Microvolt T-wave alternans in early repolarization syndrome associated with ventricular arrhythmias: A case report.

Despite early repolarization (ER) syndrome being usually considered benign, its association with severe/malignant ventricular arrhythmias (VA) was also reported. Microvolt T-wave alternans (MTWA) is an electrocardiographic marker for the development of VA, but its role in ER syndrome remains unknown. A 90-second 6-lead electrocardiogram from an ER syndrome patient, acquired with the Kardia recorder, was analyzed by the enhanced adaptive matched filter for MTWA quantification. On average, MTWA was 50 µV, higher than what was previously observed on healthy subjects using the same method. In our ER syndrome patient, MTWA plays a potential role in VA development in ER syndrome.

Ischemic Complications Following Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair with and Without Revascularization of Left Subclavian Artery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair has been widely performed to treat various thoracic aortic pathologies. However, stent-graft placement in the thoracic aorta may result in left subclavian artery coverage, potentially leading to ischemic complications. The role of the left subclavian artery revascularization procedure to prevent ischemic complications remains controversial. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify ischemic outcomes in patients who underwent thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair with or without left subclavian artery revascularization. METHODS: A systematic search through electronic databases, including PubMed, Ovid Medline, and Cochrane, was conducted to identify relevant studies. The outcome parameters were left arm ischemia, stroke, and spinal cord ischemia. Risk ratio (RR) and Confidence Interval (CI) of 95% were measured and reported. RESULTS: A total of 11,386 patients were identified from 22 studies. Patients who underwent left subclavian artery revascularization had lower risk of left arm ischemia (RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.09-0.68; P = 0.0006; I2 = 71%), lower risk of stroke (RR 0.52, 95% CI 0.30-0.88; P = 0.02; I2 = 70%), and lower risk of spinal cord ischemia (odds ratio OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.55-0.95; P = 0.02; I2 = 0%) between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Revascularization procedure in patients with left subclavian artery coverage during thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair is associated with a lower risk of left arm ischemia, stroke, and spinal cord ischemia. Left subclavian artery revascularization should be performed in anatomically high-risk patients. High-quality studies are needed to validate the outcomes.

Cyanoacrylate Embolization versus Endovenous Laser Ablation in Treating Saphenous Vein Insufficiency: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Cyanoacrylate embolization (CAE) is a novel non-thermal non-tumescent venous ablation technique that has shown promising results in treating saphenous vein insufficiency. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety profile of CAE in comparison to endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) in treating saphenous vein insufficiency. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis in accordance with the PRISMA Statement. A systematic search was performed through online databases including PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane to find relevant studies. Manual searching was also performed from the references of the selected studies. Specific keywords that we used were "(cyanoacrylate) AND (laser OR laser ablation OR laser therapy) AND (vein OR venous OR saphenous vein OR venous insufficiency OR varicose vein)". Outcomes of interest were efficacy, safety, and intervention time. Efficacy was determined by venous closure rate 1 year post-intervention and Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) 1 year post-intervention. Safety was determined by rates of periprocedural pain, skin pigmentation, nerve damage, phlebitis, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and ecchymosis. Data extraction and quality assessment of included studies were performed by 2 reviewers, and statistical analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4.0 software. RESULTS: Five relevant articles (2 randomized-controlled trials and 3 cohort studies) were selected for this study, consisting a total of 1432 venous ablation procedures (710 CAE and 722 EVLA). From the efficacy point of view, venous closure rates and VCSS did not differ significantly between CAE group and EVLA group. From the safety point of view, pooled data showed that CAE group was associated with less periprocedural pain score (P < 0.001), lower skin pigmentation rates (0.60% vs. 4.46%; P = 0.008), and lower nerve damage rates (0% vs. 3.94%; P = 0.007). Rates of phlebitis, deep vein thrombosis, and ecchymosis did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. In addition, intervention time was significantly faster in CAE group compared to EVLA group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Cyanoacrylate embolization yields similar efficacy compared to EVLA. However, CAE is associated with less periprocedural pain, lower occurrence rates of skin pigmentation and nerve damage, and faster intervention time.

Descending Aorta Diameters as Predictor of Late Adverse Outcomes in Patients with Uncomplicated Type B Aortic Dissection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: A subset of patients with uncomplicated type B aortic dissection (uTBAD) has been shown to possess higher risk of experiencing late adverse outcomes. Therefore, we conducted an analysis to investigate the role of descending aorta diameters, including total descending aorta diameter and false lumen diameter, as predictor of late adverse outcomes in patients with uTBAD. METHODS: A systematic search was performed through Pubmed, ClinicalKey, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library to identify relevant studies. Our primary outcome was the composite late adverse events following their first episode of hospitalization. All meta-analyses were performed using Review Manager version 5.4. RESULTS: A total of 2,339 (male 68.8%) patients from a total of 15 cohorts were included in our analysis. During follow-up period, there were 655 (27.3%) and 149 (6.3%) cases of late adverse events and mortality, respectively. Patients with higher initial descending aorta diameter were at higher risk of developing late adverse events (RR 2.99 [2.60, 3.44]; P < 0.001) and mortality (RR 3.15 [2.34, 4.25]; P <0.001) throughout follow-up period. Maximum false lumen diameter at the initial presentation seemed to significantly be associated with late adverse events (RR 1.87 [1.46, 2.39]; P <0.001) but not with mortality (RR 2.55 [0.81-8.00; P = 0.11). CONCLUSION: Descending aorta diameters, particularly maximum initial descending aorta diameter, is a good and helpful predictor of late adverse outcomes in patients with uTBAD.