Effectiveness of cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation in patients with left common pulmonary vein variant.

Background: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with cryoballoon technology is widely used for rhythm control in atrial fibrillation (AF). However, there are limited data on its effectiveness in patients with the left common pulmonary vein (LCPV) variant.

Objective: The study aimed to examine the outcomes of cryoballoon ablation in patients with the LCPV variant.

The role of early cardiac resynchronization therapy implantation in dilated cardiomyopathy patients with narrow QRS carrying lamin A/C mutation.

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) caused by Lamin A/C gene (LMNA) mutation is complicated with atrioventricular conduction disturbances, malignant ventricular arrhythmias and progressive severe heart failure.

Objective: We hypothesized that early cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) implantation in LMNA mutation carriers with an established indication for pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), may preserve ejection fraction, and delay disease progression to end stage heart failure.

Methods: We compared the primary outcomes: time to heart transplantation, death due to end stage heart failure or ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation and secondary outcomes: change in left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) and ventricular arrhythmia burden between LMNA DCM patients in the early CRT and non-CRT groups.

Elevated thrombin generation levels in the left atrial appendage in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained tachi-arrhythmia. Thrombus formation in the left atrial appendage (LAA) increases the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with AF.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare thrombin generation in the LAA to the LA among patients with AF.

Detection of Common Arrhythmias by the Watch-PAT: Expression of Electrical Arrhythmias by Pulse Recording.

Background: The WatchPAT (WP) device was shown to be accurate for the diagnosis of sleep apnea and is widely used worldwide as an ambulatory diagnostic tool. While it records peripheral arterial tone (PAT) and not electrocardiogram (ECG), the ability of it to detect arrhythmias is unknown and was not studied previously. Common arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation (AF) or premature beats may be uniquely presented while recording PAT/pulse wave.

Risk of Worsening Renal Function Following Repeated Exposures to Contrast Media During Percutaneous Coronary Interventions.

Background Multiple contrast media exposures are common, but their cumulative effect on renal function is unknown. We aimed to investigate the renal consequences of repeated exposures to contrast media with coronary interventions. Methods and Results We studied 2942 patients who underwent between 1 and 9 procedures.

Type of Anemia, Chronic Non-cardiovascular Illnesses, and Outcomes of Patients with ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Objectives: To assess the impact of different types of anemia and of concomitant non-cardiovascular chronic illnesses on outcomes of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and baseline anemia admitted to the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit.

Methods: Based on the mean corpuscular volume, anemia was stratified into: microcytic (<80 fL), normocytic (≥80, <96 fL), and macrocytic (≥96 fL). Data on concomitant chronic non-cardiovascular illnesses including malignancies were carefully collected.