Near-zero x-ray in arrhythmia ablation using a 3-dimensional electroanatomic mapping system: A multicenter experience.

BACKGROUND: Radiation exposure related to conventional tachyarrhythmia radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) carries small but not negligible stochastic and deterministic effects on health. These effects are cumulative and potentially more harmful in younger individuals. Nonfluoroscopic mapping systems can significantly reduce the radiological exposure and in some cases it can completely eliminate it. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of a complete nonfluoroscopic approach for RFCA compared with ablation procedures performed under fluoroscopic guidance. METHODS: RFCA was performed in 442 consecutive patients (mean age 58 ± 19 years). The first 145 patients (group 1) were treated only under fluoroscopic guidance, and the following 297 patients (group 2) were treated using a nonfluoroscopic electroanatomic mapping system (EnSite Velocity). RFCA was completely performed without fluoroscopy in 255 of 297 patients in group 2 (86%). RESULTS: The acute success rate did not differ between group 1 and group 2 (97% vs 96%; P = .46), and there were no differences in either procedure time (87 ± 57 minutes vs 91 ± 52 minutes; P = .41) or complication rate. Fluoroscopic exposure in group 2 was significantly reduced in comparison with group 1 (14 ± 6 seconds vs 1159 ± 833 seconds; P < .0001). CONCLUSION: Compared with the conventional fluoroscopic technique, the near-zero radiation (RX) approach provides similar outcomes and may significantly reduce or eliminate ionizing radiation exposure in RFCA. These reductions are achieved without altering the duration or compromising the safety and effectiveness of the procedure.

Nightmare-induced atypical midventricular tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy.

Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is a reversible cardiomyopathy characterized by acute left ventricular segmental dysfunction, whose clinical presentation resembles that of acute myocardial infarction. The syndrome often follows a psychophysical stressful event and is characterized by echocardiographic evidence of akinesia of the left ventricular mid-apical segments. Atypical echocardiographic patterns of TTC have recently been described, often triggered by emotional stressors, rather than physical. In this report, we describe a case of atypical TTC triggered by an unusual stressor (recurrent nightmare) in a 45-year-old woman, with peculiar clinical presentation and evolution characterized by persistent loss of consciousness, neurological deterioration, absence of typical symptoms of TTC, and features suggestive of a hysterical crisis.

Prevention of syncope through permanent cardiac pacing in patients with bifascicular block and syncope of unexplained origin: the PRESS study.

BACKGROUND: Syncope in patients with bifascicular block (BFB) is a common event whose causes might be difficult to assess. METHODS AND RESULTS: Prevention of syncope through permanent cardiac pacing in patients with bifascicular block (PRESS) is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, single-blinded study designed to demonstrate a reduction in symptomatic events in patients with bifascicular block and syncope of undetermined origin implanted with permanent pacemaker. Device programming mode (NASPE/BPEG code) at DDD with a lower rate of 60 ppm is compared with backup pacing at DDI with a lower rate of 30 ppm. The end point consisted of (1) syncope, (2) symptomatic presyncopal episodes associated with a device intervention (ventricular pacing), and (3) symptomatic episodes associated with intermittent or permanent atrioventricular block (any degree). One hundred one patients were enrolled and randomized. Primary end point events at 2 years were observed in 23 patients, with a significant lower incidence in the study group (hazard ratio, 0.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.10-0.96; P=0.042). Reduction of any symptoms, associated or not with device intervention, was superior in DDD60 compared with DDI30 (hazard ratio, 0.4; 95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.78; P=0.0053). Fourteen patients developed other rhythm diseases and met class I indication for pacing. The annual incidence of rhythm disease development was 7.4%. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with bifascicular block and syncope of undetermined origin, the use of a dual chamber pacemaker programmed to DDD60 led to a significant reduction of syncope or symptomatic events associated with a cardioinhibitory origin, compared with DDI30 programming. Symptoms associated with a new onset of rhythm disease were found in 15% of the population at 2 years.

Indication to cardioverter-defibrillator therapy and outcome in real world primary prevention. Data from the IRIDE [Italian registry of prophylactic implantation of defibrillators] study.

AIMS: Several trials demonstrated the life saving role of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) in primary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD). The aim was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and 4-year outcome of consecutive patients treated in clinical practice by prophylactic ICD implantation on the basis of class I recommendations and up-to-date ICD programming. METHODS AND RESULTS: IRIDE multi-center, prospective and observational study enrolled 604 consecutive patients (mean age: 66 ± 10 years) treated by ICD between 01/01/2006 and 30/06/2010. Main characteristics were similarly distributed among the inclusion criteria of MADIT II (24%), SCD-HeFT (24%), COMPANION (26%) and MADIT-CRT (18%) trials, while a small number of patients met the MUSTT and MADIT (7%) inclusion criteria. Single-chamber ICDs were implanted in 168 (28%) patients, dual-chamber in 167 (28%) and biventricular in 269 (43%) patients. ATP programming was activated in 546 (90%) patients. Overall survival and rate of appropriate ICD intervention by ATP and/or shock at 12-24-36-48 months of follow-up were 94%, 89%, 80%, 75% and 16%, 28%, 37% and 50%, respectively. No difference in mortality rate between the groups who received or did not receive appropriate ICD interventions was demonstrated (p=ns). CONCLUSIONS: The IRIDE study confirms the effectiveness in real world practice of ICD implantation in patients at risk of SCD. The life saving role of ICD therapy increases as the duration of follow-up is prolonged and the survival benefit is similar in patients who received or did not receive appropriate device treatment, thus suggesting a beneficial effect of up-to-date device programming.

Subclavian steal syndrome presenting as recurrent pulmonary oedema associated with acute left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

Subclavian steal syndrome typically presents as angina in patients with internal mammary artery grafts. Atypical clinical presentations have been rarely described. We report an unusual case of subclavian steal syndrome presenting as pulmonary oedema with acute left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and preserved ejection fraction in a patient with internal mammary artery graft and severe stenosis of the proximal left subclavian artery. After successful angioplasty and stenting of subclavian artery, the patient remained asymptomatic for six months, but then experienced acute diastolic dysfunction and recurrent pulmonary oedema associated with critical subclavian in-stent restenosis with stent deformation. This report points out that, in patients with internal mammary-to-LAD grafts, subclavian steal syndrome may present as acute left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and pulmonary oedema even in the presence of normal ejection fraction.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy presenting with predominant left ventricular diastolic dysfunction: efficacy of bromocriptine.

Management of patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is still a major clinical problem, as only half of them or slightly more show complete recovery of left ventricular (LV) function despite conventional evidence-based treatment for heart failure. Recent observations suggested that bromocriptine might favor recovery of LV systolic function in patients with PPCM. However, no evidence exists regarding its effect on LV diastolic dysfunction, which is commonly observed in these patients. Tissue Doppler (TD) is an echocardiographic technique that provides unique information on LV diastolic performance. We report the case of a 37-year-old white woman with heart failure (NYHA class II), moderate LV systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction 35%), and severe LV diastolic dysfunction secondary to PPCM, who showed no improvement after 2 weeks of treatment with ramipril, bisoprolol, and furosemide. At 6-week followup after addition of bromocriptine, despite persistence of LV systolic dysfunction, normalization of LV diastolic function was shown by TD, together with improvement in functional status (NYHA I). At 18-month followup, the improvement in LV diastolic function was maintained, and normalization of systolic function was observed. This paper might support the clinical utility of bromocriptine in patients with PPCM by suggesting a potential benefit on LV diastolic dysfunction.

Acute inflammatory bowel disease complicating chronic alcoholism and mimicking carcinoid syndrome.

We report the case of a woman with a history of chronic alcohol abuse who was hospitalized with diarrhea, severe hypokalemia refractory to potassium infusion, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, alternations of high blood pressure with phases of hypotension, irritability and increased urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and cortisol. Although carcinoid syndrome was hypothesized, abdominal computed tomography and colonoscopy showed non-specific inflammatory bowel disease with severe colic wall thickening, and multiple colic biopsies confirmed non-specific inflammation with no evidence of carcinoid cells. During the following days diarrhea slowly decreased and the patient's condition progressively improved. One year after stopping alcohol consumption, the patient was asymptomatic and serum potassium was normal. Chronic alcohol exposure is known to have several deleterious effects on the intestinal mucosa and can favor and sustain local inflammation. Chronic alcohol intake may also be associated with high blood pressure, behavior disorders, abnormalities in blood pressure regulation with episodes of hypotension during hospitalization due to impaired baroreflex sensitivity in the context of an alcohol withdrawal syndrome, increased urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid as a result of malabsorption syndrome, and increased urinary cortisol as a result of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation. These considerations, together with the regression of symptoms and normalization of potassium levels after stopping alcohol consumption, suggest the intriguing possibility of a alcohol-related acute inflammatory bowel disease mimicking carcinoid syndrome.

Application of 2011 American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Society of Echocardiography appropriateness use criteria in hospitalized patients referred for transthoracic echocardiography in a community setting.

BACKGROUND: A recent American College of Cardiology Foundation and American Society of Echocardiography document updated previous appropriate use criteria (AUC) for echocardiography. The aim of this study was to explore the application of the new AUC, and the resulting appropriateness rate, in hospitalized patients referred for transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in a community setting. METHODS: A total of 931 consecutive inpatients referred for TTE were prospectively recruited in five community hospitals. Patients were categorized as having appropriate, uncertain, or inappropriate indications for TTE according to the AUC. An additional group of 259 inpatients, discharged without having been referred for TTE, was also considered. RESULTS: In the group referred for TTE, the large majority of indications (98.8%) were classifiable according to the AUC with good interobserver reproducibility. Indications were appropriate in 739 patients (80.3%), of uncertain appropriateness in 46 (5.0%), and inappropriate in 135 (14.7%). Compared with patients with appropriate or uncertain indications, those with inappropriate indications were younger and more often referred by noncardiologists. Most common causes of inappropriate indications were related to the lack of changes in clinical status or to the absence of cardiovascular symptoms and signs. Examinations with appropriate or uncertain indications had an impact on clinical decision making more often than those with inappropriate indications (86.7% vs 14.1%, P < .0001). In the group discharged without having been referred for TTE, TTE might have been appropriate in 16.2% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical application of the new AUC was highly feasible in a community setting. Although inpatient referral for TTE was appropriate in most patients, strategies aimed at implementing these criteria in clinical practice are desirable.

'Zero' fluoroscopic exposure for ventricular tachycardia ablation in a patient with situs viscerum inversus totalis.

Situs viscerum inversus totalis (SVIT) is a congenital disorder characterized by mirror reversal of the thoracic and abdominal organs. Different studies have shown that the ablation procedure can be performed without fluoroscopy with safety and effectiveness, in the setting of supraventricular tachycardia. We successfully performed an anatomical map and a radiofrequency catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmia in a patient with SVIT without fluoroscopy.

Dilated cardiomyopathy and inclusion body myositis.

Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is the most common inflammatory myopathy after 50 years of age. In contrast to polymyositis and dermatomyositis, in which cardiac involvement is relatively common, current evidences indicate that IBM is not associated with cardiac disease. We report the case of a patient with biopsy-proven IBM who developed heart failure and major ventricular arrhythmias secondary to dilated cardiomyopathy few months after the clinical onset of IBM, and in whom no pathophysiologic causes explaining cardiac enlargement and dysfunction were found by laboratory and instrumental investigations. The hypothesis of a pathophysiologic association between the two conditions is discussed.

Isolated papillary muscle rupture complicating acute pancreatitis.

Papillary muscle rupture in the absence of coronary stenoses is a rare event. An isolated infarction of the papillary muscle is involved in most cases, but the pathogenesis is still debated. We describe an anterolateral papillary muscle rupture complicating acute pancreatitis in a patient without significant coronary stenoses and with evidence of coronary spasm. This suggests that an increased susceptibility to coronary spasm and thrombosis, triggered by an acute systemic inflammatory response, may represent a mechanism of selective papillary muscle infarction.

Acute cardiac failure following pacing in an adult patient with congenital complete heart block.

A case of an adult patient with congenital complete heart block is reported in whom acute heart failure followed pacemaker implantation. It is uncertain whether the associated cardiomyopathy was present since birth, although right ventricular pacing was probably responsible for further deterioration of myocardial function. Synchronous pacing of both ventricles might be recommended in these patients.