Mitral valve prolapse: arrhythmic risk during pregnancy and postpartum.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse (AMVP) is linked to life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias (VAs), and young women are considered at high risk. Cases of AMVP in women with malignant VA during pregnancy have emerged, but the arrhythmic risk during pregnancy is unknown. The authors aimed to describe features of women with high-risk AMVP who developed malignant VA during the perinatal period and to assess if pregnancy and the postpartum period were associated with a higher risk of malignant VA. METHODS: This retrospective international multi-centre case series included high-risk women with AMVP who experienced malignant VA and at least one pregnancy. Malignant VA included ventricular fibrillation, sustained ventricular tachycardia, or appropriate shock from an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. The authors compared the incidence of malignant VA in non-pregnant periods and perinatal period; the latter defined as occurring during pregnancy and within 6 months after delivery. RESULTS: The authors included 18 women with AMVP from 11 centres. During 7.5 (interquartile range 5.8-16.6) years of follow-up, 37 malignant VAs occurred, of which 18 were pregnancy related occurring in 13 (72%) unique patients. Pregnancy and 6 months after delivery showed increased incidence rate of malignant VA compared to the non-pregnancy period (univariate incidence rate ratio 2.66, 95% confidence interval 1.23-5.76). CONCLUSIONS: The perinatal period could impose increased risk of malignant VA in women with high-risk AMVP. The data may provide general guidance for pre-conception counselling and for nuanced shared decision-making between patients and clinicians.

Incidence and Predictors for Recurrence of Ventricular Arrhythmia Presenting During Acute Myocarditis: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: Management of acute myocarditis (AM) patients experiencing ventricular arrhythmia (VA) during acute illness is controversial, especially regarding early implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of and find predictors for long-term sustained VA recurrence and overall mortality among AM patients with VA. METHODS: This was a multicenter retrospective analysis of AM patients (verified by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging or myocardial biopsy) with documented VA during the acute illness ("initial VA"). Patients with history of myocardial infarction, heart failure, or VA were excluded. The study endpoint was a composite of sustained VA and overall mortality during follow-up. RESULTS: The study included 69 AM patients with initial VA: sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (MMVT) (n = 25), sustained polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT)/ventricular fibrillation (n = 13), and nonsustained VT (n = 31). Age was 44 ± 13 years, and 23 of 69 (33.3%) were women. During median follow-up of 5.5 years, 27 of 69 (39%) patients reached the composite endpoint including sustained VA (n = 24) and death (n = 11). Initial MMVT, predischarge left ventricular dysfunction (left ventricular ejection fraction <50%), and anteroseptal delayed enhancement on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging were significantly associated with the composite endpoint. On multivariable analysis, initial MMVT (HR: 5.17; 95% CI: 1.81-14.6; P = 0.001) and predischarge LV dysfunction (HR: 4.57; 95% CI: 1.83-11.5; P = 0.005) were independently associated with the composite endpoint. Using these 2 predictors, we could delineate subgroups with low (∼4%), medium (∼42%), and high (∼82%) 10-year incidence of composite endpoint. CONCLUSIONS: AM patients presenting with VA have high incidence of sustained VA recurrence and mortality posthospitalization. Initial MMVT and predischarge LV dysfunction are independently associated with VA recurrence and mortality. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation may be considered in such high-risk patients.

Ventricular arrhythmias in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: Prevalence, distribution, predictors, and outcome.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) carries an increased risk of sudden cardiac death. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is thought to be the common culprit arrhythmia. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the incidence and predictors of sustained ventricular arrhythmias (VTAs) in HCM patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed all patients with HCM and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) from a prospectively derived registry in 2 tertiary medical centers. Clinical, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, ICD interrogation, and genetic data were collected and compared, first between patients with and without VTAs and then between patients with only VF and those with ventricular tachycardia (VT) with or without VF. RESULTS: Of the 1328 HCM patients, 207 (145 [70%] male; mean age 33 ± 16 years) were implanted with ICDs. Over a mean follow-up of 10 ± 6 years, 37 patients with ICDs (18%) developed sustained VTAs. These were associated with a family history of sudden cardiac death and a personal history of VTAs (P = .036 and P = .001, respectively). Sustained monomorphic VT was the most common arrhythmia (n = 26, 70%) and was linked to decreased left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction and increased LV end-systolic and end-diastolic diameters. Antitachycardia pacing (ATP) successfully terminated 258 (79%) of the 326 VT events. Mortality rates were comparable between patients with and without VTAs (4 [11%] vs 29 [17%]; P = .42) and between those with and without ICDs (24 [16%] vs 85 [20%]; P = .367). CONCLUSION: VT rather than VF is the most common arrhythmia in patients with HCM; it is amenable to ATP and is associated with lower LV ejection fraction and higher LV diameters. Therefore, ATP-capable devices may be considered in HCM patients with these LV features.

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Utilization and Mortality Among Patients ≥65 Years of Age With a Low Ejection Fraction After Coronary Revascularization.

The purpose of this analysis was to assess implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) utilization and its association with mortality among patients ≥65 years of age after coronary revascularization. Patients in the National Cardiovascular Database Registry Chest Pain-Myocardial Infarction (MI) Registry who presented with MI from January 2, 2009 to December 31, 2016, had a left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35% and underwent in-hospital revascularization (10,014 percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and 1,647 coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)) were linked with Medicare claims to determine rates of 1-year ICD implantation. The association between ICD implantation and 2-year mortality was assessed. Of 11,661 included patients, an ICD was implanted in 1,234 (10.6%) within 1 year of revascularization (1,063 (10.6%) PCI and 171 (10.4%) CABG). Among PCI-treated patients, in-hospital ventricular arrhythmia (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34 to 1.92), 2-week cardiology follow-up (aHR 1.48, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.70), readmission for heart failure (aHR 3.21, 95% CI 2.73 to 3.79), and readmission for MI (aHR 2.18, 95% CI 1.66 to 2.85) were positively associated with ICD implantation. Among CABG-treated patients, in-hospital ventricular arrhythmia (aHR 2.33, 95% CI 1.39 to 3.91), and heart failure readmission (aHR 3.14, 95% CI 1.96 to 5.04) were positively associated with ICD implantation. Women were less likely to receive an ICD, regardless of the revascularization strategy. ICD implantation was associated with lower 2-year all-cause mortality (aHR 0.74, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.86). In conclusion, only 1 in 10 Medicare patients with low ejection fraction received an ICD within 1 year after revascularization. Contact with the healthcare system after discharge was associated with higher likelihood of ICD implantation. ICD implantation was associated with lower mortality following revascularization for MI.

Impact of Arrhythmias on Hospitalizations in Patients With Cardiac Amyloidosis.

Cardiac involvement in amyloidosis is associated with a poor prognosis. Data on the burden of arrhythmias in patients with cardiac amyloidosis (CA) during hospitalization are lacking. We identified the burden of arrhythmias using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from January 2016 to December 2017. We compared patient characteristics, outcomes, and hospitalization costs between CA patients with and without documented arrhythmias. Out of 5,585 hospital admissions for CA, 2,020 (36.1%) had concurrent arrhythmias. Propensity-score matching for age, sex, income, and co-morbidities was performed with 1,405 CA patients with arrhythmias and 1,405 patients without. The primary outcome of all-cause mortality was significantly higher in CA patients with arrhythmia than without(13.9% vs 5.3%, p-value <0.001). Atrial fibrillation (AF) was the most common (72.2%) arrhythmia in CA patients with concurrent arrhythmia. The secondary outcomes of AF-related mortality (11.95% vs 9.16%, p-value = 0.02) and acute and acute on chronic as heart failure (HF) exacerbation (32.38% vs 24.91%, p-value <0.0001) were significantly higher in CA and concurrent arrhythmia compared with CA patients without. The total length of hospital stay (6[3 to 12] vs 5[3 to 10], p-value <0.001) and cost of hospitalization were ($ 15,086[7,813 to 30,373] vs $ 12,219[6,865 to 23,997], p-value = 0.001) were significantly greater among CA with arrhythmia compared with those without. These data suggest that the presence of arrhythmias in CA patients during hospital admission is associated with a poorer prognosis and may reflect patients with a higher risk of HF exacerbation and mortality.

Sudden intra-hospital death after acute myocardial infarction in Cuba in the last three years. Analysis of institutional records.

Objetivo: Analizar el comportamiento de posibles causas predisponentes de muerte súbita (MS) intrahospitalaria luego de un infarto agudo de miocardio (IMA) en registros cubanos. Material y método: Se realizó una búsqueda de registros clínicos de pacientes con IMA en Cuba en las bases de datos de revistas nacionales, Scientific Library On-line (ScieLO) y Medline. Se priorizaron los artículos publicados desde 2016 para ser incluidos. Se definió como muerte súbita aquélla secundaria a arritmias ventriculares malignas (TV y FV), así como los pacientes con rotura cardíaca y actividad eléctrica sin pulso o asistolia como forma de presentación. Con posterioridad se evaluó la relación de este parámetro con la aparición de muerte súbita en 710 pacientes del Registro de Síndromes Coronarios Agudos (RESCUE). Resultados: En el contexto extrahospitalario, más de la mitad de las muertes súbitas cardíacas son secundarias a un infarto agudo de miocardio. En el hospital, la mortalidad en Cuba por IMA es homogénea. Sólo los centros con intervencionismo coronario escapan a este fenómeno. Aunque no del todo letales, las arritmias ventriculares malignas se relacionan con un peor pronóstico y su prevalencia no es homogénea en los registros revisados. Conclusiones: La muerte súbita luego de infarto agudo de miocardio será aún en Cuba una de las principales causas de muerte en los pacientes de fase aguda. Objective: To analyze possible predisposing causes of in hospital sudden cardiac death (SCD) after an acute myocardial infarction (IMA) in Cuban registries. Material and methods: A search of clinical records of patients with IMA in Cuba was performed in the databases of national journals, Scientific Library On-line and Medline. Those articles published since 2016 were prioritized for inclusion. Sudden death is defined as that secondary to malignant ventricular arrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation) as well as patients with cardiac rupture with pulseless electrical activity or asystole as a form of presentation. Subsequently, the relationship of this parameter with the occurrence of sudden death was evaluated in 710 patients from the Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes (RESCUE). Results: In the out-of-hospital setting, more than half of SCD are secondary to an IMA. Once in the hospital, mortality in Cuba from IMA is homogeneous. Only centers with coronary interventionism escape this phenomenon. Although not totally lethal, the presence of malignant ventricular arrhythmias is associated with a worse prognosis and its prevalence is not homogeneous in the reviewed records. Conclusions: Sudden death after IMA will continue to be one of the main causes of death of patients in the acute phase in Cuba.

Muerte súbita intrahospitalaria luego de infarto agudo de miocardio en Cuba en los últimos tres años. Análisis de registros institucionales / Sudden intra-hospital death after acute myocardial infarction in Cuba in the last three years. Analysis of institutional records

Resumen Objetivo: Analizar el comportamiento de posibles causas predisponentes de muerte súbita (MS) intrahospitalaria luego de un infarto agudo de miocardio (IMA) en registros cubanos. Material y método: Se realizó una búsqueda de registros clínicos de pacientes con IMA en Cuba en las bases de datos de revistas nacionales, Scientific Library On-line (ScieLO) y Medline. Se priorizaron los artículos publicados desde 2016 para ser incluidos. Se definió como muerte súbita aquélla secundaria a arritmias ventriculares malignas (TV y FV), así como los pacientes con rotura cardíaca y actividad eléctrica sin pulso o asistolia como forma de presentación. Con posterioridad se evaluó la relación de este parámetro con la aparición de muerte súbita en 710 pacientes del Registro de Síndromes Coronarios Agudos (RESCUE). Resultados: En el contexto extrahospitalario, más de la mitad de las muertes súbitas cardíacas son secundarias a un infarto agudo de miocardio. En el hospital, la mortalidad en Cuba por IMA es homogénea. Sólo los centros con intervencionismo coronario escapan a este fenómeno. Aunque no del todo letales, las arritmias ventriculares malignas se relacionan con un peor pronóstico y su prevalencia no es homogénea en los registros revisados. Conclusiones: La muerte súbita luego de infarto agudo de miocardio será aún en Cuba una de las principales causas de muerte en los pacientes de fase aguda.

Abstract Objective: To analyze possible predisposing causes of in hospital sudden cardiac death (SCD) after an acute myocardial infarction (IMA) in Cuban registries. Material and methods: A search of clinical records of patients with IMA in Cuba was performed in the databases of national journals, Scientific Library On-line and Medline. Those articles published since 2016 were prioritized for inclusion. Sudden death is defined as that secondary to malignant ventricular arrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation) as well as patients with cardiac rupture with pulseless electrical activity or asystole as a form of presentation. Subsequently, the relationship of this parameter with the occurrence of sudden death was evaluated in 710 patients from the Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes (RESCUE). Results: In the out-of-hospital setting, more than half of SCD are secondary to an IMA. Once in the hospital, mortality in Cuba from IMA is homogeneous. Only centers with coronary interventionism escape this phenomenon. Although not totally lethal, the presence of malignant ventricular arrhythmias is associated with a worse prognosis and its prevalence is not homogeneous in the reviewed records. Conclusions: Sudden death after IMA will continue to be one of the main causes of death of patients in the acute phase in Cuba.

The associations of geomagnetic storms, fast solar wind, and stream interaction regions with cardiovascular characteristic in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

It is shown the statistical associations between space weather pattern and humans' cardiovascular system. We investigated the association between space weather events and cardiovascular characteristics of 4076 randomly selected patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who were admitted for inpatient treatment in Kaunas city, Lithuania during 2000-2005. We hypothesized that days of the space weather events, 1-3 days after, and the period between two events, named as intersection days (1-3 days after the event, which coincided with 1-3 days before the event), might be associated with patients' cardiovascular characteristics. The multivariate logistic regression was applied, and the patients' risk was evaluated by odds ratio (OR), adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, the day of the week, and seasonality. During the intersection days of geomagnetic storms (GS), the risk of ACS increases in obese patients (OR=1.72, p = 0.008). The risk of ventricular fibrillation during admission was associated with stream interaction region (SIR) with a lag of 0-3 days (OR=1.44, p = 0.049) The risk of ACS in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation was associated with fast solar wind (FSW) (≥600 km/s) (lag 0-3 days, OR=1.39, p = 0.030) and with days of solar proton event (lag 0-3) going in conjunction with SIR (lag 0-3) (OR=2.06, p = 0.021). During days which were not assigned as GS with a lag of (-3 to 3) days, FSW (lag 0-3) was associated with the risk of ACS in patients with renal disease (OR=1.71, p = 0.008) and days of SIR - with the risk in patients with pulmonary disease (OR=1.53, p = 0.021). A SIR event, days between two space weather events, and FSW without GS may be associated with a risk to human health.

Prognostic value of cardiovascular magnetic resonance in patients with biopsy-proven systemic sarcoidosis.

OBJECTIVES: As prognosis in sarcoidosis is determined by cardiac involvement, the objective was to study the added value of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in risk stratification. METHODS: In 114 patients (48 ± 12 years/52% male) with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis, we studied the value of clinical and CMR-derived parameters to predict future events, using sustained ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, aborted cardiac death, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placement with appropriate shocks, hospitalization for heart failure, and death as composite endpoint. Median follow-up after CMR was 3.1 years (1.1-5.7 years). RESULTS: The ejection fraction (EF) was 58.2 ± 9.1% and 54.7 ± 10.8% for left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV), respectively. LV late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was present in 40 patients (35%) involving 5.1% of the LV mass (IQR, 3.0-12.0%), with concomitant RV involvement in 12 patients (11%). T2-weighting imaging and/or T2 mapping showed active disease in 14 patients. The composite endpoint was reached in 34 patients, with 7 deaths in the LGE-positive group (17.5%), versus two deaths in the LGE-negative group (2.7%) (p = 0.015). At univariate analysis, RVEF (p = 0.009), pulmonary arterial pressure (p = 0.002), and presence of LGE (p < 0.001) and LGE (% of LV) (p < 0.001) were significant. At multivariate analysis, only presence of LGE and LGE (% of LV) was significant (both p = 0.03). At Kaplan-Meier, presence of LGE and an LGE of 3% predicted event-free survival and patient survival. We found no difference in active versus inactive disease with regard to patient survival. CONCLUSION: Myocardial enhancement at LGE-CMR adds independent prognostic value in risk stratification sarcoidosis patients. In contrast, clinical as well as functional cardiac parameters lack discriminative power. KEY POINTS: • Sarcoidosis often affects the heart. • Comprehensive CMR, including T2 imaging and LGE enhancement CMR, allows to depict both active and inactive myocardial damage. • Patient prognosis in sarcoidosis is determined by the presence and severity of myocardial involvement at LGE CMR.

Changing Trends in the Landscape of Patients Hospitalized With Acute Myocardial Infarction (2001 to 2011) (from the Worcester Heart Attack Study).

During the past several decades, new diagnostic tools, interventional approaches, and population-wide changes in the major coronary risk factors have taken place. However, few studies have examined relatively recent trends in the demographic characteristics, clinical profile, and the short-term outcomes of patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) from the more generalizable perspective of a population-based investigation. We examined decade long trends (2001 to 2011) in patient's demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment practices, and hospital outcomes among residents of the Worcester metropolitan area hospitalized with an initial AMI (n = 3,730) at all 11 greater Worcester medical centers during 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011. The average age of the study population was 68.5 years and 56.9% were men. Patients hospitalized with a first AMI during the most recent study years were significantly younger (mean age = 69.9 years in 2001/2003; 65.2 years in 2009/2011), had lower serum troponin levels, and experienced a shorter hospital stay compared with patients hospitalized during the earliest study years. Hospitalized patients were more likely to received evidence-based medical management practices over the decade long period under study. Multivariable-adjusted regression models showed a considerable decline over time in the hospital death rate and a significant reduction in the proportion of patients who developed atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and ventricular fibrillation during their acute hospitalization. These results highlight the changing nature of patients hospitalized with an incident AMI, and reinforce the need for surveillance of AMI at the community level.

Predictive value of fragmented QRS for ventricular tachyarrhythmias in patients with acute myocardial infarction: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies indicated that fragmented QRS (fQRS) is associated with malignant cardiac arrhythmias in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, a systematic review and meta-analysis on this issue still have not been conducted. Thus, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to access the predictive value of fQRS for ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTAs) in patients with AMI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched the databases of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library for relevant studies until 8 June 2019. We included studies which compared VTAs in AMI patients with fQRS vs without fQRS. RESULTS: Six studies enrolling 2218 ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients were included in this meta-analysis. The fQRS was significantly associated with greater risk of VTAs in STEMI patients (Odds ratio [OR] 2.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.99-3.95, P < .00001; I2  = 30%). This association was still significant both in prospective (OR 3.25, 95% CI 1.94-5.46, P < .00001; I2  = 0%) and retrospective (OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.22-4.74, P = .01; I2  = 54%) studies. In particularly, fQRS in patients with low left ventricular ejection fraction (≤50%) (OR 2.97, 95% CI 1.88-4.70, P < .00001; I2  = 21%) or <60 years old (OR 3.07, 95% CI 2.02-4.66, P < .00001; I2  = 0%) tripled the risk of VTAs during AMI. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that fQRS increases the risk of developing VTAs in patients with STEMI.

Thrombus aspiration catheter improve the myocardial reperfusion of STEMI patients with high thrombus load during the emergency PCI operation.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to discuss the efficacy and safety of the application of thrombus aspiration catheters during emergency PCI operations for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with high thrombus load. METHODS: A total of 204 patients diagnosed with acute STEMI and high thrombus load in the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017 were selected for the present study. These patients were randomly divided into two groups: thrombus catheter aspiration group (group A, n = 101), and balloon dilatation group (group B, n = 103). The blood flow of the culprit coronary artery in the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) immediately after the emergency PCI operation in these two groups of patients was recorded. Then, an echocardiogram was performed to determine the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after the operation, and data on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) during the 30 days of postoperative follow-up were collected. RESULTS: The comparative difference between these two groups of patients in terms of hypertension, smoking, diabetes, usage rate of GPIIb/IIIa receptor antagonist, time from hospitalization to balloon dilatation (D2B) and other basic clinical data was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The postoperative TIMI flow grade of these two groups of patients improved, and the comparative difference between the data obtained from these two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The comparative difference between these two groups in terms of LVEDD and LVEF at 7 days after the operation was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). There was a difference in the occurrence rate of MACE in these two groups of patients during the 30 days of postoperative follow-up, but the comparative difference between these two groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.335). CONCLUSION: The application of thrombus aspiration catheter during the emergency PCI operation of STEMI patients with high thrombus load can better improve the myocardial reperfusion. There is no basis for increasing the stroke occurrence risk. However, it obviously fails to improve the recent prognosis and more studies need to explore its effect on myocardial remodeling and major adverse cardiovascular events.

Ventricular Dysrhythmias During Long-Term Follow-Up in Patients With Inherited Cardiac Arrhythmia.

Reports on development of frequent ventricular premature complexes (fVPC), (non)sustained ventricular tachycardias ([n]sVT), or ventricular fibrillation (VF) and their interrelationship in patients with different inherited cardiac arrhythmia (ICA) have sofar not been reported. The aim of this study is therefore to examine incidences and recurrences rates of sVT and VF ("malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias, VTA") in addition to the incidence of fVPC and nsVT ("ventricular dysrhythmias, VDR") in patients with various ICA during long-term follow up. Patients (N = 167, 88 male, age 45 ± 15 years) with ICA including definite/borderline arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC, N = 47), Brugada syndrome (BrS, N = 71), catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT, N = 7), long QT syndrome (LQTS, N = 41) or short QT syndrome (SQTS, N = 1) who had frequent 24-hour Holter monitoring during a follow-up period of 4.6 ± 4.4 years. During the initial screening visit, 15 patients had a history of malignant VTA. fVPC and nsVT was observed in respectively 19% (OHCA/VF/sVT: N = 9) and 13% (OHCA/VF/sVT: N = 4) of all patients. Compared with the ARVC group, patients with BrS and LQTS had less frequent fVPC and nsVT (fVPC: odds ratio [OR] 0.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.08 to 0.49, p <0.000 and OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.33, p <0.000; nsVT:OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.50, p = 0.001 and OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.46, p = 0.003). The recurrence rate of malignant VTA was 33%. In conclusion, variety of VDR and malignant VTA were found during long-term follow-up in patients with ICA. During nearly a 5 years follow-up period, the recurrence rate of malignant VTA was considerable. fVPC, nsVT, and malignant VTA were most often found in patients with an ARVC.

Prolonged Tpeak-Tend interval is associated with ventricular fibrillation during reperfusion in ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

AIM: Ventricular fibrillation (VF) during reperfusion in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is associated with increased in-hospital mortality. Dispersion of ventricular repolarization contributes to ventricular vulnerability during ischemia. Tpeak-Tend interval was proposed as a ventricular repolarization dispersion marker, however its value for prediction of reperfusion VF remains uncertain. We aimed to assess whether Tpeak-Tend before PCI in STEMI is associated with reperfusion VF. METHODS: STEMI patients admitted for primary PCI were retrospectively assessed for VF during reperfusion. Pre-PCI ECGs recorded in 40 patients with reperfusion VF (rVF group; age 65 ±â€¯13 years, 80% male) were compared with 374 consecutive patients without reperfusion arrhythmias (No-rVF group; age 67 ±â€¯12 years; 68% male). Digital ECGs were automatically processed and Tpeak-Tend interval computed on a per-lead basis. The global Tpeak-Tend was calculated between the earliest Tpeak and the latest Tend in any lead, and tested for association with reperfusion VF using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The leftward shift of Tpeak toward QRS complex in ischemic leads resulted in Tpeak-Tend prolongation. Global Tpeak-Tend in rVF group was higher than in No-rVF group (142 ±â€¯24 vs 130 ±â€¯27 ms; p = 0.007). Global Tpeak-Tend ≥ 131 ms predicted reperfusion VF (OR = 3.41; 95% CI 1.66-7.04; p = 0.001) and remained a significant predictor of reperfusion VF in multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: Tpeak-Tend interval before PCI in STEMI was an independent predictor of reperfusion VF. Our findings warrants further research aimed at prospective validation of Tpeak-Tend as a marker of periprocedural arrhythmic risk.

Acquired drug-induced long QTc: new insights coming from a retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: Several drug classes (antiarrhythmics, antimicrobials, antidepressants, phenothiazines, opiates, prokinetics of digestive tract, etc.) have been related to ventricular hyperkinetic arrhythmias such as torsade de pointes (TdP). TdPs are usually heralded by an abnormal prolongation of heart rate-corrected QT interval on the electrocardiogram, so-called drug-induced long heart rate-corrected QT (diLQTc). We do not know to what extent the drug-induced QTc prolongation is able to predict malignant arrhythmias. Thus, we have retrospectively examined the clinical history of patients with diLQTc. METHODS: The case record, concerning the period January 2008-December 2017, was collected from two hospitals. diLQTc was defined as drug-induced heart rate-corrected QT of ≥ 450 ms or ≥ 470 ms, respectively in male or female patients. The primary purpose was to verify whether in diLQTc patients the length of this electrocardiographic segment was associated with the risk of symptoms or events (TdP, ventricular fibrillation). RESULTS: Seventy-three validated cases of diLQTc were gathered. Among them, the QTc duration was not able to predict the occurrence of symptoms or events (odds ratio, 0.998; 95% CI, 0.984 to 1.013; p = 0.8821). Likewise, a diQTc lasting longer than 500 ms compared to diQTc comprised between 450 and 500 ms was not associated with an increased risk of arrhythmic events. CONCLUSIONS: In our diLQTc patients, QTc duration did not predict occurrence of symptoms, or arrhythmic events. Thus, other determinants should be postulated to clarify why sometimes diQTc prolongation propitiates ventricular malignant arrhythmias whereas in other cases this arrhythmogenic effect is lacking.

Performance of the 2015 International Task Force Consensus Statement Risk Stratification Algorithm for Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Placement in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Ventricular arrhythmias are a feared complication of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy. In 2015, an International Task Force Consensus Statement proposed a risk stratification algorithm for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement in arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy. METHODS AND RESULTS: To evaluate performance of the algorithm, 365 arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy patients were classified as having a Class I, IIa, IIb, or III indication per the algorithm at baseline. Survival free from sustained ventricular arrhythmia (VT/VF) in follow-up was the primary outcome. Incidence of ventricular fibrillation/flutter cycle length <240 ms was also assessed. Two hundred twenty-four (61%) patients had a Class I implantable cardioverter-defibrillator indication; 80 (22%), Class IIa; 54 (15%), Class IIb; and 7 (2%), Class III. During a median 4.2 (interquartile range, 1.7-8.4)-year follow-up, 190 (52%) patients had VT/VF and 60 (16%) had ventricular fibrillation/flutter. Although the algorithm appropriately differentiated risk of VT/VF, incidence of VT/VF was underestimated (observed versus expected: 29.6 [95% confidence interval, 25.2-34.0] versus >10%/year Class I; 15.5 [confidence interval 11.1-21.6] versus 1% to 10%/year Class IIa). In addition, the algorithm did not differentiate survival free from ventricular fibrillation/flutter between Class I and IIa patients (P=0.97) or for VT/VF in Class I and IIa primary prevention patients (P=0.22). Adding Holter results (<1000 premature ventricular contractions/24 hours) to International Task Force Consensus classification differentiated risks. CONCLUSIONS: While the algorithm differentiates arrhythmic risk well overall, it did not distinguish ventricular fibrillation/flutter risks of patients with Class I and IIa implantable cardioverter-defibrillator indications. Limited differentiation was seen for primary prevention cases. As these are vital uncertainties in clinical decision-making, refinements to the algorithm are suggested prior to implementation.

Increased Susceptibility for Atrial and Ventricular Cardiac Arrhythmias in Mice Treated With a Single High Dose of Ibrutinib.

Atrial fibrillation is a side effect of ibrutinib, an irreversible inhibitor of Bruton tyrosine kinase used for treatment of B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. We determined if single (2 or 10 mg/kg), or chronic (14 days) oral ibrutinib followed by 24-hour washout conferred susceptibility to electrically induced arrhythmias in 1-month-old male C57BL/6 mice. A single higher dose of ibrutinib increased arrhythmia inducibility. There was no inducibility difference after chronic dosing with washout. This suggests that high serum drug levels might be responsible for the proarrhythmic effect of ibrutinib and that an altered dosing strategy might mitigate the side effects.

Epidemiology of ventricular tachyarrhythmia : Any changes in the past decades?

Ventricular tachyarrhythmias include potentially lethal episodes of sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) as well as hemodynamically tolerated ventricular ectopic activity. Sustained VT or VF may develop in the setting of acute myocardial infarction or as clinical sequelae of advanced cardiomyopathy. The incidence of these serious arrhythmias is estimated from retrospective and observational studies and registries of sudden cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death. Over the past few decades, there has been a gradual decline in the incidence of life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias which has been largely driven by upstream treatments for and prevention of coronary artery disease and its sequelae. In addition primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) have improved survival in patients at risk for malignant ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Improved understanding, and improved diagnostic and imaging methods have elucidated many of the previously classified "idiopathic" ventricular arrhythmias as inherited arrhythmic syndromes and occult cardiomyopathies. In addition, improved sensitivity and duration of ECG monitoring has allowed increased detection of ventricular ectopic activity.

Long-Term Follow-Up of Probands With Brugada Syndrome.

This study analyzes the natural history of a large cohort of probands with Brugada syndrome (BrS) to assess the predictive value of different clinical and electrocardiographic parameters for the development of ventricular fibrillation (VF) or sudden cardiac death (SCD) during a long-term follow-up. Baseline characteristics of 289 consecutive probands (203 men; mean age 45 ± 16 years) with a Brugada type 1 electrocardiogram were analyzed. After a mean follow-up of 10.1 ± 4.6 years, 29 malignant arrhythmias occurred. On multivariate analysis, a history of VF and syncopal episodes, fragmented QRS (f-QRS), spontaneous type 1 electrocardiogram, and early repolarization pattern were significantly associated with later occurrence of VF/SCD. In patients with drug-induced BrS, the accentuation or de novo appearance of f-QRS in other leads was always associated with VF/SCD. Cerebrovascular events occurred in 8 patients with atrial fibrillation (15.1%), most of them (75%) presenting as the first clinical manifestation. The time-to-diagnosis was found to be significantly shorter in those patients who directly came to our center than in those who referred to our center for a second opinion. In conclusion, systematic use of the pharmacologic challenge in patients with unexplained cardiovascular symptoms and/or atrial fibrillation might significantly improve the identification of BrS with a shortening of the time-to-diagnosis. The CHA2DS2VASc score might be inappropriate for predicting transient ischemic attack or stroke in BrS. This study confirms the independent predictive value of previous VF and syncopal episodes, f-QRS, type 1 electrocardiogram, and early repolarization pattern. In BrS a sufficiently long follow-up is necessary before conclusions on prognosis are apparent.