2024 European Heart Rhythm Association/Heart Rhythm Society/Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society/Latin American Heart Rhythm Society expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation.

In the last three decades, ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) has become an evidence-based safe and efficacious treatment for managing the most common cardiac arrhythmia. In 2007, the first joint expert consensus document was issued, guiding healthcare professionals involved in catheter or surgical AF ablation. Mounting research evidence and technological advances have resulted in a rapidly changing landscape in the field of catheter and surgical AF ablation, thus stressing the need for regularly updated versions of this partnership which were issued in 2012 and 2017. Seven years after the last consensus, an updated document was considered necessary to define a contemporary framework for selection and management of patients considered for or undergoing catheter or surgical AF ablation. This consensus is a joint effort from collaborating cardiac electrophysiology societies, namely the European Heart Rhythm Association, the Heart Rhythm Society, the Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society, and the Latin American Heart Rhythm Society .

[Endoscopic Ultrasound Drainage of the Gallbladder in Acute Cholecystitis in Patients at High Surgical Risk]. / Endosonografische Drainage der Gallenblase wegen akuter Cholezystitis bei Patienten mit hohem Operationsrisiko.

BACKGROUND: The standard treatment for acute cholecystitis is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Alternative procedures are used for patients at high surgical risk. Percutaneous drainage is widely available. The alternative of transpapillary drainage of the gallbladder via the ductus cysticus has only limited prospects of success. With the widespread use of interventional endoscopic ultrasound and the development of new stent systems, endoscopic ultrasound gallbladder drainage has proven to be a safe and reliable procedure. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrospectively report on our experiences in 11 consecutive patients with endoscopic ultrasound gallbladder drainage in acute cholecystitis between December 2018 and January 2021. RESULTS: 11 patients with acute cholecystitis with a mean age of 84.5 years (70-95 years) are reported. All patients had severe general comorbidities or advanced abdominal tumours or a combination of these conditions. After interdisciplinary debate, the indication for interventional therapy was made. This was carried out in 9 cases by means of endosonographic drainage alone and in 2 cases by means of percutaneous and two-stage endosonographic drainage. Technical success was achieved in 10 cases (91%), clinical success in 9 cases (82%). In 2 cases there were procedural complications that led to the operation. CONCLUSION: In the case of high surgical risks, endosonographic drainage of the gall bladder is a safe and definitive therapy. This can be performed alone or in combination with percutaneous drainage. Endoscopic ultrasound drainage is superior to percutaneous drainage alone, due to its lower complication rates and lower rates of necessary follow-up interventions. Therefore, in cases of relatively high surgical risk, endoscopic ultrasound drainage of the gall bladder should be preferred to percutaneous drainage, especially when definitive therapy is required.

[Prevention of sudden cardiac death]. / Prävention des plötzlichen Herztods.

Sudden cardiac death is a major as yet unsolved public health problem. Prevention of sudden cardiac death is subdivided into two main categories, on the one hand primary prevention (prevention of a first event of sudden cardiac death) and on the other hand secondary prevention (prevention of reoccurring events in survivors of cardiac arrest). This review article summarizes the current state of knowledge on primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death in various clinical settings.

Use of the Apple Watch iECG in adult congenital heart disease patients.

INTRODUCTION: This study evaluates the accuracy of iECGs in comparison to the gold standard ECG in adult patients with congenital heart disease and recommends the appropriate iECG derivation based on the patient's characteristics. METHODS: In 106 adults (51 female, 55 male) with congenital heart disease, a gold standard 12-lead ECG was recorded, followed by three iECGs with the Apple Watch series 4, which correspond to Einthoven leads I, II, and III. Two experienced and independent cardiologists analyzed the time intervals, amplitudes, and polarities of the ECG parameters as well as the rhythm type and correlated the patient characteristics with the iECG parameters. RESULTS: The iECG parameters of all three iECG leads correlate strongly with those of the gold standard ECG, with exception of the P and T wave durations. We demonstrated that the informative value of the individual iECGs was independent of the patient's characteristics, in particular the heart axis, anatomy, and situs, even if the quality of the Einthoven III-like derivation was partially inadequate. The automatic rhythm analysis of the Apple Watch and the heart rhythm classification of a standard ECG analyzed manually by a cardiologist corresponded in 77%. CONCLUSION: iECG recordings of adults with congenital heart disease provide comparable results with Einthoven recordings I, II, and III of the 12-lead ECG and current data encourage the use of the Apple Watch not only in patients with structurally normal hearts but also in patients with congenital heart disease.

Feasibility and Reliability of Smartwatch to Obtain Precordial Lead Electrocardiogram Recordings.

The Apple Watch is capable of recording single-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs). To incorporate such devices in routine medical care, the reliability of such devices to obtain precordial leads needs to be validated. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and reliability of a smartwatch (SW) to obtain precordial leads compared to standard ECGs. We included 100 participants (62 male, aged 62.8 ± 13.1 years) with sinus rhythm and recorded a standard 12-lead ECG and the precordial leads with the Apple Watch. The ECGs were quantitively compared. A total of 98 patients were able to record precordial leads without assistance. A strong correlation was observed between the amplitude of the standard and SW-ECGs' waves, in terms of P waves, QRS-complexes, and T waves (all p-values < 0.01). A significant correlation was observed between the two methods regarding the duration of the ECG waves (all p-values < 0.01). Assessment of polarity showed a significant and a strong concordance between the ECGs' waves in all six leads (91-100%, all p-values < 0.001). In conclusion, 98% of patients were able to record precordial leads using a SW without assistance. The SW is feasible and reliable for obtaining valid precordial-lead ECG recordings as a validated alternative to a standard ECG.

[Current applications of hypnosis in the field of cardiac electrophysiology]. / Aktuelle Anwendungen der Hypnose auf dem Gebiet der kardialen Elektrophysiologie.

With a growing acceptance of clinical hypnosis in medicine, new fields of application are being explored. Data from recent studies support the use of hypnosis for pain management during procedures, such as ablation of arrhythmias and implantation of subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillators, management of preoperative anxiety and reduction of postoperative atrial fibrillation. The aim of this review article is to summarize the findings of investigations showing the application of hypnosis in the field of cardiac electrophysiology, to review the rationale for the efficacy of hypnosis in management of cardiac arrhythmias and to highlight possible future directions in clinical applications and scientific perspectives.

Atrial fibrillation: is there a role for cardiac troponin?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia, and its prevalence rate is expected to be doubled over the next decades. Despite the wide use of biomarkers in the management of different cardiac diseases such as myocardial infarction and heart failure, utilization of biomarkers in AF management is not routinely recommended by current guidelines. There is also growing evidence that higher levels of cardiac-specific troponin, as an intracellular protein involved in cardiomyocyte contraction, may be associated with the risk of incident and recurrent AF and its complications. In the present paper, we review the association between troponin and AF and propose clinical suggestions for use of troponin in the management of AF patients.

Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak on Acute Admissions at the Emergency and Cardiology Departments Across Europe.

PURPOSE: We evaluated whether the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) pandemic was associated with changes in the pattern of acute cardiovascular admissions across European centers. METHODS: We set-up a multicenter, multinational, pan-European observational registry in 15 centers from 12 countries. All consecutive acute admissions to emergency departments and cardiology departments throughout a 1-month period during the COVID-19 outbreak were compared with an equivalent 1-month period in 2019. The acute admissions to cardiology departments were classified into 5 major categories: acute coronary syndrome, acute heart failure, arrhythmia, pulmonary embolism, and other. RESULTS: Data from 54,331 patients were collected and analyzed. Nine centers provided data on acute admissions to emergency departments comprising 50,384 patients: 20,226 in 2020 compared with 30,158 in 2019 (incidence rate ratio [IRR] with 95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 0.66 [0.58-0.76]). The risk of death at the emergency departments was higher in 2020 compared to 2019 (odds ratio [OR] with 95% CI: 4.1 [3.0-5.8], P < 0.0001). All 15 centers provided data on acute cardiology departments admissions: 3007 patients in 2020 and 4452 in 2019; IRR (95% CI): 0.68 (0.64-0.71). In 2020, there were fewer admissions with IRR (95% CI): acute coronary syndrome: 0.68 (0.63-0.73); acute heart failure: 0.65 (0.58-0.74); arrhythmia: 0.66 (0.60-0.72); and other: 0.68(0.62-0.76). We found a relatively higher percentage of pulmonary embolism admissions in 2020: odds ratio (95% CI): 1.5 (1.1-2.1), P = 0.02. Among patients with acute coronary syndrome, there were fewer admissions with unstable angina: 0.79 (0.66-0.94); non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction: 0.56 (0.50-0.64); and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: 0.78 (0.68-0.89). CONCLUSION: In the European centers during the COVID-19 outbreak, there were fewer acute cardiovascular admissions. Also, fewer patients were admitted to the emergency departments with 4 times higher death risk at the emergency departments.

[2020 ESC guidelines on atrial fibrillation : Summary of the most relevant recommendations and innovations]. / ESC-Leitlinien 2020 zum Vorhofflimmern : Zusammenfassung der wichtigsten Empfehlungen und Neuerungen.

The new guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation (AF) were published by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) in collaboration with the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) in August 2020. The 2020 guidelines of the ESC on AF summarize the current developments in this field and provide general recommendations for the management of patients with AF based on the principles of evidence-based medicine. Beside the general statements on definition, epidemiology and clinical features of AF, interesting new aspects in screening and diagnosis of AF are also presented. The main novelties of the 2020 guidelines are the proposal of the 4S-AF scheme for a structured characterization of AF that takes the stroke risk, severity of symptoms, severity of AF burden and substrate severity into account. Also new is the ABC approach for improvement of the structured management and treatment results. A further innovation is the introduction of the concept of major risk factors for recurrences in the decision for catheter ablation. This review focuses on the newest and most important recommendations taken from the 2020 ESC guidelines for the diagnosis and management of AF.

Feasibility and Reliability of SmartWatch to Obtain 3-Lead Electrocardiogram Recordings.

Some of the recently released smartwatch products feature a single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) recording capability. The reliability of obtaining 3-lead ECG with smartwatches is yet to be confirmed in a large study. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and reliability of smartwatch to obtain 3-lead ECG recordings, the classical Einthoven ECG leads I-III compared to standard ECG. To record lead I, the watch was worn on the left wrist and the right index finger was placed on the digital crown for 30 s. For lead II, the watch was placed on the lower abdomen and the right index finger was placed on the digital crown for 30 s. For lead III, the same process was repeated with the left index finger. Spearman correlation and Bland-Altman tests were used for data analysis. A total of 300 smartwatch ECG tracings were successfully obtained. ECG waves' characteristics of all three leads obtained from the smartwatch had a similar duration, amplitude, and polarity compared to standard ECG. The results of this study suggested that the examined smartwatch (Apple Watch Series 4) could obtain 3-lead ECG tracings, including Einthoven leads I, II, and III by placing the smartwatch on the described positions.

Natriuretic peptides: biomarkers for atrial fibrillation management.

In clinical practice, atrial fibrillation (AF) is known as the most common sustained arrhythmia. Therefore, identification of individuals at risk of AF development/recurrence or its associated complications has emerged as a hot topic in the field of cardiology. Recently, several biomarkers have been introduced to predict AF and its consequences; however, use of biomarkers in AF management has not been highly recommended by guidelines yet. While utilization of natriuretic peptides (NPs) including brain (B-type) NPs (BNPs) in heart failure management has been well established, their use in relation to AF has not been fully understood. Accordingly, this review article aimed at presenting an overview of the role of NPs in predicting AF development/recurrence as well as its complications and making suggestions for their use in management of patients with AF in clinical settings.

Atrial Fibrillation and Cognitive Impairment: New Insights and Future Directions.

INTRODUCTION: Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been recognised as the most prevalent sustained arrhythmia. Recently, a growing body of evidence has suggested that AF might be involved in the progression of cognitive impairment (CIM), potentially extending into types of dementia. Accordingly, the purpose of the present study was to summarise the findings of investigations examining association between AF and cognitive function as well as highlighting the possible causes of discrepancy between the findings and reviewing the probable mechanisms of CIM in patients affected with AF. METHODS: A systematic search in the literature was conducted in the databases of PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar with no language restrictions, using specified search terms to identify studies published between 1 January 1990 and 1 April 2018. Then, study designs, participant information, diagnostic approaches used for cognitive assessments, and incidence/prevalence rates of CIM and/or dementia were assessed. RESULTS: Out of the initial 2,364 articles retrieved, a total number of 40 studies were selected for data collection. Most studies had suggested a significant relationship between AF and CIM. In this regard, cerebral hypo-perfusion, altered cerebral blood flow, cerebral micro-bleeds, micro-emboli, vascular inflammation, cerebral small vessel diseases, vascular inflammation, and genetic factors were considered as the possible mechanisms of CIM in patients suffering from AF. It seemed that differences in study settings and designs, variations of diagnostic tools for CIM and AF, as well as underlying conditions such as age groups, concurrent chronic diseases, and therapeutic interventions for AF might be amongst probable factors justifying the diversity of findings across the selected articles. CONCLUSION: Although evidence is much more directed towards an association between AF and CIM, the role of AF in CIM needs to be confirmed in-depth via longer prospective and cohort studies at larger scales using accurate neuropsychological and cognitive function assessments. Moreover, the mechanisms involved in the relationship between AF and Alzheimer's disease (AD) require further studies. To conclude, the effect of different therapeutic strategies of AF on CIM should be investigated in more clinical trials.