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INTRODUCTION: Data regarding the efficacy of catheter ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and patients' previous history of pulmonary lobectomy/pneumonectomy are scanty. We sought to evaluate the efficacy and long-term follow-up of catheter ablation in this highly selected group of patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty consecutive patients (8 females, 40%; median age 65.2 years old) with a history of pneumonectomy/lobectomy and paroxysmal or persistent AF, treated by means of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) at ten participating centers were included. Procedural success, intra-procedural complications, and AF recurrences were considered. RESULTS: Fifteen patients had a previous lobectomy and five patients had a complete pneumonectomy. A large proportion (65%) of PV stumps were electrically active and represented a source of firing in 20% of cases. PVI was performed by radiofrequency ablation in 13 patients (65%) and by cryoablation in the remaining 7 cases. Over a median follow up of 29.7 months, a total of 7 (33%) AF recurrences were recorded with neither a difference between patients treated with cryoablation or radiofrequency ablation or between the two genders. CONCLUSIONS: Catheter ablation by radiofrequency ablation or cryoablation in patients with pulmonary stumps is feasible and safe. Long-term outcomes are favorable, and a similar efficacy of catheter ablation has been noticed in both males and females.
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BACKGROUND: Smoking induces an impairment of endothelium-dependent vasodilatation. In this study we assessed whether smoking also causes an impairment of endothelium-independent vasodilatation. METHODS: We studied 2 groups of young healthy subjects: 1) 12 medical students (24.5 ± 0.9 years; 6 male) without cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs), except smoking (≥10 cigarettes/day); 2) 12 matched controls (24.5 ± 1.1 years; 6 male) without any CVRF. Nitrate-mediated dilatation (NMD) of the brachial artery was assessed in response to the random administration of 4 different doses (10, 20, 30 and 40 µg) of sublingual nitroglycerin (NTG). Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) was also assessed. RESULTS: The increasing doses of NTG determined a progressive increase of NMD in both groups, but the dose-response curve was significantly lower in smokers compared to controls (p < 0.001). FMD was also lower in smokers, compared to controls (6.12 + 0.6 vs. 8.06 + 0.9%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that smoking induces an early impairment of endothelium-independent arterial dilatation.