Post-operative cardiac implantable electronic devices in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a contemporary experience.

AIMS: Optimum timing of pacemaker implantation following cardiac surgery is a clinical challenge. European and American guidelines recommend observation, to assess recovery of atrioventricular block (AVB) (up to 7 days) and sinus node (5 days to weeks) after cardiac surgery. This study aims to determine rates of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) implants post-surgery at a high-volume tertiary centre over 3 years. Implant timing, patient characteristics and outcomes at 6 months including pacemaker utilization were assessed. METHODS AND RESULTS: All cardiac operations (n = 5950) were screened for CIED implantation following surgery, during the same admission, from 2015 to 2018. Data collection included patient, operative, and device characteristics; pacing utilization and complications at 6 months. A total of 250 (4.2%) implants occurred; 232 (3.9%) for bradycardia. Advanced age, infective endocarditis, left ventricle systolic impairment, and valve surgery were independent predictors for CIED implants (P < 0.0001). Relative risk (RR) of CIED implants and proportion of AVB increased with valve numbers operated (single-triple) vs. non-valve surgery: RR 5.4 (95% CI 3.9-7.6)-21.0 (11.4-38.9) CIEDs. Follow-up pacing utilization data were available in 91%. Significant utilization occurred in 82% and underutilization (<1% A and V paced) in 18%. There were no significant differences comparing utilization rates in early (≤day 5 post-operatively) vs. late implants (P = 0.55). CONCLUSION: Multi-valve surgery has a particularly high incidence of CIED implants (14.9% double, 25.6% triple valve). Age, left ventricle systolic impairment, endocarditis, and valve surgery were independent predictors of CIED implants. Device underutilization was infrequent and uninfluenced by implant timing. Early implantation (≤5 days) should be considered in AVB post-multi-valve surgery.

Catheter Ablation of Atypical Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia.

BACKGROUND: Because of its low prevalence, data on atypical atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) are scarce, and the optimal ablation method has not been established. Our study aimed at assessing the efficacy and safety of conventional slow pathway ablation, as applied for typical cases, in atypical AVNRT. METHODS: We studied 2079 patients with AVNRT subjected to slow pathway ablation. In 113 patients, mean age 48.5±18.1 years, 68 female, atypical AVNRT or coexistent atypical and typical AVNRT without other concomitant arrhythmia was diagnosed. Ablation data and outcomes were compared with a group of age- and sex-matched control patients with typical AVNRT. RESULTS: Fluoroscopy and radiofrequency current delivery times were not different in the atypical and typical groups, 20.3±12.2 versus 20.8±12.9 minutes (P=0.730) and 5.9±5.0 versus 5.5±4.5 minutes (P=0.650), respectively. Slow pathway ablation was accomplished from the right septum in 110 patients, and from the left septum in 3 patients, in the atypical group. There was no need for additional ablation lesions at other anatomic sites, and no cases of atrioventricular block were encountered. Recurrence rates of the arrhythmia were 5.6% in the atypical (6/108 patients) and 1.8% in the typical (2/111 patients) groups in the next 3 months following ablation (P=0.167). CONCLUSIONS: Conventional ablation at the anatomic area of the slow pathway is the therapy of choice for symptomatic AVNRT, regardless of whether the typical or atypical form is present.

Non-laser percutaneous extraction of pacemaker and defibrillation leads: a decade of progress.

AIMS: Non-laser-based methods are safe in lead extraction but in the past have been less effective than laser methods. In the past decade, new equipment has been introduced including the Evolution® Mechanical Dilator Sheath and the Evolution® RL. We sought to determine the impact of new equipment on outcome in mechanical lead extraction. METHODS AND RESULTS: We considered 288 consecutive patients (age 66 ± 18 years) who underwent transvenous lead extraction (TLE) of 522 leads in the decade to the end of 2014. Three groups were identified: Group 1 (pre-Evolution® period, 76 patients, 133 leads), Group 2 (original Evolution® period, 115 patients, 221 leads), and Group 3 (Evolution® RL period, 97 patients, 168 leads). The age of leads was significantly greater in Groups 2 and 3 (6.2 ± 4.4 and 6.1 ± 5.4 years vs.4.7 ± 4.5, P < 0.05) as was the proportion of implantable cardioverter defibrillator leads (27.2 and 28.9 vs. 14.3%, P < 0.05). The groups were similar in the number of leads extracted per patient. Despite the increasing complexity of the systems extracted, complete extraction was achieved in a progressively greater proportion of leads (88.0% in Group 1, 95.5% in Group 2, and 97.6% in Group 3, P < 0.05), and procedure duration was similar. The proportion of leads for which femoral access was required was greater in Group 3 (11%, 18/164) compared with Group 2 (3%, 7/211), P = 0.006. The only major complications were a post-procedure subacute tamponade in Group 1 and an oesophageal injury related to transoesophageal echocardiography in Group 3. CONCLUSION: With current equipment, mechanical extraction provides a good combination of efficacy and safety.

Dual-site right ventricular pacing in patients undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy: Results of a multicenter propensity-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: Dual-site right ventricular pacing (Dual RV) has been proposed as an alternative for patients with heart failure undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) with a failure to deliver a coronary sinus (CS) lead. Only short-term hemodynamic and echocardiographic results of Dual RV are available. We aimed to assess the long-term results of Dual RV and its impact on survival. METHODS: Multicenter retrospective assessment of all CRT implants during a 12-year period. Patients with failed CS lead implantation, treated with Dual RV, were followed and assessed for the primary endpoint of all-cause mortality and/or heart transplant. A control group was obtained from contemporary patients using propensity matching for all available baseline variables. RESULTS: Ninety-three patients were implanted with Dual RV devices and compared with 93 matched controls. During a median of 1,273 days (interquartile range 557-2,218), intention-to-treat analysis showed that all-cause mortality and/or heart transplant was higher in the Dual RV group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-2.47, P = 0.012). As-treated analysis yielded similar results (HR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.31-2.96, P = 0.001). Cardiac device-related infections occurred seven times more frequently in the Dual RV site group (HR = 7.60, 95% CI 1.51-38.33, P = 0.014). Among Dual RV nonresponders, four had their apical leads switched off, five required an epicardial LV lead insertion, a transseptal LV lead was implanted in two, and in nine patients, after reviewing the CS venogram, a new CS lead insertion was successfully attempted. CONCLUSION: Dual RV pacing is associated with worse clinical outcomes and higher complication rates than conventional CRT.

Ventricular stimulus site influences dynamic dispersion of repolarization in the intact human heart.

The spatial variation in restitution properties in relation to varying stimulus site is poorly defined. This study aimed to investigate the effect of varying stimulus site on apicobasal and transmural activation time (AT), action potential duration (APD) and repolarization time (RT) during restitution studies in the intact human heart. Ten patients with structurally normal hearts, undergoing clinical electrophysiology studies, were enrolled. Decapolar catheters were placed apex to base in the endocardial right ventricle (RVendo) and left ventricle (LVendo), and an LV branch of the coronary sinus (LVepi) for transmural recording. S1-S2 restitution protocols were performed pacing RVendo apex, LVendo base, and LVepi base. Overall, 725 restitution curves were analyzed, 74% of slopes had a maximum slope of activation recovery interval (ARI) restitution (Smax) > 1 (P < 0.001); mean Smax = 1.76. APD was shorter in the LVepi compared with LVendo, regardless of pacing site (30-ms difference during RVendo pacing, 25-ms during LVendo, and 48-ms during LVepi; 50th quantile, P < 0.01). Basal LVepi pacing resulted in a significant transmural gradient of RT (77 ms, 50th quantile: P < 0.01), due to loss of negative transmural AT-APD coupling (mean slope 0.63 ± 0.3). No significant transmural gradient in RT was demonstrated during endocardial RV or LV pacing, with preserved negative transmural AT-APD coupling (mean slope -1.36 ± 1.9 and -0.71 ± 0.4, respectively). Steep ARI restitution slopes predominate in the normal ventricle and dynamic ARI; RT gradients exist that are modulated by the site of activation. Epicardial stimulation to initiate ventricular activation promotes significant transmural gradients of repolarization that could be proarrhythmic.

Ventricular Arrhythmia Burden in Patients With Heart Failure and Cardiac Resynchronization Devices: The Importance of Renal Function.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a risk factor for arrhythmias in patients with heart failure (HF). However, the effects of CKD on ventricular arrhythmia (VA) burden in patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy and defibrillator (CRT-D) devices in a primary prevention setting are unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether baseline CKD is associated with increased risk of VA in patients implanted with primary prevention CRT-D devices. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this retrospective study, 199 consecutive primary prevention CRT-D recipients (2005-2010) were stratified by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) levels prior to device implantation with 106 (53.2%) ≥CKD III (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 ) (CKD group). CKD group patients were significantly older (70.0 ± 10 years vs. 61.3 ± 12 years, P < 0.05) with higher prevalence of ischemic cardiomyopathy (56.2% vs. 40.2%, P < 0.05). Detected ventricular tachycardia (VT)/ventricular fibrillation (VF) episodes resulting in device therapy occurred significantly more frequently in the CKD group [40/106(37.8%)] than controls [24/93(25.8%)], (odd ratio [OR] = 1.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-3.2, P = 0.05). At 5-year follow-up, interval censored data analysis showed 41% VT/VF incidence in the CKD group compared to 24% incidence in controls (P < 0.05). Cox proportional hazards model identified CKD > III as the only predictor of sustained VA in this group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.92, CI = 1.39-6.1, P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Baseline CKD is a strong independent risk factor for VA in primary prevention CRT-D recipients. Further understanding of the underlying arrhythmogenic mechanisms relating to CKD may be of interest to allow appropriate correction and prevention. Device programming in this cohort may need to reflect this increased risk.

Atypical atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia: prevalence, electrophysiologic characteristics, and tachycardia circuit.

AIMS: This study aimed at assessing the prevalence, electrophysiologic characteristics, and mechanism of atypical atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 925 consecutive patients with AVNRT. Atrial-His (AH) and His-atrial (HA) intervals were measured during atypical AVNRT (HA > 70 ms), and compared with measurements in 34 patients with typical (slow-fast) AVNRT. Assuming that conduction velocity over the fast pathway is similar in the anterograde and retrograde directions, the AH interval during the fast-slow form should be smaller than the HA during slow-fast. Atypical AVNRT was diagnosed in 59 patients (6.4%), median age 50 years (range 19-79 years), and 37 (59.7%) of them female. Fast-slow AVNRT was diagnosed in 44 patients (74.5%), and slow-slow AVNRT in 9 patients (15.2%). The remaining six patients (10.2%) could not be reliably classified due to inconsistent AH, and HA/AH patterns or variable intervals. Tachycardia induction with anterograde conduction jumps was seen in two patients with the fast-slow, and in three patients with slow-slow or intermediate forms. Atrial-His in the fast-slow group was significantly longer than HA in the slow-fast group, 99.7 ± 40.5 ms vs. 45.8 ± 7.7 ms, P < 0.001. Tachycardia cycle length was longer in fast-slow compared with slow-fast, 379.1 ± 68.5 ms vs. 317.1 ± 42.8 ms, P < 0.001. CONCLUSION: Of AVNRT cases, 6.4% are atypical and may display patterns that do not necessarily correspond to the fast-slow or slow-slow conventional types. Atypical fast-slow and typical AVNRT do not appear to utilize the same limb for fast conduction.

The diagnostic certainty levels of junior clinicians: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical decision-making is influenced by many factors, including clinicians' perceptions of the certainty around what is the best course of action to pursue. OBJECTIVE: To characterise the documentation of working diagnoses and the associated level of real-time certainty expressed by clinicians and to gauge patient opinion about the importance of research into clinician decision certainty. METHOD: This was a single-centre retrospective cohort study of non-consultant grade clinicians and their assessments of patients admitted from the emergency department between 01 March 2019 and 31 March 2019. De-identified electronic health record proformas were extracted that included the type of diagnosis documented and the certainty adjective used. Patient opinion was canvassed from a focus group. RESULTS: During the study period, 850 clerking proformas were analysed; 420 presented a single diagnosis, while 430 presented multiple diagnoses. Of the 420 single diagnoses, 67 (16%) were documented as either a symptom or physical sign and 16 (4%) were laboratory-result-defined diagnoses. No uncertainty was expressed in 309 (74%) of the diagnoses. Of 430 multiple diagnoses, uncertainty was expressed in 346 (80%) compared to 84 (20%) in which no uncertainty was expressed. The patient focus group were unanimous in their support of this research. CONCLUSION: The documentation of working diagnoses is highly variable among non-consultant grade clinicians. In nearly three quarters of assessments with single diagnoses, no element of uncertainty was implied or quantified. More uncertainty was expressed in multiple diagnoses than single diagnoses. IMPLICATIONS: Increased standardisation of documentation will help future studies to better analyse and quantify diagnostic certainty in both single and multiple working diagnoses. This could lead to subsequent examination of their association with important process or clinical outcome measures.

Predictors of recurrence following radiofrequency ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation.

AIMS: To establish clinical factors affecting success in persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Wide area circumferential ablation with linear and electrogram-based left atrial (LA) ablation was performed in 191 consecutive patients for persistent AF. After mean follow-up of 13.0 ± 8.9 months, overall success was 64% requiring a mean of 1.5 procedures. Single procedure success rate was 32%. Left atrial size was a univariate predictor of recurrence after a single procedure (P =0.04). Only LA size [hazard ratio (HR) 1.05/mm with 95% confidential interval (CI) 1.02-1.08] was an independent predictor of recurrence after a single procedure. Only LA size was a univariate predictor of recurrence after multiple procedures (P < 0.01). Left atrial size (HR 1.07/mm with 95% CI 1.02-1.11) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM; HR 2.42 with 95% CI 1.06-5.55) were independent predictors of recurrence after multiple procedures. Ablation strategy did not affect success after a single procedure. Left atrial size of <43 mm predicted long-term success with a sensitivity of 92%, specificity 52%, positive predictive value 49%, and negative predictive value 93%. With LA size >43 mm, HCM (HR 3.09 with 95% CI 1.70-7.5) and AF duration (HR 1.07/year with 95% CI 1.00-1.13) were independent predictors of recurrence. CONCLUSION: Left atrial size is the major independent determinant of AF recurrence after ablation for persistent AF. This has important implications for patient selection for persistent AF ablation and the evaluation of AF ablation clinical trial results.

The use of a novel nitinol guidewire to facilitate transseptal puncture and left atrial catheterization for catheter ablation procedures.

AIMS: An increasing number of transseptal punctures (TSPs) are performed worldwide for atrial ablations. Transseptal punctures can be complex and can be associated with potentially life threatening complications. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel transseptal guidewire (TSGW) designed to facilitate TSPs. METHODS AND RESULTS: Transseptal punctures were performed using a SafeSept TSGW passed through a standard TSP apparatus. Transseptal punctures were performed by standard technique with additional use of a TSGW allowing probing of the interatrial septum without needle exposure and penetration of the fossa into the left atrium (LA). Transseptal puncture using the TSGW was performed in 210 patients. Left atrial access was achieved successfully in 205 of 210 patients (97.6%) and in 96.3% of patients undergoing repeat TSP. Left atrial access was achieved with the first pass in 81.2% (mean 1.4 ± 0.9 passes, range 1-6) using the TSGW. No serious complications were attributable to the use of the TSGW, even in cases of failed TSP. CONCLUSIONS: The TSGW is associated with a high success rate for TSP and may be a useful alternative to transoesophageal or intracardiac echocardiogram-guided TSP.

Fusion Pacing with Biventricular, Left Ventricular-only and Multipoint Pacing in Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy: Latest Evidence and Strategies for Use.

Despite advances in the field of cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT), response rates and durability of therapy remain relatively static. Optimising device timing intervals may be the most common modifiable factor influencing CRT efficacy after implantation. This review addresses the concept of fusion pacing as a method for improving patient outcomes with CRT. Fusion pacing describes the delivery of CRT pacing with a programming strategy to preserve intrinsic atrioventricular (AV) conduction and ventricular activation via the right bundle branch. Several methods have been assessed to achieve fusion pacing. QRS complex duration (QRSd) shortening with CRT is associated with improved clinical response. Dynamic algorithm-based optimisation targeting narrowest QRSd in patients with intact AV conduction has shown promise in people with heart failure with left bundle branch block. Individualised dynamic programming achieving fusion may achieve the greatest magnitude of electrical synchrony, measured by QRSd narrowing.

Long-Term Impact of Body Mass Index on Survival of Patients Undergoing Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: A Multi-Centre Study.

Obesity is a risk factor for heart failure (HF), but its presence among HF patients may be associated with favorable outcomes. We investigated the long-term outcomes across different body mass index (BMI) groups, after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), and whether defibrillator back-up (CRT-D) confers survival benefit. One thousand two-hundred seventy-seven (1,277) consecutive patients (mean age: 67.0 ± 12.7 years, 44.1% women, and mean BMI: 28.3 ± 5.6 Kg/m2) who underwent CRT implantation in 5 centers between 2000-2014 were followed-up for a median period of 4.9 years (IQR 2.4 to 7.5). More than 10% of patients had follow-up for ≥10 years. Patients were classified according to BMI as normal: <25.0 Kg/m2, overweight: 25.0 to 29.9 Kg/m2 and obese: ≥30.0 Kg/m2. 364 patients had normal weight, 494 were overweight and 419 were obese. CRT-Ds were implanted in >75% of patients, but were used less frequently in obese individuals. The composite endpoint of all-cause mortality or cardiac transplant/left ventricular assist device (LVAD) occurred in 50.9% of patients. At 10-year follow-up, less than a quarter of patients in the lowest and highest BMI categories were still alive and free from heart transplant/LVAD. After adjustment BMI of 25 to 29.9 Kg/m2 (HR = 0.73 [95%CI 0.56 to 0.96], p = 0.023) and use of CRT-D (HR = 0.74 [95% CI 0.55 to 0.98], p = 0.039) were independent predictors of survival free from LVAD/heart transplant. BMI of 25 to 29.9 Kg/m2 at the time of implant was independently associated with favourable long-term 10-year survival. Use of CRT-D was associated with improved survival irrespective of BMI class.

Aubrey Leatham and the introduction of cardiac pacing to the UK.

In the early 1950s, Dr Aubrey Leatham established a cardiac unit at St. George's Hospital, Hyde Park Corner, London. He developed and taught the essential clinical skill of cardiac auscultation. Under his guidance a clinical department for the care of cardiac patients was developed and coupled to physiological academic research. He was a pioneer in cardiac pacing and, in 1961, Harold Siddons, O'Neal Humphries, and Aubrey Leatham implanted the first 'indwelling' pacemaker in the UK in a 65-year-old man with repeated Stokes-Adams attacks due to complete heart block. The nickel-cadmium 'accumulator', which powered the pacemaker, had to be recharged once a week.

Incidence of left atrial thrombus prior to atrial fibrillation ablation: is pre-procedural transoesophageal echocardiography mandatory?

AIMS: The exact role of transoesphageal echo (TOE) prior to atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation remains unclear. This study examines the incidence and predictors of left atrial (LA) thrombus in patients undergoing AF ablation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients were treated with warfarin for at least 4 weeks prior to ablation. This was substituted with therapeutic dalteparin 3 days before the procedure. All patients underwent TOE to exclude LA thrombus. Six clinical risk factors for thrombus were defined, known to be risk factors for stroke in AF: age>75, diabetes, hypertension, valve disease, prior stroke, or transient ischaemic attack and cardiomyopathy. A total of 635 procedures were performed. The incidence of thrombus was 12/635 (1.9%) despite therapeutic anti-coagulation. Patients with thrombus had larger LA diameter, mean 50.6+/-6.2 mm vs. 44.2+/-7.6 (P=0.006). In univariate analysis, persistent AF [odds ratio (OR)=10.4 with 95% CI 1.8-19.1], hypertension [OR=11.7 with 95% CI 2.5-54.1], age>75 (OR=4.5 with 95% CI 1.2-17.2), and cardiomyopathy (OR 5.9 with 95% CI 1.8-19.1) were significantly associated with thrombus. In multivariate analysis, hypertension (OR=14.2 with 95% CI 2.6-77.5), age>75 (OR=8.1, 95% CI 1.5-44.9), and cardiomyopathy (OR=10.5 with 95% CI 2.6-77.5) were independently associated with thrombus. There was no thrombus in patients without clinical risk factors. CONCLUSION: In patients presenting for AF ablation, LA thrombus is only seen in those with clinical risk factors. TOE is indicated in this group but may be unnecessary in patients without clinical risk factors.

Percutaneous left ventricular endocardial leads: adverse outcomes and a percutaneous extraction case series.

BACKGROUND: Conventional cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) involves the placement of an epicardial left ventricular (LV) lead through the coronary venous tree. However, alternative approaches of delivering CRT have been sought for patients who fail to respond to conventional methods or for those where coronary venous anatomy is unfavourable. Biventricular pacing through an endocardial LV lead has potential advantages; however, the long-term clinical and safety data are not known. CASE SUMMARY: This article details a case series of four patients with endocardial LV leads; three of these for previously failed conventional CRT and a fourth for an inadvertently placed defibrillator lead. DISCUSSION: We describe the clinical course and adverse events associated with left-sided leads and subsequently describe the safe and feasible method of percutaneous extraction.

Effect of tricuspid regurgitation and right ventricular dysfunction on long-term mortality in patients undergoing cardiac devices implantation: >10-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: The long-term effect of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) after device implantation on long-term mortality remains unknown. In the present study, we sought to examine whether patients undergoing an implantable cardiac device procedure (pacemaker, cardiac defibrillator or cardiac resynchronisation therapy) have an increased risk of TR and to determine the effect of this on long-term survival. METHODS: A total of 304 patients who underwent device implant and had pre- and post-implant transthoracic echocardiogram were included in the analysis. All-cause mortality was the study endpoint over a follow-up period of median 11.6 years. RESULTS: New ≥ moderate tricuspid regurgitation post-device implantation developed in 66/304 (21.7%) patients. New right ventricular dysfunction post-device implantation occurred in 59/304 (19.4%) patients. Independent predictors of new RV dysfunction were ischaemic heart disease (OR 4.23, 95% CI 1.58 - 11.33, p = 0.004), left ventricular impairment (OR 2.74, 95% CI 5.41 - 30.00, p < 0.0001) and new ≥ moderate TR (OR 7.72, 95% CI 3.27 - 18.23, p < 0.001). Independent predictors of mortality were new ≥ moderate TR [HR: 3.14 (95% CI 1.29 - 7.63) p = 0.01] and new RV impairment [HR: 2.82 (95% CI 1.33 - 5.98) p = 0.01. CONCLUSIONS: Worsening TR and RV dysfunction post-device implantation is common. New post-implant ≥ moderate TR is associated with increased risk of new RV impairment and poor long term (>10 years) survival.

Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome: familial evaluation identifies inheritable heart disease in the majority of families.

AIMS: At least 4% of sudden deaths are unexplained at autopsy [sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS)] and a quarter may be due to inherited cardiac disease. We hypothesized that comprehensive clinical investigation of SADS families would identify more susceptible individuals and causes of death. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty seven consecutively referred families with SADS death underwent evaluation including resting 12 lead, 24 h and exercise ECG and 2D echocardiography. Other investigations included signal averaged ECG, ajmaline testing, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and mutation analysis. First-degree relatives [184/262 (70%)] underwent evaluation, 13 (7%) reporting unexplained syncope. Seventeen (30%) families had a history of additional unexplained premature sudden death(s). Thirty families (53%) were diagnosed with inheritable heart disease: 13 definite long QT syndrome (LQTS), three possible/probable LQTS, five Brugada syndrome, five arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), and four other cardiomyopathies. One SCN5A and four KCNH2 mutations (38%) were identified in 13 definite LQTS families, one SCN5A mutation (20%) in five Brugada syndrome families and one (25%) PKP2 (plakophyllin2) mutation in four ARVC families. CONCLUSION: Over half of SADS deaths were likely to be due to inherited heart disease; accurate identification is vital for appropriate prophylaxis amongst relatives who should undergo comprehensive cardiological evaluation, guided and confirmed by mutation analysis.

Full blood count as potential predictor of outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Almost a third of patients fulfilling current guidelines criteria have suboptimal responses following cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Circulating biomarkers may help identify these patients. We aimed to assess the predictive role of full blood count (FBC) parameters in prognosis of heart failure (HF) patients undergoing CRT device implantation. We enrolled 612 consecutive CRT patients and FBC was measured within 24 hours prior to implantation. The follow-up period was a median of 1652 days (IQR: 837-2612). The study endpoints were i) composite of all-cause mortality or transplant, and ii) reverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling. On multivariate analysis [hazard ratio (HR), 95% confidence interval (CI)] only red cell count (RCC) (p = 0.004), red cell distribution width (RDW) (p < 0.001), percentage of lymphocytes (p = 0.03) and platelet count (p < 0.001) predicted all-cause mortality. Interestingly, RDW (p = 0.004) and platelet count (p = 0.008) were independent predictors of reverse LV remodeling. This is the first powered single-centre study to demonstrate that RDW and platelet count are independent predictors of long-term all-cause mortality and/or heart transplant in CRT patients. Further studies, on the role of these parameters in enhancing patient selection for CRT implantation should be conducted to confirm our findings.

Catheter ablation for fascicular ventricular tachycardia: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Catheter ablation has been evaluated as treatment for fascicular ventricular tachycardia (FVT) in several single-centre cohort studies, with variable results regarding efficacy and outcomes. METHODS: A systematic search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane database (from inception to November 2017) that included studies on FVT catheter ablation. RESULTS: Thirty-eight observational non-controlled case series comprising 953 patients with FVT undergoing catheter ablation were identified. Three studies were prospective and only 5 were multi-centre. Eight-hundred and eighty-four patients (94.2%) had left posterior FVT, 25 (3.4%) left anterior FVT and 30 (2.4%) other forms. In 331 patients (41%), ablation was performed in sinus rhythm (SR). The mean follow-up period was 41.4 ±â€¯10.7 months. Relapse of FVT occurred in 100 patients (10.7%). Among the 79 patients (8.3%) requiring a further procedure after the index ablation, 19 (2%) had further FVT relapses. Studies in which ablation was performed in FVT had similar success rate after multiple procedures compared to ablation in SR only (95.1%, CI95% 92.2-97%, I2 = 0% versus 94.8%, CI95% 87.6-97.9%, I2 = 0%, respectively). Success rate was numerically lower in paediatric-only series compared to non-paediatric cases (90.0%, CI95% 82.1-94.6%, I2 = 0% versus 94.3%, CI95% 92.2-95.9%, I2 = 0%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Data derived from observational non-controlled case series, with low-methodological quality, suggest that catheter ablation is a safe and effective treatment for FVT, with a 93.5% success rate after multiple procedures. Ablation during FVT represents the first-line and most commonly used approach; however, a strategy of mapping and ablation during SR displayed comparable procedural results to actively mapping patients in FVT and should therefore be considered in selected cases where FVT is not inducible.

Procedural and quality assessment data on catheter ablation for fascicular ventricular tachycardia.

Data presented in this article are supplementary materials to our article entitled "Catheter Ablation for Fascicular Ventricular Tachycardia: A Systematic review" (Creta et al., 2018). The current article provides additional procedural data regarding the catheter ablation for fascicular ventricular tachycardia (FVT) performed in the patients enrolled in our analysis. Furthermore, we provide data regarding the quality assessment of the studies included in our systematic review.