Organization of atrial fibrillation using a pure sodium channel blocker: Implications of rotor ablation therapy.

Background: Rotors are the source of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the ablation of rotors for persistent AF is challenging. The purpose of this study was to identify the dominant rotor by accelerating the organization of AF using a sodium channel blocker and detecting the rotor's preferential area that governs AF. Methods: Overall, 30 consecutive patients with persistent AF who underwent pulmonary vein isolation and still sustained AF were enrolled. Pilsicainide 50 mg was administered. An online real-time phase mapping system (ExTRa Mapping™) was used to identify the meandering rotors and multiple wavelets in 11 left atrial segments. The time ratio of non-passive activation (%NP) was evaluated as the frequency of rotor activity in each segment. Results: Conduction velocity became slower-from 0.46 ± 0.14 to 0.35 ± 0.14 mm/ms (p = .004)-and the rotational period of the rotor was significantly prolonged-156 ± 21 to 193 ± 28 ms/cycle (p < .001). AF cycle length was prolonged from 169 ± 19 to 223 ± 29 ms (p < .001). A decrease in %NP was observed in seven segments. Additionally, 14 patients had at least one complete passive activation area. Of them, the use of high %NP area ablation resulted in atrial tachycardia and sinus rhythm in two patients each. Conclusions: A sodium channel blocker organized persistent AF. In selective patients with a wide organized area, high %NP area ablation could convert AF into atrial tachycardia or terminate AF.

Initial multicenter clinical experience with the first-generation endoscopic guided laser balloon in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Isolation of the pulmonary veins (PVs) is the golden standard for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. To achieve a permanent PV isolation, the endoscopic guided HeartLight laser balloon system was invented. We analyzed the safety and efficacy of this laser balloon system. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three hundred four patients from 21 investigational sites inside Japan were enrolled in this study. One thousand sixty-two out of 1175 PVs (90.4%) were isolated using the HeartLight laser balloon. The isolation rate of the left superior, left inferior, right superior, and right inferior PVs was 87.8%, 91.3%, 91.6%, and 92.1%, respectively. The procedure time, defined as the time from the venous access to taking out the balloon, was 155 ± 39 min. The fluoroscopic time was 44 ± 25 min. The mean follow-up period was 309 ± 125 days. The freedom from AF recurrence at 3 months was 89.0% and at 12 months 82.1%. Adverse events occurred in 22 patients (7.2%) including phrenic nerve injury lasting more than 3 months in 1.6% and strokes in 1.0% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: This initial experience demonstrated that the laser balloon ablation was feasible for PV isolation in Japanese AF patients.

Intracardiac conduction time as a predictor of cardiac resynchronization therapy response: Results of the BIO|SELECT pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Quadripolar left ventricular (LV) leads are capable of sensing and pacing the left ventricle from 4 different electrodes, which may potentially improve patient response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). OBJECTIVE: We measured 3 different time intervals: right ventricular (RV)-sensed to LV-sensed during intrinsic rhythm (RVs-LVs), RV-paced to LV-sensed (RVp-LVs), and LV-paced to LV-sensed (LVp-LVs, between distal [LV1] and proximal pole on a quadripolar LV lead), and assessed their association with CRT response in terms of LV end-systolic volume (LVESV) and a composite benefit index (CBI) comprising LVESV, LV ejection fraction (LVEF), brain natriuretic peptide level, and NYHA class. METHODS: A CRT-defibrillator system with quadripolar LV lead was implanted in 196 patients (mean age 69 years, mean LVEF 30%, left bundle-branch block [LBBB] 58%). Conduction intervals were measured before hospital discharge. At baseline and 7-month follow-up, echocardiographic and other components of CBI were determined. RESULTS: The mean RVs-LV1s, RVp-LV1s, and LVp-LVs delays were 68 ± 38 ms, 132 ± 34 ms, and 99 ± 31 ms, respectively. From baseline to 7 months, LVESV decreased by 17.3% ± 28.6%. The RVs-LV1s interval correlated stronger with CBI (R2 = 0.12, P < .00001) than with LVESV change (R2 = 0.05, P = .006). In contrast, RVp-LV1s did not correlate and LVp-LVs correlated only weakly with CRT response. The subgroup of patients (44%) with LBBB and RVs-LV1s above the lower quartile (≥34 ms) showed the greatest response to CRT. CONCLUSION: The RVs-LVs interval during intrinsic rhythm is relevant for CRT success, whereas RVp-LVs and LVp-LVs intervals did not predict CRT response.

Japan ablation registry: cryoablation in atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia ("JARCANRET study"): results from large multicenter retrospective investigation.

PURPOSE: Cryoenergy has been demonstrated to be a safe alternative to radiofrequency ablation for catheter ablation of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of cryoablation in patients with AVNRT. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was performed. Two hundred eighty-three consecutive patients with AVNRT underwent cryoablation. Cryomapping at - 30 °C and - 80 °C was performed to predict cryoablation outcome and ascertain antegrade conduction. Cryoenergy was delivered subsequently at the same spot (cryoablation at - 80 °C) for 240 s. RESULTS: Ablation procedure was acutely successful in 281 out of 283 patients (99.3%). Of note, 22 patients (10.1%) had transient AV block during the cryoablation, but no injurious effects on AV conduction were provoked during cryomapping. During a follow-up period of 367 ± 35 days, the recurrence rate was 3.9% (11 out of 281). There were no significant differences among the patients with a complete elimination of slow pathway conduction, AH jump without an echo beat, and AH jump with a single echo beat, in terms of the long-term recurrence of AVNRT. CONCLUSIONS: Cryoablation of AVNRT appears to be effective both acutely and during the long-term with a minimal risk of unwanted injuries to the conduction system. It seems to be important to monitor the antegrade conduction during cryoenergy applications, even when cryomapping demonstrates a safe location for cryoablation. The recurrence rate of AVNRT did not differ according to the properties of the residual slow pathway conduction.

Impact of Weekly Teriparatide on the Bone and Mineral Metabolism in Hemodialysis Patients With Relatively Low Serum Parathyroid Hormone: A Pilot Study.

Adynamic bone disease in HD patients is characterized by skeletal resistance to parathyroid hormone (PTH) or suppression of PTH release, leading to a downregulated bone turnover and bone fracture. Hence, we examined the efficacy of weekly teriparatide for HD patients with low PTH indicating adynamic bone disease without a history of parathyroidectomy. Fifteen HD patients with low PTH were recruited in this prospective observational study. Of them, 10 received teriparatide for 12 months and five nontreated patients were enrolled as control. Primary outcomes were defined as the changes in bone mineral density and bone turnover markers. Bone mineral density at the lumbar spine increased by 3.7% and 2.5% at 6 and 12 months, respectively, and bone formation markers increased, while bone resorption markers did not change in the teriparatide group. At 12 months after teriparatide administration, endogenous PTH was secreted followed by the recovery of low bone turnover. 40% of patients in the teriparatide group dropped out due to adverse events and the most common adverse event was transient hypotension. This study suggests that weekly teriparatide for HD patients with low PTH in the absence of parathyroidectomy accelerates bone formation and bone turnover, leading to increased trabecular bone mass and secretion of endogenous PTH.

Important factors in left atrial posterior wall isolation using 28-mm cryoballoon ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation-Block line or isolation area?

INTRODUCTION: Left atrial (LA) roof ablation using the cryoballoon technique, combined with pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), has been reported to be beneficial for ablation therapy in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). Left posterior wall ablation also results in improved patient outcomes. However, the contribution of these techniques to the success of cryoballoon ablation (CBA) treatment of AF is not known. The present study examined the influence of the roofline block and isolation area on outcomes after CBA. METHODS AND RESULTS: We enrolled 78 patients with persistent AF. LA roof ablation was performed using a 28-mm cryoballoon with a single freezing of 3 minutes at each region (median number of freezes: 4) after PVI. After CBA, bipolar voltage amplitude mapping was performed during sinus rhythm using the NavX mapping system. Patients were divided into two subgroups according to the voltage and activation map: the roof-conduction (n = 46) and roofline-block groups (n = 32). Atrial tachyarrhythmia recurred in 20 patients of the conduction group and 4 patients of the roofline-block group. The rate of 12-month freedom from tachyarrhythmia after a single ablation procedure was 78% (95% confidence interval [CI], 60%-89%) in the roofline-block group and 45% (95% CI, 30%-60%) in the conduction group (P = .048). Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed that the isolated area was not a significant predictor of recurrence (hazard ratio, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.86-1.02; P = .15). CONCLUSION: Creating a complete roofline block is the major factor predicting the maintenance of sinus rhythm in patients with persistent AF.

Successful catheter cryoablation for premature ventricular contractions originating from the para-Hisian region.

We achieved successful catheter cryoablation in a patient with para-Hisian premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) without conduction disturbance using the freeze-thaw-freeze method while observing the atrial-His bundle interval. Cryoablation could be considered an alternative to radiofrequency ablation for patients with para-Hisian PVCs.

Novel use of a 3-dimensional mapping system in cryoablation of right-sided and septal accessory pathways: playback ablation.

PURPOSE: Despite recent advances in the treatment of eliminating accessory pathways (APs), catheter-induced mechanical block (bump) of APs has been reported to result in a less favorable outcome with high primary failure and recurrence rates. The real bump site cannot always be precisely reapproached under fluoroscopy so physicians can perform ablation to a location different from where the mechanical block was encountered. In this paper, we describe this novel use of a 3-dimensional (3D) mapping system (playback ablation) with a case series. METHODS: The EnSite Velocity system (St. Jude Medical, St. Paul, MN, USA), a 3D mapping system, has a unique function that records the positional information of catheters in a 3D geometric map and the local potential of catheters continuously. This function enables physicians to specify the bump site in a 3D geometric map and apply ablation to the bump site even if the catheter moves away from the bump site. RESULTS: This technique helped us eliminate APs in two patients with bump of APs, and they have been free of preexcitation and arrhythmias without the use of anti-arrhythmic drugs for more than 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: This technique may contribute to improving long-term success in patients with mechanical block of APs.

A relation between ablation area and outcome of ablation using 28-mm cryoballon ablation: Importance of carina region.

INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with wide antral ablation leads to better outcomes in atrial fibrillation ablation therapy, but the ablation area is relatively small during cryoballoon ablation (CBA). The present study tested the hypothesis that wide ablation can lead to better outcomes in CBA. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ninety-six patients with atrial fibrillation were enrolled (paroxysmal 76%, 64.1 ± 11.7 years). All patients underwent preprocedural computed tomography and the PV diameter at left atrial PV junction was measured. PV isolation was performed using a 28-mm CB for 3 minutes with single freezing. Sinus rhythm bipolar voltage amplitude maps with the NavX mapping system were generated after ablation. According to the voltage map, patients were divided into 3 subgroups (68 in the extensive isolation group, 17 in the individual isolation group, and 10 in the incomplete isolation group). Atrial tachyarrhythmias recurred in 9 patients of the extensive isolation group and 6 in the individual isolation group. The rate of 12-month freedom from tachyarrhythmia after a single ablation procedure was 84% (95% confidence interval [C.I.], 72%-91%) in the extensive group and 57% (95% C.I., 28%-78%) in the individual group (P = 0.048). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that maximal PV diameter was the only predictor to achieve extensive PVI (odds ratio, 1.57; 95% C.I. 1.08-2.29 P = 0.018). CONCLUSION: Extensive isolation is superior to individual isolation for achieving freedom from atrial arrhythmia in long term follow-up by CBA. Evaluating PV diameter at the left atrial PV junction is essential for applying CBA.

Investigation of gastric and duodenal mucosal defects caused by low-dose aspirin in patients with ischemic heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Low-dose aspirin is used for secondary prevention of ischemic heart disease and ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Currently, the frequency of gastrointestinal disorder among users of low-dose aspirin is unknown. AIMS: To investigate through endoscopic examination the frequency of gastroduodenal disorder associated with buffered and enteric-coated aspirin (ECA). METHODS: Screening upper endoscopic examinations were prospectively performed on 236 patients with ischemic heart disease. Endoscopic findings including ulcers and flat erosions were assessed as mucosal defects. RESULTS: Mucosal defects were found in 92 of 190 (48.4%) users of low-dose aspirin and 6 of 46 (13.0%) nonusers. There were significantly more mucosal defects among users of low-dose aspirin than among those using no aspirin (P<0.0001). Mucosal defects were found in 54 of 98 (60.7%) users of buffered aspirin (BA), whereas 38 of 101 (37.6%) users of ECA had mucosal defects. Users of ECA had significantly fewer erosions than did those of BA (P=0.0015). The frequency of ulcer is similar between BA users and ECA users. CONCLUSIONS: As endoscopy frequently reveals gastroduodenal disorder among low-dose aspirin users, both administration of BA and of enteric-coated aspirin warrant concern for gastroduodenal ulcer.

Endoscopic survey of low-dose-aspirin-induced gastroduodenal mucosal injuries in patients with ischemic heart disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Low-dose aspirin is effective for the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, but the frequency of gastrointestinal injuries among users of low-dose aspirin in Japan is currently unknown. In the present study endoscopic examination was performed to investigate the frequency of gastroduodenal injuries associated with low-dose aspirin in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD). METHODS: Screening upper endoscopic examinations were prospectively performed on 131 patients with IHD who were not receiving antiulcer treatment. Endoscopic findings such as ulcers and flat erosions were assessed as mucosal injuries. RESULTS: Mucosal injuries were found in 62 of 101 (61.4%) low-dose aspirin users and three of 30 (10%) nonaspirin users. There were significantly more mucosal injuries among low-dose aspirin users than among the non-users (P<0.0001). Gastroduodenal ulcers were found in 19 of 101 (18.8%) low-dose aspirin users compared with one of 30 (3.3%) nonaspirin users. The frequency of mucosal injuries was not associated with the duration of aspirin treatment. CONCLUSION: Endoscopy frequently reveals low-dose aspirin-induced gastroduodenal injuries in patients with IHD.

Increased cycle length variability during ventricular fibrillation: a novel predictor of arrhythmia recurrence.

To evaluate the clinical value of cycle length (CL) variability during ventricular fibrillation (VF), 26 patients who underwent implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation were enrolled. In VF induced for defibrillation testing, mean and SD of VFCL, mean successive differences (MSD) of VFCL, and coefficient of variations of the VFCL (CV(FF)) (SD x 100/mean VFCL) were calculated. During the follow-up period of 20 +/- 2 months, ventricular arrhythmias recurred in 13 patients. MSD and CV(FF) were 31 +/- 3(*) ms and 15.6 +/- 1.3(**) in recurrence group (n = 13), and 17 +/- 2 ms and 9.0 +/-1.1 in non-recurrence group (n = 13) ((*)P <.005, (**)P <.001 vs. nonrecurrence group). Relatively good repeatability of mean VFCL, MSD and CV(FF) in each patient was confirmed by the Bland-Altman method. In VF induced by programmed ventricular stimulation before ICD implantation, MSD and CV(FF) in recurrence group were also increased significantly. Kaplan-Meier estimates revealed that MSD >or= 20 ms and CV(FF) >or= 12 predicted higher arrhythmia recurrence (MSD, P =.039; CV(FF), P =.0069 by the log-rank test). By multivariate analysis, CV(FF) >or= 12 was a significant predictor of recurrent arrhythmic events (P =.019). In conclusion, the CL variability of VF, which was evaluated as MSD and CV(FF), is increased in patients with arrhythmia recurrence. These values may reflect the degree of electrical heterogeneity, and appears to be useful indexes of the future arrhythmic events.