Second-generation laser balloon ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation assessed by continuous rhythm monitoring: the LIGHT-AF study.

AIMS: Balloon-based technologies have been developed to simplify catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF), to improve the clinical outcome of the procedure and to achieve durable pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). The objective of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of second-generation laser balloon (LB2) ablation in the treatment of AF using a continuous cardiac rhythm monitoring strategy. Atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATas) recurrences were assessed with implantable cardiac monitors (ICMs) or devices. METHODS AND RESULTS: All patients underwent LB2 ablation procedure. The primary endpoint was the first recurrence of any, >5.5 and >24 h duration ATas after the blanking period (90 days). In-hospital visits were performed at 3, 6, and 12 months. Seventy-three patients (68% male, mean age 59.8 ± 11.3) were included in the study. The average procedure, fluoroscopy, and laser ablation times were 81.5 ± 30.1, 21.5 ± 12.4, and 33.8 ± 9.7, respectively. All PVs were isolated using the LB2 with no need of touch-up using focal catheters. No major complications occurred during or after the procedures. The one-year freedom from recurrences was 66.9% (95% CI: 57.0-76.7%), 81.0% (69.5-88.5%), and 86.8% (76.1-92.9%) considering any, 5.5-h and 24-h cut-off duration, respectively. At 3, 6, and 12 months, any ATas was recorded in 22%, 32%, and 25% of patients, with a ≥5% arrhythmic burden documented in 4%, 5%, and 3%, respectively. Few patients reported AF-related symptoms (7%, 8%, and 5%). CONCLUSION: LB2 ablation is a safe and effective procedure, showing a high freedom from recurrences and low arrhythmic burden as documented by a continuous rhythm monitoring strategy.

Assessing QT interval in COVID-19 patients:safety of hydroxychloroquine-azithromycin combination regimen.

BACKGROUND: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin (AZT) have been proposed for COVID-19 treatment. Data available in the literature reported a potential increased risk of fatal arrhythmias under these therapies. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of these drugs on QT interval and outcome in a COVID-19 population. METHOD: A total of 112 consecutive COVID-19 patients were included in this analysis and were divided in 3 groups according to the receiving therapeutic regimens: 19 (17%) patients in Group 1 (no treatment), 40 (36%) in Group 2 (HCQ only), 53 (47%) in Group 3 (HCQ/AZT). RESULTS: A prolonged QTc interval was found in 61% of patients treated with HCQ alone or in combination with AZT, but only 4 (4%) patients showed a QTc > 500 ms. HCQ/AZT combination determined a greater increase of QTc duration compared to the other two strategies (Group 3 452 ± 26.4 vs Group 2 436.3 ± 28.4 vs Group 1 424.4 ± 24.3 ms, respectively; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that HCQ/AZT combination (OR 9.02, p = 0.001) and older age (OR 1.04, p = 0.031) were independent predictors of QTc prolongation. The risk increased with age (incremental utility analysis p = 0.02). Twenty patients (18%) died, and no cardiac arrest neither arrhythmic fatalities were documented. CONCLUSIONS: The HCQ/AZT combination therapy causes a significantly increase of QT interval compared to HCQ alone. Older patients under such regimen are at higher risk of experiencing QT prolongation. The use of such drugs may be considered as safe relating to arrhythmic risk in the treatment of COVID-19 patients as no arrhythmic fatalities occurred.

Brugada syndrome genetics is associated with phenotype severity.

AIMS: Brugada syndrome (BrS) is associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death due to ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VT/VF) in young, otherwise healthy individuals. Despite SCN5A being the most commonly known mutated gene to date, the genotype-phenotype relationship is poorly understood and remains uncertain. This study aimed to elucidate the genotype-phenotype correlation in BrS. METHODS AND RESULTS: Brugada syndrome probands deemed at high risk of future arrhythmic events underwent genetic testing and phenotype characterization by the means of epicardial arrhythmogenic substrate (AS) mapping, and were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of SCN5A mutation. Two-hundred probands (160 males, 80%; mean age 42.6 ± 12.2 years) were included in this study. Patients harbouring SCN5A mutations exhibited a spontaneous type 1 pattern and experienced aborted cardiac arrest or spontaneous VT/VF more frequently than the other subjects. SCN5A-positive patients exhibited a larger epicardial AS area, more prolonged electrograms and more frequently observed non-invasive late potentials. The presence of an SCN5A mutation explained >26% of the variation in the epicardial AS area and was the strongest predictor of a large epicardial area. CONCLUSION: In BrS, the genetic background is the main determinant for the extent of the electrophysiological abnormalities. SCN5A mutation carriers exhibit more pronounced epicardial electrical abnormalities and a more aggressive clinical presentation. These results contribute to the understanding of the genetic determinants of the BrS phenotypic expression and provide possible explanations for the varying degrees of disease expression.

Overweight and aging increase the risk of atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery independently of left atrial size and left ventricular ejection fraction.

BACKGROUND: Body mass index (BMI), age, left atrium (LA) dimension and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) have been linked to post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to better define the role of these risk factors. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study evaluated 249 patients (without prior atrial dysrhythmia) undergoing cardiac or aortic surgery. Prior to surgery, the following data were collected: age, BMI, LA diameter, LA area, LVEF, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), creatinine and the presence of arterial hypertension (AH) and diabetes. Intraoperative data such as operation time, total clamp time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, and presence of pericardial/pleural effusion were also collected. Only patients without pre- and post-surgery prophylactic anti-arrhythmic therapy were included. RESULTS: Patients with (N = 127, 51%) and without POAF (N = 122, 49%) were compared. No difference was observed for sex, LA diameter, LA area, LVEF, TSH, diabetes and use of ACE inhibitors or statins prior to intervention. Moreover, no difference was observed in terms of operation time, total clamp time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, and presence of pericardial/pleural effusion. However, patients with POAF were older (70.6 ± 10.7 vs. 60.4 ± 16.4 years, p = 0.001), had higher BMI (26.8 ± 4.5 vs. 24.9 ± 3.6 kg/m2, p = 0.001), higher baseline creatinine (1.06 ± 0.91 vs. 0.88 ± 0.32 mg/dL, p = 0.038) and a higher frequency of arterial hypertension (73.2% vs. 50%, p = 0.001) and Bentall procedure (24.4% vs. 9.8%, p = 0.023). Multivariate analysis showed that the only independent predictors of POAF were age (OR = 1.05, 95%CI 1.02-1.07, p = 0.001) and BMI (OR = 1.11 95%CI 1.03-1.2,p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that advanced age and a higher BMI are strong risk factors for POAF in patients without previous AF even in the presence of comparable LA dimensions and LVEF.

Clinical and Angiographic Outcomes Comparison of Patients With Left Main Vs Non-Left Main Bifurcation Lesions Treated With Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Second-Generation Drug-Eluting Stents.

INTRODUCTION: It is not clear if differences exist about treating left main bifurcation (LMB) and non-left main bifurcation (non-LMB) lesions by means of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: We prospectively analyzed all consecutive patients treated at our center for bifurcation lesions from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2015, including acute myocardial infarction (MI) and cardiogenic shock, and compared the angiographic and clinical outcomes of patients with LMB and non-LMB lesions treated with PCI and second-generation drug-eluting stent (2G-DES) implantation. The primary endpoint was the major adverse cardiac event (MACE) composite, including MI, clinically indicated target-vessel revascularization (TVR), and cardiac death (CD) at 2-year follow-up. We also compared the angiographic patency of the vessel, which was a composite of the restenosis-reocclusion (RR) rate. RESULTS: Out of 1081 patients (1368 bifurcations), a total of 320 patients had LMB (29%). Overall, procedural success was 98.4%. Clinical follow-up rate was 100%. Angiographic follow-up rate was 83.7%. No differences were seen regarding the primary endpoint of all MACE (17.8% in LMB vs 18.0% in non-LMB; P>.99), MI rate (4.3% in LMB vs 2.9% in non-LMB; P=.20), and CD (8.7% in LMB vs 5.8% in non-LMB; P=.08). The overall RR rate was 11.8%, with 5% RR rate in the LMB group (16/320 lesions) and 9.7% RR rate in the non-LMB group (102/1048 lesions); P<.01. The LMB group had a better TVR rate (5.0% vs 9.4% in the non-LMB group; P=.01). CONCLUSION: PCI with 2G-DES for LMB has better target-vessel patency and TVR rates when compared with non-LMB lesions, without clinical differences in terms of 2-year clinical outcomes.