Management of acute uncomplicated diverticulitis and adherence to current guidelines-a multicentre SNAPSHOT study.

PURPOSE: To explore whether previous participation in clinical studies increases adherence to management guidelines in acute uncomplicated diverticulitis (AUD). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was designed to give a SNAPSHOT of the management of AUD at six hospitals, three of which had participated in the AVOD trial comparing antibiotic versus non-antibiotic treatment of AUD. Patients with AUD were included from March 2019 through June 2020 and followed for 90 days. The primary outcome was treatment of AUD categorised by antibiotic treatment and inpatient or outpatient management compared between AVOD and non-AVOD hospitals. Descriptive statistics were compiled, and differences between hospitals were assessed with Pearson's chi-squared test. RESULTS: The cohort included 449 patients with AUD of which 63% were women and the median age was 63 (IQR: 52-73) years. Patient characteristics were comparable across the hospitals. Antibiotics were administered to 84 (19%) patients and 113 (25%) patients were managed as inpatients. Management varied significantly between AVOD and non-AVOD hospitals. The mean proportion of patients treated with antibiotics was 7% at AVOD hospitals compared to 38% at non-AVOD hospitals (p < 0.001). The mean proportion of in-hospital management was 18% at AVOD hospitals versus 38% at non-AVOD hospitals (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Most patients with AUD were managed according to current guidelines. However, the management varies between hospitals and previous participation in clinical studies may increase knowledge of and adherence to guidelines.

Incidence of strict versus nonstrict left bundle branch block after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: Up to one-third of patients diagnosed with left bundle branch block (LBBB) by conventional electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria are misdiagnosed. Strict LBBB shows decreased left ventricular pumping efficiency compared with nonstrict LBBB. However, no previous study has evaluated the frequency of strict LBBB after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of developing strict versus nonstrict LBBB after TAVR and test the hypothesis that preprocedure QRS duration does not predict strict LBBB but predicts development of nonstrict LBBB. METHODS: All patients receiving TAVR between 4/2011 and 2/2013 (n = 71) with no preexisting bundle branch block or permanent pacemaker were included. Twelve-lead ECGs were acquired preprocedure and both 1-day and 1-month postprocedure. All ECGs were classified as strict LBBB, nonstrict LBBB, or no LBBB. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients had ECGs eligible for final analysis. On postprocedure day 1, 25 (37%) of 68 patients developed strict LBBB, and 2 patients (3%) developed nonstrict LBBB. At 1-month follow-up, the 2 patients diagnosed with nonstrict LBBB had resolved to normal, and 5 (20%) of 25 patients with strict LBBB had resolved to normal. Preprocedure QRS duration did not predict strict LBBB (P = .51). Because of the low incidence of nonstrict LBBB, QRS duration as a predictor of nonstrict LBBB could not be tested. CONCLUSIONS: Almost all patients who developed evidence of LBBB after TAVR met the new strict criteria, indicating probable procedural injury to the left bundle branch. Preprocedural QRS duration did not predict the development of strict LBBB.

The relationship between electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy criteria and echocardiographic mass in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

INTRODUCTION: Calcific aortic stenosis (AS) is a common valvular disease among the elderly. Often, AS leads to left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and symptoms of heart failure. Severe AS can be treated by transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Previous studies have shown that electrocardiogram (ECG) criteria for LVH correlate poorly with left ventricular mass (LVM) in echocardiography. However, such correlations have not been studied in TAVR patients. AIMS: To evaluate ECG LVH criteria as a method of diagnosing and quantifying LVH in patients with AS undergoing TAVR. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients, with neither pacemaker nor bundle branch block, who had undergone pre-TAVR ECG and echocardiography were included. The ECGs were evaluated using the Sokolow-Lyon, Romhilt-Estes and Cornell Voltage criteria for LVH as well as spatial maximal QRS-T angle and 3D QRS maximal spatial vector. The LVM was measured by echocardiography. RESULTS: 15 (63%) patients met the echocardiographic threshold for LVH. 7 patients (29%) were positive by the Sokolow-Lyon, 5 (21%) by the Romhilt-Estes and 12 (50%) by the Cornell Voltage criteria for LVH. There was no correlation between LVM and conventional ECG LVH criteria or spatial parameters. QRS duration correlated with LVM (r=0.56, R(2)=0.31, p=0.005). However, there was no correlation between QRS duration and LVM index or relative wall thickness (RWT). CONCLUSIONS: In TAVR patients, none of the ECG LVH criteria should be used for evaluation of LVM. QRS duration is moderately correlated to LVM and is the most useful ECG estimate of LVM.

Investigation of potential mechanisms of sex differences in quinidine-induced torsade de pointes risk.

INTRODUCTION: The electrocardiographic index Tpeak-Tend has been proposed as a marker of dispersion of repolarization and may be a stronger predictor of torsade de pointes risk than QTc prolongation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We assessed whether quinidine-induced Tpeak-Tend prolongation is greater in women than men. The relationship between QTc prolongation and quinidine concentration was greater in women than men (38 ± 10 vs. 28 ± 9 ms/µg/ml, p=0.02), but there was no difference for Tpeak-Tend prolongation (39 ± 13 vs. 32 ± 13 ms/µg/ml, p=0.21). There was a delay (hysteresis) between peak concentration and both maximum QTc and Tpeak-Tend prolongation and a trend toward higher serum quinidine concentration in men than women. Analysis controlling for hysteresis showed no sex difference for QTc (55 ± 18 vs. 43 ± 19 ms/µg/ml, p=0.14), without changing the lack of sex difference with Tpeak-Tend (61 ± 22 vs. 55 ± 21 ms/µg/ml, p=0.49). CONCLUSIONS: Women do not have a greater quinidine-induced Tpeak-Tend prolongation than men. Sex differences in hysteresis and serum quinidine concentration in this study may have contributed to sex differences in quinidine-induced QTc prolongation.

Immediate mechanical effects of acute left bundle branch block by speckle tracked strain.

INTRODUCTION: Left bundle branch block (LBBB) is a known complication of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and has been shown to predict worsened outcomes in TAVR patients. A regional longitudinal strain pattern, termed the "classic" pattern of left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony, which is thought to be due to LBBB, is highly predictive of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy. Whether LBBB causes this "classic" pattern is not known. METHODS: We retrospectively studied patients undergoing TAVR who also underwent pre- and post-TAVR strain analysis to determine if the "classic" pattern arose in those who developed TAVR-induced true LBBB. After removing patients with baseline conduction abnormalities or insufficient studies 9 patients had sufficient data for analysis. Six patients developed LBBB after TAVR and 3 patients did not develop LBBB after TAVR. ECGs were analyzed for the new onset of LBBB after TAVR. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) and regional longitudinal strain patterns were analyzed for changes between pre- and immediately post-TAVR examinations. RESULTS: Patients who did not develop LBBB showed no significant changes in their regional longitudinal strain pattern. Those patients who did develop LBBB showed significant increase in their difference of time-to-onset of contraction between the septal and lateral walls post-TAVR (22 ± 14 ms vs 111 ± 49 ms; p=0.003) and in their difference of time-to-peak contraction between the septal and lateral walls post-TAVR (63 ± 56 ms vs 133 ± 46 ms; p=0.002). Early lateral wall pre-stretch and delayed lateral wall peak contraction emerged in all patients with LBBB but early septal peak contraction meeting the established criteria was present in only one patient. DISCUSSION: The onset of LBBB led to acute, measurable changes in the regional longitudinal strain pattern consisting of early lateral wall pre-stretch and delayed lateral wall peak contraction. These represent 2 of the 3 findings in the "classic" pattern of LV dyssynchrony. Early termination of septal wall contraction meeting established criteria was not routinely found. Time and/or other factors may be required to develop the full "classic" pattern.

Impact of left bundle branch block after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

The number of patients with severe aortic stenosis getting treated with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is rapidly growing and the outcome after the procedure is very good. However, the incidence of new persistent left bundle branch block (LBBB) following the TAVR procedure is high and the impact of this new conduction disturbance has been studied in four major studies with divergent result. This review investigates the differences between these studies that might explain the divergent results and concludes that future studies are needed to characterize whether or not new LBBB after TAVR fulfills the new strict LBBB criteria, whether these new LBBB patients develops left ventricular dyssynchrony, and which, if any, might benefit from cardiac resyncronization therapy (CRT).

Impact of ostium secundum atrial septal defect closure on the resolution of falsely positive electrocardiographic criteria for myocardial scarring.

BACKGROUND: Electrocardiographic (ECG) Selvester QRS score criteria with false indication of anteroseptal scarring consistent with myocardial infarction have been found in patients with ostium secundum atrial septal defect (OS-ASD). The objective of this study was to evaluate ECGs pre and post percutaneous transcatheter OS-ASD closure to test the hypothesis that the falsely positive criteria for anteroseptal scar decline 1 day post procedure. METHODS: Patients (n = 34, mean age 48 ± 17 years, 79% female) that underwent OS-ASD closure and had undergone pre procedure cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showing no left ventricular (LV) scarring were included in this study. ECGs pre and 1 day post procedure were assessed according to the QRS Selvester scoring system and compared. RESULTS: Mean Selvester score in anteroseptal regions pre procedure was 6.6 (0.0-6.8) % LV scar and decreased to 4.3 (0.0-6.0) % LV scar one day after the procedure (p = 0.01). Mean Selvester score in lateral regions pre procedure was 3.7 (0.0-3.0) %LV scar and decreased to 2.8 (0.0-0.0) % LV scar one day post procedure (p = 0.25). DISCUSSION: OS-ASD patients with falsely positive anteroseptal scar criteria by the Selvester QRS score pre procedure have a significant decrease in anteroseptal Selvester score 1 day post procedure. The falsely positive anteroseptal scar criteria did not completely resolve 1 day post procedure. Further studies are needed to investigate the relationship between ECG criteria for anteroseptal scar and right ventricular volume overload in late follow up.