Structural and Functional Impact of Adrenoceptor Beta-1 Gene Polymorphism in Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Response to Beta-Blocker Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetically inherited cardiac disorder with diverse clinical presentations. Adrenergic activity, primarily mediated through beta-adrenoceptors, plays a central role in the clinical course of HCM. Adrenergic stimulation increases cardiac contractility and heart rate through beta-1 adrenoceptor activation. Beta-blocker drugs are recommended as the primary treatment for symptomatic HCM patients to mitigate these effects. METHODS: This prospective study aimed to investigate the impact of common ADRB-1 gene polymorphisms, specifically serine-glycine at position 49 and arginine-glycine at position 389, on the clinical and structural aspects of HCM. Additionally, the study explored the association between these genetic variations and the response to beta-blocker therapy in HCM patients. RESULTS: A cohort of 147 HCM patients was enrolled, and comprehensive assessments were performed. The findings revealed that the Ser49Gly polymorphism significantly influenced ventricular ectopic beats, with beta-blocker therapy effectively reducing them in Ser49 homozygous patients. Moreover, natriuretic peptide levels decreased, particularly in Ser49 homozygotes, indicating improved cardiac function. Left ventricular outflow obstruction, a hallmark of HCM, was also reduced following beta-blocker treatment in all patient groups. In contrast, the Arg389Gly polymorphism did not significantly impact baseline parameters or beta-blocker response. CONCLUSION: These results emphasize the role of the Ser49Gly polymorphism in the ADRB-1 gene in shaping the clinical course and response to beta-blocker therapy in HCM patients. This insight may enable a more personalized approach to managing HCM by considering genetic factors in treatment decisions. Further research with larger populations and longer follow-up periods is needed to confirm and expand upon these findings.

Impact of Preloading Strategy With Ticagrelor on Periprocedural Myocardial Injury in Patients With Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Early Invasive Strategy.

ABSTRACT: Pretreatment with an oral P2Y12 receptor blocker (before coronary angiography) versus treatment in the catheterization laboratory has been a matter of debate in patients presenting with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). The primary aim of this study was to assess the impact of an immediate preloading strategy with ticagrelor on periprocedural myocardial injury in patients with NSTEMI treated with an early invasive strategy. NSTEMI patients who underwent coronary angiography and subsequent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within 24 hours after hospital admission were divided into 2 groups: the first group (pretreatment group) included patients who received ticagrelor pretreatment as soon as possible after admission and the second group (no pretreatment group) included patients who received a loading dose of ticagrelor after coronary angiography. The pretreatment group included 232 patients, and the no pretreatment group included 87 patients. Male patients represented the majority of the patients. The 2 groups were similar in baseline characteristics, except for a greater incidence of hypertension ( P = 0.014) and higher hemoglobin levels ( P = 0.01) in the pretreatment group in comparison with the no pretreatment group. Patients in the ticagrelor pretreatment group had less myocardial injury until coronary angiography based on troponin measurements collected at 12 hours after admission ( P = 0.025). Patients in the ticagrelor pretreatment group also had fewer periprocedural myocardial injuries based on troponin measurements taken between 12 and 24 hours after the PCI ( P = 0.026 and P = 0.022, respectively). Our findings suggested that ticagrelor pretreatment reduces periprocedural myocardial injury in NSTEMI patients who underwent PCI within 24 hours after admission.

The Long-Term Impact of Ionizing Radiation on DNA Damage in Patients Undergoing Multiple Cardiac Catheterizations.

Ionizing radiation (IR) exposures have increased exponentially in recent years due to the rise in diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. A number of small-scale studies investigated the long-term effect of IR on health workers or immediate effects of IR on patients undergoing catheterization procedures; however, the long-term impact of multiple cardiac catheterizations on DNA damage on a patient population is not known. In this study, the effects of IR on DNA damage, based on micronuclei (MN) frequency and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as markers in peripheral lymphocytes, were evaluated in patients who previously underwent multiple cardiac catheterization procedures. Moreover, genetic polymorphisms in genes PARP1 Val762Ala, OGG1 Ser326Cys, and APE1 Asn148Glu as a measure of sensitivity to radiation exposure were also investigated in the same patient population. The patients who underwent ≥ 3 cardiac catheterization procedures revealed higher DNA injury in comparison to the patients who underwent ≤ 2 procedures, documented with the presence of higher level of MN frequency (6.4 ± 4.8 vs. 9.1 ± 4.3, p = 0.002) and elevated serum 8-OHdG levels (33.7 ± 3.8 ng/mL vs. 17.4 ± 1.9 ng/mL, p = 0.001). Besides, OGG1 Ser326Cys and APE1 Asn148Glu heterozygous and homozygous polymorphic types, which are related with DNA repair mechanisms, were significantly associated with MN frequency levels (p = 0.006 for heterozygous and p = 0.001 for homozygous with respect to OGG1 Ser326Cys, p = 0.007 for heterozygous and p = 0.001 for homozygous with respect to APE1 Asn148Glu). There was no significant difference in terms of PARP1 Val762Ala gene polymorphism between two groups.

Left atrial functions in the early period after cryoballoon ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

PURPOSE: In patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), functional changes are observed in the left atrium (LA) after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) procedure. Although previous studies have investigated the altered mechanical functions of the LA with radiofrequency (RF) ablation, changes in the LA functions in the early period after cryoablation (CB-2) have not been clearly demonstrated. This study aims to explore the early periodical changes in mechanical functions of the LA in patients with PAF who underwent CB-2 based ablation through the help of echocardiographic methods which contain Doppler and strain parameters. METHODS: Consecutive 77 patients (mean age: 57.5 ±  11.2; 57% men) with PAF underwent CB-2 were prospectively analyzed. All patients were in sinus rhythm before and after the procedure. The LA dimensions, the LA reservoir strain, the LA atrial contractile strain and the LA conduit strain and left ventricular diastolic function parameters were evaluated by Doppler echocardiography before and 3 months after the procedure. RESULTS: Acute procedural success was achieved in all cases. No major complications were observed. LA reservoir strain and LA contractile strain showed significant recovery after the procedure. (28.3 ± 12.8 vs. 34.6 ± 13.8, p < .001 and -10.8 ± 7.9 vs. -13.9 ± 9.3, p = .014 respectively). No significant change was demonstrated in other echocardiographic parameters. CONCLUSION: Significant improvement in mechanical functions may occur even in the early period after cryoballoon ablation in patients with PAF.

Non-dominant right coronary artery (RCA) is associated with suspected inferior ischemia on SPECT in patients without significant coronary artery disease (CAD).

OBJECTIVE: There is a huge uncertainty in the medical community regarding the significance of non-dominant right coronary artery (RCA) in patients with inferior wall ischemia on myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of non-dominant RCA on myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPS) with respect to the misleading detection of ischemia in the inferior wall of the myocardium. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 155 patients, who had undergone elective coronary angiography owing to an indication of inferior wall ischemia by MPS between 2012 and 2017. Patients were divided into two groups based on the coronary dominance: group 1 (n = 107), if RCA is the dominant artery, and group 2 (n = 48), if there are dominance of left artery and codominance of both arteries. Obstructive CAD was diagnosed in the case of stenosis that had severity greater than 50%. The positive predictive value (PPV), which was calculated as per the correlation between the inferior wall ischemia in MPS and obstruction level in RCA, was compared in both groups. RESULTS: Majority of patients were male (109, 70%) and the mean age was 59.5 ± 10.2. There were 45 patients with obstructive RCA disease (PPV: 42%) among 107 patients in group 1, whereas there were only 8 patients with obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in RCA among 48 patients in group 2, (PPV: 16% and p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated that non-dominant RCA is associated with false-positive detection of inferior wall ischemia via MPS.

Radiomics-based machine learning models in STEMI: a promising tool for the prediction of major adverse cardiac events.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential value of the machine learning (ML) models using radiomic features of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and cine images on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) along with relevant clinical information and conventional MRI parameters for the prediction of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. METHODS: This retrospective study included 60 patients with the first STEMI. MACE consisted of new-onset congestive heart failure, ventricular arrhythmia, and cardiac death. Radiomic features were extracted from cine and LGE images. Inter-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to assess inter-observer reproducibility. LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) method was used for radiomic feature selection. Seven separate models using a different combination of the available information were investigated. Classifications with repeat random sampling were done using adaptive boosting, k-nearest neighbor, naive Bayes, neural network, random forest, stochastic gradient descent, and support vector machine algorithms. RESULTS: Of the 1748 extracted radiomic features, 1393 showed good inter-observer agreement. With LASSO, 25 features were selected. Among the ML algorithms, the neural network showed the highest predictive performance on average (area under the curve (AUC) 0.822 ± 0.181). Of the best-calculated model, the one using clinical parameters, CMRI parameters, and selected radiomic features (model 7), the diagnostic performance was as follows: 0.965 AUC, 0.894 classification accuracy, 0.906 sensitivity, 0.883 specificity, 0.875 positive predictive value (PPV), and 0.912 negative predictive value (NPV). CONCLUSION: The radiomics-based ML models incorporating clinical and conventional MRI parameters are promising for predicting MACE occurrence in STEMI patients in the follow-up period. KEY POINTS: • Acute coronary occlusion results in variable changes at the cellular level ranging from myocyte swelling to myonecrosis depending on the duration of the ischemia and the metabolic state of the heart, which causes subtle heterogeneous signal changes that are imperceptible to the human eye with cardiac MRI. • Radiomics-based machine learning analysis of cardiac MR images is promising for risk prediction. • Combining MRI-derived parameters and clinical variables increases the accuracy of predictive models.

Effects of obesity on arrhythmic events and survival in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

Background    Studies have shown that increased body weight and obesity may be associated with an increased risk of arrhythmic events. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of obesity on the risk of arrhythmic events, hospitalization, and death in patients who received implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy for primary or secondary prevention.Material and Methods    A single-center, prospective, observational study was conducted. Patients with body mass index (BMI) <30 kg / m2 were classified as non-obese, and patients with BMI ≥30 kg / m2 were classified as obese. The primary endpoints were arrhythmic events and device interventions. The secondary endpoints were all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, cardiac rehospitalization, and a composite endpoint of mortality and hospitalization.Results    Among a total of 340 patients, 78.2 % were male, and 22.1 % were obese. The mean age was 60.9 yrs. Ventricular tachycardia (VT) was more frequent in non-obese patients (HR 0.57, [CI] 0.38-0.87, p=0.009). All-cause mortality and cardiac mortality in all patients tended to be more frequent in non-obese (HR 2.71, [CI] 0.93-7.93, p= 0.069 for all-cause mortality; HR 3.29, [CI] 0.97-11.17, p=0.056 for cardiac mortality). In the subgroup analysis, VT, all-cause mortality, and cardiac mortality were more common for non-obese patients in primary prevention and ischemic heart failure (HF) groups.Conclusion    While VT was more frequent in non-obese patients, VF, ICD appropriate shock, inappropriate shock, and antitachycardia pacing were similar in obese and non-obese patients. All-cause mortality and cardiac mortality were more frequent in non-obese patients.

Cardiac Hydatid Disease and Peritoneal Tuberculosis Coexistence.

Hydatid cyst is a parasitic infection caused by Echinocococcus granulosus. The coexistence of tuberculosis and cardiac hydatid cyst is extremely rare and generally seen in developing coun- tries. Here, we describe a unique case of a patient presenting with cardiac and gastrointestinal symptoms, who has coexistence of cardiac hydatid cyst and peritoneal tuberculosis.

Safety of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in patients with Behcet's syndrome and familial Mediterranean fever: a cross-sectional comparative study on the effects of M-RNA based and inactivated vaccine.

Most of the published data relate to classical forms of rheumatic diseases (RD) and information on rare inflammatory disorders such as Behçet's syndrome (BS) and familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is limited. We studied the frequency of side effects and disease flares after COVID-19 vaccination with either Pfizer/BioNTech or Sinovac/CoronaVac in 256 patients with BS, 247 with FMF, and 601 with RD. Telephone interviews were conducted using a questionnaire survey in a cross-sectional design in patients with BS, FMF, and RD followed by a single university hospital. Study participants were vaccinated either with CoronaVac (BS:109, FMF: 90, and RD: 343,) or BioNTech (BS: 147, FMF: 157 and RD: 258). The majority have received double dose (BS: 94.9%, FMF 92.3% and RD: 86.2%). BioNTech ensured a significantly better efficacy than CoronaVac against COVID-19 in all patient groups (BS: 1.4% vs 10.1%; FMF: 3.2% vs 12.2%, RD:2.7% vs 6.4%). Those with at least one adverse event (AE) were significantly more frequent among those vaccinated with BioNTech than those with CoronaVac (BS: 86.4% vs 45%; FMF: 83.4% vs 53.3%; and RD: 83.3% vs 45.5%). The majority of AEs were mild to moderate and transient and this was true for either vaccine. There were also AEs that required medical attention in all study groups following CoronaVac (BS: 5.5%, FMF: 3.3%, and RD:2.9%) or BioNTech (BS: 5.4%, FMF: 1.9%, and RD: 4.7%). The main causes for medical assistance were disease flare and cardiovascular events. Patients with BS (16.0%) and FMF (17.4%) were found to flare significantly more frequently when compared to those with RD (6.0%) (p < 0.001). This was true for either vaccine. BS patients reported mainly skin-mucosa lesions; there were however, 11 (4.3%) who developed major organ attack such as uveitis, thrombosis or stroke. Flare in FMF patients were associated mainly with acute serositis with or without fever. Arthralgia/arthritis or inflammatory back pain were observed mainly in the RD group. Our study demonstrates that BS and FMF patients vaccinated with either CoronaVac or BioNTech demonstrated similar AE profile and frequency compared to RD patients. AEs that required physician consultation or hospitalization occurred in all study groups after either CoronaVac or BioNTech. Increased frequency of flares in BS and FMF compared to that seen in RD might reflect defects in innate immunity and deserves further investigation. Caution should be required when monitoring these patients after vaccination.

The validation of left atrial strain imaging for the assessment of diastolic functions in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Assessment of left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP) is crucial in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Since current guideline recommended echocardiographic parameters have limited value, more comprehensive assessment methods are required in this patient subset.In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical utility of left atrial reservoir strain (LARS) imaging in patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). Patients who underwent successful pPCI were included. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was measured invasively following pPCI. Left atrial strain imaging was performed following pPCI within 24 h of pPCI. Normal LARS value was accepted as above 23%. We prospectively enrolled 69 patients; there were 18 patients with LARS below 23% who were included into group 1 and rest of the study population included into group 2. There was no significant difference between groups in terms of comorbidities.Troponin and pro-BNP levels were significantly higher in group 1 (p: 0.036 and 0.047 respectively). Left atrial volume and tricuspid regurgitation velocity were similar between groups (p: 0.416 and p: 0.351 respectively). Septal tissue velocity was higher (p: 0.001) and Septal E/e' ratio was lower (p: 0.004) in group 2. Left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain value was higher in group 1 which is consistent with observed lower ejection (LVEF) fraction in group 1 (p: 0.001 for LV strain and p: 0.001 for LVEF). Estimated mean LVFP was also higher in group 1 (p: 0.003).Correlation analyses revealed moderate correlation between LARS and LVEDP (r: - 0.300). Our results indicate that left atrial strain imaging is a promising tool for the assessment of left atrial pressure in patients with STEMI.

Echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular filling pressure in patients with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction: an invasive validation study.

Backgrounds Assessment of left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP) is of clinical importance in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Although several echocardiographic parameters are recommended for the assessment of LVFP, validation of these parameters in patients with STEMI is missing. We aimed to investigate the clinical utility of these parameters in acute settings. Methods: We prospectively included consecutive patients with STEMI. LV end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was measured following primary PCI and echocardiographic examination was performed within 24 hours. Mean left atrial pressure (mLAP) was calculated both invasively using Yamamoto's formula and non-invasively using Naugeh's formula. Mean LAP was considered increased when exceeded 18 mmHg. Results: Patients were grouped according to LVEDP, group 1(41 patients) and group 2(114 patients).There was no significant difference between groups in terms of comorbidities. NT pro-BNP levels (p < 0.001) and peak level of Hs-TnT (p-value: 0.002) were significantly higher in group 2. Average E/e' ratio was significantly higher in group 2 (10.19 ± 3.15 vs. 12.04 ± 4.83, p: 0.046). Isovolumetric relaxation time was longer in group 2 (p < 0.001) and left atrial volume index (LAVI) was also significantly higher in group 2 (p < 0.001). Regression analyses revealed that septal, lateral and average E/e' ratio, tricuspid regurgitation velocity, LAVI and left ventricular volume are correlated with mLAP. Among group 2 patients only 14 Patients fulfilled the increased LVFP criteria suggested by current guidelines. Conclusions Echocardiographic parameters indicating increased LVFP require validation and may need to be modified in patients with STEMI. Moreover, current algorithms underestimate the actual number of patients with increased LVFP.

The role of Beta-1 receptor gene polymorphism in Beta-Blocker therapy for vasovagal syncope.

BACKGROUND: Vasovagal syncope (VVS) is a common clinical condition involving genetic background. The role of beta-blockers in the treatment is controversial. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of beta-1 gene polymorphism on beta-blocker therapy in patients with VVS. METHODS: We included 123 patients who were diagnosed with VVS after the tilttable test. We searched for the polymorphism Arg389Gly (rs1801253) in the beta-1 adrenoceptor gene. RESULTS: Overall, 64 patients (52%) had Arg389Arg with Arg389Arg genotype were more frequent compared with patients having Arg389Gly genotype (total syncopal episodes [TSE], 7.9 ± 3.7 vs. 6.4 ± 3.0; p = 0.012). TSE in patients with Arg389Arg genotype decreased significantly after 18 months of beta-blocker treatment (7.9 ± 3.7 vs. 3.0 ± 1.4, p < 0.001). After 18 months of beta-blocker treatment, patients with Arg389Arg genotype had significantly fewer syncopal episodes than patients with Arg389Gly genotype (3.0 ± 1.4 vs. 6.8 ± 3.2, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Results of beta-blocker therapy in patients with Arg389Arg genotype suggest that VVS pathophysiology is a multifactorial condition, with genetic, psychological, and environmental components, and therefore, treatment selection can be based on gene polymorphism.

The Role of Beta-1 Receptor Gene Polymorphism in Beta-Blocker Therapy for Vasovagal Syncope

Background: Vasovagal syncope (VVS) is a common clinical condition involving genetic background. The role of beta-blockers in the treatment is controversial. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of beta-1 gene polymorphism on beta-blocker therapy in patients with VVS. Methods: We included 123 patients who were diagnosed with VVS after the tilt-table test. We searched for the polymorphism Arg389Gly (rs1801253) in the beta-1 adrenoceptor gene. Results: Overall, 64 patients (52%) had Arg389Arg genotype and 59 patients (48%) had Arg389Gly genotype. The syncopal episodes of patients with Arg389Arg genotype were more frequent compared with patients having Arg389Gly genotype (total syncopal episodes [TSE], 7.9 ± 3.7 vs. 6.4 ± 3.0; p = 0.012). TSE in patients with Arg389Arg genotype decreased significantly after 18 months of beta-blocker treatment (7.9 ± 3.7 vs. 3.0 ± 1.4, p < 0.001). After 18 months of beta-blocker treatment, patients with Arg389Arg genotype had significantly fewer syncopal episodes than patients with Arg389Gly genotype (3.0 ± 1.4 vs. 6.8 ± 3.2, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Results of beta-blocker therapy in patients with Arg389Arg genotype suggest that VVS pathophysiology is a multifactorial condition, with genetic, psychological, and environmental components, and therefore, treatment selection can be based on gene polymorphism. (REV INVEST CLIN. 2020;72(5):300-7)

The impact of lesion complexity on no-reflow phenomenon and predictors of reversibility in patients treated with primary percutaneous intervention.

OBJECTIVES: Complex coronary lesions are more prone to complications; however, the relationship between complex coronary lesions and no-reflow phenomenon in patients undergoing primary percutaneous intervention (pPCI) is still not clarified. Previous studies reported the association of total coronary artery complexity with no-reflow; however, impact of culprit lesion complexity on no-reflow is not known. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of culprit lesion complexity on no-reflow phenomenon. Furthermore, we aimed to investigate the factors that are related to reversibility of no-reflow. METHODS: We prospectively included 424 patients treated with pPCI. Patients' baseline characteristics and clinical variables were recorded. Reversibility of no-reflow was decided according to final angiography or ST resolution during the first hour following pPCI. There were 90 patients with a diagnosis of no-reflow constituted group 1 and patients without no-reflow constituted group 2. Complexity of coronary artery disease was assessed with SYNTAX score and culprit lesion complexity was assessed with both American College of Cardiology/Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions lesion classification and SYNTAX score. RESULTS: Complexity of culprit lesion was significantly higher in group 1 patients (type C lesion 76.6 vs. 27.8%; P < 0.001 and SYNTAX score 8.7 ± 3.0 vs. 6.2 ± 2.6; P < 0.001, respectively, group 1 vs. 2). Multivariate analyses revealed that lesion complexity is independently associated with no-reflow. Among 90 patients of group 1, 43 patients were classified as reversible no-reflow. Logistic regression analysis revealed that only ischaemia duration is independently associated with reversibility of no-reflow. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that culprit lesion complexity is independently associated with no-reflow phenomenon and short ischaemic duration is significantly associated with reversibility of no-reflow.

Management of periprocedural anticoagulant therapy: a novel individualized approach-a transeusophageal echocardiographic study.

Patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation who are under chronic oral anticoagulant therapy (OAC) treatment frequently require interruption of OAC treatment. By examining the presence of left atrial/left atrial appendage (LA/LAA) thrombus or dense spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) we aimed to develop an individualized strategy. To test the validity of CHA2DS2VASc score based recommendations was our secondary purpose. In this prospective study patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation on OAC therapy were included. Patients' baseline characteristics, CHA2DS2VASc and HASBLED scores, medications, type of invasive procedures and clinical events were recorded. Each patient underwent to TEE examination prior to the invasive procedure. Bridging anticoagulation was recommended only to patients with LA/LAA thrombus. We included 155 patients and mean CHA2DS2VASc score of the study population was 3.4 ± 1.4. Seventy-one of them had LA/LAA thrombi or SEC on TEE examination and bridging anticoagulation was applied. OAC treatment was not bridged in 8 of 11 patients with prior cerebrovascular accident and 17 of 31 patients with CHA2DS2VASc score of > 4. 57 of 124 patients with CHA2DS2VASc score of ≤ 4 required bridging anticoagulation. There were 14 major bleedings decided according to ISTH bleeding classification. Major bleeding was observed only in patients underwent to high-risk bleeding procedure. In conclusion CHA2DS2VASc score by itself is not enough for decision-making regarding ischemic risk. Furthermore, since major bleedings occurred only in patients underwent to high-risk bleeding surgery, TEE-based individualisation may be a feasible approach particularly for those with high thromboembolic risk undergoing high-bleeding risk procedure.

Assessment of atrial electromechanical delay and P wave dispersion in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) and reduced forced expiratory volume (FEV1) is an independent predictor for new onset AF. The aims of this study were (1) to analyze the atrial electromechanical delay (AEMD) and P wave dispersion which are two predictors of AF development in patients with COPD and without any cardiovascular disease, and (2) to assess the relationship of those with pulmonary functions as quantified by FEV1 measurements. METHODS: The study included 41 patients with COPD (33 male; mean age: 51 years) and 32 healthy controls. P wave dispersion was calculated as the difference between the maximum and minimum P wave duration in a 12-lead surface electrocardiography (ECG) recording. AEMD, defined as the time interval from the P wave onset on the ECG to the initiation of the late diastolic (Am) wave using a tissue Doppler examination, was measured from the lateral mitral annulus (LAEMD), septal annulus (SAEMD), and tricuspid lateral annulus (TAEMD). RESULTS: P wave dispersion was significantly longer in the COPD group than those in the controls (76±19 ms vs. 45±10 ms; p<0.001). All of the AEMD measurements demonstrated significant prolongation in patients with COPD (LAEMD: 74±9 ms vs. 64±11 ms; SAEMD: 66±10 ms vs. 57±12 ms; and TAEMD: 65±9 ms vs. 46±7 ms; p<0.001 for all). The only correlation with FEV1 was observed in the TAEMD values of the COPD group (rs: -401; p<0.009). CONCLUSION: Both P wave dispersion and AEMD parameters were significantly longer in COPD patients without any established structural or functional cardiac abnormalities, indicating an increased tendency for AF development, beginning from the initial stages of the disease.

Left atrial thrombus in patients with atrial fibrillation and under oral anticoagulant therapy; 3-D transesophageal echocardiographic study.

Ischemic stroke is the major complication of atrial fibrillation (AF) and only proven preventive therapy is oral anticoagulant therapy (OAC). Previous studies reported the presence of thrombus in the left atrium (LA) or left atrial appendage (LAA) despite anticoagulant therapy. We aim to investigate the predictors of LA/LAA thrombus in patients under OAC therapy and long-term clinical impact of thrombus. We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients with permanent AF under OAC therapy. Patients baseline characteristics were recorded. Transesophageal echocardiographic study performed after complete transthoracic echocardiographic study. 3-D evaluation of LAA was made using 3-D zoom mode and thrombus was defined when echo reflecting, mobile mass detected. Patients clinical outcomes were decided according to hospital records or via phone calls. Among 184 patients, 28 LAT were detected. Mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was significantly higher in patients with LAT in comparison to patients without LAT. CHA2DS2-VASc score (p: 0.001), left atrial volume (p: 0.001), left atrial flow velocity (p: 0.006) and left ventricular ejection fraction (p: 0.014) were independently associated with LAT. Among the parameters in CHA2DS2-VASc score, the previous history of stroke and age were independently related to LAT. After 12 months of follow-up, patients with LAT had more ischemic stroke than patients without LAT (7.1% vs 4.4%, p: 0.001 respectively). Although oral anticoagulation is the default treatment strategy for prevention of LAT and thromboembolism in patients with non-valvular AF, LAT still can be detected especially in patients with a high CHA2DS2-VASc score. Furthermore, the presence of LAT is significantly associated with future ischemic stroke.