Pulmonary vein isolation using second-generation single-shot devices: not all the same?

INTRODUCTION: Single-shot devices have been developed to simplify pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). Randomized studies of the second-generation cryoballoon (CB 2nd) demonstrated excellent results. There are limited data comparing results of circular pulmonary vein ablation catheter (PVAC) with conventional RF ablation or CB for PVI. OBJECTIVE: Using a sequential registry cohort and a prospective randomized study, we aimed to compare the acute and long-term results of CB 2nd and PVAC Gold. METHODS: In the registry, consecutive patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing their first PVI were included. The preferred method used was PVAC Gold in 2014 and CB 2nd in 2015. Subsequently, a randomized study (PVAC vs. CB 2nd) was performed. Ablation success was measured as freedom of AF or atrial tachycardias (AT) off antiarrhythmic drugs. RESULTS: In the registry cohort, PVAC Gold was used in 60 patients and CB 2nd in 56 patients (age 66 ± 11 years, 52% male, LAD 43 ± 6). In the randomized study, 20 patients were treated with PVAC Gold and 22 with CB 2nd (age 67 ± 9; 43% men, LAD 40 ± 7 mm). During a mean follow up of 13.2 ± 3.6 months, success was 54% in PVAC Gold patients and 81% in CB 2nd cases (p = 0.001). In the randomized study 12 months success was 50% versus 86%, p < 0.05. Complications occurred rare in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our registry data and the randomized study both suggest superiority of PVI using CB 2nd as compared with PVI using PVAC Gold.

Cardiac comorbidity in head and neck cancer patients and its influence on cancer treatment selection and mortality: a prospective cohort study.

Comorbidity assessment and a profound cardiac examination were implemented into pre-treatment diagnostics to analyze their influence on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) therapy selection and short-term mortality. Comorbidity was measured prospectively in 49 HNSCC patients using standard indices between 2012 and 2013. Cardiac examinations included electrocardiogram, echocardiography, and bicycle ergometry. Most patients had stage IV tumors (61 %), smoked (61 %), and showed alcohol abuse (57 %); 38 patients (78 %) received a multimodal therapy; 65 % had an adult comorbidity evaluation 27 index ≥2, 59 % a Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) ≥4, and 12 % a revised cardiac risk index (RCRI) ≥2. Additional cardiac examinations revealed moderate to severe cardiovascular pathologies in 32 % of the patients and led to recommendations for additional therapy in 4 patients (8 %) necessary only after cancer treatment. RCRI was associated with CCI and cardiac examinations (p = 0.009, p = 0.030). Chemotherapy, stroke history, and RCRI ≥2 were risk factors for early mortality within first 2 years after cancer therapy (p = 0.037; p = 0.012; p = 0.015). Although one-third of a strongly smoking and drinking patient cohort had relevant cardiac morbidity, extended unselected cardiac diagnostics had only low impact on HNSCC therapy selection. The risk of early mortality after HNSCC cancer treatment seems to be sufficiently reflected by the RCRI.