- Irregular ventricular tachycardia originating from the moderator band. [Journal Article]J Electrocardiol. 2023 Jan 30; 78:25-28.JE
- Ventricular tachycardias (VT) may initially show beat to beat oscillations but rapidly stabilize into a regular tachycardia with a stable cycle length. A persistently irregular ventricular tachycardia is a rare phenomenon. We report a rare case of an "irregular" ventricular tachycardia with so pronounced oscillations in cycle length that it was initially misdiagnosed as atrial fibrillation with a…
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- Probability of Cardioembolic vs. Atherothrombotic Pathogenesis of Cryptogenic Strokes in Older Patients. [Journal Article]Am J Cardiol. 2023 Feb 01; 192:51-59.AJ
- Some clinical, laboratory, ECG, and echocardiographic parameters could provide useful indications to assess the probability of cardioembolism or atherothrombosis in cryptogenic strokes. We retrospectively examined 290 patients with ischemic stroke aged ≥60 years, divided into 3 groups: strokes originating from large artery atherothrombosis (n = 92), cardioembolic strokes caused by paroxysmal atri…
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- Clinical Profile and Outcomes of Patients With Pure Aortic Regurgitation Who Underwent Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement. [Journal Article]Am J Cardiol. 2023 Feb 01; 192:45-50.AJ
- Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) remains the standard of care for patients with chronic severe aortic regurgitation (AR). The introduction of a dedicated transcatheter heart valve for AR has fueled interest in using transcatheter aortic valve replacement to treat patients with isolated AR. We aimed to characterize the profile and outcomes of patients with symptomatic severe AR who underwe…
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- Paroxysmal AF Ablation Using a Novel Variable-Loop Biphasic Pulsed Field Ablation Catheter Integrated With a 3D Mapping System: 1-Year Outcomes of the Multicenter inspIRE Study. [Journal Article]Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2023 Feb 03 [Online ahead of print]CA
- Background - The inspIRE study evaluated safety and effectiveness of a fully integrated biphasic pulsed field ablation (PFA) system with a variable loop circular catheter for the treatment of drug-refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods - Subjects underwent pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with the PFA system, using at least 12 applications per vein; adenosine/isoproterenol was admi…
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- "Water Gun:" A New Morphology of Left Atrial Appendage. [Journal Article]J Invasive Cardiol. 2023 Feb; 35(2):E110-E111.JI
- An 86-year-old patient with non-valvular atrial fibrillation was referred to our institution to undergo a left atrial appendage (LAA) closure for recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding on direct oral anticoagulants. The transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) performed the previous day evaluated the morphology and dimensions of the LAA and ruled out any thrombus. During the procedure, a pigtail cathete…
- Current Evidence on Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation: Modifiable Risk Factors and the Effects of Risk Factor Intervention. [Journal Article]Cardiol Rev. 2023 Mar-Apr 01; 31(2):70-79.CR
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most encountered arrhythmias in clinical practice. It is also estimated that the absolute AF burden may increase by greater than 60% by 2050. It is inevitable that AF will become one of the largest epidemics in the world and may pose a major health problem for countries. Although AF rarely causes mortality in the acute period, it causes a significant increas…
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- An Objective Tool for Quantifying Atrial Fibrillation Substrate in Rats. [Journal Article]Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2023 Feb 03 [Online ahead of print]AJ
- The utility of rodents for research related to atrial fibrillation (AF) is growing exponentially. However, the obtained arrhythmic waveforms are often mixed with ventricular signals and the ability to analyze regularity and complexity of such events is limited. Recently, we introduced an implantable quadripolar electrode adapted for advanced atrial electrophysiology in ambulatory rats. Notably, w…
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- [ANMCO-SIMEU Consensus document: Appropriate management of atrial fibrillation in the emergency department]. [Journal Article]G Ital Cardiol (Rome). 2023 Feb; 24(2):136-159.GI
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) accounts for 2% of the total presentations to the emergency department (ED) and represents the most frequent arrhythmic cause for hospitalization. It steadily increases the risk of thromboembolic events and is often associated with several comorbidities that negatively affect patient's quality of life and prognosis. AF has a considerable on healthcare resources, making th…
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- Integrating Real-World Evidence in Economic Evaluation of Oral Anticoagulants for Stroke Prevention in Non-valvular Atrial Fibrillation in a Developing Country. [Journal Article]Am J Cardiovasc Drugs. 2023 Feb 03 [Online ahead of print]AJ
- CONCLUSIONS: In a developing country where suboptimal anticoagulation control is common, apixaban was the cost-effective alternative to warfarin for patients with both low and intermediate TTR control.
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- Device-detected atrial fibrillation in a large remote-monitored cohort: implications for anticoagulation and need for new pathways of service delivery. [Journal Article]J Interv Card Electrophysiol. 2023 Feb 03 [Online ahead of print]JI
- CONCLUSIONS: Despite being intensively managed via RM software system incorporating cues for anticoagulation, a substantial proportion of patients with increased stroke risk remained unanticoagulated after a device-detected AF episode of significant duration. These data highlight the need for improved clinical response pathways and an integrated care approach to RM.
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- Ibrutinib in relapsed/refractory patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia: a real-life, retrospective study on behalf of the "RTL" (regional Tuscan lymphoma network). [Journal Article]Ann Hematol. 2023 Feb 03 [Online ahead of print]AH
- Ibrutinib represents the first approved treatment for patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM). There are very few published experiences outside of a clinical trial. In this study, we investigated treatment response, survival, and safety in a real life setting. We retrospectively analyzed 49 consecutive R/R WM patients, managed in 8 Tuscan onco-hematological centers, that received ibrutin…
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- Use of CHA2DS2-VASc score to predict the risk of ischemic stroke and mortality in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: a retrospective cohort study. [Journal Article]Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2023 Jan; 27(2):611-619.ER
- CONCLUSIONS: Ischemic stroke was associated with a higher mortality risk after CABG. Higher CHA2DS2-VASc scores were associated with higher ischemic stroke risk. POAF did not significantly affect the relationship between CHA2DS2-VASc scores and ischemic stroke. CHA2DS2-VASc score can be used to predict ischemic stroke and mortality following CABG.
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- Rotor mechanism and its mapping in atrial fibrillation. [Journal Article]Europace. 2023 Feb 03 [Online ahead of print]E
- Treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) remains challenging despite significant progress in understanding its underlying mechanisms. The first detailed, quantitative theory of functional re-entry, the 'leading circle' model, was developed more than 40 years ago. Subsequently, in decades of study, an alternative paradigm based on spiral waves has long been postulated to drive AF. The rotor as a 'spi…
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- Real-world clinical outcomes with a next-generation left atrial appendage closure device: the FLXibility Post-Approval Study. [Journal Article]Europace. 2023 Feb 03 [Online ahead of print]E
- CONCLUSIONS: The WATCHMAN FLX device had excellent procedural success rates, high LAA seal rates, and low rates of thromboembolic events in everyday clinical practice.
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- Rpl3l gene deletion in mice reduces heart weight over time. [Journal Article]Front Physiol. 2023; 14:1054169.FP
- Introduction: The ribosomal protein L3-like (RPL3L) is a heart and skeletal muscle-specific ribosomal protein and paralogue of the more ubiquitously expressed RPL3 protein. Mutations in the human RPL3L gene are linked to childhood cardiomyopathy and age-related atrial fibrillation, yet the function of RPL3L in the mammalian heart remains unknown. Methods and Results: Here, we observed that mouse …
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- Imaging and biophysical modelling of thrombogenic mechanisms in atrial fibrillation and stroke. [Review]Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022; 9:1074562.FC
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) underlies almost one third of all ischaemic strokes, with the left atrial appendage (LAA) identified as the primary thromboembolic source. Current stroke risk stratification approaches, such as the CHA2DS2-VASc score, rely mostly on clinical comorbidities, rather than thrombogenic mechanisms such as blood stasis, hypercoagulability and endothelial dysfunction-known as Vir…
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- Retrospective cohort study on risk factors for developing ischemic stroke. [Journal Article]Pharm Pract (Granada). 2022 Jul-Sep; 20(3):2682.PP
- CONCLUSIONS: It is prudent to control modifiable risk factors for the development of strokes such as hypertension, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, and low physical activity.
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- Exploring the pathogenesis and immune infiltration in dilated cardiomyopathy complicated with atrial fibrillation by bioinformatics analysis. [Journal Article]Front Immunol. 2023; 14:1049351.FI
- CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals that immune cells (Tfh cells) disorders caused by hub immune-related genes (CD48 and CD3D) may be the common pathogenesis of DCM combined with AF, which lays a foundation for further immune mechanism research.
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- Oxidative Stress and Pyroptosis in Doxorubicin-Induced Heart Failure and Atrial Fibrillation. [Journal Article]Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2023; 2023:4938287.OM
- Patients undergoing doxorubicin (Dox) chemotherapy often develop new-onset atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Recent studies indicate that the TLR4/MyD88/NLRP3 pyroptosis signaling pathway plays a key role in the occurrence and development of cancer, heart failure, and atherosclerosis. However, few studies investigated the role of oxidative stress and pyroptosis in doxorubicin-induced heart f…
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- His bundle combined with deep septal left bundle branch area pacing for atrial fibrillation prior to atrioventricular node ablation. [Journal Article]J Arrhythm. 2023 Feb; 39(1):27-33.JA
- CONCLUSIONS: Combined HBP and dsLBBAP pacing is a feasible approach as a pace and ablate strategy for atrial fibrillation refractory to medical therapy.
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- Clinical utility of the "balloon lever technique" in the right inferior pulmonary vein cryoballoon ablation. [Journal Article]J Arrhythm. 2023 Feb; 39(1):42-51.JA
- CONCLUSIONS: BLT is useful in RIPV cryoablation when the conventional method is ineffective. BLT cryoablation may be helpful, mainly because of the BLT-mediated contact of the balloon with the bottom of the RIPV, which leads to optimal RIPV occlusion.
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- A rare case of unusual scar in atrial fibrillation ablation: The "Yin-Yang" left atrium. [Journal Article]J Arrhythm. 2023 Feb; 39(1):82-83.JA
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- Arrhythmogenic superior vena cava manifesting after a right-sided pneumonectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection. [Journal Article]J Arrhythm. 2023 Feb; 39(1):84-87.JA
- No case of AF ablation after right-sided pneumonectomy has been reported, presumably because the pneumonectomy renders the ablation procedure more difficult than lobectomy because of the marked mediastinal displacement. In the case of catheter ablation of AF after right-sided pneumonectomy, it is extremely important to insert a mapping catheter not only into the PV but also into the SVC to accura…
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- Association Between Pre-Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation Serum Lipid Levels and Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation in 412 Patients in Beijing, China: A Single-Center Study. [Journal Article]Med Sci Monit. 2023 Feb 03; 29:e938288.MS
- BACKGROUND This study from a single center in Beijing, China, included 412 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation. We aimed to determine whether pre-ablation serum lipid levels were related to recurrence of atrial fibrillation (RAF). MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 412 patients with AF who underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation were enrolled in t…
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- Prevalence and prognostic impact of left ventricular systolic dysfunction or pulmonary congestion after acute myocardial infarction. [Journal Article]ESC Heart Fail. 2023 Feb 02 [Online ahead of print]EH
- CONCLUSIONS: Depending on the definition, LV systolic dysfunction or pulmonary congestion is present in 13-32% of all patients with MI and is associated with a two to three times higher risk of subsequent death or HF admission. There is a need to optimize management and improve outcomes for this high-risk population.
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- Effects of hydroxychloroquine on atrial electrophysiology in in silico wild-type and PITX2+/- atrial cardiomyocytes. [Journal Article]Herz. 2023 Feb 02 [Online ahead of print]HERZ
- CONCLUSIONS: Our in silico analysis suggests a potential antiarrhythmic role of low-dose HCQ in AF. Concomitant PITX2 mutations and high-dose HCQ treatments may increase the risk of AF, and this potential genotype/dose-dependent arrhythmogenic effect of HCQ should be investigated further.
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- Remedē Systems: Transvenous Pacing of the Phrenic Nerve. [Review]J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2023 Jan 13 [Online ahead of print]JC
- The remedē System (ZOLL Medical, Minnetonka, MN; Fig 1), which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in October of 2017, is a transvenous device that stimulates the phrenic nerve for the treatment of central sleep apnea, which is often associated with heart failure and atrial fibrillation. Given the similarity in implantation procedure to pacemakers and implantable cardioverter/defibri…
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- Neurology care and the long-term outcomes of atrial fibrillation-related ischaemic stroke in China: median 3-year outcome from a high volume academic tertiary hospital. [Journal Article]BMJ Open. 2023 Feb 02; 13(2):e066474.BO
- CONCLUSIONS: Secondary stroke prevention in AF patients associated with neurology care is challenging in China, as manifested by a lower AF detection rate, significant underuse of OACs, high mortality and recurrent stroke rate. Efforts to increasing the AF detection rate and reinforce education on neurologists should be made to improve neurology care and intensify posthospital management in such patients.
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- Plaque Progression Differences Between Apixaban and Rivaroxaban in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Measured With Cardiac Computed Tomography and Plaque Quantification. [Journal Article]Am J Ther. 2022 Oct 18 [Online ahead of print]AJ
- CONCLUSIONS: In both groups, there is progression of all types of plaque. There was a significant difference between apixaban and rivaroxaban on coronary calcification, with significantly lower calcific plaque progression in the apixaban group, and change in positive remodeling. With weighted modeling, only PR changes are statistically significant between the 2 DOACs.
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- Ablation therapies for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and patient-level network meta-analysis. [Journal Article]Ann Acad Med Singap. 2023 Jan; 52(1):27-40.AA
- CONCLUSIONS: The advantage of ablation therapies over AAD in preventing atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence suggests that ablation should be considered as the first-line treatment for PAF in patients fit for the procedure. The promising nature of several specific therapies warrants further trials to elicit their long-term efficacy and perform a cost-benefit analysis.