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Copyright of Herz is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: We aimed to compare patient characteristics and outcome of patients who had either undergone pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) or AV-node ablation (AVN) to control AF-related symptoms.Methods: From the German Ablation Registry, we analyzed data of 4444 patients (95%) who had undergone PVI and 234 patients (5%) with AVN.Results: AVN patients were on average 10 years older than PVI patients (71 ± 10 vs. 61 ± 10 years, p < 0.001) with 33% aged > 75 years. AVN patients had significantly more cardiovascular comorbidities (diabetes 21% vs. 8%, renal insufficiency 24% vs. 3%, underlying heart disease 80% vs. 36%, severely reduced left ventricular function 28% vs. 1%, all p < 0.001). Significantly more PVI patients had paroxysmal AF (63% vs. 18%, p < 0.001), and more AVN patients had long-standing persistent AF (44% vs. 7%, p < 0.001). At 1-year follow-up, mortality in the AVN group was much higher (Kaplan-Meier estimates 9.8% vs. 0.5%). 20% of PVI patients had undergone another ablation vs. 3% AVN patients (p < 0.001). Symptomatic improvement was equally achieved in about 80%. Re-hospitalization for cardiovascular reasons occurred significantly more often in PVI vs. AVN patients (31% vs. 18%, p < 0.001).Conclusion: In the large German Ablation Registry, AVN ablation was performed much less frequently than PVI for symptomatic treatment of AF and typically in older patients with more comorbidity. Symptomatic improvement was similar in both groups. Hospitalizations for cardiovascular reasons were lower in AVN patients despite older age and more cardiovascular comorbidities. 20% of PVI patients had undergone at least one re-ablation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with frequent premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are often highly symptomatic with significantly reduced quality-of-life. We evaluated the outcome and success of PVC ablation in patients in the German Ablation Registry. Methods: The German Ablation Registry is a nationwide prospective multicenter database of patients who underwent an ablation procedure, initiated by the 'Stiftung Institut für Herzinfarktforschung' (IHF), Ludwigshafen, Germany. Data were acquired from March 2007 to May 2011. Patients underwent PVC ablation in the enrolling ablation centers. Results: A total of 408 patients (age 53.5 ± 15 years, 55 % female) undergoing ablation for PVCs were included. 32 % of patients showed a co-existing structural heart disease. Acute ablation success of the procedure was 82 % in the overall patient group. In patients without structural heart disease, acute success was significantly higher compared with patients with structural heart disease (86 vs. 74 %, p = 0.002). All patients were discharged alive after a median of 3 days. No patient suffered an acute myocardial infarction, stroke, or major bleeding. After 12 months' follow-up, 99 % of patients were still alive showing a significant different mortality between patients with structural heart disease compared with those without (2.3 vs. 0 %, p = 0.012). In addition, 76 % of patients showed significantly improved symptoms after 12 months of follow-up. Conclusion: Based on the data from this registry, ablation of PVCs is a safe and efficient procedure with an excellent outcome and improved symptoms after 12 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Herz is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Limited data exist regarding baseline characteristics and management of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (EF) in tertiary care facilities. Methods: EVITA-HF comprises web-based case report data on demography, comorbidities, diagnostic and therapy measures, quality of life, adverse events and 1-year follow-up of patients hospitalized for chronic heart failure and an ejection fraction of less than 40 %. Results: Between February 2009 and June 2011, a total of 1,853 consecutive, hospitalized patients (pts) were included in 16 centers in Germany. Mean age was 70 years, 76 % were male. Median EF was 30 %, and 63 % were in NYHA III/IV. Ischemic cardiomyopathy was present in 56 %, history of hypertension in 76 %, diabetes in 39 %, impaired renal function in 33 %, thyroid dysfunction in 12 %, and malignoma in 7 %. Sixty-eight percent of pts had a non-elective admission. Rhythm was sinus/atrial fibrillation or flutter/pacemaker in 64, 28 and 11 %, respectively. Median heart rate amounted to 80 bpm, median blood pressure to 122/74 mmHg. LBBB was present in 26 % of non-pacemaker pts. Eighteen percent had an ICD or CRT-D. Medication (admission vs. discharge) consisted of ACEI or ARB in 73 vs. 88 %, β-blocker in 71 vs. 89 %, mineral corticosteroid receptor antagonist (MRA) in 32 vs. 57 %, diuretics in 68 vs. 83 % ( p < 0.001 for each). Forty-two percent of pts received a specific treatment procedure beyond pharmacotherapy, of these 48 % revascularization, 39 % device therapy, 14 % electrical cardioversion, 5 % ablation procedures, 9 % valvular procedures, 6 % iv inotropes, 1.8 % IABP or LVAD implantation. At discharge, 33 % of survivors had ICD- or CRT-D implants. One-year mortality amounted to 16.8 %, and death or rehospitalization to 56 %. NYHA class III/IV was found in 30 % ( p < 0.001 vs. index admission), general health status was improved in 45 % and unchanged in 36 % of patients. Eighty-five percent of pts took ACEI or ARB, 86 % β-blockers, 47 % MRA, and 78 % diuretics ( p < 0.001 vs. index discharge for all). Conclusion: Patients with chronic heart failure and low ejection fraction represent an elderly and multimorbid population. While hospitalized, they experience a significant optimization of prognosis-relevant medication, revascularization and device therapy. After 1 year, mortality is moderate; drug adherence is high and NYHA status favourable. The EVITA-HF registry is able to reflect coherently the real-world management, efforts and follow-up in heart failure pts managed in tertiary care facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug-eluting stents (DES) have substantially reduced target vessel revascularization (TVR) after percutaneous coronary interventions. Risk factors for clinical events need to be redefined with this treatment option. Methods and results: In the prospective DES.DE registry, baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics as well as in-hospital and follow-up events were recorded for all enrolled patients. Between October 2005 and May 2009, 21,774 patients receiving DES were enrolled at 98 DES.DE sites. The composite of death, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke defined as major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and TVR were predefined as primary endpoints. At 1-year follow-up rates for overall death, MI, stroke, MACCE, TVR and definite stent thrombosis were 2.7, 3.1, 1.4, 7.1, 11.5 and 0.6 %, respectively. Aside from well-known risk factors like age, diabetes mellitus and triple-vessel disease, stratification in patients with or without MACCE revealed atrial fibrillation, non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, renal failure, impaired ejection fraction and peripheral vascular disease as strong predictors of MACCE at 1 year. Conclusion: Data collected in the DES.DE registry, reflecting the clinical practice in Germany, revealed favorable clinical outcomes after DES implantation in a real world setting but also identifying several high-risk populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Herz is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease is considered an indication for surgical revascularization. However, refined percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) technology and modern drug-eluting stents (DES) render the ULMCA a target for interventional treatment. Methods and results: Between October 2005 and September 2009, 374 patients receiving DES in ULMCA and 18,678 patients receiving DES in non-left main coronary arteries (nLMCA) with no previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery, were registered at 130 DES.DE sites. The composite of death, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke defined as major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and target vessel revascularization (TVR) were defined as primary endpoints. Baseline clinical and descriptive morphology of coronary artery disease revealed more comorbidities and more complex anatomies in the ULMCA group. At 1-year follow-up, the ULMCA group suffered from higher rates of overall death (5.6 versus 2.3 %; p < 0.0001), stroke (2.0 versus 0.8 %; p < 0.05), MACCE (8.6 versus 4.9 %; p < 0.01); whereas rates for definite/probable stent thrombosis (2.4 versus 1.6 %; p = 0.29), TVR (14.2 versus 10.8 %; p = 0.06) and MI (1.3 versus 1.9 %; p = 0.44) were not statistically different. These results persisted even after adjustment for different baseline characteristics, except MACCE that was no longer statistically significant. Conclusion: Data collected in DES.DE revealed that ULMCA PCI with DES result in similar TVR rates as compared to PCI in nLMCA. Moreover, modern DES have not offset the higher comorbidity index and higher procedure-related complication rate with PCI of ULMCA lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Herz is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Der Kardiologe is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)