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Very late recurrence of atrial fibrillation (VLRAF) occurring1 year after catheter ablation may influence long-term follow-up strategies, including oral anticoagulant therapy. However, little is known about the predictors of this condition. Given that the prevalence of left atrial low-voltage areas (LVAs) is strongly associated with the recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias following catheter ablation, we hypothesized that VLRAF might occur more frequently in patients with LVAs at the time of initial ablation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of LVAs on VLRAF.This study included 1001 consecutive patients undergoing initial ablation procedures for AF. LVAs were defined as regions with bipolar peak-to-peak voltages of0.50 mV on the voltage map obtained during sinus rhythm after pulmonary vein isolation. During a 1-year follow-up period, 248 patients had a late recurrence of AF (LRAF), defined as recurrence within 3-12 months after ablation. The occurrence of VLRAF was examined in 711 patients without LRAF who were followed for more than 1 year.A total of 711 patients who did not develop AF recurrence within 1 year and for whom clinical data were available after 1 year were analyzed. During a median follow-up of 25 (19, 37) months, VLRAF more than 1 year after the initial ablation was detected in 123 patients. On multivariate analysis, independent predictors of VLRAF were the existence of LVAs, female, left atrial diameter and early recurrence of AF. A Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the AF-free survival rate was significantly lower in patients with LVAs than in those without LVAs within 1 year and on more than 1-year follow-up (p .001). An additional Kaplan-Meier analysis of the incidence of VLRAF in propensity score-matched patients with and without LVAs showed that VLRAF occurred significantly more frequently in patients with LVAs (p = .003).LVAs during the initial AF ablation procedures have an impact on VLRAF occurrence.

Background: The efficacy of ablation targeting low-voltage areas (LVAs) is controversial, although LVA presence is well known to be associated with AF recurrence after ablation. Atrial fibrillation (AF) substrate may not localize within LVAs. Methods and results: This observational study enrolled 405 consecutive patients who underwent an initial AF ablation procedure. The left atrial voltage map was obtained after pulmonary vein isolation. LVAs were defined as areas with voltage < 0.5 mV. To estimate whole atrial electrophysiological degeneration, mean regional voltage at each of 6 regions and left atrial total conduction velocity were measured. LVAs existed in 143 of 405 (35.3%) patients. Patients with LVAs demonstrated lower mean regional voltages throughout all 6 regions than those without LVAs (1.3 [1.8, 0.8] vs. 0.6 [1.0, 0.2] for anterior wall, p

BackgroundAtrial myocardial degeneration predisposes to atrial fibrillation (AF), ischemic stroke, and heart failure. Studies suggest the presence of sex differences in atrial myocardial degeneration. This study aimed to delineate sex differences in the prevalence, predictors, and prognostic impact of left atrial low-voltage areas (LVAs).MethodsThis observational study included 1,488 consecutive patients undergoing initial ablation for AF. Voltage mapping was performed after pulmonary vein isolation during sinus rhythm. LVAs were defined as regions where bipolar peak-to-peak voltage was < 0.50 mV. Results: LVA prevalence was higher in women (37.6%) than in men (16.0%). High age, persistent form of AF, diabetes mellitus, and a large left atrium were shown to be common predictors in both sex categories. Heart failure and history of stroke/thromboembolic events were men-specific predictors of LVA existence. Women experienced more AF recurrence than men (31.1% vs. 25.7%, p = 0.027). LVA existence was significantly associated with increased AF recurrence in each sex category, with a respective hazard ratio, 95% confidence interval and p value of 2.45, 1.87-3.22, and < 0.0001 in men and 1.82, 1.33-2.49, and < 0.0001 in women.ConclusionsLVA was more frequent in women than men, and predicted frequent AF recurrence irrespective of sex category.

Background Drug therapy of luminal-type breast cancer has advanced remarkably; however, its effectiveness continues to be limited by primary and acquired treatment resistance. To identify the means of overcoming such resistance, in vitro disease models that faithfully reproduce the characteristics of original patient tumors must be developed. Although the three-dimensional culturing of breast cancer cells has been improved, the changes in differentiation status and underlying mechanisms require further elucidation. Methods The organoids from 33 luminal-type breast cancers were prepared using a method developed by us. Using immunohistochemistry and gene expression profiling, the levels and time courses of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, Ki67, and differentiation marker expression were monitored during culture as well as the variation among the patients and individual organoids. Furthermore, we examined the effect of NOTCH inhibitor treatment on differentiation status. Results We successfully prepared organoids from samples obtained from 33 patients with luminal-type breast cancer and studied their ER expression. The expression status was well maintained in primary organoids, whereas it decreased after passaging in most of the cases. In fact, the studied organoid lines were classified into those that retained a high level of ER expression (9%), those that completely lost it (9%), and those that repressed it to varying degrees (82%). In some cases, the ER expression was suddenly and drastically decreased after passaging. Marker protein immunohistochemistry revealed that after passaging, the differentiation status shifted from a luminal- to a basal-like status. Differentially expressed genes suggested the activation of NOTCH signaling in the passaged organoids, wherein a NOTCH inhibitor was able to substantially rescue the decreased ER expression and alter the differentiation status. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the differentiation status of luminal-type cancer cells is quite flexible, and that by inhibiting the NOTCH signaling we can preserve the differentiation status of luminal-type breast cancer organoids.

The search for a less invasive and lower cost cryoballoon-based strategy for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation has resulted in a simplified procedure that may be suitable for cryoballoon ablation (CBA). Here, we compared procedural characteristics and outcomes between conventional CBA and simple CBA. We enrolled 628 consecutive patients who underwent initial CBA for AF (age, 69 ± 12 years; female, 263 (42%); paroxysmal AF, 576 (92%); CHA2DS2-VASc score, 2.7 ± 1.6 points). Simple CBA was characterized by the minimal procedure required to isolate pulmonary veins, including the following: (1) CBA was performed without guidance from a 3-D mapping system; (2) a coronary sinus electrode and esophageal temperature probe were not used; (3) a waiting period after pulmonary vein isolation was not set; and AF induction by isoproterenol and atrial burst stimuli were not performed. Simple CBA was performed in 240 (38%) patients. Procedural time (49 ± 18 versus 85 ± 27 min, p

Introduction: Although the presence of left atrial low-voltage areas (LVAs) is strongly associated with the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after ablation, few methods are available to classify the prevalence of LVAs. The purpose of this study was to establish a risk score for predicting the prevalence of LVAs in patients undergoing ablation for AF. Methods: We enrolled 1004 consecutive patients who underwent initial ablation for AF (age, 68 ± 10 years old; female, 346 (34%); persistent atrial fibrillation, 513 (51%)). LVAs were deemed present when the voltage map after pulmonary vein isolation demonstrated low-voltage areas with a peak-to-peak bipolar voltage of

BACKGROUND: Some patients fail to respond to persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF) catheter ablation in spite of multiple procedures and ablation strategies, including low voltage area (LVA)-guided, linear, and complex fractionated atrial electrogram (CFAE)-guided ablation procedures. We hypothesized that LVA extent could predict non-responseto Pe AF catheter ablation in spite of multiple procedures. METHODS: This study included 510 patients undergoing initial ablation procedures for PeAF. LVAs were defined as regions with bipolar peak-to-peak voltages of 20 cm2 was an independent factor associated with AF recurrence after the final procedure(Hazard ratio, 7.94; 95% confidence interval, 2.91 to 21.67, P

Objectives: To compare long-term atrial fibrillation (AF)/atrial tachycardia (AT) recurrence rates and types of recurrent-atrial-tachyarrhythmia between treatment cohorts enrolled in the randomized controlled VOLCANO trial. Background: Although VOLCANO trial demonstrated comparable 1-year rhythm outcomes between patients with and without ablation targeting low-voltage areas (LVAs) in addition to pulmonary vein isolation among paroxysmal AF patients with LVAs, efficacy of LVA ablation on long-term outcomes are still unknown. Methods: Total of 402 paroxysmal AF patients were divided into 4 groups based on the results of voltage mapping: Group A, no LVA (n=336); group B, LVA ablation (n=30); group C, LVA presence without ablation (n=32); and group D, incomplete voltage map (n=4). Results: At 25 (23, 31) months after the initial ablation, AF/AT recurrence rates were 19% in group A, 57% in group B, 59% in group C, and 100% in group D. Recurrence rates were higher in patients with LVAs than those without (group A vs. B+C, p

BACKGROUND Although patients with poor ability to perform activities of daily living, such as those with high Clinical Frailty Score (CFS), will often receive a cardiac implantable electric device (CIED), the indications for implantation in these patients have not been clearly defined. We investigated the association between CFS and prognosis in patients with a CIED.Methods and Results:We retrospectively enrolled 323 consecutive patients who underwent initial device implantation (age, 77 (70-83) years; male, 181 [56%] patients; high-voltage device, 49 [15%] patients), and the CFS was retrospectively estimated. Primary outcome was all-cause death, and the secondary outcome was hospitalization due to heart failure (HF). Median CFS was 4 (3-5) points. During 2 years' follow-up, all-cause death occurred in 32 patients (10%). Freedom from all-cause death was significantly lower in patients with a high CFS than in those with a low score (1-2 points: 100%, 3-4 points: 92.9%, 5-9 points: 77.3%, P

Background: Although hemodialysis vintage and serum phosphorus level adversely impact on outcomes in the field of general population on hemodialysis, it has not systematically studied whether these have similar prognostic impacts on clinical outcomes in population with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). Methods: The current study retrospectively analyzed 374 hemodialysis patients with CLTI presenting ischemic tissue loss (age: 72.3±9.0 years, male: 73.3%, diabetes mellitus: 39.6%, Rutherford 5: 75.9%, 6: 24.1%, WIFI stage 4: 50.0%) primarily treated with endovascular therapy (EVT) between April 2007 and December 2016. Primary outcome measure was 1-year amputation-free survival (AFS), while secondary outcome measure was 1-year wound healing. Predictors for each outcome were evaluated by Cox proportional hazards model. Result: One-year rate of AFS and wound healing rate were 70.5±2.5%, and 57.1±3.0%, respectively. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that body mass index (hazard ratio [HR], 0.918; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.859-0.981; p=0.012), non-ambulatory status (HR, 1.887; 95% CI, 1.222-2.913; p=0.004), lower serum albumin level (HR, 0.591; 95% CI, 0.414-0.844; p=0.004), WIfI stage 4 (HR, 1.782; 95% CI, 1.156-2.748; p=0.009) and longer vintages for hemodialysis with higher serum phosphorus levels (HR, 1.670; 95% CI, 1.099-2.537; p=0.016) were significantly associated with 1-year AFS (Figure), while WIfI stage 4 (HR, 0.713; 95% CI, 0.519-0.979; p=0.037) was associated and longer vintages for hemodialysis with higher serum phosphorus levels was close to significant association (HR, 0.684; 95% CI, 0.467-1.000; p=0.050) with 1-year wound healing. Conclusion: Longer hemodialysis vintage with higher serum phosphorus level would adversely affect clinical outcomes after EVT for hemodialysis patients with CLTI presenting ischemic tissue loss.

INTRODUCTION Local impedance (LI) at the tip of ablation catheter can be measured using a recently available technology. We aimed to explore target LI measurements at each radiofrequency application (RFA) for creating sufficient ablation lesions during pulmonary vein (PV) isolation. METHODS This prospective study included 15 consecutive patients scheduled to undergo an initial ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). Circumferential ablation around both ipsilateral PVs was performed using a 4-mm irrigated ablation catheter with an LI sensor. Point-by-point ablation was used with a 4-mm inter-ablation-point distance. Operators were blinded to LI measurements during the procedure. Creation of sufficient ablation lesions was assessed by the absence of a conduction gap. RESULTS After first-pass encircling PV antrum ablation, left atrium to PV conduction remained in 12 of 30 (40%) ipsilateral PVs. Mapping using the minibasket catheter identified 48 ablation points through which the propagation wave entered the PV. At ablation points with a gap, the LI drop during RFA was half that at points without a gap (12 ± 7 vs. 23 ± 12 Ω; p

Cardiac conduction disturbance necessitating pacemaker implantation is common among elderly patients. However, patients often have comorbidities and increased frailty which may result in limited life prognosis and a high rate of procedure-related complications. We evaluated pacemaker implantation in older patients by comparing life prognosis and complication rate in patients aged ≥ and

Global Limb Anatomic Staging System (GLASS) proposed by Global vascular guideline can anatomically stratify infrapopliteal (IP) lesions in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). This study investigated the prognostic impact of IP anatomic severity on delayed wound healing (WH) in

Although the guidelines mention that cardiac failure can negatively affect prognosis in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) and should be appropriately evaluated, which parameters of cardiac condition negatively affect CLI prognosis have not been well elucidated. This study was a

Late adverse events such as very late stent thrombosis (ST) and late target lesion revascularization are still concern issues. Newer-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) is expected to reduce these events. The aim of this study was to investigate clinical outcomes in patients after newer-generation

While percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stent (DES) is widely applied to patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), high restenosis rate in hemodialysis (HD) patients treated with early-generation DES was a major clinical concern. Newer generation DES, which has thinner

The purpose of this study was to clarify the impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) on long-term outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study enrolled 1039 patients (age 70±11 years, male 74%) who underwent the initial PCI between August 2011 and June 2016. AF was assessed with