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21,100
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an established therapy for heart failure patients who remain symptomatic despite optimal medical therapy, have reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (<35%) and wide QRS duration (>120 ms), preferably with left bundle branch block morphology. The response to CRT depends on the cardiac substrate: presence of correctable left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony, presence of myocardial fibrosis (scar) and position of the left ventricular pacing lead. Patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy have shown higher response rates to CRT compared with patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. Differences in myocardial substrate may partly explain this disparity. Multimodality imaging plays an important role to assess the cardiac substrate and the pathophysiological determinants of response to CRT.
21,101
Value of The Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillator (WCD) as a Bridging-Therapy before Implantation of a Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD).
Wearable cardioverter defibrillators (WCD), initially available in 2002, have recently experienced more routine use in many institutions as a means of preventing sudden cardiac death (SCD) prior to implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) evaluation or implantation. WCD differ from ICD by their noninvasive nature, making them well suited for patient populations who have a chance for significant cardiac recovery (such as after an acute myocardial infarction). Despite their noninvasive nature, WCD treatment of sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias is highly successful. An additional feature is the use of response buttons, which reduces the number of conscious shocks. Duration of use varies by condition but is typically several weeks to several months. Numerous studies have shown good compliance with WCD use and excellent efficacy. Although few prospective studies have been published, several are in progress including a randomized control trial of high risk patients after myocardial infarction. WCD use is rapidly gaining popularity for patients with recent myocardial infarction, recent-onset cardiomyopathies, and acute or subacute myocarditis. Surgical delays in implanting an indicated ICD or after ICD removal are also common. WCD removal occurs when the patient either qualifies for an ICD implantation or is determined to no longer have elevated SCD risk.
21,102
A new cryoenergy for ventricular tachycardia ablation: a proof-of-concept study.
Lack of transmural lesion formation during radiofrequency (RF) ablation for ventricular tachycardia (VT) is an important determinant of arrhythmia recurrence. The aim of this proof-of-concept study was to evaluate safety and efficacy of a new and more powerful cryoablation system for ventricular ablation.</AbstractText>Five healthy female sheep (59 &#xb1; 6 kg) underwent a surgical sternotomy for epicardial and endocardial access [endocardial access via right atrial appendage and left ventricular (LV) apex]. A cryoablation system with liquid nitrogen (IceCure) was used to create 3 min freezes at the right ventricle (RV). Left ventricular cryoablation was performed with either a 6 min or 2 &#xd7; 4 min freezes. To assess safety, ablation was also performed on the mid left anterior descending artery and the proximal coronary sinus. A total of 45 lesions were created (RV epicardial, n = 12; LV epicardial, n = 18; RV endocardial, n = 7; LV endocardial, n = 8; LAD, n = 4; and CS, n = 4). The mean lesion volume was 5055 &#xb1; 92 mm3 (length: 32 &#xb1; 4.6 mm, width: 16.0 &#xb1; 6.4 mm, and depth: 11.2 &#xb1; 4.4 mm). Lesions were transmural in 28/45 (62%) and &gt;10 mm in depth in 35/45 (78%). Of the endocardial lesions, 12/15 were transmural (80%). There was no benefit of the bonus freeze in LV lesions (6 vs. 2 &#xd7; 4 min: 6790 &#xb1; 44 vs. 5595 &#xb1; 63 mm3; P = 0.44). All ablated vascular structures appeared macroscopically normal without acute stenosis. One animal died due to incessant Ventricular fibrillation (VF).</AbstractText>Our results indicate that a more powerful cryoablation system is able to create large, transmural ventricular lesions from both the endocardium and the epicardium. The technology may hold potential for both surgical and catheter-based VT ablation in humans.</AbstractText>Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. &#xa9; The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.</CopyrightInformation>
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Methodology Considerations in Phase Mapping of Human Cardiac Arrhythmias.
Phase analysis of cardiac arrhythmias, particularly atrial fibrillation, has gained interest because of the ability to detect organized stable drivers (rotors) and target them for therapy. However, the lack of methodology details in publications on the topic has resulted in ongoing debate over the phase mapping technique. By comparing phase maps and activation maps, we examined advantages and limitations of phase mapping.</AbstractText>Seven subjects were enrolled. We generated phase maps and activation maps from electrocardiographic imaging-reconstructed epicardial unipolar electrograms. For ventricular signals, phase was computed with (1) pseudoempirical mode decomposition detrending and (2) a novel Moving Average (MVG) detrending approach. For atrial fibrillation signals, MVG was modified to incorporate dynamic cycle length (DCL) changes (MVG-DCL). Phase maps were visually analyzed to study phase singularity points and rotors. Results show that phase is sensitive to cycle length choice, a limitation that was addressed by the MVG-DCL algorithm. MVG-DCL was optimal for atrial fibrillation analysis. Phase maps helped to highlight high-curvature wavefronts and rotors. However, for some activation patterns, phase generated nonrotational singularity points and false rotors.</AbstractText>Phase mapping computes singularity points and visually highlights rotors. As such, it can help to provide a clearer picture of the spatiotemporal activation characteristics during atrial fibrillation. However, it is advisable to incorporate electrogram characteristics and the time-domain activation sequence in the analysis, to prevent misinterpretation and false rotor detection. Therefore, for mapping complex arrhythmias, a combined time-domain activation and phase mapping with variable cycle length seems to be the most reliable method.</AbstractText>&#xa9; 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.</CopyrightInformation>
21,104
Time to Cooling Is Associated with Resuscitation Outcomes.
Our purpose was to analyze evidence related to timing of cooling from studies of targeted temperature management (TTM) after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after cardiac arrest and to recommend directions for future therapy optimization. We conducted a preliminary review of studies of both animals and patients treated with post-ROSC TTM and hypothesized that a more rapid cooling strategy in the absence of volume-adding cold infusions would provide improved outcomes in comparison with slower cooling. We defined rapid cooling as the achievement of 34&#xb0;C within 3.5 hours of ROSC without the use of volume-adding cold infusions, with a &#x2265;3.0&#xb0;C/hour rate of cooling. Using the PubMed database and a previously published systematic review, we identified clinical studies published from 2002 through 2014 related to TTM. Analysis included studies with time from collapse to ROSC of 20-30 minutes, reporting of time from ROSC to target temperature and rate of patients in ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, and hypothermia maintained for 20-24 hours. The use of cardiopulmonary bypass as a cooling method was an exclusion criterion for this analysis. We compared all rapid cooling studies with all slower cooling studies of &#x2265;100 patients. Eleven studies were initially identified for analysis, comprising 4091 patients. Two additional studies totaling 609 patients were added based on availability of unpublished data, bringing the total to 13 studies of 4700 patients. Outcomes for patients, dichotomized into faster and slower cooling approaches, were determined using weighted linear regression using IBM SPSS Statistics software. Rapid cooling without volume-adding cold infusions yielded a higher rate of good neurological recovery than slower cooling methods. Attainment of a temperature below 34&#xb0;C within 3.5 hours of ROSC and using a cooling rate of more than 3&#xb0;C/hour appear to be beneficial.
21,105
SCH 79797, a selective PAR1 antagonist, protects against ischemia/reperfusion-induced arrhythmias in the rat hearts.
Thrombin is implicated in the genesis of arrhythmias and activation of thrombin receptors exacerbated ventricular arrhythmias following coronary artery ligation. The present study was designed to investigate the possible protective effect of the protease-activated receptor-1 antagonist, SCH79797 against ischemia and reperfusion arrhythmias in the rat heart.</AbstractText>Healthy male Wistar rats (250-350 g) were anesthetized with urethane. Coronary artery ligation was performed for 5 minutes followed by 10 minutes reperfusion. Rhythm disturbances were monitored throughout the ischemia and reperfusion periods. Drugs injected were SCH79797 dihydrochloride (6.25, 12.5, 25 and 100 &#xb5;g/kg), glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) and N-nitro L-arginine methyl-ester hydrochloride (25 mg/kg). The control group was injected with dimethylsulfoxide (0.1 ml).</AbstractText>SCH79797 dihydrochloride reduced the number of premature contraction, prevalence and duration of ventricular tachycardia, prevalence and duration of ventricular fibrillation during both the ischemic and reperfusion periods in a dose-dependent manner. There is a trend for N-nitro L-arginine methyl-ester hydrochloride to increase all parameters of arrhythmias in SCH79797 dihydrochloride (25 &#xb5;g/kg) treated rats, but glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) significantly (p &lt; 0.05) increased these parameters.</AbstractText>SCH79797 dihydrochloride induced an antiarrhythmic effect in the anesthetized rat. This protective effect could possibly be mediated by activation of nitric oxide synthase and/or of ATP-sensitive potassium channels.</AbstractText>
21,106
Impact of prophylactic administration of Levosimendan on short-term and long-term outcome in high-risk patients with severely reduced left-ventricular ejection fraction undergoing cardiac surgery - a retrospective analysis.
Patients with severely reduced left-ventricular ejection fraction carry a high risk of morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery. Levosimendan can be used prophylactically in these patients having shown positive effects on short-term outcome. However, effects on long-term outcome and patient subgroups benefiting the most are unknown. We aim to address these topics with real-life data from our clinical practice.</AbstractText>Two hundred eigthy eight patients with preoperative LVEF&#x2009;&#x2264;&#x2009;35% underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass between 2009 and 2013. Thereof, 246 were included in the matched analysis. Eigthy two patients received 12.5mg Levosimendan starting at induction of anesthesia. Outcomes of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;103), isolated valve surgery/ascending aortic surgery (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;45) and those undergoing combination procedures (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;98) were analyzed separately. Additionally, multivariate regression analysis was conducted in order to identify predictors of short-term outcome parameters for different subgroups of patients.</AbstractText>Thirty days mortality rates of 16% in the Levosimendan group and 21% in the control group (OR 0.7; 95%-CI 0.36-1.5; p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.37) were observed. Levosimendan showed a positive effect on postoperative renal function. A higher rate of new-onset atrial fibrillation (OR 4.0; 95%-CI 2.2-7-2; p&#x2009;&lt;&#x2009;0.0001) was observed in the Levosimendan group. Follow-up until three years postoperatively showed no differences in long-term survival between the groups.</AbstractText>Prophylactic administration of Levosimendan did not affect overall short- and long-term outcomes. The value of prophylactic use of Levosimendan remains questionable and more data is needed to confirm subgroups that might benefit most.</AbstractText>
21,107
Characteristics and outcomes of diabetic patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator in a real world setting: results from the Israeli ICD registry.
There are limited data regarding the effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the risks of both appropriate and inappropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy. The present study was designed to compare the outcome of appropriate and inappropriate ICD therapy in patients with or without DM.</AbstractText>The risk of a first appropriate ICD therapy for ventricular tachyarrhythmias (including anti tachycardia pacing and shock) was compared between 764 DM and 1346 non-DM patients enrolled in the national Israeli ICD registry. We also compared the risks of inappropriate ICD therapy, and death or cardiac hospitalization between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Diabetic patients were older, were more likely to have ischemic cardiomyopathy, lower ejection fraction, atrial fibrillation, and other co-morbidities. The 3-year cumulative incidence of appropriate ICD therapy was similar in the DM and non-DM groups (12 and 13%, respectively, p&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.983). Multivariate analysis showed that DM did not affect the risk of appropriate ICD therapy (HR&#xa0;=&#xa0;1.07, 95% CI 0.78-1.47, p&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.694) or inappropriate therapy (HR&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.72, 95% CI 0.42-1.23, p&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.232). However, DM was associated with a 31% increased risk for death or cardiac hospitalization (p&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.005). Results were similar in subgroup analyses including ICD and defibrillators with cardiac resynchronization therapy function recipients, primary or secondary prevention indication for an ICD.</AbstractText>Despite a significant excess of cardiac hospitalizations and mortality in the diabetic population, there was no difference in the rate of ICD treatments, suggesting that the outcome difference is not related to arrhythmias.</AbstractText>
21,108
A case of extreme hypokalaemia.
Hypokalaemia is a common clinical problem. It can lead to severe disturbances in cardiac, neurological and muscle function. We present the case of a 45-year-old woman who was transported to our hospital with cardiac arrest following ventricular fibrillation. Blood sampling revealed severe acidosis (pH 7.02) and extreme hypokalaemia (0.9 mmol/l). The low serum potassium level was most likely caused by the combination of a very deficient diet and use of a thiazide diuretic. She never reported any symptoms. An acute intracellular shift of potassium due to epinephrine and perhaps also the cathecholamines in Red Bull may have further decreased the serum potassium concentration. To our knowledge, this is the lowest potassium level reported in literature. Longer-lasting hypokalaemia might be asymptomatic but when combined with even minor triggers of acute hypokalaemia, serious morbidity or mortality can suddenly occur. Patients on diuretic treatment with suspected malnutrition or chronic gastrointestinal losses require regular monitoring of electrolytes.
21,109
Surgical experience on chronic constrictive pericarditis in African setting: review of 35 years' experience in Cote d'Ivoire.
Surgical experience with chronic constrictive pericarditis (CCP) is rarely documented in Africa; the aim of this study is therefore to review our African experience with CCP from 1977 to 2012 in terms of clinical and surgical outcomes and risk factors of early death after pericardiectomy.</AbstractText>This retrospective study is related to 120 patients with CCP; there were 72 men and 48 women with an average age at 28.8&#xb1;10.4 years standard deviation (SD) (8-51 years). The main etiology was tuberculosis (99%). Symptoms secondary to systemic venous congestion were always present: patient were functionally classified according New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification: 63 patients presented in class II NYHA and 57 in class III or IV NYHA. The diagnosis confirmed by surgical report was: sub-acute CCP (n=12; 10%), fibrous CCP (n=36; 30%), calcified CCP (n=72; 60%). A pericardiectomy including an epicardiectomy with a systematic release of the ventricles was carried out in every case. Median sternotomy was frequently performed (n=117; 97.5%).</AbstractText>Fifteen early deaths (12.5%) were observed, the cause of hospital deaths was due to a low cardiac output (n=12) and to a hepatic failure (n=3). Class III or IV (NYHA) (P=0.01), mitral regurgitation (P&lt;0.05), persistent a diastolic syndrome after surgery (P&lt;0.05) and low cardiac index (CI) (P&lt;0.02) were the important risk factors. Age, size of cardiac X-ray silhouette, right and left ventricular diastolic pressures, ejection fraction (EF), atrial fibrillation and pericardial calcifications had no impact on early survival. The average follow up was 4 years (1-10 years); we lost 22 patients during follow-up. Among survivors, there was no late death; the patients were in class I or II NYHA. Post-operative catheterization evaluation (n=30) shown a significant decrease of the right and left ventricular end-diastolic pressures (P&lt;0.05), of the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) (P&lt;0.05) and of the right atrial pressure (RAP) (P&lt;0.05) and a disappearance of the lack of ventricular diastolic distensibility.</AbstractText>Based on our experience, CCP surgery can be performed safely with an acceptable hospital mortality and a significant improvement of patients' functional status at long term after surgery.</AbstractText>
21,110
Profile and outcome of sudden cardiac arrests in the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in South India.
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is one of the common emergencies encountered in the emergency department (ED) of any hospital. Although several studies have reported the predictors of CPR outcome in general, there are limited data from the EDs in India.</AbstractText>This retrospective study included all patients above 18 years with SCA who were resuscitated in the ED of a tertiary care hospital with an annual census of 60,000 patients between August 2014 and July 2015. A modified Utstein template was used for data collection. Factors relating to a sustained return of spontaneous circulation and mortality were analyzed using descriptive analytic statistics and logistic regressions.</AbstractText>The study cohort contained 254 patients, with a male predominance (64.6%). Median age was 55 (interquartile range: 42-64) years. Majority were in-hospital cardiac arrests (73.6%). Only 7.4% (5/67) of the out-of-hospital cardiac arrests received bystander resuscitation before ED arrival. The initial documented rhythm was pulseless electrical activity (PEA)/asystole in the majority (76%) of cases while shockable rhythms pulseless ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation were noted in only 8% (21/254) of cases. Overall ED-SCA survival to hospital admission was 29.5% and survival to discharge was 9.9%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed age &#x2265;65 years (odds ratio [OR]: 12.33; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.38-109.59; P</i> = 0.02) and total duration of CPR &gt;10 min (OR: 5.42; 95% CI: 1.15-25.5; P</i> = 0.03) to be independent predictors of mortality.</AbstractText>SCA in the ED is being increasingly seen in younger age groups. Despite advances in resuscitation medicine, survival rates of both in-hospital and out-of-hospital SCA remain poor. There exists a great need for improving prehospital care as well as control of risk factors to decrease the incidence and improve the outcome of SCA.</AbstractText>
21,111
Technical Aspects of Open Repair for Degenerative Aneurysmal Evolution Despite Early Thoracic Endovascular Repair of Type B Aortic Dissection.
Closure of the proximal tear by thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) at the acute phase appears to be a safe effective treatment to prevent aneurysmal degeneration type B dissection. However, it appears to be inefficient in up to a third of the patient. We report the technical aspects of our experience with patients undergoing secondary open repair after TEVAR for dissecting thoracoabdominal aneurysm despite early closure proximal tear by TEVAR.</AbstractText>During a period of 5&#xa0;years, 96 patients presenting acute type B aortic dissections were treated by TEVAR and followed-up in our institution. Among them, 5 patients experienced an evolution to a dissecting thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm. Their demographic data and initial medical conditions, delay to reintervention, operative technical details, perioperative and mid-term outcomes were collected and analyzed.</AbstractText>All 5 patients (4 male, mean age 58&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;9) were operated under peripheral normothermic bypass without deep circulatory arrest using the thoracic stent graft as an elephant trunk for completion of the proximal anastomosis. In cases of patency, the false lumen was reapproximated in the anastomosis, 6 visceral arteries were revascularized selectively. One patient died at day 1 of perioperative ventricular fibrillation due to an acute myocardial infarction. The 4 others are alive without complication after a median of 30&#xa0;months, range (13-22).</AbstractText>In our experience, TEVAR was not only efficient at the acute phase to deal with complications, but in cases of subsequent aneurysmal evolution, it made open repair even easier by avoiding very proximal cross-clamping/anastomosis and circulatory arrest.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,112
Epidemiology and genetics of ventricular fibrillation during acute myocardial infarction.
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) from ventricular fibrillation (VF) during coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of total and cardiovascular mortality, and in more than half of SCD cases VF occurs as the first symptom of CAD. Several epidemiological studies have shown that sudden death of a family member is a risk factor for SCD and VF during acute myocardial infarction (MI), independent of traditional risk factors including family history of MI, suggesting a genetic component in the susceptibility to VF. To prevent SCD and VF due to MI, we need a better understanding of the genetic and molecular mechanisms causing VF in this apparently healthy population. Even though new insights and technologies have become available, the genetic predisposition to VF during MI remains poorly understood. Findings from a variety of different genetic studies have failed to reach reproducibility, although several genetic variants, both common and rare variants, have been associated to either VF or SCD. For this review, we searched PubMed for potentially relevant articles, using the following MeSH-terms: "sudden cardiac death", "ventricular fibrillation", "out-of-hospital cardiac arrest", "myocardial infarction, myocardial ischemia", "coronary artery disease", and "genetics". This review describes the epidemiology and evidence for genetic susceptibility to VF due to MI.
21,113
[Successful Resuscitation Using Percutaneous Cardiopulmonary Support in a Woman with Acute Heart Failure during a Thyroid Storm].
Thyroid storm is a rare, life-threatening condition characterized by severe manifestations of thyrotoxico- sis. Acute heart failure is one of the well-known com- plications of thyrotoxicosis. Thyrotoxicosis-induced heart failure sometimes causes circulatory collapse with high mortality. A 43-year-old woman had palpitations and exertional dyspnea without medical history. She developed con- gestive heart failure, due to tachycardiac atrial fibrilla- tion with no acute ischemic changes. High serum level of FT3 and FT4, and low level of TSH were shown in thyroid function tests, and thyromegaly in carotid ultrasound test She was admitted to the intensive care unit for acute heart failure caused by thyroid storm. Two days after admission, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and endotracheal intubation were necessary due to sudden cardiac arrest Transthoracic echocardiogram showed normal cardiac function after successful resuscitation. Five days after admission, her condition deteriorated with severe cardiac dysfunction, and she received PCPS (percutaneous cardiopulmonary support) for cardiovascular collapse resulting in persistent tachy- cardiac atrial fibrillation. Ten days after initiation of PCPS, the patient's cardiovascular function improved with estimated left ventricular ejection fraction of 50 percent and she was weaned off PCPS. In the case of acute heart failure with untreated hyperthyroid and refractory atrial fibrillation, careful hemodynamic management is required to avoid cardio- vascular collapse.
21,114
Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Left&#xa0;Ventricular Assist Devices: Incidence, Predictors, and Clinical Outcomes.
This study sought to determine the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and its association with cardiac outcomes in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs).</AbstractText>LVADs are pivotal treatments for end-stage heart failure and a critical bridge to heart transplantation.</AbstractText>Medical records of 249 consecutive patients who received an LVAD at Columbia University Medical Center were reviewed. Patient demographics, clinical variables, medications, and outcomes were recorded. Descriptive statistics were generated, and multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the independent association of clinical variables with the presence of AF.</AbstractText>Overall, AF was documented in 80 patients (32%) following LVAD placement. Before LVAD placement, 182 patients had no history of AF, whereas 67 patients had documented AF. Among these 67 patients, 56 (84%) continued to have AF following LVAD placement; 24 patients without a history of AF (13%) developed AF after LVAD placement. Patients manifesting AF after LVAD placement were more likely to have had AF before LVAD insertion (p&#xa0;&lt; 0.001). There were no significant differences in risk of stroke or death for patients with AF before or following LVAD insertion.</AbstractText>AF is common in patients with LVADs, with 32% manifesting AF after placement of their LVAD, including 13% without a prior documented history of AF. The presence of AF was not associated with increased risk of death or stroke.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,115
Discontinuation of Dofetilide From QT&#xa0;Prolongation and Ventricular Tachycardia in&#xa0;the&#xa0;Real&#xa0;World.
The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and correlates of QT prolongation or ventricular tachycardia (VT) resulting in discontinuation of dofetilide in a real-world setting.</AbstractText>Dofetilide is a class III antiarrhythmic agent approved for achieving and maintaining sinus rhythm in patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation. Because of a risk of QT prolongation and VT, patients starting dofetilide need to be hospitalized for 3 days to closely monitor telemetry and electrocardiography. In large clinical trials,&#xa0;&lt;3% of patients had to discontinue dofetilide because of QT prolongation, but data from real-world experience are lacking.</AbstractText>We examined 114 consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation who were hospitalized for starting dofetilide at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System from 2011 to&#xa0;2014.</AbstractText>The mean age of the patients was 64 &#xb1; 8 years. Dofetilide was discontinued in 22 (19%) patients because of QT prolongation (17%) or VT (2%). A total of 32 (28%) patients were taking other QT-prolonging drugs. Of these, 10&#xa0;(31%) had to discontinue dofetilide versus 12 (15%) of the 82 patients who were not taking any other QT-prolonging drugs (p&#xa0;= 0.04). Patients who were taking concomitant QT-prolonging drugs were 1.9 times more likely to discontinue dofetilide (95% confidence interval: 1.1 to 3.4; p&#xa0;= 0.04) compared with those who were not taking any other QT-prolonging drugs.</AbstractText>The incidence of QT prolongation or VT that lead to discontinuation of dofetilide is remarkably higher in the real-world setting than in clinical trials. Concomitant use of other QT-prolonging drugs was associated with discontinuation of dofetilide.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,116
Safety of regadenoson stress testing in patients with pulmonary hypertension.
We sought to determine the safety of regadenoson stress testing in patients with PH.</AbstractText>PH is increasingly recognized at more advanced ages. As many as one-third of patients with PH have coronary artery disease. Because of their physical limitations, patients with PH are unable to adequately exercise. Regadenoson can potentially have an adverse impact due to their tenuous hemodynamics. Current guidelines suggest performing a coronary angiography in patients with PH who have angina or multiple coronary risk factors.</AbstractText>We identified 67 consecutive patients with confirmed PH by catheterization (mean PA&#xa0;&gt;&#xa0;25&#xa0;mmHg not due to left heart disease) who underwent MPI with regadenoson stress. Medical records were reviewed to determine hemodynamic and ECG response to regadenoson.</AbstractText>No serious events occurred. Common side effects related to regadenoson were observed, dyspnea being the most common (70.6%). No syncope occurred. Heart rate increased from 74.6&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;14 to 96.3&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;18.3&#xa0;bpm, systolic blood pressure increased from 129.8&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;20.9 to 131.8&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;31&#xa0;mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure decreased from 77.1&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;11.4 to 72.9&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;15.3&#xa0;mmHg. There was no ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, or second- or third-degree atrioventricular block.</AbstractText>Regadenoson stress MPI appears to be well tolerated and safe in patients with PH.</AbstractText>
21,117
Cheyne-stokes respiration during wakefulness in patients with chronic heart failure.
Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) during sleep has been studied extensively in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Prevalence and prognostic significance of CSR during wakefulness in CHF, however, are largely unknown.</AbstractText>CSR during wakefulness with an apnea-hypopnea cut-off &#x2265;5/h and moderate to severe CSR with an apnea-hypopnea cutoff &#x2265;15/h were analyzed using polysomnographic recordings in 267 patients with stable CHF with reduced left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction at our institution. Primary endpoint during follow-up was heart transplant-free survival.</AbstractText>Fifty of 267 patients (19%) had CSR during wakefulness and 73 of 267 patients (27%) had CSR during sleep. CSR during wakefulness was associated with advanced age, atrial fibrillation, decreased LV ejection fraction, increased LV end-diastolic diameter, brain natriuretic peptide, New York Heart Failure class, and CSR during sleep. During 43&#xa0;months mean follow-up, 67 patients (25%) died and 4 patients (1%) underwent heart transplantation. Multivariate Cox analysis identified age, male gender, chronic kidney disease, and LV ejection fraction as predictors of reduced transplant-free survival. CSR during wakefulness with an apnea-hypopnea cutoff &#x2265;5/h as well as moderate to severe CSR while awake using an apnea-hypopnea cutoff &#x2265;15/h did not predict reduced transplant-free survival independently from confounding factors.</AbstractText>CSR during wakefulness appears to be a marker of heart failure severity.</AbstractText>
21,118
Polymorphisms in the GNAS Gene as Predictors of Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death: Results From the DISCOVERY Trial and Oregon Sudden Unexpected Death Study.
Population-based studies suggest that genetic factors contribute to sudden cardiac death (SCD).</AbstractText>In the first part of the present study (Diagnostic Data Influence on Disease Management and Relation of Genetic Polymorphisms to Ventricular Tachy-arrhythmia in ICD Patients [DISCOVERY] trial) Cox regression was done to determine if 7 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 3 genes coding G-protein subunits (GNB3, GNAQ, GNAS) were associated with ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VT) in 1145 patients receiving an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). In the second part of the study, SNPs significantly associated with VT were further investigated in 1335 subjects from the Oregon SUDS, a community-based study analyzing causes of SCD. In the DISCOVERY trial, genotypes of 2 SNPs in the GNAS gene were nominally significant in the prospective screening and significantly associated with VT when viewed as recessive traits in post hoc analyses (TT vs CC/CT in c.393C&gt;T: HR 1.42 [CI 1.11-1.80], P=0.005; TT vs CC/CT in c.2273C&gt;T: HR 1.57 [CI 1.18-2.09], P=0.002). TT genotype in either SNP was associated with a HR of 1.58 (CI 1.26-1.99) (P=0.0001). In the Oregon SUDS cohort significant evidence for association with SCD was observed for GNAS c.393C&gt;T under the additive (P=0.039, OR=1.21 [CI 1.05-1.45]) and recessive (P=0.01, OR=1.52 [CI 1.10-2.13]) genetic models.</AbstractText>GNAS harbors 2 SNPs that were associated with an increased risk for VT in ICD patients, of which 1 was successfully replicated in a community-based population of SCD cases. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of a gene variant identified by ICD VT monitoring as a surrogate parameter for SCD and also confirmed in the general population.</AbstractText>URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00478933.</AbstractText>&#xa9; 2016 The Authors and Medtronic. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.</CopyrightInformation>
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Early, de novo atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting: Facts and features.
Knowledge of the mechanism underlying post-operative atrial fibrillation (PoAF) is essential for development of preventive measures. The incidence and characteristics of both PoAF and supraventricular premature beats triggering PoAF, their interrelationship and alterations over time have never been examined. The goal of this study is therefore to examine the correlation between the incidence and characteristics of supraventricular premature beats (SVPBs) and PoAF episodes in patients undergoing CABG in the first five post-operative days.</AbstractText>PoAF episodes (N=327) and SVPBs (N=141,873) were characterized in 29 patients (63&#xb1;9 years; 22 (76%) male) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and compared with a control group of patients without PoAF by using continuous cardiac rhythm monitoring during the first 5 days after surgery.</AbstractText>Most patients (N=18, 62%) had multiple PoAF episodes; the median number of PoAF episodes per patient was 3 and varied between 1 and 139. The majority of PoAF episodes developed on the second and third post-operative day (55%). The averaged median duration of PoAF episodes per patient was 469&#xb1;1085 min. Patients with PoAF had a higher SVPBs burden compared to subjects without PoAF (0.9% vs 0.2%, P&lt;.001). SVPBs initiating PoAF had shorter coupling intervals than SVPBs which did not initiate PoAF episodes (58% vs 64% (P&lt;.001) and were preceded by heart rate acceleration.</AbstractText>PoAF episodes are mainly repetitive though transient in nature. There was a considerable inter-individual variation in both AF and SVPB characteristics, despite a similar underlying clinical profile. The SVPB burden is higher in patients with PoAF and the mode of onset is characterized by short coupled SVPBs. Determination of individual post-operative dysrhythmia profiles enables identification of patients at risk for developing PoAF.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
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Safety profile and utility of treadmill exercise in patients with high-gradient hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Exercise echocardiography in the evaluation of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) provides valuable information for risk stratification, selection of optimal treatment, and prognostication. However, HCM patients with left ventricular outflow tract gradients &#x2265;30mm Hg are often excluded from exercise testing because of safety considerations. We examined the safety and utility of exercise testing in patients with high-gradient HCM.</AbstractText>We evaluated clinical characteristics, hemodynamics, and imaging variables in 499 consecutive patients with HCM who performed 959 exercise tests. Patients were divided based on peak left ventricular outflow tract gradients using a 30-mm Hg threshold into the following: obstructive (n=152), labile-obstructive (n=178), and nonobstructive (n=169) groups.</AbstractText>There were no deaths during exercise testing. We noted 20 complications (2.1% of tests) including 3 serious ventricular arrhythmias (0.3% of tests). There was no difference in complication rate between groups. Patients with obstructive HCM had a higher frequency of abnormal blood pressure response (obstructive: 53% vs labile: obstructive: 41% and nonobstructive: 37%; P=.008). Obstructive patients also displayed a lower work capacity (obstructive: 8.4&#xb1;3.4 vs labile obstructive: 10.9&#xb1;4.2 and nonobstructive: 10.2&#xb1;4.0, metabolic equivalent; P&lt;.001). Exercise testing provided incremental information regarding sudden cardiac death risk in 19% of patients with high-gradient HCM, and we found a poor correlation between patient-reported functional class and work capacity.</AbstractText>Our results suggest that exercise testing in HCM is safe, and serious adverse events are rare. Although numbers are limited, exercise testing in high-gradient HCM appears to confer no significant additional safety hazard in our selected cohort and could potentially provide valuable information.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
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[A case of Brugada syndrome which developed status epilepticus].
A 35-year-old man showed a convulsive attack with consciousness loss and was suspected of having Brugada syndrome 6 months prior to admission to our hospital. At the initial examination, the patient showed conjugate deviation, followed by left limb convulsions and consciousness loss. He regained consciousness after 1 minute, though cardiac arrest from ventricular fibrillation was noted during an electroencephalography (EEG) examination. Sinus rhythm recovered with defibrillation, though the convulsions persisted and a Status Epilepticus developed. The patient was diagnosed with Brugada syndrome and received implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). After ICD, he has suffered no further convulsive attacks. Brugada syndrome is an inheritable cardiac disease causing sudden death by ventricular fibrillation. It is important to consider both epilepsy and arrhythmia in diagnosis of the seizures.
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Differences in the onset mode of ventricular tachyarrhythmia between patients with J wave in anterior leads and those with J wave in inferolateral leads.
The pathophysiological mechanism of J wave in anterior leads (A-leads) and inferolateral leads (L-leads) remains unclear.</AbstractText>We investigated the onset mode and circadian distribution of ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA) episodes between patients with early repolarization syndrome (ERS) and Brugada syndrome (BrS).</AbstractText>The study enrolled 35 patients with ERS and 52 patients with type 1 BrS with spontaneous ventricular fibrillation who were divided into 4 groups: ERS(A+L) (n = 15), patients with ERS who had a non-type 1 Brugada pattern electrocardiogram in any A-leads (second to fourth intercostal spaces) in control and/or after drug provocation tests; ERS(L) (n = 20), patients with ERS with J wave only in L-leads; BrS(A) (n = 24), patients with BrS without J wave in L-leads; and BrS(A+L) (n = 28), patients with BrS with J wave in L-leads. The onset mode of 206 VTAs obtained from electrocardiograms or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators and the circadian distribution of 352 VTAs were investigated in the 4 groups.</AbstractText>Three groups with J wave in A-leads, ERS(A+L), BrS(A), and BrS(A+L), had higher incidences of nocturnal (63%, 43%, and 47%, respectively) and sudden onset VTAs (67%, 97%, and 86%, respectively) with longer coupling intervals of premature ventricular contractions (388.8, 397.3, and 385.6 ms, respectively) than the ERS(L) group with J wave only in L-leads (25%, P = .0019; 19%, P &lt; .0001; and 330.6 ms, P = .0004, respectively), the last of which mainly displayed VTAs with a short-long-short sequence.</AbstractText>The onset mode of VTAs was different between patients with J wave in A-leads and patients with J wave in only L-leads. The underlying mechanism of J wave may differ between A-leads and L-leads.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
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Relation of red blood cell distribution width with CHADS<sub>2</sub> and CHA<sub>2</sub>DS<sub>2</sub>-VASc score in Chinese patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.
Higher red cell distribution width (RDW) predicts adverse events in patients with cardiovascular diseases. However, there are limited data regarding the relationship between RDW and thromboembolism risk in the patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to investigate the association between RDW and CHADS2, CHA2DS2-VASc scores used for the evaluation of thromboembolic risk in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF).</AbstractText>Our study included 99 patients with AF (68 paroxysmal AF; 31 persistent AF). We calculated CHADS2</sub> and CHA2</sub>DS2</sub>-VASc risk scores for each patient, and we carefully recorded clinical characteristics as well as laboratory and echocardiographic parameters. According to CHADS2</sub> and CHA2</sub>DS2</sub>-VASc scores, we divided the AF patients into 2 groups (low-intermediate risk and high risk group). Subsequently, we compared the aforementioned parameters between the 2 groups, and we evaluated the relationship between RDW and CHADS2</sub>/CHA2DS2</sub>-VASc score. Finally, multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to find independent predictors of high CHADS2</sub>, CHA2</sub>DS2</sub>-VASc scores.</AbstractText>Patients with high CHADS2</sub>, CHA2</sub>DS2</sub>-VASc scores had older age, higher RDW, and creatinine levels, increased left atrial diameter and lower left ventricular ejection fraction, compared to the low CHADS2</sub>, CHA2</sub>DS2</sub>-VASc score group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that RDW was an independent predictor for high CHADS2</sub>, CHA2</sub>DS2</sub>-VASc scores(OR: 2.184 and OR: 5.748; all P&lt;0.05).</AbstractText>RDW is significantly correlated with CHADS2</sub> and CHA2</sub>DS2</sub>-VASc score in the patients with AF, while is an independent predictor for high CHADS2</sub> and CHA2</sub>DS2</sub>-VASc score.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
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The wearable cardioverter-defibrillator in a real-world clinical setting: experience in 102 consecutive patients.
The wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) is used for temporary protection of patients deemed to be at high risk for sudden death (SCD) not yet meeting indications for the implantable defibrillator (ICD).</AbstractText>To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and compliance of/to WCD use and subsequent medium-term outcome of patients in a single-center observational study.</AbstractText>A total of 102 consecutive patients were fitted with the WCD from 2012 to 2015 and followed for a mean of 11&#xa0;months (&#xb1;8&#xa0;months).</AbstractText>The most common clinical indication for WCD-prescription (63%) was a new diagnosis of severely impaired LV function (LVEF &#x2264;35%). The median wear time of the WCD was 54&#xa0;days with a daily use of 23&#xa0;h. Appropriate WCD therapy occurred in four patients (seven shocks for VF, one shock for VT). An ICD was finally implanted in 56 patients (55%). Improvement in LV function was the most common reason not to implant an ICD (HR 0.37; 95% CI 0.19-0.73; p&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.004). Two patients had inappropriate shocks from their WCD due to atrial fibrillation/flutter. Five patients fitted with an ICD after the end of WCD therapy suffered VT/VF episodes. After wearing the WCD, six patients died (five ICD recipients and one non-ICD recipient).</AbstractText>WCD therapy was well accepted by patients and provided temporary protection against ventricular tachyarrhythmias in patients at risk for SCD. The WCD may help to avoid unnecessary ICD implantations in a significant proportion of patients.</AbstractText>
21,125
Association of Preoperative Right and Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction With Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Undergoing Lung Surgery: A Prospective Observational Study.
To clarify the relationship between right and left ventricular (RV and LV) diastolic function and postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF). The early effects of major lung surgery on cardiac function in the intraoperative period during lung surgery were evaluated, using transesophageal echocardiography.</AbstractText>Single-center prospective observational study.</AbstractText>A public hospital.</AbstractText>Patients undergoing elective lobectomy with lymph node dissection for lung cancer (n = 116).</AbstractText>Transesophageal echocardiography examination was performed under general anesthesia before skin incision (preoperative) and after chest closure (postoperative). According to measured echocardiographic variables, ventricular systolic and diastolic functions were classified at each time point.</AbstractText>Of the 116 patients, 24 (20.7%) experienced POAF. Preoperative RV and LV diastolic dysfunction were more common in patients with POAF than in those without POAF (58.3 v 28.3%, p = 0.008; 54.2 v 19.6%, p = 0.001, respectively). Among patients without preoperative diastolic dysfunction, a small number developed RV and LV diastolic dysfunction immediately after surgery (9.2% and 16.5%, respectively) and these distributions were comparable between patients with POAF and those without POAF. RV systolic dysfunction was observed in 6.5% of patients immediately after surgery and was not related to the occurrence of POAF. Multivariate analysis revealed older age, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and preoperative biventricular diastolic dysfunction as risk factors for POAF.</AbstractText>Preoperative biventricular diastolic dysfunction, as well as older age and COPD, are associated with POAF in patients undergoing lobectomy. Major lung surgery has minimal early effects on postoperative systolic and diastolic functions.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,126
Electrophysiology in the Developing World: Challenges and Opportunities.
As a subset of the growing epidemic of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), the significant burdens of heart rhythm disorders also increase. Effective diagnostic and treatment modalities exist, but financial resources and expertise are limited. Cost-effective strategies exist to address most of these limitations, but many surmountable barriers need to be overcome to introduce and improve electrophysiologic care in LMICs. In this article, current and potential solutions are offered for the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of managing bradyarrhythmias and tachyarrhythmias.
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Integration of intracardiac echocardiography and computed tomography during atrial fibrillation ablation: Combining ultrasound contours obtained from the right atrium and ventricular outflow tract.
We aimed to optimize the acquisition of the left atrial (LA) and pulmonary vein (PV) ultrasound contours for more accurate integration of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) and computed tomography (CT) using the CARTO&#xae;</sup> 3 system during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation.</AbstractText>Eighty-five AF patients underwent integration of ICE and CT using (1) the LA roof and posterior wall contours acquired from the right atrium (RA), (2) all LA/PV contours from the RA (Whole-RA-integration), (3) the LA roof/posterior wall contours from the RA and right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) (Posterior-RA/RV-integration), and (4) all LA/PV contours from the RA and RVOT (Whole-RA/RV-integration). The integration accuracy was compared using the (1) surface registration error, (2) distances between the three-dimensional CT and eight specific sites on the anterior, posterior, superior, and inferior aspects of the right and left circumferential PV isolation lines, and (3) registration score: a score of 0 or 1 was assigned for whether or not each specific site was visually aligned with the CT, and summed for each method (0 best, 8 worst).</AbstractText>Posterior-RA/RV-integration revealed a significantly lower surface registration error (1.30&#xb1;0.15mm) than Whole-RA- and Whole-RA/RV-integration (p&lt;0.001). The mean distances of the eight specific sites and the registration score for Posterior-RA/RV-integration (median 1.26mm and 2, respectively) were significantly smaller than those for the other integration approaches (p&lt;0.001).</AbstractText>Image integration with the LA roof and posterior wall contours acquired from the RA and RVOT may provide greater accuracy for catheter navigation with three-dimensional CT during AF ablation.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
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36th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine : Brussels, Belgium. 15-18 March 2016.
P001 - Sepsis impairs the capillary response within hypoxic capillaries and decreases erythrocyte oxygen-dependent ATP efflux R. M. Bateman, M. D. Sharpe, J. E. Jagger, C. G. Ellis P002 - Lower serum immunoglobulin G2 level does not predispose to severe flu. J. Sol&#xe9;-Viol&#xe1;n, M. L&#xf3;pez-Rodr&#xed;guez, E. Herrera-Ramos, J. Ru&#xed;z-Hern&#xe1;ndez, L. Border&#xed;as, J. Horcajada, N. Gonz&#xe1;lez-Quevedo, O. Rajas, M. Briones, F. Rodr&#xed;guez de Castro, C. Rodr&#xed;guez Gallego P003 - Brain protective effects of intravenous immunoglobulin through inhibition of complement activation and apoptosis in a rat model of sepsis F. Esen, G. Orhun, P. Ergin Ozcan, E. Senturk, C. Ugur Yilmaz, N. Orhan, N. Arican, M. Kaya, M. Kucukerden, M. Giris, U. Akcan, S. Bilgic Gazioglu, E. Tuzun P004 - Adenosine a1 receptor dysfunction is associated with leukopenia: A possible mechanism for sepsis-induced leukopenia R. Riff, O. Naamani, A. Douvdevani P005 - Analysis of neutrophil by hyper spectral imaging - A preliminary report R. Takegawa, H. Yoshida, T. Hirose, N. Yamamoto, H. Hagiya, M. Ojima, Y. Akeda, O. Tasaki, K. Tomono, T. Shimazu P006 - Chemiluminescent intensity assessed by eaa predicts the incidence of postoperative infectious complications following gastrointestinal surgery S. Ono, T. Kubo, S. Suda, T. Ueno, T. Ikeda P007 - Serial change of c1 inhibitor in patients with sepsis &#x2013; A prospective observational study T. Hirose, H. Ogura, H. Takahashi, M. Ojima, J. Kang, Y. Nakamura, T. Kojima, T. Shimazu P008 - Comparison of bacteremia and sepsis on sepsis related biomarkers T. Ikeda, S. Suda, Y. Izutani, T. Ueno, S. Ono P009 - The changes of procalcitonin levels in critical patients with abdominal septic shock during blood purification T. Taniguchi, M. O P010 - Validation of a new sensitive point of care device for rapid measurement of procalcitonin C. Dinter, J. Lotz, B. Eilers, C. Wissmann, R. Lott P011 - Infection biomarkers in primary care patients with acute respiratory tract infections &#x2013; Comparison of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein M. M. Meili, P. S. Schuetz P012 - Do we need a lower procalcitonin cut off? H. Hawa, M. Sharshir, M. Aburageila, N. Salahuddin P013 - The predictive role of C-reactive protein and procalcitonin biomarkers in central nervous system infections with extensively drug resistant bacteria V. Chantziara, S. Georgiou, A. Tsimogianni, P. Alexandropoulos, A. Vassi, F. Lagiou, M. Valta, G. Micha, E. Chinou, G. Michaloudis P014 - Changes in endotoxin activity assay and procalcitonin levels after direct hemoperfusion with polymyxin-b immobilized fiber A. Kodaira, T. Ikeda, S. Ono, T. Ueno, S. Suda, Y. Izutani, H. Imaizumi P015 - Diagnostic usefullness of combination biomarkers on ICU admission M. V. De la Torre-Prados, A. Garcia-De la Torre, A. Enguix-Armada, A. Puerto-Morlan, V. Perez-Valero, A. Garcia-Alcantara P016 - Platelet function analysis utilising the PFA-100 does not predict infection, bacteraemia, sepsis or outcome in critically ill patients N. Bolton, J. Dudziak, S. Bonney, A. Tridente, P. Nee P017 - Extracellular histone H3 levels are inversely correlated with antithrombin levels and platelet counts and are associated with mortality in sepsis patients G. Nicolaes, M. Wiewel, M. Schultz, K. Wildhagen, J. Horn, R. Schrijver, T. Van der Poll, C. Reutelingsperger P018 - Il-8: is this a more reliable biomarker for sepsis severity than CRP, Procalcitonin, E-selectin, IL-6 and TNF-[alpha] S. Pillai, G. Davies, G. Mills, R. Aubrey, K. Morris, P. Williams, P. Evans P019 - Relation between adrenomedullin and short-term outcome in ICU patients: Results from the frog ICU study E. G. Gayat, J. Struck, A. Cariou, N. Deye, B. Guidet, S. Jabert, J. Launay, M. Legrand, M. L&#xe9;one, M. Resche-Rigon, E. Vicaut, A. Vieillard-Baron, A. Mebazaa P020 - Impact of disease severity assessment on performance of heparin-binding protein for the prediction of septic shock R. Arnold, M. Capan, A. Linder, P. Akesson P021 - Kinetics and prognostic value of presepsin (sCD14) in septic patients. A pilot study M. Popescu, D. Tomescu P022 - Comparison of CD64 levels performed by the facs and accellix systems C. L. Sprung, R. Calderon Morales, G. Munteanu, E. Orenbuch-Harroch, P. Levin, H. Kasdan, A. Reiter, T. Volker, Y. Himmel, Y. Cohen, J. Meissonnier P023 - Diagnosing sepsis in 5&#xa0;minutes: Nanofluidic technology study with pancreatic-stone protein (PSP/ reg) L. Girard, F. Rebeaud P024 - How nanotechnology-based approaches could contribute to sepsis prevention, diagnosis and treatment I. Herrmann P025 - Il7r transcriptional expression analysis during septic shock B. Delwarde, E. Peronnet, E. Cerrato, F. Venet, A. Lepape, T. Rimmel&#xe9;, G. Monneret, J. Textoris P026 - Disbalance of microbial metabolites of aromatic acids affects the severity in critically ill patients N. Beloborodova, V. Moroz, A. Osipov, A. Bedova, Y. Sarshor, A. Pautova, A. Sergeev, E. Chernevskaya P027 - Copeptin predicts 10-year all-cause mortality in community patients J. Odermatt, R. Bolliger, L. Hersberger, M. Ottiger, M. Christ-Crain, B. Mueller, P. Schuetz P028 - Identification of differential proteomic response in septic patients secondary to community and hospital acquired pneumonia N. K. Sharma, A. K. Tashima, M. K. Brunialti, F. R. Machado, M. Assuncao, O. Rigato, R. Salomao P029 - Monocyte HLA-DR expression in community-acquired bacteremic sepsis - dynamics associated to aetiology and prediction of secondary sepsis S. C. Cajander, G. Rasmussen, E. Tina, B. S&#xf6;derquist, J. K&#xe4;llman, K. Str&#xe5;lin P030 - Soluble B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator: A possible prognostic marker in sepsis A. L. Lange, J. S. Sund&#xe9;n-Cullberg, A. M. Magnuson, O. H. Hultgren P031 - Fractal dimension: A new biomarker for quantifying clot microstructure in patients across the sepsis spectrum G. Davies, S. Pillai, G. Mills, R. Aubrey, K. Morris, P. Williams, P. Evans P032 - Comparison between the new biomarker for coagulation, clot microstructure (Df) with rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) in patients across the sepsis spectrum S. Pillai, G. Davies, G. Mills, R. Aubrey, K. Morris, P. Williams, P. Evans P033 - Changes in fibrinolysis across the sepsis spectrum: The use of rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) lysis index (LI60) and D-Dimer concentration S. Pillai, G. Davies, G. Mills, R. Aubrey, K. Morris, P. Williams, P. Evans P034 - The intensive care infection score &#x2013; a promising marker for the prediction of infection and its severity. P. Van der Geest, M. Mohseni, J. Linssen, R. De Jonge, S. Duran, J. Groeneveld P035 - Challenges in the clinical diagnosis of sepsis R. Miller III, B. K. Lopansri, L. C. McHugh, A. Seldon, J. P. Burke P036 - Does zero heat flux thermometry more accurately identify sepsis on intensive care? J. Johnston, R. Reece-Anthony, A. Bond, A. Molokhia P037 - Advancing quality (AQ) sepsis programme: Improving early identification &amp; treatment of sepsis in North West England. C. Mcgrath, E. Nsutebu P038 - Prehospital transport of acute septic patients P. Bank Pedersen, D. Pilsgaard Henriksen, S. Mikkelsen, A. Touborg Lassen P039 - Vasodilatory plant extracts gel as an alternative treatment for fever in critically ill patients R. Tincu, C. Cobilinschi, D. Tomescu, Z. Ghiorghiu, R. Macovei P040 - Host response and outcome of hypothermic sepsis M. A. Wiewel, M. B. Harmon, L. A. Van Vught, B. P. Scicluna, A. J. Hoogendijk, J. Horn, A. H. Zwinderman, O. L. Cremer, M. J. Bonten, M. J. Schultz, T. Van der Poll, N. P. Juffermans, W. J. Wiersinga P041 - Septic shock alert over SIRS criteria has an impact on outcome but needs to be revised G. Eren, Y Tekdos, M. Dogan, O. Acicbe, E. Kaya, O. Hergunsel P042 - Association between previous prescription of &#x3b2;blockers and mortality rate among septic patients: A retrospective observational study S. Alsolamy, G. Ghamdi, L. Alswaidan, S. Alharbi, F. Alenezi, Y. Arabi P043 - Recognition and treatment of sepsis on labour ward&#x2013; teaching &amp; information resources can improve knowledge J. Heaton, A. Boyce, L. Nolan, J. Johnston, A. Dukoff-Gordon, A. Dean, A. Molokhia P044 - Culture negative sepsis in the ICU &#x2013; what is unique to this patient population? T. Mann Ben Yehudah P045 - Organ dysfunction in severe sepsis patients identified in administrative data in Germany, 2007-2013 C. Fleischmann, D. Thomas-Rueddel, C. Haas, U. Dennler, K. Reinhart P046 - A comparison of residents&#x2019; knowledge regarding; the Surviving Sepsis Campaign 2012 guideline O. Suntornlohanakul, B. Khwannimit P047 - Effectiveness of a septic shock bundle to improve outcomes in the ICU F. Breckenridge, A. Puxty P048 - Dose of norepinephrine in the first 24&#xa0;hours as a parameter evaluating the effectiveness of treatment in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock P. Szturz, P. Folwarzcny, J. Svancara, R. Kula, P. Sevcik P049 - Norepinephrine or vasopressin&#x2009;+&#x2009;norepinephrine in septic shock. A retrospective series of 39 patients L. Caneva, A. Casazza, E. Bellazzi, S. Marra, L. Pagani, M. Vetere, R. Vanzino, D. Ciprandi, R. Preda, R. Boschi, L. Carnevale P050 - Methylene blue effectiveness as contributory treatment in patients with septic shock V. Lopez, M. Aguilar Arzapalo, L. Barradas, A. Escalante, J. Gongora, M. Cetina P051 - Coagulation disorders in patients with severe sepsis and DIC evaluated with thromboelastometry. B Adamik, D Jakubczyk, A K&#xfc;bler P052 - Frequency and outcome of early sepsis-associated coagulopathy A. Radford, T. Lee, J. Singer, J. Boyd, D. Fineberg, M. Williams, J. Russell P053 - Assessment of coagulopathy in cancer patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. A case-control pilot study E. Scarlatescu, D. Tomescu, G. Droc, S. Arama P054 - Thromboelastometry in critically ill patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation M. M&#xfc;ller, M. Straat, S. S. Zeerleder, N. P. Juffermans P055 - Cessation of a preexisting chronic antiplatelet therapy is associated with increased mortality rates in severe sepsis and septic shock C. F. Fuchs, C. S. Scheer, S. W. Wauschkuhn, M. V. Vollmer, K. M. Meissner, S. K. Kuhn, K. H. Hahnenkamp, S. R. Rehberg, M. G. Gr&#xfc;ndling P056 - Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) production under hypoxic condition N. Yamamoto, M. Ojima, S. Hamaguchi, T. Hirose, Y. Akeda, R. Takegawa, O. Tasaki, T. Shimazu, K. Tomono P057 - Impact of ultraviolet air sterilizer in intensive care unit room, and clinical outcomes of patients E. G&#xf3;mez-S&#xe1;nchez, M. Heredia-Rodr&#xed;guez, E. &#xc1;lvarez-Fuente, M. Lorenzo-L&#xf3;pez, E. G&#xf3;mez-Pesquera, M. Arag&#xf3;n-Camino, P. Liu-Zhu, A. S&#xe1;nchez-L&#xf3;pez, A. Hern&#xe1;ndez-Lozano, M. T. Pel&#xe1;ez-Jare&#xf1;o, E. Tamayo P058 - Focus of infection in severe sepsis - comparison of administrative data and prospective cohorts from Germany D. O. Thomas-R&#xfc;ddel, C. Fleischmann, C. Haas, U. Dennler, K. Reinhart P059 - &#x201c;Zero CLABSI&#x201d; &#x2013; can we get there? Obstacles on the 4&#xa0;year journey and our strategies to overcome them &#x2013; experience from an Indian ICU V. Adora, A. Kar, A. Chakraborty, S. Roy, A. Bandyopadhyay, M. Das P060 - Novel molecular techniques to identify central venous catheter (CVC) associated blood stream infections (BSIs) T. Mann Ben Yehudah, G. Ben Yehudah, M. Salim, N. Kumar, L. Arabi, T. Burger, P. Lephart, E. Toth-martin P061 - Zero clabsi&#x201d; &#x2013; can we get there? Obstacles on the 4&#xa0;year journey and our strategies to overcome them &#x2013; experience from an Indian ICU R. Rao, A. Kar, A. Chakraborty P062 - Prevention of central line-associated bloodstream infections in intensive care units: An international online survey C. Valencia, N. Hammami, S. Blot, J. L. Vincent, M. L. Lambert P063 - 30&#xa0;days antimicrobial efficacy of non-leaching central venous catheters J. Brunke, T. Riemann, I. Roschke P064 - Efficacy of noble metal alloy-coated catheter in prevention of bacteriuria R. Tincu, C. Cobilinschi, D. Tomescu, Z. Ghiorghiu, R. Macovei P065 - Predicting bacteremic urinary tract infection in community setting: A prospective observational study S. Nimitvilai, K. Jintanapramote, S. Jarupongprapa P066 - Eight-year analysis of acinetobacter spp. monobacteremia in surgical and medical intensive care units at university hospital in Lithuania D. Adukauskiene, D. Valanciene P067 - Group A and group B streptococcal infections in intensive care unit &#x2013; our experience in a tertiary centre G. Bose, V. Lostarakos, B. Carr P068 - Improved detection of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis by uritop&#x2009;+&#x2009;tm strip test and inoculation of blood culture bottles with ascitic fluid S. Khedher, A. Maaoui, A. Ezzamouri, M. Salem P069 - Increased risk of cellulitis in patients with congestive heart failure: a population based cohort study J. Chen P070 - Outcomes of severe cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis in the critically ill D. R. Cranendonk, L. A. Van Vught, M. A. Wiewel, O. L. Cremer, J. Horn, M. J. Bonten, M. J. Schultz, T. Van der Poll, W. J. Wiersinga P071 - Botulism outbreak associated with people who inject drugs (PWIDs) in Scotland. M. Day, G. Penrice, K. Roy, P. Robertson, G. Godbole, B. Jones, M. Booth, L. Donaldson P072 - Surveillance of ESBL-producing enterobacteriaceae fecal carriers in the ICU Y. Kawano, H. Ishikura P073 - Prevalence of ESBL and carbapenemase producing uropathogens in a newly opened hospital in south India S. Sreevidya, N. Brahmananda Reddy, P. Muraray Govind, R. Pratheema, J. Devachandran Apollo Speciality Hospital - OMR, Chennai, India P074 - Prevalence, risk factors and outcomes of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization in critically ill patients H. Al-Dorzi, M. Almutairi, B. Alhamadi, A. Crizaldo Toledo, R. Khan, B. Al Raiy, Y. Arabi P075 - Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infection in intensive care unit patients in a hospital with building construction: Is there an association? H. Talaie P076 - Multidrug-resistant organisms in a Dutch ICU J. A. Van Oers, A. Harts, E. Nieuwkoop, P. Vos P077 - Epidemiology and risk factors of ICU acquired infections caused by multidrug-resistant gram negative bacilli Y. Boussarsar, F. Boutouta, S. Kamoun, I. Mezghani, S. Koubaji, A. Ben Souissi, A. Riahi, M. S. Mebazaa P078 - Improving outcomes of severe infections by multidrug-resistant pathogens with polyclonal IgM-enriched immunoglobulins E. Giamarellos-Bourboulis, N. Tziolos, C. Routsi, C. Katsenos, I. Tsangaris, I. 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Alsaawi P085 - Use of Taqman array card molecular diagnostics in severe pneumonia: A case series J. Ang, MD Curran, D. Enoch, V. Navapurkar, A. Conway Morris P086 - &#x2018;BUNS&#x2019;: An investigation protocol improves the ICU management of pneumonia R. Sharvill, J. Astin P087 - Pneumonia in patients following secondary peritonitis: epidemiological features and impact on mortality M. Heredia-Rodr&#xed;guez, E. G&#xf3;mez-S&#xe1;nchez, M. T. Pel&#xe1;ez-Jare&#xf1;o, E. G&#xf3;mez-Pesquera, M. Lorenzo-L&#xf3;pez, P. Liu-Zhu, M. Arag&#xf3;n-Camino, A. Hern&#xe1;ndez-Lozano, A. S&#xe1;nchez-L&#xf3;pez, E. &#xc1;lvarez-Fuente, E. Tamayo P088 - The use of the &#x201c;CURB-65 score&#x201d; by emergency room clinicians in a large teaching hospital J. Patel, C. Kruger P089 - Incidence of community acquired pneumonia with viral infection in mechanically ventilated patients in the medical intensive care unit J. O&#x2019;Neal, H. Rhodes, J. Jancik P090 - The SAATELLITE Study: Prevention of S aureus Nosocomial Pneumonia (NP) with MEDI4893, a Human Monoclonal Antibody (mAb) Against S aureus B. Fran&#xe7;ois, P. F. Laterre, P. Eggimann, A. Torres, M. S&#xe1;nchez, P. F. Dequin, G. L. Bassi, J. Chastre, H. S. Jafri P091 - Risk factors and microbiological profile for nosocomial infections in trauma patients M. Ben Romdhane, Z. Douira, S. Kamoun, M. Bousselmi, A. Ben Souissi, Y. Boussarsar, A. Riahi, M.S. Mebazaa P092 - Correlation between percentages of ventilated patients developed vap and use of antimicrobial agents in ICU patients. A. Vakalos, V. Avramidis P093 - A comparison of two ventilator associated pneumonia surveillance techniques T. H. Craven, G. Wojcik, K. Kefala, J. McCoubrey, J. Reilly, R. Paterson, D. Inverarity, I. Laurenson, T. S. Walsh P094 - Lung ultrasound before and after fiberbronchoscopy - modifications may improve ventilator-associated pneumonia diagnosis S. Mongodi, B. Bouhemad, A. Orlando, A. Stella, G. Via, G. Iotti, A. Braschi, F. Mojoli P095 - Comparing the accuracy of predictors of mortality in ventilator-associated pneumonia M. Haliloglu, B. Bilgili, U. Kasapoglu, I. Sayan, M. S&#xfc;zer Aslan, A. Yalc&#x131;n, I. Cinel P096 - Impact of pRBCs transfusion on percentage of ventilated patients developed VAP in ICU patients A. Vakalos, V. Avramidis P097 - The impact of a series of interventions on the rate of ventilator associated pneumonia in a large teaching hospital H. E. Ellis, K. Bauchmuller, D. Miller, A Temple P098 - The EVADE study: Prevention of Nosocomial Pneumonia (NP) caused by P aeruginosa with MEDI3902, a Novel Bispecific Monoclonal Antibody, against P aeruginosa virulence factors J. Chastre, B. Fran&#xe7;ois, A. Torres, C. E. Luyt, M. S&#xe1;nchez, M. Singer, H. S. Jafri P099 - Short-term inhaled colistin adjunctive therapy for ventilator-associated pneumonia Y. Nassar, M. S. Ayad P100 - Effect of aerosolised colistin on weaning from mechanical ventilation A. Trifi, S. Abdellatif, F. Daly, R. Nasri, S. Ben Lakhal P101 - Septic shock is an independent risk factor for colistin-induced severe acute kidney injury: a retrospective cohort study B. Bilgili, M. Haliloglu, F. Gul, I. Cinel P102 - Nosocomial pneumonia - emphasis on inhaled tobramycin A. Kuzovlev, A. Shabanov, S. Polovnikov, V. Moroz P103 - In vitro evaluation of amikacin inhale and commercial nebulizers in a mechanical ventilator N. Kadrichu, T. Dang, K. Corkery, P. Challoner P104 - The effects of nebulized amikacin/fosfomycin and systemic meropenem on severe amikacin-resistant meropenem-susceptible P.aeruginosa pneumonia G. Li Bassi, E. Aguilera, C. Chiurazzi, C. Travierso, A. Motos, L. Fernandez, R. Amaro, T. Senussi, F. Idone, J. Bobi, M. Rigol, A. Torres P105 - Optimization of gentamicin peak concentrations in critically ill patients C. J. Hodiamont, N. P. Juffermans, J. M. Janssen, C. S. Bouman, R. A. Math&#xf4;t, M. D. De Jong, R. M. Van Hest P106 - Systematic review of cefepime induced neurotoxicity L. Payne, G. L. Fraser P107 - Unasyn&#xae; causes QT prolongation during treatment of intensive care patients B. Tudor, M. Lahner, G. Roth, C. Krenn P108 - Comparative study between teicoplanin and vancomycin in methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) infectious of toxicological intensive care unit (ticu) patients &#x2013; Tehran, Iran H. Talaie P109 - Phage therapy against antimicrobial resistance, design of the first clinical study phagoburn P. Jault, J. Gabard, T. Leclerc, S. Jennes, Y. Que, A. Rousseau, F. Ravat P110 - Antibiotic dosing errors in critically ill patients with severe sepsis or septic shock H. Al-Dorzi, A. Eissa, S. Al-Harbi, T. Aldabbagh, R. Khan, Y. Arabi P111 - Does empiric antifungal therapy improve survival in septic critically ill patients? (immunocompromised excluded) A. Trifi, S. Abdellatif, F. Daly, R. Nasri, S. Ben Lakhal P112 - Neurocysticercosis-Qatar experience F. Paramba, N. Purayil, V. Naushad, O. Mohammad, V. Negi, P. Chandra P113 - Early indicators in acute haemorrhagic shock A. Kleinsasser P114 - Filtering of red blood cells reduces the inflammatory response of pulmonary cells in an in vitro model of mechanical ventilation M. R. Witrz, J. F. Buchner-Doeven, A. M. Tuip-de Boer, J. C. Goslings, N. P. Juffermans P115 - Microparticles from red blood cell transfusion induce a pro-coagulant and pro-inflammatory endothelial cell response M. Van Hezel, M. Straat, A Boing, R Van Bruggen, N Juffermans P116 - The contribution of cytokines on thrombosis development during hospitalization in ICU D. Markopoulou, K. Venetsanou, V. Kaldis, D. Koutete, D. Chroni, I. Alamanos P117 - Prophylactic enoxaparin dosing and adjustment through anti-xa monitoring in an inpatient burn unit L. Koch, J. Jancik, H. Rhodes, E. Walter P118 - Determination of optimal cut-off values of haemoglobin, platelet count and fibrinogen at 24&#xa0;hours after injury associated with mortality in trauma patients K. Maekawa, M. Hayakawa, S. Kushimoto, A. Shiraishi, H. Kato, J. Sasaki, H. Ogura, T. Matauoka, T. Uejima, N. Morimura, H. Ishikura, A. Hagiwara, M. Takeda P119 - Trauma-induced coagulopathy - prothrombin complex concentrate vs fresh frozen plasma O. Tarabrin, S. Shcherbakow, D. Gavrychenko, G. Mazurenko, V. Ivanova, O. Chystikov P120 - First study to prove the superiority of prothrombin complex concentrates on mortality rate over fresh frozen plasma in patients with acute bleeding C. Plourde, J. Lessard, J. Chauny, R. Daoust P121 - Prothrombin complex concentrate vs fresh frozen plasma in obstetric massive bleeding S. Shcherbakow, O. Tarabrin, D. Gavrychenko, G. Mazurenko, O. Chystikov P122 - Impact of FFP transfusion on VAP in ICU patients A. Vakalos, V. Avramidis P123 - Preoperative platelet function test and the thrombin generation assay are predictive for blood loss after cardiac surgery L. Kropman, L. In het Panhuis, J. Konings, D. Huskens, E. Schurgers, M. Roest, B. De Laat, M. Lance P124 - Rotational thromboelastometry versus standard coagulation tests before surgical interventions M. Durila, P. Lukas, M. Astraverkhava, J. Jonas P125 - Correction of impaired clot quality and stability by fibrinogen and activated prothrombin complex concentrate in a model of severe thrombocytopenia I. Budnik, B. Shenkman P126 - Assessment of point-of-care prothrombin time analyzer as a monitor after cardiopulmonary bypass H. Hayami, Y. Koide, T. Goto P127 - Disseminated intravascular coagulation (dic) is underdiagnosed in critically ill patients: do we need d-dimer measurements? R. Iqbal, Y. Alhamdi, N. Venugopal, S. Abrams, C. Downey, C. H. Toh, I. D. Welters P128 - Validity of the age-adjusted d-dimer cutoff in patients with COPD B. Bombay, J. M. Chauny, R. D. Daoust, J. L. Lessard, M. M. Marquis, J. P. Paquet P129 - A scoping review of strategies for prevention and management of bleeding following paediatric cardiopulmonary bypass surgery K. Siemens, D. Sangaran, B. J. Hunt, A. Durward, A. Nyman, I. A. Murdoch, S. M. Tibby P130 - Nadir hemoglobulin during cardiopulmonary bypass: impact on postoperative morbidity and mortality F. Ampatzidou, D. Moisidou, E. Dalampini, M. Nastou, E. Vasilarou, V. Kalaizi, H. Chatzikostenoglou, G. Drossos P131 - Red blood cell transfusion do not influence the prognostic value of RDW in critically ill patients S. Spadaro, A. Fogagnolo, T. Fiore, A. Schiavi, V. Fontana, F. Taccone, C. Volta P132 - Reasons for admission in the paediatric intensive care unit and the need for blood and blood products transfusions E. Chochliourou, E. Volakli, A. Violaki, E. Samkinidou, G. Evlavis, V. Panagiotidou, M. Sdougka P133 - The implementation of a massive haemorrhage protocol (mhp) for the management of major trauma: a ten year, single-centre study R. Mothukuri, C. Battle, K. Guy, G. Mills, P. Evans P134 - An integrated major haemorrhage protocol for pre-hospital and retrieval medical teams J. Wijesuriya, S. Keogh P135 - The impact of transfusion thresholds on mortality and cardiovascular events in patients with cardiovascular disease (non-cardiac surgery): a systematic review and meta-analysis A. Docherty, R. O&#x2019;Donnell, S. Brunskill, M. Trivella, C. Doree, L. Holst, M. Parker, M. Gregersen, J. Almeida, T. Walsh, S. Stanworth P136 - The relationship between poor pre-operative immune status and outcome from cardiac surgery is specific to the peri-operative antigenic threat S. Moravcova, J. Mansell, A. Rogers, R. A. Smith, C. Hamilton-Davies P137 - Impact of simple clinical practice guidelines for reducing post-operative atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery. A. Omar, M. Allam, O. Bilala, A. Kindawi, H. Ewila P138 - Dexamethasone administration during cardiopulmonary bypass has no beneficial effects on elective postoperative cardiac surgery patients F. Ampatzidou, D. Moisidou, M. Nastou, E. Dalampini, A. Malamas, E. Vasilarou, G. Drossos P139 - Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation in patients undergoing cardiac surgery (IABCS): preliminary results G. Ferreira, J. Caldas, J. Fukushima, E. A. Osawa, E. Arita, L. Camara, S. Zeferino, J. Jardim, F. Gaioto, L. Dallan, F. B. Jatene, R. Kalil Filho, .F Galas, L. A. Hajjar P140 - Effects of low-dose atrial natriuretic peptide infusion on cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury C. Mitaka, T. Ohnuma, T. Murayama, F. Kunimoto, M. Nagashima, T. Takei, M. Tomita P141 - Acute kidney injury influence on high sensitive troponin measurements after cardiac surgery A. Omar, K. Mahmoud, S. Hanoura, S. Sudarsanan, P. Sivadasan, H. Othamn, Y. Shouman, R. Singh, A. Al Khulaifi P142 - Complex evaluation of endothelial dysfunction markers for prognosis of outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery I. Mandel, S. Mikheev, I. Suhodolo, V. Kiselev, Y. Svirko, Y. Podoksenov P143 - New-onset atrial fibrillation in intensive care: incidence, management and outcome S. A. Jenkins, R. Griffin P144 - One single spot measurement of the sublingual microcirculation during acute pulmonary hypertension in a pig model of shock M. S. Tovar Doncel, A. Lima, C. Aldecoa, C. Ince P145 - Assessment of levosimendan as a therapeutic option to recruit the microcirculation in cardiogenic shock &#x2013; initial experience in cardiac ICU A. Taha, A. Shafie, M. Mostafa, N. Syed, H. Hon P146 - Terlipressin vs. norepinephrine in the Potential Multiorgan Donor(PMD) F. Righetti, E. Colombaroli, G. Castellano P147 - Echocardiography in the potential heart donor exposed to substitution hormonotherapy F. Righetti, E. Colombaroli P148 - Machine learning can reduce rate of monitor alarms M. Hravnak, L. C. Chen, A. D. Dubrawski, G. C. Clermont, M. R. Pinsky P149 - Peripherally inserted central catheters placed in the ICU S. Gonzalez, D. Macias, J. Acosta, P. Jimenez, A. Loza, A. Lesmes, F. Lucena, C. Leon P150 - Recordings of abnormal central venous pressure waveform morphology during an episode of pulmonary hypertension in a porcine shock model M. S. Tovar Doncel, C. Ince, C. Aldecoa, A. Lima P151 - Ultrasound guided central venous access technique among French intensivists M. Bastide, J. Richecoeur, E. Frenoy, C. Lemaire, B. Sauneuf, F. Tamion, S. Nseir, D. Du Cheyron, H. Dupont, J. Maizel P152 - Predictive ability of the Pv-aCO2 gap in patients with shock M. Shaban, R. Kolko, N. Salahuddin, M. Sharshir, M. AbuRageila, A. AlHussain P153 - Comparison of echocardiography and pulmonary artery catheter measurements of hemodynamic parameters in critical ill patients P. Mercado, J. Maizel, L. Kontar, D. Titeca, F. Brazier, A. Riviere, M. Joris, T. Soupison, B. De Cagny, M. Slama P154 - The volume clamp method for noninvasive cardiac output measurement in postoperative cardiothoracic surgery patients: a comparison with intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution J. Wagner, A. K&#xf6;rner, M. Kubik, S. Kluge, D. Reuter, B. Saugel P155 - Hemodynamic monitoring in patients with septic shock (SS) &#x2013; CPCCO (continuous pulse contour cardiac output) vs. TEE (transesophageal echocardiography) E. Colombaroli, F. Righetti, G. Castellano P156 - Cardiac output measurement with transthoracic echocardiography in critically ill patients: a pragmatic clinical study T. Tran, D. De Bels, A. Cudia, M. Strachinaru, P. Ghottignies, J. Devriendt, C. Pierrakos P157 - Left ventricular outflow tract velocity time integral correlates with stroke volume index in mechanically ventilated patients &#xd3;. Mart&#xed;nez Gonz&#xe1;lez, R. Blancas, J. Luj&#xe1;n, D. Ballesteros, C. Mart&#xed;nez D&#xed;az, A. N&#xfa;&#xf1;ez, C. Mart&#xed;n Parra, B. L&#xf3;pez Matamala, M. Alonso Fern&#xe1;ndez, M. Chana P158 - Transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) derived from femoral vs. jugular central venous catheter: validation of a previously published correction formula and a proprietary correction formula for global end-diastolic volume index (GEDVI) W. Huber, M. Eckmann, F. Elkmann, A. Gruber, I. Klein, R. M. Schmid, T. Lahmer P160 - Dynamic arterial elastance calculated with lidcoplus monitor does not predict changes in arterial pressure after a fluid challenge in postsurgical patients D. Bastoni, H. Aya, L. Toscani, L. Pigozzi, A. Rhodes, M. Cecconi P159 - Venous return driving pressure and resistance in acute blood volume changes P. W. Moller, S. Sondergaard, S. M. Jakob, J. Takala, D. Berger P160 - Dynamic arterial elastance calculated with lidcoplus monitor does not predict changes in arterial pressure after a fluid challenge in postsurgical patients D. Bastoni, H. Aya, L. Toscani, L. Pigozzi, A. Rhodes, M. Cecconi P161 - Analysis of duration of post-operative goal-directed therapy protocol C. Ostrowska, H. Aya, A. Abbas, J. Mellinghoff, C. Ryan, D. Dawson, A. Rhodes, M. Cecconi P162 - Hemodynamic optimization &#x2013; back to square one? M. Cronhjort, O. Wall, E. Nyberg, R. Zeng, C. Svensen, J. M&#xe5;rtensson, E. Joelsson-Alm P163 - Effectiveness of fluid thoracic content measurement by bioimpedance guiding intravascular volume optimization in patients with septic shock M. Aguilar Arzapalo, L. Barradas, V. Lopez, M. Cetina P164 - A systematic review on the role of internal jugular vein ultrasound measurements in assessment of volume status in critical shock patients N. Parenti, C. Palazzi, L. A. Amidei, F. B. Borrelli, S. C. Campanale, F. T. Tagliazucchi, G. S. Sedoni, D. L. Lucchesi, E. C. Carella, A. L Luciani P165 - Importance of recognizing dehydration in medical Intensive Care Unit M. Mackovic, N. Maric, M. Bakula P166 - Effect of volume for a fluid challenge in septic patients H. Aya, A. Rhodes, R. M. Grounds, N. Fletcher, M. Cecconi P167 - Fluid bolus practices in a large Australian intensive care unit B. Avard, P. Zhang P168 - Liberal late fluid management is associated with longer ventilation duration and worst outcome in severe trauma patients: a retrospective cohort of 294 patients M. Mezidi, J. Charbit, M. Ould-Chikh, P. Deras, C. Maury, O. Martinez, X. Capdevila P169 - Association of fluids and outcomes in emergency department patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia P. Hou, W. Z. Linde-Zwirble, I. D. Douglas, N. S. Shapiro P170 - Association of positive fluid balance with poor outcome in medicosurgical ICU patients A. Ben Souissi, I. Mezghani, Y. Ben Aicha, S. Kamoun, B. Laribi, B. Jeribi, A. Riahi, M. S. Mebazaa P171 - Impact of fluid balance to organ dysfunction in critically ill patients C. Pereira, R. Marinho, R. Antunes, A. Marinho P172 - Volume bolus in ICU patients: do we need to balance our crystalloids? M. Crivits, M. Raes, J. Decruyenaere, E. Hoste P173 - The use of 6&#xa0;% HES solution do not reduce total fluid requirement in the therapy of patients with burn shock V. Bagin, V. Rudnov, A. Savitsky, M. Astafyeva, I. Korobko, V. Vein P174 - Electron microscopic assessment of acute kidney injury in septic sheep resuscitated with crystalloids or different colloids T. Kampmeier , P. Arnemann, M. Hessler, A. Wald, K. Bockbreder, A. Morelli, H. Van Aken, S. Rehberg, C. Ertmer P175 - Alterations of conjunctival microcirculation in a sheep model of haemorrhagic shock and resuscitation with 0.9&#xa0;% saline or balanced tetrastarch P. Arnemann, M. Hessler, T. Kampmeier, S. Rehberg, H. Van Aken, C. Ince, C. Ertmer P176 - A single centre nested pilot study investigating the effect of using 0.9&#xa0;% saline or Plasma-Lyte 148 &#xae; as crystalloid fluid therapy on gastrointestinal feeding intolerance in mechanically ventilated patients receiving nasogastric enteral nutrition S. Reddy, M. Bailey, R. Beasley, R. Bellomo, D. Mackle, A. Psirides, P. Young P177 - A single centre nested pilot study investigating the effect on post-operative bleeding of using 0.9&#xa0;% saline or Plasma-Lyte&#xae; 148 as crystalloid fluid therapy in adults in ICU after heart surgery S. Reddy, M. Bailey, R. Beasley, R. Bellomo, D. Mackle, P. Young P178 - Extreme hypernatremia and sepsis in a patient with Huntington&#x2019;s dementia: a conundrum in fluid management H. Venkatesh, S. Ramachandran, A. Basu, H. Nair P179 - Diagnosis and management of severe hypernatraemia in the critical care setting S. Egan, J. Bates P180 - Correlation between arterial blood gas and electrolyte disturbances during hospitalization and outcome in critically ill patients S. Oliveira, N. R. Rangel Neto, F. Q. Reis P181 - Missing the &#x201c;I&#x201d; in MUDPILES &#x2013; a rare cause of high anion gap metabolic acidosis (HAGMA) C. P. Lee, X. L. Lin, C. Choong , K. M. Eu, W. Y. Sim , K. S. Tee, J. Pau , J. Abisheganaden P182 - Plasma NGAL and urinary output: potential parameters for early initiation of renal replacement therapy K. Maas, H. De Geus P183 - Renal replacement therapy for critically ill patients: an intermittent continuity E. Lafuente, R. Marinho, J. Moura, R. Antunes, A. Marinho P184 - A survey of practices related to renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients in the north of England. T. E. Doris, D. Monkhouse, T. Shipley, S. Kardasz, I Gonzalez P185 - High initiation creatinine associated with lower 28-day mortality in critically ill patients necessitating continuous renal replacement therapy S. Stads, A. J. Groeneveld P186 - The impact of Karnofsky performance scale on outcomes in acute kidney injury patients receiving renal replacement therapy on the intensive care unit I. Elsayed, N. Ward, A. Tridente, A. Raithatha P187 - Severe hypophosphatemia during citrate-anticoagulated CRRT A. Steuber, C. Pelletier, S. Schroeder, E. Michael, T. Slowinski, D. Kindgen-Milles P188 - Citrate regional anticoagulation for post dilution continuous renal replacement therapy S. Ghabina P189 - Citrate 18&#xa0;mmol/l improves anticoagulation during RRT with adsorbing filters F. Turani, A. Belli, S. Busatti, G. Barettin, F. Candidi, F. Gargano, R. Barchetta, M. Falco P190 - Calcium gluconate instead of calcium chloride in citrate-anticoagulated CVVHD O. Demirkiran, M. Kosuk, S. Bozbay P191 - Enhanced clearance of interleukin-6 with continuous veno-venous haemodialysis (CVVHD) using Ultraflux EMiC2 vs. Ultraflux AV1000S V. Weber, J. Hartmann, S. Harm, I. Linsberger, T. Eichhorn, G. Valicek, G. Miestinger, C. Hoermann P192 - Removal of bilirubin with a new adsorbent system: in vitro kinetics S. Faenza, D. Ricci, E. Mancini, C. Gemelli, A. Cuoghi, S. Magnani, M. Atti P193 - Case series of patients with severe sepsis and septic shock treated with a new extracorporeal sorbent T. Laddomada, A. Doronzio, B. Balicco P194 - In vitro adsorption of a broad spectrum of inflammatory mediators with CytoSorb&#xae; hemoadsorbent polymer beads M. C. Gruda, P. O&#x2019;Sullivan, V. P. Dan, T. Guliashvili, A. Scheirer, T. D. Golobish, V. J. Capponi, P. P. Chan P195 - Observations in early vs. late use of cytosorb therapy in critically ill patients K. Kogelmann, M. Dr&#xfc;ner, D. Jarczak P196 - Oxiris membrane decreases endotoxin during rrt in septic patients with basal EAA&#x2009;&gt;&#x2009;0,6 F. Turani, A. B. Belli, S. M. Martni, V. C. Cotticelli, F. Mounajergi, R. Barchetta P197 - An observational prospective study on the onset of augmented renal clearance: the first report S. Morimoto, H. Ishikura P198 - An ultrasound- guided algorithm for the management of oliguria in severe sepsis I. Hussain, N. Salahuddin, A. Nadeem, K. Ghorab, K. Maghrabi P199 - Ultrasound in acute kidney injury (aki). First findings of farius, an education-programme in structural ultrasonography S. K. Kloesel, C. Goldfuss, A. Stieglitz, A. S. Stieglitz, L. Krstevska, G. Albuszies P200 - Effectiveness of renal angina index score predicting acute kidney injury on critically ill patients M. Aguilar Arzapalo, L. Barradas, V. Lopez, A. Escalante, G. Jimmy, M. Cetina P201 - Time length below blood pressure thresholds and progression of acute kidney injury in critically ill patients with or without sepsis: a retrospective, exploratory cohort study J. Izawa, T. Iwami, S. Uchino, M. Takinami, T. Kitamura, T. Kawamura P202 - Anaemia does not affect renal recovery in acute kidney injury J. G. Powell-Tuck, S. Crichton, M. Raimundo, L. Camporota, D. Wyncoll, M. Ostermann P203 - Estimated glomerular filtration rate based on serum creatinine: actual practice in Dutch ICU&#x2019;s A. Hana, H. R. De Geus P204 - Comparison of estimated glomerular filtration rate calculated by mdrd, ckd-epi-serum-creatinine and ckd-epi-cystatin-c in adult critically ill patients H. R. De Geus, A. Hana P205 - Early diagnosis of septic acute kidney injury in medical critical care patients with a urine cell cycle arrest marker: insulin like growth factor binding protein-7 (IGFBP-7) M. Aydogdu, N. Boyaci, S. Yuksel, G. Gursel, A. B. Cayci Sivri P206 - Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as early biomarker of severe acute kidney injury in intensive care J. Meza-M&#xe1;rquez, J. Nava-L&#xf3;pez, R. Carrillo-Esper P207 - Shrunken pore syndrome is associated with a sharp rise in mortality in patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting A. Dardashti, A. Grubb P208 - The biomarker nephrocheck&#x2122; can discriminate the septic shock patients with an akin 1 or 2 acute renal failure who will not progress toward the akin 3 level J. Maizel, M. Wetzstein, D. Titeca, L. Kontar, F. Brazier, B. De Cagny, A. Riviere, T. Soupison, M. Joris, M. Slama P209 - A worldwide multicentre evaluation of acute kidney injury in septic and non-septic critically ill patients: the intensive care over nations (icon) audit E. Peters, H. Njimi, P. Pickkers, J. L. Vincent P210 - Does enhanced recovery after surgery reduce the incidence of acute kidney injury in those undergoing major gynae-oncological surgery? M. Waraich , J. Doyle, T. Samuels, L. Forni P211 - Identification of risk factors for the development of acute kidney injury after lower limb arthroplasty N. Desai, R. Baumber, P. Gunning, A. Sell P212 - Incidences and associations of acute kidney injury after major trauma S. Lin, H. Torrence, M. O&#x2019;Dwyer, C. Kirwan, J. Prowle P213 - Acute kidney injury of major trauma patients T Kim P214 - Trajectory of serum creatinine after major surgery and the diagnosis of acute kidney injury M. E. O&#x2019;Connor, R. W. Hewson, C. J. Kirwan, R. M. Pearse, J. Prowle P215 - Epidemiology of acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery. A single center retrospective study S. Hanoura , A. Omar, H. Othamn, S. Sudarsanan , M. Allam, M. Maksoud, R. Singh, A. Al Khulaifi P216 - Post-operative acute kidney injury after major non-cardiac surgery and its association with death in the following year M. E. O&#x2019;Connor, R. W. Hewson, C. J. Kirwan, R. M. Pearse, J. Prowle P217 - Factors affecting acute renal failure in intensive care unit and effect of these factors on mortality O. Uzundere, D. Memis , M. &#xdd;nal, A. , N. Turan P218 - Results of the live kidney transplantations according to national data of turkish organ and tissue information system M. A. Aydin, H. Basar, I. Sencan, A. Kapuagasi, M. Ozturk, Z. Uzundurukan, D. Gokmen, A. Ozcan, C. Kaymak P219 - Anaesthesia procedure and intensive therapy in patients with neck phlegmon V. A. Artemenko, A. Budnyuk P220 - Nasal high flow oygen for acute respiratory failure: a systematic review R. Pugh , S. Bhandari P221 - Setting optimal flow rate during high flow nasal cannula support: preliminary results T. Mauri, C. Turrini, T. Langer, P. Taccone, C. A. Volta, C. Marenghi, L. Gattinoni, A. Pesenti P222 - Dose to dose consistency across two different gas flow rates using cystic fibrosis and normal adult breathing profiles during nasal high flow oxygen therapy L. Sweeney, A . O&#x2019; Sullivan, P. Kelly, E. Mukeria, R. MacLoughlin P223 - Final results of an evaluation of airway medix closed suction system compared to a standard closed suction system M. Pfeffer, J. T. Thomas, G. B. Bregman, G. K. Karp, E. K. Kishinevsky, D. S. Stavi, N. A. Adi P224 - Different cuff materials and different leak tests - one size does not fit all T. Poropat, R. Knafelj P225 - Observational study on the value of the cuff-leak test and the onset of upper airway obstruction after extubation E. Llopart, M. Batlle, C. De Haro, J. Mesquida, A. Artigas P226 - A device for emergency transtracheal lung ventilation D. Pavlovic, L. Lewerentz, A. Spassov, R. Schneider P227 - Long-term outcome and health-related quality of life in patients discharged from the intensive care unit with a tracheostomy and with or without prolonged mechanical ventilation S. De Smet, S. De Raedt, E. Derom, P Depuydt, S. Oeyen, D. Benoit, J. Decruyenaere P228 - Ultrasound-guided percutaneous dilational tracheostomy versus bronchoscopy-guided percutaneous dilational tracheostomy in critically ill patients (trachus): a randomized clinical trial A. Gobatto, B. Bese, P. Tierno, L. Melro, P. Mendes, F. Cadamuro, M. Park, L. M. Malbouisson P229 - Is it safe to discharge patients with tracheostomy from the ICU to the ward? B. C. Civanto, J. L. Lopez, A. Robles, J. Figueira, S. Yus, A. Garcia P230 - The application of tracheostomy in children in ICU A. Oglinda, G. Ciobanu, C. Oglinda, L. Schirca, T. Sertinean, V. Lupu P231 - The impact of passive humidifiers on aerosol drug delivery during mechanical ventilation P. Kelly, A. O&#x2019;Sullivan, L. Sweeney, R. MacLoughlin P232 - Evaluation of vibrating mesh and jet nebuliser performance at two different attachment setups in line with a humidifier nebuliser system A. O&#x2019;Sullivan, P. Kelly, L. Sweeney, E. Mukeria, M. Wolny , R. MacLoughlin P233 - Psv-niv versus cpap in the treatment of acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema A. Pagano, F. Numis, G. Vison, L. Saldamarco, T. Russo, G. Porta, F. Paladino P234 - Noninvasive ventilation in patients with haematologic malignancy: a retrospective review C. Bell, J. Liu, J. Debacker, C. Lee, E. Tamberg, V. Campbell, S. Mehta P235 - Use of non-invasive ventilation in infectious diseases besides classical indications A. Silva-Pinto, A. Sarmento, L. Santos P236 - The impact of fragility on noninvasive mechanical ventilation application and results in the ICU &#xdd;. Kara, F. Y&#xfd;ld&#xfd;r&#xfd;m, A. Zerman, Z. G&#xfc;ll&#xfc;, N. Boyac&#xfd;, B. Basar&#xfd;k Aydogan, &#xdc;. Gayg&#xfd;s&#xfd;z, K. G&#xf6;nderen, G. Ar&#xfd;k, M. Turkoglu, M. Aydogdu, G. Aygencel, Z. &#xdc;lger, G. Gursel P237 - Effects of metabolic alkalosis on noninvasive ventilation success and ICU outcome in patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure N. Boyac&#xfd;, Z. Is&#xfd;kdogan, &#xd6;. &#xd6;zdedeoglu, Z. G&#xfc;ll&#xfc;, M. Badoglu, U. Gayg&#xfd;s&#xfd;z, M. Aydogdu, G. Gursel P238 - Asynchrony index and breathing patterns of acute exacerbation copd patients assisted with noninvasive pressure support ventilation and neurally adjusted ventilatory assist N. Kongpolprom, C. Sittipunt P239 - High frequency jet ventilation for severe acute hypoxemia A. Eden, Y. Kokhanovsky, S. Bursztein &#x2013; De Myttenaere, R. Pizov P240 - HFOV revisited: a 7&#xa0;year retrospective analysis of patients receiving HFOV who met oscillate trial entry criteria L. Neilans, N. MacIntyre P241 - Implementation of a goal-directed mechanical ventilation order set driven by respiratory therapists can improve compliance with best practices for mechanical ventilation M. Radosevich, B. Wanta, V. Weber, T. Meyer, N. Smischney, D. Brown, D. Diedrich P242 - A reduction in tidal volumes for ventilated patients on ICU calculated from IBW. can it minimise mortality in comparison to traditional strategies? A . Fuller, P. McLindon, K. Sim P243 - Predictive value of lung aeration scoring using lung ultrasound in weaning failure M. Shoaeir, K. Noeam, A. Mahrous, R. Matsa, A. Ali P244 - Conventional versus automated weaning from mechanical ventilation using SmartCare&#x2122; C. Dridi, S. Koubaji, S. Kamoun, F. Haddad, A. Ben Souissi, B. Laribi, A. Riahi, M. S. Mebazaa P245 - Ultrasonographic evaluation protocol for weaning from mechanichal ventilation A. P&#xe9;rez-Calatayud, R. Carrillo-Esper, A. Zepeda-Mendoza, M. Diaz-Carrillo, E. Arch-Tirado P246 - Diaphragm ultrasonography: a method for weaning patients from mechanical ventilation S. Carbognin, L. Pelacani, F. Zannoni, A. Agnoli, G. Gagliardi P247 - Dorsal diaphragmatic excursion tracks transpulmonary pressure in ventilated ARDS patients: a potential non-invasive indicator of lung recruitment? R. Cho, A. Adams , S. Lunos, S. Ambur, R. Shapiro, M. Prekker P248 - Pulse oximetry in the icu patient: is the perfusion index of any value? M. Thijssen, L. Janssen, N. Foudraine P249 - Ventilation is a better assessment of respiratory status than EtCO2 C. J. Voscopoulos, J. Freeman P250 - Evaluation of the relationship between non-invasive minute ventilation and end-tidal CO2 in patients undergoing general vs spinal anesthesia C. J. Voscopoulos, J. Freeman, E. George P251 - Respiratory volume monitoring provides early warning of respiratory depression and can be used to reduce false alarms in non-intubated patients C. J. Voscopoulos, D. Eversole, J. Freeman, E. George P252 - P/i index: a predictive edi-derived weaning index during nava S. Muttini, R. Bigi, G. Villani, N. Patroniti P253 - Adequacy of ventilation in patients receiving opioids in the post anesthesia care unit: minute ventilation versus respiratory rate G. Williams, C. J. Voscopoulos, J. Freeman, E. George P254 - Comparison of regional and global expiratory time constants measured by electrical impedance tomography (EIT) A. Waldmann, S. B&#xf6;hm, W. Windisch, S. Strassmann, C. Karagiannidis P255 - Electrical impedance tomography: robustness of a new pixel wise regional expiratory time constant calculation A. Waldmann, S. B&#xf6;hm, W. Windisch, S. Strassmann, C. Karagiannidis P256 - Validation of regional and global expiratory time constant measurement by electrical impedance tomography in ards and obstructive pulmonary diseases C. K. Karagiannidis, A. W. Waldmann, S. B. B&#xf6;hm, S. Strassmann, W. W. Windisch P257 - Transpulmonary pressure in a model with elastic recoiling lung and expanding chest wall P. Persson, S. Lundin, O. Stenqvist P258 - Lactate in pleural and abdominal effusion G. Porta, F. Numis, C. S. Serra, A. P. Pagano, M. M. Masarone, L. R. Rinaldi, A. A. Amelia, M. F. Fascione, L. A. Adinolfi, E. R. Ruggiero P259 - Outcome of patients admitted to the intensive care with pulmonary fibrosis F. Asota, K. O&#x2019;Rourke, S. Ranjan, P. Morgan P260 - Sedation and analgesia practice in extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)-treated patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS): a retrospective study J. W. DeBacker, E. Tamberg, L. O&#x2019;Neill, L. Munshi, L. Burry, E. Fan, S. Mehta P261 - Characteristics and outcomes of patients deemed not eligible when referred for veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (vv-ECMO) S. Poo, K. Mahendran, J. Fowles, C. Gerrard, A. Vuylsteke P262 - The SAVE SMR for veno-arterial ECMO R. Loveridge, C. Chaddock, S. Patel, V. Kakar, C. Willars, T. Hurst, C. Park, T. Best, A. Vercueil, G. Auzinger P263 - A simplified score to predict early (48&#xa0;h) mortality in patients being considered for VA-ECMO A. Borgman, A. G. Proudfoot, E. Grins, K. E. Emiley, J. Schuitema, S. J. Fitch, G. Marco, J. Sturgill, M. G. Dickinson, M. Strueber, A. Khaghani, P. Wilton, S. M. Jovinge P264 - Lung function six months post extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for severe acute respiratory failure in adult survivors C. Sampson, S. Harris-Fox P265 - Bicarbonate dialysis removes carbon dioxide in hypoventilated rodents. M. E. Cove, L. H. Vu, A. Sen, W. J. Federspiel, J. A. Kellum P266 - Procalcitonin as predictor of primary graft dysfunction and mortality in post-lung transplantation C. Mazo Torre, J. Riera, S. Ramirez, B. Borgatta, L. Lagunes, J. Rello P267 - New molecular biomarkers of acute respiratory distress syndrome in abdominal sepsis A. K. Kuzovlev, V. Moroz, A. Goloubev, S. Polovnikov, S. Nenchuk P268 - Tight junction&#x2019;s proteins claudin -5 and regulation by tnf in experimental murine lung injury model of ali/ards V. Karavana, C. Glynos, A. Asimakos, K. Pappas, C. Vrettou, M. Magkou, E. Ischaki, G. Stathopoulos, S. Zakynthinos P269 - Cell counts in endobronchial aspirate to assess airway inflammation in ARDS patients: a pilot study S. Spadaro, I. Kozhevnikova, F. Dalla Corte, S. Grasso, P. Casolari, G. Caramori, C. Volta P270 - Epidemiological and clinical profile of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome in the surgical intensive care unit surgical, hospital JRA, Antananarivo T. Andrianjafiarinoa, T. Randriamandrato, T. Rajaonera P271 - Effect of high PEEP after recruitment maneuver on right ventricular function in ARDS. Is it good for the lung and for the heart? S. El-Dash, ELV Costa, MR Tucci, F Leleu, L Kontar, B. De Cagny, F. Brazier, D. Titeca, G. Bacari-Risal, J. Maizel, M. Amato, M. Slama P272 - Effect of recruitment maneuver on left ventricular systolic strain P. Mercado, J. Maizel, L. Kontar, D. Titeca, F. Brazier, A. Riviere, M. Joris, T. Soupison, B. De Cagny, S. El Dash, M. Slama P273 - Inhaled nitric oxide &#x2013; is switching supplier cost effective? Remmington, A. Fischer, S. Squire, M. Boichat P274 - Epidemiological study of severe acute pancreatitis in Japan, comparison of the etiology and the patient outcomes on 1159 patients. H. Honzawa, H. Yasuda, T. Adati, S. Suzaki, M. Horibe, M. Sasaki, M. Sanui P275 - Extracorporeal liver support therapy. Experience in an intensive care unit R. Marinho, J. Daniel, H. Miranda, A. Marinho P276 - Accuracy of mortality prediction models in acute versus acute-on-chronic liver failure in the intensive care setting K. Milinis, M. Cooper, G. R. Williams, E. McCarron, S. Simants, I. Patanwala, I. Welters P277 - Risk of coronary artery disease in patients with chronic liver disease: a population based cohort study Y. Su P278 - 20&#xa0;years of liver transplantation in Santiago de Compostela (Spain). Experience review J. Fern&#xe1;ndez Villanueva, R. Fern&#xe1;ndez Garda, A. L&#xf3;pez Lago, E. Rodr&#xed;guez Ru&#xed;z, R. Hern&#xe1;ndez Vaquero, S. Tom&#xe9; Mart&#xed;nez de Rituerto, E. Varo P&#xe9;rez P279 - Diarrhea is a risk factor for liver injury and may lead to intestinal failure associated liver disease in critical illness N. Lefel, F. Schaap, D. Bergmans, S. Olde Damink, M. Van de Poll P280 - Bowel care on the intensive care unit: constipation guideline compliance and complications K. Tizard, C. Lister, L. Poole P281 - Malnutrition assessed by phase angle determines outcomes in low risk cardiac surgery patients D. Ringaitiene, D. Gineityte, V. Vicka, I. Norkiene, J. Sipylaite P282 - Preoperative fasting times in an irish hospital A. O&#x2019;Loughlin, V. Maraj, J. Dowling P283 - Costs and final outcome of early x delayed feeding in a private Brazil ICU M. B. Velasco, D. M. Dalcomune, E. B. Dias, S. L. Fernandes P284 - Can ventilator derived energy expenditure measurements replace indirect calorimetry? T. Oshima, S. Graf, C. Heidegger, L. Genton, V. Karsegard, Y. Dupertuis, C. Pichard P285 - Revisiting the refeeding syndrome: results of a systematic review N. Friedli, Z. Stanga, B. Mueller, P. Schuetz P286 - Compliance with the new protocol for parenteral nutrition in our ICU L. Vandersteen, B. Stessel, S. Evers, A. Van Assche, L. Jamaer, J. Dubois P287 - Nutrition may be another treatment in the intensive care unit where less is more? R. Marinho, H. Castro, J. Moura, J. Valente, P. Martins, P. Casteloes, C. Magalhaes, S. Cabral, M. Santos, B. Oliveira, A. Salgueiro, A. Marinho P288 - Should we provide more protein to critically ill patients? R. Marinho, M. Santos, E. Lafuente, H. Castro, S. Cabral, J. Moura, P. Martins, B. Oliveira, A. Salgueiro, S. Duarte, S. Castro, M. Melo, P. Casteloes, A. Marinho P289 Protein provision in an adult intensive care unit S. Gray P290 - Prevalence and clinical outcomes of vitamin d deficiency in the medical critically ill patients in Songklanagarind hospital K. Maipang, R. Bhurayanontachai P291 - Vitamin d deficiency strongly predicts adverse medical outcome across different medical inpatient populations: results from a prospective study L. G. Gr&#xe4;del, P. Sch&#xfc;tz P292 - Omega-3 fatty acids in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis P. Langlois, W. Manzanares P293 - Can 5-hydroxytriptophan prevent post-traumatic stress disorder in critically ill patients? R. Tincu, C. Cobilinschi, D. Tomescu, Z. Ghiorghiu, R. Macovei P294 - Parenteral selenium in the critically ill: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis W. Manzanares, P. Langlois, M. Lemieux, G. Elke, F. Bloos, K. Reinhart, D. Heyland P295 - Probiotics in the critically ill: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis P. Langlois, M. Lemieux, I. Aramendi, D. Heyland, W. Manzanares P296 - Diabetes with hyperglycemic crisis episodes may be associated with higher risk of pancreatic cancer: a population-based cohort study Y. Su P297 - Incidence of hypoglycemia in an intensive care unit depending on insulin protocol R. Marinho, N. Babo, A. Marinho P298 - Severity of the diseases is two-dimensionally correlated to blood glucose, including blood glucose variability, especially in moderately to severely ill patients with glucose intolerance. M. Hoshino, Y. Haraguchi, S. Kajiwara, T. Mitsuhashi, T. Tsubata, M. Aida P299 - A study of glycemic control by subcutaneous glargine injection transition from continuous regular insulin infusion in critically ill patients T. Rattanapraphat, R. Bhurayanontachai, C. Kongkamol, B. Khwannimit P300 - Glycemic control in Portuguese intensive care unit R. Marinho, M. Santos, H. Castro, E. Lafuente, A. Salgueiro, S. Cabral, P. Martins, J. Moura, B. Oliveira, M. Melo, B. Xavier, J. Valente, C. Magalhaes, P. Casteloes, A. Marinho P301 - Impact of hyperglycemia duration on the day of operation on short-term outcome of cardiac surgery patients D. Moisidou, F. Ampatzidou, C. Koutsogiannidis, M. Moschopoulou, G. Drossos P302 - Lactate levels in diabetic ketoacidosis patients at ICU admissions G. Taskin, M. &#xc7;akir, AK G&#xfc;ler, A. Taskin, N. &#xd6;cal, S. &#xd6;zer, L. Yamanel P303 - Intensive care implications of merging heart attack centre units in London J. M. Wong, C. Fitton, S. Anwar, S. Stacey P304 - Special characteristics of in-hospital cardiac arrests M. Aggou, B. Fyntanidou, S. Patsatzakis, E. Oloktsidou, K. Lolakos, E. Papapostolou, V. Grosomanidis P305 - Clinical evaluation of ICU-admitted patients who were resuscitated in the general medicine ward S. Suda , T. Ikeda, S. Ono, T. Ueno, Y. Izutani P306 - Serious game evaluation of a one-hour training basic life support session for secondary school students: new tools for future bystanders S. Gaudry, V. Desailly, P. Pasquier, PB Brun, AT Tesnieres, JD Ricard, D. Dreyfuss, A. Mignon P307 - Public and clinical staff perceptions and knowledge of CPR compared to local and national data J. C White, A. Molokhia, A. Dean, A. Stilwell, G. Friedlaender P308 Dispatcher-assisted telephone cardiopulmonary resuscitation using a French-language compression-ventilation pediatric protocol M. Peters, S. Stipulante, A. Delfosse, AF Donneau, A. Ghuysen P309 Dantrolene versus amiodarone for resuscitation &#x2013; an experimental study C. Feldmann, D. Freitag, W. Dersch, M. Irqsusi, D. Eschbach, T. Steinfeldt, H. Wulf, T. Wiesmann P310 Long term survival and functional neurological outcome in comatose survivors undergoing therapeutic hypothermia N. Kongpolprom, J. Cholkraisuwat P311 Impact of kidney disease on mortality and neurological outcome in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a prospective observational study S. Beitland , E. Nakstad, H. St&#xe6;r-Jensen , T. Dr&#xe6;gni , G. Andersen , D. Jacobsen , C. Brunborg, B. Waldum-Grevbo , K. Sunde P312 ICU dependency of patients admitted after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) following out of the hospital cardiac arrest K. Hoyland, D. Pandit P313 Prognostic indicators and outcome prediction model for patients with return of spontaneous circulation from cardiopulmonary arrest: comprehensive registry of in-hospital intensive care on OHCA survival (critical) study in Osaka, Japan K. Hayakawa P314 Cerebral oxygen saturation during resuscitation in a porcine model of cardiac arrest E. Oloktsidou, K. Kotzampassi, B. Fyntanidou, S. Patsatzakis, L. Loukipoudi, E. Doumaki, V. Grosomanidis P315 Presumption of cardiopulmonary resuscitation for sustaining cerebral oxidation using regional cerebral saturation of oxygen: observational cohort study (press study) H. Yasuda P316 EEG reactivity in patients after cardiac arrest: a close look at stimuli MM Admiraal, M. Van Assen, MJ Van Putten, M. Tjepkema-Cloostermans, AF Van Rootselaar, J. Horn P317 Prognostic value of neuron-specific enolase after cardiac arrest F. Ragusa, A. Marudi , S. Baroni, A. Gaspari, E. Bertellini P318 Correlation between electroencephalographic findings and serum neuron specific enolase with outcome of post cardiac arrest patients A. Taha, T. Abdullah, S. Abdel Monem P319 Introduction of a targeted temperature management strategy following cardiac arrest in a district general hospital intensive care unit. S. Alcorn, S. McNeill, S. Russell P320 The evolution of cerebral oxygen saturation in post-cardiac arrest patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia W. Eertmans, C. Genbrugge, I. Meex, J. Dens, F. Jans, C. De Deyne P321 Prognostic factors and neurological outcomes of therapeutic hypothermia in comatose survivors from cardiac arrest: 8-year single center experience J. Cholkraisuwat, N. Kongpolprom P322 Adherence to targeted temperature management after out of hospital cardiac arrest B. Avard, R. 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Shin P328 Failure in neuroprotection of remote limb ischemic post conditioning in the hippocampus of a gerbil model of transient cerebral ischemia J. Cho, J. B. Moon, C. W. Park, T. G. Ohk, M. C. Shin P329 Brain death and admission diagnosis in neurologic intensive care unit, a correlation? A Marudi, S Baroni, A Gaspari, E Bertellini P330 Brain magnetic resonance imaging findings in patients with septic shock G. Orhun, E. Senturk, P. E. Ozcan, S. Sencer, C. Ulusoy, E. Tuzun, F . Esen P331 Benefits of L-carnitine in valproic acid induced encephalopathy R. Tincu, C. Cobilinschi, D. Tomescu, Z. Ghiorghiu, R. Macovei P332Automatic analysis of EEG reactivity in comatose patients M. Van Assen, M. M. Admiraal, M. J. Van Putten, M. Tjepkema-Cloostermans, A. F. Van Rootselaar, J. Horn P333 Usefulness of common ICU severity scoring systems in predicting outcome after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage M. Fallenius, M. B. Skrifvars, M. Reinikainen, S. Bendel, R. Raj P334 Evalution of patients with suspected subarachnoid haemorrhage and negative ct imaging M. Abu-Habsa, C. Hymers, A. Borowska, H. Sivadhas, S. Sahiba, S. Perkins P335 Timing of endovascular and surgical treatment for aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage: early but not so fast. J. Rubio, J. A. Rubio, R. Sierra P336 Red blood cell transfusion in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage &#x2013; the Sahara cohort study S. English, M. Chasse, A. Turgeon, F. Lauzier, D. Griesdale, A. Garland, D. Fergusson, R. Zarychanski, A. Tinmouth, C. Van Walraven, K. Montroy, J. Ziegler, R. Dupont Chouinard, R. Carignan, A. Dhaliwal, C. Lum, J. Sinclair, G. Pagliarello, L. McIntyre P337 - Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and anemia: a canadian multi-centre retrospective cohort study S. English, M. Chasse, A. Turgeon, F. Lauzier, D. Griesdale, A. Garland, D. Fergusson, R. Zarychanski, A. Tinmouth, C. Van Walraven, K. Montroy, J. Ziegler, R. Dupont Chouinard, R. Carignan, A. Dhaliwal, C. Lum, J. Sinclair, G. Pagliarello, L. McIntyre P338 - Does the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) ratio predict symptomatic vasospasm or delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH)? T. Groza, N. Moreau, D. Castanares-Zapatero, P. Hantson P339 - ICU-acquired infections in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients: impact on ICU and hospital length of stay M. Carbonara , F. Ortolano, T. Zoerle, S. Magnoni, S. Pifferi, V. Conte, N. Stocchetti P340 - Cerebral metabolic effects of normobaric hyperoxia during the acute phase of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage L. Carteron, T. Suys, C. Patet, H. Quintard, M. Oddo P341 - Postoperative care for elective craniotomy: where is best done? J. A. Rubio, J. Rubio, R. Sierra P342 - 5-year follow-up of patients after transplantation of organs from donors from neurocritical care V. Spatenkova, E. Pokorna, P. Suchomel P343 - Evaluation of levetiracetam pharmacokinetics after severe traumatic brain injury in neurocritical care patients at a level one trauma center N. Ebert, J. Jancik, H. Rhodes P344 - Model based time series cluster analysis to determine unique patient states in traumatic brain injury T. Bylinski, C. Hawthorne, M. Shaw, I. Piper, J. Kinsella P345 - Brain compartment monitoring capabilities from ICP to BI (bioimpedance) during HS (hypertonic saline) administration. State of art simulation outcome depending on brain swelling type A. K. Kink , I. R. R&#xe4;tsep P346 - Transfusion of red blood cells in patients with traumatic brain injury admitted to Canadian trauma health centers: a multicenter cohort study A. Boutin, L. Moore, M. Chasse, R. Zarychanski, F. Lauzier, S. English, L. McIntyre, J. Lacroix, D. Griesdale, P. Lessard-Bonaventure, A. F. Turgeon P347 - Hemoglobin thresholds and red blood cell transfusions in adult patients with moderate or severe traumatic brain injury: a retrospective cohort study A. Boutin, L. Moore, R. Green, P. Lessard-Bonaventure, M. Erdogan, M. Butler, F. Lauzier, M. Chasse, S. English, L. McIntyre, R. Zarychanski, J. Lacroix, D. Griesdale, P. Desjardins, D. A. Fergusson, A. F. Turgeon P348 - Characteristics of patients with gunshot wounds to the head - an observational Brazilian study B. Goncalves, B. Vidal, C. Valdez, A. C. Rodrigues, L. Miguez, G. Moralez P349 - Base excess as predictor for ICU admission and the injury severity in blunt trauma patients T. Hong P350 - Enhancement of usual emergency department care with proadrenomedullin to improve outcome prediction - Results from the multi-national, prospective, observational TRIAGE study A. Kutz, P. Hausfater, D. Amin, T. Struja, S. Haubitz, A. Huber, B. Mueller, P. Schuetz P351 - Developing an innovative emergency medicine point-of-care simulation programme T. Brown, J. Collinson, C. Pritchett, T. Slade P352 - The InSim program: an in situ simulation program for junior trainees in intensive care M. Le Guen, S. Hellings, R. Ramsaran P353 - Impact of excessive and inappropriate troponin testing in the emergency setting how good are we A. Alsheikhly P354 - The development of time tracking monitor at emergency department T. Abe P355 - Role of focussed echocardiography in emergency assessment of syncope L. Kanapeckaite, M. Abu-Habsa, R. Bahl P356 - Insertion of an open-ended 14-gauge catheter through the chest wall causes a significant pneumothorax in a self-ventilating swine model M. Q Russell, K. J. Real, M. Abu-Habsa , R. M. Lyon, N. P. Oveland P357 - Ez-io&#xae; intraosseous access teaching in the workplace using a mobile &#x2018;tea trolley&#x2019; training method J. Penketh, M. Mcdonald, F. Kelly P358 - Black widow envenomation in Saudi Arabia: a prospective observational case series M. Alfafi, S. Alsolamy, W. Almutairi, B. Alotaibi P359 - Mechanical ventilation in patients with overdose not yet intubated on icu admission A. E. Van den Berg, Y. Schriel, L. Dawson, I. A. Meynaar P360 - Central nervous system depressants poisoning and ventilator associated pneumonia: an underrated risk factor in toxicological intensive care unit H. Talaie P361 - Acute barium intoxication treated with hemodiafiltration D. Silva, S. Fernandes, J. Gouveia, J. Santos Silva P362 - Major trauma presenting to the emergency department. the spectrum of cycling injuries in Ireland J. Foley, A. Kaskovagheorgescu, D. Evoy, J. Cronin, J. Ryan P363 - Burns from French military operations: a 14-year retrospective observational analysis. M. Huck, C. Hoffmann, J. Renner, P. Laitselart, N. Donat, A. Cirodde, J. V. Schaal, Y. Masson, A. Nau, T. Leclerc P364 - A comparison of mortality scores in burns patients on the intensive care unit. O. Howarth, K. Davenport, P. Jeanrenaud, S. Raftery P365 - Clasification of pain and its treatment and an intensive care rehabiliation clinic P. MacTavish, H. Devine, J. McPeake, M. Daniel, J. Kinsella, T. Quasim P366 - Pain management adequacy in critical care areas ,the process and the barriers perceived by critical care nurses S. Alrabiee, A. Alrashid , S. Alsolamy P367 - Pain assessment in critically ill adult patients: validation of the Turkish version of the critical-care pain observation tool O. Gundogan, C. Bor, E. Ak&#xfd;n Korhan, K. Demirag , M. Uyar P368 - An audit of pain and sedation assessments in the intensive care unit: recommendations for clinical practice F. Frame, C. Ashton, L. Bergstrom Niska P369 - Impact of pharmaceutical care on treatment of pain and agitation in medical intensive care unit P. Dilokpattanamongkol, T. Suansanae, C. Suthisisang, S. Morakul, C. Karnjanarachata, V. Tangsujaritvijit P370 - Agitation in trauma ICU, prevention and outcome S. Mahmood, H. Al Thani, A. Almenyar P371 Correlation between percentages of ventilated patients developed vap and use of sedative agents in icu patients. A. Vakalos , V. Avramidis P372 - Improving recording of sedation events in the Emergency Department: The implementation of the SIVA International Taskforce adverse event reporting tool for procedural sedation R. Sharvill, J. Penketh P373 - Impact of sedative drug use on the length of mechanical ventilation S. E. Morton, Y. S. Chiew, C. Pretty, J. G. Chase, G. M. Shaw P374 - Co-administration of nitric oxide and sevoflurane using anaconda R. Knafelj, P. Kordis P375 - A retrospective study of the use of Dexmedetomidine in an oncological critical care setting S. Patel, V. Grover P376 - Dexmedetomidine and posttraumatic stress disorder incidence in alcohol withdrawal icu patients I. Kuchyn, K. Bielka P377 - Hemodynamic effects of dexmedetomidine in a porcine model of septic shock Z. Aidoni, V. Grosomanidis, K. Kotzampassi, G. Stavrou, B. Fyntanidou, S. Patsatzakis, C. Skourtis P378 - Ketamine for analgosedation in severe hypoxic respiratory failure S. D. Lee, K. Williams, I. D. Weltes P379 - Madness from the moon? lunar cycle and the incidence of delirium on the intensive care unit S. Berhane, C. Arrowsmith, C. Peters, S. Robert P380 - Impaired dynamic cerebral autoregulation after coronary artery bypass grafting and association with postoperative delirium J. Caldas, R. B. Panerai, T. G. Robinson, L. Camara, G. Ferreira, E. Borg-Seng-Shu, M. De Lima Oliveira, N. C. Mian, L. Santos, R. Nogueira, S. P. Zeferino, M. Jacobsen Teixeira, F. Galas, L. A. Hajjar P381 - Risk factors predicting prolonged intensive care unit length of stay after major elective surgery. P. Killeen, M. McPhail, W. Bernal, J. Maggs, J. Wendon, T. Hughes P382 - Systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria and hospital mortality prediction in a brazilian cohort of critically ill patients L. U. Taniguchi, E. M. Siqueira, J. M. Vieira Jr, L. C. Azevedo P383 - Evaluating the efficacy of a risk predictor panel in identifying patients at elevated risk of morbidity following emergency admission A. N. Ahmad, M. Abu-Habsa, R. Bahl, E. Helme, S. Hadfield, R. Loveridge P384 - A retrospective comparison of outcomes for elective surgical patients admitted post-operatively to the critical care unit or general ward J. Shak, C. Senver, R. Howard-Griffin P385 - Effect of obesity on mortality in surgical critically ill patients. P. Wacharasint, P. Fuengfoo, N. Sukcharoen, R. Rangsin P386 - The national early warning score (news) reliably improves adverse clinical outcome prediction in community-acquired pneumonia - results from a 6&#xa0;year follow-up D. Sbiti-Rohr, P. Schuetz P387 - Clinical usefulness of the charlson&#xa1;&#xaf;s weighted index of comorbidities _as prognostic factor in patients with prolonged acute mechanical ventilation H. Na, S. Song, S. Lee, E. Jeong, K. Lee P388 - Comparison of mortality prediction scoring systems in patients with cirrhosis admitted to general intensive care unit M. Cooper, K. Milinis, G. Williams, E. McCarron, S. Simants, I. Patanwala, I. D. Welters P389 - Impact of admission source and time of admission on outcome of pediatric intensive care patients: retrospective 15&#xa0;years study E. Zoumpelouli, EA Volakli, V. Chrysohoidou, S. Georgiou, K. Charisopoulou, E. Kotzapanagiotou, V. Panagiotidou, K. Manavidou, Z. Stathi, M. Sdougka P390 - Heart rate variability and outcomes prediction in critical illness N. Salahuddin, B. AlGhamdi, Q. Marashly, K. Zaza, M. Sharshir, M. Khurshid, Z. Ali, M. Malgapo, M. Jamil, A. Shafquat, M. Shoukri, M. Hijazi P391 - The incidence and outcome of hyperlactatemia in the post anaesthesia care unit T. Abe, S. Uchino, M. Takinami P392 - Correlation between arterial blood gas disturbances and arterial lactate levels during hospitalization and outcome in critically septic patients N. R. Rangel Neto, S. Oliveira, F. Q. Reis, F. A. Rocha P393 - External validation of saps 3 and mpm iii scores in 48,816 patients from 72 brazilian icus G. Moralez, K. Ebecken, L. S. Rabello, M. F. Lima, R. Hatum, F. V. De Marco, A. Alves, J. E. Pinto, M. Godoy, P. E. Brasil, F. A. Bozza, J. I. Salluh, M. Soares P394 - The frailty penalty: pre-admission functional status confounds mortality prediction models in critically ill patients J. Krinsley, G. Kang P395 - &#x2018;sooner rather than later&#x201d;: how delayed discharge from critical care leads to increased out of hours discharges and subsequent increase in in-hospital mortality. J. Perry, H. Hines P396 - Identifying poor outcome patient groups in a resource-constrained critical care unit K. M. Wilkinson, C. Tordoff, B. Sloan, M. C. Bellamy P397 - Effects of icu weekend admission and discharge on mortality. E. Moreira, F. Verga, M. Barbato, G. Burghi P398 - Organizational factors, outcomes and resource use in 9,946 cancer patients admitted to 70 ICUs M Soares, U. V. Silva, L. C. Azevedo, A. P. Torelly, J. M. Kahn, D. C. Angus, M. F. Knibel, P. E. Brasil, F. A. Bozza, J. I. Salluh P399 - Evaluation of oncological critically ill patients, severity score and outcome compared to not oncological in a particular hospital cti. M. B. Velasco, D. M. Dalcomune P400 - Outcomes of patients admitted to a large uk critical care department with palliative oncological diagnoses R. Marshall, T. Gilpin, A. Tridente, A. Raithatha P401 - Predictors of mortality in febrile neutropenic patients with haematological malignancies admitted to an intensive care unit of a cancer center D. Mota, B. Loureiro, J. Dias, O. Afonso, F. Coelho, A. Martins, F. Faria P402 - Patients with hematologic malignancies requiring invasive mechanical ventilation: characteristics and predictors of mortality H. Al-Dorzi, H. Al Orainni , F. AlEid, H. Tlaygeh, A. Itani, A. Hejazi, Y. Arabi P403 - Patient-important outcomes in randomized controlled trials in critically ill patients: a systematic review S. Gaudry, J. Messika, J. D. Ricard, S. Guillo, B. Pasquet, E. Dubief, D. Dreyfuss, F. Tubach P404 - Alopecia in survivors of critical illness: a qualitative study C . Battle, K. James, P. Temblett P405 - The impact of mental health on icu admission L. Davies, C. Battle, C. Lynch P406 - Cognitive impairment 5&#xa0;years after ICU discharge S. Pereira, S. Cavaco, J. Fernandes, I. Moreira, E. Almeida, F. Seabra Pereira, M. Malheiro, F. Cardoso, I. Arag&#xe3;o, T. Cardoso P407 - Apache ii versus apache iv for octagenerians in medical icu M. Fister, R. Knafelj P408 - Outcomes of octagenarians in an indian icu P. Muraray Govind, N. Brahmananda Reddy, R. Pratheema, E. D. Arul, J. Devachandran P409 - Mortality and outcomes in elderly patients 80&#xa0;years of age or older admitted to the icu M. B. Velasco , D. M. Dalcomune P410 - Octagenerians in medical icu - adding days to life or life to days? R. Knafelj, M. Fister P411 - The very elderly admitted to intensive care unit: outcomes and economic evaluation N. Chin-Yee, G. D&#x2019;Egidio, K. Thavorn, D. Heyland, K. Kyeremanteng P412 - The very elderly in intensive care: relationship between acuity of illness and long-term mortality A. G. Murchison, K. Swalwell, J. Mandeville, D. Stott P413 - Acquired weakness in an oncological intensive care unit I. Guerreiro P414 - Musculoskeletal problems in intensive care unit (ICU) patients post-discharge H. Devine, P. MacTavish, J. McPeake, T. Quasim, J. Kinsella, M. Daniel P415 - Premorbid obesity, but not nutrition, prevents critical illness-induced muscle wasting and weakness C. Goossens M. B. Marques, S. Derde, S. Vander Perre, T. Dufour, S. E. Thiessen, F. G&#xfc;iza, T. Janssens, G. Hermans, I. Vanhorebeek, K. De Bock, G. Van den Berghe, L. Langouche P416 - Physical outcome measures for critical care patients following intensive care unit (icu) discharge H. Devine, P. MacTavish, T. Quasim, J. Kinsella, M. Daniel, J. McPeake P417 - Improving active mobilisation in a general intensive care unit B. Miles , S. Madden, H. Devine P418 - Mobilization in patients on vasoactive drugs use &#x2013; a pilot study. M. Weiler, P. Marques, C. Rodrigues, M. Boeira, K. Brenner, C. Le&#xe3;es, A. Machado, R. Townsend, J. Andrade P419 - Pharmacy intervention at an intensive care rehabilitation clinic P. MacTavish, J. McPeake, H. Devine, J. Kinsella, M. Daniel, R. Kishore, C. Fenlon, T. Quasim P420 - Interactive gaming is feasible and potentially increases icu patients&#x2019; motivation to be engaged in rehabilitation programs T. Fiks, A. Ruijter, M. Te Raa, P. Spronk P421 - Simulation-based design of a robust stopping rule to ensure patient safety Y. S. Chiew, P. Docherty, J. Dickson, E. Moltchanova, C. Scarrot, C. Pretty, G. M. Shaw, J. G. Chase P422 - Are daily blood tests on the intensive care unit necessary? T. Hall, W. C. Ngu, J. M. Jack, P. Morgan P423 - Measuring urine output in ward patients: is it helpful? B. Avard, A. Pavli, X. Gee P424 - The incidence of pressure ulcers in an adult mixed intensive care unit in turkey C . Bor, E. Akin Korhan, K. Demirag, M. Uyar P425 - Intensivist/patient ratios in closed ICUs in Alexandria, Egypt; an overview M. Shirazy, A. Fayed P426 - Eicu (electronic intensive care unit): impact on ALOS (average length of stay) in a developing country like India S. Gupta, A. Kaushal, S. Dewan, A. Varma P427 - Predicting deterioration in general ward using early deterioration indicator E. Ghosh, L. Yang, L. Eshelman, B. Lord, E. Carlson P428 - High impact enhanced critical care outreach - the imobile service: making a difference E. Helme, R. Broderick, S. Hadfield, R. Loveridge P429 - Impact of bed availability and cognitive load on intensive care unit (ICU) bed allocation: a vignette-based trial J. Ramos, D. Forte P430 - Characteristics of critically ill patients admitted through the emergency department F. Yang, P. Hou P431 - Admission to critical care: the quantification of functional reserve J. Dudziak, J. Feeney, K. Wilkinson, K. Bauchmuller, K. Shuker, M. Faulds, A. Raithatha, D. Bryden, L. England, N. Bolton, A. Tridente P432 - Admission to critical care: the importance of frailty K. Bauchmuller, K Shuker, A Tridente, M Faulds, A Matheson, J. Gaynor, D Bryden, S South Yorkshire Hospitals Research Collaboration P433 - Development of an instrument to aid triage decisions for intensive care unit admission J. Ramos, B. Peroni, R. Daglius-Dias, L. Miranda, C. Cohen, C. Carvalho, I . Velasco, D. Forte P434 - Using selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitors in critical care: a systematic review of the evidence for benefit or harm J. M. Kelly, A. Neill, G. Rubenfeld, N. Masson, A. Min P435 - Measuring adaptive coping of hospitalized patients with a severe medical condition:the sickness insight in coping questionnaire (sicq) E. Boezeman, J. Hofhuis , A. Hovingh, R. De Vries, P. Spronk P436 - Results of a national survey regarding intensive care medicine training G. Cabral-Campello, I. Arag&#xe3;o, T. Cardoso P437 - Work engagement among healthcare professionals in the intensive care unit M. Van Mol, M. Nijkamp, E . Kompanje P438 - Empowering the intensive care practitioners. is it a burnout ameliorating intervention? P. Ostrowski, A. Omar P439 - Icu patients suffer from circadian rhythm desynchronisation K. Kiss , B. K&#xf6;ves, V. Csernus, Z. Moln&#xe1;r P440 - Noise reduction in the ICU: feasible ? Y. Hoydonckx, S. Vanwing, B. Stessel, A. Van Assche, L. Jamaer, J. Dubois P441 - Accidental removal of invasive devices in the critical patient into the bed-washing. does the presence of professional nurse modify his incidence? V. Medo, R. Galvez, J. P. Miranda P442 - Deprivation of liberty safeguards (dols): audit of compliance in a of a 16-bed specialist cancer critical care unit. C. Stone, T. Wigmore P443 - Use of a modified cristal score to predict futility of critical care in the elderly Y. Arunan, A. Wheeler, K. Bauchmuller, D. Bryden P444 - Improvement of Referral Rate to Palliative Care for Patients with Poor Prognosis in Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit Y. Wong, C. Poi, C. Gu P445 - Factors associated with limitation of life supporting care (lsc) in a medico-surgical intermediate care unit, and outcome of patients with lsc limitation: a monocentric, six-month study. P. Molmy, N. Van Grunderbeeck, O. Nigeon, M. Lemyze, D. Thevenin, J. Mallat P446 - Palliative care consultation and intensive care unit admission request: a cohort study J. Ramos, M. Correa, R. T. Carvalho, D. Forte P447 - Nursing and medicine together in postsurgical intensive care unit: situations of prognostic conflict at the end of life. our critical care nurses suffer with our medical activism? A. Fernandez, C. McBride P448 - End of life who may decide E. Koonthalloor, C. Walsh P449 - Correctly diagnosing death A. Webber, M. Ashe, K. Smith, P. Jeanrenaud P450 - Skin procurement performed by intensive care physicians: yes, we can. A. Marudi , S. Baroni, F. Ragusa, E. Bertellini P451 - Death analysis in pediatric intensive care patients E. A. Volakli , E. Chochliourou, M. Dimitriadou, A. Violaki, P. Mantzafleri, E. Samkinidou, O. Vrani, A. Arbouti, T. Varsami, M. Sdougka P452 - The potential impact of euthanasia on organ donation: analysis of data from belgium J. A. Bollen, T. C. Van Smaalen, W. C. De Jongh, M. M. Ten Hoopen, D. Ysebaert, L. W. Van Heurn, W. N. Van Mook P453 - Communication within an intensive care setting K. Sim, A. Fuller P454 - Development and implementation of a longitudinal communication curriculum for critical care medicine fellows A. Roze des Ordons, P. Couillard, C. Doig P455 - Staff-family conflict in a multi-ethnic intensive care unit R. V. Van Keer, R. D. Deschepper, A. F. Francke, L. H. Huyghens, J. B. Bilsen P456 - Does the source of admission to critical care affect family satisfaction? B. Nyamaizi, C. Dalrymple, A. Molokhia, A. Dobru P457 - A simple alternative to the family satisfaction survey (fs-icu) E. Marrinan, A. Ankuli, A. Molokhia P458 - A study to explore the experiences of patient and family volunteers in a critical care environment: a phenomenological analysis J. McPeake, R. Struthers, R. Crawford , H. Devine , P. Mactavish , T. Quasim P459 - Prevalence and risk factors of anxiety and depression in relatives of burn patients. P. Morelli, M. Degiovanangelo, F. Lemos, V. MArtinez, F. Verga, J. Cabrera, G. Burghi P460 - Guidance of visiting children at an adult intensive care unit (icu) A. Rutten , S. Van Ieperen, S. De Geer, M. Van Vugt, E. Der Kinderen P461 - Visiting policies in Italian pediatric ICUs: an update A. Giannini, G Miccinesi, T Marchesi, E Prandi
21,129
Exaggerated Reactivity of Parasympathetic Nerves Is Involved in Ventricular Fibrillation in J-Wave Syndrome.
Brugada syndrome (BrS) and early repolarization syndrome (ERS) are termed the J-wave syndrome. In most cases of J-wave syndrome, ventricular fibrillation (VF) often occurs around midnight or in the early morning when parasympathetic tone is augmented.</AbstractText>The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between VF and autonomic nervous activity in patients with J-wave syndrome.</AbstractText>We enrolled 28 consecutive patients with J-wave syndrome (20 BrS and 8 ERS) in whom implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) were implanted between January 2002 and December 2014. Eleven patients (39%) experienced ICD shock delivery due to VF recurrence after ICD implantation (recurrent-VF group). We investigated baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) using the phenylephrine method, heart rate variability (HRV) with Holter electrocardiography, plasma levels of norepinephrine, and cardiac 123</sup> I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy to estimate autonomic nervous function. Upon measurement of HRV, plasma levels of norepinephrine, and 123</sup> I-MIBG testing, there was no significant difference between recurrent-VF and nonrecurrent-VF groups. However, BRS was significantly higher in the recurrent-VF group than in the nonrecurrent-VF group (P = 0.03). Kaplan-Meier curves suggested that high-BRS patients had higher VF recurrence than those with nonhigh-BRS (P = 0.04). Cox proportional hazards regression analyses showed that high BRS was associated independently with VF recurrence (P = 0.002).</AbstractText>Our results suggest that exaggerated reactivity of parasympathetic nerves, as represented by increased BRS, may underlie VF in patients with J-wave syndrome.</AbstractText>&#xa9; 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</CopyrightInformation>
21,130
Early impairment in left ventricular longitudinal systolic function is associated with an increased risk of incident atrial fibrillation in patients with type 2 diabetes.
It is known that type 2 diabetic patients are at high risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the early echocardiographic determinants of AF vulnerability in this patient population remain poorly known.</AbstractText>We followed-up for 2years a sample of 180 consecutive outpatients with type 2 diabetes, who were free from AF and ischemic heart disease at baseline. All patients underwent a baseline echocardiographic-Doppler evaluation with tissue Doppler and 2-D strain analysis. Standard electrocardiograms were performed twice per year, and a diagnosis of incident AF was confirmed in affected patients by a single cardiologist.</AbstractText>Over the 2-year follow-up period, 14 (7.8%) patients developed incident AF. In univariate analyses, echocardiographic predictors of new-onset AF were greater indexed cardiac mass, larger indexed left atrial volume (LAVI), lower global longitudinal strain (LSSYS</sub>), lower global diastolic strain rate during early phase of diastole (SRE</sub>), lower global diastolic strain rate during late phase of diastole (SRL</sub>), and higher E/SRE</sub> ratio. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that lower LSSYS</sub> remained the only significant predictor of new-onset AF (adjusted-odds ratio 1.63, 95%CI 1.17-2.27; p&lt;0.005) after adjustment for age, sex, diabetes duration, indexed cardiac mass and LAVI. Results were unchanged even after adjustment for body mass index, hypertension and glycemic control.</AbstractText>This is the first prospective study to show that early LSSYS</sub> impairment independently predicts the risk of new-onset AF in type 2 diabetic patients with preserved ejection fraction and without ischemic heart disease. Future larger prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,131
Long-Term Arrhythmic and Nonarrhythmic Outcomes of Lamin A/C Mutation Carriers.
Mutations in LMNA are variably expressed and may cause cardiomyopathy, atrioventricular block (AVB), or atrial arrhythmias (AAs) and ventricular arrhythmias (VA). Detailed natural history studies of LMNA-associated arrhythmic and nonarrhythmic outcomes are limited, and the prognostic significance of the index cardiac phenotype remains uncertain.</AbstractText>This study sought to describe the arrhythmic and nonarrhythmic outcomes of LMNA mutation carriers and to assess the prognostic significance of the index cardiac phenotype.</AbstractText>The incidence of AVB, AA, sustained VA, left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVD)&#xa0;(= left ventricular ejection fraction&#xa0;&#x2264;50%), and end-stage heart failure (HF) was retrospectively determined in 122 consecutive LMNA mutation carriers followed at 5 referral centers for a median of 7 years from first clinical contact. Predictors of VA and end-stage HF or death were determined.</AbstractText>The prevalence of clinical manifestations increased broadly from index evaluation to median follow-up: AVB, 46% to 57%; AA, 39% to 63%; VA, 16% to 34%; and LVD, 44% to 57%. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators were placed in 59% of patients for new LVD or AVB. End-stage HF developed in 19% of patients, and 13% died. In patients without LVD at presentation, 24% developed new LVD, and 7% developed end-stage HF. Male sex (p&#xa0;= 0.01), nonmissense mutations (p&#xa0;= 0.03), and LVD at index evaluation (p&#xa0;= 0.004) were associated with development of VA, whereas LVD was associated with end-stage HF or death (p&#xa0;&lt; 0.001). Mode of presentation (with isolated or combination of clinical features) did not predict sustained VA or end-stage HF or death.</AbstractText>LMNA-related heart disease was associated with a high incidence of phenotypic progression and adverse arrhythmic and nonarrhythmic events over long-term follow-up. The index cardiac phenotype did not predict adverse events. Genetic diagnosis and subsequent follow-up, including anticipatory planning for therapies to prevent sudden death and manage HF, is warranted.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
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Use of self-gated radial cardiovascular magnetic resonance to detect and classify arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation and premature ventricular contraction).
Arrhythmia can significantly alter the image quality of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR); automatic detection and sorting of the most frequent types of arrhythmias during the CMR acquisition could potentially improve image quality. New CMR techniques, such as non-Cartesian CMR, can allow self-gating: from cardiac motion-related signal changes, we can detect cardiac cycles without an electrocardiogram. We can further use this data to obtain a surrogate for RR intervals (valley intervals: VV). Our purpose was to evaluate the feasibility of an automated method for classification of non-arrhythmic (NA) (regular cycles) and arrhythmic patients (A) (irregular cycles), and for sorting of common arrhythmia patterns between atrial fibrillation (AF) and premature ventricular contraction (PVC), using the cardiac motion-related signal obtained during self-gated free-breathing radial cardiac cine CMR with compressed sensing reconstruction (XD-GRASP).</AbstractText>One hundred eleven patients underwent cardiac XD-GRASP CMR between October 2015 and February 2016; 33 were included for retrospective analysis with the proposed method (6 AF, 8 PVC, 19 NA; by recent ECG). We analyzed the VV, using pooled statistics (histograms) and sequential analysis (Poincar&#xe9; plots), including the median (medVV), the weighted mean (meanVV), the total number of VV values (VVval), and the total range (VVTR) and half range (VVHR) of the cumulative frequency distribution of VV, including the median to half range (medVV/VVHR) and the half range to total range (VVHR/VVTR) ratios. We designed a simple algorithm for using the VV results to differentiate A from NA, and AF from PVC.</AbstractText>Between NA and A, meanVV, VVval, VVTR, VVHR, medVV/VVHR and VVHR/VVTR ratios were significantly different (p values&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.00014, 0.0027, 0.000028, 5&#xd7;10-9</sup>, 0.002, respectively). Between AF and PVC, meanVV, VVval and medVV/VVHR ratio were significantly different (p values&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.018, 0.007, 0.044, respectively). Using our algorithm, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 93 %, 95 % and 94 % to discriminate between NA and A, and 83 %, 71 %, and 77 % to discriminate between AF and PVC, respectively; areas under the ROC curve were 0.93 and 0.89.</AbstractText>Our study shows we can reliably detect arrhythmias and differentiate AF from PVC, using self-gated cardiac cine XD-GRASP CMR.</AbstractText>
21,133
[Rivaroxaban-resistant right ventricular thrombus, successfully treated with vitamin K antagonist in a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy].
Rivaroxaban, a selective inhibitor of active factor X belongs to the group of direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOAC), more and more often replacing vitamin K antagonists (VKA) in venous thromboembolic disease and nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Attempts are also being made to use DOAC to treat locally formed intracardiac thrombi, mainly in the left atrium and its appendage, in atrial fibrillation and in heart failure. Rarely diagnosed local right ventricular thrombus (RVT) may be a complication of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).</AbstractText>The authors present a case of a 40-year-old male with DCM and RVT located in the apex, which was imaged in echocardiography, magnetic resonance and multislice computed tomography. During treatment with rivaroksaban (2x15 mg: 4 weeks; 1x20 mg: 4 months) diminishing of RVT was not observed. After 2 months of VKA use complete resolution of RVT was noted. The case presented is probably the first described RVT treated with rivaroxaban. The authors conclude that in some cases, anticoagulation with VKA may be more effective than DOAC in intracardiac thrombi therapy, especially when it is meticulously monitored. Overlapping effect on RVT due to anticoagulants use with a different mechanism of action cannot be excluded.</AbstractText>
21,134
Reduced trans-mitral A-wave velocity predicts the presence of wild-type transthyretin amyloidosis in elderly patients with left ventricular hypertrophy.
Wild-type transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRwt) is often overlooked in elderly patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Impaired atrial function, in addition to ventricular diastolic dysfunction, is one of the hallmarks of cardiac amyloidosis. Here, we assessed the hypothesis that atrial function evaluated by A-velocity in pulse Doppler echocardiography is useful to differentiate ATTRwt in elderly patients with LVH. We analyzed 133 consecutive patients who underwent tissue biopsy to rule out infiltrative cardiomyopathy in our institute. We excluded patients younger than 50&#xa0;years, without LVH (LV thickness was less than 12&#xa0;mm), with other types of cardiac amyloidosis and patients with chronic atrial fibrillation, and analyzed remaining 51 patients (ATTRwt: 16, non-ATTRwt: 35). ATTRwt patients were significantly older and had advanced heart failure compared with non-ATTRwt group. In echocardiography, E/A, E/e', and relative wall thickness was significantly higher in ATTRwt group than non-ATTRwt group. A-velocity was significantly decreased in ATTRWT group compared with non-ATTRwt group (40.8&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;20.8 vs. 78.7&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;28.2&#xa0;cm/s, p&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.0001). Multivariate logistic analysis using eight forced inclusion models identified trans-mitral Doppler A-wave velocity was more significant factor of cardiac amyloidosis in ATTRwt. In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) for A-wave velocity in discrimination between ATTRwt and non-ATTRwt were 0.86 (CI 0.76-0.96, p&#xa0;&lt;&#xa0;0.001). The cut-off value was 62.5&#xa0;cm/s, and it yielded the best combination of sensitivity (69.7%) and specificity (87.5%) for prediction of amyloidosis. We concluded that reduced A-velocity predicts the presence of ATTRwt in elderly patients with LVH in sinus rhythm.
21,135
Ventricular Fibrillation-Induced Cardiac Arrest Results in Regional Cardiac Injury Preferentially in Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery Territory in Piglet Model.
<i>Objective</i>. Decreased cardiac function after resuscitation from cardiac arrest (CA) results from global ischemia of the myocardium. In the evolution of postarrest myocardial dysfunction, preferential involvement of any coronary arterial territory is not known. We hypothesized that there is no preferential involvement of any coronary artery during electrical induced ventricular fibrillation (VF) in piglet model. <i>Design</i>. Prospective, randomized controlled study. <i>Methods</i>. 12 piglets were randomized to baseline and electrical induced VF. After 5 min, the animals were resuscitated according to AHA PALS guidelines. After return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), animals were observed for an additional 4 hours prior to cardiac MRI. Data (mean &#xb1; SD) was analyzed using unpaired <i>t</i>-test; <i>p</i> value &#x2264; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. <i>Results</i>. Segmental wall motion (mm; baseline versus postarrest group) in segment 7 (left anterior descending (LAD)) was 4.68 &#xb1; 0.54 versus 3.31 &#xb1; 0.64, <i>p</i> = 0.0026. In segment 13, it was 3.82 &#xb1; 0.96 versus 2.58 &#xb1; 0.82, <i>p</i> = 0.02. In segment 14, it was 2.42 &#xb1; 0.44 versus 1.29 &#xb1; 0.99, <i>p</i> = 0.028. <i>Conclusion</i>. Postarrest myocardial dysfunction resulted in segmental wall motion defects in the LAD territory. There were no perfusion defects in the involved segments.
21,136
Heart Rate Turbulence Is a Powerful Predictor of Cardiac Death and Ventricular Arrhythmias in Postmyocardial Infarction and Heart Failure Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Heart rate turbulence (HRT) has been proposed as a candidate marker of altered autonomic tone, and some studies showed its prognostic value for both cardiac death (CD) and sudden death. Nevertheless, HRT is not currently used in the clinical practice.</AbstractText>We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the predictive value of HRT for the end points of total mortality, CD, and fatal and nonfatal ventricular arrhythmias in postacute myocardial infarction and heart failure patients. MEDLINE and The Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched to identify studies, which analyzed the predictive value of abnormal HRT for the defined end points. Twenty studies (25 cohorts: 12&#x2009;832 patients) were identified by the systematic review, and 15 studies (20 cohorts: 11&#x2009;499 patients) were included in the meta-analyses. Abnormal HRT was a predictive marker for all the end points in heart failure patients and more markedly in postacute myocardial infarction patients, where 9 out of the 10 cohorts had an ejection fraction &gt;30%. In postacute myocardial infarction patients, HRT had pooled risk ratios of 3.53 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.54-4.90), 4.82 (95% CI, 3.12-7.45), and 4.48 (95% CI, 3.04-6.60), and positive likelihood ratios of 3.5 (95% CI, 2.6-4.8), 4.1 (95% CI, 3.0-5.7), and 2.7 (95% CI, 2.2-3.3) for total mortality, CD, and arrhythmic events, respectively. The combination of abnormal HRT and T-wave alternans (5 cohorts: 1516 patients) increased the predictive power for CD and arrhythmic events.</AbstractText>HRT is a powerful predictor of both CD and arrhythmic events, particularly in postacute myocardial infarction patients with ejection fraction &gt;30%. HRT power increases in combination with T-wave alternans analysis.</AbstractText>&#xa9; 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.</CopyrightInformation>
21,137
Experimental evidence for a severe proarrhythmic potential of levosimendan.
The calcium sensitizer levosimendan is established for therapy of acutely decompensated congestive heart failure. Clinical experience suggests a possible proarrhythmic potential. The aim of the present study was to assess possible proarrhythmic effects and underlying electrophysiological mechanisms.</AbstractText>Ten rabbit hearts were isolated and Langendorff-perfused. Thereafter, levosimendan was infused in 3 concentrations (0.5, 1, and 2&#x3bc;M). Eight endo- and epicardial monophasic action potentials and a 12-lead ECG showed a dose-dependent reduction of QT interval (0.5&#x3bc;M: -27ms, 1&#x3bc;M:-33ms, 2&#x3bc;M: -77ms; p&lt;0.05) and action potential duration at 90% of repolarization (APD90</sub>; 0.5&#x3bc;M: -12ms, 1&#x3bc;M: -12ms, 2&#x3bc;M: -20ms). There was no significant increase in dispersion of repolarization. The described abbreviation of myocardial repolarization was accompanied by a significant decrease of effective refractory period (ERP; 0.5&#x3bc;M: -16ms, 1&#x3bc;M: -20ms, 2&#x3bc;M:-27ms; p&lt;0.05). Under baseline conditions, ventricular fibrillation was inducible by programmed stimulation and aggressive burst stimulation in 3 of 10 hearts (4 episodes). After application of 1&#x3bc;M levosimendan, 8 of 10 control hearts were inducible (27 episodes). Of note, in 8 of 10 hearts after infusion of up to 2&#x3bc;M levosimendan, incessant ventricular fibrillation that could not be terminated by multiple external defibrillations occurred.</AbstractText>In the present study, acute infusion of levosimendan resulted in an abbreviation of ventricular repolarization and a reduction of ERP. This led to a significantly elevated inducibility of ventricular fibrillation. In 8 of 10 hearts, incessant ventricular fibrillation occurred. These results suggest a proarrhythmic effect of levosimendan and might explain an increased mortality that coincided levosimendan treatment in a few small clinical studies.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,138
Role of risk stratification and genetics in sudden cardiac death.
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a major public health issue due to its increasing incidence in the general population and the difficulty in identifying high-risk individuals. Nearly 300&#x2009;000&#x2009;-&#x2009;350&#x2009;000 patients in the United States and 4-5 million patients in the world die annually from SCD. Coronary artery disease and advanced heart failure are the main etiology for SCD. Ischemia of any cause precipitates lethal arrhythmias, and ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation are the most common lethal arrhythmias precipitating SCD. Pulseless electrical activity, bradyarrhythmia, and electromechanical dissociation also result in SCD. Most SCDs occur outside of the hospital setting, so it is difficult to estimate the public burden, which results in overestimating the incidence of SCD. The insufficiency and limited predictive value of various indicators and criteria for SCD result in the increasing incidence. As a result, there is a need to develop better risk stratification criteria and find modifiable variables to decrease the incidence. Primary and secondary prevention and treatment of SCD need further research. This critical review is focused on the etiology, risk factors, prognostic factors, and importance of risk stratification of SCD.
21,139
High Prevalence and Clinical Implication of Myocardial Bridging in Patients with Early Repolarization.
Recent evidence suggests that early repolarization (ER) is related with myocardial ischemia. Compression of coronary artery by a myocardial bridging (MB) can be associated with clinical manifestations of myocardial ischemia. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of MB in patients with ER.</AbstractText>In consecutive patients (n=1303, age, 61&#xb1;12 years) who had undergone coronary angiography, we assessed the prevalence and prognostic implication of MB in those with ER (n=142) and those without ER (n=1161).</AbstractText>MB was observed in 54 (38%) and 196 (17%) patients in ER and no-ER groups (p&lt;0.001). In multivariate analysis, MB was independently associated with ER (odd ratio: 2.9, 95% confidence interval: 1.98-4.24, p&lt;0.001). Notched type ER was more frequently observed in MB involving the mid portion of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) (69.8% vs. 30.2%, p=0.03). Cardiac event was observed in nine (6.3%) and 22 (1.9%) subjects with and without ER, respectively. MB was more frequently observed in sudden death patients with ER (2 out of 9, 22%) than in those without ER (0 out of 22).</AbstractText>MB was independently associated with ER in patients without out structural heart disease who underwent coronary angiography. Notched type ER was closely related with MB involving the mid portion of the LAD. Among patients who had experienced cardiac events, a higher prevalence of MB was observed in patients with ER than those without ER. Further prospective studies on the prognosis of MB in ER patients are required.</AbstractText>
21,140
Left ventricle remodeling predicts the recurrence of ventricular tachyarrhythmias in implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients for secondary prevention.
Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is an effective treatment for secondary prevention of ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF). Left ventricular (LV) remodeling may develop before ICD implant and over time. However, it remains unclear how LV remodeling affects subsequent risk for recurrence VT/VF in ICD recipients under optimal medical therapy.</AbstractText>From May of 2004 to June of 2015, 144 patients received ICD implantation for secondary prevention were enrolled in this study. All information interrogated from ICD devices during follow-up or ICD therapy history (anti-tachycardia pacing and shock therapy) were reviewed and validated the occurrences of VT/VF.</AbstractText>At a mean follow-up of 1110.5&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;860.6&#xa0;days, 53 patients (36.8%) had recurrence of VT/VF episodes and 91 patients had no recurrence of VT/VF episode after ICD implant. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV)&#x2009;&gt;&#x2009;163.5&#xa0;mL had significant predictive value for VT/VF recurrence (area under the curve: 0.602, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.041). Moreover, the percentage of patients with LVEDV &gt;163.5&#xa0;mL was significantly higher in patients with recurrent VT/VF than patients without recurrent VT/VF (62.3 vs 40.0%, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.010). Left ventricular ejection fraction&#x2009;&#x2264;&#x2009;30% (p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.031), LVEDV&#x2009;&gt;&#x2009;163.5&#xa0;mL (p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.012) and QRS width&#x2009;&gt;&#x2009;125&#xa0;msec (p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.049) were significant predictors for VT/VF recurrence by univariate Cox regression analysis. However, only LVEDV&#x2009;&gt;&#x2009;163.5&#xa0;mL (hazard ratio: 2.549, 95% confidence interval: 1.249&#x2009;~&#x2009;5.201, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.010) and QRS width&#x2009;&gt;&#x2009;125&#xa0;msec (hazard ratio: 2.173, 95% confidence interval: 1.030&#x2009;~&#x2009;4.586, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.042) were independent predictors for recurrence of VT/VF after multivariable adjustment.</AbstractText>LV remodeling and QRS width&#x2009;&gt;&#x2009;125&#xa0;msec were independent predictors for VT/VF recurrence in secondary prevention ICD recipients under optimal medical therapy, independent of LV ejection fraction.</AbstractText>
21,141
Characteristics and Outcomes of Concurrently Diagnosed New Rapid Atrial Fibrillation or Flutter and New Reduced Ejection Fraction.
Characteristics and outcomes of concurrently diagnosed new rapid atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL) and new heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) are not well described.</AbstractText>A retrospective cohort study of subjects referred for expedited transesophageal echocardiography-guided rhythm-control strategies for concurrent new rapid AF/AFL and new LVEF &#x2264; 40% diagnosed during the same admission was analyzed.</AbstractText>Twenty-five subjects (median age 57 years; 96% male; 96% Caucasian; median CHA2</sub> DS2</sub> -VASc = 2) presented with new AF (n = 18) or AFL (n = 7) with rapid ventricular rate (median 135&#xa0;beats/min) and new reduced LVEF (median 27%; range, 10-37.5%). Seven (28%) subjects had left atrial appendage thrombi (LAAT) and five (20%) subjects had heavy or binge alcohol use. Baseline characteristics were similar between those with and without LAAT. Thirteen subjects with AF and without LAAT underwent direct-current cardioversion (DCCV) and 10 (77%) had AF recurrence within 90 days. Improvement of long-term LVEF to &gt;40% was comparable for subjects with and without initial LAAT (83%&#xa0;vs 94%; P = 0.46). Three of four subjects who received primary prophylaxis implantable cardioverter-defibrillators improved their LVEF to &gt;35% after sinus rhythm maintenance. The median long-term follow-up time was 3.0 years.</AbstractText>Subjects with concurrently diagnosed new rapid AF/AFL and new reduced LVEF are characterized by a high prevalence of LAAT and significant alcohol use. AF subjects without initial LAAT who underwent DCCV had a high 90-day AF recurrence rate. The presence of LAAT did not have a prognosticative effect on eventual LVEF improvement, which was observed in almost all subjects.</AbstractText>&#xa9; 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</CopyrightInformation>
21,142
The CHA<sub>2</sub>DS<sub>2</sub>-VASc score as a predictor of high mortality in hospitalized heart failure patients.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in patients with heart failure (HF). CHA2</sub>DS2</sub>-VASc score was originally employed as a risk assessment tool for stroke in patients with AF; however, it has recently been used to predict not only stroke but also various cardiovascular diseases beyond the original AF field. We aimed to verify the CHA2</sub>DS2</sub>-VASc score as a risk assessment tool to predict mortality in patients with HF.</AbstractText>Consecutive 1011 patients admitted for treatment of HF were divided into three groups based on their CHA2</sub>DS2</sub>-VASc scores: score 1-3 group (n</i>&#x2009;=&#x2009;317), score 4-6 group (n</i>&#x2009;=&#x2009;549) and score 7-9 group (n</i>&#x2009;=&#x2009;145). Of the 1011 HF patients, 387 (38.3%) had AF. We compared patient characteristics among the three groups and prospectively followed for all-cause mortality. Although left ventricular ejection fraction was similar among all three groups, all-cause mortality was higher in the score 4-6 group and score 7-9 group than in the score 1-3 group (37.9 and 29.3% vs. 15.1%, log-rank P</i>&#x2009;&lt;&#x2009;0.001). In the multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis, the CHA2</sub>DS2</sub>-VASc score 7-9 was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality (all HF patients: hazard ratio (HR) 1.822, P</i>&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.011; HF patients with AF: HR 1.951, P</i>&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.031; HF patients without AF: HR 2.215, P</i>&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.033).</AbstractText>The CHA2</sub>DS2</sub>-VASc score was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in HF patients with or without AF. This comprehensive risk assessment score may help identify HF patients who are at high risk for mortality in HF patient.</AbstractText>
21,143
Outcomes of sudden cardiac arrest in a state-wide integrated resuscitation program: Results from the Minnesota Resuscitation Consortium.
Despite many advances in resuscitation science the outcomes of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) remain poor. The Minnesota Resuscitation Consortium (MRC) is a statewide integrated resuscitation program, established in 2011, to provide standardized, evidence-based resuscitation and post-resuscitation care. The objective of this study is to assess the outcomes of a state-wide integrated resuscitation program.</AbstractText>We examined the trends in resuscitation metrics and outcomes in Minnesota since 2011 and compared these to the results from the national Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) program. Since 2011 MRC has expanded significantly providing service to &gt;75% of Minnesota's population.</AbstractText>A total of 5192 SCA occurred in counties covered by MRC from 2011 to 2014. In this period, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use of hypothermia, automatic CPR device and impedance threshold device increased significantly (p&lt;0.0001 for all). Compared to CARES, SCA cases in Minnesota were more likely to be ventricular fibrillation (31% vs. 23%, p&lt;0.0001) but less likely to receive bystander CPR (33% vs. 39%, p&lt;0.0001). Survival to hospital discharge with good or moderate cerebral performance (12% vs. 8%, p&lt;0.0001), survival in SCA with a shockable rhythm (Utstein survival) (38% vs. 33%, p=0.0003) and Utstein survival with bystander CPR (44% vs. 37%, p=0.003) were greater in Minnesota than CARES.</AbstractText>State-wide integration of resuscitation services in Minnesota was feasible. Survival rate after cardiac arrest is greater in Minnesota compared to the mean survival rate in CARES.</AbstractText>Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.</CopyrightInformation>
21,144
Positive predictive value of cardiovascular diagnoses in the Danish National Patient Registry: a validation study.
The majority of cardiovascular diagnoses in the Danish National Patient Registry (DNPR) remain to be validated despite extensive use in epidemiological research. We therefore examined the positive predictive value (PPV) of cardiovascular diagnoses in the DNPR.</AbstractText>Population-based validation study.</AbstractText>1 university hospital and 2 regional hospitals in the Central Denmark Region, 2010-2012.</AbstractText>For each cardiovascular diagnosis, up to 100 patients from participating hospitals were randomly sampled during the study period using the DNPR.</AbstractText>Using medical record review as the reference standard, we examined the PPV for cardiovascular diagnoses in the DNPR, coded according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision.</AbstractText>A total of 2153 medical records (97% of the total sample) were available for review. The PPVs ranged from 64% to 100%, with a mean PPV of 88%. The PPVs were &#x2265;90% for first-time myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, stable angina pectoris, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, takotsubo cardiomyopathy, arterial hypertension, atrial fibrillation or flutter, cardiac arrest, mitral valve regurgitation or stenosis, aortic valve regurgitation or stenosis, pericarditis, hypercholesterolaemia, aortic dissection, aortic aneurysm/dilation and arterial claudication. The PPVs were between 80% and 90% for recurrent myocardial infarction, first-time unstable angina pectoris, pulmonary hypertension, bradycardia, ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation, endocarditis, cardiac tumours, first-time venous thromboembolism and between 70% and 80% for first-time and recurrent admission due to heart failure, first-time dilated cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy and recurrent venous thromboembolism. The PPV for first-time myocarditis was 64%. The PPVs were consistent within age, sex, calendar year and hospital categories.</AbstractText>The validity of cardiovascular diagnoses in the DNPR is overall high and sufficient for use in research since 2010.</AbstractText>Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.</CopyrightInformation>
21,145
Clinical and echocardiographic course in tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy: Long-term follow-up from a multicenter study.
To jointly describe clinical characteristics, ECG and echocardiographic findings, and adverse cardiovascular events in patients with tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) in the long-term.</AbstractText>Longitudinal multicenter study including retrospective analysis of clinical and ECG data, and follow-up evaluation with clinical interview, electrocardiogram and echocardiogram.</AbstractText>Data from 66 cases of TC were available for analysis of clinical and adverse cardiovascular events, and 56 of them completed the follow-up visit including electrocardiogram and echocardiogram. Most patients (97%) were asymptomatic or oligosymptomatic (NYHA I [58%] or II [39%], respectively) at follow-up (median time: 3.7 [1.8-6.6] years). The vast majority of individual QRS complex and repolarization abnormalities had disappeared (87% with no ECG abnormalities at follow-up). On echocardiography, left ventricular ejection fraction was &#x2265;50% in all patients (mean: 63&#xb1;6%). Wall motion abnormalities were observed in 4 patients (7%; 3 with apical wall motion abnormalities and 1 with mild global hypokinesia). Long-term outcomes were as follows: 4 deaths (6%), 2 cardiovascular and 2 non-cardiovascular; no atrial fibrillation development; no stroke events; 5 acute recurrence events of TC (8%). Globally, 57 patients (86%) had a clinical course free from adverse cardiovascular events.</AbstractText>After a long period following the admission event, patients discharged from TC remain asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic, and feature a low prevalence of both ECG and left ventricular wall motion abnormalities; moreover, the latter lead to a very mild impairment of ejection fraction. Among cardiovascular adverse events, recurrence of the TC event appears to play the most significant role.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,146
Interactions of digitalis and class-III antiarrhythmic drugs: Amiodarone versus dronedarone.
A post hoc analysis of the PALLAS trial suggested possible interactions of dronedarone and digitalis glycosides. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects dronedarone or amiodarone in combination with digitalis glycosides.</AbstractText>Eleven female rabbits underwent chronic oral treatment with amiodarone (50mg/kg/d for 6weeks). Ten rabbits were treated with dronedarone (50mg/kg/d for 6weeks). Ten rabbits were used as controls. Hearts were isolated and Langendorff-perfused. Monophasic action potentials and ECG showed a moderate prolongation of QT interval and action potential duration (APD). Both drugs also increased effective refractory period. Additional application of ouabain (0.2&#x3bc;M) resulted in a significant decrease of QT interval, APD, and ERP in all groups. Ventricular arrhythmias were induced by programmed ventricular stimulation and aggressive burst stimulation. Reproducible occurrence was defined as occurrence of at least 3 episodes. Under baseline conditions in control hearts, ventricular fibrillation (VF) was inducible in 1 of 10 hearts (7 episodes). After the application of 0.2&#x3bc;M ouabain, 4 of 10 control hearts were inducible (24 episodes). One of 10 dronedarone-pretreated hearts (3 episodes) and 2 of 11 amiodarone-pretreated hearts (6 episodes) showed VF before ouabain infusion. After the application of 0.2&#x3bc;M ouabain, 7 of 10 dronedarone-pretreated hearts were inducible (73 episodes). By contrast, only 4 of 11 amiodarone-pretreated hearts (13 episodes) showed VF.</AbstractText>In the present study, additional treatment with ouabain resulted in an increased ventricular vulnerability in al study groups. Of note, chronically dronedarone-pretreated hearts were significantly more vulnerable than amiodarone-pretreated hearts.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,147
Temporal trends and long term follow-up of implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy for secondary prevention: A 15-year single-centre experience.
The aim of this study was to determine overall and aetiology-related incidence of secondary prevention ICD implantation over the last 15years in Canton Ticino and to assess clinical outcome according to time period of implantation.</AbstractText>Consecutive patients treated by implantation of an ICD for secondary prevention from 2000 to 2015 were included in the current study and compared between 5-year cohorts (2000/2004; 2005/2009; 2010/2015). Yearly implantation rate, changing in clinical presentation over years and events during follow-up were evaluated. One-hundred fifty six patients were included. ICD implantation rate increased from 2.1 in 2000-2005 to 5.1 in 2010-2015, respectively (p 0.001). There was an increase in the proportion of non-ischaemic patients and of ventricular tachycardia (VT) as presenting rhythm. No differences in appropriate ICD interventions were observed according to aetiology, presenting arrhythmia or type of device. Reverse remodelling was observed more often in non-ischaemic patients, without any influence on the occurrence of appropriate interventions. Previous myocardial infarction (MI), atrial fibrillation (AF), NYHA class 2-3 and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)&lt;35% were predictors of appropriate therapies during follow-up.</AbstractText>Rate of implants for secondary prevention indication has almost doubled during the last 15years. Importantly, there has been a progressive increase of non-ischaemic patients receiving an ICD, and of VT as presenting rhythm. Patients had an overall good survival and a relatively low incidence of appropriate therapies. Improvement of ejection fraction did not correlate with risk reduction of ventricular arrhythmias.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,148
Colchicine Increases Ventricular Vulnerability in an Experimental Whole-Heart Model.
The traditional gout medication colchicine has been reported to effectively prevent atrial fibrillation recurrence after atrial fibrillation ablation or cardiac surgery in a few clinical trials. Severe adverse events have not yet been reported. The aim of the present study was to assess possible direct electrophysiological effects in an experimental whole-heart model. Ten rabbit hearts were isolated and Langendorff-perfused. Thereafter, colchicine was administered in two concentrations (1 and 3 &#x3bc;M). Eight endo- and epicardial monophasic action potentials and a 12-lead ECG showed a stable QT interval and action potential duration during colchicine infusion. Furthermore, there was no significant increase in dispersion of repolarization. However, colchicine induced a dose-dependent significant decrease of effective refractory period (ERP; 1 &#x3bc;M: -19 ms, 3 &#x3bc;M: -22 ms; p &lt; 0.05). In the present study, acute infusion of colchicine in isolated rabbit hearts resulted in a reduction of ERP in the presence of a stable myocardial repolarization. This led to a significantly elevated inducibility of ventricular fibrillation. In 4 of 10 hearts, incessant ventricular fibrillation occurred. These results suggest a pro-arrhythmic or toxic effect of colchicine and underline that further clinical studies on potential adverse effects should be conducted before the drug can be recommended for routine use after atrial fibrillation ablation.
21,149
Prognostic Implications of Defibrillation Threshold Testing in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.
In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients the need for defibrillation threshold (DFT) testing at the time of ICD implantation is debated. Moreover, its prognostic implications have never been explored. In a cohort of HCM patients we sought to (a) investigate factors prompting DFT testing, (b) evaluate ICD efficacy by testing DFT, (c) compare DFT in patients with and without massive LVH, and (d) assess whether DFT testing predicts shock efficacy for spontaneous VT/VF.</AbstractText>We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of HCM patients implanted with an ICD. DFT was tested at the discretion of the implanting physician with a 10 J safety margin. During follow-up, ICD interventions were evaluated. The study population included 66 patients. DFT was determined in 25 (38%) patients. Age (HR: 0.95; 95%CI: 0.92-0.98; P = 0.004) and massive LVH (HR: 6.0; 95%CI: 2.03-18.8; P = 0.001) affected the decision to test DFT. DFT was at least 10 J less than maximal ICD output in 25/25. Safety margin was similar among patients with and without massive LVH (15&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;3 J vs. 14&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;2 J; P = 0.42). During follow-up (median 53 months) 15 shocks were delivered for 12 VT/VF in 7 patients. One VF ended spontaneously after a failed shock. Of 4 unsuccessful shocks, 2 occurred in 1 patient with DFT testing and 2 were delivered in 2 patients without. All unsuccessful shocks were &#x2264;35 J.</AbstractText>Young age and massive LVH prompt DFT testing. Contemporary ICDs are safe and effective in HCM patients independently from the magnitude of LVH. DFT testing does not predict shock efficacy for spontaneous VT/VF.</AbstractText>&#xa9; 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</CopyrightInformation>
21,150
Long-Term Outcome of Left Atrial Voltage-Guided Substrate Ablation During Atrial Fibrillation: A Novel Adjunctive Ablation Strategy.
Left atrium (LA) low voltage area (LVA) on 3-D electroanatomic bipolar voltage mapping (EAVM), as a surrogate for scar, is associated with poor AF ablation outcome. We evaluated the long-term outcome of an LVA-guided atrial fibrillation (AF) substrate modification strategy as an adjunct to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI).</AbstractText>Two hundred and one consecutive patients with AF (82% persistent/Non-PAF, age 65 years), who underwent EAVM during AF prior to PVI, were divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of LVA outside the PV antra, defined as bipolar voltage of &lt;0.5 mV. LVA-guided substrate modification was performed after PVI in patients with LVA. LVA was found in 159 patients (79%). Non-PAF (OR 3.851, P = 0.002) and CHA2</sub> DS2</sub> -VASc score (OR 1.815, P &lt; 0.001) were independent predictors for the LVA. After the index procedure, 144 patients (72%) were free from AF at 12 months. With multiple procedures, 148 patients (74%) during a median follow-up of 3.1 years were free from the recurrence. There was no difference in the recurrence (log-rank P = 0.746), and complications (0% vs. 7%, P = 0.125) between the groups. Neither LVA nor Non-PAF was an independent predictor for the recurrence in a multivariate analysis.</AbstractText>Patients with LVA had an equally favorable long-term ablation outcome compared to those without. As an adjunct to PVI, voltage-guided substrate modification may be an important ablation strategy in patients with LA structural remodeling.</AbstractText>&#xa9; 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</CopyrightInformation>
21,151
&#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -Adrenoceptor autoantibodies increase the susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias involving abnormal repolarization in guinea-pigs.
What is the central question of this study? High titres of autoantibodies against the second extracellular loop of the &#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -adrenergic receptor (&#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -AAs) can be detected in the sera of patients with ventricular arrhythmias, but a causal relationship between &#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -AAs and ventricular arrhythmias has not been established. What is the main finding and its importance? Monoclonal &#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -AAs (&#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -AR mAbs) were used in the experiments. We showed that &#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -AR mAbs increased susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias and induced repolarization abnormalities. Antibody adsorption of &#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -AAs will be a potential new therapeutic strategy for ventricular arrhythmias in patients with high titres of &#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -AAs. High titres of autoantibodies against the second extracellular loop of the &#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -adrenergic receptor (&#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -AAs) can be detected in sera from patients with ventricular arrhythmias, but a causal relationship between &#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -AAs and ventricular arrhythmias has not been established. In this work, ECGs of guinea-pigs and isolated guinea-pig hearts were recorded. Ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) were evoked by programmed electrical stimulation of the left ventricular epicardium of isolated guinea-pig hearts. The monophasic action potential and effective refractory period of the left ventricle were recorded in paced isolated guinea-pig hearts. Furthermore, to increase the specificity, monoclonal autoantibodies against the second extracellular loop of the &#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -adrenergic receptor (&#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -AR mAbs) were used in all experiments. The results showed that &#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -AR mAbs induced premature ventricular contractions in guinea-pigs and isolated guinea-pig hearts. In addition, &#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -AR mAbs decreased the threshold of VT/VF and prolonged the duration of VT/VF. Furthermore, &#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -AR mAbs shortened the corrected QT interval and effective refractory period, and prolonged late-phase repolarization of the monophasic action potential (MAPD<sub>90-30</sub> ). These changes in electrophysiological parameters might be attributed, at least in part, to the arrhythmogenicity of &#x3b2;<sub>1</sub> -AR mAbs.
21,152
N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide is a useful marker to identify latent heart failure patients in older adults in a rural outpatient clinic.
Although measurement of natriuretic peptides including N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has been recommended for identifying heart failure (HF) patients, the prevalence of elderly patients with latent HF who are attending an outpatient clinic is unknown.</AbstractText>We measured NT-proBNP levels in 393 patients (aged 75&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;9&#xa0;years) in a rural outpatient clinic. Patients with a diagnosis of heart disease were excluded. The patients were divided into two groups by the values of NT-proBNP: high NT-proBNP group (&gt;400&#xa0;pg/mL) and low NT-proBNP group (&#x2264;400&#xa0;pg/mL) according to Japanese guidelines. Patients with a high NT-proBNP value underwent echocardiography including tissue Doppler examination.</AbstractText>A total of 43 (11%) patients had high NT-proBNP values. Those patients were older, and larger percentages of those patients were male, had atrial fibrillation, history of stroke and dementia. Echocardiography was carried out in 39 of the 43 patients with high NT-proBNP values, and there were four patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction, two with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and one with aortic regurgitation. In the remaining 32 patients, 27 patients had diastolic HF in accordance with Japanese guidelines. A diagnosis of HF according to the guidelines was finally made in 34 (87&#xa0;%) of the 39 patients.</AbstractText>A large number of elderly patients without a diagnosis of HF who were attending an outpatient clinic showed high levels of NT-proBNP, and measurement of NT-proBNP is useful to identify patients with latent HF. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1648-1653.</AbstractText>&#xa9; 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society.</CopyrightInformation>
21,153
CHA<sub>2</sub> DS<sub>2</sub> VASc score predicts unsuccessful electrical cardioversion in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia occurring in 2% of the population. It is known that AF increases morbidity and limits quality of life. The CHA2</sub> DS2</sub> VASc score (congestive heart failure/left ventricular dysfunction, hypertension, age &#x2265;75 (doubled), diabetes, stroke (doubled), vascular disease, age 65-74 and sex category (female)) is widely used to assess thrombotic complications. The CHA2</sub> DS2</sub> VASc score was not used until now in predicting the effectiveness of electrical cardioversion.</AbstractText>To assess the value of CHA2</sub> DS2</sub> VASc score in predicting unsuccessful electrical cardioversion.</AbstractText>We analysed 258 consecutive patients with persistent AF who underwent electrical cardioversion between January 2012 and April 2016 in a Cardiology University Centre in Poland.</AbstractText>Out of 3500 hospitalised patients with AF, 258 (mean age 64&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;11&#x2009;years, 64% men) underwent electrical cardioversion. The CHA2</sub> DS2</sub> VASc score in analysed population (258 patients) was 2.5&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;1.7 (range 0-8), and the HAS-BLED (hypertension, abnormal liver or renal function, stroke, bleeding, labile international normalised ratio, elderly, drugs or alcohol) was 1&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;0.9 (range 0-4). Electrical cardioversion was unsuccessful in 12%. Factors associated with unsuccessful cardioversion were age (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.0005), history of ischaemic stroke (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.04), male gender (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.01) and CHA2</sub> DS2</sub> VASc score (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.002). The CHA2</sub> DS2</sub> VASc score in patients who had unsuccessful cardioversion was higher compared to patients who had successful cardioversion - 3.5 versus 2.4 (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.001). In the logistic regression model, if the CHA2</sub> DS2</sub> VASc score increases by 1, the odds of unsuccessful cardioversion increase by 39% (odds ratio (OR) 1.39; confidence interval (CI): 1.12-1.71; P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.002). The odds of unsuccessful cardioversion are three times higher in patients with a CHA2</sub> DS2</sub> VASc score&#x2009;&#x2265;&#x2009;2 than in patients with a CHA2</sub> DS2</sub> VASc score of 0 or 1 (OR 3.06; CI: 1.03-9.09; P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.044).</AbstractText>The CHA2</sub> DS2</sub> VASc score routinely used in thromboembolic risk assessment may be a simple, easy and reliable scoring system that can be used to predict unsuccessful electrical cardioversion.</AbstractText>&#xa9; 2016 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.</CopyrightInformation>
21,154
Global longitudinal strain predicts incident atrial fibrillation and stroke occurrence after acute myocardial infarction.
Patients with acute myocardial infarction are at increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation. We aimed to evaluate whether speckle tracking echocardiography improves risk stratification for atrial fibrillation in these patients.The study comprised of 373 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Patients had an echocardiogram performed at a median of 2 days after their STEMI. The echocardiograms consisted of conventional measurements and myocardial strain analysis by speckle tracking from 3 apical projections. The endpoint was a composite of new-onset atrial fibrillation and ischemic stroke. At a median follow-up time of 5.5 years (interquartile range 4.9, 6.1 years), 44 patients developed the endpoint (atrial fibrillation: n&#x200a;=&#x200a;24, ischemic stroke: n&#x200a;=&#x200a;24, both: n&#x200a;=&#x200a;4). Patients who reached the endpoint had significantly reduced systolic function by the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (43% vs 46%; P&#x200a;=&#x200a;0.042) and global longitudinal strain (10.9% vs 12.6%; P&#x200a;=&#x200a;0.004), both being univariable predictors. However, only global longitudinal strain remained a significantly independent predictor (hazard ratio 1.12, 95% confidence interval 1.00; 1.25, P&#x200a;=&#x200a;0.042, per 1% decrease) after multivariable adjustment for baseline predictors (age, sex, diabetes, hypertension, diastolic dysfunction, and LVEF) using Cox regression. Furthermore, global longitudinal strain resulted in significantly higher c-statistics for prediction of outcome compared with LVEF &lt;45% (0.63 vs 0.52; P&#x200a;=&#x200a;0.026). When stratified into tertiles of global longitudinal strain, it became evident that patients in the lowest tertile mediated this signal with a 2-fold increased risk compared with the highest tertile (hazard ratio 2.10, 95% confidence interval 1.04; 4.25).Global longitudinal strain predicts atrial fibrillation after STEMI and may add valuable information which can help facilitate arrhythmia detection in these patients.
21,155
Permanent atrial fibrillation in heart failure patients as another condition with increased reverse triiodothyronine concentration.
To fully investigate the thyroid hormonal function in patients with the most common arrhythmia - atrial fibrillation.</AbstractText>120 patients (aged 55-85 yrs) with symptoms of congestive heart failure exacerbation and no other concomitant disorders (inclusion criteria: normal cardiac troponin T at admission and 12 hours after, normal renal, hepatic and respiratory function; exclusion criteria: inflammatory state, history of myocardial infarction). Depending on the presence of permanent atrial fibrillation (PAF), patients were divided into two groups: PAF (34 females, 26 males) and regular sinus heart rhythm (43 females, 17 males), the groups did not differ in terms of heart rate, blood pressure, presence of overt/subclinical thyroid dysfunction, and medical therapy used. In all subjects thyroid stimulating hormone, free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine, reverse triiodothyronine were measured; echocardiography was performed.</AbstractText>PAF group showed higher FT4 and rT3 (1.41 vs. 1.27 ng/dl, p=0.0007; 0.61 vs. 0.32 ng/ml, p&lt;0.0001, respectively). With ROC curve analysis the biochemical thyroid related factor of the highest prognostic value for PAF occurrence (with the highest sensitivity and specificity: 77% and 72%, respectively) was rT3 with the cut-off of above 0.3 ng/ml. Also, a positive correlation between rT3 levels and left ventricular posterior wall diameter was observed (Spearman's correlation coefficient 0.33, p=0.0093).</AbstractText>PAF is another condition where an increase in rT3 is observed. rT3 concentration above 0.3 ng/ml may be a novel biochemical sign associated with the presence of PAF in patients with chronic heart failure.</AbstractText>
21,156
Association of chronic kidney disease with impaired left atrial reservoir function: A community-based cohort study.
Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation, although the pathophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the relationship between CKD and left atrial (LA) volume and function in a sample of the general population without overt cardiac disease. Design and methods We examined 358 participants from the Cardiovascular Abnormalities and Brain Lesions study. The LA minimum volume index (LAVI<sub>min</sub>), LA maximum volume index (LAVI<sub>max</sub>), and LA emptying fraction (LAEF) were assessed by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography. Based on their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), the participants were divided into a CKD group (eGFR &lt;60&#x2009;ml/min/1.73&#x2009;m<sup>2</sup>) and a non-CKD group (eGFR &#x2265;60&#x2009;ml/min/1.73&#x2009;m<sup>2</sup>). Results Of the 358 participants, 69 (19%) were classified as having CKD and 289 (81%) as non-CKD. Participants with CKD were older, had a greater prevalence of hypertension and use of antihypertensive drugs, a larger left ventricular (LV) mass index, and a higher prevalence of diastolic dysfunction than those without CKD (all p&#x2009;&lt;&#x2009;0.05). There was no significant difference in LAVI<sub>max</sub> between the CKD and non-CKD groups (23.4&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;7.1 vs. 22.8&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;5.8&#x2009;ml/m<sup>2</sup>, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.47), whereas significant differences were observed for LAVI<sub>min</sub> (13.6&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;5.5 vs. 12.0&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;4.6&#x2009;ml/m<sup>2</sup>, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.01) and LAEF (42.7&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;11.4 vs. 47.8&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;11.5%, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.001). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the eGFR was significantly associated with LAEF independent of age, LV mass index, and diastolic dysfunction (all p&#x2009;&lt;&#x2009;0.05). Conclusions Participants with CKD in an unselected community-based cohort had significantly impaired LA reservoir function. Assessment of LA function may add important information in the prognostic assessment of patients with CKD even in the absence of overt cardiac disease.
21,157
Antipsychotic treatment is associated with risk of atrial fibrillation: A nationwide nested case-control study.
Antipsychotic agents are well known for their arrhythmigenic effect on ventricular arrhythmia. Though a few case reports observed the occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after antipsychotic exposure, information about their implication in AF is limited.</AbstractText>Based on the National Health Insurance Database in Taiwan, we conducted a nested case-control study to investigate the relationship between antipsychotics and AF. From 2001 to 2010, a total of 34,053 cases of AF and 34,919 matched controls were enrolled. Antipsychotic exposure was measured and binding affinity to neurotransmitter receptors was calculated. Both medical and psychiatric comorbidities were identified and adjusted in multivariate logistic regression analysis.</AbstractText>Current antipsychotic use was associated with a 17% increased risk of AF relative to nonusers (adjusted OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.10-1.26). A dose-dependent relationship of antipsychotic exposure and AF risk was observed (P for trend &lt;0.001). Antipsychotics with higher binding affinity to muscarinic M2 receptors were associated with a higher incidence of AF. In subgroup analysis, subjects with preexisting hypertension, diabetes, or coronary artery diseases were at greater risk of developing AF following antipsychotic exposure.</AbstractText>Antipsychotic exposure was associated with increased risk of AF, especially for agents with higher cardiac muscarinic receptor binding affinity. Physicians should monitor the occurrence of new-onset AF, and strictly control underlying medical risk factors while prescribing antipsychotic agents to high-risk populations.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,158
Transcatheter leadless cardiac pacing: The new alternative solution.
A lack of information about the feasibility and safety of leadless pacemaker (LPMs) exists in a fragile population of patients with limited venous anatomy access or conventional pacemaker (PM) contraindication. Accordingly, the goal of this prospective observational study was to report our experience with this new leadless technology in a subset of patients with contraindication or limited venous access.</AbstractText>Between May 2015 and July 2016, 14 patients were consecutively included. The indications for initial PM implantation were atrioventricular (AV) block in 10/14 patients (71%), bradyarrhythmia in one (7%), and uncontrolled atrial fibrillation (AFib) requiring AV-node ablation in three (21.5%). AFib was observed in 9 of the 14 patients (64.3%) and 3 were completely dependent with no escape rhythm (21.5%). Normal access pathways via the right or left subclavian veins were occluded due to previous PM implantations and revisions in 4 patients (28.6%) and total vena cava occlusion in 3 (21.4%). End-stage renal disease with hemodialysis was present in 8 (57%) with either local-device infections or presence of long-term implanted dialysis catheters. Evidence of previous bilaterally-infected pectoral tissue was present in 3 patients (21.5%). All procedures were successful (100%) and electrical parameters remained stable over time. No direct pacemaker-related adverse events were reported, including mechanical complications, except for one ventricular fibrillation one day post-implantation under very specific conditions.</AbstractText>This series demonstrated very stable performance and reassuring safety results during mid-term follow-up in a very fragile population requiring a PM. The Micra LPM constitutes an excellent alternative to the epicardial surgical approach in this very fragile population.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,159
Should pre-operative left atrial volume receive more consideration in patients with degenerative mitral valve disease undergoing mitral valve surgery?
Severe primary mitral regurgitation (MR) carries a significant incidence of mortality and morbidity. Though a number of prognostic factors have been identified, the best timing for mitral valve repair is still debated. We assessed the role of Left Atrial Volume Indexed (LAVI) as predictor of adverse events after mitral valve surgery.</AbstractText>134 patients with severe MR were studied with a follow-up of 42&#xb1;16months. Endpoints were Post-Operative Atrial Fibrillation (POAF), atrial and ventricular remodeling (LARR/LVRR) and correlation with outcome. POAF was defined as AF occurring within 2weeks and late AF (LAF) more than 2weeks after surgery. LARR was defined as LAVI reduction &#x2265;15% and LVRR as any reduction of ventricular mass after surgery.</AbstractText>Forty-one patients experienced POAF, 26 had LAF. Pre-operative LAVI was an independent risk factor for POAF (OR 1.03, CI [1.00-1.06], p=0.01), LAF (OR 1.03, CI [1.00-1.06], p=0.02), LARR and LVRR (OR 1.04, CI [1.01-1.07], p=0.002, respectively). LARR was found in 75 patients, while LVRR in 111. Patients with heart remodeling had less incidence of LAF and cardiac adverse events, better diastolic function and improved their NYHA class after surgery.</AbstractText>LAVI should be given more weight into decision making for patients with MR as it predicts POAF and LAF and reverse atrial and ventricular remodeling, both associated to long-term outcome.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,160
The Mid-Term Results of Patients who Underwent Radiofrequency Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Together with Mitral Valve Surgery.
Saline-irrigated radiofrequency ablation, which has been widely used for surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation in recent years, is 80-90% successful in achieving sinus rhythm. In our study, our surgical experience and mid-term results in patients who underwent mitral valve surgery and left atrial radiofrequency ablation were analyzed.</AbstractText>Forty patients (15 males, 25 females; mean age 52.05&#xb1;9.9 years; range 32-74) underwent surgery for atrial fibrillation associated with mitral valvular disease. All patients manifested atrial fibrillation, which started at least six months before the surgical intervention. The majority of patients (36 patients, 90%) were in NYHA class III; 34 (85%) patients had rheumatic heart disease. In addition to mitral valve surgery and radiofrequency ablation, coronary artery bypass, DeVega tricuspid annuloplasty, left ventricular aneurysm repair, and left atrial thrombus excision were performed. Following discharge from the hospital, patients' follow-up was performed as outpatient clinic examinations and the average follow-up period of patients was 18&#xb1;3 months.</AbstractText>While the incidence of sinus rhythm was 85.3% on the first postoperative day, it was 80% during discharge and 71% in the 1st year follow-up examination.</AbstractText>Radiofrequency ablation is an effective method when it is performed by appropriate surgical technique. Its rate for returning to sinus rhythm is as high as the rate of conventional surgical procedure.</AbstractText>
21,161
Effect of Erythropoietin on Postresuscitation Renal Function in a Swine Model of Ventricular Fibrillation.
<i>Purpose</i>. To investigate the effect of EPO administration on postresuscitation renal function. <i>Methods</i>. Twenty-four female Landrace/Large-White piglets aged 10-15 weeks with average weight of 19 &#xb1; 2&#x2009;kg were randomly assigned to 2 different groups of 12 subjects each. After the end of an 8-minute ventricular fibrillation, the control group (Group C) received saline as placebo, whereas the EPO group (Group E) received EPO 5000&#x2009;U/kg. The animals were resuscitated according to the 2010 European Resuscitation Council Guidelines for Resuscitation. <i>Results</i>. Five animals (41.67%) from Group C and 11 animals (91.67%) from Group E achieved ROSC (<i>p</i> = 0.027). Eight animals (66.67%, 5 surviving and 3 nonsurviving) from Group C suffered severe kidney damage or AKI compared to animals from Group E, in which none of the swine had evidence of severe kidney damage or AKI (<i>p</i> = 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in all tested biochemical markers between the two groups, as well as a positive correlation of creatinine with NGAL, L-FABP, and IL-18 (summed mean values' <i>p</i> = 0.049, 0.01, and 0.004, resp.). <i>Conclusions</i>. Administration of EPO protected swine from postresuscitation acute kidney injury.
21,162
Clinically apparent long-term electric disturbances in the acute and very long-term of patent foramen ovale device-based closure.
<AbstractText Label="BACKGROUND/PURPOSE" NlmCategory="OBJECTIVE">Incidence of electrical disturbances in patients submitted to transcatheter patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure has not been fully clarified in a large population. The aim of the study is to assess the incidence of atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachi-arrhythmias, and atrio-ventricular block in the acute and very long-term follow-up.</AbstractText><AbstractText Label="METHODS/MATERIALS" NlmCategory="METHODS">We reviewed the medical and instrumental data of 1000 consecutive patients (mean age 47.3&#xb1;17.1years) prospectively enrolled in two centers over a 13-year period (February 1999 to February 2012) for right-to-left (R-to-L) shunt ICE-aided catheter-based closure using different devices.</AbstractText>Successful transcatheter PFO closure was achieved in 99.8% of the patients. Implanted devices were: Amplatzer PFO Occluder in 463 patients (46.3%), Amplatzer ASD Cribriform Occluder in 420 patients (42.0%), Premere Occlusion System in 95 patients (9.5%), and Biostar Occluder in 22 patients (2.2%). Postprocedural electrical complications occurred in 5.9% of patients. The only independent predictors of electrophysiological complications were female gender (OR 2.3, 0.5-5.1 [95% CI], p&lt;0.001) and device disk &gt;30mm (OR 5.0, 1.2-7.2 [95% CI], p&lt;0.001). On a mean follow-up of 12 .3&#xb1;0.6years (minimum 4- maximum 17years), electrical complications occurred in 1.4% of patients including one only case of complete AVB and 5 cases of permanent AF. The only independent predictors were female gender (OR 2.3, 0.5-5.1 [95% CI], p&lt;0.001) and device disk &gt;30mm (OR 5.0, 1.2-7.2 [95% CI], p&lt;0.001).</AbstractText>Device-based closure of PFO using different devices, appeared very safe from an electrophysiological point of view with low incidence of electrical disturbances even in the very long-term follow-up.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,163
Reduction of atrial fibrillation by Tanshinone IIA in chronic heart failure.
The aim of the present study was to confirm the effect of Tanshinone IIA (TAN) on the prevention of AF in chronic heart failure (CHF), and to elucidate the underlying electrophysiological mechanisms for the antiarrhythmic effects of TAN at the level of the atrium in an experimental model of CHF. In 10 female rabbits, CHF was induced by rapid ventricular pacing, leading to a significant decrease in ejection fraction in the presence of a dilated left ventricle and atrial enlargement. Twelve rabbits were sham-operated and served as controls. Isolated hearts were perfused using the Langendorff method. Burst pacing was used to induce AF. Monophasic action potential recordings showed an increase of atrial action potential duration (aAPD) and effective refractory period (aERP) in CHF hearts compared with sham hearts. Infusion of acetylcholine (1&#x3bc;m) and isoproterenol (1&#x3bc;m) led to AF in all failing hearts and in 11 sham hearts. Simultaneous infusion of TAN (10&#x3bc;m) remarkably reduced inducibility of AF in 50% of sham and 50% of failing hearts. TAN had no effect on aAPD but significantly increased aERP, leading to a marked increase in atrial post-repolarization refractoriness. Moreover, TAN application moderately increased interatrial conduction time. TAN has been shown to be effective in reducing the inducibility of AF in an experimental model of AF. The antiarrhythmic effect is mainly due to prolongations of atrial post-repolarization refractoriness and a moderate increase in interatrial conduction time.
21,164
Left Atrial Dysfunction in the Pathogenesis of Cryptogenic Stroke: Novel Insights from Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography.
Myocardial strain analysis by speckle-tracking echocardiography, which can detect subtle abnormalities in left atrial (LA) function, may offer unique insights into LA pathophysiology in patients with cryptogenic stroke (CS). The aim of this study was to investigate whether LA reservoir strain by speckle-tracking echocardiography, as a measure of LA compliance, is impaired in patients with CS and no history of atrial fibrillation.</AbstractText>A retrospective case-control study of 742 patients (mean age, 59&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;13&#xa0;years; 54% men; 371 with CS and 371 control subjects) was conducted. LA reservoir strain was quantified using speckle-tracking echocardiography.</AbstractText>LA strain was significantly lower among patients with CS than control subjects (30&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;7.3% vs 34&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;6.7%, P&#xa0;&lt;&#xa0;.001). Current smoking (odds ratio [OR], 2.6; 95% CI, 1.7-4.0; P&#xa0;&lt;&#xa0;.001), systolic blood pressure (OR, 1.17 per 10&#xa0;mm&#xa0;Hg increase; 95% CI, 1.06-1.29; P&#xa0;=&#xa0;.001), antihypertensive treatment (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.30-0.66; P&#xa0;&lt;&#xa0;.001), larger indexed left ventricular end-systolic volume (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.07; P&#xa0;=&#xa0;.02), higher E/E' ratio (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01-1.11; P&#xa0;=&#xa0;.01), mitral regurgitation (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.2-2.7; P&#xa0;=&#xa0;.003), and lower LA reservoir strain (OR, 1.07 per 1% reduction; 95% CI, 1.05-1.10; P&#xa0;&lt;&#xa0;.001) were independently associated with CS. Importantly, LA reservoir strain conferred incremental discriminatory value in the identification of patients with CS (likelihood ratio P&#xa0;&lt;&#xa0;.001).</AbstractText>Subtle LA dysfunction, as assessed by LA reservoir strain with speckle-tracking echocardiography, is associated with CS independent of other cardiovascular risk factors. These findings suggest a potential role for LA strain to risk-stratify patients in the prevention of stroke.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 American Society of Echocardiography. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,165
Acute hospital administration of amiodarone and/or lidocaine in shockable patients presenting with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A nationwide cohort study.
Terminating ventricular fibrillation (VF) or pulseless ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VT) is critical for successful resuscitation of patients with shockable cardiac arrest. In the event of shock-refractory VF, applicable guidelines suggest use of anti-arrhythmic agents. However, subsequent long-term outcomes remain unclear. A nationwide cohort study was therefore launched, examining 1-year survival rates in patients given amiodarone and/or lidocaine for cardiac arrest.</AbstractText>Medical records accruing between years 2004 and 2011 were retrieved from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) for review. This repository houses all insurance claims data for nearly the entire populace (&gt;99%). Candidates for study included all non-traumatized adults receiving DC shock and cardiopulmonary resuscitation immediately or within 6h of emergency room arrival. Analysis was based on data from emergency rooms and hospitalization.</AbstractText>One-year survival rates by treatment group were 8.27% (534/6459) for amiodarone, 7.15% (77/1077) for lidocaine, 11.10% (165/1487) for combined amiodarone/lidocaine use, and 3.26% (602/18,440) for use of neither amiodarone nor lidocaine (all, p&lt;0.0001). Relative to those given neither medication, odds ratios for 1-year survival via multiple regression analysis were 1.84 (95% CI: 1.58-2.13; p&lt;0.0001) for amiodarone, 1.88 (95% CI: 1.40-2.53; p&lt;0.0001) for lidocaine, and 2.18 (95% CI: 1.71-2.77; p&lt;0.0001) for dual agent use.</AbstractText>In patients with shockable cardiac arrest, 1-year survival rates were improved with association of using amiodarone and/or lidocaine, as opposed to non-treatment. However, outcomes of patients given one or both medications did not differ significantly in intergroup comparisons.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.</CopyrightInformation>
21,166
High Versus Low Blood-Pressure Target in Experimental Ischemic Prolonged Cardiac Arrest Treated with Extra Corporeal Life Support.
There is currently no recommendation for the mean arterial pressure target in the particular setting of Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (ECPR) in the first hours following cardiogenic shock complicated by cardiac arrest. This study aimed to assess the effects of two different levels of mean arterial pressure on macrocirculatory, microcirculatory, and metabolic functions.</AbstractText>Randomized animal study.</AbstractText>University research laboratory.</AbstractText>Ventricular fibrillation was induced in 14 male pigs by surgical ligature of the interventricular coronary artery. After 20 min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS) was initiated to restore circulatory flow. Thereafter, animals were randomly allocated to a high mean arterial pressure group (High-MAP, 80-85 mm Hg) or to a standard mean arterial pressure group (Standard-MAP, 65-70 mm Hg). Assessments conducted at baseline, immediately following and 6 h after ECLS initiation were focused on lactate evolution, amount of infused fluid, and microcirculatory parameters.</AbstractText>There was no significant difference between the two groups at the time of ECLS initiation and at 6 h with regard to lactate levels (High-MAP vs. Standard-MAP: 8.8 [6.7-12.9] vs. 9.6 [9.1-9.8] mmol&#xb7;l, P&#x200a;=&#x200a;0.779 and 8.9 [4.3-11.1] vs. 3.3 [2.4-11] mmol&#xb7;l, P&#x200a;=&#x200a;0.603). Infused fluid volume did not significantly differ between the two groups (4,000 [3,500-12,000] vs. 5,000 [2,500-18,000] mL, P&#x200a;=&#x200a;0.977). There was also no significant difference between the two groups regarding renal and liver functions, and sublingual capillary microvascular flow index assessed by Sidestream Dark Field imaging.</AbstractText>Compared with a standard mean arterial pressure regimen, targeting a high mean arterial pressure in the first hours of an experimental ECPR model did not result in any hemodynamic improvement nor in a decrease in the amount of infused fluid.</AbstractText>
21,167
Late Gadolinium Enhancement Amount As an Independent Risk Factor for the Incidence of Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Stage C or D Heart Failure.
<b>Background:</b> Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is a risk factor for poor prognosis in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) of the myocardium on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) represents MF. We examined whether the LGE amount increases the incidence of adverse cardiovascular events in patients with stage C or D heart failure (HF). <b>Methods:</b> Eighty-four consecutive patients with stage C or D HF, either ischemic or non-ischemic, were enrolled. Comprehensive clinical and CMR evaluations were performed. All patients were followed up for a composite endpoint of cardiovascular death, heart transplantation, and cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D). <b>Results:</b> LGE was present in 79.7% of the end-stage HF patients. LGE distribution patterns were mid-wall, epi-myocardial, endo-myocardial, and the morphological patterns were patchy, transmural, and diffuse. During the average follow-up of 544 days, 13 (15.5%) patients had endpoint events: 7 patients cardiac death, 2 patients heart transplantation, and 4 patients underwent CRT-D implantation. On univariate analysis, LGE quantification on cardiac magnetic resonance, blood urine nitrogen, QRS duration on electrocardiogram, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), and left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) on CMR had the strongest associations with the composite endpoint events. However, on multivariate analysis for both Model I (after adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index) and Model II (after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, renal function, QRS duration, and atrial fibrillation on electrocardiogram, the etiology of HF, LVEF, CMR-LVEDD, and CMR-LVEDV), LGE amount was a significant risk factor for composite endpoint events (Model I 6SD HR 1.037, 95%CI 1.005-1.071, <i>p</i> = 0.022; Model II 6SD HR 1.045, 95%CI 1.001-1.084, <i>p</i> = 0.022). <b>Conclusion:</b> LGE amount from high-scale threshold on CMR increased the incidence of adverse cardiovascular events for patients in either stage C or D HF.
21,168
Cardiac arrest from acute myocardial infarction complicated with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor-associated ketoacidosis.
Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) has been recognized as a potentially fatal complication related to sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. Herein, we report a patient of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, with an initial cardiac rhythm of ventricular fibrillation, who was subsequently diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction, complicated with SGLT2 inhibitor-associated euglycemic DKA. The patient survived and achieved nearly full functional recovery. This report calls for increased attention to SGLT2 inhibitors' fatal complications, as well as their proper use. &lt;<b>Learning objective:</b> Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis could develop in patients using sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors. It is a potentially lethal complication and needs more attention. Physicians who prescribe this class of drugs should be aware of this complication. Meanwhile, research to elucidate patient characteristics that are more susceptible to this complication is urgently awaited.&gt;.
21,169
Neuroprotective Effects of the Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Analog Exenatide After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
In-hospital mortality in comatose patients resuscitated from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is &#x2248;50%. In OHCA patients, the leading cause of death is neurological injury secondary to ischemia and reperfusion. Glucagon-like peptide-1 analogs are approved for type 2 diabetes mellitus; preclinical and clinical data have suggested their organ-protective effects in patients with ischemia and reperfusion injury. The aim of this trial was to investigate the neuroprotective effects of the glucagon-like peptide-1 analog exenatide in resuscitated OHCA patients.</AbstractText>We randomly assigned 120 consecutive comatose patients resuscitated from OHCA in a double-blind, 2-center trial. They were administered 17.4 &#x3bc;g exenatide (Byetta) or placebo over a 6-hour and 15-minute infusion, in addition to standardized intensive care including targeted temperature management. The coprimary end points were feasibility, defined as initiation of the study drug in &gt;90% patients within 240 minutes of return of spontaneous circulation, and efficacy, defined as the geometric area under the neuron-specific enolase curve from 24 to 72 hours after admission. The main secondary end points included a composite end point of death and poor neurological function, defined as a Cerebral Performance Category score of 3 to 5 assessed at 30 and 180 days.</AbstractText>The study drug was initiated within 240 minutes of return of spontaneous circulation in 96% patients. The median blood glucose 8 hours after admission in patients receiving exenatide was lower than that in patients receiving placebo (5.8 [5.2-6.7] mmol/L versus 7.3 [6.2-8.7] mmol/L, P&lt;0.0001). However, there were no significant differences in the area under the neuron-specific enolase curve, or a composite end point of death and poor neurological function between groups. Adverse events were rare with no significant difference between groups.</AbstractText>Acute administration of exenatide to comatose patients in the intensive care unit after OHCA is feasible and safe. Exenatide did not reduce neuron-specific enolase levels and did not significantly improve a composite end point of death and poor neurological function after 180 days.</AbstractText>URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02442791.</AbstractText>&#xa9; 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.</CopyrightInformation>
21,170
Importance of Both Early Reperfusion and&#xa0;Therapeutic Hypothermia in Limiting&#xa0;Myocardial Infarct Size Post-Cardiac&#xa0;Arrest&#xa0;in a Porcine Model.
The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that hypothermia and early reperfusion are synergistic for limiting infarct size when an acutely occluded coronary is associated with cardiac arrest.</AbstractText>Cohort studies have shown that 1 in 4 post-cardiac arrest patients without ST-segment elevation has an acutely occluded coronary artery. However, many interventional cardiologists remain unconvinced that immediate coronary angiography is needed in these patients.</AbstractText>Thirty-two swine (mean weight 35 &#xb1; 5 kg) were randomly assigned to 1 of the following 4 treatment groups: group A, hypothermia and reperfusion; group B, hypothermia and no reperfusion; group C, no hypothermia and reperfusion; and group D, no hypothermia and no reperfusion. The left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded with an intracoronary balloon, and ventricular fibrillation was electrically induced. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was begun after 4&#xa0;min of cardiac arrest. Defibrillation was attempted after 2 min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Resuscitated animals randomized to hypothermia were rapidly cooled to 34&#xb0;C, whereas those randomized to reperfusion had such after 45 min of left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion.</AbstractText>At 4 h, myocardial infarct size was calculated. Group A had the smallest infarct size at 16.1 &#xb1; 19.6% (p&#xa0;&lt;&#xa0;0.05). Group C had an intermediate infarct size at 29.5 &#xb1; 20.2%, whereas groups B and D had the largest infarct sizes at 41.5 &#xb1; 15.5% and 41.1 &#xb1; 15.0%, respectively.</AbstractText>Acute coronary occlusion is often associated with cardiac arrest, so treatment of resuscitated patients should include early coronary angiography for potential emergent reperfusion, while providing hypothermia for both brain and myocardial protection. Providing only early hypothermia, while delaying coronary angiography, is not optimal.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xc2;&#xa9; 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,171
Prevalence and correlates of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in elderly community residents.
Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is closely related to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), while the prevalence and correlates of either LVDD or HFpEF in elderly population remain largely unknown.</AbstractText>The study was performed in 1274 community residents (769 women, aged &#x2265;65years) who participated in the Shanghai Heart Health Study. Demographic, laboratory and echocardiographic data were obtained to analyze correlates of LVDD and HFpEF using univariate and multivariate Logistic analysis.</AbstractText>LVDD was detected in 31.9% (406/1274) residents and it was significantly higher in women than in men (34.2% vs. 28.3%, P=0.027). HFpEF prevalence was 2.8% (35/1274), and increased with aging in the whole cohort. For residents with left ventricular ejection fraction &#x2265;50% and normal-sized ventricular cavity, female sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24-2.29), heart rate (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.68-0.86), atrial fibrillation (OR 7.37, 95% CI 3.13-17.36), hypertension (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.00-1.75), N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.50-3.61) and high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.12-3.23) were independent correlates of asymptomatic LVDD. While age (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.01-2.06), heart rate (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.47-0.93) and hs-TnT (OR 4.37, 95% CI 1.46-13.12) were independently related to HFpEF.</AbstractText>LVDD is common in this community elderly population, and HFpEF is also not rare. Different factors played roles in different stages of HFpEF. Future studies are warranted to explore the predictors of LVDD and HFpEF in the community elderly.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.</CopyrightInformation>
21,172
Asymptomatic atrial fibrillation in patients with atrial fibrillation and implanted pacemaker.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common chronic arrhythmia. Due to diagnostic difficulties, the exact prevalence of silent atrial fibrillation is not precisely defined.</AbstractText>The main aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of asymptomatic atrial fibrillation and the relation between clinical status and presence of symptoms of atrial fibrillation.</AbstractText>Fifty patients with implanted pacemaker with atrial fibrillation recording function and diagnosed paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were enrolled to the study in order to detect episodes of atrial fibrillation. Episodes lasting &gt;1min were included into analysis. Patients were evaluated for presence of atrial fibrillation symptoms.</AbstractText>A total of 870 atrial fibrillation episodes were registered, the majority (93%) were asymptomatic. Episodes occurred more often during the day than during the night (p&lt;0.001). Asymptomatic episodes occurred 13 times more frequently than symptomatic (p&lt;0.001). Majority of episodes lasting up to 5min were asymptomatic, while episodes lasting over 24h were usually symptomatic (p&lt;0.001). Furthermore, there were association between silent atrial fibrillation and lower HR (p=0.003), higher percentage of atrial (p=0.01) and ventricular pacing (p&lt;0.001), male gender (p&lt;0.001), presence of atrioventricular block (p&lt;0.003), lower NYHA class (p&lt;0.002), and calcium channel blockers (p=0.033) and diuretics intake (p&lt;0.001).</AbstractText>In patients with bradycardia permanent pacemakers and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, the proportion of asymptomatic episodes is very high. It was observed that shorter duration of the episodes, male gender, lower heart rate, presence of atrioventricular block, lower NYHA class, higher percentage of atrial and ventricular pacing, Ca2+</sup> blockers, and diuretics intake predisposed to silent atrial fibrillation.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,173
An Extended Bayesian Framework for Atrial and Ventricular Activity Separation in Atrial Fibrillation.
An extended nonlinear Bayesian filtering framework is introduced for the analysis of atrial fibrillation (AF), in particular with single-channel electrocardiographical (ECG) recordings. It is suitable for simultaneously tracking the fundamental frequency of atrial fibrillatory waves (f-waves), and separating signals, linked to atrial and ventricular activity, during AF. In this framework, high-power ECG components, i.e., Q, R, S, and T waves, are modeled using sum of Gaussian functions. The atrial activity dynamical model is instead based on a trigonometrical function, with a fundamental frequency (the inverse of the dominant atrial cycle length), and its harmonics. The state variables of both dynamical models (QRS-T and f-waves) are hidden and, then estimated, sample by sample, using a Kalman smoother. Remarkably, the scheme is capable of separating ventricular and atrial activity signals, while contemporarily tracking the atrial fundamental frequency in time. The proposed method was evaluated using synthetic signals. In 290 ECGs in sinus rhythm from the PhysioNet PTB Diagnostic ECG Database, the P-waves were replaced with a synthetic f-wave. Broadband noise at different signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) (from 0 to 40 dB) was added to study the performance of the filter, under different SNR conditions. The results of the study demonstrated superior results in atrial and ventricular signal separation when compared with traditional average beat subtraction (ABS), one of the most widely used method for QRS-T cancellation (normalized mean square error = 0.045 for extended Kalman smoother (EKS) and 0.18 for ABS, SNR improvement was 21.1 dB for EKS and 12.2 dB for ABS in f-wave extraction). Various advantages of the proposed method have been addressed and demonstrated, including the problem of tracking the fundamental frequency of f-waves (root mean square error (RMSE) Hz for gradually changing frequency at SNR=15 dB) and of estimating robust QT/RR values during AF (RMSE at SNR&#xa0;=&#xa0;10 dB, ).
21,174
First Report of Survival in Refractory Ventricular Fibrillation After Dual-Axis Defibrillation and Esmolol Administration.
There is a subset of patients who suffer a witnessed ventricular fibrillation (VF) arrest and despite receiving reasonable care with medications (epinephrine and amiodarone) and multiple defibrillations (3+ attempts at 200 joules of biphasic current) remain in refractory VF (RVF), also known as electrical storm. The mortality for these patients is as high as 97%. We present the case of a patient who, with a novel approach, survived RVF to outpatient follow up.
21,175
Diagnosis, pathophysiology, and management of exercise-induced arrhythmias.
The cardiovascular benefits of physical activity are indisputable. Nevertheless, growing evidence suggests that both atrial fibrillation and right ventricular arrhythmia can be caused by intense exercise in some individuals. Exercise-induced atrial fibrillation is most commonly diagnosed in middle-aged, otherwise healthy men who have been engaged in endurance training for &gt;10 years, and is mediated by atrial dilatation, parasympathetic enhancement, and possibly atrial fibrosis. Cardiac ablation is evolving as a first-line tool for athletes with exercise-induced arrhythmia who are eager to remain active. The relationship between physical activity and right ventricular arrhythmia is complex and involves genetic and physical factors that, in a few athletes, eventually lead to right ventricular dilatation, followed by subsequent myocardial fibrosis and lethal ventricular arrhythmias. Sinus bradycardia and atrioventricular conduction blocks are common in athletes, most of whom remain asymptomatic, although incomplete reversibility has been shown after exercise cessation. In this Review, we summarize the evidence supporting the existence of exercise-induced arrhythmias and discuss the specific considerations for the clinical management of these patients.
21,176
Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio as a Predictor of Left Ventricular Apical Thrombus in Patients with Myocardial Infarction.
In this study, we examined the role of inflammatory parameters in an apical mural thrombus with a reduced ejection fraction due to large anterior myocardial infarction (MI).</AbstractText>A total of 103 patients who had suffered from heart failure, 45 of whom had left ventricular apical thrombus (AT) after a large anterior MI, were enrolled in the study. A detailed clinical history was taken of each participant, biochemical inflammatory markers, which were obtained during admission, were analyzed and an echocardiographical and angiographical evaluation of specific parameters were performed.</AbstractText>There were no statistically significant differences in terms of age, gender, and history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and atrial fibrillation between both groups (p&gt;0.05). Similarly there were no statistically significant differences in terms of biochemical and echocardiographic parameters (p&gt;0.05). However, there were significant differences in terms of neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (p=0.032). After a multivariate regression analysis, neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was an independent predictor of thrombus formation (&#x3b2;: 0.296, p=0.024). The NLR &gt;2.74 had a 78% sensivity and 61% specifity in predicting thrombus in patients with a low left ventricular ejection fraction.</AbstractText>In this study, neutrophil lymphocyte ratios were significantly higher in patients with apical thrombus.</AbstractText>
21,177
Management of Patients with Long QT Syndrome.
Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a rare cardiac channelopathy associated with syncope and sudden death due to torsades de pointes and ventricular fibrillation. Syncope and sudden death are frequently associated with physical and emotional stress. Management of patients with LQTS consists of life-style modification, &#x3b2;-blockers, left cardiac sympathetic denervation (LCSD), and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation. Prohibition of competitive exercise and avoidance of QT-prolonging drugs are important issues in life-style modification. Although &#x3b2;-blockers are the primary treatment modality for patients with LQTS, these drugs are not completely effective in some patients. Lifelong ICD implantation in young and active patients is associated with significant complications. LCSD is a relatively simple and highly effective surgical procedure. However, LCSD is rarely used.
21,178
[Sudden cardiac death: Are women different?].
Sudden cardiac death is a major public health problem with around 40,000&#xa0;cases per year in France. Epidemiological, clinical and prognostic differences according to gender have been described in most cardiovascular diseases, including sudden cardiac death. In this article, we will review gender differences in sudden cardiac death incidence, circumstance of occurrence, management, and prognosis.
21,179
Water-soluble acacetin prodrug confers significant cardioprotection against ischemia/reperfusion injury.
The morbidity and mortality of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy resulted from ischemia/reperfusion injury are very high. The present study investigates whether our previously synthesized water-soluble phosphate prodrug of acacetin was cardioprotective against ischemia/reperfusion injury in an in vivo rat model. We found that intravenous administration of acacetin prodrug (10&#x2009;mg/kg) decreased the ventricular arrhythmia score and duration, reduced ventricular fibrillation and infarct size, and improved the impaired heart function induced by myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in anesthetized rats. The cardioprotective effects were further confirmed with the parent compound acacetin in an ex vivo rat regional ischemia/reperfusion heart model. Molecular mechanism analysis revealed that acacetin prevented the ischemia/reperfusion-induced reduction of the anti-oxidative proteins SOD-2 and thioredoxin, suppressed the release of inflammation cytokines TLR4, IL-6 and TNF&#x3b1;, and decreased myocyte apoptosis induced by ischemia/reperfusion. Our results demonstrate the novel evidence that acacetin prodrug confer significant in vivo cardioprotective effect against ischemia/reperfusion injury by preventing the reduction of endogenous anti-oxidants and the release of inflammatory cytokines, thereby inhibiting cardiomyocytes apoptosis, which suggests that the water-soluble acacetin prodrug is likely useful in the future as a new drug candidate for treating patients with acute coronary syndrome.
21,180
Hypertension Is a Risk Factor for Several Types of Heart Disease: Review of Prospective Studies.
Many prospective cohort studies have demonstrated that hypertension is a strong risk factor for total mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Heart disease includes coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure, atrial fibrillation, valvular disease, sudden cardiac death (SCD), sick sinus syndrome (SSS), cardiomyopathy, and aortic aneurysms. Most of the epidemiologic prospective studies of heart disease focused on coronary/ischemic heart disease. Here we comprehensively reviewed the association between hypertension and the above-mentioned heart diseases. We found that CHD, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, aortic valvular disease, SCD, SSS, left ventricular hypertrophy, and abdominal aortic aneurysms were all associated with hypertension. Those relations tended to be stronger in men. The prevention of hypertension and lowering one's blood pressure may help reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
21,181
A novel algorithm for ventricular arrhythmia classification using a fuzzy logic approach.
In the present study, it has been shown that an unnecessary implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shock is often delivered to patients with an ambiguous ECG rhythm in the overlap zone between ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF); these shocks significantly increase mortality. Therefore, accurate classification of the arrhythmia into VT, organized VF (OVF) or disorganized VF (DVF) is crucial to assist ICDs to deliver appropriate therapy. A classification algorithm using a fuzzy logic classifier was developed for accurately classifying the arrhythmias into VT, OVF or DVF. Compared with other studies, our method aims to combine ten ECG detectors that are calculated in the time domain and the frequency domain in addition to different levels of complexity for detecting subtle structure differences between VT, OVF and DVF. The classification in the overlap zone between VT and VF is refined by this study to avoid ambiguous identification. The present method was trained and tested using public ECG signal databases. A two-level classification was performed to first detect VT with an accuracy of 92.6&#xa0;%, and then the discrimination between OVF and DVF was detected with an accuracy of 84.5&#xa0;%. The validation results indicate that the proposed method has superior performance in identifying the organization level between the three types of arrhythmias (VT, OVF and DVF) and is promising for improving the appropriate therapy choice and decreasing the possibility of sudden cardiac death.
21,182
Fatal Cardiac Arrest in 2 Children: Possible Role of Ondansetron.
Ondansetron is commonly used to treat vomiting in gastroenteritis, but has a United States Food and Drug Administration black box warning for risk of Q wave to T wave time interval (QT) prolongation. We report 2 pediatric cases of fatal refractory cardiac arrest after administration of ondansetron.</AbstractText>A 10-year-old previously healthy boy presented to the emergency room with gastroenteritis symptoms. After intravenous fluids, morphine, antibiotics, and 2 doses of ondansetron, the patient became unresponsive with agonal respirations and a wide complex tachycardia consistent with ventricular tachycardia. In a second case, an 86-day-old infant with previously unidentified congenital cardiomyopathy presented to our emergency department with gastroenteritis symptoms. The patient received ondansetron and subsequently experienced repeated bouts of supraventricular tachycardia which progressed to ventricular fibrillation. Resuscitation efforts failed in each case, and both patients expired.</AbstractText>Ondansetron can cause dose-dependent QT prolongation effects, which are more clinically relevant when other proarrhythmic elements are present. There is very limited published experience on use of ondansetron in children younger than 2 years. Our 2 cases join 2 previous case reports of death after ondansetron administration for gastroenteritis. The pharmacology of ondansetron's cardiac effects and drug-induced QT prolongation is discussed.</AbstractText>Patients may have hidden risk factors that, together with ondansetron, could result in a proarrhythmic state that could lead to adverse effects, such as arrhythmias. Administration of ondansetron should be individualized and used cautiously in patients with risk factors for arrhythmia.</AbstractText>
21,183
Impact of citrate pretreatment on ventricular arrhythmia and myocardial capase-3 expression in ischemia/reperfusion injury.
Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury often triggers ventricular arrhythmia. Citrate binds calcium ions, forming a soluble calcium citrate complex that may reduce I/R injury by affecting calcium ion concentration. We tested the effects of citrate pretreatment on ventricular heart rate and related factors in a rat I/R model. Fifty male Sprague Dawley rats weighing 350-400 g were randomly divided into equally sized control (A), model (B), and 0.1 M (C), 0.05 M (D), and 0.025 M (E) citrate groups. An I/R model was established by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery. Serum calcium ion concentration was measured before and after citrate treatment. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining and spectrophotometry were used to determine infarction area and caspase-3 protein levels in myocardial tissue, respectively. Polymerase chain reaction was performed to test myocardial calmodulin (CAM) expression. The frequency of ventricular arrhythmia in group B was significantly higher than in the sham surgery group (P &lt; 0.05). Citrate pretreatment resulted in lower and higher frequencies than those observed in the model and control groups, respectively, in a dose-independent manner. The most obvious reduction in ventricular arrhythmia was seen in Group D. Serum calcium ion concentration decreased markedly after citrate treatment (P &lt; 0.05), with a specific pattern emerging over time. Infarction area and caspase-3 and CAM levels were significantly lower in the citrate groups compared with the model group (P &lt; 0.05). Citrate can reduce myocardial cell apoptosis, alleviating ventricular arrhythmia and protecting the myocardium by reducing serum calcium ion concentration and downregulating caspase-3 and CAM expression.
21,184
Global left atrial failure in heart failure.
The left atrium plays an important role in the maintenance of cardiovascular and neurohumoral homeostasis in heart failure. However, with progressive left ventricular dysfunction, left atrial (LA) dilation and mechanical failure develop, which frequently culminate in atrial fibrillation. Moreover, LA mechanical failure is accompanied by LA endocrine failure [deficient atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) processing-synthesis/development of ANP resistance) and LA regulatory failure (dominance of sympathetic nervous system excitatory mechanisms, excessive vasopressin release) contributing to neurohumoral overactivity, vasoconstriction, and volume overload (global LA failure). The purpose of the present review is to describe the characteristics and emphasize the clinical significance of global LA failure in patients with heart failure.
21,185
Echocardiographic screening for non-ischaemic stage B heart failure in the community.
Incident heart failure (HF) continues to pose a common and serious problem. We sought to examine the value of echocardiographic predictors of new HF in a community-based elderly population at risk for HF, independent of and incremental to clinical evaluation.</AbstractText>Asymptomatic patients &#x2265;65 years old, with &#x2265;1 HF risk factor (hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or obesity) were recruited from the community; patients with valve disease, reduced ejection fraction (EF), and atrial fibrillation (AF) were excluded. Patients underwent standard clinical evaluation including calculation of the Charlson co-morbidity score and a comprehensive echocardiography including global longitudinal strain (GLS). Functional capacity was assessed by 6 min walk test. New HF and cardiovascular death were assessed after a mean follow-up of 14 &#xb1; 4 months by three independent cardiologists using Framingham criteria. Of 410 subjects (median age 70 years; 48% men), the prevalence of stage B HF was 13% [by LV hypertrophy (LVH)], 12% (by abnormal E/e'), 33% (by impaired GLS), and 31% [by left atrial enlargement (LAE)]. New HF symptoms developed in 49, and 2 died of cardiovascular causes, giving an event rate of 104/1000 person-years. These patients were older (P = 0.012), had a higher Charlson co-morbidity score (P &lt; 0.001), larger LV mass and left atrium, higher E/e', and lower GLS (P &lt; 0.05). LAE, LVH, abnormal GLS, and E/e' were independent predictors of new HF. In sequential models, LV mass and GLS added incremental information to clinical parameters. GLS significantly reclassified individuals (P = 0.002), but no reclassification improvement was identified using LV mass index, E/e', and left atrial volume index.</AbstractText>Echocardiographic assessment (especially GLS and LV mass) provides incremental value in predicting incident HF.</AbstractText>&#xa9; 2016 The Authors. European Journal of Heart Failure &#xa9; 2016 European Society of Cardiology.</CopyrightInformation>
21,186
Impact of anteroinferior transseptal puncture on creation of a complete block at the mitral isthmus in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Achieving complete mitral isthmus (MI) conduction block for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation remains challenging. We hypothesized that transseptal puncture (TSP) at the anteroinferior aspect of the atrial septum (anteroinferior TSP) could shorten the distance to the MI and improve catheter contact and stability, enabling complete MI block. This study investigated the efficacy of anteroinferior TSP for MI ablation in AF patients.</AbstractText>Three hundred and twenty consecutive patients (mean age: 62&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;9&#xa0;years, 84&#xa0;% male) with persistent AF undergoing AF ablation, including MI ablation, were enrolled. MI ablation was performed through the conventional (posterior) TSP site (group C, n&#x2009;=&#x2009;170) or the anteroinferior TSP site (group A, n&#x2009;=&#x2009;150).</AbstractText>Left atrial diameter (LAD) enlargement was greater in group A than in group C (45.8&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;5.3&#xa0;mm vs. 44.1&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;5.0&#xa0;mm, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.002). Complete MI block at the initial session was significantly higher in group A than in group C (141/150 [94&#xa0;%] vs. 144/170 [85&#xa0;%], p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.011). At the repeat session for AF recurrence, the rate of persistent complete MI block was significantly higher in group A than in group C (36/48 [75&#xa0;%] vs. 28/67 [42&#xa0;%], p&#x2009;&lt;&#x2009;0.001). LAD (p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.011) and left ventricular diastolic dimension (p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.037) were significant predictors of failed MI block, while anteroinferior TSP was significantly associated with successful MI block (p&#x2009;&lt;&#x2009;0.001).</AbstractText>Anteroinferior TSP could improve the initial success rate and long-term persistence of complete MI block for AF ablation.</AbstractText>
21,187
Atrial Function in Patients with Breast Cancer After Treatment with Anthracyclines.
<AbstractText Label="BACKGROUND:" NlmCategory="UNASSIGNED">Atrial electromechanical delay (EMD) is used to predict atrial fibrillation, measured by echocardiography.</AbstractText><AbstractText Label="OBJECTIVES:" NlmCategory="UNASSIGNED">The aim of this study was to assess atrial EMD and mechanical function after anthracycline-containing chemotherapy.</AbstractText><AbstractText Label="METHODS:" NlmCategory="UNASSIGNED">Fifty-three patients with breast cancer (48 &#xb1; 8 years old) who received 240 mg/m2of Adriamycin, 2400 mg/m2 of cyclophosphamide, and 960 mg/m2 of paclitaxel were included in this retrospective study, as were 42 healthy subjects (47 &#xb1; 9 years old). Echocardiographic measurements were performed 11 &#xb1; 7 months (median 9 months) after treatment with anthracyclines.</AbstractText><AbstractText Label="RESULTS:" NlmCategory="UNASSIGNED">Left intra-atrial EMD (11.4 &#xb1; 6.0 vs. 8.1 &#xb1; 4.9, p=0.008) and inter-atrial EMD (19.7 &#xb1; 7.4 vs. 14.7 &#xb1; 6.5, p=0.001) were prolonged; LA passive emptying volume and fraction were decreased (p=0.0001 and p=0.0001); LA active emptying volume and fraction were increased (p=0.0001 and p=0.0001); Mitral A velocity (0.8 &#xb1; 0.2 vs. 0.6 &#xb1; 0.2, p=0.0001) and mitral E-wave deceleration time (201.2 &#xb1; 35.6 vs. 163.7 &#xb1; 21.8, p=0.0001) were increased; Mitral E/A ratio (1.0 &#xb1; 0.3 vs. 1.3 &#xb1; 0.3, p=0.0001) and mitral Em (0.09 &#xb1; 0.03 vs. 0.11 &#xb1; 0.03, p=0.001) were decreased; Mitral Am (0.11 &#xb1; 0.02 vs. 0.09 &#xb1; 0.02, p=0.0001) and mitral E/Em ratio (8.8 &#xb1; 3.2 vs. 7.6 &#xb1; 2.6, p=0.017) were increased in the patients.</AbstractText><AbstractText Label="CONCLUSIONS:" NlmCategory="UNASSIGNED">In patients with breast cancer after anthracycline therapy: Left intra-atrial, inter-atrial electromechanical intervals were prolonged. Diastolic function was impaired. Impaired left ventricular relaxation and left atrial electrical conduction could be contributing to the development of atrial arrhythmias.</AbstractText><AbstractText Label="FUNDAMENTO:" NlmCategory="UNASSIGNED">Atraso eletromec&#xe2;nico atrial (AEA) &#xe9; utilizado para prever fibrila&#xe7;&#xe3;o atrial, medido pela ecocardiografia.</AbstractText><AbstractText Label="OBJETIVOS:" NlmCategory="UNASSIGNED">O prop&#xf3;sito deste estudo era verificar o AEA e a fun&#xe7;&#xe3;o mec&#xe2;nica ap&#xf3;s quimioterapia com antraciclinas.</AbstractText><AbstractText Label="M&#xc9;TODOS:" NlmCategory="UNASSIGNED">Cinquenta e tr&#xea;s pacientes com c&#xe2;ncer de mama (48 &#xb1; 8 anos) que receberam 240 mg/m2 de adriamicina, 2400 mg/m2 de ciclofosfamida, e 960 mg/m2 de paclitaxel foram inclu&#xed;das neste estudo retrospectivo, al&#xe9;m de 42 indiv&#xed;duos saud&#xe1;veis (47 &#xb1; 9 anos). Medidas ecocardiogr&#xe1;ficas foram realizadas por aproximadamente 11 &#xb1; 7 meses (m&#xe9;dia de 9 meses) ap&#xf3;s tratamento com antraciclinas.</AbstractText><AbstractText Label="RESULTADOS:" NlmCategory="UNASSIGNED">AEA esquerdo intra-atrial (11,4 &#xb1; 6,0 vs. 8,1 &#xb1; 4,9, p=0,008) e AEA interarterial (19,7 &#xb1; 7,4 vs. 14,7 &#xb1; 6,5, p=0,001) foram prolongados; Volume de esvaziamento passivo e fracionamento de AE diminu&#xed;ram (p=0,0001 e p=0,0001); Volume de esvaziamento ativo e fracionamento de AE (p=0,0001 e p=0,0001); Tempo de acelera&#xe7;&#xe3;o mitral A (0,8 &#xb1; 0,2 vs. 0,6 &#xb1; 0,2, p=0,0001) e de desacelera&#xe7;&#xe3;o de onda-E mitral (201,2 &#xb1; 35,6 vs. 163,7 &#xb1; 21,8, p=0,0001) aumentar&#xe3;o; Raz&#xe3;o mitral E/A (1,0 &#xb1; 0,3 vs. 1,3 &#xb1; 0,3, p=0,0001) e mitral Em (0,09 &#xb1; 0,03 vs. 0,11 &#xb1; 0,03, p=0,001) diminu&#xed;ram; Raz&#xe3;o mitral Am (0,11 &#xb1; 0,02 vs. 0,09 &#xb1; 0,02, p=0,0001) e mitral E/Em (8,8 &#xb1; 3,2 vs. 7,6 &#xb1; 2,6, p=0,017) aumentaram nos pacientes.</AbstractText><AbstractText Label="CONCLUS&#xd5;ES:" NlmCategory="UNASSIGNED">Em pacientes com c&#xe2;ncer de mama ap&#xf3;s terapia com antraciclina: intervalos eletromec&#xe2;nicos intra-atriais esquerdos, intra-atriais foram prolongados. A fun&#xe7;&#xe3;o diast&#xf3;lica foi prejudicada. O relaxamento ventricular esquerdo foi prejudicado, e a condu&#xe7;&#xe3;o el&#xe9;trica atrial esquerda pode estar contribuindo para o desenvolvimento de arritmias atriais.</AbstractText>
21,188
Atrial Electrophysiological Remodeling and Fibrillation in Heart Failure.
Heart failure (HF) causes complex, chronic changes in atrial structure and function, which can cause substantial electrophysiological remodeling and predispose the individual to atrial fibrillation (AF). Pharmacological treatments for preventing AF in patients with HF are limited. Improved understanding of the atrial electrical and ionic/molecular mechanisms that promote AF in these patients could lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets. Animal models of HF have identified numerous changes in atrial ion currents, intracellular calcium handling, action potential waveform and conduction, as well as expression and signaling of associated proteins. These studies have shown that the pattern of electrophysiological remodeling likely depends on the duration of HF, the underlying cardiac pathology, and the species studied. In atrial myocytes and tissues obtained from patients with HF or left ventricular systolic dysfunction, the data on changes in ion currents and action potentials are largely equivocal, probably owing mainly to difficulties in controlling for the confounding influences of multiple variables, such as patient's age, sex, disease history, and drug treatments, as well as the technical challenges in obtaining such data. In this review, we provide a summary and comparison of the main animal and human electrophysiological studies to date, with the aim of highlighting the consistencies in some of the remodeling patterns, as well as identifying areas of contention and gaps in the knowledge, which warrant further investigation.
21,189
Patient-Specific and Genome-Edited Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes Elucidate Single-Cell Phenotype of Brugada Syndrome.
Brugada syndrome (BrS), a disorder associated with characteristic electrocardiogram precordial ST-segment elevation, predisposes afflicted patients to ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death. Despite marked achievements in outlining the organ level pathophysiology of the disorder, the understanding of human cellular phenotype has lagged due to a lack of adequate human cellular models of the disorder.</AbstractText>The objective of this study was to examine single cell mechanism of Brugada syndrome using induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs).</AbstractText>This study recruited 2 patients with type 1 BrS carrying 2 different sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit 5 variants as well as 2 healthy control subjects. We generated iPSCs from their skin fibroblasts by using integration-free Sendai virus. We used directed differentiation to create purified populations of iPSC-CMs.</AbstractText>BrS iPSC-CMs showed reductions in inward sodium current density and reduced maximal upstroke velocity of action potential compared with healthy control iPSC-CMs. Furthermore, BrS iPSC-CMs demonstrated increased burden of triggered activity, abnormal calcium (Ca2+</sup>) transients, and beating interval variation. Correction of the causative variant by&#xa0;genome editing was performed, and resultant iPSC-CMs showed resolution of triggered activity and abnormal Ca2+</sup>&#xa0;transients. Gene expression profiling of iPSC-CMs showed clustering of BrS compared with control subjects. Furthermore, BrS iPSC-CM gene expression correlated with gene expression from BrS human cardiac tissue gene expression.</AbstractText>Patient-specific iPSC-CMs were able to recapitulate single-cell phenotype features of BrS, including blunted inward sodium current, increased triggered activity, and abnormal Ca2+</sup> handling. This novel human cellular model creates future opportunities to further elucidate the cellular disease mechanism and identify novel therapeutic targets.</AbstractText>Copyright &#xa9; 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</CopyrightInformation>
21,190
[Early onset pneumonia after successful resuscitation : Incidence after mild invasive hypothermia therapy].
Targeted temperature management (TTM) represents an effective therapy to improve neurologic outcome in patients who survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). First publications about this therapy reported a higher incidence of infections in patients who underwent TTM induced by external cooling devices. Whether intravascular cooling devices are also associated with an increased infection rate has not been investigated so far.</AbstractText>In a single center retrospective study, the incidence of early onset pneumonia (EOP) in OHCA patients with or without intravascular TTM at 33&#xa0;&#xb0;C target temperature for 24&#xa0;h who survived at least 24&#xa0;h after admission was analyzed.</AbstractText>A total of 68&#xa0;OHCA survivors (mean age 65&#xa0;&#xb1; 15&#xa0;years) were included in this analysis. The most common causes of OHCA were myocardial infarction (35&#x2009;%), primary ventricular fibrillation (24&#x2009;%), asystole (15&#x2009;%), and pulmonary embolism (7&#x2009;%). Of those, 32&#xa0;patients (48&#x2009;%) received TTM. The overall incidence of EOP was 38&#x2009;%. Incidence of EOP did not differ significantly between groups, was more frequent in the group without TTM (42&#x2009;% vs. 34&#x2009;%, p&#xa0;= 0.57) and had no impact on mortality (hazard ratio&#xa0;= 1.02; 95&#x2009;% confidence interval 0.25-4.16; p&#xa0;= 0.97).</AbstractText>Intravascular TTM at 33&#xa0;&#xb0;C with a cooling catheter is not associated with more infective complications in OHCA patients. This finding underscores the safety of TTM.</AbstractText>
21,191
Combined leadless pacemaker and subcutaneous implantable defibrillator therapy: feasibility, safety, and performance.
The subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) and leadless pacemaker (LP) are evolving technologies that do not require intracardiac leads. However, interactions between these two devices are unexplored. We investigated the feasibility, safety, and performance of combined LP and S-ICD therapy, considering (i) simultaneous device-programmer communication, (ii) S-ICD rhythm discrimination during LP communication and pacing, and (iii) post-shock LP performance.</AbstractText>The study consists of two parts. Animal experiments: Two sheep were implanted with both an S-ICD and LP (Nanostim, SJM), and the objectives above were tested. Human experience: Follow-up of one S-ICD patient with bilateral subclavian occlusion who received an LP and two LP (all Nanostim, SJM) patients (without S-ICD) who received electrical cardioversion (ECV) are presented. Animal experiments : Simultaneous device-programmer communication was successful, but LP-programmer communication telemetry was temporarily lost (2 &#xb1; 2 s) during ventricular fibrillation (VF) induction and 4/54 shocks. Leadless pacemaker communication and pacing did not interfere with S-ICD rhythm discrimination. Additionally, all VF episodes (n = 12/12), including during simultaneous LP pacing, were detected and treated by the S-ICD. Post-shock LP performance was unaltered, and no post-shock device resets or dislodgements were observed (24 S-ICD and 30 external shocks). Human experience : The S-ICD/LP patient showed adequate S-ICD sensing during intrinsic rhythm, nominal, and high-output LP pacing. Two LP patients (without S-ICD) received ECV during follow-up. No impact on performance or LP dislodgements were observed.</AbstractText>Combined LP and S-ICD therapy appears feasible in all animal experiments (n = 2) and in one human subject. No interference in sensing and pacing during intrinsic and paced rhythm was noted in both animal and human subjects. However, induced arrhythmia testing was not performed in the patient. Defibrillation therapy did not seem to affect LP function. More data on safety and performance are needed.</AbstractText>Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. &#xa9; The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.</CopyrightInformation>
21,192
Flecainide-metoprolol combination reduces atrial fibrillation clinical recurrences and improves tolerability at 1-year follow-up in persistent symptomatic atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects &#x223c;2% of the total population. In order to prevent AF recurrences, many anti-arrhythmic drugs are currently available, but most of them are burdened by serious side effects and suboptimal efficacy. The aim of the present study was to test efficacy and safety of a combination of flecainide and metoprolol in preventing AF clinical recurrences.</AbstractText>This study is a monocentric, prospective, randomized, open-blinded trial on 173 patients with a recent episode of paroxysmal or persistent AF. Patients were randomized into group A (flecainide + metoprolol; n = 80), group B (flecainide only; n = 72), or group C (metoprolol only; n = 21). Main exclusion criteria were recent acute coronary syndrome, heart failure New York Heart Association class III-IV, left ventricular ejection fraction &lt;0.40, atrioventricular conduction disorders, and severe bradycardia. Primary endpoint was symptomatic recurrence over 1-year follow-up. Secondary endpoint was quality of life (QoL) over 1-year follow-up, as assessed by the SF-36 and Atrial Fibrillation Severity Scale questionnaires. Combination therapy with flecainide and metoprolol significantly reduced recurrences at 1-year follow-up when compared with flecainide alone in the whole population (66.7 vs. 46.8%; P &lt; 0.001) and in patients with persistent AF (71.1 vs. 43.6%; P = 0.025) while adding beta-blocker therapy to paroxysmal AF showed no benefit over IC anti-arrhythmic drug-only. Patients randomized to combination therapy experienced a significant improvement of QoL when compared with those assigned to a flecainide-only regimen irrespective of AF type.</AbstractText>Flecainide-metoprolol combination therapy improves effectiveness of rhythm control in persistent symptomatic AF and increases tolerability, with a concomitant reduction of side effects and a better compliance.</AbstractText>Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. &#xa9; The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.</CopyrightInformation>
21,193
Electrophysiological Mechanisms of Brugada Syndrome: Insights from Pre-clinical and Clinical Studies.
Brugada syndrome (BrS), is a primary electrical disorder predisposing affected individuals to sudden cardiac death via the development of ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation (VT/VF). Originally, BrS was linked to mutations in the <i>SCN5A</i>, which encodes for the cardiac Na<sup>+</sup> channel. To date, variants in 19 genes have been implicated in this condition, with 11, 5, 3, and 1 genes affecting the Na<sup>+</sup>, K<sup>+</sup>, Ca<sup>2+</sup>, and funny currents, respectively. Diagnosis of BrS is based on ECG criteria of coved- or saddle-shaped ST segment elevation and/or T-wave inversion with or without drug challenge. Three hypotheses based on abnormal depolarization, abnormal repolarization, and current-load-mismatch have been put forward to explain the electrophysiological mechanisms responsible for BrS. Evidence from computational modeling, pre-clinical, and clinical studies illustrates that molecular abnormalities found in BrS lead to alterations in excitation wavelength (&#x3bb;), which ultimately elevates arrhythmic risk. A major challenge for clinicians in managing this condition is the difficulty in predicting the subset of patients who will suffer from life-threatening VT/VF. Several repolarization risk markers have been used thus far, but these neglect the contributions of conduction abnormalities in the form of slowing and dispersion. Indices incorporating both repolarization and conduction and based on the concept of &#x3bb; have recently been proposed. These may have better predictive values than the existing markers.
21,194
Prognostic Significance of Late Potentials in Outpatients with Type 2 Brugada Electrocardiogram.
Brugada syndrome is characterized by distinguishing electrocardiogram (ECG) patterns (coved and saddle-back types with day-to-day variation) and occurrence of lethal tachy-arrhythmias. The appearance of coved type ECG (type 1) is required for the diagnosis of Brugada syndrome, whereas the significance of saddle-back type ECG (type 2), which is inadequate for the diagnosis, has not been fully established. We enrolled 34 consecutive patients with type 2 ECG on outpatient-clinic. Among them, 7 patients were ventricular fibrillation (VF) survivors who were diagnosed as Brugada syndrome with transient appearance of type 1 ECG, and showed type 2 ECG on their first outpatient-clinic visit after the VF event (VF group). The remaining 27 were asymptomatic and never showed type 1 ECG on repeated ECG examinations (control group). The VF group showed significantly longer RJ intervals in leads V1 and V2 and QTc intervals in lead V2 compared with the control group (P &lt; 0.030, P &lt; 0.017, and P &lt; 0.030, respectively). Late potentials, detected on the signal-averaged ECG (SA-ECG), reflect conduction abnormalities and are known as one of the risk markers of arrhythmic events. Among the 34 patients, late potentials were negative in 12 patients belonging to the control group. In conclusion, the SA-ECG could be helpful to identify high-risk patients for its high negative predictive value as the first step, and ECG parameters, including RJ intervals in leads V1 and V2 and QTc interval in lead V2, could be useful for further risk stratification in patients with type 2 Brugada ECG.
21,195
Preoperative plasma aldosterone and the risk of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass surgery: a prospective cohort study.
Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is associated with poor outcomes after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. We aimed to assess the additional value of preoperative plasma aldosterone levels, a biomarker promoting proarrhythmic and profibrotic pathways, for predicting POAF after CABG.</AbstractText>We conducted a prospective cohort study involving consecutive patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) more than 50% requiring elective CABG in our university hospital. Plasma aldosterone levels, two-dimensional echocardiography including left atrial strain analysis and galectin-3 (Gal-3) examination were assessed before cardiac surgery. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of POAF within 30 days after surgery.</AbstractText>POAF occurred in 34 (24.8%) out of the 137 included patients. Compared with controls, patients experiencing POAF were significantly older (73 years old&#x200a;&#xb1;&#x200a;8 vs 65&#x200a;&#xb1;&#x200a;11, P&#x200a;&lt;&#x200a;0.001) and had higher preoperative plasma aldosterone levels [183&#x200a;pmol/l (interquartile range 138-300) vs 143&#x200a;pmol/l (interquartile range 96.5-216.5), P&#x200a;&lt;&#x200a;0.01]. Age [odds ratio (OR), 1.088; 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.038-1.140); P&#x200a;=&#x200a;0.0004] and plasma aldosterone levels [OR, 1.007; 95% CI (1.003-1.012); P&#x200a;=&#x200a;0.0013] were independently associated with POAF in multivariate analysis and could therefore be combined to predict the occurrence of POAF ['Aldoscore', OR, 2.7; 95% CI (1.7-4.3); P&#x200a;&lt;&#x200a;0.0001]. Reverse transcriptase PCR analysis performed on right atrial appendage and plasma examination revealed that Gal-3 was activated in POAF patients.</AbstractText>We developed the preoperative 'Aldoscore' for POAF risk stratification among patients with preserved LVEF requiring elective CABG. This new tool may be helpful to identify good responders to interventions targeting the proarrhythmic and profibrotic pathways of aldosterone.</AbstractText>
21,196
Clinical risk profile score predicts all cause mortality but not implantable cardioverter defibrillator intervention rate in a large unselected cohort of patients with congestive heart failure.
Primary prophylactic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy is indicated for patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We aimed to determine if preoperative clinical risk profiling can predict long-term benefit, and if clinical risk scores can be applied and improved in a patient cohort outside the clinical trial setting.</AbstractText>Using registry data, 789 patients with reduced LVEF who received ICDs for primary prevention during 2006-2011 were identified (age 64&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;11&#xa0;years, 82% men, 63% ischemic etiology, 52% cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator). The patients were divided into three risk groups, based on the presence of baseline clinical risk factors (age &gt;70, QRS duration &gt;120&#xa0;ms, New York Heart Association class III-IV, atrial fibrillation history, or creatinine &gt;106&#xa0;&#x3bc;mol/L). Endpoints were all-cause mortality and survival free of adequate ICD therapy.</AbstractText>Mean follow-up was 39&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;18&#xa0;months. Annual mortality was 7.6%, and increased with risk group (p&#xa0;&lt;&#xa0;.001). Rates of appropriate antitachycardia pacing and shock therapy were not statistically different between the groups, and ranged from 11%-16% and 6%-14%, respectively. By combining the previous risk score with data on diabetes, a better independent prediction of mortality was achieved; mortality rates then ranged from 11% (low-risk) to 46% (high-risk) (p&#xa0;&lt;&#xa0;.0001).</AbstractText>Implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapies occur across the spectrum of comorbidities in a population with systolic heart failure. However, all-cause mortality is considerably higher in the group of patients with accumulated risk factors, and using the proposed scoring system can be helpful for the evaluation and risk stratification of the patient prior to making a decision for a primary prophylactic ICD implantation.</AbstractText>&#xa9; 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</CopyrightInformation>
21,197
Defibrillators: Selecting the Right Device for the Right Patient.
Advances in the field of defibrillation have brought to practice different types of devices that include the transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) with or without cardiac resynchronization therapy, the subcutaneous ICD (S-ICD), and the wearable cardioverter-defibrillator. To ensure optimal use of these devices and to achieve best patient outcomes, clinicians need to understand how these devices work, learn the characteristics of patients who qualify them for one type of device versus another, and recognize the remaining gaps in knowledge surrounding these devices. The transvenous ICD has been shown in several randomized clinical trials to improve the survival of patients resuscitated from near-fatal ventricular fibrillation and those with sustained ventricular tachycardia with syncope or systolic heart failure as a result of ischemic or nonischemic cardiomyopathy despite receiving guideline-directed medical therapy. Important gaps in knowledge regarding the transvenous ICD involve the role of the ICD in patient subgroups not included, or not well represented, in clinical trials and the need to refine the selection criteria for the ICD in patients who are indicated for it. S-ICDs were recently introduced into the clinical arena as another option for many patients who have an approved indication for a transvenous ICD. The main advantage of the S-ICD is a lower risk of infection and lead-related complications; however, the S-ICD does not offer bradycardia or antitachycardia pacing. The S-ICD may be ideal for patients with limited vascular access, high infection risk, or some congenital heart diseases. However, more data are needed regarding the efficacy and effectiveness of the S-ICD in comparison to transvenous ICDs, the extent of defibrillation testing required, and the use of the S-ICD with other novel technologies, including leadless pacemakers. Cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillators are indicated in patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction &#x2264;35%, QRS width &#x2265;130 ms, and New York Heart Association class II, III, or ambulatory IV symptoms despite treatment with guideline-directed medical therapy. Multiple randomized controlled trials have shown that the cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator improves survival, quality of life, and several echocardiographic measures. One main challenge related to cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillators is the 30% nonresponse rate. Many initiatives are underway to address this challenge including improved cardiac resynchronization therapy and imaging technologies and enhanced selection of patients and device programming.
21,198
Ventricular fibrillation via torsade des pointes of cardiac sarcoidosis with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.
Generally, low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is a risk for ventricular arrhythmia in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis. We present a case of cardiac sarcoidosis with preserved LVEF that evoked ventricular fibrillation (VF). A 73-year-old woman with VF presented to our emergency department. She had a history of ocular sarcoidosis, with gradual thinning of the basal intraventricular septum. LVEF was 62% on the most recent echocardiography. The electrocardiogram after defibrillation showed complete atrioventricular block (CAVB) with QT segment prolongation and frequent ventricular premature beats. VF via torsade des pointes (TdP) was suspected, and temporary intravenous ventricular pacing and magnesium sulfate infusion suppressed her VF. Cardiac sarcoidosis was diagnosed, and an implantable cardioverter defibrillator was implanted. Patients with cardiac sarcoidosis with CAVB are at risk of evoking VF via TdP regardless of LVEF. If cardiac sarcoidosis is suspected, early diagnosis and risk stratification of ventricular arrhythmia are important.
21,199
Resolution of left ventricular postinfarction thrombi in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention using rivaroxaban in addition to dual antiplatelet therapy.
Left ventricular (LV) thrombus is usually seen in situations with reduced LV function, and is mostly seen in patients with large anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MI). Most embolic events, in patients with LV thrombus formation, occur within the first 3-4&#x2005;months, thus the recommendations regarding the duration of anticoagulant therapy. According to guidelines, an oral vitamin K antagonist, warfarin, is being used as an anticoagulant for this period. Novel oral anticoagulants were found to be either non-inferior or superior compared with warfarin in prevention of thromboembolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. However, the data about their role in the management of LV thrombus are limited to case reports. Here, we report on the dissolution of LV apical thrombus in 3 patients with anterior ST-elevation MI receiving dual antiplatelet therapy and rivaroxaban on a reduced dose for 3&#x2005;months.