Genetic testing for inherited arrhythmia syndromes and cardiomyopathies: results of the European Heart Rhythm Association survey.

AIMS: Indications and clinical impact of genetic testing for cardiac diseases have increased significantly over the past years. The aim of this physician-based European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) survey was to assess current clinical practice and access to genetic testing for cardiac diseases across European Society of Cardiology countries and to evaluate adherence to the 2022 EHRA/HRS/APHRS/LAHRS Expert Consensus Statement on genetic testing. METHODS AND RESULTS: An online questionnaire composed of 28 questions was submitted to the EHRA Research Network and European Reference Network GUARD-Heart healthcare partners and promoted via dedicated social media channels. There were 357 respondents from 69 countries, 40% working in a hospital setting with a cardiac genetic service and/or a dedicated clinic focusing on inherited cardiac diseases and 27% with an onsite genetic laboratory. No genetic testing or low annual rate (<10/year) was declared by 39% of respondents. The majority of respondents (78%) declared issues or limitations to genetic testing access in their clinical practice. The main reasons for not providing or limited access to genetic testing were no availability of dedicated unit or genetic laboratory (35%) or reimbursement issues (25%). The most frequently reported indication for genetic testing was diagnostic purpose (55%). Most respondents (92%) declared offering genetic testing preceded by genetic counselling and 42% regular multidisciplinary evaluations for patients with cardiac genetic diseases. The perceived value of genetic testing in the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic assessment was variable (67, 39, and 29%, respectively) and primarily based on the specific inherited disease. The majority of respondents recommended cascade genetic testing for the first-degree family members in case of pathogenic/likely pathogenic variant in the proband. CONCLUSION: This survey highlights a significant heterogeneity of genetic testing access and provision and issues attributable to the availability of dedicated unit/genetic laboratory and reimbursement. However, adequate adherence to indications in the current recommendations for genetic testing in patients with cardiac diseases was observed.

Longer and better lives for patients with atrial fibrillation: the 9th AFNET/EHRA consensus conference.

AIMS: Recent trial data demonstrate beneficial effects of active rhythm management in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and support the concept that a low arrhythmia burden is associated with a low risk of AF-related complications. The aim of this document is to summarize the key outcomes of the 9th AFNET/EHRA Consensus Conference of the Atrial Fibrillation NETwork (AFNET) and the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA). METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighty-three international experts met in Münster for 2 days in September 2023. Key findings are as follows: (i) Active rhythm management should be part of the default initial treatment for all suitable patients with AF. (ii) Patients with device-detected AF have a low burden of AF and a low risk of stroke. Anticoagulation prevents some strokes and also increases major but non-lethal bleeding. (iii) More research is needed to improve stroke risk prediction in patients with AF, especially in those with a low AF burden. Biomolecules, genetics, and imaging can support this. (iv) The presence of AF should trigger systematic workup and comprehensive treatment of concomitant cardiovascular conditions. (v) Machine learning algorithms have been used to improve detection or likely development of AF. Cooperation between clinicians and data scientists is needed to leverage the potential of data science applications for patients with AF. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AF and a low arrhythmia burden have a lower risk of stroke and other cardiovascular events than those with a high arrhythmia burden. Combining active rhythm control, anticoagulation, rate control, and therapy of concomitant cardiovascular conditions can improve the lives of patients with AF.

Electrophysiology fellowship experience and requirements: an EHRA survey.

AIMS: This study aims to survey current educational experience and the individual requirements for electrophysiologists in training. METHODS AND RESULTS: The European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) e-Communication Committee and the Scientific Initiatives Committee prepared a questionnaire and distributed it via newsletters, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. The survey consisted of 22 questions collected on an individual basis anonymously. Two hundred and forty-three responders from 35 countries (32% female, age 38 ± 6 years old) completed the survey. This EHRA electrophysiology (EP) fellowship survey showed that (i) hands-on participation and observation of EP procedures are very important; (ii) the main motivations to choose the EP fellowship institution are centre reputation and volume as well as the availability of a structured EP fellowship programme; (iii) 59% passed the EHRA exam and 46% took a national certification exam; (iv) respondents are overall satisfied with their own fellowships, but there are areas of less confidence such as conduction system pacing implantation and cardiac resynchronization therapy implantation; (v) 78% of respondents performed research during their fellowship, (vi) the optimal duration of an EP fellowship should be at least 2 years; and (viii) doing fellowships abroad is beneficial, but significant obstacles exist. CONCLUSION: The results of this EHRA survey may help to refine current EP fellowship programmes to improve the quality of EP training and early career building of young electrophysiologists.

Occupational radiation exposure of electrophysiology staff with reproductive potential and during pregnancy: an EHRA survey.

AIMS: Electrophysiology (EP) is a growing field in cardiology, with an increasing involvement of young people. Nevertheless, concerns about radiation exposure and its impact on reproduction and pregnancy may discourage the choice of an EP career. The study is aimed at investigating the level of awareness and main sources of concern about the effects of radiation on reproductive potential and pregnancy, exploring the safety measures adopted in different EP labs, and verifying the adherence to the current guidelines. METHODS AND RESULTS: An online survey was conducted using the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) infrastructure from April to June 2022. A total of 252 EP personnel (42% women) participated, from 50 countries and different professional roles. Most participants expressed concerns regarding the effects of radiation on reproductive capacity (67.1%) and offspring diseases (68.2%). Only 37.9% of participants were aware of the EHRA 2017 consensus document about occupational radiation exposure. Most participants (80.9%) considered that occupational radiation during pregnancy is not safe. EP female staff were not allowed to work in the EP lab during pregnancy in 48.1% of cases. Zero-fluoroscopy was the preferred choice to continue working in the EP lab during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: EP staff, including both men and women, have concerns about the effects of radiation on reproductive capacity. Despite the recommendations issued by international bodies, implementation of the policies regarding pregnancy and occupational radiation exposure is heterogeneous. Zero-fluoroscopy is the preferred approach to ensure safety during pregnancy in the EP lab.

Early diagnosis and better rhythm management to improve outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation: the 8th AFNET/EHRA consensus conference.

Despite marked progress in the management of atrial fibrillation (AF), detecting AF remains difficult and AF-related complications cause unacceptable morbidity and mortality even on optimal current therapy. This document summarizes the key outcomes of the 8th AFNET/EHRA Consensus Conference of the Atrial Fibrillation NETwork (AFNET) and the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA). Eighty-three international experts met in Hamburg for 2 days in October 2021. Results of the interdisciplinary, hybrid discussions in breakout groups and the plenary based on recently published and unpublished observations are summarized in this consensus paper to support improved care for patients with AF by guiding prevention, individualized management, and research strategies. The main outcomes are (i) new evidence supports a simple, scalable, and pragmatic population-based AF screening pathway; (ii) rhythm management is evolving from therapy aimed at improving symptoms to an integrated domain in the prevention of AF-related outcomes, especially in patients with recently diagnosed AF; (iii) improved characterization of atrial cardiomyopathy may help to identify patients in need for therapy; (iv) standardized assessment of cognitive function in patients with AF could lead to improvement in patient outcomes; and (v) artificial intelligence (AI) can support all of the above aims, but requires advanced interdisciplinary knowledge and collaboration as well as a better medico-legal framework. Implementation of new evidence-based approaches to AF screening and rhythm management can improve outcomes in patients with AF. Additional benefits are possible with further efforts to identify and target atrial cardiomyopathy and cognitive impairment, which can be facilitated by AI.

Reimbursement practices for use of digital devices in atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias: a European Heart Rhythm Association survey.

Since digital devices are increasingly used in cardiology for assessing cardiac rhythm and detecting arrhythmias, especially atrial fibrillation (AF), our aim was to evaluate the expectations and opinions of healthcare professionals in Europe on reimbursement policies for the use of digital devices (including wearables) in AF and other arrhythmias. An anonymous survey was proposed through announcements on the European Heart Rhythm Association website, social media channels, and mail newsletter. Two hundred and seventeen healthcare professionals participated in the survey: 32.7%, reported regular use of digital devices, 45.2% reported that they sometimes use these tools, 18.6% that they do not use but would like to. Only a minority (3.5%) reported a lack of trust in digital devices. The survey highlighted a general propensity to provide medical consultation for suspected AF or other arrhythmias detected by a consumer-initiated use of digital devices, even if time constraints and reimbursement availability emerged as important elements. More than 85% of respondents agreed that reimbursement should be applied for clinical use of digital devices, also in different settings such as post-stroke, post-cardioversion, post-ablation, and in patients with palpitations or syncope. Finally, 73.6% of respondents confirmed a lack of reimbursement fees in their country for physicians' consultations (tracings interpretation) related to digital devices. Digital devices, including wearables, are increasingly and widely used for assessing cardiac rhythm and detecting AF, but a definition of reimbursement policies for physicians' consultations is needed.

The interpretation of CHA2DS2-VASc score components in clinical practice: a joint survey by the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) Scientific Initiatives Committee, the EHRA Young Electrophysiologists, the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professionals, and the European Society of Cardiology Council on Stroke.

This European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) Scientific Initiatives Committee, EHRA Young Electrophysiologists, Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professionals, and European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Council on Stroke joint survey aimed to assess the interpretation of the CHA2DS2-VASc score components and preferred resources for calculating the score. Of 439 respondents, most were general cardiologists (46.7%) or electrophysiologists (EPs) (42.1%). The overall adherence to the ESC-defined scoring criteria was good. Most variation was observed in the interpretation of the significance of left ventricular ejection fraction and brain natriuretic peptide in the scoring for the 'C' component, as well as the 'one-off high reading of blood pressure' to score on the 'H' component. Greater confidence was expressed in scoring the 'H' component (72.3%) compared with the 'C' (46.2%) and 'V' (45.9%) components. Respondents mainly relied on their recall for the scoring of CHA2DS2-VASc score (64.2%). The three most favoured referencing resources varied among different professionals, with pharmacists and physicians relying mainly on memory or web/mobile app, whereas nurses favoured using a web/mobile app followed by memory or guidelines/protocol. In conclusion, this survey revealed overall good adherence to the correct definition of each component in scoring of the 'C', 'H', and 'V' elements of the CHA2DS2-VASc score, although the variation in their interpretations warrants further clarifications. The preferred referencing resources to calculate the score varied among different healthcare professionals. Guideline education to healthcare professionals and updated and unified online/mobile scoring tools are suggested to improve the accuracy in scoring the CHA2DS2-VASc score.

Islets of heterogeneous myocardium within the scar in cardiac magnetic resonance predict ventricular tachycardia after myocardial infarction.

INTRODUCTION: We assessed findings in cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) as predictors of ventricular tachycardia (VT) after myocardial infarction (MI), which could allow for more precise identification of patients at risk of sudden cardiac death. METHODS: Forty-eight patients after prior MI were enrolled and divided into two groups: with (n = 24) and without (n = 24) VT. VT was confirmed by electrophysiological study and exit site was estimated based on 12-lead electrocardiogram. All patients underwent CMR with late gadolinium enhancement. RESULTS: The examined groups did not differ significantly in clinical and demographical parameters (including LV ejection fraction). There was a significant difference in the infarct age between the VT and non-VT group (15.8 ± 8.4 vs 7.1 ± 6.7 years, respectively; P = .002), with the cut-off point at the level of 12 years. In the scar core, islets of heterogeneous myocardium were revealed. They were defined as areas of potentially viable myocardium within or adjacent to the core scar. The number of islets was the strongest independent predictor of VT (odds ratio [OR], 1.42; confidence interval [CI], 1.17-1.73), but total islet size and the largest islet area were also significantly higher in the VT group (OR, 1.04; CI, 1.02-1.07 and OR, 1.16; CI, 1.01-1.27, respectively). Myocardial segments with fibrosis forming 25%-75% of the ventricular wall were associated with a higher incidence of VT (7.5 ± 2.1 vs 5.7 ± 2.6; P = .014). Three-dimension CMR reconstruction confirmed good correlation of the location of the islets/channels with VT exit site during electroanatomical mapping in five cases. CONCLUSIONS: The identification and quantification of islets of heterogeneous myocardium within the scar might be useful for predicting VT in patients after MI.

Neopterin as a Biomarker in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Upregulation of the immune system is regarded to play an important role in the etiopathobiology of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). To the best of our knowledge, neopterin (NP) has never been investigated in patients with PAH and CTEPH. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the concentration of NP in blood in order to examine its impact on outcome and relationship with disease severity in that population. METHODS: Serum concentration of NP was analysed prospectively in 50 patients (36 with PAH and 14 with CTEPH vs. 31 healthy controls) and assessed in relation to clinical parameters and outcome. RESULTS: NP concentration in the PAH and CTEPH groups combined was significantly higher than in the control group (8.68, 6.39-15.03 vs. 5.14, 4.16-5.98 nmol/L, p < 0.0000001). During 9 months of follow-up, clinical deterioration occurred in 18 patients (including 8 deaths), and NP concentration in this group was higher when compared to stable patients (15.6, 8.52-25.13 vs. 7.87, 6.18-9.89, p = 0.002). The cutoff value of NP derived from ROC curve analysis was 15.3 nmol/L (p = 0.002, AUC 0.77, p = 0.0004, HR = 4.35, 95% CI 1.43-13.18, log-rank test). On Cox regression analysis, NP predicted clinical deterioration (p = 0.009, 95% CI 1.01-1.06). NP correlated positively with NT-proBNP (p < 0.001), red blood cell distribution width (p < 0.001), and right atrium area (p = 0.002) and inversely with 6-min walking test (p = 0.002) and peak oxygen consumption (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: NP concentration is increased in patients with PAH and inoperable CTEPH. Elevated NP concentration is associated with adverse clinical outcomes and correlates with clinical parameters.

Red Blood Cells Distribution Width as a Potential Prognostic Biomarker in Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Red blood cells distribution width (RDW) predicts survival in cardiovascular diseases. Little is known about the variability of RDW level over time among patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). To our knowledge, RDW has never been analysed as a marker of response to specific treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 77 patients for: i) RDW measured during the last hospitalisation before death or during the last follow-up (RDWlast); ii) mean RDW from all hospitalisations during the entire follow-up of the patient (RDWmean); iii) maximum RDW of all hospitalisations of each patient (RDWmax). In order to assess response to specific treatment and association with prognosis, we compared RDW levels (obtained from 56 patients) before and 3 to 6 months after introduction or intensification of treatment in both the alive and deceased group. RESULTS: Twenty-eight of 77 patients died, whereas in specific drugs treatment response analysis, 22 of 56 patients died during follow-up. The cut-off values derived from the ROC analysis and assessed using the log-rank test were significant for RDWlast (p<0.0001), RDWmean (p<0.001) and RDWmax (p=0.02). A decrease in RDW levels after introduction or intensification of specific treatment was significant (p=0.015) in survivors, whereas there was no significance (p=0.29) in decrease in RDW levels in non-survivors after change of therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Red blood cells distribution width might be a potential prognostic biomarker in patients with PAH and inoperable CTEPH. The decrease in RDW level after introduction or escalation of PAH-targeted and CTEPH-targeted drugs is associated with a good treatment response and better prognosis.

An implantable pump Lenus pro® in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension with intravenous treprostinil.

BACKGROUND: Subcutaneous treprostinil is a prostacyclin analogue used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Due to local pain it can cause a deterioration of heart related quality of life (HRQoL) or even abandonment of treatment. The aim of this paper was to assess the feasibility of treatment with intravenous treprostinil administered by means of the Lenus Pro® implantable pump. METHODS: This was a retrospective, multi-center study involving 12 patients (8 females) with PAH treated with a subcutaneous infusion of treprostinil with intolerable pain at the infusion site. Clinical evaluation, including HRQoL assessment with SF-36 questionnaire was performed, before pump implantation and 2-9 months after. The median time of follow-up time was 14 months (4-29 months). RESULTS: After implantation of the Lenus Pro® pump, no statistically significant changes were observed in the 6-min walking distance and NT-proBNP. After implantation 50% of patients were in II WHO functional class (33% before, p = 0,59). There was a significant improvement in HRQoL within the Physical Component Score (28 ± 7 vs 38 ± 8 pts., p < 0,001) and in specific domains of SF-36 form: physical role (31 ± 7 pts. vs. 41 ± 12 pts., p = 0,03), bodily pain (31 ± 12 vs. 50 ± 14 pts., p = 0,02), and vitality (37 ± 8 pts. vs. 50 ± 14 pts., p = 0,03). During the periprocedural period, one patient developed a recurrent haematoma at the implantation site. During follow-up in one patient, the drug delivering cannula slipped out of the subclavian vein, what required repositioning repeated twice, and in another patient an unexpected increase in the drug administration rate was observed. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with PAH who do not tolerate subcutaneous infusion of treprostinil, the use of the Lenus Pro® implantable pump results in significant subjective improvement of vitality and physical aspect of the HRQoL with acceptable safety profile.

The Management of Supraventricular Tachyarrhythmias in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Atrial remodelling in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) may lead to higher incidence of supraventricular arrhythmias (SVA). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency and safety of various methods for treatment of SVA in this group. METHODS: This was a single centre study. Forty-eight patients (33 women and 15 men) aged 19-77 years (median 49 years) were enrolled. There were 30 patients with idiopathic PAH, 10 had PAH associated with connective tissue disease, and eight with congenital heart disease. A retrospective analysis was performed to estimate the prevalence and type of supraventricular arrhythmias, as well as efficiency and safety of treatment methods. Mean follow-up period was 28.8±17.7 months. RESULTS: Supraventricular arrhythmias occurred in 17 patients (35%) and appeared to be atrial fibrillation, flutter or tachycardia. Supraventricular arrhythmias coexisted with elevated mean right atrial pressure in 75%. Four patients had more than one type of SVA. A flutter-like macro-reentrant form of atrial tachycardia dependent on cavo-tricuspid isthmus was found in four cases. The treatment of SVA included typical methods: antiarrhythmic drugs, direct current cardioversion (DCC), and radiofrequency (RF) ablation. All of the therapeutic methods were effective in managing acute arrhythmia. Three patients required re-ablation. Overall mortality: 14 patients (29%) in the whole study group, including six in SVA group (35%) and eight without SVA (26%). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with PAH DCC, pharmacological cardioversion and RF ablation can be applied safely and effectively. Flutter-like macro-reentrant atrial tachycardia dependent on cavo-tricuspid isthmus is observed in this group. It is more challenging, but possible, to successfully treat this arrhythmia with RF ablation.

Standardized assessment of evidence supporting the adoption of mobile health solutions: A Clinical Consensus Statement of the ESC Regulatory Affairs Committee: Developed in collaboration with the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing & Allied Professions (ACNAP) of the ESC, the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the ESC, the ESC Young Community, the ESC Working Group on e-Cardiology, the ESC Council for Cardiology Practice, the ESC Council of Cardio-Oncology, the ESC Council on Hypertension, the ESC Patient Forum, the ESC Digital Health Committee, and the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC).

Mobile health (mHealth) solutions have the potential to improve self-management and clinical care. For successful integration into routine clinical practice, healthcare professionals (HCPs) need accepted criteria helping the mHealth solutions' selection, while patients require transparency to trust their use. Information about their evidence, safety and security may be hard to obtain and consensus is lacking on the level of required evidence. The new Medical Device Regulation is more stringent than its predecessor, yet its scope does not span all intended uses and several difficulties remain. The European Society of Cardiology Regulatory Affairs Committee set up a Task Force to explore existing assessment frameworks and clinical and cost-effectiveness evidence. This knowledge was used to propose criteria with which HCPs could evaluate mHealth solutions spanning diagnostic support, therapeutics, remote follow-up and education, specifically for cardiac rhythm management, heart failure and preventive cardiology. While curated national libraries of health apps may be helpful, their requirements and rigour in initial and follow-up assessments may vary significantly. The recently developed CEN-ISO/TS 82304-2 health app quality assessment framework has the potential to address this issue and to become a widely used and efficient tool to help drive decision-making internationally. The Task Force would like to stress the importance of co-development of solutions with relevant stakeholders, and maintenance of health information in apps to ensure these remain evidence-based and consistent with best practice. Several general and domain-specific criteria are advised to assist HCPs in their assessment of clinical evidence to provide informed advice to patients about mHealth utilization.

Leadless Cardiac Pacing: New Horizons.

Since the introduction of transvenous cardiac pacing leads, pacemaker system design has remained similar for several decades. Progressive miniaturisation of electronic circuitry and batteries has enabled a smaller, single pacing unit comprising the intracardiac electrodes, generator and computer. This review explores the development of leadless pacing, the clinical trials comparing leadless to transvenous pacing in addition to the future developments of multi-chamber leadless pacing.

Antiplatelet and Anti-Coagulation Therapy for Left-Sided Catheter Ablations: What Is beyond Atrial Fibrillation?

Aim: International guidelines on the use of anti-thrombotic therapies in left-sided ablations other than atrial fibrillation (AF) are lacking. The data regarding antiplatelet or anticoagulation strategies after catheter ablation (CA) procedures mainly derive from AF, whereas for the other arrhythmic substrates, the anti-thrombotic approach remains unclear. This survey aims to explore the current practices regarding antithrombotic management before, during, and after left-sided endocardial ablation, not including atrial fibrillation (AF), in patients without other indications for anti-thrombotic therapy. Material and Methods: Electrophysiologists were asked to answer a questionnaire containing questions on antiplatelet (APT) and anticoagulation therapy for the following left-sided procedures: accessory pathway (AP), atrial (AT), and ventricular tachycardia (VT) with and without structural heart disease (SHD). Results: We obtained 41 answers from 41 centers in 15 countries. For AP, before ablation, only four respondents (9.7%) used antiplatelets and two (4.9%) used anticoagulants. At discharge, APT therapy was prescribed by 22 respondents (53.7%), and oral anticoagulant therapy (OAC) only by one (2.4%). In patients with atrial tachycardia (AT), before ablation, APT prophylaxis was prescribed by only four respondents (9.7%) and OAC by eleven (26.8%). At discharge, APT was recommended by 12 respondents (29.3%) and OAC by 24 (58.5%). For VT without SHD, before CA, only six respondents (14.6%) suggested APT and three (7.3%) suggested OAC prophylaxis. At discharge, APT was recommended by fifteen respondents (36.6%) and OAC by five (12.2%). Regarding VT in SHD, before the procedure, eight respondents (19.5%) prescribed APT and five (12.2%) prescribed OAC prophylaxis. At discharge, the administration of anti-thrombotic therapy depended on the LV ejection fraction for eleven respondents (26.8%), on the procedure time for ten (24.4%), and on the radiofrequency time for four (9.8%), with a cut-off value from 1 to 30 min. Conclusions: Our survey indicates that the management of anti-thrombotic therapy surrounding left-sided endocardial ablation of patients without other indications for anti-thrombotic therapy is highly variable. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the safest approach to these procedures.

Acute and Long-Term Scar Characterization of Venous Ethanol Ablation in the Left Ventricular Summit.

BACKGROUND: Venous ethanol ablation (VEA) can be effective for ventricular arrhythmias from the left ventricular summit (LVS); however, there are concerns about excessive ablation by VEA. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to delineate and quantify the location, extent, and evolution of ablated tissue after VEA as an intramural ablation technique in the LVS. METHODS: VEA was performed in 59 patients with LVS ventricular arrhythmias. Targeted intramural veins were selected by electrograms from a 2F octapolar catheter or by guide-wire unipolar signals. Median ethanol delivered was 4 mL (IQR: 4-7 mL). Ablated areas were estimated intraprocedurally as increased echogenicity on intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) and incorporated into 3-dimensional maps. In 44 patients, late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaged VEA scar and its evolution. RESULTS: ICE-demonstrated increased intramural echogenicity (median volume of 2 mL; IQR: 1.7-4.3) at the targeted region of the 3-dimensional maps. Post-ethanol CMR showed intramural scar of 2.5 mL (IQR: 2.1-3.5 mL). Early (within 48 hours after VEA) CMR showed microvascular obstruction (MVO) in 30 of 31 patients. Follow-up CMR after a median of 51 (IQR: 41-170) days showed evolution of MVO to scar. ICE echogenicity and CMR scar volumes correlated with each other and with ethanol volume. Ventricular function and interventricular septum remained intact. CONCLUSIONS: VEA leads to intramural ablation that can be tracked intraprocedurally by ICE and creates regions of MVO that are chronically replaced by myocardial scar. VEA scar volume does not compromise septal integrity or ventricular function.

Left Bundle Area Pacing for Tachycardia-Bradycardia Syndrome in a Patient With Dextrocardia.

We present the case of an 81-year-old woman with a background of situs inversus with dextrocardia who was successfully treated for tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome with left bundle area pacing. This report describes how this approach can circumvent the limitations of other pacing approaches to optimize patient outcomes. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).

Beyond pulmonary vein isolation for persistent atrial fibrillation: sequential high-resolution mapping to guide ablation.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate whether outcomes with ablation in persistent (PsAF) and long-standing persistent (LsPsAF) AF can be improved beyond what can be achieved with pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) alone, using individualized mapping to guide ablation. METHODS: We studied 20 pts (15 M, 68 ± 11y) with PsAF (14) or LsPsAF (6) referred for first-time AF ablation. Following antral PVI, individualized mapping (IM) was performed using a high-density mapping catheter stably and fully deployed for 30 s at each of 23 ± 9 sites per patient. Activation data were reviewed, and an ablation strategy designed to intersect areas of focal and rotational activity. Mean follow-up was 429 ± 131 days. The study population was compared to a matched contemporary control cohort (CC) of 20 consecutive patients undergoing conventional ablation. RESULTS: Despite the IM group having a higher median comorbidities score, 3.5 vs. 2.5 in the CC group, indicating potentially more complex patients and more advanced substrate, cumulative freedom from AF after a single procedure was achieved in 94% of patients in the IM group vs. 75% in the CC group at 1 year and remained the same in both groups at the conclusion of the study (p = 0.02). There was a similar trend in atrial arrhythmia-free survival between both groups (84% vs. 67% at 1 year) that did not reach statistical significance. The procedure duration was longer in the IM group by a median of 31.5 min (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Individualized mapping to guide AF ablation appears to achieve significantly greater AF-free survival compared to conventional PVI when applied as a primary ablation treatment. The results of this pilot study need to be confirmed in a larger, randomized trial.

The Polish adaptation of the CAMbridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review (CAMPHOR).

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) results in severely impaired quality of life (QoL) in people with this condition. The CAMbridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review (CAMPHOR) is the only questionnaire providing a disease-specific measurement of symptoms, functioning and QoL in PH patients. It has already been adapted for use in several countries. The aim of this study was to adapt and validate CAMPHOR for the Polish-speaking population. METHODS: Two panels (bilingual and lay) were conducted to translate CAMPHOR into Polish. This new version was then tested by cognitive debriefing interviews with 15 patients. Finally, a postal validation survey was conducted with 56 patients on two occasions 2 weeks apart to assess its psychometric properties. RESULTS: No problems were experienced in producing a Polish translation of CAMPHOR. Interviewees responded well to the Polish CAMPHOR, finding it relevant, comprehensible and easy to complete. For all three CAMPHOR scales (Symptoms, Activity, QoL), The Cronbach alpha coefficients were above 0.8 at both time points, indicating high internal consistency. Test-retest reliability for the three scales achieved a value above 0.80. Predicted correlations with the Nottingham Health Profile provided evidence of the construct validity of CAMPHOR scales. The Polish CAMPHOR could distinguish between patients who differed according to their perceived general health and perceived disease severity. No significant differences in scores were found between participants grouped by gender or age. CONCLUSIONS: The Polish version of CAMPHOR demonstrated good psychometric properties and is recommended for use in clinical practice.