[Vitamin C+sodium bicarbonate versus sodium bicarbonate alone in preventing contrast-induced nephropathy]. / Vitamine C+sérum bicarbonaté versus sérum bicarbonaté seul dans la prévention de la néphropathie induite par les produits de contraste.

INTRODUCTION: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a common and severe complication in interventional cardiology. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to compare the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy in two accelerated hydration protocols: the first one by the serum bicarbonate and the second combining the serum bicarbonate and oral vitamin C. METHODS: This is a multicenter prospective, randomized study conducted between October 2012 and May 2013, including 160 patients. RESULTS: The mean age of our study population was 60.8±9.3 years (36-83 years). The two study groups were comparable in terms of cardiovascular risk factors, concomitant medication, and baseline serum creatinine. The CIN incidence was 6.3% in the vitamin C group and 10% in the control group (P=0.38). No significant difference was observed in terms of CIN incidence between the different subgroups analyzed. CONCLUSION: According to our study, ascorbic acid administered orally as part of an accelerated hydration protocol does not reduce the incidence of CIN.

Safety of device implantation under antipatelet therapy with ticagrelor: About 20 cases.

INTRODUCTION: Management of antiplatelet therapy at the time of device implantation remains controversial. This study aimed to assess the risk of bleeding complications in patients receiving ticagrelor at the time of cardiac device surgery. METHODS: We performed a multicentre (N=4), retrospective study from January 2015 to January 2016. The survey included all patients (pts) treated with ticagrelor before undergoing pacemaker, implantable-cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation or generator replacement. We report haemorrhagic post-procedural complications at 1 month. A significant bleeding complication was defined as pocket hematoma requiring a surgical evacuation or prolonged hospitalization, hemothorax, pericardial effusion or tamponade. RESULTS: A total of 20 patients underwent a permanent pacemaker or ICD implantation while taking a combination of antipatelet therapy with ticagrelor and aspirin. The mean age of the patients was 65±9 years, 95% were male, 25% of patients were diabetics, 55% had hypertension and 50% presented a history of heart failure. All the patients had a history of acute coronary syndrome (6 [4-26] months before the procedure). The majority of implanted devices were ICDs (17, 85%) with 5 single chamber, 4 dual chambers and 9 triple chambers ICDs. Subclavian venous approach was utilized in 9 patients. The mean duration of procedure was 60minutes. One per-procedure bleeding was described due to high venous pressure, without post-procedure hematoma. A post-procedure pocket hematoma has been experienced by one patient. The subclavian approach was used for the 2 patients. No blood transfusion was needed for these 2 cases. CONCLUSION: Ticagrelor treatment at the time of heart rhythm device procedures does not seem to be associated with an increased risk of significant bleeding complications. In our study, 2 patients experienced non significant bleeding complications.

[Safety of device implantation under antipatelet therapy with ticagrelor: About 20 cases]. / Implantation de pacemaker et de défibrillateurs cardiaques sous ticagrelor : à propos de 20 patients.

INTRODUCTION: Management of antiplatelet therapy at the time of device implantation remains controversial. This study aimed to assess the risk of bleeding complications in patients receiving ticagrelor at the time of cardiac device surgery. METHODS: We performed a multicentre (n=4), retrospective study from January 2015 to January 2016. The survey included all patients (pts) treated with ticagrelor before undergoing pacemaker, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation or generator replacement. We report hemorrhagic post-procedural complications at 1 month. A significant bleeding complication was defined as pocket hematoma requiring a surgical evacuation or prolonged hospitalization, hemothorax, pericardial effusion, or tamponade. RESULTS: A total of 20 patients underwent a permanent pacemaker or ICD implantation while taking a combination of antipatelet therapy with ticagrelor and aspirin. The mean age of the patients was 65±9 years, 95% were male, 25% of patients were diabetics, 55% had hypertension and 50% presented a history of heart failure. All the patients had a history of acute coronary syndrome [6 (4-26) months before the procedure]. The majority of implanted devices were ICDs (17, 85%) with 5 single chamber, 4 dual chambers and 9 triple chambers ICDs. Subclavian venous approach was utilized in 9 patients. The mean duration of procedure was 60minutes. One per-procedure bleeding was described due to high venous pressure, without post-procedure hematoma. A post-procedure pocket hematoma has been experienced by one patient. The subclavian approach was used for the 2 patients. No blood transfusion was needed for these 2 cases. CONCLUSION: Ticagrelor treatment at the time of heart rhythm device procedures does not seem to be associated with an increased risk of significant bleeding complications. In our study, 2 patients experienced nonsignificant bleeding complications.

[Cardiac permanent pacemaker after transcatheter aortic valve implantation: A predictive and scientific review]. / Quand implanter un stimulateur cardiaque après remplacement valvulaire aortique percutané ? Revue de littérature.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is nowadays a worldwide technique in the field of treating aortic stenosis. One of the main side effects linked to the technique are mostly attached to rhythm disturbances, such as atrioventricular (AV) and intraventricular blocks. Consequently, a pacemaker implantation is often required. That implantation rate is estimated between 8 and 30%, depending on the valve chosen. Thanks to main meta analysis on the subject, it has been managed to isolate the following risks factors for AV block development: preoperative right bundle branch block (RBBB: the most powerful element), complete AV block during the procedure, male gender, a so-called porcelain aorta, the absence of previous valvular surgery, the aortic annulus size (i.e when that size is inferior to the valve's one) and the QRS duration after the procedure (the superior threshold has been set at 128ms for the Corevalve). The currently recommendations advice to implant a pacemaker are as followed: high grade AV block (in the main studies, the implantation occurs within the 5 days after the TAVI), complete and transient AV block during the TAVI, second degree AV block and RBBB associated with first degree AV block. Our article aims to review the arrhythmic issues of TAVI.

[Diagnostic and prognostic value of the head-up tilt test for patients with unexplained syncope: results of a French survey]. / Résultats diagnostiques à court terme et pronostiques à long terme chez des patients avec syncopes inexpliquées : résultats d'un série menée en centre hospitalier.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic input of head-up tilt test in the exploration of unexplained syncope. METHOD: Between January 2009 and December 2012, all patients undergoing a head-up tilt test for recurrent syncope were studied. Follow-up data were obtained using telephone interviews and medical record reviews. RESULTS: A head-up tilt test was realized in 77 patients (47.8±20years, 53% female) for an exploration of syncope. The tilt test elicited syncope or pre-syncope in 57 patients (74%). The positive response included vaso-vagal syncope in 53 patients and psychogenic syncope in 4 patients. After a mean follow-up of 32±11months (range 6-54months), 90% of patients had not a recurrence of syncope. Of note, the incidence of recurrence was the same regardless of whether the patients had a positive (n=5/48; 10%) or a negative head-up tilt test response (n=2/19; 10%). CONCLUSION: The tilt test has a certain diagnostic value in the exploration of unexplained syncope. Recurrence rate of syncope after a tilt test is low. However, our study suggests no correlation between head-up tilt test results and the likelihood of recurring syncope.

[Long-term follow-up after implantable loop recorder in patients with syncope: results of a French general hospital survey]. / Suivi à long terme après pose de holter implantable pour syncope: résultats d'un registre mené dans un centre hospitalier.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Despite recent advances in diagnostic procedures, syncope remains unexplained in 15 to 35% of patients. If implantable loop recorder is a validated diagnostic tool for unexplained syncope, results of this strategy are largely issued from randomized studies. We lack the results of surveys. The aim of this study was to report a single center experience with implantable loop recorders, in patients with unexplained syncope. METHODS AND RESULTS: A device (Medtronic Reveal DX or XT) was implanted in 31 patients between January 2009 and January 2012. During a mean follow-up of 10.5±8.5 months, loop recording definitively determined that an arrhythmia was the cause of symptoms in 10 patients (32%). Fourteen patients (45%) experienced syncope or pre-syncope. In eight of the 14 patients with syncope, during follow-up, no arrhythmic diagnosis could be made (one patient has been diagnosed as presenting epilepsy and seven as having hypotensive vasovagal syncope). In six patients, the ILR showed an arrhythmic aetiology. Four other patients presented an abnormal ILR result without symptoms. Diagnosis included sinusal arrest in four patients, bradycardia in one patient, advanced atrioventricular block in two patients, ventricular arrythmias in two patients, and supraventricular tachycardia of 180/min in one patient. Therapy was instituted in all patients, in whom an arrhythmic cause was found except one who refused the therapy (six pacemaker, two implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantations, and one cryoablation of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia confirmed by an invasive exploration). CONCLUSION: In this survey, implantable loop recorder implantation led to the diagnosis of an arrhythmic cause in 32% of patients and excluded an arrhythmic cause in 26% of patient with a mean follow-up of 10.5 months.

[Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome with a parahisian accessory pathway: the place of cryoablation]. / Syndrome de Wolff-Parkinson-White avec voie accessoire parahisienne : la cryoablation au cœur de la prise en charge.

The ablation of parahisian accessory pathways is a challenge because of the risk of atrioventricular block. In this observation, we describe the case of an eleven-year-old girl presenting a parahisian accessory pathway treated successfully by cryoablation. It is a pediatric case, in which, the accessory pathway and the nodo-hisian conduction pathway where superposed in anatomic and electrophysiological terms. Cryoablation should be the method of choice of ablation in pediatric patients.

[Acute non protected main left coronary artery occlusion: a report of six cases treated by angioplasty]. / Infarctus par occlusion aiguë du tronc commun non protégé : à propos de six cas traités par angioplastie.

AIM: Acute main left coronary artery occlusion is rarely observed during primary angioplasty in myocardial infarction. This retrospective study reports the results of six patients treated by angioplasty in a hospital without cardiac surgery department. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 2002 to 2009, 746 patients were treated by primary angioplasty for acute coronary syndromes with ST elevation. Among those patients, six (0,7%) had acute non protected main left coronary occlusion. We report clinical, angiographical data and follow-up. RESULTS: The population was composed of six patients (five males) with an average age of 64+/-7 years. Five patients were admitted with cardiogenic shock and four were mechanically ventilated. Distal occlusion of main left coronary artery and dominant right coronary artery were noted in all cases. Sub-occluded lesion of right coronary artery was noted in one case. Successful procedure with bare metal stent was achieved in five cases. Mortality rate was 66% (n=4): three patients died in hospital and another 1 or 2 months later of congestive heart failure. Coronary artery bypass grafting was performed at 4 and 12 months later for two patients. They are alive after 12 and 72 months of follow-up. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate the feasibility of percutaneous coronary intervention of acute main left coronary occlusion. Inspite successful procedure, intrahospital mortality rate is still high and prognosis is related to cardiogenic shock.

[AV nodal reentrant tachycardias: what is the place of cryoablation?]. / Cryoablation : quel apport dans la prise en charge des tachycardies par réentrée intranodale ?

Radiofrequency ablation is the reference method for the interventional treatment of AV nodal reentrant tachycardias. Even if risks are low, one of the complications of radiofrequency ablation is auriculoventricular block. Cryoablation is an alternative to radiofrequency ablation. The most important advantage of this technique is a lack of permanent AV-block. This article reviews principles of cryotherapy, its main results in ablation of AV nodal reentrant tachycardias, its advantages and disadvantages. A proposal is made about its indications.