{"title":"Validity of HELT-E<sub>2</sub>S<sub>2</sub> Score in Predicting Ischemic Stroke in Japanese Patients With Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation With Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices.","authors":"Miyo Nakano, Yusuke Kondo, Yuki Shiko, Masahiro Nakano, Takatsugu Kajiyama, Ryo Ito, Toshinori Chiba, Yutaka Yoshino, Satoko Ryuzaki, Yukiko Takanashi, Yuya Komai, Shoko Narumi, Yoshio Kobayashi","doi":"10.1253/circj.CJ-24-0715","DOIUrl":"10.1253/circj.CJ-24-0715","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The HELT-E<sub>2</sub>S<sub>2</sub>score, a novel risk stratification system, was developed to determine the incidence of ischemic stroke in Japanese patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). It has been suggested that the HELT-E<sub>2</sub>S<sub>2</sub>score is more useful than the CHADS<sub>2</sub>and CHA<sub>2</sub>DS<sub>2</sub>-VASc scores for Japanese patients with NVAF. This study determined the incidence of ischemic stroke in patients with NVAF and cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) and assessed the validity of the HELT-E<sub>2</sub>S<sub>2</sub>score in this population.</p><p><strong>Methods and results: </strong>We retrospectively analyzed the database of the CIED clinic of Chiba University Hospital and investigated the incidence of ischemic stroke according to the HELT-E<sub>2</sub>S<sub>2</sub>score. Of the 730 consecutive patients who were followed-up at the CIED clinic, those without NVAF were excluded, leaving 362 patients in this study (mean [±SD] follow-up period, 64±48 months; mean age, 73±16 years; 65% male). The mean CHADS<sub>2</sub>and CHA<sub>2</sub>DS<sub>2</sub>-VASc scores were 1.8±1.2 and 2.8±1.6 points, respectively. During follow-up, 31 (8.6%) patients experienced ischemic stroke. The c-statistic for the HELT-E<sub>2</sub>S<sub>2</sub>score was 0.719 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.657-0.795), which was higher than the c-statistics for the CHADS<sub>2</sub>(0.704; 95% CI 0.647-0.768; P=0.025) and CHA<sub>2</sub>DS<sub>2</sub>-VASc (0.700; 95% CI:0.621-0.747; P=0.0097) scores.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Risk stratification for ischemic stroke using the HELT-E<sub>2</sub>S<sub>2</sub>score is valid in Japanese patients with NVAF and CIEDs.</p>","PeriodicalId":50691,"journal":{"name":"Circulation Journal","volume":" ","pages":"765-773"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143081950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mid-Range Paced-QRS as an Independent Negative Predictor of Cardiac Events - Right Ventricular Pacing Implications.","authors":"Yuichiro Miyazaki, Kohei Ishibashi, Nobuhiko Ueda, Toshihiro Nakamura, Satoshi Oka, Akinori Wakamiya, Kenzaburo Nakajima, Tsukasa Kamakura, Mitsuru Wada, Yuko Inoue, Koji Miyamoto, Satoshi Nagase, Takeshi Aiba, Kengo Kusano","doi":"10.1253/circj.CJ-24-0611","DOIUrl":"10.1253/circj.CJ-24-0611","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The effect of paced-QRS (p-QRS) duration on long-term outcomes is unclear, so we assessed the association between p-QRS duration and cardiac events.</p><p><strong>Methods and results: </strong>We enrolled 187 patients (103 males, mean age: 77±12 years) who underwent pacemaker implantation between 2018 and 2021. During the median follow-up period of 972 days (761-1,292 days), 18 patients experienced cardiac events (1 cardiac death, 17 heart failure hospitalizations). The p-QRS duration was longer in the cardiac event group than in the noncardiac event group (162±17 vs. 148±17 ms, P=0.005). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis identified 149 ms as the optimal cutoff value for predicting cardiac events (area under the curve, 0.72). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed better outcomes for mid-range p-QRS duration (≤149 ms, n=89) compared with long p-QRS duration (>149 ms, n=98) (P=0.005). Multivariate Cox hazard analysis indicated a good outcome with mid-range p-QRS duration (hazard ratio: 0.28, 95% confidence interval: 0.06-0.88, P=0.029).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A p-QRS duration of ≤149 ms was associated with a reduction in cardiac events. Therefore, it may serve as a target index of success in right ventricular pacing.</p>","PeriodicalId":50691,"journal":{"name":"Circulation Journal","volume":" ","pages":"803-808"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143538044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Time Interval From Right Atrium to Coronary Sinus Predicts Postablation Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence in Current Ablation Practice.","authors":"Daiki Yamashita, Naoki Fujimoto, Shinya Sugiura, Yoshihiko Kagawa, Satoshi Fujita, Kaoru Dohi","doi":"10.1253/circj.CJ-24-1009","DOIUrl":"10.1253/circj.CJ-24-1009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Recurrence after ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) may occur in patients in whom atrial remodeling progresses. Atrial conduction time is a marker of remodeling. This study investigated whether atrial conduction time is related to postoperative recurrence.</p><p><strong>Methods and results: </strong>This study enrolled 441 patients with AF (median age 69 years; 144 women; paroxysmal/non-paroxysmal AF=231/210) who underwent initial radiofrequency catheter ablation at Mie University Hospital between January 2018 and December 2022. The interval from the earliest potential in the right atrium (RA) to the latest potential in the coronary sinus (CS) was measured using a BeeAT catheter during sinus rhythm after ablation. The primary endpoint was AF recurrence or atrial tachycardia lasting >30 s in the 1 year after ablation. Recurrence was observed in 44 patients. Patients were categorized into 2 groups according to recurrence. The RA-CS interval was significantly longer in the recurrence group (122.5±17.7 vs. 98.5±17.7 ms; P<0.001). In Cox regression analysis, the RA-CS interval was independently associated with recurrence (hazard ratio 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.07; P<0.001). The cut-off value for the RA-CS interval was 111 ms (area under the curve=0.845; 95% CI 0.785-0.905). The recurrence rate was significantly higher in patients with an RA-CS interval ≥111 vs. <111 ms.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The RA-CS interval time was an independent predictor of recurrence after AF ablation.</p>","PeriodicalId":50691,"journal":{"name":"Circulation Journal","volume":" ","pages":"774-783"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143990942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"\"Aquarium Sign\" Observed in All Four Cardiac Chambers During Mechanical Ventilation in a Heart Failure Patient.","authors":"Kenji Harada, Shunsuke Saito, Sumika Wachi, Masafumi Sato, Yukiyo Ogata, Kazuomi Kario","doi":"10.1253/circj.CJ-25-0125","DOIUrl":"10.1253/circj.CJ-25-0125","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50691,"journal":{"name":"Circulation Journal","volume":" ","pages":"846"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143990940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Circulation JournalPub Date : 2025-05-23Epub Date: 2025-01-09DOI: 10.1253/circj.CJ-24-0859
Kanae Hasegawa, Hiroshi Tada
{"title":"Coronary Artery Injury Related to Catheter Ablation for Cardiac Arrhythmias - A Systematic Review.","authors":"Kanae Hasegawa, Hiroshi Tada","doi":"10.1253/circj.CJ-24-0859","DOIUrl":"10.1253/circj.CJ-24-0859","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Catheter ablation is a widely used treatment modality for various cardiac tachyarrhythmias, including atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Although it is generally considered safe, the procedure carries potential complications, with coronary artery injury being one of the most significant. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the incidence, mechanisms, contributing factors, diagnostic strategies, and preventive measures related to coronary artery injury in patients undergoing catheter ablation, including radiofrequency catheter ablation, cryoablation, and pulsed-field ablation.</p>","PeriodicalId":50691,"journal":{"name":"Circulation Journal","volume":" ","pages":"751-756"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142958327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Long-Term Risk of Incident Arrhythmias Associated With Early Repolarization Pattern - The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.","authors":"Qian He, Yi-Jian Liao, Jin-Jie Wang, Yan-Lin Chen, Min-Jing Huang, Mei-Ping Lin, Hai-Ling Zhou, Zi-En Chen, Qian Wu, Si-Long Lu, Shu-Lin Wu, Yu-Mei Xue, Xian-Hong Fang, Yun-Jiu Cheng","doi":"10.1253/circj.CJ-24-0964","DOIUrl":"10.1253/circj.CJ-24-0964","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The early repolarization pattern (ERP) is associated with cardiovascular death, but its connection with arrhythmias remains unknown. This study evaluated relationships between ERP and incident arrhythmias, including ventricular arrhythmias, bradyarrhythmias, and atrial fibrillation (AF)/flutter (Afl).</p><p><strong>Methods and results: </strong>We analyzed 14,679 middle-aged (45-64 years) participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort, a prospective population-based study in the US. Participants were monitored for ERP status at baseline and at 3 subsequent follow-up visits. We examined associations between incident arrhythmias and baseline ERP, time-varying ERP, time-updated ERP, and changes in ERP over time using Cox models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) adjusted for potential confounders. Over a 20-year follow-up, there were 1,252 ventricular arrhythmias, 890 bradyarrhythmias, and 2,202 cases of AF. Time-updated ERP was associated with increased HRs for ventricular arrhythmias (1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35-1.77), bradyarrhythmias (1.76; 95% CI 1.48-2.08), and AF (1.25; 95% CI 1.10-1.43). Time-varying ERP also showed associations with these outcomes. Compared with individuals with consistently normal electrocardiogram results, those with new-onset or persistent ERP had increased risks of incident arrhythmias. In subjects with time-updated ERP, anterior leads and J wave amplitudes ≥0.2 mV were associated with a higher incidence of arrhythmias.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Several types of ERP, including time-varying, time-updated, new-onset, and consistent, are associated with the incidence of arrhythmias in the middle-aged biracial (Black and White) population.</p>","PeriodicalId":50691,"journal":{"name":"Circulation Journal","volume":" ","pages":"809-818"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143702110","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Screening of 1-Month-Old Infants With Prolonged QT Interval and Its Cutoff Value.","authors":"Masao Yoshinaga, Hiroya Ushinohama, Seiichi Sato, Seiko Ohno, Tadayoshi Hata, Hitoshi Horigome, Nobuo Tauchi, Naokata Sumitomo, Eiki Nishihara, Keiichi Hirono, Fukiko Ichida, Hirohiko Shiraishi, Yuichi Nomura, Shinya Tsukano, Yumiko Ninomiya, Tatsuya Yoneyma, Hiroshi Suzuki, Hideto Takahashi, Hiromitsu Ogata, Naomasa Makita, Wataru Shimizu, Minoru Horie, Masami Nagashima","doi":"10.1253/circj.CJ-24-0148","DOIUrl":"10.1253/circj.CJ-24-0148","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The prevalence of congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) (1 : 2,000) is based on genetic testing and ECG data, but the prevalence of electrocardiographically determined prolonged corrected QT interval (pQTc) in infants is unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods and results: </strong>Subjects were 10,282 1-month-old infants who participated in 2 prospective ECG screening studies performed in 2010-2011 and 2014-2016. Infants with a QTc ≥0.45 using Bazett's formula [QTc(B)] at 1-month medical checks were re-examined. pQTc was defined as QTc ≥0.46 on 2 different ECGs in early infancy. Infants with QTc ≥0.50 or progressive prolongation of QTc to 0.50 were defined as at high risk. The prevalence of infants with a pQTc was 11/10,282 (1 : 935; 95% confidence interval, 1 : 588-1 : 2,283). Five infants were diagnosed as at high risk, and all infants had an abrupt increase in QTc(B) values in early infancy, mostly at 6-11 weeks after birth and when medication was started. No infants with a pQTc experienced LQTS-related symptoms. Statistical analysis showed that a cutoff QTc(B) ≥0.45 was optimal for screening infants with a pQTc.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The prevalence of ECG-determined pQTc is approximately 1 : 1,000. An abrupt increase in QTc(B) values occurs in infants at high risk, mostly at 6-11 weeks after birth. A cutoff QTc(B) value ≥0.45 may be appropriate for 1-month-old screening in this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":50691,"journal":{"name":"Circulation Journal","volume":" ","pages":"826-834"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143494460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}