Metabolic syndrome is associated with atrial electrical and mechanical dysfunction

In this study, we aimed to investigate the left atrial [LA] electrical and mechanical functions in patients with metabolic syndrome [MetS]. Subjects and The study population consisted of 87 patients with MetS and 67 controls. Intra-atrial and interatrial electromechanical delays [EDs] were measured with tissue Doppler imaging. P-wave dispersion [Pd] was calculated from the 12-lead electrocardiograms. LA volumes were measured echocardiographically by the biplane area-length method. Intra-atrial and interatrial EDs and Pd were significantly higher in patients with MetS [10.3 +/- 6.3, 21.0 +/- 11.5 and 41.7 +/- 10.8] than in controls [7.4 +/- 5.5, 12.3 +/- 10.4 and 29.2 +/- 7.4; p = 0.003, p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively]. The LA preatrial contraction volume and active emptying volumes were higher in this population, but the LA passive emptying fraction was lower. In the multivariate linear regression analysis, the presence of MetS, LA active emptying volume and left ventricular early diastolic [E] wave velocity/late diastolic [A] wave velocity [E/A] ratios were independent correlates of interatrial ED [p = 0.002, p = 0.001 and p = 0.025, respectively]. This study showed that intra-atrial and interatrial EDs and Pd were prolonged and LA mechanical functions were impaired in patients with MetS

Electrophysiologic effects of statins in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and ventricular tachyarrhythmia

Statin therapy may be beneficial not only to reduce the risk of vascular events but also to reduce the risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. We evaluated the effects of statins on electrophysiologic parameters in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and established ventricular tachyarrhythmia. Prospective study. Eleven patients [all male, mean age 57.9 +/- 6.64 years], with ischemic cardiomyopathy and ventricular tachyarrhythmia on admission were included in the study. Two academic tertiary care centers. A baseline electrophysiologic study was performed before implantable-cardioverter defibrillator [ICD] implantation. Forty milligram of atorvastatin was started and electrophysiologic study was repeated one month later and results were compared. Basic intervals, corrected sinus node recovery time [cSNRT], sino-atrial conduction time [SACT], atrio-ventricular node refractory period [AVNRP], atrio-ventricular Wenckebach period [AVWP], ventricular refractory period [VRP], ventriculo-atrial dissociation measurement, corrected QT [QTc] interval and QT dispersion were measured. Also, ventricular arrhythmia inducibility was evaluated with various techniques. Although, QTc interval and QT dispersion decreased significantly with statin treatment [p < 0.05], there were no statistically significant differences in the measurements of basic intervals, cSNRT, SACT, AVNRP, AVWP, VRP and ventriculo-atrial dissociation compared to pretreatment measurements [p > 0.05]. Additionally, while induction of ventricular tachyarrhythmia occurred in 72.7% of patients before statin therapy, this rate decreased to 36.4% with treatment [p - 0.13]. Statin treatment led to significant decreases in QTc interval and QT dispersion, but it did not change other electrophysiologic parameters significantly