Outcomes of left bundle branch area pacing compared to His bundle pacing and right ventricular apical pacing in Japanese patients with bradycardia.

Background: His bundle pacing (HBP) and left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) emerge as better alternatives to right ventricular apical pacing (RVAP) in patients with bradycardia requiring permanent cardiac pacing. We aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of LBBAP, HBP, and RVAP in Japanese patients with bradycardia. Methods: A total of 424 patients who underwent successful pacemaker implantation (HBP, n = 53; LBBAP, n = 75; and RVAP, n = 296) were retrospectively enrolled in this study. The primary study endpoint was the cumulative incidence of heart failure hospitalization (HFH) during the follow-up. Results: The success rate for implantation was higher in the LBBAP group than in the HBP group (94.9% and 81.5%, respectively). Capture threshold increase >1V during the follow-up occurred in the HBP and RVAP groups (9.4% and 5.1%, respectively), while it did not in the LBBAP group. The cumulative incidence of HFH was significantly lower in the LBBAP group than the RVAP (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.12 [95% confidence interval: 0.02-0.86]; p = .034); it did not differ between the HBP and RVAP groups (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.48 [95% confidence interval: 0.17-1.34]; p = .16). Advanced age, mean percent right ventricular pacing (per 10% increase), left ventricular ejection fraction <50%, and RVAP were associated with HFH. Conclusions: Compared to RVAP and HBP, LBBAP appeared more feasible and effective in patients with bradycardia requiring permanent cardiac pacing.

Influence of the irrigation flow pattern and catheter tip design on the lesion formation: an ex vivo experimental model.

BACKGROUND: Lesion formation during catheter ablation is influenced by the power, contact force (CF), time, and catheter stability. However, the influence of the irrigation effects on lesion formation remains unknown. METHODS: An ex vivo experiment using conductive gel was performed. Using three different catheter designs (TactiFlex ™ SE [TF], IntellaNav MiFi ™ OI [MiFi], QDOT MICRO™ [QDOT]), a cross-sectional analysis of the lesion size and surface lesion type of 10g/40W lesions with a combination of various ablation times was performed in protocol 1. A longitudinal analysis (combination of various powers [30, 40, and 50W] and various ablation times with a 10g setting) was performed to investigate the influence of the auto-regulated irrigation system (QDOT) on lesion formation in protocol 2. RESULTS: The lesion formation with the QDOT catheter tended to create larger ablation lesions, while that with the TF catheter created smaller lesions than the other catheters. The lesion surface characteristics were divided into two patterns: ring (MiFi catheter and QDOT) and crescent (TF) patterns. The auto-regulated irrigation system did not influence the lesion formation, and the relationship between the lesion formation and RF energy exhibited similar changes regardless of the ablation power setting. CONCLUSION: The lesion formation and lesion surface characteristics differed among the different irrigation tip designs. An auto-regulated irrigation system did not affect the lesion creation or surface lesion characteristics. Care should be given to the inter-product differences in the lesion characteristics during RF catheter ablation, partly due to the irrigation flow control and tip design.

A novel ablation strategy for recurrent atrial fibrillation: Fractionated signal area in the atrial muscle ablation 1-year follow-up.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) is sometimes challenging due to non-pulmonary vein (PV) foci. Fractionated signal area in the atrial muscle (FAAM) is a valid predictor of the location of non-PV foci. FAAM ablation has the potential to decrease the recurrence rate of atrial tachyarrhythmia in patients with recurrent AF. We compared the clinical impact of FAAM ablation for recurrent AF, using 1 year follow up date. METHODS: A total of 230 consecutive patients with symptomatic recurrent AF who underwent catheter ablation specifically targeting non-PV foci as FAAM-guided ablation (n = 113) and non-FAAM-guided ablation (n = 117) were retrospectively analyzed. FAAM was assigned a parameter (peaks slider, which indicates the number of components of fractionated signals), ranging from 1 to 15, indicating the location of the FAAM (1: largest, 15: smallest). FAAM-guided ablation was performed by ablating FAAM until none inducibility of non-PV foci. On the other hand, non-FAAM-guided ablation was performed via linear ablation, complex fractionated atrial electrogram ablation, superior vena cava isolation, and focal ablation according to the location of the non-PV foci. The RHYTHMIA system was used to perform all the procedures. The primary endpoints were AF recurrence, atrial flutter, and/or atrial tachycardia. RESULTS: After a 1-year follow up, freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmia was achieved in 90.3% and 75.2% of patients in the FAAM and non-FAAM groups, respectively (hazard ratio = 0.438 [95% confidence interval: 0.243-0.788], p = .005). CONCLUSIONS: FAAM ablation showed a promising decrease in the recurrence rate of atrial tachyarrhythmia in patients with recurrent AF during a 1-year follow-up.

Subcutaneous ICDs implantation following removal of normally functioning non-infected transvenous ICDs in two young patients.

In young patients with transvenous implantable cardioverter defibrillations (TV-ICDs), the possibility of device infection or lead fracture would be high in their long lifetimes. Furthermore, the risk of lead removal will gradually increase over the years. We reported two cases of subcutaneous ICDs implantation following removal of TV-ICDs. Patient 1, 35-year-old man, underwent TV-ICD implantation 9 years ago for idiopathic ventricular fibrillation, and Patient 2, 46-year-old man, underwent TV-ICD implantation 8 years ago for asymptomatic Brugada syndrome. In both cases, the electrical performance was stable, and there was no incidence of arrythmia or no pacing demand during the follow-up duration. Considering future risk of device infection or lead fracture, and difficulty in future lead removal, TV-ICDs were removed with sufficient informed consent, and then, subcutaneous ICDs (S-ICDs) implantation were performed as an alternative to them. Although indication of the TV-ICD removal should be carefully considered in individual cases, long-term risks leaving it in place should be also considered in the management of young patient. Learning objective: In young patient with TV-ICD, even for a normally functioning non-infected lead, S-ICD implantation following removal of the TV-ICD would represent a strategy associated with less long-term risks than leaving it in place.

Impact of Antibiotic Time-Outs in Multidisciplinary ICU Rounds for Antimicrobial Stewardship Program on Patient Survival: A Controlled Before-and-After Study.

The antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) is an important quality improvement initiative that is recommended in the ICU. However, the shortage of infectious disease physicians in Japan has led to the need for simpler methods for implementing ASPs. We investigated whether antibiotic time-outs (ATOs) during multidisciplinary rounds as part of an ASP can improve patient survival and reduce the number of days of therapy (DOT) with antibiotics. DESIGN: Single-center controlled before-and-after study. SETTING: Medical/surgical ICU in a tertiary university medical center in Tokyo, Japan. PATIENTS: All patients 16 years old or older admitted consecutively in the ICU between October 2016 and March 2020. INTERVENTIONS: An intensivist-driven ICU multidisciplinary round was introduced in October 2016, and ATOs with ICU rounds were implemented in June 2018. ATOs were conducted 3, 7, and 14 days after initiation of antibiotics. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary outcome was the subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) of survival to hospital discharge compared between multidisciplinary rounds (phase 1) and ATO during multidisciplinary rounds (phase 2) using the multivariable Fine-Gray model. The secondary outcomes were the SHR of survival to ICU discharge and the trends in the DOT with IV antibiotics per 1,000 patient-days between October 2016 and March 2020 by using interrupted time-series analysis. The number of patients in phases 1 and 2 was 777 and 796, respectively. The group that underwent ATO during multidisciplinary rounds showed a significant increase in the survival to hospital discharge in comparison with the multidisciplinary round-only group (SHR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02-1.25); however, the SHR of survival to ICU discharge showed no significant intergroup difference. The DOT with total IV antibiotics decreased after ATO implementation (change in intercept, -178.26; 95% CI, -317.74 to -38.78; change in slope, -7.00; 95% CI, -15.77 to 1.78). CONCLUSIONS: ATOs during multidisciplinary rounds are associated with improved patient survival and reduced DOT.

Clinical outcome for heart failure hospitalizations in patients with leadless pacemaker.

Introduction: The long-term performance of leadless pacemaker (LPM) has not been well evaluated. Methods: Between September 2017 and January 2021, 929 consecutive patients who underwent pacemaker implantation were grouped according to the types of pacemakers: LPM (LPM group, n = 368) and conventional pacemaker (PM group, n = 561). Results: The median follow-up duration was 1.7 years (interquartile range 0.8-2.6 years). Hospitalization rate for heart failure in the LPM group was 9.3%, 15.6%, and 21.6% at 1, 2, 3 years, respectively. The LPM group had a significantly higher adjusted heart failure hospitalization risk than the PM group [hazard ratio (HR) 1.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-2.64, p = .01]. More patients with symptomatic bradycardia caused by sinus node dysfunction (SND) in the LPM group (n = 150) were admitted to the hospital for heart failure compared to those in the PM group (n = 219) (HR 2.02, 95%CI 1.04-3.90, p = .03), whereas no significant difference was observed between the two groups in the patients with bradycardia caused by atrial fibrillation (LPM group, n = 71; PM group, n = 18) or atrioventricular block (LPM group, n = 147; PM group, n = 324). Conclusions: Patients who received LPM implantation had greater hospitalization risk for heart failure, compared to those who received conventional pacemaker implantation. The increased risk was mainly attributed to patients with SND.

Prevalence and Risk Factor Analysis of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome in Patients with COVID-19 Requiring Mechanical Ventilation: A Multicenter Prospective Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) is an emerging problem in critically ill patients and the prevalence and risk factors are unclear in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This multicenter prospective observational study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of PICS in ventilated patients with COVID-19 after ICU discharge. METHODS: Questionnaires were administered twice in surviving patients with COVID-19 who had required mechanical ventilation, concerning Barthel Index, Short-Memory Questionnaire, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores. The risk factors for PICS were examined using a multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The first and second PICS surveys were obtained at 5.5 and 13.5 months (mean) after ICU discharge, with 251 and 209 patients completing the questionnaires and with a prevalence of PICS of 58.6% and 60.8%, respectively, along with the highest percentages of cognitive impairment. Delirium (with an odds ratio of (OR) 2.34, 95% CI 1.1-4.9, and p = 0.03) and the duration of mechanical ventilation (with an OR of 1.29, 95% CI 1.05-1.58, and p = 0.02) were independently identified as the risk factors for PICS in the first PICS survey. CONCLUSION: Approximately 60% of the ventilated patients with COVID-19 experienced persistent PICS, especially delirium, and required longer mechanical ventilation.

The Japanese lead extraction registry (J-LEX): Annual report 2020.

The Japanese Heart Rhythm Society established a nationwide, mandatory, multi-center, prospective, observational registry of transvenous lead extraction (TLE) named the Japanese lead extraction registry (J-LEX) in 2018. We have published the first annual report of J-LEX with 661 cases from 42 hospitals. The second annual report of J-LEX in 2020 enrolled increased numbers of 785 cases from 75 hospitals. TLE procedure was attempted on patients with an average age of 71.7 years old, male in 72.5% in the hybrid operating room in 57.9%, and in standard OR with a C-arm fluoroscope in 18.7%. The indication of TLE was an infection in 62.8% and the guideline classification was class-I in 67.4% and class-IIa in 23.8%. The average implantation duration of target leads was 7.9 years. Complete removal was achieved in 96.6% of the target leads and clinical success in 98.1% of the patients. Perioperative complications were observed in 7.1% of the patients. One patient died during a TLE operation and the other three patients died in-hospital (cardiac death in one patient and non-cardiac in two patients). Although the annual J-LEX report in 2020 demonstrated an increased number of TLE procedures despite the first pandemic year of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), perioperative complications increased a little in comparison with J-LEX 2019.

COVID-19 case of ventilator-induced lung injury on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: Physicians' clinical struggle and ethical conflict in a novel pandemic.

Resource scarcity was concerned in the initial surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. To open slots for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), we tried ECMO weaning allowing invasive ventilation in a 66-year-old male with severe COVID-19, backfiring as ventilator-induced lung injury. We will discuss ethical conflict in pandemics in this report.

Predictors of lead break during transvenous lead extraction.

BACKGROUND: The incidence, predictors, and clinical impact of lead break during transvenous lead extraction (TLE) were previously unknown. METHODS: We included consecutive patients who underwent TLE between September 2013 and July 2019 at our institute. Lead break during removal was defined as lead stretching and becoming misshapen, as assessed by fluoroscopy. RESULTS: A total of 246 patients underwent TLE for 501 leads. At a patient level, complete success was achieved in 226 patients (91.9%). At a lead level, 481 leads (96.0%) were completely removed and 101 leads (20.1%) were broken during the procedure. Of 392 identified pacemaker leads, 71 (18.3%) were broken during the TLE procedure. A multivariable analysis confirmed high lead age (odds ratio [OR] 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.17; P < .001), passive leads (OR 2.29 95% CI 1.09-4.80; P = .028), coradial leads (OR 3.45 95% CI 1.72-6.92; P < .001), and insulators made of nonpolyurethane (OR 2.38 95% CI 1.03-5.26; P = .04) as predictors of lead break. Broken leads needed longer procedure times and were associated with a higher rate of cardiac tamponade. CONCLUSIONS: Lead age, coradial bipolar leads, passive leads, and leads without polyurethane insulation were predictors of lead break and could increase the difficulty of lead extraction.

A laceration of a wired silastic tracheostomy tube: A case report and review of the literature.

Fractured tracheostomy tube is a rare, late complication. It typically occurs at the junction of metallic tube. We report an atypical case with laceration of the main trunk of a silastic tube after short period of use (10 days).

Clinical impact of eliminating nonpulmonary vein triggers of atrial fibrillation and nonpulmonary vein premature atrial contractions at initial ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: The role of nonpulmonary vein (PV) triggers ablation in persistent atrial fibrillation (PEAF) was suggested but it is still under debate. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the effectiveness of non-PV trigger-targeted ablation for patients with PEAF. METHODS: Consecutive patients with PEAF undergoing catheter ablation (CA) between January 2015 and April 2017 were enrolled. Isoproterenol plus adenosine challenge was performed to provoke non-PV triggers. Non-PV triggers were defined as the trigger beats inducing AF (non-PV AF triggers) and/or frequent premature contractions (non-PV PACs) from other than PVs. Three groups were defined: Group 1 (n = 186) without non-PV triggers; Group 2 (n = 65) with non-PV triggers that could be completely eliminated with CA; Group 3 (n = 49) with non-PV triggers still inducible after CA. The primary endpoint was freedom from any atrial tachyarrhythmia (ATa) recurrence. RESULTS: A total of 300 patients (230 males, age 64 ± 10) were enrolled. The mean follow-up period was 27 ± 10 months. Freedom from ATa recurrence at 1 and 2 years were significantly lower in Group 3 compared to the other two groups (Group 1; 74.7%, 67.2% vs. Group 2; 75.8%, 68.3% vs. Group 3: 52.1%, 38.6%, p = .0005), irrespective of the type of non-PV triggers (non-PV AF triggers vs. non-PV PACs). On multivariate analysis, unsuccessful elimination of non-PV triggers was an independent predictor for ATa recurrence (hazard ratio = 1.80, 95% confidence interval = 1.07-2.95, p = .026). CONCLUSION: Successful non-PV triggers elimination can improve the ATa recurrence rate in PEAF ablation. ATa recurrence rate is higher, if non-PV AF triggers or even non-PV PACs remain in patients with PEAF.

Ostial atresia of the coronary sinus in patients with supraventricular arrhythmias.

Of 3577 patients with supraventricular arrhythmias, 3 demonstrated an atresia of the coronary sinus (CS) ostium. Two patients had the accessory pathways. One had atrial fibrillation. No unroofed CS or apparent persistent left superior vena cava was observed. Venous drainage through a small cardiac vein located on the lateral portion of the tricuspid annulus was observed in all patients. Those cases demonstrated that the incidence of ostial atresia of the CS was 0.084%. Accessory pathways were often accompanied by this anomaly. An abnormal venous orifice located on the lateral tricuspid annulus often functioned as the drainage of the CS flow.

GTS-21 attenuates loss of body mass, muscle mass, and function in rats having systemic inflammation with and without disuse atrophy.

Muscle changes of critical illness are attributed to systemic inflammatory responses and disuse atrophy. GTS-21 (3-(2,4-dimethoxy-benzylidene)anabaseine), also known as DMBX-A) is a synthetic derivative of the natural product anabaseine that acts as an agonist at α7-acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs). Hypothesis tested was that modulation of inflammation by agonist GTS-21 (10 mg/kg b.i.d. intraperitoneally) will attenuate body weight (BW) and muscle changes. Systemic sham inflammation was produced in 125 rats by Cornyebacterium parvum (C.p.) or saline injection on days 0/4/8. Seventy-four rats had one immobilized-limb producing disuse atrophy. GTS-21 effects on BW, tibialis muscle mass (TMM), and function were assessed on day 12. Systemically, methemoglobin levels increased 26-fold with C.p. (p < 0.001) and decreased significantly (p < 0.033) with GTS-21. Control BW increased (+ 30 ± 9 g, mean ± SD) at day 12, but decreased with C.p. and superimposed disuse (p = 0.005). GTS-21 attenuated BW loss in C.p. (p = 0.005). Compared to controls, TMM decreased with C.p. (0.43 ± 0.06 g to 0.26 ± 0.03 g) and with superimposed disuse (0.18 ± 0.04 g); GTS-21 ameliorated TMM loss to 0.32 ± 0.04 (no disuse, p = 0.028) and to 0.22 ± 0.03 (with disuse, p = 0.004). Tetanic tensions decreased with C.p. or disuse and GTS-21 attenuated tension decrease in animals with disuse (p = 0.006) and in animals with C.p. and disuse (p = 0.029). C.p.-induced 11-fold increased muscle α7nAChR expression was decreased by > 60% with GTS-21 treatment. In conclusion, GTS-21 modulates systemic inflammation, evidenced by both decreased methemoglobin levels and decrease of α7nAChR expression, and mitigates inflammation-mediated loss of BW, TMM, fiber size, and function.