Loop diuretic down-titration in stable chronic heart failure is often achievable, especially when urinary chloride concentration is low.

BACKGROUND: This study investigates spot urinary chloride concentration in euvolemic chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 50 ambulatory CHF patients on maintenance loop diuretics without recent hospital admission, clinical signs of volume overload, or adjustment in neurohumoral blocker or diuretic therapy. Spot urinary samples were collected immediately after loop diuretic intake. Subsequently, loop diuretic dose was reduced with 50% or stopped if ≤40 mg furosemide equivalents. Successful down-titration was defined as persistent dose reduction after 7 d without body weight increase >1.5 kg. RESULTS: Urinary chloride concentration was 3045 ± 1271 mg/L overall. Patients with higher versus lower urinary chloride concentrations took the same dose of loop diuretics [40 mg (20-40 mg) furosemide equivalents; p value = .509] and had similar plasma NT-proBNP levels [1179 ng/L (311-2195 ng/L) versus 900 ng/L (255-1622 ng/L), respectively; p value = .461]. Down-titration was successful in 72% versus 76%, respectively (p value = 1.000). At 30 d, loop diuretic dose remained reduced in 59% versus 76% of patients, respectively (p value = .238). The proportion of patients free from diuretic therapy was 45% versus 62% in the high versus low chloride concentration group (p value = .265). CONCLUSIONS: Loop diuretic down-titration was successful in 3 out of 4 euvolemic CHF patients, irrespectively of urinary chloride concentration on spot samples collected after diuretic intake.

Asymptomatic episodes of device-registered atrial tachyarrhythmia are not associated with worse cardiac resynchronization therapy response.

AIMS: To assess the influence of device-registered episodes of atrial tachyarrhythmia (AT) on the response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). METHODS AND RESULTS: Consecutive CRT patients without history of atrial fibrillation (AF; n = 118) were followed prospectively. AT was defined as a device-registered episode of atrial rate >190 b.p.m. for ≥30 s. Episodes of electrocardiographically documented AF, accompanied by symptoms, or need for cardioversion, were classified as clinical AF. During mean follow-up of 26 ± 9 months, 39 patients (33%) had ≥1 episode of asymptomatic device-registered AT. Twenty-one patients (18%) developed clinical AF of whom seven had previously experienced episodes of asymptomatic device-registered AT. Patients with asymptomatic AT or AF had a higher body mass index, but otherwise similar baseline characteristics, compared with the subjects without AT. Reverse remodelling after CRT was similar among the groups. While clinical AF was significantly associated with the composite endpoint of all-cause mortality or unplanned hospital admission (hazard ratio = 2.43, 95% confidence interval: 1.40-4.24), this correlation was not observed in patients with asymptomatic device-registered AT (P value = 0.540). CONCLUSION: Episodes of asymptomatic device-registered AT are frequent in CRT patients, but are not associated with impaired reverse remodelling. In contrast to clinical AF, such episodes are not associated with worse clinical outcome.

Increased cardiovascular risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: an overview.

Patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a higher cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in comparison with the general population. It is considered to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this article is to describe the mechanisms responsible for accelerated atherogenesis in RA patients and to give an overview of the effects of different RA therapies (methotrexate, TNF antagonists and other biologicals).

Revisiting diastolic filling time as mechanistic insight for response to cardiac resynchronization therapy.

AIMS: Intraventricular dyssynchrony and commonly associated prolonged atrioventricular conduction both reduce diastolic filling time (DFT), which can be improved by cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Our aim was to investigate whether change in DFT corrected for RR interval (DFTC) after CRT might serve to assess the mechanistic response to CRT. METHODS AND RESULTS: Echocardiography data of consecutive patients in sinus rhythm (n = 91) were studied before and 6 months after implantation. Mortality and heart failure hospitalization data were collected. Patients with vs. without DFTC increase after 6 months were compared. The programmed atrioventricular delay, percentage of biventricular pacing, and change in PR interval were similar in both groups. DFTC increase after 6 months reflected favourable reverse left ventricular remodelling and was significantly associated with freedom from death or heart failure admission (P = 0.008). In multivariate analysis including guideline criteria for CRT (i.e. QRS width, presence of left bundle branch block, and ejection fraction), interventricular mechanical delay, and Tei index, baseline DFTC was the strongest predictor of adverse outcome. Notably, while patients with impaired relaxation had a large and highly significant reduction in all-cause mortality and heart failure admissions when DFTC increased [hazard ratio (HR), 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.24, 0.08-0.73; P = 0.012], this benefit was less pronounced and did not reach statistical significance in patients with pseudonormal or restrictive filling (HR, 95% CI = 0.64, 0.23-1.77; P = 0.388). CONCLUSION: DFTC increase after CRT reflects favourable reverse remodelling and is associated with better clinical outcome.

Long-Term Performance of the Riata/ST Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Lead.

Riata and Riata ST implantable cardioverter-defibrillator leads are prone to structural and electrical failure (EF). Our objective was to evaluate Riata/ST lead performance over a long-term follow-up. Of 184 patients having undergone Riata/ST and Riata ST Optim lead implantation from September 2003 to June 2008, 154 patients were evaluated for EF and radiographic conductor externalization (CE). Survival analysis for EF was performed for Riata/ST leads, both for failure-free lead survival and cumulative hazard. Subanalysis on 7Fr leads was performed to evaluate EF and CE rates both for different Riata ST lead management (monitoring vs proactive) and between Riata ST and Riata ST Optim leads. During a mean follow-up of 7 years, Riata/ST lead EF rate was 13% overall. Similar failure-free survival rate was noted for 7Fr as for 8Fr leads (log-rank, p = 0.63). Of all failed leads, 64% failed only after 5 years of follow-up. Compared with the absolute failure rate of 1.84% per device year, cumulative hazard analysis for leads surviving past 5 years revealed an estimated failure rate of 7% per year. No clinical or procedural predictors for EF were found. The subanalysis on 7Fr leads showed an excellent outcome both for a proactive lead management approach as for Optim leads. In conclusion, long-term survival of the Riata/ST lead is impaired with an accelerating EF risk over time. An initial exponential trend was followed by a linear lead failure pattern for leads surviving past 5 years, corresponding to an estimated 7% annual EF rate. These findings may have repercussions on the lead management strategy in patients currently surviving with a Riata/ST lead to prevent significant clinical events like inappropriate shocks or failed device interventions.

No evidence of automatic atrial overdrive pacing efficacy on reduction of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

AIMS: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is frequently encountered in pacemaker patients, most commonly in sick sinus syndrome. The combination of site-specific pacing in conjunction with an overdrive algorithm combined with antiarrhythmic drugs on the incidence of PAF in patients with a conventional indication for pacing is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with pacemaker indication and PAF received a DDDR-pacemaker, which included an automatic atrial overdrive (AO) algorithm. The atrial lead was implanted in either the right atrial appendage (RAA) (n = 83) or the right low-atrial septum (LAS) (n = 94). The algorithm was switched on or off in a 3 month, single blind crossover design and antiarrhythmic drugs were kept stable. A control group of 96 patients (LAS, n = 14; RAA, n = 84) without PAF served as controls to assess any proarrhythmic effect of overdrive pacing. Atrial fibrillation (AF) burden defined as cumulative time in mode switch was not reduced during automatic AO from either the RAA or from the LAS. The reduction was not effective both for AF of short (<24 h) and long (> or =24 h) duration. There was no atrial proarrhythmia induced by the overdrive algorithm in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: We could not demonstrate a reduction of AF burden defined as cumulative time in AF by the AO algorithm, in patients who are paced for standard indications and PAF, neither from the RAA nor from the LAS.

Multiple exercise induced syncopal episodes in a young woman due to arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia.

A case of a young woman with multiple exercise induced syncopal episodes due to arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia is described. The report emphasizes the importance of exercise induced syncope and the management is described.