{"title":"Safety, Efficacy and Prognostic Benefit of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.","authors":"Nicolas Johner, Mehdi Namdar, Dipen C Shah","doi":"10.15420/aer.2022.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/aer.2022.10","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Up to 65% of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) develop AF during the course of the disease. This occurrence is associated with adverse outcomes, including pump failure death. Because AF and HFpEF are mutually reinforcing risk factors, sinus rhythm restoration may represent a disease-modifying intervention. While catheter ablation exhibits acceptable safety and efficacy profiles, no randomised trials have compared AF ablation with medical management in HFpEF. However, catheter ablation has been reported to result in lower natriuretic peptides, lower filling pressures, greater peak cardiac output and improved functional capacity in HFpEF. There is growing evidence that catheter ablation may reduce HFpEF severity, hospitalisation and mortality compared to medical management. Based on indirect evidence, early catheter ablation and minimally extensive atrial injury should be favoured. Hence, individualised ablation strategies stratified by stepwise substrate inducibility provide a logical basis for catheter-based rhythm control in this heterogenous population. Randomised trials are needed for definitive evidence-based guidelines.</p>","PeriodicalId":8412,"journal":{"name":"Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review","volume":" ","pages":"e18"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/cc/4d/aer-11-e18.PMC9585645.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40454610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jan Mizner, Pavel Jurak, Hana Linkova, Radovan Smisek, Karol Curila
{"title":"Ventricular Dyssynchrony and Pacing-induced Cardiomyopathy in Patients with Pacemakers, the Utility of Ultra-high-frequency ECG and Other Dyssynchrony Assessment Tools.","authors":"Jan Mizner, Pavel Jurak, Hana Linkova, Radovan Smisek, Karol Curila","doi":"10.15420/aer.2022.01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/aer.2022.01","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The majority of patients tolerate right ventricular pacing well; however, some patients manifest signs of heart failure after pacemaker implantation and develop pacing-induced cardiomyopathy. This is a consequence of non-physiological ventricular activation bypassing the conduction system. Ventricular dyssynchrony was identified as one of the main factors responsible for pacing-induced cardiomyopathy development. Currently, methods that would allow rapid and reliable ventricular dyssynchrony assessment, ideally during the implant procedure, are lacking. Paced QRS duration is an imperfect marker of dyssynchrony, and methods based on body surface mapping, electrocardiographic imaging or echocardiography are laborious and time-consuming, and can be difficult to use during the implantation procedure. However, the ventricular activation sequence can be readily displayed from the chest leads using an ultra-high-frequency ECG. It can be performed during the implantation procedure to visualise ventricular depolarisation and resultant ventricular dyssynchrony during pacing. This information can assist the electrophysiologist in selecting a pacing location that avoids dyssynchronous ventricular activation.</p>","PeriodicalId":8412,"journal":{"name":"Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review","volume":" ","pages":"e17"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/b3/2c/aer-11-e17.PMC9376832.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40713911","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Emily Shipley, Martha Joddrell, G. Lip, Yalin Zheng
{"title":"Bridging the Gap Between Artificial Intelligence Research and Clinical Practice in Cardiovascular Science: What the Clinician Needs to Know","authors":"Emily Shipley, Martha Joddrell, G. Lip, Yalin Zheng","doi":"10.15420/aer.2022.07","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/aer.2022.07","url":null,"abstract":"by the CHA 2 DS 2 VASc score. 5 More widespread use has the potential to improve patient-centred care by further individualising a patient’s level of risk, thus enabling the management of modifiable risk factors. An added benefit would be the ability to account for the dynamic nature of risk in certain cardiovascular outcomes. For example, ML and the use of mobile health data could enable stroke risk prediction to adapt to treatment changes over time and incident risk factors, in contrast with the static nature of current standard risk scores. 5 the explosion creation currently. methods of enabling improvement in performance of ML models. prediction of including AF and as supraventricular ectopic beat and to better use of of","PeriodicalId":8412,"journal":{"name":"Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45580004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lisa Wm Leung, Zaki Akhtar, Jamal Hayat, Mark M Gallagher
{"title":"Protecting Against Collateral Damage to Non-cardiac Structures During Endocardial Ablation for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.","authors":"Lisa Wm Leung, Zaki Akhtar, Jamal Hayat, Mark M Gallagher","doi":"10.15420/aer.2021.67","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/aer.2021.67","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Injury to structures adjacent to the heart, particularly oesophageal injury, accounts for a large proportion of fatal and life-altering complications of ablation for persistent AF. Avoiding these complications dictates many aspects of the way ablation is performed. Because avoidance involves limiting energy delivery in areas of interest, fear of extracardiac injury can impede the ability of the operator to perform an effective procedure. New techniques are becoming available that may permit the operator to circumvent this dilemma and deliver effective ablation with less risk to adjacent structures. The authors review all methods available to avoid injury to extracardiac structures to put these developments in context.</p>","PeriodicalId":8412,"journal":{"name":"Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review","volume":" ","pages":"e15"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/01/ae/aer-11-e15.PMC9376833.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40713909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lisa Wm Leung, Zaki Akhtar, Christos Kontogiannis, Ryan J Imhoff, Hannah Taylor, Mark M Gallagher
{"title":"Economic Evaluation of Catheter Ablation Versus Medical Therapy for the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation from the Perspective of the UK.","authors":"Lisa Wm Leung, Zaki Akhtar, Christos Kontogiannis, Ryan J Imhoff, Hannah Taylor, Mark M Gallagher","doi":"10.15420/aer.2021.46","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/aer.2021.46","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Randomised evidence supports an early rhythm control strategy as treatment for AF, and catheter ablation outperforms medical therapy in terms of effectiveness when studied as first- and second-line treatment. Despite evidence consistently showing that catheter ablation treatment is superior to medical therapy in most AF patients, only a small proportion receive ablation, in some cases after a prolonged trial of ineffective medical therapy. Health economics research in electrophysiology remains limited but is recognised as being important in influencing positive change to ensure early access to ablation services for all eligible patients. Such information has informed the updated recommendations from the recently published National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of AF, but increased awareness is needed to drive real-world adoption and to ensure patients are quickly referred to specialists. In this article, economic evaluations of catheter ablation versus medical therapy are reviewed.</p>","PeriodicalId":8412,"journal":{"name":"Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review","volume":" ","pages":"e13"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/78/57/aer-11-e13.PMC9277614.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40514367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eduardo Back Sternick, Damian Sanchez-Quintana, Hein Jj Wellens, Robert H Anderson
{"title":"Mahaim Revisited.","authors":"Eduardo Back Sternick, Damian Sanchez-Quintana, Hein Jj Wellens, Robert H Anderson","doi":"10.15420/aer.2022.12","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/aer.2022.12","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The name Ivan Mahaim is well-known to electrophysiologists. However, alternative anatomical substrates can produce the abnormal rhythms initially interpreted on the basis of the pathways he first described. These facts have prompted suggestions that Mahaim should be deprived of his eponym. It is agreed that specificity is required when describing the pathways that produce the disordered cardiac conduction, and that the identified pathways should now be described in an attitudinally appropriate fashion. The authors remain to be convinced that understanding will be enhanced simply by discarding the term 'Mahaim physiology' from the lexicon. It is fascinating to look back at the history of accessory atrioventricular junctional conduction pathways outside the normal accessory atrioventricular conduction system, and their possible role in rhythm disturbances. It took both the anatomist and the clinical arrhythmologist quite some time to understand the complex anatomical architecture and the ensuing electrophysiological properties. Over the years, the name Mahaim was often mentioned in those discussions, although these pathways were not the ones that produced the eponym. The reason for this review, therefore, is to present relevant information about the person and what followed thereafter.</p>","PeriodicalId":8412,"journal":{"name":"Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review","volume":" ","pages":"e14"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/d2/ff/aer-11-e14.PMC9376831.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40713910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The ATLAS Randomised Clinical Trial: What do the Superiority Results Mean for Subcutaneous ICD Therapy and Sudden Cardiac Death Prevention as a Whole?","authors":"Roberto Rordorf","doi":"10.15420/aer.2022.11.S1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/aer.2022.11.S1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This review sets out the key evidence comparing subcutaneous ICDs (S-ICDs) and transvenous ICDs and uses it to empower clinical cardiologists and those who implant ICDs to make optimum patient selections for S-ICD use. The evidence demonstrates that clinical trials performed until recently have proven the performance of S-ICDs. However, the latest data now available from the ATLAS randomised controlled trial have added new insights to this body of evidence. ATLAS demonstrates the superiority of S-ICDs over transvenous ICDs regarding lead-related complications, findings that point to promising opportunities for patients who are at risk of sudden cardiac death.</p>","PeriodicalId":8412,"journal":{"name":"Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/0c/0c/aer-11-suppl1.PMC9611761.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40458569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Katarzyna Dudziñska-Szczerba, Piotr Kułakowski, Ilona Michałowska, Jakub Baran
{"title":"Association Between Left Atrial Appendage Morphology and Function and the Risk of Ischaemic Stroke in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.","authors":"Katarzyna Dudziñska-Szczerba, Piotr Kułakowski, Ilona Michałowska, Jakub Baran","doi":"10.15420/aer.2022.08","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/aer.2022.08","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>AF is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and has been identified as an independent risk factor for stroke. The European Society of Cardiology guidelines recommend a thromboembolic event risk assessment based on the CHA<sub>2</sub>DS<sub>2</sub>-VASc score. However, stroke also occurs in some patients with a low CHA<sub>2</sub>DS<sub>2</sub>-VASc score. Therefore, it is necessary to find new factors to improve thromboembolic risk stratification in AF patients. Over 90% of embolic strokes are caused by thrombi originating from the left atrial appendage (LAA). Thus, certain anatomical or functional parameters of the LAA could potentially be used to predict cardioembolic stroke. Studies have suggested that some of these factors, such as LAA morphology, number of LAA lobes, LAA dimensions, LAA volume, distance from the LAA ostium to the first bend of LAA, LAA orifice diameter, extent of LAA trabeculations, LAA takeoff, LAA flow velocity and LAA strain rate, are independently associated with a higher risk of stroke in a population of patients with AF and improve the performance of the CHA<sub>2</sub>DS<sub>2</sub>-VASc score. However, the results are conflicting and, so far, no new parameter has been added to the CHA<sub>2</sub>DS<sub>2</sub>-VASc score.</p>","PeriodicalId":8412,"journal":{"name":"Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review","volume":" ","pages":"e09"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/ef/09/aer-11-e09.PMC9272406.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40514365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia.","authors":"Mohamed Abbas, Chris Miles, Elijah Behr","doi":"10.15420/aer.2022.09","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/aer.2022.09","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is an inherited arrhythmia syndrome characterised by adenergically mediated bidirectional and/or polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. CPVT is a significant cause of autopsy-negative sudden death in children and adolescents, although it can also affect adults. It is often caused by pathogenic variants in the cardiac ryanodine receptor gene as well as other rarer genes. Early identification and risk stratification is of major importance. β-blockers are the cornerstone of therapy. Sodium channel blockers, specifically flecainide, have an additive role. Left cardiac sympathetic denervation is playing an increasing role in suppression of arrhythmia and symptoms. Concerns have been raised, however, about the efficacy of implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy and the risk of catecholamine driven proarrhythmic storms. In this review, we summarise the clinical characteristics, genetics, and diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for CPVT and describe recent advances and challenges.</p>","PeriodicalId":8412,"journal":{"name":"Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review","volume":"11 ","pages":"e20"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/5d/5d/aer-11-e20.PMC9820193.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10527379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Theofanis George Korovesis, Paraskevi Koutrolou-Sotiropoulou, Demosthenes George Katritsis
{"title":"Arrhythmogenic Mitral Valve Prolapse.","authors":"Theofanis George Korovesis, Paraskevi Koutrolou-Sotiropoulou, Demosthenes George Katritsis","doi":"10.15420/aer.2021.28","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/aer.2021.28","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common condition present in 1-3% of the population. There has been evidence that a subset of MVP patients is at higher risk of sudden cardiac death. The arrhythmogenic mechanism is related to fibrotic changes in the papillary muscles caused by the prolapsing valve. ECG features include ST-segment depression, T wave inversion or biphasic T waves in inferior leads, and premature ventricular contractions arising from the papillary muscles and the fascicular system. Echocardiography can identify MVP and mitral annular disjunction, a feature that has significant negative prognostic value in MVP. Cardiac MRI is indicated for identifying fibrosis. Patients with high-risk features should be referred for further evaluation. Catheter ablation and mitral valve repair might reduce the risk of malignant arrhythmia. MVP patients with high-risk features and clinically documented ventricular arrhythmia may also be considered for an ICD.</p>","PeriodicalId":8412,"journal":{"name":"Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review","volume":" ","pages":"e16"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/e7/e3/aer-11-e16.PMC9376835.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40713912","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}