[Tachycardiomyopathy as a reversible cause of heart failure: report of one case]. / Taquicardiomiopatía, causa reversible de insuficiencia cardiaca: caso clínico.

Tachycardiomyopathy is a potentially reversible cause of heart failure. It can be induced by supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias. When these are treated, systolic function improves or normalizes. We report a 20 year-old male with deterioration of left ventricular function and dilated cardiomyopathy secondary to an incessant atrial tachycardia that was treated with radiofrequency catheter ablation. After the procedure, the patient experienced a significant improvement of his ventricular function.

Taquicardiomiopatía, causa reversible de insuficiencia cardiaca: caso clínico / Tachycardiomyopathy as a reversible cause of heart failure: Report of one case

Tachycardiomyopathy is a potentially reversible cause of heart failure. It can be induced by supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias. When these are treated, systolic function improves or normalizes. We report a 20year-old male with deterioration of left ventricular function and dilated cardiomyopathy secondary to an incessant atrial tachycardia that was treated with radiofrequency catheter ablation. After the procedure, the patient experienced a significant improvement of his ventricular function.

Left ventricular systolic dysfunction by itself does not influence outcome of atrial fibrillation ablation.

AIMS: The objective of the study was to analyse the influence of left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) on the outcomes of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation after a first procedure. Pre-procedural predictors of recurrences after AF ablation can be useful for patient information and selection of candidates. The independent influence of LV systolic dysfunction on recurrence rate has not been studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: A case-control study (1:1) was conducted with a total of 72 patients: 36 cases (depressed LVEF) and 36 controls (normal LVEF). Patients were matched by left atrial diameter (LAD), the presence of arterial hypertension, and other variables that might influence the results (age, gender and paroxysmal vs. persistent AF). There were no statistical differences in the variables used to perform the matching. Patients with depressed LVEF had higher LV end diastolic diameter (55.6 +/- 6.2 vs. 52.4 +/- 5.5, P = 0.03), higher LV end systolic diameter (40.3 +/- 6.9 vs. 32.6 +/- 4.3, P < 0.001), lower LVEF (41.4 +/- 8.0 vs. 63.1 +/- 5.5, P < 0.001) and were more likely to have structural heart disease. After a mean follow-up of 16 +/- 13 months, survival analysis for AF recurrences showed no differences between patients with depressed vs. normal LVEF (50.0 vs. 55.6%, log rank = 0.82). Cox regression analysis revealed LAD to be the only variable correlated to recurrence [OR 1.11 (1.01-1.22), P = 0.03]. Analysis at 6 months showed a significant increase in LVEF (43.23 +/- 7.61 to 51.12 +/- 13.53%, P = 0.01) for the case group. CONCLUSION: LV systolic dysfunction by itself is not a predictor of outcome after AF ablation. LAD independently correlates with outcome in patients with low or normal LVEF.

Selective segmental ostial ablation and circumferential pulmonary veins ablation. Results of an individualized strategy to cure refractory atrial fibrillation.

AIMS: Previous studies have analyzed the efficacy of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation in series of consecutive patients or comparing methods in a randomized way, without taking account individual patient characteristics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of a strategy based on selecting the ablation method according to patient clinical features in drug-refractory paroxysmal or persistent AF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with left atrial diameter < or =40 mm and runs of atrial tachycardia of more than ten beats during Holter recording were selected for selective segmental ostial ablation (SSOA) in order to disconnect only those pulmonary veins with electrical potentials. The remaining patients underwent circumferential pulmonary veins ablation (CPVA) to modify left atrial substrate by extensive linear lesions. A group of 131 consecutive patients were included. Mean follow-up was 21.5 +/- 15.2 months. In paroxysmal AF, 44 and 55 patients were selected for SSOA and CPVA, respectively, and the efficacy of the procedure was similar in the two groups (77 vs 74%; log-rank test p = NS). In persistent AF, 6 and 26 patients underwent SSOA and CPVA, respectively, and greater efficacy was observed in the second group (17 vs 65%; log-rank test p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Selecting the ablation method according to patient characteristics achieved good results and reduced the overall amount of ablated atrial tissue in patients with paroxysmal AF. However, in persistent AF the SSOA technique showed very limited efficacy despite the previous patient selection and a CPVA-like procedure may be the appropriate choice in all cases.

Ablación lineal con radiofrecuencia de aurícula derecha para el control de fibrilación auricular paroxística refractaria / Radiofrequency lineal ablation of the right atrium in patients with refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Distintas formas de terapia están en estudio para pacientes (pts) con fibrilación auricular paroxística (FAP) refractaria. Datos iniciales muestran que lesiones lineales con radiofrecuencia (RF) en aurícula derecha (AD) y aurícula izquierda (AI) puede ser efectiva en controlar la FAP, no obstante la complejidad y riesgos del procedimiento han hecho que algunos autores limiten la RF sólo a AD. En el presente trabajo comunicamos nuestra experiencia en un grupo de 6 pts tratados con RF en AD por FAP recurrente. Material y método: Seis pts (5 hombres, edad x 54 años), 4 de ellos con FAP idiopática y 2 cardiopatía hipertensiva se incluyen en esta experiencia. Cuatro eran pts muy sintomáticos con crisis de FAP 2 a 3 veces por semana, de 1 a 3 días, y refractarios a múltiples drogas. Otros 2 eran sintomáticos por palpitaciones, y se documentó flutter sostenido, y en Holter tenían crisis frecuentes de FAP. En 5 pts en el estudio se indujo muy fácilmente FAP y en otro, eléctricamente muy inestable, no se intentó inducir arritmias. La RF se hizo con un catéter Medtronic, a 70º, con aplicaciones de 20 a 30 seg en el septum interauricular, desde la vena cava superior, pasando por foramen oval, luego ostium de seno coronario y desde allí a la llegada de cava inferior. Además se hizo RF en el istmo cavotricuspideo. Todos recibieron heparina IV durante el procedimiento. Resultado: en 2 pts ablacionados en FAP esta arritmia se convirtió durante la RF. Otros 2 pts requirieron cardioversión y otros 2 se ablacionaron en ritmo sinusal. El n de aplicaciones de RF fue x 24 y el tiempo de Rx x 64,7 min. No hubo complicaciones. En un seguimiento de 4 a 15 m (x 9,5) 2 han tenido una notable mejoría, con crisis cortas, cada 30-90 días, manteniendo la misma terapia que previo a la RF. Los 2 pts que además tenían flutter están asintomáticos y en Holter no tienen arritmias; uno de ellos requirió MP por disfunción sinusal. Los 2 pts restantes no mejoraron post RF. Uno de ellos requirió implante de MP DDD por evolucionar con disfunción sinusal. Conclusión: las lesiones lineales con RF en AD pueden mejorar la evolución de pts con FAP altamente sintomáticos y refractarios a terapia médica