[Therapeutic success of a prospective cardioversion protocol for persistent atrial fibrillation]. / Rendimiento terapéutico de un protocolo prospectivo de cardioversión en la fibrilación auricular persistente.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The best therapeutic approach for persistent atrial fibrillation has yet to be defined. Our aim was to investigate the effects of cardioversion in unselected patients with persistent atrial fibrillation who were treated according to a strict protocol involving pretreatment, cardioversion, and follow-up. METHODS: Consecutive patients with persistent atrial fibrillation of at least 1 months' duration were included prospectively in a cardioversion protocol that involved standard antiarrhythmic pretreatment, with amiodarone being offered first, and follow-up. RESULTS: The study included 295 patients, 87.5% of whom were taking the antiarrhythmic drug amiodarone. Sinus rhythm was restored in 92.5%, with pharmacologic cardioversion occurring in 9.5%. The recurrence rate was 33.5% in the first month and 54.9% by month 12. Antiarrhythmic treatment had to be modified in 10.8% of patients. Independent risk factors for recurrence during the first year after cardioversion were an atrial fibrillation duration greater than one year, previous cardioversion, and left ventricular dilatation. A simple risk scoring system was able to differentiate between subgroups of patients with a low, intermediate or high risk of recurrence in the first year after cardioversion. CONCLUSIONS: Sinus rhythm was maintained for 1 year after effective cardioversion in 45.1% of patients who received homogeneous antiarrhythmic pretreatment. There were few side effects. Recurrence can be predicted using clinical variables such as left ventricular dilatation, arrhythmia duration, and previous cardioversion.

Rendimiento terapéutico de un protocolo prospectivo de cardioversión en la fibrilación auricular persistente / Therapeutic success of a prospective cardioversion protocol for persistent atrial fibrillation

Introducción y objetivos. La mejor estrategia de tratamiento de la fibrilación auricular persistente está por definir. Hemos querido conocer los resultados de la cardioversión en pacientes no seleccionados en los que se aplica un protocolo estricto de preparación, cardioversión y seguimiento. Métodos. Incluimos prospectivamente a pacientes consecutivos con fibrilación auricular persistente de al menos un mes de duración en un protocolo de cardioversión eléctrica con pretratamiento antiarrítmico estandarizado (amiodarona como primera opción) y seguimiento. Resultados. Se incluyó a 295 pacientes, el 87,5% de los cuales tomó amiodarona como fármaco antiarrítmico. Se consiguió restaurar el ritmo sinusal en el 92,5%; en un 9,5% de los casos la cardioversión fue farmacológica. Las recurrencias fueron del 33,5 y el 54,9% a uno y 12 meses. El tratamiento antiarrítmico se tuvo que modificar en un 10,8% de los pacientes. Los predictores independientes de recurrencia durante el primer año fueron la duración de la fibrilación auricular mayor de un año, las cardioversiones previas y la dilatación del ventrículo izquierdo. Una sencilla puntuación de riesgo permite diferenciar a los subgrupos de pacientes con bajo, intermedio y alto riesgo de recurrencia durante el primer año tras la cardioversión. Conclusiones. El mantenimiento del ritmo sinusal tras una cardioversión efectiva en pacientes con un pretratamiento antiarrítmico homogéneo es del 45,1% al año de seguimiento. Los efectos secundarios son escasos. La recurrencia puede predecirse con el uso de variables clínicas, como la dilatación ventricular izquierda, la duración de la arritmia y la historia de cardioversiones previas

Introduction and objectives. The best therapeutic approach for persistent atrial fibrillation has yet to be defined. Our aim was to investigate the effects of cardioversion in unselected patients with persistent atrial fibrillation who were treated according to a strict protocol involving pretreatment, cardioversion, and follow-up. Methods. Consecutive patients with persistent atrial fibrillation of at least 1 months' duration were included prospectively in a cardioversion protocol that involved standard antiarrhythmic pretreatment, with amiodarone being offered first, and follow-up. Results. The study included 295 patients, 87.5% of whom were taking the antiarrhythmic drug amiodarone. Sinus rhythm was restored in 92.5%, with pharmacologic cardioversion occurring in 9.5%. The recurrence rate was 33.5% in the first month and 54.9% by month 12. Antiarrhythmic treatment had to be modified in 10.8% of patients. Independent risk factors for recurrence during the first year after cardioversion were an atrial fibrillation duration greater than one year, previous cardioversion, and left ventricular dilatation. A simple risk scoring system was able to differentiate between subgroups of patients with a low, intermediate or high risk of recurrence in the first year after cardioversion. Conclusions. Sinus rhythm was maintained for 1 year after effective cardioversion in 45.1% of patients who received homogeneous antiarrhythmic pretreatment. There were few side effects. Recurrence can be predicted using clinical variables such as left ventricular dilatation, arrhythmia duration, and previous cardioversion

[Influence of antecedent of hypertension in patients with acute coronary syndrome without ST elevation]. / Influencia del antecedente de hipertensión arterial en los pacientes ingresados por síndrome coronario agudo sin elevación del segmento ST.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: There are few studies evaluating the effect of a previous history of hypertension on long term prognosis after an acute coronary syndrome, using the new definitions and incorporating new risk markers in the analysis. The aim of our study was to determinate if hypertensive patients differ from non-hypertensives in the epidemiological profile, clinical presentation, treatment prescribed at discharge and prognosis after admission with non ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A total of 1,029 consecutive patients admitted with high suspicion of non ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome were evaluated. Prognostic variables were determined during admission (epidemiological and biochemical), as it was the discharge treatment. The primary endpoint was defined as all cause mortality at one year follow up. RESULTS: 65.8% (n = 677) of patients had hypertension. Hypertensive patients displayed a worst epidemiological and biochemical profile, and different discharge treatment. There were 139 (13.5%) deaths at one year follow up. The all cause mortality for non-hypertensive patients was 12.5% and for hypertensives 14.6% (p = NS). In the multivariate analysis (Cox regression) there were no differences in mortality between these groups. CONCLUSIONS: A previous history of hypertension is an important factor to explain differences in the presence of other risk factors or the treatment, but is not a mortality predictor.

Influencia del antecedente de hipertensión arterial en los pacientes ingresados por síndrome coronario agudo sin elevación del segmento ST / Influence of antecedent of hypertension in patients with acute coronary syndrome without ST elevation

Fundamento y objetivo: Son pocos los estudios que evalúan el efecto del antecedente de hipertensión arterial en el pronóstico a medio-largo plazo tras un síndrome coronario utilizando las nuevas definiciones e incorporando los nuevos marcadores de riesgo en el análisis. El objetivo de nuestro estudio es determinar si hay diferencias entre los pacientes hipertensos y no hipertensos en cuanto al perfil epidemiológico, la forma de presentación, el tratamiento al alta y el pronóstico en los pacientes que ingresan en un hospital por un síndrome coronario agudo sin elevación del segmento ST. Pacientes y método: Se estudió a 1.029 pacientes consecutivos ingresados por síndrome coronario agudo sin elevación del segmento ST. Se determinaron las variables pronósticas durante el ingreso (epidemiológicas y bioquímicas), así como el tratamiento administrado al alta. Se siguió la evolución de los pacientes durante un año y el parámetro de valoración principal fue la mortalidad por todas las causas. Resultados: El 65,8% (n = 677) de los pacientes eran hipertensos. Estos pacientes presentaron un perfil epidemiológico y bioquímico más desfavorable, así como diferencias en cuanto al tratamiento al alta. Durante el primer año de seguimiento fallecieron 139 pacientes (13,5%). La mortalidad a un año fue del 12,5% en los no hipertensos y del 14,6% en los hipertensos (p = NS). En el análisis de regresión múltiple la hipertensión no mantuvo la significación estadística para la mortalidad. Conclusiones: El antecedente de hipertensión arterial es un factor importante en el desarrollo de un síndrome coronario agudo sin elevación del ST, ya que explica diferencias en cuanto a la presencia de otros factores de riesgo o al tratamiento, pero no se comporta como factor predictor de mortalidad

Background and objective: There are few studies evaluating the effect of a previous history of hypertension on long term prognosis after an acute coronary syndrome, using the new definitions and incorporating new risk markers in the analysis. The aim of our study was to determinate if hypertensive patients differ from non-hypertensives in the epidemiological profile, clinical presentation, treatment prescribed at discharge and prognosis after admission with non ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome. Patients and method: A total of 1,029 consecutive patients admitted with high suspiction of non ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome were evaluated. Prognostic variables were determined during admission (epidemiological and biochemical), as it was the discharge treatment. The primary endpoint was defined as all cause mortality at one year follow up. Results: 65.8% (n = 677) of patients had hypertension. Hypertensive patients displayed a worst epidemiological and biochemical profile, and different discharge treatment. There were 139 (13.5%) deaths at one year follow up. The all cause mortality for non-hypertensive patients was 12.5% and for hypertensives 14.6% (p = NS). In the multivariate analysis (Cox regression) there were no differences in mortality between these groups. Conclusions: A previous history of hypertension is an important factor to explain differences in the presence of other risk factors or the treatment, but is not a mortality predictor

Significance of tilt table testing in patients with suspected arrhythmic syncope and negative electrophysiologic study.

BACKGROUND: The diagnostic significance of a tilt table test (TTT) in patients with a suspected arrhythmic etiology for syncope and negative electrophysiologic study (EPS) has not been previously assessed comparing the TTT results with the findings of prolonged monitoring using an implantable loop recorder (ILR). We sought to assess the diagnostic yielding of TTT in patients with suspected arrhythmic syncope and negative EPS. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 81 patients with suspected arrhythmic etiology for syncope and negative EPS, TTT was performed and an ILR implanted regardless the results of TTT. TTT was positive in 38 patients. During follow-up, syncope or presyncope recurred in 32 patients (39.5%). No differences were found in recurrence rates in patients with positive and negative TTT (31.5% vs 46.5%, P = ns). According to rhythm registered during ILR activation, mechanisms of syncopal events were classified as: arrhythmic (atrioventricular [AV] block and ventricular tachycardia; n = 18), neurally mediated (sinus bradycardia and sinus pause; n = 9), and indeterminate (normal sinus rhythm; n = 5). There was no statistical association between the results of TTT and the mechanism of syncope. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with a suspected arrhythmic etiology for syncope and a negative EPS, TTT is of little value to predict the mechanism of syncope and the ILR implantation seems to be a useful and safe diagnostic strategy.

Predictors of short-term outcome in acute chest pain without ST-segment elevation.

BACKGROUND: Management of acute chest pain in the emergency room constitutes a challenge. METHODS: Seven hundred and one consecutive patients were evaluated by clinical history (chest pain score and risk factors), ECG, troponin I and early (<24 h) exercise testing in low risk patients (n=165). A composite end-point (recurrent unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction or cardiac death) was recorded during hospital stay or in ambulatory care settings for patients discharged after early exercise testing. RESULTS: The end-point occurred in 122 patients (17%). Multivariate analysis identified the following predictors: chest pain score > or =11 points (OR=1.8, 2-2.8, 95% CI, P=0.007), age > or =68 (OR 1.6, 1.1-2.4 CI 95%, P=0.03), insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (OR 1.9, 1.1-3.4 CI 95%, P=0.02), a history of coronary surgery (OR 3.3, 1.5-7.2 CI 95%, P=0.003), ST-segment depression (OR 1.9, 1.2-3.0 CI 95%, P=0.009) and troponin I elevation (OR 1.6, 1.1-2.5, CI 95%, P=0.05). ST-segment depression produced a high end-point increase (31 vs. 13%, P=0.0001). Troponin I elevation increased the risk in the subgroup without ST-segment depression (20 vs. 11%, P=0.006) but did not further modify the risk in the subgroup with ST depression (31 vs. 28%, ns). Nevertheless, the negative ECG and troponin I subgroup showed a non-negligible end-point rate (16% when pain score > or =11 or 7% when pain score <11, P=0.004). Finally, no patient with a negative exercise test presented events compared to 7% of those with a non-negative test (RR=2.5, 2.1-3.1 95% CI, P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Emergency room evaluation of chest pain should not focus on a single parameter; on the contrary, the clinical history, ECG, troponin and early exercise testing must be globally analysed.