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Aims: Management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and concomitant heart failure (HF) remains complex. The Antwerp score, based on four parameters [QRS >120 ms (2 points), known aetiology (2 points), paroxysmal AF (1 point), severe atrial dilation (1 point)] adequately estimated the probability of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) recovery after AF ablation in a single-centre cohort. The present study aims to externally validate this prediction model in a large European multi-centre cohort., Methods and Results: A total of 605 patients (61.1 ± 9.4 years, 23.8% females, 79.8% with persistent AF) with HF and impaired LVEF (<50%) undergoing AF ablation in 8 European centres were retrospectively identified. According to the LVEF changes at 12-month echocardiography, 427 (70%) patients fulfilled the '2021 Universal Definition of HF' criteria for LVEF recovery and were defined as 'responders'. External validation of the score yielded good discrimination and calibration {area under the curve 0.86 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.82-0.89], P < .001; Hosmer-Lemeshow P = .29}. Patients with a score < 2 had a 93% probability of LVEF recovery as opposed to only 24% in patients with a score > 3. Responders experienced more often positive ventricular remodelling [odds ratio (OR) 8.91, 95% CI 4.45-17.84, P < .001], fewer HF hospitalizations (OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.05-0.18, P < .001) and lower mortality (OR 0.11, 95% CI 0.04-0.31, P < .001)., Conclusion: In this multi-centre study, a simple four-parameter score predicted LVEF recovery after AF ablation in patients with HF and discriminated clinical outcomes. These findings support the use of the Antwerp score to standardize shared decision-making regarding AF ablation referral in future clinical studies., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

While radiation exposure related to natural sources plays a minor role, medicine-related exposure, represents, to date, a major exposure source. Within this exposure interventional electrophysiology is a relevant contributor. Unfortunately, no safe dose in radioprotection exists, the negative acute and long-term effects of radiological exposure may emerge at any radiation exposure dose. For this reason, patients and physicians should be aware of the risk of radiation exposure and the benefits of the imaging/procedure balanced by the required radiation exposure. Given this, performing a near to zero X-rays transcatheter ablation procedure should therefore represent an aim for all electrophysiological lab. Fortunately, the introduction of electroanatomic mapping systems, have provided the possibility to perform simple and complex electrophysiological procedures avoiding, or at least, limiting the use of radiations. The present review summarizes state of the art of feasibility and safety of the near to zero approach for the main electrophysiological procedures, highlighting the potential health benefits., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Aims: We assessed the impact of vascular and perivascular tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) on the endothelin (ET)-1/nitric oxide (NO) system and the molecular pathways involved in small arteries from visceral fat of obese patients (Obese) and Controls., Methods and Results: Isolated small arteries from 16 Obese and 14 Controls were evaluated on a pressurized micromyograph. Endogenous ET-1 activity was assessed by the ETA blocker BQ-123. TNF-α and NO were tested by anti-TNF-α infliximab (IFX) and N(ω)-nitro-l-arginine methylester (L-NAME). Gene and protein expression of TNF-α, ET-1, ETA, and ETB receptors were determined by RT-PCR and IHC on arterial wall and in isolated adipocytes. Obese showed a blunted L-NAME-induced vasoconstriction, which was potentiated by IFX, and an increased relaxation to BQ-123, unaffected by L-NAME but attenuated by IFX. Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) removal reversed these effects. Obese showed intravascular superoxide excess, which was decreased by apocynin (NAD(P)H oxidase inhibitor), L-NAME, and BQ-123 incubations, and abolished by IFX. An increased vascular expression of ET-1, ETA, and ETB receptors, and higher vascular/perivascular TNF-α and TNF-α receptor expression were also detected. The arterial expression and phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) were higher in Obese vs. Controls, and downregulated by IFX., Conclusions: In small arteries of Obese, PVAT-derived TNF-α excess, and an increased vascular expression of ET-1 and ETA receptor, contribute to the ET-1/NO system imbalance, by impairing tonic NO release. Reactive oxygen species excess, via NAD(P)H oxidase activation, induces the endothelial nitric oxide synthase uncoupling, which in turn generates superoxide and impairs NO production. The up-regulated JNK pathway represents a crucial molecular signalling involved in this process., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2014. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Aims: epidemiological studies suggest that resting heart rate (RHR) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Still, this parameter has never been specifically assessed in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). This study describes the association between RHR and cardiovascular events (CVE) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) with and without DM., Methods and Results: the Euro Heart Survey on Diabetes and the Heart enroled 2608 patients with stable CAD, of these 780 (30%) had known DM. Resting heart rate was registered in 2507 (96%) patients: 1756 (96%) without and 751 (96%) with DM. Patients were followed with respect to CVE (all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and stroke) for 1 year. Overall, median RHR was 70 (62-78) b.p.m. The RHR quartile stratification was significantly associated with outcome in the overall population (P = 0.002 and P = 0.021 for survival and CVE, respectively), whereas it was not in patients without DM. In patients with DM, the RHR quartiles correlated with survival (P = 0.032). In an adjusted regression model performed in patients without DM, RHR associated with neither survival [hazard ratio (HR): 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.74-1.27; P = 0.804] nor CVE (HR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.71-1.01, P = 0.068). In contrast, a 10-b.p.m. increase in RHR was independently associated with survival (HR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.06-1.69, P = 0.015), but not with CVE (HR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.84-1.18; P = 0.359) in patients with DM., Conclusion: the present report, based on patients with stable CAD, is the first to reveal that the association between RHR and CVE seems to subsist in those with DM, however, not in those without DM.

Aims: Glucose lowering (GL) therapy in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and coronary artery disease (CAD) is prognostically important. This report from the Euro Heart Survey on Diabetes and the Heart describes present practice in relation to 1 year prognosis., Methods and Results: The survey enrolled 4676 patients with CAD from 110 centres out of whom 1425 had known and 452 newly detected DM. The impact of different GL modalities on cardiovascular events (CVE: death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) was followed. Insulin treated patients with known DM (n = 378) had an adjusted 1 year hazard ratio (HR) for mortality of 2.23 (95% CI 1.24-4.03; P = 0.006) and for CVE of 1.27 (95% CI 0.85-1.87; P = 0.230) compared with those on oral GL drugs (n = 675). Of patients with newly detected DM 77 (17%) were started on GL drugs. None of them died compared with 25 (P = 0.002) among those without such treatment and their 1 year CVE HR was 0.22 (95% CI 0.05-0.97; P = 0.041) compared with untreated subjects., Conclusion: Insulin therapy may relate to a more serious prognosis in CAD-patients with DM. There was a pronounced decrease in cardiovascular events in patients with newly detected DM prescribed GL drugs compared with those not receiving such treatment.