Association between personality traits and psychological distress among postmenopausal women with coronary heart disease: A cross-sectional survey and mediation analysis.

Postmenopausal women with negative personality characteristics are at an increased risk of psychological disorders, yet little is known about the mechanism underlying the relationship between type D personality and psychological distress in postmenopausal women with coronary disease. This study assessed the mediating roles of perceived social support and self-perceived burden in the relationship between type D and psychological distress based on the equity theory and stress-buffering model. Demographic characteristics, type D, psychological distress, perceived social support, and self-perceived burden were completed by 335 participants with self-reported questionnaires using a cross-sectional design in Southeast China. The results revealed that perceived social support and self-perceived burden both separately and serially mediated the relationship between type D personality and psychological distress. Effective intervention strategies aimed at improving perceived social support or reducing self-perceived burden may be beneficial in reducing psychological distress.

Catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy and biventricular involvement.

AIMS: Catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT) improves VT-free survival in 'classic' arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). This study aims to investigate electrophysiological features and ablation outcomes in patients with ARVC and biventricular (BiV) involvement. METHODS AND RESULTS: We assembled a retrospective cohort of definite ARVC cases with sustained VTs. Patients were divided into the BiV (BiV involvement) group and the right ventricular (RV) (isolated RV involvement) group based on the left ventricular systolic function detected by cardiac magnetic resonance. All patients underwent electrophysiological mapping and VT ablation. Acute complete success was non-inducibility of any sustained VT, and the primary endpoint was VT recurrence. Ninety-eight patients (36 ± 14 years; 87% male) were enrolled, including 50 in the BiV group and 48 in the RV group. Biventricular involvement was associated with faster clinical VTs, a higher VT inducibility, and more extensive arrhythmogenic substrates (all P < 0.05). Left-sided VTs were observed in 20% of the BiV group cases and correlated with significantly reduced left ventricular systolic function. Catheter ablation achieved similar acute efficacy between these two groups, whereas the presence of left-sided VTs increased acute ablation failure (40 vs. 5%, P = 0.012). Over 51 ± 34 months [median, 48 (22-83) months] of follow-up, cumulative VT-free survival was 52% in the BiV group and 58% in the RV group (P = 0.353). A multivariate analysis showed that younger age, lower RV ejection fraction (RVEF), and non-acute complete ablation success were associated with VT recurrence in the BiV group. CONCLUSION: Biventricular involvement implied a worse arrhythmic phenotype and increased the risk of left-sided VTs, while catheter ablation maintained its efficacy for VT control in this population. Younger age, lower RVEF, and non-acute complete success predicted VT recurrence after ablation.

Lupeol alleviates autoimmune myocarditis by suppressing macrophage pyroptosis and polarization via PPARα/LACC1/NF-κB signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune myocarditis, with increasing incidence and limited therapeutic strategies, is in urgent need to explore its underlying mechanisms and effective drugs. Pyroptosis is a programmed cell death that may contribute to the pathogenesis of myocarditis. Nonetheless, no direct evidence validated the role of pyroptosis in autoimmune myocarditis. Lupeol (Lup), a pentacyclic triterpene, possesses various biological activities such as antidiabetic properties. However, the effects of Lup on autoimmune myocarditis and pyroptosis remain unelucidated. PURPOSE: This study aimed to reveal the role of pyroptosis in autoimmune myocarditis and explore the protective effects of Lup, and its engaged mechanisms. METHODS: The experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) mouse model was established by immunization with a fragment of cardiac myosin in Balb/c mice. Lup and MCC950 were administered after EAM induction. The protective effects were assessed by inflammation score, cardiac injury, chronic fibrosis, and cardiac function. Mechanistically, the effects of Lup on the M1 polarization and pyroptosis of macrophages were evaluated. Transcriptome sequencing and molecular docking were subsequently employed, and the underlying mechanisms of Lup were further explored in vitro with small interfering RNA and adenovirus. RESULTS: Administration of Lup and MCC950 alleviated EAM progression. Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining identified macrophages as the primary cells undergoing pyroptosis. Lup inhibited the expression of pyroptosis-associated proteins in macrophages during EAM in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, Lup suppressed pyroptosis in both bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and THP-1-derived macrophages in vitro. In addition, Lup inhibited the M1 polarization of macrophages both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, the protective effects of Lup were demonstrated via the suppression of the nuclear factor-κΒ (NF-κB) signaling pathway. Transcriptome sequencing and molecular docking revealed the potential involvement of peroxisome proliferator-associated receptor α (PPARα). Subsequently, we demonstrated that Lup activated PPARα to reduce the expression level of LACC1, thereby inhibiting the NF-κB pathway and pyroptosis. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicated the crucial role of macrophage pyroptosis in the pathogenesis of EAM. Lup ameliorated EAM by inhibiting the M1 polarization and pyroptosis of macrophages through the PPARα/LACC1/NF-κB signaling pathway. Thus, our results provided a novel therapeutic target and agent for myocarditis.

Electrophysiological Characteristics and Ablation Outcomes in Patients With Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia.

BACKGROUND: Catheter ablation of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) that trigger polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (PVT) or ventricular fibrillation has been reported as a novel therapy to reduce the syncope events in patients with catecholaminergic PVT, whereas the long-term ablation outcome and its value in improving exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmias remain unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fourteen consecutive selected patients with catecholaminergic PVT (mean±SD age, 16±6 years; 43% male patients) treated with maximum ß-blockers with no possibility of adding flecainide were prospectively enrolled for catheter ablation. The primary end point was syncope recurrence, and the secondary end point was the reduction of the ventricular arrhythmia score during exercise testing. Twenty-six PVT/ventricular fibrillation-triggering PVCs were identified for ablation. The trigger beats arose from the left ventricle in 50% of the cases and from both ventricles in 36% of the cases. Purkinje potentials were observed at 27% of the targets. After a mean follow-up of 49 months after ablation, 8 (57%) patients were free from syncope recurrence. Ablation of trigger beat significantly reduced the syncope frequency (mean±SD, 4.3±1.6 to 0.5±0.8 events per year; P<0.001) and improved the ventricular arrhythmia scores at the 3-month (5 [range, 3-6] to 1.5 [range, 0-5]; P=0.002) and 12-month (5 [range, 3-6] to 2 [range, 0-5]; P=0.014) follow-ups. The induction of nontriggering PVCs postablation was closely associated with syncope recurrence (hazard ratio, 6.8 [95% CI, 1.3-35.5]; P=0.026). CONCLUSIONS: Catheter ablation of PVT/ventricular fibrillation-triggering PVCs in patients with catecholaminergic PVT who cannot receive flecainide treatment seems to be a safe and feasible adjunctive treatment that may reduce the syncope burden and improve exercise-related ventricular arrhythmias. Induction of nontriggering PVCs after ablation is associated with a higher risk of syncope recurrence.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Clinical Practice Patterns in Atrial Fibrillation: A Multicenter Clinician Survey in China.

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted healthcare systems worldwide. This study investigated cardiologists' opinions on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted clinical practice patterns in atrial fibrillation (AF). A multicenter clinician survey, including demographic and clinical questions, was administered to 300 cardiologists from 22 provinces in China, in April 2022. The survey solicited information about their treatment recommendations for AF and their perceptions of how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their clinical practice patterns for AF. The survey was completed by 213 cardiologists (71.0%) and included employees in tertiary hospitals (82.6%) and specialists with over 10 years of clinical cardiology practice (53.5%). Most respondents stated that there were reductions in the number of inpatients and outpatients with AF in their hospital during the pandemic. A majority of participants stated that the pandemic had impacted the treatment strategies for all types of AF, although to different extents. Compared with that during the assumed non-pandemic period in the hypothetical clinical questions, the selection of invasive interventional therapies (catheter ablation, percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion) was significantly decreased (all p < 0.05) during the pandemic. There was no significant difference in the selection of non-invasive therapeutic strategies (the management of cardiovascular risk factors and concomitant diseases, pharmacotherapy for stroke prevention, heart rate control, and rhythm control) between the pandemic and non-pandemic periods (all p > 0.05). The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the clinical practice patterns of AF. The selection of catheter ablation and percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion was significantly reduced, whereas pharmacotherapy was often stated as the preferred option by participating cardiologists.

Tanshinone IIA inhibits cardiomyocyte apoptosis and rescues cardiac function during doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by activating the DAXX/MEK/ERK1/2 pathway.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is a common cardiovascular syndrome. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) is a pharmacologically active monomer that exerts a significant cardioprotective effect in the clinic; however, the specific mechanisms are not fully understood. PURPOSE: We mainly investigated the protective effects of Tan IIA on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced HF. METHODS: In an in vitro study, H9C2 and HL-1 cells were cultured and treated with DOX and Tan IIA for 24 h, we investigated the mechanism underlying Tan IIA-mediated protection. In an in vivo study, a model of DOX-induced HF was established in C57BL/6 mice that were divided into the six groups randomly: a control group, a DOX group, DOX groups treated with Tan IIA (DOX+Tan IIA) at dosages of 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg/day and DOX groups treated with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) at dosages of 200 mg/kg/day. RESULT: The results demonstrated that Tan IIA significantly increased cell viability and protected against DOX-induced apoptosis. RNA-sequencing showed that the genes expression associated with the apoptotic signaling pathway was altered by Tan IIA. Among the differentially expressed genes, death-domain associated protein (DAXX), which plays an critical role in apoptotic signaling, exhibited increased expression under Tan IIA treatment. In addition, RNA interference was used to silence the expression of DAXX, which abolished Tan IIA-mediated protection against DOX-induced apoptosis; this effect was associated with extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) expression. In the in vivo study, the echocardiography results revealed that heart function was rescued by Tan IIA, and the histomorphology results showed that Tan IIA prevented myocardial structural alteration and myofibril disruption. Furthermore, Tan IIA induced the expressions of DAXX, p-ERK1/2 and p-MEK. Tan IIA also inhibited apoptosis by suppressing the expression of cleaved caspase-8, p-P38 and cleaved caspase-3. CONCLUSION: Our results provide novel interpretations into the important role of DAXX in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity and show that Tan IIA may be a novel agent strategy for HF treatment via activating the DAXX/MEK/ERK1/2 pathway.

Clinical impact of posterior wall isolation in catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The clinical outcomes of pulmonary venous isolation alone for persistent atrial fibrillation (PerAF) remain unclear. Adjuvant posterior wall isolation (PWI) has become a potential supplementary strategy for improving the outcome of PerAF ablation. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of PWI added to catheter ablation for PerAF. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for studies comparing the outcomes of PerAF ablation with and without PWI. The efficacy outcomes were recurrence of atrial arrhythmia (AA), atrial fibrillation (AF), and atrial tachycardia (AT), and the safety outcome was adverse events. RESULTS: In total, eight studies with 1428 patients were included in the pooled analyses. The results showed that PWI significantly reduced the recurrence of AA (RR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.55-0.87, p = .002, I2  = 63%) and AF (RR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.40-0.80, p = .001, I2  = 70%). AT recurrence (RR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.67-1.27, p = .63, I2  = 42%) and adverse events (RR = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.67-1.84, p = .70, I2  = 0%) were comparable between the two groups. In the sub-analyses, the efficacy of PWI in reducing AA recurrence was consistent in patients who underwent cryoablation or debulking ablation. CONCLUSION: PWI effectively decreased AA recurrence after PerAF ablation without increasing the risk of AT or procedure-related complications. However, more randomized studies are needed to confirm these results.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia post-cardiovascular interventional therapy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an antibody-mediated adverse drug reaction characterized by thrombocytopenia and thromboembolism. Herein, we present a case of HIT with subcutaneous hemorrhage after cardiovascular interventional therapy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 74-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for elective atrial fibrillation (AF) catheter ablation and left atrial appendage closure because of intermittent dizziness and palpitations. At presentation, the routine laboratory test results showed no abnormalities. He received subcutaneous enoxaparin for stroke prevention and unfractionated heparin for intraprocedural anticoagulation during coronary angiography and the AF procedure. On the second day after the AF procedure, the patient developed profound thrombocytopenia, moderate anemia, and mild subcutaneous hematoma. Blood tests and imaging examinations excluded acute hemolysis and other active bleeding. A 4Ts score of 5 and markedly positive platelet factor 4 IgG antibody established the diagnosis of HIT. Due to progressive subcutaneous hemorrhage in the thighs that could not be suppressed by pressure dressing, the patient received platelet transfusion and rivaroxaban for anticoagulation. The following days, the patient remained clinically stable from the hemorrhage, and his platelet count recovered. No thrombotic events occurred during hospitalization or follow-up. CONCLUSION: This case emphasizes the significance of suspecting HIT in patients with unexplained rapid thrombocytopenia after frequent heparin exposure. Decision-making regarding alternative anticoagulation and platelet transfusion in HIT with hemorrhage must be based on unique patient characteristics.

First-Line Catheter Ablation of Monomorphic Ventricular Tachycardia in Cardiomyopathy Concurrent With Defibrillator Implantation: The PAUSE-SCD Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Catheter ablation as first-line therapy for ventricular tachycardia (VT) at the time of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation has not been adopted into clinical guidelines. Also, there is an unmet clinical need to prospectively examine the role of VT ablation in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy, an increasingly prevalent population that is referred for advanced therapies globally. METHODS: We conducted an international, multicenter, randomized controlled trial enrolling 180 patients with cardiomyopathy and monomorphic VT with an indication for ICD implantation to assess the role of early, first-line ablation therapy. A total of 121 patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to ablation plus an ICD versus conventional medical therapy plus an ICD. Patients who refused ICD (n=47) were followed in a prospective registry after stand-alone ablation treatment. The primary outcome was a composite end point of VT recurrence, cardiovascular hospitalization, or death. RESULTS: Randomly assigned patients had a mean age of 55 years (interquartile range, 46-64) and left ventricular ejection fraction of 40% (interquartile range, 30%-49%); 81% were male. The underlying heart disease was ischemic cardiomyopathy in 35%, nonischemic cardiomyopathy in 30%, and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy in 35%. Ablation was performed a median of 2 days before ICD implantation (interquartile range, 5 days before to 14 days after). At 31 months, the primary outcome occurred in 49.3% of the ablation group and 65.5% in the control group (hazard ratio, 0.58 [95% CI, 0.35-0.96]; P=0.04). The observed difference was driven by a reduction in VT recurrence in the ablation arm (hazard ratio, 0.51 [95%CI, 0.29-0.90]; P=0.02). A statistically significant reduction in both ICD shocks (10.0% versus 24.6%; P=0.03) and antitachycardia pacing (16.2% versus 32.8%; P=0.04) was observed in patients who underwent ablation compared with control. No differences in cardiovascular hospitalization (32.0% versus. 33.7%; hazard ratio, 0.82 [95% CI, 0.43-1.56]; P=0.55) or mortality (8.9% versus 8.8%; hazard ratio, 1.40 [95% CI, 0.38-5.22]; P=0.62]) were observed. Ablation-related complications occurred in 8.3% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with cardiomyopathy of varied causes, early catheter ablation performed at the time of ICD implantation significantly reduced the composite primary outcome of VT recurrence, cardiovascular hospitalization, or death. These findings were driven by a reduction in ICD therapies. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov; Unique identifier: NCT02848781.

Machine learning-based long-term outcome prediction in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: Traditional prognostic risk assessment in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is based on a limited selection of clinical and imaging findings. Machine learning (ML) can consider a higher number and complexity of variables and may be useful for characterising cardiovascular risk, predicting outcomes, and identifying biomarkers in large population studies. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 9,680 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease who underwent PCI at our institution between January 2013 and December 2013. Clinical features were selected and used to train 6 different ML models (support vector machine, decision tree, random forest, gradient boosting decision tree, neural network, and logistic regression) to predict cardiovascular outcomes, 10-fold cross-validation to evaluate the performance of models. RESULTS: During the 5-year follow-up, 467 (4.82%) patients died. Eighty-seven risk baseline measurements were used to train ML models. Compared with the other models, the random forest model (RF-PCI) exhibited the best performance on predicting all-cause mortality (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.71±0.04). Calibration plots demonstrated a slight overprediction for patients using the RF-PCI model (Hosmer-Lemeshow test: P>0.05). The top 15 features related to PCI candidates' long-term prognosis, among which 11 were laboratory measures. CONCLUSIONS: ML models improved the prediction of long-term all-cause mortality in patients with coronary artery disease before PCI. The performance of the RF model was better than that of the other models, providing a meaningful stratification.

The impacts of the ganglionated plexus ablation sequence on the vagal response, heart rate, and blood pressure during cardioneuroablation.

AIMS: Cardioneuroablation is an emerging and promising therapy to treat vasovagal syncope (VVS). The aim of this study was to assess the characteristics of vagal response (VR), heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP) during cardioneuroablation with different sequences of ganglionated plexus (GPs) catheter ablation and clarify the regulatory mechanism of cardiac GPs of the left atrium. METHODS: A total of 28 patients with VVS who underwent cardioneuroablation were prospectively enrolled and randomly assigned to 2 groups according to the ablation order of GPs. Group A: Left superior GP (LSGP) - Left inferior GP (LIGP) - Right inferior GP (RIGP) - Right anterior GP (RAGP); Group B: RAGP - LSGP - LIGP - RIGP. RESULTS: In Group A, the VR in LSGP, LIGP, RIGP, and RAGP during ablation was observed in 11 (78.6%), 5 (35.7%), 4 (28.6%) and 2 (14.3%) cases, respectively. In contrast, in Group B, the VR in RAGP, LSGP, LIGP, and RIGP was observed in 2 (14.3%), 1 (7.1%), 0 (0%) and 0 (0%) cases, respectively. BP reduction during procedure was observed eight times in Group A and once in Group B (P = 0.013). In both groups, the HR increased significantly during ablation of the RAGP (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The sequence of GPs ablation during cardioneuroablation affected the occurrence rate of VR and BP reduction during cardioneuroablation. The RAGP was a critical target to increase HR and inhibit VR and BP reduction during procedure, indicating that it may be a key GP in regulation of the cardiac vagal activity.

Clinical Identification and Characteristic Analysis of Giant Cell Myocarditis in 12 Cases.

Aims: Giant cell myocarditis (GCM) is a rare, rapidly progressing cardiomyopathy with high mortality, if not diagnosed and treated in time. We analyzed the progression and clinical manifestations of patients with definitive diagnosis of GCM. Methods and Result: We enrolled 12 patients diagnosed with GCM in the explanted heart during heart transplantation (HTx) or by endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) and collected information on demographic data, cardiac structure and function, arrhythmias, preliminary diagnosis, and delay of the diagnosis. Seven cases were diagnosed from biopsy samples during HTx, and five cases were diagnosed through EMB. Before the diagnosis of GCM based on pathological analysis, these patients had been incorrectly diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (n = 5), dilated cardiomyopathy (n = 2), ventricular tachycardia (n = 2), viral myocarditis (n = 1), cardiac amyloidosis (n = 1), and ischemic cardiomyopathy (n = 1) based on clues such as symptoms, arrhythmia, and cardiac imaging. Patients diagnosed with GCM through EMB had a shorter symptom-onset-to-diagnosis time (6.6 ± 2.7 months) and milder heart damage (left ventricular ejection fraction, 47.2 ± 8.8%) than those diagnosed during HTx (11.0 ± 3.3 months, P = 0.034; 31.4 ± 10.9%, P = 0.024). Conclusion: GCM is easily misdiagnosed as other types of myocarditis and cardiomyopathy. Pathological examination of the myocardium is the most reliable diagnostic method for GCM. Endocardial biopsy can identify patients with GCM at an earlier stage.

Ablation strategies for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) has significantly evolved over the past decade. However, different ablation strategies showed inconsistency in acute and long-term outcomes. METHODS: We searched the databases of Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library through October 17, 2019 for studies describing the clinical outcomes of VT ablation in ARVC. Data including VT recurrence, all-cause mortality, acute procedural efficacy and major procedural complications were extracted. A meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis was further performed in comparative studies of endo-epicardial versus endocardial-only ablation. RESULTS: A total of 24 studies with 717 participants were enrolled. The literatures of epicardial ablation were mainly published after 2010 with total ICD implantation of 73.7%, acute efficacy of 89.8%, major complication of 5.2%, follow-up of 28.9 months, VT freedom of 75.3%, all-cause mortality of 1.1% and heart transplantation of 0.6%. Meta-analysis of 10 comparative studies revealed that compared with endocardial-only approach, epicardial ablation significantly decreased VT recurrence (OR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.30-0.85; P = 0.010), but somehow increased major procedural complications (OR: 4.64; 95% CI: 1.28-16.92; P= 0.02), with not evident improvement of acute efficacy (OR: 2.74; 95% CI: 0.98-7.65; P = 0.051) or all-cause mortality (OR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.09-8.31; P = 0.90). CONCLUSION: Catheter ablation for VT in ARVC is feasible and effective. Epicardial ablation is associated with better long-term VT freedom, but with more major complications and unremarkable survival or acute efficacy benefit.

Relationship between red blood cell distribution width levels and atrial fibrillation in hypertensive patients.

BACKGROUND: Information on the relationship between red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with essential hypertension are scarce. The study aimed to assess the relationship between AF and RDW in hypertensive patients. METHODS: We enrolled 432 hypertensive patients, including 350 AF patients and 82 patients as controls. Patients' demographic, clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic characteristics were recorded. The AF patients were further divided into the persistent and paroxysmal AF subgroups. Electrocardiograms were monitored to identify the cardiac rhythm during blood sampling, and based on the rhythm, the paroxysmal AF group was categorized into the presence (with AF rhythm during blood sampling) and absence (with sinus rhythm during blood sampling) groups. RESULTS: The AF group had elevated RDW levels than the controls (12.7% ± 0.8% vs. 12.4% ± 0.7%, P = 0.002), and the persistent AF subgroup had higher RDW levels than the paroxysmal AF subgroup (12.9% ± 0.8% vs. 12.6% ± 0.8%, P = 0.007). Furthermore, in the paroxysmal AF group, the presence group had higher RDW levels than the absence group (13.0% ± 0.6% vs. 12.5% ± 0.9%, P = 0.001). There was no significant difference in RDW levels between the persistent AF subgroup and presence group of the paroxysmal AF subgroup (P = 0.533) and between the absence group of the paroxysmal AF subgroup and control group (P = 0.262). In multivariate regression analysis, in hypertensive patients, the presence of AF rhythm is an independent predictor for increased RDW concentration (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The RDW may be associated with the presence of AF rhythm, which implies the importance of maintaining the sinus rhythm in hypertensive patients.

Correlations between cardiac troponin I and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) is an independent risk factor for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). However, data concerning the correlations of cardiac biomarkers and NSVT in HOCM are rather limited. HYPOTHESIS: Our study aimed to investigate the associations between the occurrence of NSVT and circulating biomarkers representing myocardial injury (cardiac troponin I, cTnI), cardiac function (N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, NT-pro BNP), and inflammation (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) in a large Chinese HOCM cohort. METHODS: A total of 755 consecutive HOCM patients were recruited. Systematic cardiac evaluations and circulating biomarkers were examined routinely in all subjects under the clinically stable status. According to the results of 24-hour Holter monitoring, patients were divided into the NSVT group (n = 138) and the nonventricular tachycardia (non-VT) group (n = 617). RESULTS: Compared with the non-VT group, circulating levels of both cTnI and NT-pro BNP elevated significantly in patients with positive NSVT episodes (P < .001). Multivariable analyses demonstrated that cTnI was independently associated with the presence of NSVT (OR = 1.675, 95% CI: 1.406-1.994, P < .001). Concentrations of cTnI increased progressively not only with the aggravation of ventricular arrhythmic events (P < .001), but also with the growing risk of SCD in HOCM patients (P < .001). Serum cTnI ≥ 0.0265 ng/mL indicated predictive value for the occurrence of NSVT in the HOCM cohort (area under the curve = 0.707, 95% CI: 0.660-0.754, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated cTnI was an independent determinant of NSVT, and it seemed to be valuable for assessing the clinical status of ventricular arrhythmias and the risk of SCD in patients with HOCM.

A case report of late-onset symptoms of erythrocytosis in univentricular dextrocardia.

RATIONALE: Univentricular dextrocardia is a rare congenital heart disease that usually presents cyanotic manifestations from childhood. Due to the sustained dysfunction of blood oxygenation, it is very difficult to keep an asymptomatic survival. Herein, we described an interesting case of univentricular dextrocardia who suffered from initial symptoms in his middle age. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 54-year-old male patient with numbness and tingling of limbs was admitted to hospital due to the secondary manifestations of congenital heart disease. DIAGNOSIS: The patient was diagnosed as univentricular dextrocardia with pulmonary hypertension and secondary erythrocytosis based on computed tomography (CT) scan, echocardiography, and laboratory examinations. INTERVENTIONS: Intravenous hydration therapy with normal saline successfully eliminated his hyperviscosity associated symptoms. In view of socio-economic reasons, this patient refused surgical evaluation and further medical interventions. OUTCOMES: During 18-month follow up, he received no drug except for regular water intake. Fortunately, his life quality was satisfactory, and no other symptoms emerged except for mild numbness of limbs. LESSONS: In univentricular dextrocardia, it is possible to keep a long-term asymptomatic period due to the slow progress of pathophysiology. In this population, regular cardiac function evaluation and avoiding dehydration may help improve the quality of life.

Correlations between low thyroid function and incidence of atrial fibrillation in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). Data regarding the correlations of thyroid dysfunction and the incidence of AF in HOCM are quite limited. This study aimed to reveal the correlations between different thyroid status and the corresponding incidence of AF in a large HOCM cohort. METHODS: A total of 806 HOCM patients with complete information on thyroid function tests and comprehensive cardiac evaluations were recruited. The participants were divided into the AF group (n = 159) and non-AF group (n = 647) according to established medical history and results of Holter monitoring. The thyroid status of the study population and the corresponding incidence of AF were assessed and analyzed. RESULTS: Hypothyroidism accounted for the greatest proportion of thyroid dysfunction in HOCM patients. The incidence of AF significantly increased in individuals with both overt (P = 0.022) and subclinical (P = 0.007) hypothyroidism. Compared with participants in the non-AF group, those with positive AF episodes presented with lower free triiodothyronine (FT3) (2.86 ± 0.52 pg/mL vs. 3.01 ± 0.42 pg/mL, P = 0.001), higher free thyroxine (FT4) (1.24 ± 0.25 ng/dL vs. 1.15 ± 0.16 ng/dL, P < 0.001), and remarkably increased levels of thyrotropin (TSH) (12.6% vs. 5.3%, P = 0.001). Multivariable analyses demonstrated that the concentrations of FT3 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.470, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.272-0.813, P = 0.007) and FT4 (OR = 17.992, 95% CI: 5.750-56.296, P < 0.001), as well as TSH levels above normal ranges (OR = 2.276, 95% CI: 1.113-4.652, P = 0.024) were independently associated with the occurrence of AF in the large HOCM cohort. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated a strong link between low thyroid function and the presence of AF in HOCM. Hypothyroidism (both overt and subclinical states) seems to be valuable for assessing the incidence of AF in patients with HOCM.

Avoidance of Vagal Response During Circumferential Pulmonary Vein Isolation: Effect of Initiating Isolation From Right Anterior Ganglionated Plexi.

BACKGROUND: Circumferential pulmonary vein isolation (CPVI) often cause unavoidable vagal reflexes during procedure due to the coincidental modification of ganglionated plexus which are located on pulmonary vein (PV) antrum. The right anterior ganglionated plexi (RAGP) which located at superoanterior area of right superior PV antrum is an essential station to regulate the cardiac autonomic nerve activities and is easily coincidentally ablated during CPVI. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of RAGP ablation on vagal response (VR) during CPVI. METHODS: A total of 80 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation who underwent the first time CPVI were prospectively enrolled and randomly assigned to 2 groups: group A (n=40), CPVI started with right PVs at RAGP site; group B (n=40): CPVI started with left PVs first, and the last ablation site is RAGP. Electrophysiological parameters include basal cycle length, A-H interval, H-V interval, sinus node recovery time, and atrioventricular node Wenckebach point were recorded before and after CPVI procedure. RESULTS: During CPVI, the positive VR were only observed on 1 patient in group A and 25 patients in group B (P<0.001). A total of 21 patients with positive VR in group B needed for temporary ventricular pacing during procedure, while the only patient with positive VR in group A did not need for temporary ventricular pacing (P<0.001). Compared with baseline, basal cycle length, sinus node recovery time, and atrioventricular node Wenckebach point were decreased significantly after CPVI procedure in both groups (all P<0.05) and without differences between 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Circumferential PV isolation initiated from RAGP could effectively inhibit VR occurrence and significantly increase heart rate during procedure.