[COVID-19 and arrhythmias]. / COVID-19 et troubles du rythme.

In the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus, arrhythmias were not in the foreground. However, the virus seems to affect many organs and the cardiac tropism is now well known. Knowledge in this area is still far from exhaustive, but several series published concerning patients with COVID-19 find a significant proportion of arrhythmias, some of which can potentially lead to a fatal outcome. These rhythm disorders are mainly supraventricular, such as atrial fibrillation (AF) or flutter but also ventricular disorders like ventricular tachycardias (VT) ventricular fibrillation (VF) and more rarely torsades de pointe (TdP). The causes are multiple, due to the multiorgan damage caused by the virus and potential drug interactions. In addition, the question of monitoring rhythm disorders that may emerge in the medium and long term after an infection remains to be explored.

[Infections in interventional electrophysiology]. / Infections en rythmologie interventionnelle.

The implantation of pacemakers and defibrillators carries the highest risk of infection in interventional electrophysiology. The use of implantable cardiac devices is continually increasing with almost 2 million devices implanted worldwide each year. The recipients' profile may also be associated with an increased risk of infection. Several measures can be implemented to reduce the risk of device-related infection. Systematic antibiotic prophylaxis has proven to be beneficial provided that prescription modalities are respected, especially with respect to the selection of the appropriate molecule and timing of administration prior to the procedure. Despite all the precautions taken during surgery (asepsis, prophylactic antibiotic therapy….) the estimated rate of peri-procedural infection is around 2%. Device related infections are associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality as well as substantial healthcare costs. Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and epidermidis (SE) are the pathogenic agents involved in most cases. Prevention is crucial given the difficulties in treating such infections because of the near-systematic need to remove the device and antibiotic resistance. Leadless pacemakers and subcutaneous defibrillators are potential alternatives to implantable endocardial devices, albeit with certain limitations. A group of experts has recently issued consensus paper on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infections associated with endocardial implantable cardiac devices.

[Transcatheter aortic valve implantation and conduction disturbances]. / Implantation percutanée de valve aortique et troubles conductifs.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is currently becoming the treatment of choice for patients with calcific aortic stenosis. Despite several technical improvements, the incidence of conduction disturbances has not diminished and remains TAVI's major complication. These disturbances include the occurrence of left bundle branch block and/or high-grade atrioventricular block often requiring pacemaker implantation. The proximity of the aortic valve to the conduction system (conduction pathways) accounts for the occurrence of these complications. Several factors have been identified as carrying a high risk of conduction disturbances like the presence of pre-existing right bundle branch block, the type of valve implanted, the volume of aortic and mitral calcifications, the size of the annulus and the depth of valve implantation. Left bundle branch block is the most frequent post TAVI conduction disturbance. Whereas the therapeutic strategy for persistent complete atrioventricular block is simple, it becomes complex in the presence of fluctuating changes in PR interval and left bundle branch block duration. The QRS width threshold value (150-160 ms) indicative of the need for pacemaker implantation is still being debated. Although there are currently no recommendations regarding the management of these conduction disturbances, the extension of TAVI indications to patient at low surgical risk calls for a standardization of our practice. However, a decision algorithm was recently proposed by a group of experts composed of interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists and cardiac surgeons. There are still uncertainties about the appropriate timing of pacemaker implantation and the management of new onset left bundle branch block.

[Assessment of adherence to antihypertensive drugs in patients with resistant hypertension receiving optimal treatment]. / Évaluation de l'adhérence aux médicaments antihypertenseurs chez des patients avec hypertension artérielle résistante recevant un traitement optimal.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to estimate the proportion of non-adherence to antihypertensive drugs in patients with an apparently resistant hypertension despite optimal medical treatment. The secondary objective was to identify related factors to poor adherence. METHODS: Monocentric, prospective and observational study, including consecutive patients, managed for an apparently resistant hypertension between January 2014 and December 2017, with an ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABP) in the past year and a thorough etiological work up in the 2 past years. Hypertension was considered resistant if the daytime ABP was ≥ 135/85mmHg and/or the 24hours ABP≥to 130/80mmHg, despite 4 antihypertensive medications at optimal doses. Adherence to treatment was assessed by the eight-item Morisky Scale (MMAS-8). RESULTS: We enrolled 386 patients, with a mean age of 64.6 years, and 48.2% of men. The mean office blood pressure, 24hours and daytime APB were 178.6/101.3mmHg, 164.4/97.2mmHg and 170.5/99.7mmHg respectively. The proportions of low, medium and high adherence were 24.5%, 47.6% and 27.9% respectively. Associated-factors with poor adherence were female sex, low education level, celibacy, polypharmacy and lack of home self-blood pressure monitoring. CONCLUSION: Over two out of three patients with an apparently resistant hypertension under optimal treatment were partially or fully nonadherent to treatment in our study. Assessment of adherence would be systematic in these patients before implementing complex investigations or non-pharmacologic invasive procedures.

[Try to achieve quickly the blood pressure target in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients is safe and effective]. / Tenter d'atteindre rapidement la cible tensionnelle chez les hypertendus nouvellement diagnostiqués est efficace et sans danger.

OBJECTIVES: To compare a so-called an "accelerated" antihypertensive strategy to a "standard" strategy, in terms of blood pressure control rates and adverse events. METHODS: Prospective open-label randomized controlled trial, which included consecutive hypertensive patients, newly diagnosed, 40 to 70 years old, with no prior antihypertensive treatment. Hypertension was diagnosed if office blood pressure was≥140/90mmHg, confirmed by an increase of Home or a daytime ambulatory blood pressure. The patients were randomly assigned according to 1:1 ratio to an "accelerated" strategy or to a "standard" strategy. The primary end-point was the rate of blood pressure control at 12weeks. The secondary end-point was the rate of adverse events (a safety end-point). RESULTS: We recruited 268 patients (132 in the "accelerated" strategy group), with a mean age of 55 years and 62% of men. The mean office blood pressure at baseline was 168/95mmHg. The clinical characteristics were on average similar between the 2 treatment groups. At 12 weeks, the rates of blood pressure control were 63.6% in the "accelerated" strategy and 38.2% in the "standard" strategy (P<0.001). There was no significantly difference between the rates of adverse events in the 2 strategies (6.06% versus 5.14%; P=0.8). CONCLUSION: The "accelerated" antihypertensive strategy was more effective than a standard one, in terms of blood pressure control, without an increase in adverse events rate. This could translate into a future cardiovascular events reduction.

[Long-term evaluation of endocavitary cryoablation of nodal reentry]. / Evaluation à long terme de la cryoablation endocavitaire dans le traitement des réentrées nodales.

Radiofrequency ablation is the reference treatment of refractory nodal reentry. Cryoablation has the advantage of having more modulable effects and minimises the risk of permanent atrioventricular block (AVB). Its immediate efficacy seems comparable to that of radiofrequency ablation but the long-term results are not well known. Endocavitary cryoablation of the slow pathway was undertaken in 26 patients (18 women) with an average age of 47.7 +/- 72.8 years with re-entrant nodal tachycardia refractory to medical therapy. The primary success rate was 92% (24 out of 26). On average, 2.6 +/- 2.2 (1 to 10) cryoablations at - 70 degrees C were delivered and were preceded by 6.4 +/- 4.5 (1 to 16) cryomappings to locate the site of the slow pathway. During cryomapping, 8 episodes of AVB were observed in 6 patients (6 second or third degree), all of which were revertible on rewarming. No cases of permanent AVB were observed. An oesophageal stimulation test of inducibility was performed on the 4th day in 21 patients, 16 of which were not reinducible. During follow-up of 355 +/- 194 days, 22 of the 26 patients (85%) had no recurrence of the arrhythmia. Two of the 24 primary successes had a recurrence, in addition to the two primary failures. Two of the four recurrences occurred in a non-sustained form which was less disabilitating for the patient and the recurrences were controlled in the 4 patients by antiarrhythmic therapy. These results suggest that cryoablation may be a reliable and effective long-term treatment of re-entrant nodal tachycardias. If confirmed in larger series in terms of efficacy and safety, cryoablation could become the treatment of choice of re-entrant nodal tachycardia.

[Automobile driving and implantable defibrillators]. / Conduite automobile et défibrillateur implantable.

The consequences of implanting an automatic cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) on vehicle driving in France are poorly known. This retrospective study examined the behaviour at the wheel of ICD recipients who were recommended to abstain from driving for 3 to 6 months after device implantation. The study population included 98 patients (mean age = 59.5 +/- 14.8 years) followed for a mean of 24. +/- 23.9 months, who underwent ICD implant for ventricular tachycardia (65% of patients ventricular fibrillation (15%), syncope (8%), as part of a research protocol of myocardial cell transplantation 6%, or for primary prevention (5%). The underlying heart disease was ischemic in 59% of patients dilated cardiomyopathy in 11%,hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in 8%, valvular in 6%. Brugada syndrome in 4%, right ventricular arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy in 2%, and miscellaneous disorders in 9% of patients. Five patients died without post mortem interrogation of the ICD. Only 28% of drivers remembered, and 13% observed, the recommended driving limitations. However, 45% (the oldest) claimed to drive prudently. During follow-up, 47% of patients received an ICD shock. Their mean it ventricular ejection fraction was 34 +/- 14%, versus 43 +/- 18% in patients who received no ICD therapy (p = 0.015). Syncope occurred in 16% who received ICD shocks. Shocks were delivered during driving in 6 patients, without consequent accident. Despite their non-observance of recommended driving limitations. ICD recipients suffered few traffic accidents. Legislation in France should reproduce the guidelines issued by European professional societies and enacted by the British laws.

[New energy sources for ablative methods]. / Nouvelles sources d'énergie dans les méthodes ablatives.

Radiofrequency current is the reference energy source for endocavitary ablation of arrhythmias. It is particularly well adapted for the ablation of focal arrhythmogenic substrates such as accessory pathways or foyers of automatism. Technological advances have made the lesions larger but the extension of the indications of percutaneous ablation to more complex substrates such as atrial fibrillation have justified the evaluation of alternative energies. The production of linear transmural lesions or deeper lesions which respect the parietal myocardial architecture and endocardial structure are a challenge for these energies. The capacity of functional mapping specific to cryogenics has provided this energy source with a clinical application for ablation of high risk structures whereas other energies, despite the chronicity of their experimental evaluation, are still at the stage of preliminary clinical trials with the sophisticated catheters in special indications.

[Prevention of recurrences of atrial fibrillation by cardiologists established in general office practice: data from the FAUVE observatory]. / Traitement préventif des récidives de fibrillation atriale en médecine cardiologique de ville: données de l'observatoire FAUVE.

OBJECTIVES: Analyse the modalities of preventive therapy of recurrences of paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) with Vaughan-Williams (VW) type IC antiarrhythmics. METHODS: Observational study conducted with 326 French cardiologists established in general office practice, involving on the one hand an opinion survey among the cardiologists and on the other hand a cross-sectional observatory of usual medical practice. Each cardiologist was asked to include two patients aged less than 65 with non-permanent (paroxysmal or persistent) AF without left ventricle dysfunction (LVD) and initiated on treatment with a VW type IC antiarrhythmic after cardioversion to sinus rhythm. RESULTS: The opinion survey among the cardiologists indicates that non-permanent AF constitutes 36.1% of AF cases, of which 57.8% concern LVD-free patients. Most cardiologists (85%) declare to institute a preventive therapy of AF recurrences in 70-100% of these patients after cardioversion to sinus rhythm, with a VW type IC antiarrhythmic in more than 50% of cases. Of the 633 patients included in the FAUVE observatory, mainly men, 409 (64.6%) had paroxysmal AF and 224 (35.4%) had persistent AF. Analysis of therapeutic management shows that both alteration of the previous treatment and the choice of a VW type IC antiarrhythmic are based chiefly on efficacy and on tolerability of the antiarrhythmic therapy. CONCLUSION: VW type IC antiarrhythmics constitute a therapy of choice for the maintenance of sinus rhythm in non-aged and LVD-free patients with non-permanent AF.