Leadless left ventricular stimulation with WiSE-CRT System - Initial experience and results from phase I of SOLVE-CRT Study (nonrandomized, roll-in phase).

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular (LV) endocardial pacing is a promising method to deliver cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). WiSE-CRT is a wireless LV endocardial pacing system, and delivers ultrasonic energy to an LV electrode. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to present short-term outcomes with the WiSE-CRT system in centers with no prior implanting experience. METHODS: Data were prospectively collected from 19 centers where WiSE-CRT systems were implanted during the roll-in phase of the SOLVE-CRT trial. Patients were followed at 1, 3, and 6 months, including transthoracic echo (TTE) at 6 months. RESULTS: The WiSE-CRT was successfully implanted in all 31 attempted cases, and 30 patients completed the 6-month follow-up. One patient underwent heart transplantation 1 month after implantation, and was excluded. Fourteen (46.7%) patients demonstrated ≥1 NYHA class improvement. TTE data were available in 29 patients. LV ejection fraction, LV end-systolic volume, and LV end-diastolic volume improved from 28.3% ± 6.7% to 33.5% ± 6.9% (P < .001), 134.9 ± 51.3 mL to 111.1 ± 40.3 mL (P = .0004), and 185.4 ± 58.8 mL to 164.9 ± 50.6 mL (P = .0017), respectively. There were 3 (9.7%) device-related type 1 complications: 1 insufficient LV pacing, 1 embolization of an unanchored LV electrode, and 1 skin infection. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated a high success rate of LV endocardial electrode placement in centers with no prior implanting experience. Favorable clinical responses in heart failure symptoms and significant LV reverse remodeling were noted.

Hereditary inclusion-body myopathy associated with cardiomyopathy: report of two siblings.

Hereditary inclusion-body myopathy (HIBM) or distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles (DMRV) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by preferential involvement of distal muscles in the lower extremities, especially the anterior compartment of the legs, with relative preservation of the quadriceps.This is referred to as quadriceps-sparing myopathy. Previous reports have revealed exclusive involvement in skeletal muscles. Herein we describe two siblings with typical HIBM/DMRV. The patients developed exertional dyspnea 20-26 years after disease onset. Echocardiogram revealed a cardiomyopathy in both patients. This is the first report of the association between HIBM/DMRV and cardiomyopathy.

Low-dose oral enoximone enhances the ability to wean patients with ultra-advanced heart failure from intravenous inotropic support: results of the oral enoximone in intravenous inotrope-dependent subjects trial.

BACKGROUND: We determined whether low-dose oral enoximone could wean patients with ultra-advanced heart failure (UA-HF) from intravenous (i.v.) inotropic support. Chronic parenteral inotropic therapy in UA-HF is costly and requires an indwelling catheter. An effective and safe oral inotrope would have value. METHODS: In this placebo-controlled study, 201 subjects with UA-HF requiring i.v. inotropic therapy were randomized to enoximone or placebo. Subjects receiving intermittent i.v. inotropes were administered study medication of 25 or 50 mg 3 times a day (tid). Subjects receiving continuous i.v. inotropes were administered 50 or 75 mg tid for 1 week, which was reduced to 25 or 50 mg tid. The ability of subjects to remain alive and free of inotropic therapy was assessed for up to 182 days. RESULTS: Thirty days after weaning, 51 (51%) subjects on placebo and 62 (61.4%) subjects in the enoximone group were alive and free of i.v. inotropic therapy (unadjusted primary end point P = 0.14, adjusted for etiology P = .17). At 60 days, the wean rate was 30% in the placebo group and 46.5% in the enoximone group (unadjusted P = .016) Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated a trend toward a decrease in the time to death or reinitiation of i.v. inotropic therapy over the 182-day study period (hazard ratio 0.76 [95% CI 0.55-1.04]) and a reduction at 60 days (0.62 [95% CI 0.43-0.89], P = .009) and 90 days (0.69 [95% CI 0.49-0.97], P = .031) after weaning in the enoximone group. CONCLUSIONS: Although there was no benefit over placebo in weaning patients from i.v. inotropes from 0 to 30 days, the EMOTE data suggest that low-dose oral enoximone can be used to wean a modest percentage of subjects from i.v. inotropic support for up to 90 days after initiation of therapy.

Multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on the effect of oral tolvaptan on left ventricular dilation and function in patients with heart failure and systolic dysfunction.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to examine the effects of vasopressin V2 receptor antagonism with tolvaptan on the changes in left ventricular (LV) volumes over time. BACKGROUND: Vasopressin levels may be increased in patients with heart failure (HF) and may be a factor driving the progression of HF. METHODS: This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted to evaluate the effect of long-term administration of the vasopressin V2-receptor antagonist tolvaptan (30 mg/day) on reducing left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) compared with placebo in patients with HF and reduced systolic function, using quantitative radionuclide ventriculography at baseline, repeated after 1 year of therapy, and repeated again approximately 1 week after withdrawal of study drug. RESULTS: A total of 120 patients were randomized to tolvaptan and 120 were randomized to placebo. In the placebo group, there was no change in LVEDV over the course of follow-up (change of 0.0 +/- 10.0 ml/m2). After 1 year of tolvaptan, there was a small reduction in LV volume (decrease of 1.8 +/- 10.7 ml/m2); the between-group difference was not significant (p = 0.21). During the course of the trial, there were 6 deaths (5%) and 21 HF hospitalizations (18%) in the tolvaptan group, compared with 11 deaths (9%) and 34 HF hospitalizations (28%) in the placebo group. In a time-to-event analysis, there was a significant favorable effect of tolvaptan on the composite of mortality or heart failure hospitalization (p < 0.03 by log-rank test). CONCLUSIONS: In a well-treated population of stable HF patients, there was no significant effect of tolvaptan therapy on LV volumes observed during 1 year of therapy. Nonprespecified natural history data favored therapy with tolvaptan, with a reduction in the combined end point of mortality and heart failure hospitalization observed. (Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled, Efficacy Study on the Effects of Tolvaptan on Left Ventricular Dilatation in Congestive Heart Failure Patients; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00043758?order=1; NCT00043758).

Comparative pharmacodynamic evaluation of eptifibatide and tirofiban HCl in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (the TAM1 Study).

We performed a comparative analysis of platelet aggregation inhibition achieved with the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors eptifibatide and tirofiban HCl in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and used light transmission aggregometric assays with D-phenylalanyl-L-prolyl-L-arginine chloromethyl ketone as an anticoagulant and 20 micromol of adenosine diphosphate as an agonist. Taking into account the differences in clinical efficacy of these 2 drugs in large trials investigating percutaneous coronary intervention, we hypothesized that the variable clinical effects might be related to variability in the magnitude and consistency of platelet aggregation inhibition achieved with dosing regimens of these glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors.

Effects of tolvaptan, a vasopressin antagonist, in patients hospitalized with worsening heart failure: a randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT: Nearly 1 million hospitalizations for chronic heart failure occur yearly in the United States, with most related to worsening systemic congestion. Diuretic use, the mainstay therapy for congestion, is associated with electrolyte abnormalities and worsening renal function. In contrast to diuretics, the vasopressin antagonist tolvaptan may increase net volume loss in heart failure without adversely affecting electrolytes and renal function. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short- and intermediate-term effects of tolvaptan in patients hospitalized with heart failure. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, dose-ranging, phase 2 trial conducted at 45 centers in the United States and Argentina and enrolling 319 patients with left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 40% and hospitalized for heart failure with persistent signs and symptoms of systemic congestion despite standard therapy. INTERVENTION: After admission, patients were randomized to receive 30, 60, or 90 mg/d of oral tolvaptan or placebo in addition to standard therapy, including diuretics. The study drug was continued for up to 60 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: In-hospital outcome was change in body weight at 24 hours after randomization; outpatient outcome was worsening heart failure (defined as death, hospitalization, or unscheduled visits for heart failure) at 60 days after randomization. RESULTS: Median (interquartile range) body weight at 24 hours after randomization decreased by -1.80 (-3.85 to -0.50), -2.10 (-3.10 to -0.85), -2.05 (-2.80 to -0.60), and -0.60 (-1.60 to 0.00) kg in the groups receiving tolvaptan 30, 60, and 90 mg/d, and placebo, respectively (P< or =.008 for all tolvaptan groups vs placebo). The decrease in body weight with tolvaptan was not associated with changes in heart rate or blood pressure, nor did it result in hypokalemia or worsening renal function. There were no differences in worsening heart failure at 60 days between the tolvaptan and placebo groups (P =.88 for trend). In post hoc analysis, 60-day mortality was lower in tolvaptan-treated patients with renal dysfunction or severe systemic congestion. CONCLUSION: Tolvaptan administered in addition to standard therapy may hold promise for management of systemic congestion in patients hospitalized for heart failure.