Magnesium Supplementation Shortens Hemodialysis-Associated Prolonged QT.

Hemodialysis affects myocardial depolarization and repolarization notably lengthening the QT interval. Prolonged QT, in turn, has been a reliable surrogate for higher risk of potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmias. We present an adolescent girl with end-stage kidney disease who consistently developed prolonged QT following hemodialysis sessions. Interestingly, her QT intervals were inversely correlated with her serum magnesium levels. Magnesium supplementation appeared to help reduce the QT prolongation after hemodialysis. Our case shows the potential utility of magnesium as a cardioprotective agent in hemodialysis patients. We recommend that patients undergoing hemodialysis receive frequent electrocardiograms and electrolytes monitoring for tailored electrolytes management to reduce the risk of developing potentially lethal cardiac arrhythmias.

Force-Sensing Catheters During Pediatric Radiofrequency Ablation: The FEDERATION Study.

BACKGROUND: Based on data from studies of atrial fibrillation ablations, optimal parameters for the TactiCath (TC; St. Jude Medical, Inc) force-sensing ablation catheter are a contact force of 20 g and a force-time integral of 400 g·s for the creation of transmural lesions. We aimed to evaluate TC in pediatric and congenital heart disease patients undergoing ablation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Comprehensive chart and case reviews were performed from June 2015 to March 2016. Of the 102 patients undergoing electrophysiology study plus ablation, 58 (57%) underwent ablation initially with a force-sensing catheter. Patients had an average age of 14 (2.4-23) years and weight of 58 (18-195) kg with 15 patients having abnormal cardiac anatomy. Electrophysiology diagnoses for the +TC group included 30 accessory pathway-mediated tachycardia, 24 atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia, and 7 other. Baseline generator settings included a power of 20 W, temperature of 40°, and 6 cc/min flow during lesion creation with 11 patients (19%) having alterations to parameters. Seventeen patients (30%) converted to an alternate ablation source. A total of 516 lesions were performed using the TC with a median contact force of 6 g, force-time integral of 149 g·s, and lesion size index of 3.3. Median-term follow-up demonstrated 5 (10%) recurrences with no acute or median-term complications. CONCLUSIONS: TactiCath can be effectively employed in the treatment of pediatric patients with congenital heart disease with lower forces than previously described in the atrial fibrillation literature. Patients with atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia or atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia may not require transmural lesions and the TC may provide surrogate markers for success during slow pathway ablation.

Characterization of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Isolate US/Iowa/18984/2013 Infection in 1-Day-Old Cesarean-Derived Colostrum-Deprived Piglets.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) was first recognized in North America in April 2013 and has since caused devastating disease. The objective of this study was to characterize disease and viral detection associated with an original North American PEDV isolate inoculated in neonatal piglets. Thirty-six 1-day-old cesarean-derived and colostrum-deprived piglets were randomly assigned to the control (n = 16) or challenged group (n = 20); the latter were orogastrically inoculated with 1 ml of US/Iowa/18984/2013 PEDV isolate titered at 1 × 10(3) plaque-forming units per milliliter. Rectal swabs were collected from all piglets prior to inoculation and every 12 hours postinoculation (hpi) thereafter, with 4 control and 5 challenged piglets euthanized at 12, 24, 48, and 72 hpi. One piglet had a positive real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction test on rectal swab at 12 hpi, and all remaining piglets were positive thereafter, with highest viral quantities detected at 24 and 36 hpi. Diarrhea was evident in 30% and 100% of challenged piglets at 18 and 24 hpi, respectively. Viral antigen was detected in enterocytes by immunohistochemistry in the duodenum and ileum of piglets euthanized at 12 hpi and was apparent throughout the small intestine of all piglets thereafter, with villus height:crypt depth ratios consistently below 4:1. Viremia was confirmed in 18 of 20 pigs at euthanasia. Clinical disease was severe and developed rapidly following infection with an original North American PEDV isolate, with lesions, viremia, and antigen detection possible by 12 hpi.

Use of smartphone technology in cardiology.

Smartphone-based technologies along with broadband connectivity are changing the way modern cardiology is practiced. The ever broadening connectivity and increasing capabilities of smartphone-based technologies can better monitor, diagnose, and prevent cardiovascular diseases. Researchers can leverage the ubiquitous use of smartphone-based technologies and their constant stream of biometric data to establish large community-based clinical research studies. Patient engagement is enhanced with constant and on-demand access to physicians, daily self-monitoring, and expanding social networks. On the other hand, the exponential growth of smartphone-based technologies invariably disrupts the traditional healthcare model and leaves a vacuum in the infrastructure, medico-legal apparatus, and reimbursement systems that need to be addressed. In this review, we present a comprehensive discussion of the various applications utilizing smartphone-based technologies in cardiology.

A haptically enhanced painting as a tool for neurorehabilitation.

This paper examines a new form of interaction combining haptic and sonic exploration with static visual information from a real painting. Motivated by recent work in neurorehabilitation exploring group interactions with a robot, and by the educational and explorative value of artefacts, we investigate the feasibility of an interactive painting as a potential tool for the rehabilitation of brain injuries. The study consisted of a series of thirty-six single case studies with healthy individuals exploring a painting through haptic feedback with/without sonic interaction and assessed using a multidimensional measurement intended to evaluate the participants' subjective experience. The results showed that participants engaged with the interactive installation and executed more movements while exploring the painting in pairs. It appears that the haptic painting paradigm encourages development of analytical skills, imagination, promotes spatial skills realisation and enhances touch/hearing sensory channels. The results suggest that this approach might be of value to neurorehabilitation by exploring concepts of augmented artefact installations with technology (haptics + sound), promoting social integration and potential use in public spaces.