pH decreased from 7.34 (7.33-7.35) to 7.07 (6.98-7.16), P < 0.0001. In the control receiving intratracheal oxygen pO2 decreased from 324 to 88 mmHg after 16 minu of CPR.</AbstractText>Intrabronchial oxygenation provides sustained hyperoxemia during complete apnea and cardiac arrest with CPR.</AbstractText> |
20,154 | Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Genetics, Pathogenesis, Clinical Manifestations, Diagnosis, and Therapy. | Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic disorder that is characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy unexplained by secondary causes and a nondilated left ventricle with preserved or increased ejection fraction. It is commonly asymmetrical with the most severe hypertrophy involving the basal interventricular septum. Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction is present at rest in about one third of the patients and can be provoked in another third. The histological features of HCM include myocyte hypertrophy and disarray, as well as interstitial fibrosis. The hypertrophy is also frequently associated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. In the majority of patients, HCM has a relatively benign course. However, HCM is also an important cause of sudden cardiac death, particularly in adolescents and young adults. Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, syncope, a family history of sudden cardiac death, and severe cardiac hypertrophy are major risk factors for sudden cardiac death. This complication can usually be averted by implantation of a cardioverter-defibrillator in appropriate high-risk patients. Atrial fibrillation is also a common complication and is not well tolerated. Mutations in over a dozen genes encoding sarcomere-associated proteins cause HCM. <i>MYH7</i> and <i>MYBPC3</i>, encoding β-myosin heavy chain and myosin-binding protein C, respectively, are the 2 most common genes involved, together accounting for ≈50% of the HCM families. In ≈40% of HCM patients, the causal genes remain to be identified. Mutations in genes responsible for storage diseases also cause a phenotype resembling HCM (genocopy or phenocopy). The routine applications of genetic testing and preclinical identification of family members represents an important advance. The genetic discoveries have enhanced understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of HCM and have stimulated efforts designed to identify new therapeutic agents. |
20,155 | Defibrillation for Ventricular Fibrillation: A Shocking Update. | Cardiac arrest is defined as the termination of cardiac activity associated with loss of consciousness, of spontaneous breathing, and of circulation. Sudden cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death (SCD) are terms often used interchangeably. Most patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest have shown coronary artery disease or symptoms during the hour before the event. Cardiac arrest is potentially reversible by cardiopulmonary resuscitation, defibrillation, cardioversion, cardiac pacing, or treatments targeted at the underlying disease (e.g., acute coronary occlusion). We restrict SCD hereafter to cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation, including rhythms shockable by an automatic external defibrillator (AED), implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), or wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD). We summarize the state of the art related to defibrillation in treating SCD, including a brief history of the evolution of defibrillation, technical characteristics of modern AEDs, strategies to improve AED access and increase survival, ancillary treatments, and use of ICDs or WCDs. |
20,156 | Long-Term Prognostic Value of Gasping During Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest. | Gasping is a natural reflex that enhances oxygenation and circulation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).</AbstractText>This study sought to assess the relationship between gasping during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and 1-year survival with favorable neurological outcomes.</AbstractText>The authors prospectively collected incidence of gasping on all evaluable subjects in a multicenter, randomized, controlled, National Institutes of Health-funded out-of-hospital cardiac arrest clinical trial from August 2007 to July 2009. The association between gasping and 1-year survival with favorable neurological function, defined as a Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) score ≤2 was estimated using multivariable logistic regression.</AbstractText>The rates of 1-year survival with a CPC score of ≤2 were 5.4% (98 of 1,827) overall, and 20% (36 of 177) and 3.7% (61 of 1,643) for individuals with and without spontaneous gasping or agonal respiration during CPR, respectively. In multivariable analysis, 1-year survival with CPC ≤2 was independently associated with younger age (odds ratio [OR] for 1 SD increment 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.43 to 0.76), gasping during CPR (OR: 3.94; 95% CI: 2.09 to 7.44), shockable initial recorded rhythm (OR: 16.50; 95% CI: 7.40 to 36.81), shorter CPR duration (OR: 0.31; 95% CI: 0.19 to 0.51), lower epinephrine dosage (OR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.25 to 0.87), and pulmonary edema (OR: 3.41; 95% CI: 1.53 to 7.60). Gasping combined with a shockable initial recorded rhythm had a 57-fold higher OR (95% CI: 23.49 to 136.92) of 1-year survival with CPC ≤2 versus no gasping and no shockable rhythm.</AbstractText>Gasping during CPR was independently associated with increased 1-year survival with CPC ≤2, regardless of the first recorded rhythm. These findings underscore the importance of not terminating resuscitation prematurely in gasping patients and the need to routinely recognize, monitor, and record data on gasping in all future cardiac arrest trials and registries.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,157 | Sternal Route More Effective than Tibial Route for Intraosseous Amiodarone Administration in a Swine Model of Ventricular Fibrillation. | The pharmacokinetics of IO administered lipid soluble amiodarone during ventricular fibrillation (VF) with ongoing CPR are unknown. This study measured mean plasma concentration over 5 minutes, maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), and time to maximum concentration (Tmax) of amiodarone administered by the sternal IO (SIO), tibial IO (TIO), and IV routes in a swine model of VF with ongoing CPR.</AbstractText>Twenty-one Yorkshire-cross swine were randomly assigned to three groups: SIO, TIO, and IV. Ventricular fibrillation was induced under general anesthesia. After 4 minutes in VF, 300 mg amiodarone was administered as indicated by group assignment. Serial blood specimens collected at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 240, and 300 seconds were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.</AbstractText>The mean plasma concentration of IV amiodarone over 5 minutes was significantly higher than the TIO group at 60 seconds (P = 0.02) and 90 seconds (P = 0.017) post-injection. No significant differences in Cmax between the groups were found (P <0.05). The Tmax of amiodarone was significantly shorter in the SIO (99 secs) and IV (86 secs) groups compared to the TIO group (215 secs); P = 0.002 and P = 0.002, respectively.</AbstractText>The SIO and IV routes of amiodarone administration were comparable. The TIO group took nearly three times longer to reach Tmax than the SIO and IV groups, likely indicating depot of lipid-soluble amiodarone in adipose-rich tibial yellow bone marrow. The SIO route was more effective than the TIO route for amiodarone delivery in a swine model of VF with ongoing CPR. Further investigations are necessary to determine if the kinetic differences found between the SIO and TIO routes in this study affect survival of VF in humans.</AbstractText> |
20,158 | Trends in Hospitalizations for Cardiac Sarcoidosis in the United States, 2005-2011. | Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is a life-threatening disease that is frequently under-diagnosed.Methods and Results:We used a nationwide inpatient sample to identify CS patients from 2005 to 2011 in the USA. The annual admissions of CS increased from 1,108 in 2005 to 2,182 in 2011, representing a 2-fold rise over a short time. The proportions of CS patients with severe comorbidities, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation and heart failure all increased from 2005 to 2011. However, the in-hospital mortality rate declined.</AbstractText>An increasing trend of CS was observed. Cardiologists should notice that CS is not as rare as thought.</AbstractText> |
20,159 | Antiarrhythmic Drugs for Nonshockable-Turned-Shockable Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: The ALPS Study (Amiodarone, Lidocaine, or Placebo). | Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) commonly presents with nonshockable rhythms (asystole and pulseless electric activity). It is unknown whether antiarrhythmic drugs are safe and effective when nonshockable rhythms evolve to shockable rhythms (ventricular fibrillation/pulseless ventricular tachycardia [VF/VT]) during resuscitation.</AbstractText>Adults with nontraumatic OHCA, vascular access, and VF/VT anytime after ≥1 shock(s) were prospectively randomized, double-blind, to receive amiodarone, lidocaine, or placebo by paramedics. Patients presenting with initial shock-refractory VF/VT were previously reported. The current study was a prespecified analysis in a separate cohort that initially presented with nonshockable OHCA and was randomized on subsequently developing shock-refractory VF/VT. The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes included discharge functional status and adverse drug-related effects.</AbstractText>Of 37 889 patients with OHCA, 3026 with initial VF/VT and 1063 with initial nonshockable-turned-shockable rhythms were treatment-eligible, were randomized, and received their assigned drug. Baseline characteristics among patients with nonshockable-turned-shockable rhythms were balanced across treatment arms, except that recipients of a placebo included fewer men and were less likely to receive bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Active-drug recipients in this cohort required fewer shocks, supplemental doses of their assigned drug, and ancillary antiarrhythmic drugs than recipients of a placebo (P</i><0.05). In all, 16 (4.1%) amiodarone, 11 (3.1%) lidocaine, and 6 (1.9%) placebo-treated patients survived to hospital discharge (P</i>=0.24). No significant interaction between treatment assignment and discharge survival occurred with the initiating OHCA rhythm (asystole, pulseless electric activity, or VF/VT). Survival in each of these categories was consistently higher with active drugs, although the trends were not statistically significant. Adjusted absolute differences (95% confidence interval) in survival from nonshockable-turned-shockable arrhythmias with amiodarone versus placebo were 2.3% (-0.3, 4.8), P</i>=0.08, and for lidocaine versus placebo 1.2% (-1.1, 3.6), P</i>=0.30. More than 50% of these survivors were functionally independent or required minimal assistance. Drug-related adverse effects were infrequent.</AbstractText>Outcome from nonshockable-turned-shockable OHCA is poor but not invariably fatal. Although not statistically significant, point estimates for survival were greater after amiodarone or lidocaine than placebo, without increased risk of adverse effects or disability and consistent with previously observed favorable trends from treatment of initial shock-refractory VF/VT with these drugs. Together the findings may signal a clinical benefit that invites further investigation.</AbstractText>URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01401647.</AbstractText>© 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,160 | Selective autonomic stimulation of the AV node fat pad to control rapid post-operative atrial arrhythmias. | Junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) and atrial fibrillation (AF) occur in patients recovering from open-heart surgery (OHS). Pharmacologic treatment is used for the control of post-operative atrial arrhythmias (POAA), but is associated with side effects. There is a need for a reversible, modulated solution to rate control. We propose a non-pharmacologic technique that can modulate AV nodal conduction in a selective fashion. Ten mongrel dogs underwent OHS. Stimulation of the anterior right (AR) and inferior right (IR) fat pad (FP) was done using a 7-pole electrode. The IR was more effective in slowing the ventricular rate (VR) to AF (52 +/- 20 vs. 15 +/- 10%, p = 0.003) and JET (12 +/- 7 vs. 0 +/- 0%, p = 0.02). Selective site stimulation within a FP region could augment the effect of stimulation during AF (57 +/- 20% (maximum effect) vs. 0 +/- 0% (minimum effect), p<0.001). FP stimulation at increasing stimulation voltage (SV) demonstrated a voltage-dependent effect (8 +/- 14% (low V) vs. 63 +/- 17 (high V) %, p<0.001). In summary, AV node fat pad stimulation had a selective effect on the AV node by decreasing AV nodal conduction, with little effect on atrial activity. |
20,161 | Total cosine R-to-T for predicting ventricular arrhythmic and mortality outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. | The total cosine R-to-T (TCRT), a vectorcardiographic marker reflecting the spatial difference between the depolarization and repolarization wavefronts, has been used to predict ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VT/VF) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in different clinical settings. However, its prognostic value has been controversial.</AbstractText>This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the significance of TRCT in predicting arrhythmic and/or mortality endpoints.</AbstractText>PubMed and Embase databases were searched through December 31, 2016.</AbstractText>Of the 890 studies identified initially, 13 observational studies were included in our meta-analysis. A total of 11,528 patients, mean age 47 years old, 72% male, were followed for 43 ± 6 months. Data from five studies demonstrated lower TCRT values in myocardial infarction patients with adverse events (syncope, ventricular arrhythmias, or sudden cardiac death) compared to those without these events (mean difference = -0.36 ± 0.05, p < .001; I2</sup>  = 48%). By contrast, only two studies analyzed outcomes in heart failure, and pooled meta-analysis did not demonstrate significant difference in TCRT between event-positive and event-negative patients (mean difference = -0.01 ± 0.10, p > .05; I2</sup>  = 80%).</AbstractText>TCRT is lower in MI patients at high risk of adverse events when compared to those free from such events. It can provide additional risk stratification beyond the use of clinical parameters and traditional electrocardiogram markers. Its value in other diseases such as heart failure requires further studies.</AbstractText>© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,162 | Role of matrix metalloproteinase‑7 and apoptosis‑associated gene expression levels in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrosis in a Beagle dog model. | The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential role of matrix metalloproteinase‑7 (MMP‑7) and apoptosis‑associated genes [TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 2(TIMP‑2), BCL2 associated X, apoptosis regulator (BAX) and BCL2, apoptosis regulator (BCL‑2)] in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF) in a Beagle dog model. A total of 20 adult male Beagle dogs were randomly assigned into the AF group (n=10; Beagle dogs were treated by Burst stimulation to induce AF) and the control group (n=10; healthy Beagle dogs). Echocardiography and Mallory staining were used to determine cardiac function and degree of atrial fibrosis, respectively. Reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were performed to determine collagen type 1 (Col I), MMP‑7, TIMP‑2, BAX and BCL‑2 mRNA and protein expression levels. Compared with the control group, the AF group presented increased degree of atrial fibrosis and level of Col I expression, elevated MMP‑7 and BAX expression levels, but decreased TIMP‑2 and BCL‑2 expression levels. Correlation analysis demonstrated that MMP‑7 and BAX protein expression levels were negatively correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), but positively correlated with the degree of atrial fibrosis. Negative correlation was observed between TIMP‑2 and BCL‑2 protein expression levels and degree of atrial fibrosis. In addition, a positive correlation between TIMP‑2 and BCL‑2 protein expression levels and LEVF was observed. These results demonstrate that MMP‑7 and BAX were highly expressed, while TIMP‑2 and BCL‑2 were downregulated in a Beagle dog model of AF, indicating that MMP‑7 and apoptosis‑associated genes (TIMP‑2, BAX and BCL‑2) may be associated with the pathogenesis of AF. |
20,163 | Assessment of Atrial Fibrillation and Ventricular Arrhythmia Risk after Bariatric Surgery by P Wave/QT Interval Dispersion. | The association of obesity with atrial fibrillation (AF) and with ventricular arrhythmias is well documented.</AbstractText>The aim of this study was to investigate whether weight reduction by a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy has any effect on P wave dispersion (PWD), a predictor of AF, and corrected QT interval dispersion (CQTD), a marker of ventricular arrhythmias, in obese individuals.</AbstractText>In a prospective study, a total of 114 patients (79 females, 35 males) who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy were examined. The patients were followed 1 year. PWD and CQTD values before and 3rd, 6th, and 12th months after the surgery were calculated and compared.</AbstractText>There was a statistically significant decline in body mass index (BMI), PWD, and CQTD values among baseline, 3rd, 6th, and 12th months (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Correlation analysis showed a statistically significant correlation between ΔPWD and ΔBMI (r = 0.719, p < 0.001), ΔPWD and Δleft ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) (r = 0.291, p = 0.002), ΔPWD and Δleft atrial diameter (LAD) (r = 0.65, p < 0.001), ΔCQTD and ΔBMI (r = 0.266, p = 0.004), ΔCQTD and ΔLVEDD (r = 0.35, p < 0.001), ΔCQTD and ΔLAD (r = 0.289, p = 0.002). In multiple linear regression analysis, there was a statistically significant relationship between ΔPWD and ΔBMI (β = 0.713, p < 0.001), ΔPWD and ΔLVEDD (β = 0.174, p = 0.016), ΔPWD and ΔLAD (β = 0.619, p < 0.001), ΔCQTD and ΔBMI (β = 0.247, p = 0.011), ΔCQTD and ΔLVEDD (β = 0.304, p < 0.001), ΔCQTD and ΔLAD (β = 0.235, p = 0.009).</AbstractText>PWD and CQTD values of patients were shown to be attenuated after bariatric surgery. These results indirectly offer that there may be a reduction in risk of AF, ventricular arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death after obesity surgery.</AbstractText> |
20,164 | Natural History and Clinical Predictors of Atrial Tachycardia in Adults With Congenital Heart Disease. | Atrial tachycardias (ATs) are a significant source of morbidity in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). This study evaluates the incidence and clinical predictors of AT in a cohort of patients with CHD.</AbstractText>We included 3311 adults (median age at entry 22.6 years, 50.6% males) with CHD (49% simple, 39% moderate, and 12% complex) prospectively followed up in a tertiary center for 37 607 person-years. Predictors of AT were identified by multivariable Cox regression analysis accounting for left truncation. An external validation was performed in a contemporary cohort of 1432 patients. Overall, 153 (4.6%) patients presented AT. AT burden was highest in complex CHD, such as single ventricle (22.8%) and d-transposition of the great arteries (22.1%). Hazard rates of AT across lifetime, age at presentation, and the time lapse between surgery and the first AT episode varied among the most common CHD. Independent risk factors for developing AT were univentricular physiology, previous intracardiac repair, systemic right ventricle, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary regurgitation, pulmonary atrioventricular valve regurgitation, pulmonary and systemic ventricular dysfunction. At the age of 40 years, AT-free survival in patients with 0, 1, 2, and ≥3 risk factors was 100%, 94%, 76%, and 50%, respectively. These findings were confirmed in the validation cohort.</AbstractText>Natural history of AT differed among the most common forms of CHD. Simple clinical parameters, easily obtained by noninvasive means, were independent predictors of AT in adults with CHD. Although risk was negligible in patients without any of these factors, their addition progressively increased AT burden.</AbstractText>© 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,165 | Prevalence and Prognostic Significance of Left Ventricular Noncompaction in Patients Referred for Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging. | Presence of prominent left ventricular trabeculation satisfying criteria for left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) on routine cardiac magnetic resonance examination is frequently encountered; however, the clinical and prognostic significance of these findings remain elusive. This registry aimed to assess LVNC prevalence by 4 current criteria and to prospectively evaluate an association between diagnosis of LVNC by these criteria and adverse events.</AbstractText>There were 700 patients referred for cardiac magnetic resonance: 42% were women, median age was 70 years (range, 45-71 years), mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 51% (±17%), and 32% had late gadolinium enhancement on cardiac magnetic resonance. The cohort underwent diagnostic assessment for LVNC by 4 separate imaging criteria-referenced by their authors as Petersen, Stacey, Jacquier, and Captur, with LVNC prevalence of 39%, 23%, 25% and 3%, respectively. Primary clinical outcome was combined end point of time to death, ischemic stroke, ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation, and heart failure hospitalization. Secondary clinical outcomes were (1) all-cause mortality and (2) time to the first occurrence of any of the following events: cardiac death, ischemic stroke, ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation, or heart failure hospitalization. During a median follow-up of 7 years, there were no statistically significant differences in assessed outcomes noted between patients with and without LVNC irrespective of the applied criteria.</AbstractText>Current criteria for the diagnosis of LVNC leads to highly variable disease prevalence in patients referred for cardiac magnetic resonance. The diagnosis of LVNC, by any current criteria, was not associated with adverse clinical events on nearly 7 years of follow-up. Limited conclusions can be made for Captur criteria due to low observed prevalence.</AbstractText>© 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,166 | Correlation of end tidal carbon dioxide, amplitude spectrum area, and coronary perfusion pressure in a porcine model of cardiac arrest. | Amplitude Spectrum Area (AMSA) values during ventricular fibrillation (VF) correlate with myocardial energy stores and predict defibrillation success. By contrast, end tidal CO<sub>2</sub> (ETCO2) values provide a noninvasive assessment of coronary perfusion pressure and myocardial perfusion during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Given the importance of the timing of defibrillation shock delivery on clinical outcome, we tested the hypothesis that AMSA and ETCO2 correlate with each other and can be used interchangably to correlate with myocardial perfusion in an animal laboratory preclinical, randomized, prospective investigation. After 6 min of untreated VF, 12 female pigs (32 ± 1 Kg), isoflurane anesthetized pigs received sequentially 3 min periods of standard (S) CPR, S-CPR+ an impedance threshold device (ITD), and then active compression decompression (ACD) + ITD CPR Hemodynamic, AMSA, and ETCO2 measurements were made with each method of CPR The Spearman correlation and Friedman tests were used to compare hemodynamic parameters. ETCO2, AMSA, coronary perfusion pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure were lowest with STD CPR, increased with STD CPR + ITD and highest with ACD CPR + ITD Further analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between AMSA and ETCO2 (<i>r</i> = 0.37, <i>P</i> = 0.025) and between AMSA and key hemodynamic parameters (<i>P</i> < 0.05). This study established a moderate positive correlation between ETCO2 and AMSA These findings provide the physiological basis for developing and testing a novel noninvasive method that utilizes either ETCO2 alone or the combination of ETCO2 and AMSA to predict when defibrillation might be successful. |
20,167 | Continuous optimization of cardiac resynchronization therapy reduces atrial fibrillation in heart failure patients: Results of the Adaptive Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Trial. | Data from randomized trials have suggested a modest or no effect of conventional cardiac resynchronization therapy (convCRT) on the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF). AdaptivCRT (aCRT, Medtronic, Mounds View, MN) is a recently described algorithm for synchronized left ventricular (LV) pacing and continuous optimization of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).</AbstractText>We compared the long-term effects of aCRT with convCRT pacing on the incidence of AF.</AbstractText>The Adaptive CRT trial randomized CRT-defibrillator (CRT-D)-indicated patients (2:1) to receive either aCRT or convCRT pacing. The aCRT algorithm evaluates intrinsic conduction every minute, providing LV-only pacing during normal atrioventricular (AV) conduction and AV and ventriculoventricular timing adjustments during prolonged AV conduction. The primary outcome of this subanalysis was an episode of AF >48 consecutive hours as detected by device diagnostics.</AbstractText>Over a follow-up period with a mean and standard deviation of 20.2 ± 5.9 months, 8.7% of patients with aCRT and 16.2% with convCRT experienced the primary outcome (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.31-0.93; P = .03). In patients with prolonged baseline AV, the incidence of the primary outcome was 12.8% in patients randomized to aCRT compared with 27.4% in convCRT patients (HR = 0.45; 95% CI = 0.24-0.85; P = .01). Also, patients with AF episodes adjudicated as clinical adverse events were less common with aCRT (4.3%) than with convCRT (12.7%) (HR = 0.39; 95% CI = 0.19-0.79; P = .01).</AbstractText>Patients receiving aCRT had a reduced risk of AF compared with those receiving convCRT. Most of the reduction in AF occurred in subgroups with prolonged AV conduction at baseline and with significant left atrial reverse remodeling.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,168 | Ventricular fibrillation waveform measures combined with prior shock outcome predict defibrillation success during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. | Amplitude Spectrum Area (AMSA) and Median Slope (MS) are ventricular fibrillation (VF) waveform measures that predict defibrillation shock success. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) obscures electrocardiograms and must be paused for analysis. Studies suggest waveform measures better predict subsequent shock success when combined with prior shock success. We determined whether this relationship applies during CPR.</AbstractText>AMSA and MS were calculated from 5-second pre-shock segments with and without CPR, and compared to logistic models combining each measure with prior return of organized rhythm (ROR).</AbstractText>VF segments from 692 patients were analyzed during CPR before 1372 shocks and without CPR before 1283 shocks. Combining waveform measures with prior ROR increased areas under receiver operating characteristic curves for AMSA/MS with CPR (0.66/0.68 to 0.73/0.74, p<0.001) and without CPR (0.71/0.72 to 0.76/0.76, p<0.001).</AbstractText>Prior ROR improves prediction of shock success during CPR, and may enable waveform measure calculation without chest compression pauses.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,169 | Comparison of the effects of I<sub>K,ACh</sub>, I<sub>Kr</sub>, and I<sub>Na</sub> block in conscious dogs with atrial fibrillation and on action potentials in remodeled atrial trabeculae. | Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Traditional antiarrhythmic agents used for restoration of sinus rhythm have limited efficacy in long-term AF and they may possess ventricular proarrhythmic adverse effects, especially in patients with structural heart disease. The acetylcholine receptor-activated potassium channel (I<sub>K,ACh</sub>) represents an atrial selective target for future AF management. We investigated the effects of the I<sub>K,ACh</sub> blocker tertiapin-Q (TQ), a derivative of the honeybee toxin tertiapin, on chronic atrial tachypacing-induced AF in conscious dogs, without the influence of anesthetics that modulate a number of cardiac ion channels. Action potentials (APs) were recorded from right atrial trabeculae isolated from dogs with AF. TQ significantly and dose-dependently reduced AF incidence and AF episode duration, prolonged atrial effective refractory period, and prolonged AP duration. The reference drugs propafenone and dofetilide, both used in the clinical management of AF, exerted similar effects against AF in vivo. Dofetilide prolonged atrial AP duration, whereas propafenone increased atrial conduction time. TQ and propafenone did not affect the QT interval, whereas dofetilide prolonged the QT interval. Our results show that inhibition of I<sub>K</sub><sub>,ACh</sub> may represent a novel, atrial-specific target for the management of AF in chronic AF. |
20,170 | Factors associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation and other adverse events after cardiac surgery. | The study objective was to evaluate the impact of various surgical characteristics and practices on the risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation and other adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery.</AbstractText>By using the prospectively collected data of patients who underwent cardiac surgery in 28 centers across the United States, Italy, and Argentina, the details of surgery characteristics were collected for each patient and the outcomes, including postoperative atrial fibrillation, major adverse cardiovascular events, and mortality. These were evaluated via multivariable-adjusted models.</AbstractText>In 1462 patients, a total of 460 cases of postoperative atrial fibrillation, 33 major adverse cardiovascular events, 23 cases of 30-day mortality, and 46 cases of 1-year mortality occurred. We found that type of surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass use predicted the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation. Compared with coronary artery bypass grafting alone, there was a higher risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation with valvular surgery alone (odds ratio, 1.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-1.9), and the risk was even higher with concomitant valvular and coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (odds ratio, 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.7). Compared with no bypass, use of cardiopulmonary bypass was associated with higher risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation (odds ratio, 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-3.5), but there were significant age and sex differences of the impact of bypass use among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (P for interaction = .04). In addition, compared with spontaneous return of rhythm, ventricular pacing was associated with a higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (odds ratio, 5.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-18), whereas concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting and valvular surgery was associated with a higher risk of 30-day mortality (hazard ratio, 4.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-14) compared with coronary artery bypass grafting alone. Occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation was associated with greater length of stay and 1-year mortality (hazard ratio, 2.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-3.9).</AbstractText>In this multicenter trial, we identified specific adverse outcomes that are associated with concomitant valvular and coronary artery bypass graft surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass, ventricular pacing, and occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,171 | Efficacy of ganglionated plexi ablation in addition to pulmonary vein isolation for paroxysmal versus persistent atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. | Adjunctive ganglionated plexi (GP) ablation may improve success rates for treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) when combined with pulmonary vein (PV) isolation. Existing meta-analyses on GP ablation have included observational studies and have not incorporated more recent randomized clinical trial data. Moreover, the impact of AF subtype (paroxysmal vs. persistent) on outcomes of GP ablation has not been well established.</AbstractText>We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing GP ablation + pulmonary vein (PV) isolation versus PV isolation alone according to the subtype of AF. The primary endpoint was freedom from sustained AF or atrial tachyarrhythmia (AT) after a single procedure.</AbstractText>Across four RCTs, 718 patients (358 and 360 that underwent GP ablation + PV isolation [intervention] vs. PV isolation alone [control], respectively) were included in the study. Mean left atrial size and left ventricular ejection fraction were 45.7 mm and 54.8%, respectively. Among paroxysmal AF patients, GP ablation was linked to significantly higher freedom from AT/AF (75.8 vs. 60.0% for the intervention vs. control arms respectively; OR [95% CI]: 2.22 [1.36-3.61], P = 0.001). Among persistent AF patients, GP ablation was associated with a non-significant trend towards higher rates of freedom from AT/AF (54.7 vs. 43.3% for the intervention vs. control arms respectively; OR [95% CI]: 1.55 [0.96-2.52], P = 0.08). In all cases, heterogeneity was found to be low (I 2</sup> of 32% or lower).</AbstractText>Compared to PV isolation alone, GP ablation + PV isolation is associated with better outcomes in patients with paroxysmal AF and without significant structural heart disease.</AbstractText> |
20,172 | Initial Clinical Experience With a New Automated Antitachycardia Pacing Algorithm: Feasibility and Safety in an Ambulatory Patient Cohort. | Antitachycardia pacing (ATP) in implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) decreases patient shock burden but has recognized limitations. A new automated ATP (AATP) based on electrophysiological first principles was designed. The study objective was to assess the feasibility and safety of AATP in ambulatory ICD patients.</AbstractText>Enrolled patients had dual chamber or cardiac resynchronization therapy ICDs, history of ≥1 ICD-treated ventricular tachycardias (VT)/ventricular fibrillation episode, or a recorded, sustained monomorphic VT. Detection was set to ventricular fibrillation number of intervals to detect=24/32, VT number of intervals to detect≥16, and a fast VT zone of 240 to 320 ms. AATP prescribed the components and delivery of successive ATP sequences in real time, using the same settings for all patients. ICD datalogs were uploaded every ≈3 months, at unscheduled visits, exit, and death. Episodes and adverse events were adjudicated by separate committees. Results were adjusted (generalized estimating equations) for multiple episodes. AATP was downloaded into the ICDs of 144 patients (121 men), aged 67.4±11.9 years, left ventricular ejection fraction 33.1±13.6% (n=137), and treated 1626 episodes in 49 patients during 14.5±5.1 months of follow-up. Datalogs permitted adjudication of 702 episodes, including 669 sustained monomorphic VT, 20 polymorphic VT, 10 supraventricular tachycardia, and 3 malsensing episodes. AATP terminated 39 of 69 (59% adjusted) sustained monomorphic VT in the fast VT zone, 509 of 590 (85% adjusted) in the VT zone, and 6 of 10 in the ventricular fibrillation zone. No supraventricular tachycardias converted to VT or ventricular fibrillation. No anomalous AATP behavior was observed.</AbstractText>The new AATP algorithm safely generated ATP sequences and controlled therapy progression in all zones without need for individualized programing.</AbstractText>© 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,173 | Study on the Effect of Irbesartan on Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence in Kumamoto: Atrial Fibrillation Suppression Trial (SILK study). | Experimental studies suggest that angiotensin II-receptor blockers can influence atrial remodeling and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AF). Therefore, we hypothesized that irbesartan may prevent the recurrence of AF following either catheter ablation or electrical cardioversion of AF.</AbstractText>Study on the Effect of Irbesartan on Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence in Kumamoto (SILK study) is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, and open-label comparative evaluation of the effects of irbesartan and amlodipine on AF recurrence in hypertensive patients with AF who are scheduled to undergo catheter ablation or electrical cardioversion of AF. The primary end point was either AF or atrial tachycardia (AT) recurrence. AF/AT recurrence was evaluated for 6 months using 24-h Holter electrocardiogram and portable electrocardiogram. The secondary endpoints included the change in blood pressure, the interval from the procedure to the first AF/AT recurrence, cardiovascular events, left atrial diameter (LAD), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and changes in the biomarkers [brain natriuretic polypeptide (BNP), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), urinary albumin/creatinine].</AbstractText>The study enrolled 98 patients (irbesartan; n=47, amlodipine; n=51). The recurrence of AF/AT was observed in 8 patients (17.0%) in the irbesartan group and in 10 patients (19.6%) in the amlodipine group. There was no significant difference in the AF/AT recurrence between the irbesartan and amlodipine groups. Blood pressure decreased similarly in both groups. There were no significant differences between the two groups as regards to the interval from the procedure to the first AF/AT recurrence, occurrence of cardiovascular events, changes in LAD and LVEF. BNP and urinary albumin/creatinine significantly decreased similarly in both groups, but no significant difference was found in hs-CRP between the two groups.</AbstractText>In hypertensive patients with AF, treatment with irbesartan did not have any advantage over amlodipine in the reduction of AF/AT recurrence after catheter ablation or electrical cardioversion.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 Japanese College of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,174 | Localized constrictive pericarditis compressing and obstructing the right ventricular inflow tract due to a giant anterior calcified cardiac mass. A case report. | Localized pericardial constriction is a rare form of constrictive pericarditis CP. Depending on the CP location, clinical presentation may be variable, including compression and obstruction of right ventricular inflow tract(RVIT), coronary obstruction, or pulmonary stenosis.</AbstractText>A 72-year-old man presented a 2-year history of dyspnea and atrial fibrillation. A contrast enhanced angio computerized tomography clearly demonstrated a large spherical mass about 11×9×4cm in the anterior pericardium, presenting as a mediastinal tumor causing compression and obstruction of the RVIT. The patient underwent surgical procedure. The outer calcified layer of the pericardial mass was a thick layer of calcification surrounding an inner amorphous low density material. The inferior calcified layer of the pericardial mass which was extremely adherent with the epicardium, was carefully excised, without employment of cardiopulmonary bypass, from the aorta and pulmonary artery origin to the diaphragm and all areas between the right and left phrenic nerves. The final diagnosis was idiopathic CP.</AbstractText>The clinical presentation was due to right ventricular free wall compression and obstruction of the RVIT by a giant calcified anterior cardiac mass. The differential diagnosis with other calcified masses in the anterior mediastinum such as teratoma, hemopericardium after blunt trauma and idiopathic or tuberculous CP should be considered.</AbstractText>Herein we report a very rare case with localized CP causing compression and obstruction of RVIT due to a giant anterior calcified cardiac mass, treated successfully with pericardectomy. Careful dissection is mandatory for a successful procedure.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,175 | Predictors of a high defibrillation threshold test during routine ICD implantation. | There is growing evidence that routine defibrillation threshold (DFT) testing during implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation is not necessary. However a small group of patients might be at risk if no DFT testing is performed.</AbstractText>Patients with a new pectoral ICD implantation in our hospital between 2006 and 2014 were included in a retrospective registry. A clinical high DFT was defined as a safety margin <10 J of the maximal device output. Logistic regression for prediction of high DFT was performed using patient characteristics, clinical, echocardiographic and device-related parameters.</AbstractText>DFT testing was performed in 788/864 (91.2%) procedures. In 76 (8.8%) patients no DFT testing was performed mainly due to atrial fibrillation, intra-cardiac thrombus, hemodynamic instability or logistical reasons. A high DFT was present in 44 (5.6%) patients. A QRS duration ≥150 ms, a low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≤25%), a severely dilated left ventricle ≥60 mm and right sided pre-pectoral implantations were univariate predictors of a high DFT. Independent predictors of a high DFT were a LVEF ≤25% (HR 2.195, 95%CI 1.085-4.443) and right sided pre-pectoral implantations (HR 3.135, 95% CI 1.186-8.287).</AbstractText>A high DFT is still present in about 5% of patients and is more frequent in patients with a severely dilated left ventricle, a very low LVEF, right sided pre-pectoral implantation and wider QRS duration. It might be clinically important to continue DFT testing in these high risk patients.</AbstractText> |
20,176 | Takotsubo cardiomyopathy associated with Paragonimiasis westermani. | An 11-year-old boy collapsed during morning assembly at his junior high school. The automated external defibrillator detected ventricular fibrillation and provided shock delivery. He was successfully resuscitated and reverted to sinus rhythm. Electrocardiography showed ST-T elevation in the precordial leads. Echocardiography and angiography demonstrated akinesia of the apex and mid-wall of the left ventricle with preserved contraction of the basal segments, which suggested Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. The patient and his family had often eaten uncooked crab, and his father had a past history of infection with Paragonimiasis westermani. The patient had had a persistent cough and chest pain for several weeks. Chest radiograph showed cystic cavities in the left upper lung. Microbiological examination of the sputum demonstrated an egg of P. westermani and immunological assay showed a raised antibody titre to P. westermani. On the12th day of admission, he developed seizures, and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated cerebral involvement. After the administration of praziquantel for 3 days, the clinical manifestations improved immediately, and echocardiography normalised within 3 weeks. The patient was discharged on the 32nd day + and follow-up was normal. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy following a potentially fatal arrhythmia is a rare cardiac complication associated with pulmonary and central nervous system infection by P. westermani. |
20,177 | Standardized unfold mapping: a technique to permit left atrial regional data display and analysis. | Left atrial arrhythmia substrate assessment can involve multiple imaging and electrical modalities, but visual analysis of data on 3D surfaces is time-consuming and suffers from limited reproducibility. Unfold maps (e.g., the left ventricular bull's eye plot) allow 2D visualization, facilitate multimodal data representation, and provide a common reference space for inter-subject comparison. The aim of this work is to develop a method for automatic representation of multimodal information on a left atrial standardized unfold map (LA-SUM).</AbstractText>The LA-SUM technique was developed and validated using 18 electroanatomic mapping (EAM) LA geometries before being applied to ten cardiac magnetic resonance/EAM paired geometries. The LA-SUM was defined as an unfold template of an average LA mesh, and registration of clinical data to this mesh facilitated creation of new LA-SUMs by surface parameterization.</AbstractText>The LA-SUM represents 24 LA regions on a flattened surface. Intra-observer variability of LA-SUMs for both EAM and CMR datasets was minimal; root-mean square difference of 0.008 ± 0.010 and 0.007 ± 0.005 ms (local activation time maps), 0.068 ± 0.063 gs (force-time integral maps), and 0.031 ± 0.026 (CMR LGE signal intensity maps). Following validation, LA-SUMs were used for automatic quantification of post-ablation scar formation using CMR imaging, demonstrating a weak but significant relationship between ablation force-time integral and scar coverage (R 2</sup> = 0.18, P < 0.0001).</AbstractText>The proposed LA-SUM displays an integrated unfold map for multimodal information. The method is applicable to any LA surface, including those derived from imaging and EAM systems. The LA-SUM would facilitate standardization of future research studies involving segmental analysis of the LA.</AbstractText> |
20,178 | Prospective Association of Physical Activity and Heart Failure Hospitalizations Among Black Adults With Normal Ejection Fraction: The Jackson Heart Study. | Given high rates of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, black persons are at risk to develop heart failure. The association of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and heart failure in black adults is underresearched. The purpose of this study was to explore whether greater MVPA was associated with lower risk of heart failure hospitalizations (HFHs) among black adults with normal ejection fractions.</AbstractText>We performed a prospective analysis of 4066 black adults who participated in the Jackson Heart Study and who had physical activity measured, had normal ejection fraction on 2-dimensional echocardiograms, and were followed for 7 years for incident HFH. We used Cox proportional regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and chronic kidney disease and examined effect modification by sex and body mass index. Of the eligible population, 1925 participants, according to the duration of MVPA, had poor health (0 minutes/week), 1332 had intermediate health (1-149 minutes/week), and 809 had ideal health (≥150 minutes/week). There were 168 incident HFHs. MVPA for intermediate and ideal health was associated with decreasing risk of incident HFH (hazard ratio: 0.70 [95% confidence interval, 49-1.00] and 0.35 [95% confidence interval, 0.19-0.64], respectively; P</i>trend</sub>=0.003). The full model revealed hazard ratios of 0.74 [95% confidence interval, 0.52-1.07] and 0.41 [95% confidence interval, 0.22-0.74], respectively. There was no effect modification between MVPA and body mass index or sex on incident HFH.</AbstractText>A dose-response relationship between increasing levels of MVPA and protection from incident HFH was found in black men and women with normal ejection fractions.</AbstractText>© 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,179 | Delayed Onset of Atrial Fibrillation and Ventricular Tachycardia after an Automobile Lightning Strike. | Lightning strike is a rare medical emergency. The primary cause of death in lightning strike victims is immediate cardiac arrest. The mortality rate from lightning exposure can be as high as 30%, with up to 70% of patients left with significant morbidity.</AbstractText>An 86-year-old male was struck by lightning while driving his vehicle and crashed. On initial emergency medical services evaluation, he was asymptomatic with normal vital signs. During his transport, he lost consciousness several times and was found to be in atrial fibrillation with intermittent runs of ventricular tachycardia during the unconscious periods. In the emergency department, atrial fibrillation persisted and he experienced additional episodes of ventricular tachycardia. He was treated with i.v. amiodarone and admitted to cardiovascular intensive care unit, where he converted to a normal sinus rhythm on the amiodarone drip. He was discharged home without rhythm-control medications and did not have further episodes of dysrhythmias on follow-up visits. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Lightning strikes are one of the most common injuries suffered from natural phenomenon, and short-term mortality ordinarily depends on the cardiac effects. This case demonstrates that the cardiac effects can be multiple, delayed, and recurrent, which compels the emergency physician to be vigilant in the initial evaluation and ongoing observation of patients with lightning injuries.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,180 | Usefulness of Speckle Tracking Strain Echocardiography for Assessment of Risk of Ventricular Arrhythmias After Placement of a Left Ventricular Assist Device. | Patients with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are at elevated risk of developing ventricular arrhythmias (VA), which can result in right ventricular dysfunction and abnormal LVAD function. Predictors of postoperative VA after LVAD placement are unclear. We hypothesized that global left ventricular circumferential strain (LVCS), a marker of transmural impairment in myocardial function, would independently predict postoperative VA in patients who underwent LVAD implantation. We studied 98 consecutive patients (57 ± 11 years, 83% men) who underwent HeartMate II axial flow LVAD placement. Speckle tracking-derived global circumferential strain was assessed from mid-left ventricular short-axis images. The primary composite end point was defined as any ventricular tachycardia that required intervention (anti-arrhythmic medication, cardioversion, implantable cardioverter defibrillator placement, implantable cardioverter defibrillator shock) or any ventricular fibrillation. A total of 33 patients (34%) experienced the primary end point (median follow-up: 7 months). Reduced LVCS was statistically significantly related to the primary end point (hazard ratio 1.77, 95% confidence interval 1.09 to 2.87 per 1 standard deviation reduction in LVCS, p = 0.02). LVCS above a cut-off value of -9.7% was associated with significantly reduced arrhythmia-free survival (log-rank p = 0.001). In conclusion, global LVCS is an independent predictor of ventricular arrhythmias after LVAD placement. |
20,181 | Hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias: a consensus document from the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) and ESC Council on Hypertension, endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS) and Sociedad Latinoamericana de Estimulación Cardíaca y Electrofisiología (SOLEACE). | Hypertension is a common cardiovascular risk factor leading to heart failure (HF), coronary artery disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease and chronic renal insufficiency. Hypertensive heart disease can manifest as many cardiac arrhythmias, most commonly being atrial fibrillation (AF). Both supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias may occur in hypertensive patients, especially in those with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) or HF. Also, some of the antihypertensive drugs commonly used to reduce blood pressure, such as thiazide diuretics, may result in electrolyte abnormalities (e.g. hypokalaemia, hypomagnesemia), further contributing to arrhythmias, whereas effective control of blood pressure may prevent the development of the arrhythmias such as AF. In recognizing this close relationship between hypertension and arrhythmias, the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Council on Hypertension convened a Task Force, with representation from the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS), and Sociedad Latinoamericana de Estimulación Cardíaca y Electrofisiología (SOLEACE), with the remit to comprehensively review the available evidence to publish a joint consensus document on hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias, and to provide up-to-date consensus recommendations for use in clinical practice. The ultimate judgment regarding care of a particular patient must be made by the healthcare provider and the patient in light of all of the circumstances presented by that patient. |
20,182 | Mutation E87Q of the β1-subunit impairs the maturation of the cardiac voltage-dependent sodium channel. | Voltage-dependent sodium channels are responsible of the rising phase of the action potential in excitable cells. These membrane integral proteins are composed by a pore-forming α-subunit, and one or more auxiliary β subunits. Mutation E87Q of the β1 subunit is correlated with Brugada syndrome, a genetic disease characterised by ventricular fibrillation, right precordial ST segment elevation on ECG and sudden cardiac death. Heterologous expression of E87Q-β1 subunit in CHO cells determines a reduced sodium channel functional expression. The effect the E87Q mutation of the β1 subunit on sodium currents and α protein expression is correlated with a reduced availability of the mature form of the α subunit in the plasma membrane. This finding offers a new target for the treatment of the Brugada syndrome, based on protein maturation management. This work highlights the role played by the β1 subunit in the maturation and expression of the entire sodium channel complex and underlines how the defective interaction between the sodium channel constituents could lead to a disabling pathological condition. |
20,183 | Biomarkers in Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure. | Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice and an important contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although the exact mechanisms behind AF are not completely elucidated, the underlying pathophysiological changes have been well described. Predisposal factors for AF include the older age, the increased left atrial size, the decreased left atrial function, the presence of heart failure and left ventricular systolic dysfunction and the presence of coronary heart disease or pulmonary or mitral valve disease. In addition to these factors, emerging evidence demonstrate that myocardial strain, fibrosis and inflammation, are associated with AF as well as the pathogenesis of the arrhythmia. The natruretic peptide system including Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP), Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) and C-type Natriuretic Peptide (CNP) is indicative of the level of myocardial strain which may predispose to AF. As a result, the aforementioned peptides are increased in AF patients. The levels of myocardial fibrosis biomarkers, such as ST2 and Galectin-3, are elevated suggesting atrial structural abnormalities, while the increased levels of CRP and Interleukin-6 supplement the inflammatory profile of AF patients. Emerging data for the aforementioned biomarkers are discussed in the present review. |
20,184 | Severe Hyperkalemia: Can the Electrocardiogram Risk Stratify for Short-term Adverse Events? | The electrocardiogram (ECG) is often used to identify which hyperkalemic patients are at risk for adverse events. However, there is a paucity of evidence to support this practice. This study analyzes the association between specific hyperkalemic ECG abnormalities and the development of short-term adverse events in patients with severe hyperkalemia.</AbstractText>We collected records of all adult patients with potassium (K+) ≥6.5 mEq/L in the hospital laboratory database from August 15, 2010, through January 30, 2015. A chart review identified patient demographics, concurrent laboratory values, ECG within one hour of K+ measurement, treatments and occurrence of adverse events within six hours of ECG. We defined adverse events as symptomatic bradycardia, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and/or death. Two emergency physicians blinded to study objective independently examined each ECG for rate, rhythm, peaked T wave, PR interval duration and QRS complex duration. Relative risk was calculated to determine the association between specific hyperkalemic ECG abnormalities and short-term adverse events.</AbstractText>We included a total of 188 patients with severe hyperkalemia in the final study group. Adverse events occurred within six hours in 28 patients (15%): symptomatic bradycardia (n=22), death (n=4), ventricular tachycardia (n=2) and CPR (n=2). All adverse events occurred prior to treatment with calcium and all but one occurred prior to K+</sup>-lowering intervention. All patients who had a short-term adverse event had a preceding ECG that demonstrated at least one hyperkalemic abnormality (100%, 95% confidence interval [CI] [85.7-100%]). An increased likelihood of short-term adverse event was found for hyperkalemic patients whose ECG demonstrated QRS prolongation (relative risk [RR] 4.74, 95% CI [2.01-11.15]), bradycardia (HR<50) (RR 12.29, 95%CI [6.69-22.57]), and/or junctional rhythm (RR 7.46, 95%CI 5.28-11.13). There was no statistically significant correlation between peaked T waves and short-term adverse events (RR 0.77, 95% CI [0.35-1.70]).</AbstractText>Our findings support the use of the ECG to risk stratify patients with severe hyperkalemia for short-term adverse events.</AbstractText> |
20,185 | Availability and Accuracy of EMS Information about Chronic Health and Medications in Cardiac Arrest. | Field information available to emergency medical services (EMS) about a patient's chronic health conditions or medication therapies could help direct patient care or be used to investigate outcome disparities. However, little is known about the field availability or accuracy of information of chronic health conditions or chronic medication treatments in emergent circumstances, especially when the patient cannot serve as an information resource. We evaluated the prehospital availability and accuracy of specific chronic health conditions and medication treatments among out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients.</AbstractText>The investigation was a retrospective cohort study of adult persons suffering ventricular fibrillation OHCA treated by EMS in a large metropolitan county from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2013. The study was designed to determine the availability and accuracy of EMS ascertainment of selected chronic health conditions and medication treatments. We evaluated chronic health conditions of "any heart disease," congestive heart failure (CHF), and diabetes and medication treatments of beta blockers and loop diuretics using two distinct sources: 1) EMS report, and 2) hospital record specific to the OHCA event. Because hospital information was considered the gold standard, we restricted the primary analysis to those who were admitted to hospital.</AbstractText>Of the 1,496 initially eligible patients, 387 could not be resuscitated and were pronounced dead in the field, one patient was left alive at scene due to Physician's Orders for Life-sustaining Treatment (POLST) orders, 125 expired in the emergency department (n=125), and 983 were admitted to hospital. A total of 832 of 1,496 (55.6%) had both sources of data for comparison and comprised the primary analytic group. Using the hospital record as the gold standard, EMS ascertainment had a sensitivity of 0.79 (304/384) and a specificity of 0.88 (218/248) for any prior heart disease; sensitivity 0.45 (47/105) and specificity 0.87 (477/516) for CHF; sensitivity 0.71 (143/201) and specificity 0.98 (416/424) for diabetes; sensitivity 0.70 (118/169) and specificity 0.94 (273/290) for beta blockers; sensitivity 0.70 (62/89) and specificity 0.97 (358/370) for loop diuretics.</AbstractText>In this cohort of OHCA, information about selected chronic health conditions and medication treatments based on EMS ascertainment was available for many patients, generally revealing moderate sensitivity and greater specificity.</AbstractText> |
20,186 | Emergency Physician-performed Transesophageal Echocardiography in Simulated Cardiac Arrest. | Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a well-established method of evaluating cardiac pathology. It has many advantages over transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), including the ability to image the heart during active cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This prospective simulation study aims to evaluate the ability of emergency medicine (EM) residents to learn TEE image acquisition techniques and demonstrate those techniques to identify common pathologic causes of cardiac arrest.</AbstractText>This was a prospective educational cohort study with 40 EM residents from two participating academic medical centers who underwent an educational model and testing protocol. All participants were tested across six cases, including two normals, pericardial tamponade, acute myocardial infarction (MI), ventricular fibrillation (VF), and asystole presented in random order. Primary endpoints were correct identification of the cardiac pathology, if any, and time to sonographic diagnosis. Calculated endpoints included sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for emergency physician (EP)-performed TEE. We calculated a kappa statistic to determine the degree of inter-rater reliability.</AbstractText>Forty EM residents completed both the educational module and testing protocol. This resulted in a total of 80 normal TEE studies and 160 pathologic TEE studies. Our calculations for the ability to diagnose life-threatening cardiac pathology by EPs in a high-fidelity TEE simulation resulted in a sensitivity of 98%, specificity of 99%, positive likelihood ratio of 78.0, and negative likelihood ratio of 0.025. The average time to diagnose each objective structured clinical examination case was as follows: normal A in 35 seconds, normal B in 31 seconds, asystole in 13 seconds, tamponade in 14 seconds, acute MI in 22 seconds, and VF in 12 seconds. Inter-rater reliability between participants was extremely high, resulting in a kappa coefficient across all cases of 0.95.</AbstractText>EM residents can rapidly perform TEE studies in a simulated cardiac arrest environment with a high degree of precision and accuracy. Performance of TEE studies on human patients in cardiac arrest is the next logical step to determine if our simulation data hold true in clinical practice.</AbstractText> |
20,187 | Transforming growth factor-β-mediated CD44/STAT3 signaling contributes to the development of atrial fibrosis and fibrillation. | Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with atrial fibrosis. Inhibition of atrial fibrosis might be a plausible approach for AF prevention and therapy. This study is designed to evaluate the potential role of CD44, a membrane receptor known to regulate fibrosis, and its related signaling in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrosis and AF. Treatment of cultured rat atrial fibroblasts with transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β, a key mediator of atrial fibrosis) led to a higher expression of hyaluronan (HA), CD44, STAT3, and collagen (a principal marker of fibrosis) than that of ventricular fibroblasts. In vivo, TGF-β transgenic mice and AF patients exhibited a greater expression of HA, CD44, STAT3, and collagen in their atria than wild-type mice and sinus rhythm subjects, respectively. Treating TGF-β transgenic mice with an anti-CD44 blocking antibody resulted in a lower expression of STAT3 and collagen in their atria than those with control IgG antibody. Programmed stimulation triggered less AF episodes in TGF-β transgenic mice treated with anti-CD44 blocking antibody than in those with control IgG. Blocking CD44 signaling with anti-CD44 antibody and mutated CD44 plasmids attenuated TGF-β-induced STAT3 activation and collagen expression in cultured atrial fibroblasts. Deletion and mutational analysis of the collagen promoter along with chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that STAT3 served as a vital transcription factor in collagen expression. TGF-β-mediated HA/CD44/STAT3 pathway plays a crucial role in the development of atrial fibrosis and AF. Blocking CD44-dependent signaling may be a feasible way for AF management. |
20,188 | Proposal of a novel clinical score to predict heart failure incidence in long-term survivors of acute coronary syndromes. | HF remains a frequent complication following MI and adversely affects prognosis. The objective of this study was to identify predictors of HF following MI and to design a risk score for its prediction.</AbstractText>Retrospective study of all consecutive patients admitted for MI. Primary end point was time to incident HF. Patients with previous history of HF were excluded. Death was modelled as competing risk.</AbstractText>5737 patients were included. Mean age was 66.32±12.80. During a median follow-up of 47.0months (23.0-73.0), 686 patients (12%) developed HF. Age, diabetes mellitus, peripheral artery disease, renal insufficiency, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, persistent atrial fibrillation, haemoglobin, troponin peak, diuretic at admission, ventricular function, and revascularization were independent predictors for HF development. According to this multivariate regression analysis, we developed a novel score that allows for the identification of patients at high (≥16), medium (9-15) and low risk (<9) for HF development, with an AUC of 0.77 (IC 95%, 0.76-0.78; p=0.008).</AbstractText>Clinical comorbidities were determinant for the development of HF following MI. A simple score effectively categorize patients into low, intermediate, and high-risk. This could be important in order to intensify medical treatment or consider additional interventions.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,189 | Early Ventricular Tachycardia or Fibrillation in Patients With ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Impact on Mortality and Stent Thrombosis (from the Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction Trial). | The prevalence and impact of early ventricular arrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia [VT]/ventricular fibrillation [VF]) occurring before mechanical revascularization for acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention are poorly understood. We sought to investigate the association between early VT/VF and long-term clinical outcomes using data from the Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction trial. Among 3,602 patients with STEMI, 108 patients (3.0%) had early VT/VF. Baseline clinical characteristics were similar in patients with versus without early VT/VF. Patients with early VT/VF had shorter symptom-to-balloon times and lower left ventricular ejection fraction and underwent more frequent thrombectomy compared with patients without early VT/VF. Adjusted 3-year rates of all-cause death (15.7% vs 6.5%; adjusted hazard ratio 2.62, 95% confidence interval 1.48 to 4.61, p <0.001) and stent thrombosis (13.7% vs 5.7%; adjusted hazard ratio 2.74, 95% confidence interval 1.52 to 4.93, p <0.001) were significantly higher in patients with early VT/VF compared with patients without early VT/VF. In conclusion, in the Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction trial, VT/VF occurring before coronary angiography and revascularization in patients with STEMI was strongly associated with increased 3-year rates of death and stent thrombosis. Further investigation into the mechanisms underlying the increased risk of early stent thrombosis in patients with early VT/VF is required. |
20,190 | Natriuretic Propeptides as Markers of Atrial Fibrillation Burden and Recurrence (from the AMIO-CAT Trial). | Natriuretic peptides are established plasma markers of systolic heart failure, but their usefulness for the evaluation of atrial fibrillation (AF) is unknown. We examined mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients undergoing ablation for AF. A subpopulation of 102 patients (median age 60 [52;65], 82% male) from the AMIO-CAT trial (Recurrence of arrhythmia following short-term oral AMIOdarone after CATheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study) undergoing ablation for paroxysmal (n = 55) or persistent (n = 47) AF was studied. MR-proANP and NT-proBNP were measured before ablation and at 1, 3, and 6 months' follow-up. Three-day Holter monitoring was performed before ablation, and 6 to 8 weeks and 6 months after ablation. Plasma MR-proANP and NT-proBNP concentrations were higher during AF than during sinus rhythm before ablation (188 pmol/L [131;260] vs 94 pmol/L [64;125], p <0.001; 78 pmol/L [43;121] vs 10.3 pmol/L [5.9;121], p <0.001) and at 1, 3, and 6 months' follow-up. Categories of AF burden on 3-day Holter monitoring (0%, 0% to 99%, and 99% to 100%) were associated with plasma concentrations of both MR-proANP (94 pmol/L [55;127] vs 117 pmol/L [88;185] vs 192 pmol/L [127;261], p <0.001) and NT-proBNP (10 pmol/L [5.9;22] vs 22 pmol/L [8.9;53] vs 81 pmol/L [45;116], p <0.001). In a multivariate regression analysis, however, there was no significant association between baseline propeptide concentrations and recurrence of AF at 6 months' follow-up. In conclusion, AF was associated with higher plasma concentrations of MR-proANP and NT-proBNP than sinus rhythm. Moreover, AF burden was associated with subsequent concentrations of both MR-proANP and NT-proBNP. The results suggest that natriuretic propeptide measurement reflects functional cardiac dysfunction during AF, and that AF burden should be included in biochemical assessment of left ventricular dysfunction. |
20,191 | Heart failure in persons living with HIV infection. | To discuss presentation, pathophysiology, complications, and treatment of heart failure in persons living with HIV (PLWHIV) in the antiretroviral therapy (ART) era.</AbstractText>Since the advent of effective ART and improved longevity, heart failure has become more chronic and insidious and is often characterized by preserved ejection fraction, diastolic dysfunction, and left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy. The mechanism underlying heart failure in the setting of HIV infection remains unknown. A high burden of coronary risk factors is often present in PLWHIV, and clinical manifestations of coronary disease appear at a younger age compared with uninfected persons. Heart failure is more common in the year following myocardial infarction in HIV-infected compared with uninfected patients. Epidemiological data suggest the incidence of atrial fibrillation in PLWHIV is increasing, likely due to advancing age and increasing rates of LV hypertrophy in this population. The treatment of heart failure in PLWHIV is extrapolated from treatment of uninfected patients, as clinical trials have not been done specifically in HIV.</AbstractText>Symptoms of heart failure or echocardiographic evidence of cardiomyopathy increase the risk of death in PLWHIV. Additional studies are needed to ascertain if HIV-specific issues such as newer ART, chronic inflammation/immune activation, illicit drug use, and early initiation of ART are implicated in heart failure pathogenesis.</AbstractText> |
20,192 | Mortality Implications of Appropriate Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Therapy in Secondary Prevention Patients: Contrasting Mortality in Primary Prevention Patients From a Prospective Population-Based Registry. | We sought to examine the mortality impact of appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy between patients who received ICD for primary versus secondary prevention purposes.</AbstractText>From a prospective, population-based registry, we identified 7020 patients who underwent de novo ICD implantation between February 2007 and May 2012 in Ontario, Canada. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazard modeling to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics and analyzed the mortality impact of first appropriate ICD therapy (shock and antitachycardia pacing [ATP]) as a time-varying covariate. There were 1929 (27.5%) patients who received ICDs for secondary prevention purposes. The median follow-up period was 5.02 years. Compared with those with secondary prevention ICDs, patients with primary prevention ICDs had more medical comorbidities, and lower ejection fraction. Patients who experienced appropriate ICD shock or ATP had greater risk of death compared with those who did not, irrespective of implant indication. In the primary prevention group, the adjusted hazard ratios of death for appropriate shock and ATP were 2.00 (95% CI: 1.72-2.33) and 1.73 (95% CI: 1.52-1.97), respectively. In the secondary prevention group, the adjusted hazard ratios of death for appropriate ICD shock and ATP were 1.46 (95% CI: 1.20-1.77) and 1.38 (95% CI: 1.16-1.64), respectively.</AbstractText>Despite having a more favorable clinical profile, occurrence of appropriate ICD shock or ATP in patients with secondary prevention ICDs was associated with similar magnitudes of mortality risk as those with primary prevention ICDs. A heightened degree of care is warranted for all patients who experience appropriate ICD shock or ATP therapy.</AbstractText>© 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,193 | Physiological Assessment of Ventricular Myocardial Voltage Using Omnipolar Electrograms. | Characterization of myocardial health by bipolar electrograms are critical for ventricular tachycardia therapy. Dependence of bipolar electrograms on electrode orientation may reduce reliability of voltage assessment along the plane of arrhythmic myocardial substrate. Hence, we sought to evaluate voltage assessment from orientation-independent omnipolar electrograms.</AbstractText>We mapped the ventricular epicardium of 5 isolated hearts from each species-healthy rabbits, healthy pigs, and diseased humans-under paced conditions. We derived bipolar electrograms and voltage peak-to-peak (Vpps) along 2 bipolar electrode orientations (horizontal and vertical). We derived omnipolar electrograms and Vpps using omnipolar electrogram methodology. Voltage maps were created for both bipoles and omnipole. Electrode orientation affects the bipolar voltage map with an average absolute difference between horizontal and vertical of 0.25±0.18 mV in humans. Vpps provide larger absolute values than horizontal and vertical bipolar Vpps by 1.6 and 1.4 mV, respectively, in humans. Bipolar electrograms with the largest Vpps from either along horizontal or vertical orientation are highly correlated with omnipolar electrograms and with Vpps values (0.97±0.08 and 0.94±0.08, respectively). Vpps values are more consistent than bipoles, in both beat-by-beat (CoV, 0.28±0.19 versus 0.08±0.13 in human hearts) and rhythm changes (0.55±0.21 versus 0.40±0.20 in porcine hearts).</AbstractText>Omnipoles provide physiologically relevant and consistent voltages that are along the maximal bipolar direction on the plane of the myocardium.</AbstractText>© 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,194 | Atrial Fibrillation in Heart Failure US Ambulatory Cardiology Practices and the Potential for Uptake of Catheter Ablation: An National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR<sup>®</sup>) Research to Practice (R2P) Project. | Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction frequently coexist. The AATAC (Ablation versus Amiodarone for Treatment of persistent Atrial fibrillation in patients with Congestive heart failure and an implantable device) trial suggests that catheter ablation may benefit these patients. However, applicability to contemporary ambulatory cardiology practice is unknown.</AbstractText>Using the outpatient National Cardiovascular Data Registry®</sup> Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence Registry, we identified participants meeting AATAC enrollment criteria between 2013 and 2014. Treatment with medications and procedures was assessed at registry inclusion. From 164 166 patients with AF and heart failure, 8483 (7%) patients potentially met AATAC inclusion criteria. Eligible subjects, compared to AATAC trial participants, were older (mean age, 71.2±11.4 years) and had greater comorbidity (coronary artery disease 79.2%, hypertension 82.4%, and diabetes mellitus 31.8%). AF was predominantly paroxysmal (65.5%), rather than persistent/permanent (16.7%) or new onset (17.8%), whereas all patients in the AATAC trial had persistent AF. Commonly used atrioventricular-nodal blocking agents were carvedilol (71.2%), digoxin (31.9%), and metoprolol (27.1%). Rhythm control with anti-arrhythmic drugs was reported in 29.0% of AATAC eligible patients (predominantly amiodarone [24.6%]) and 9.3% had undergone catheter ablation. Patients who underwent ablation were more likely to be younger and have less comorbidities than those who did not.</AbstractText>Among the contemporary ambulatory AF/heart failure with reduced ejection fraction population, treatment is predominantly rate control with few catheter ablations. Application of AATAC findings has the potential to markedly increase the use of catheter ablation in this population, although significant differences in clinical profiles might influence ablation outcomes in practice.</AbstractText>© 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,195 | The relationship between chronic health conditions and outcome following out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest. | The cumulative burden of chronic health conditions could contribute to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) physiology and response to attempted resuscitation. Yet little is known about how chronic health conditions influence prognosis. We evaluated the relationship between cumulative comorbidity and outcome following ventricular fibrillation OHCA using 3 different scales.</AbstractText>We performed a cohort investigation of persons >=18years who suffered non-traumatic OHCA and presented with ventricular fibrillation between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2013 in a metropolitan emergency medical service (EMS) system. Chronic conditions were ascertained from EMS reports. The primary relationship between cumulative comorbidity and outcome (survival to hospital discharge) used the Charlson Index and two other scales. Analyses used logistical regression (LR), multiple imputation and inverse probability weighting.</AbstractText>During the study period 1166/1488 potential patients were included. The median Charlson Index was 1 (25th-75th%: 0-2). Overall survival was 43.9%. Comorbidity was associated with a dose-dependent decrease in the likelihood of survival. ompared to Charlson Score of 0, the odds ratio of survival was 0.68 (0.48-0.96) for Charslon of 1, 0.49 (0.35-0.69) for Charlson of 2, and 0.43 (0.30-0.61) for Charlson of >=3 after adjustment for Utstein predictors using multivariable LR. This inverse comorbidity-survival association was similar for the other 2 scales and was observed for different clinical outcomes (admission to hospital, functional survival, 30-day survival, and 1-year survival).</AbstractText>Based on these results, cumulative comorbidity can help explain survival variability and improve prognostic accuracy. Whether information about cumulative comorbidity or specific health conditions can inform resuscitation care is unknown though the results suggest comorbidity may influence acute pathophysiology and treatment response.</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,196 | Normal <sup>123</sup> I-MIBG uptake areas may be associated with hyperinnervation and arrhythmia risk in phenol model rabbit hearts. | Iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine (123</sup> I-MIBG) is useful for detecting sympathetic innervation in the heart, and has been closely associated with fatal arrhythmias. However, such imaging is typically calibrated to the area of highest uptake and thus is unable to identify areas of hyperinnervation. We hypothesized that normal 123</sup> I-MIBG uptake regions in the denervated heart would demonstrate nerve sprouting and correlate with the potential for arrhythmogenesis.</AbstractText>Twenty New Zealand white rabbits treated with phenol or sham were prepared under anesthesia. Sympathetic innervation was quantified using autoradiography and immunostaining 4 weeks after phenol application, and electrophysiological study was performed.</AbstractText>123</sup> I-MIBG revealed maximal local differences in isotope uptake in the border zone between areas with attenuated and abundant MIBG compared with that seen between adjacent regions within the lowest uptake areas. On immunostaining, heterogeneous and decreased expressions of growth-associated protein 43 signal were observed in the MIBG-attenuated areas; however, abundant signals were recognized in the MIBG-abundant areas. Upregulation of the tyrosine hydroxylase signal was observed at the part of the MIBG-abundant area. In electrophysiological study, the dispersion of activation recovery interval (ARI) was increased in the phenol-applied areas by norepinephrine infusion. Stellate stimulation exacerbated the ARI dispersion in both the phenol-applied and nonapplied areas, and was associated with increased inducibility of ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation.</AbstractText>The presence of hyperinnervation in the nondenervated regions of denervated rabbit hearts suggests that heterogeneous neural remodeling occurs in regions with seemingly normal 123</sup> I-MIBG uptake and contributes to electrical instability.</AbstractText>© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,197 | Isolated Late Activation Detected by Magnetocardiography Predicts Future Lethal Ventricular Arrhythmic Events in Patients With Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy. | Risk stratification of ventricular arrhythmias is vital to the optimal management in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). We hypothesized that 64-channel magnetocardiography (MCG) would be useful to detect isolated late activation (ILA) by overcoming the limitations of conventional noninvasive predictors of ventricular tachyarrhythmias, including epsilon waves, late potential (LP), and right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF), in ARVC patients.Methods and Results:We evaluated ILA on MCG, defined as discrete activations re-emerging after the decay of main RV activation (%magnitude >5%), and conventional noninvasive predictors of ventricular tachyarrhythmias (epsilon waves, LP, and RVEF) in 40 patients with ARVC. ILA was noted in 24 (60%) patients. Most ILAs were found in RV lateral or inferior areas (17/24, 71%). We defined "delayed ILA" as ILA in which the conduction delay exceeded its median (50 ms). During a median follow-up of 42.5 months, major arrhythmic events (MAEs: 1 sudden cardiac death, 3 sustained ventricular tachycardias, and 4 appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator discharges) occurred more frequently in patients with delayed ILA (6/12) than in those without (2/28; log-rank: P=0.004). Cox regression analysis identified delayed ILA as the only independent predictor of MAEs (hazard ratio 7.63, 95% confidence interval 1.72-52.6, P=0.007), and other noninvasive parameters were not significant predictors.</AbstractText>MCG is useful to identify ARVC patients at high risk of future lethal ventricular arrhythmias.</AbstractText> |
20,198 | Catheter Ablation Versus Medical Rate Control in Atrial Fibrillation and Systolic Dysfunction: The CAMERA-MRI Study. | Atrial fibrillation (AF) and left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) frequently co-exist despite adequate rate control. Existing randomized studies of AF and LVSD of varying etiologies have reported modest benefits with a rhythm control strategy.</AbstractText>The goal of this study was to determine whether catheter ablation (CA) for AF could improve LVSD compared with medical rate control (MRC) where the etiology of the LVSD was unexplained, apart from the presence of AF.</AbstractText>This multicenter, randomized clinical trial enrolled patients with persistent AF and idiopathic cardiomyopathy (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] ≤45%). After optimization of rate control, patients underwent cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to assess LVEF and late gadolinium enhancement, indicative of ventricular fibrosis, before randomization to either CA or ongoing MRC. CA included pulmonary vein isolation and posterior wall isolation. AF burden post-CA was assessed by using an implanted loop recorder, and adequacy of MRC was assessed by using serial Holter monitoring. The primary endpoint was change in LVEF on repeat CMR at 6 months.</AbstractText>A total of 301 patients were screened; 68 patients were enrolled between November 2013 and October 2016 and randomized with 33 in each arm (accounting for 2 dropouts). The average AF burden post-CA was 1.6 ± 5.0% at 6 months. In the intention-to-treat analysis, absolute LVEF improved by 18 ± 13% in the CA group compared with 4.4 ± 13% in the MRC group (p < 0.0001) and normalized (LVEF ≥50%) in 58% versus 9% (p = 0.0002). In those undergoing CA, the absence of late gadolinium enhancement predicted greater improvements in absolute LVEF (10.7%; p = 0.0069) and normalization at 6 months (73% vs. 29%; p = 0.0093).</AbstractText>AF is an underappreciated reversible cause of LVSD in this population despite adequate rate control. The restoration of sinus rhythm with CA results in significant improvements in ventricular function, particularly in the absence of ventricular fibrosis on CMR. This outcome challenges the current treatment paradigm that rate control is the appropriate strategy in patients with AF and LVSD. (Catheter Ablation Versus Medical Rate Control in Atrial Fibrillation and Systolic Dysfunction [CAMERA-MRI]; ACTRN12613000880741).</AbstractText>Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation> |
20,199 | Prognostic significance of central venous-to-arterial carbon dioxide difference during the first 24 hours of septic shock in patients with and without impaired cardiac function. | To investigate the prognostic significance of central venous-to-arterial carbon dioxide difference (cv-art CO 2 gap) during septic shock in patients with and without impaired cardiac function.</AbstractText>We performed a prospective cohort study in 10 French intensive care units. Patients suffering from septic shock were assigned to the impaired cardiac function group ('cardiac group', n =123) if they had atrial fibrillation (AF) and/or left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50% at study entry and to the non-cardiac group ( n =240) otherwise.</AbstractText>Central venous and arterial blood gases were sampled every 6 h during the first 24 h to calculate cv-art CO 2 gap. Patients in the cardiac group had a higher cv-art CO 2 gap [at study entry and 6 and 12 h (all P <0.02)] than the non-cardiac group. Patients in the cardiac group with a cv-art CO 2 gap >0.9 kPa at 12 h had a higher risk of day 28 mortality (hazard ratio=3.18; P =0.0049). Among the 59 patients in the cardiac group with mean arterial pressure (MAP) ≥65 mm Hg, central venous pressure (CVP) ≥8 mm Hg and central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO 2 ) ≥70% at 12 h, those with a high cv-art CO 2 gap (>0.9 kPa; n =19) had a higher day 28 mortality (37% vs. 13%; P =0.042). In the non-cardiac group, a high cv-art CO 2 gap was not linked to a higher risk of day 28 death, whatever the threshold value of the cv-art CO 2 gap.</AbstractText>Patients with septic shock and with AF and/or low LVEF were more prone to a persistent high cv-art CO 2 gap, even when initial resuscitation succeeded in normalizing MAP, CVP, and ScvO 2 . In these patients, a persistent high cv-art CO 2 gap at 12 h was significantly associated with higher day 28 mortality.</AbstractText>© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com</CopyrightInformation> |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.