Resting Full-Cycle Ratio versus Fractional Flow Reserve: A SWEDEHEART-Registry-Based Comparison of Two Physiological Indexes for Assessing Coronary Stenosis Severity.

The adenosine-requiring physiological index fractional flow reserve (FFR) is the gold-standard method for determining the significance of intermediate lesions, while the resting full-cycle ratio (RFR) is a novel nonhyperaemic index without the need for adenosine administration. The aim of this study was to investigate the degree of concordance between RFR and FFR in indicating the need for revascularisation in patients with intermediate coronary lesions. This was a retrospective, registry-based study utilising data from the SWEDEHEART registry. Patients treated at Ryhov County Hospital in Jönköping, Sweden, between the 1st of January 2020 and the 30th of September 2021, were included. The degree of correlation and concordance between RFR and FFR was determined, both when used with a single cut-off (significant stenosis if RFR ≤0.89) and with a hybrid approach (significant stenosis if RFR ≤0.85, not significant if RFR ≥0.94, and FFR measurement when RFR was in the grey zone 0.86-0.93). The study population consisted of 143 patients with 200 lesions. The overall correlation between FFR and RFR was significant (r = 0.715, R2 = 0.511, p ≤ 0.01). A strong correlation was seen for lesions in the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and the left circumflex artery (LCX) (r = 0.748 and 0.742, respectively, both p ≤ 0.01), while the correlation in the right coronary artery (RCA) was moderate (r = 0.524, p ≤ 0.01). The overall concordance between FFR and RFR using a single cut-off was 79.0%. With a hybrid cut-off approach, the degree of concordance was 91%, with no need of adenosine in 50.5% of the lesions. In conclusion, there was a strong correlation and a high degree of concordance between FFR and RFR in determining the significance of a stenosis. The use of a hybrid approach could improve the identification of physiologically significant stenoses while minimising the use of adenosine.

Sex and age differences in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Swedish health-care region without lockdown: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of acute myocardial infarction has decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but sex and age differences in this change in incidence have not been tested. Thus, we aimed to compare the incidence of acute myocardial infarction in a health-care region in Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemic with previous years and to evaluate sex and age differences. METHODS: We did a retrospective, observational cohort study using data from a national registry of patients admitted to coronary care units in Sweden. All patients admitted to one of three hospitals in Region Jönköping County with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 1 to July 31, 2020) or reference period (March 1 to July 31, 2017-19) were included. The incidence of acute myocardial infarction (ST-elevation and non-ST-elevation) was calculated for both study periods. Participants were grouped according to sex and age (<70 years vs ≥70 years). The incidence and the incidence rate ratio (IRR) between the two study periods was calculated for each group and compared between groups using the Breslow-Day test. FINDINGS: The study included 1088 participants, 846 who were admitted for acute myocardial infarction during the reference period and 242 who were admitted during the COVID-19 pandemic period. The IRR of acute myocardial infarction for the COVID-19 period compared with the reference period was 0·85 (95% CI 0·73-0·98). The IRR for acute myocardial infarction was significantly lower among women aged 70 years or older (0·56 [0·40-0·78]) than among men aged 70 years or older (0·97 [0·77-1·23]; p=0·0074). INTERPRETATION: The incidence of acute myocardial infarction decreased predominantly among women aged 70 years or older during the COVID-19 pandemic. This highlights potential sex differences in health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which should be further elucidated. FUNDING: None.

The association between alcohol consumption, cardiac biomarkers, left atrial size and re-ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation referred for catheter ablation.

BACKGROUND: Information on alcohol consumption in patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) is often limited by the reliance on self-reports. The aim of this study was to describe the long-term alcohol consumption, measured as ethyl glucuronide in hair (hEtG), in patients undergoing RFA due to AF, and to examine potential associations with cardiac biomarkers, left atrial size and re-ablation within one year after the initial RFA. METHODS: The amount of hEtG was measured in patients referred for RFA, and a cut-off of 7 pg/mg was used. N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and the mid-regional fragment of pro atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP) were examined and maximum left atrium volume index (LAVI) was measured. The number of re-ablations was examined up to one year after the initial RFA. Analyses were stratified by gender, and adjusted for age, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, presence of heart failure and heart rhythm for analyses regarding NT-proBNP, MR-proANP and LAVI and heart rhythm being replaced by type of AF for analyses regarding re-ablation. RESULTS: In total, 192 patients were included in the study. Median (25th- 75th percentile) NT-proBNP in men with hEtG ≥ 7 vs. < 7 pg/mg was 250 (96-695) vs. 130 (49-346) pg/ml (p = 0.010), and in women it was 230 (125-480) vs. 230 (125-910) pg/ml (p = 0.810). Median MR-proANP in men with hEtG ≥ 7 vs. < 7 pg/mg was 142 (100-224) vs. 117 (83-179) pmol/l (p = 0.120) and in women it was 139 (112-206) vs. 153 (93-249) pmol/l (p = 0.965). The median of maximum LAVI was 30.1 (26.7-33.9) vs. 25.8 (21.4-32.0) ml/m2 (p = 0.017) in men, and 25.0 (18.9-29.6) vs. 25.7 (21.7-34.6) ml/m2 (p = 0.438) in women, with hEtG ≥ 7 vs. < 7 pg/ml, respectively. Adjusted analyses showed similar results, except for MR-proANP turning out significant in men with hEtG ≥ 7 vs. < 7 pg/mg (p = 0.047). The odds ratio of having a re-ablation was 3.5 (95% CI 1.3-9.6, p = 0.017) in men with hEtG ≥ 7 vs. < 7 pg/mg, while there was no significant difference in women. CONCLUSIONS: In male patients with AF and hEtG ≥ 7 pg/mg, NT-proBNP and MR-proANP were higher, LA volumes larger, and there was a higher rate of re-ablations, as compared to men with hEtG < 7 pg/mg. This implies that men with an alcohol consumption corresponding to an hEtG-value ≥ 7, have a higher risk for LA remodelling that could potentially lead to a deterioration of the AF situation.

Predictors of improvement in arrhythmia-specific symptoms and health-related quality of life after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: The primary goal of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) is to improve symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, most studies have focused on predictors of AF recurrence rather than on predictors of improvement in symptoms and HRQoL. HYPOTHESIS: We sought to explore predictors of improvement in arrhythmia-specific symptoms and HRQoL after RFA of AF, and to evaluate the effects on symptoms, HRQoL, anxiety, and depression. METHODS: We studied 192 patients undergoing their first RFA of AF. The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), arrhythmia-specific questionnaire in tachycardia and arrhythmia (ASTA), and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) questionnaires were filled out at baseline, at 4 months, and at a 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: All questionnaire scale scores improved significantly over time. In the ASTA symptom scale score, female gender and > 10 AF episodes the month before RFA were significant positive predictors of improvement, while diabetes and AF recurrence within 12 months after RFA were significant negative predictors (R2 = 0.18; P < 0.001). In the ASTA HRQoL scale score, the presence of heart failure and > 10 AF episodes the month before RFA were significant positive predictors of improvement, while diabetes, maximum left atrial volume and AF recurrence were significant negative predictors (R2 = 0.20; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Left atrial volume, gender, diabetes, heart failure, the frequency of AF attacks prior to RFA, and recurrence of AF after RFA were significant factors affecting improvement in symptoms and HRQoL after RFA of AF. Future studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Oxygen therapy in ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Aims: To determine whether supplemental oxygen in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) impacts on procedure-related and clinical outcomes. Methods and results: The DETermination of the role of Oxygen in suspected Acute Myocardial Infarction (DETO2X-AMI) trial randomized patients with suspected myocardial infarction (MI) to receive oxygen at 6 L/min for 6-12 h or ambient air. In this pre-specified analysis, we included only STEMI patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In total, 2807 patients were included, 1361 assigned to receive oxygen, and 1446 assigned to ambient air. The pre-specified primary composite endpoint of all-cause death, rehospitalization with MI, cardiogenic shock, or stent thrombosis at 1 year occurred in 6.3% (86 of 1361) of patients allocated to oxygen compared to 7.5% (108 of 1446) allocated to ambient air [hazard ratio (HR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.64-1.13; P = 0.27]. There was no difference in the rate of death from any cause (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.61-1.22; P = 0.41), rate of rehospitalization for MI (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.57-1.48; P = 0.73), rehospitalization for cardiogenic shock (HR 1.05, 95% CI 0.21-5.22; P = 0.95), or stent thrombosis (HR 1.27, 95% CI 0.46-3.51; P = 0.64). The primary composite endpoint was consistent across all subgroups, as well as at different time points, such as during hospital stay, at 30 days and the total duration of follow-up up to 1356 days. Conclusions: Routine use of supplemental oxygen in normoxemic patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI did not significantly affect 1-year all-cause death, rehospitalization with MI, cardiogenic shock, or stent thrombosis.

Factors Predicting Arrhythmia-Related Symptoms and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Referred for Radiofrequency Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: An Observational Study (the SMURF Study).

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to correlate the arrhythmia-related symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who are eligible for radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with a number of objective indicators. BACKGROUND: Although the clinical consequences of AF have been studied extensively, the variation in the symptoms of patients with AF and HRQoL remains under-researched. METHODS: We studied 192 patients eligible for RFA of AF referred to the University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden, between January 2012 and April 2014. The ASTA (Arrhythmia-Specific questionnaire in Tachycardia and Arrhythmia) symptom scale was used to assess arrhythmia-related symptoms in the patients. The ASTA HRQoL scale and the short-form 36 (SF-36) physical and mental components summaries (PCS and MCS) were used to express disease-specific and overall HRQoL of the patients, respectively. RESULTS: Anxiety, low-grade inflammation, and left atrial dilatation significantly predicted arrhythmia-related symptoms (R2 = 0.313; p < 0.001). Depression was the most important predictor of arrhythmia-specific HRQoL (standardized beta: 0 .406), and the produced model explained a significant proportion of the variation in arrhythmia-specific HRQoL (R2 = 0.513; p < 0.001). The most important predictor of PCS was obesity (body mass index >30 kg/m2) (standardized beta: -0.301), whereas the most important predictor of MCS was anxiety (standardized beta: -0.437). CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety, depression, and low-grade inflammation were the factors that predicted both arrhythmia-related symptoms and HRQoL in patients with AF. Obesity was the most significant predictor of patient general physical status. These factors need to be addressed in patients with AF to improve management of their disease. Intensive risk factor modification can be of great importance. (Reasons for Variations in Health Related Quality of Life and Symptom Burden in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [SMURF]; NCT01553045).

Structured care of patients with atrial fibrillation improves guideline adherence.

AIMS: There are many reports of lack of guideline adherence in the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), and AF affects health-related quality of life (HRQoL) negatively. The aim of this study was to investigate whether structured care compared to standard care of a general AF population could improve guideline adherence and HRQoL, and reduce symptoms,anxiety and depression. METHODS: In total, 176 patients were recruited to the intervention and 146 patients to the control group.The intervention consisted of a structured follow-up program, while patients serving as controls received standard care. The primary outcome was guideline adherence evaluated through: appropriate use of oral anticoagulants (OAC) and antiarrhythmics, whether echocardiogram and thyroid lab tests were performed, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), assessed with the questionnaires SF-36, EQ-5D, HADS and ASTA at baseline and after one year. RESULTS: Guideline adherence was significantly better in the intervention group, 91% vs. 63% (p < 0.01), mainly due to appropriate OAC treatment 94% vs. 74% (p < 0.01). Symptoms assessed with ASTA were less frequent and the negative impact of AF was reduced in the intervention group after one year/ at follow-up. Five scales in SF-36, and the visual analogue scale for current health status in EQ-5D (EQ-VAS), improved significantly in both groups. CONCLUSION: Structured care of patients with AF significantly improved guideline adherence and patients reported fewer symptoms and a reduced negative impact on disease-specific HRQoL compared to standard care at one year follow-up.