Heart rhythm最新文献

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI)-dependent atrial flutter requires ablation of the tricuspid annulus overlying the right coronary artery (RCA). While considered safe, reports of acute and subacute RCA injury in human and animal studies raise the possibility of late RCA stenosis.

Objective: To compare the incidence and severity of angiographic RCA stenoses in patients who have undergone CTI RFA to a control group to assess the long-term risk of RCA damage.

Methods: A two-center retrospective case-cohort study was performed including all patients from 2002-2018 undergoing atrial fibrillation (AF) with CTI ablation (CTI+AF) or AF ablation alone with subsequent coronary angiography (CAG). The AF alone group served as controls due to anticipated similarity of baseline characteristics. Coronary arteries that are anatomically remote to the CTI were examined as prespecified falsification endpoints. CAG was scored by a blinded observer.

Results: 156 patients who underwent PVI with subsequent CAG (CTI+AF, n=81; AF alone, n=75) had no difference in baseline characteristics including age, sex, comorbidities, and medications. Mean time from ablation to CAG was similar (CTI+AF 5.0±3.7 years vs AF alone 5.4 ±3.9 years, p=0.5). The mid and distal RCA showed no difference in the average number of angiographic stenoses or lesion severity. In regression analysis, CTI ablation was not a predictor of RCA stenosis severity (p=0.6). There was no difference in coronary disease at sites remote to the CTI ablation (p=NS for all).

Conclusion: There was no observed relationship between CTI RFA and the number or severity of angiographically apparent RCA stenoses in long-term follow up.

Background: Hemothorax caused by a right intercostal artery (ICA) injury behind the left atrium (LA) is a potentially fatal complication during pulmonary vein isolation. However, their anatomical relationship has not been fully elucidated.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical anatomy of the right ICA in relation to the LA.

Methods: This retrospective study included 100 patients (70.2 ± 10.6 years, 39.0% female) who underwent cardiac computed tomography. The patients were divided into sinus rhythm (SR) and atrial fibrillation (AF) groups. We focused on the distance between the LA and right ICAs and its predictive factors.

Results: On average, 3.7 ± 0.7 right ICAs were found behind the LA. Among these, the eighth ICA was the closest in 54% of the cases, followed by the seventh ICA in 29%, and the ninth ICA in 14%. The average closest distance between them was 3.8 ± 3.8 mm, which was significantly shorter in the AF group than in the SR group (3.0 ± 3.2 mm vs. 4.7 ± 4.2 mm, p = 0.006). Multivariate analysis revealed that a thinner chest cavity (β = -0.512, p = 0.002) and LA dilatation (β = -0.432, p = 0.001) were predictors of shorter distance. The closest points distributed along the vertebral column, generally near the inferior pulmonary vein orifices.

Conclusions: Right ICA-LA proximity was systematically clarified. Particularly in cases with an enlarged LA and/or thin chest cavity, operators should be aware of the potential risk of injuring the right ICA during pulmonary vein isolation.

Background: Acutely effective repeat radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) after previous atrial fibrillation ablation depends on several parameters including local impedance (LI), contact force (CF) and power.

Objective: To investigate the relationship of LI, CF and power to the LI drop in a repeat atrial RFCA environment.

Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing repeat atrial RFCA were studied. High-quality local electrograms (EGMs) were analyzed regarding morphology changes indicating effective RFCA and associated LI dynamics. The influence of baseline LI, mean CF and power on the LI drop was analyzed. Investigated power levels included ≤25 W, 30 W and ≥40 W.

Results: 1390 RFCA points from 48 patients (48 % female, median age 70 years) were analyzed. 40.5% of 309 analyzed EGMs showed effective RFCA morphology changes with a higher median LI drop (effective 19.7 Ω vs partially effective 14.1 Ω, p<0.001). CF showed the highest correlation to the LI drop within high baseline LI and when applying ≥40 W (low baseline LI, R=0.39; intermediate, R=0.66; high, R=0.72). Within low baseline LI regions, CF levels showed a lower correlation to the LI drop (≤25 W, R=0.30; 30 W, R=0.35; ≥40 W, R=0.39). A mean CF ≥10 g resulted in elevated LI drops with higher power compared to lower power within all baseline LI tertiles (p<0.001 each).

Conclusion: Within rather high baseline LI regions, CF plays a greater role for the maximum LI drop when higher power is chosen. A mean CF ≥10 g ensures increased LI drops with increasing power levels.

Background: Risk stratification in patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS) is challenging, especially in those at intermediate risk. The Predicting Arrhythmic evenT (PAT) score has recently been demonstrated to be excellent for predicting future arrhythmic events in patients without prior ventricular fibrillation (VF). However, validation studies are lacking.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the performance of a novel risk stratification model in predicting future VF events in patients with BrS in a Japanese multicenter cohort.

Methods: The PAT score was calculated for 413 patients with BrS (mean age, 50.9±13.6 years; 395 men) from 59 hospitals in Japan, including 314 patients without prior VF. The incidence of developing VF during the follow-up period was investigated.

Results: During the 106.8-month follow-up period, 54 patients (13.1%) experienced VF events. Of the 314 patients without prior VF at enrollment, 14 (4.5%) experienced VF events. The incidence of VF events during the follow-up period was significantly higher in patients with PAT scores ≥10 than in those with scores <10 (41/173 [23.7%] vs. 13/240 [5.4%], p<0.0001) in the total cohort. No difference was observed in the incidence of VF events between patients with PAT scores ≥10 and <10 among the 314 patients without prior VF (6/86 [7.0%] vs. 8/228 [3.5%], p=0.22). PAT scores ≥10 predicted future VF events with a sensitivity and specificity of 42.9% and 73.3%, respectively.

Conclusion: This Japanese multicenter registry demonstrated that the novel risk stratification model could not accurately predict future VF events in patients with BrS, but without prior VF.

Background: New-onset permanent pacemaker implantation (PPMI) is still a common complication after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with adverse clinical outcomes.

Objective: To investigate whether left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) improves long-term clinical results compared to traditional right ventricular pacing (RVP) in patients requiring PPMI following TAVI.

Methods: A total of 237 consecutive patients undergoing RVP (N=117) or LBBAP (N=120) following TAVI were retrospectively included. Long-term outcomes including all-cause death, heart failure rehospitalization (HFH) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) change compared to baseline were obtained until 5 years post-TAVI.

Results: The mean age of the overall population was 74 years with a mean surgical risk score as 4.4%. The paced QRS duration was significantly longer in RVP group compared to LBBAP group (151 ± 18 vs. 122 ± 12 ms, P<0.001). There was no difference between two groups in all-cause death (13.7% vs. 13.3%, adjusted HR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.37 to 1.58; P=0.466) or the composite endpoint of death and HFH (29.9% vs. 19.2%, adjusted HR: 1.22; 95% CI: 0.70 to 2.13; P=0.476), however, the risk of HFH was significantly higher in RVP group at 5 years after TAVI (21.4% vs. 7.5%, adjusted HR: 2.26; 95% CI: 1.01 to 5.08; P=0.048). There was a greater improvement of LVEF over time in LBBAP group (P=0.046 for LVEF changes over time between groups).

Conclusions: LBBAP improved long-term clinical outcomes compared to RVP in patients undergoing PPMI after TAVI in terms of less HFH and better LVEF improvement.

Background: Atrioventricular block (AVB) is a frequent initial presentation of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS), but dangerous ventricular arrhythmias (VA) can occur. Despite the scarcity of data, guidelines recommend ICD rather than a pacemaker implantation whenever a device is needed.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to establish predictors for sustained VA in patients with CS presenting with pacing indication due to an AVB.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 112 patients with CS. Excluding those with VA, 82 patients remained and were divided into 2 groups: 34 individuals with AVB as initial presentation and 48 with other symptoms as first presentation (OSF). Both groups were compared for clinical characteristics, rates of VA, LVAD implantation, heart transplantation and mortality.

Results: During follow-up, VA was detected in 50% in the AVB and 10.4% in the OSF group; P = 0.001. Death, LVAD implantation, heart transplantation occurred in 11.8% in AVB vs. 10.4% in the OSF; P = 0.847. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was equally observed in both groups: 70% vs. 70.5%; P = 0.966, whereas more patients in the AVB group exhibited abnormal PET uptake: 86.2% vs. 54.3%; P = 0.007. In multivariate analysis, AVB (HR 25.15), RV LGE in CMR (HR 7.39) were predictors for VA occurrence, whereas the use of immunosuppressive therapy was associated with less VA (HR 4.3).

Conclusions: Patients with CS presenting with AVB have a high risk of sustained VA. Although immunosuppressive drugs may reduce the occurrence of VA, ICD implantation is reasonable, especially in case of right ventricular LGE.

Background: Postmenopausal women with atrial fibrillation (AF) exhibit a higher level of atrial fibrosis and a higher recurrence rate after ablation compared to men. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear.

Objective: To investigate the mechanism through which menopause promotes atrial fibrosis.

Methods: In a prospective cohort of women with AF, regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between low-voltage area (LVA) and sex hormone levels. CREM-IbΔC-X mice, a spontaneous AF model, underwent bilateral ovariectomy (OVX). Electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, and Masson staining were performed. FSH stimulation was applied in male mice for three months. OVX was also applied in an angiotensin II (Ang II) induced pressure overload mouse model, following programmed electrical stimulation and structural analyses. Bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed to elucidate potential mechanisms.

Results: Women demonstrated a significantly higher LVA burden than men (P<0.001). A positive correlation was observed between LVA burden and FSH level (P=0.002). Mice in the OVX group exhibited a significantly higher incidence of AF (P=0.040) and atrial fibrosis (P=0.021) compared to the Sham group, which could be attenuated by AAV-siFshr. In male CREM-IbΔC-X mice, FSH stimulation promoted the occurrence of AF (P=0.035) and atrial fibrosis (P=0.002). In Ang II-induced female mice, OVX prompted atrial fibrosis, increased AF inducibility, and shortened atrial effective refractory period, which could be attenuated with knockdown of Fshr. RNA-seq indicated mitochondrial dysfunction.

Conclusion: Postmenopausal women exhibited a higher LVA burden than men, which was positively correlated with FSH level. FSH promoted atrial fibrosis through oxidative stress.