Search

Aims: To investigate the different strategies adopted for the management of antithrombotic therapy and the related hemorrhagic and infective complication rates in patients undergoing cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) surgery in a real-world setting., Methods: THE Management of AntiThrOMbotic therApy in patients undergoing electrophysiological device surgery: Italian NatiOnal Multicenter Observational REgistry (HEMATOMA NO MORE) is an observational, prospective, multicenter, national cohort study (with a retrospective, multicenter, regional pilot phase) designed to enroll patients with standard indications to CIED implantations/replacements receiving concomitant antithrombotic therapy. The primary outcome is clinically significant pocket hematoma defined as a postprocedural hematoma, resulting in prolonged hospitalization and/or requiring interruption of antithrombotic therapy and/or requiring further surgery and/or requiring transfusion., Results: The pilot phase included 569 patients from 11 centers in Tuscany enrolled between September 2014 and May 2015 and followed up for 1 month. Patients were categorized according to the strategy of management of antithrombotic therapy, with heparin bridging being associated with the highest incidence of clinically significant pocket hematoma (12.3%). Overall nonpocket hemorrhagic events rate was quite low (0.52%) and thromboembolic complications were negligible (0.17%)., Conclusion: Occurrence of pocket hematoma in patients undergoing CIED surgery is largely influenced by the strategy of management of antithrombotic therapy. The HEMATOMA NO MORE will assess the impact of different strategies on the risk of developing pocket hematoma and of subsequent CIED-related infections.

Aims: This registry was created to describe the experience of 76 Italian centres with a large cohort of recipients of multipoint pacing (MPP) capable cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices., Methods and Results: A total of 507 patients in whom these devices had been successfully implanted were enrolled between August 2013 and May 2015. We analysed: (i) current clinical practices for the management of such patients, and (ii) the impact of MPP on heart failure clinical composite response and on the absolute change in ejection fraction (EF) at 6 months. Multipoint pacing was programmed to 'ON' in 46% of patients before discharge. Methods of optimizing MPP programming were most commonly based on either the greatest narrowing of the QRS complex (38%) or the electrical delays between the electrodes (34%). Clinical and echocardiographic follow-up data were evaluated in 232 patients. These patients were divided into two groups according to whether MPP was programmed to 'ON' (n = 94) or 'OFF' (n = 138) at the time of discharge. At 6 months, EF was significantly higher in the MPP group than in the biventricular-pacing group (39.1 ± 9.6 vs. 34.7 ± 7.6%; P < 0.001). Even after adjustments, early MPP activation remained an independent predictor of absolute increase in LVEF of ≥5% (odds ratio 2.5; P = 0.001). At 6 months, an improvement in clinical composite score was recorded in a greater proportion of patients with MPP-ON than in controls (56 vs. 38%; P = 0.009). On comparing optimal MPP and conventional vectors, QRS was also seen to have decreased significantly (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: This study provides information that is essential in order to deal with the expected increase in the number of patients receiving MPP devices in the coming years. The results revealed different practices among centres, and establishing the optimal programming that can maximize the benefit of MPP remains a challenging issue. Compared with conventional CRT, MPP improved clinical status and resulted in an additional increase in EF., Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.clinicaltrial.gov/. Unique identifier: NCT02606071., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.)

In Italy tens of thousands of patients undergo implantation or replacement of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) annually, and up to 50% of these subjects receive antiplatelet agents or oral anticoagulants. The rate of CIED-related complications, mainly infective, has also significantly increased, so that transvenous lead extraction procedures are often required. CIED surgery is peculiar and portends specific intrinsic risks of developing life-threatening hemorrhagic complications; on the other hand periprocedural discontinuation of antithrombotic therapy in patients at high thromboembolic risk may have catastrophic consequences. Accordingly, the management of candidates to CIED surgery who receive concomitant antithrombotic therapy is of great clinical relevance, though controversial and only partially, if not at all, adequately addressed in current evidence-based guidelines. Although for many procedures the administration of aspirin alone or continuation of anticoagulant therapy seems reasonably safe, with use of bridging therapy with parenteral heparins restricted to selected cases, there are multiple variables that may make therapeutic choices challenging. The aim of the present position paper is to provide practical recommendations for the management of antithrombotic therapy in patients undergoing CIED surgery by defining indications for a systematic approach integrating general technical considerations with patient-specific elements based on a careful evaluation of the balance between hemorrhagic and thromboembolic risk. The decision-making process applied in this document relies on the stratification of the procedural hemorrhagic risk and of the risk deriving from discontinuation of antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy combined to produce different clinical scenarios with specific indications for optimal management of periprocedural antithrombotic therapy.

Introduction: Not all candidates for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) are responders at follow-up. Echocardiographic parameters of dyssynchrony do not predict the response. Analysis of electrical properties of left ventricle (LV) by noncontact mapping (NCM) could be useful to better identify candidates for CRT., Methods and Results: We studied nine consecutive patients undergoing CRT. An NCM was positioned in the LV via atrial transeptal puncture. LV activation was recorded during sinus rhythm (SR), pacing from RV, from different LV epicardial locations, and in biventricular (BIV) pacing. The corresponding invasive pressure was determined. Heparin, administered during NCM, was reversed and CRT implant was completed. An offline analysis of the data was performed in order to measure transeptal and total LV activation time, to evaluate the site of earliest and latest LV activation, and the pattern of activation. No complications occurred. Mean time of total NCM procedures was 24 + or - 7 minutes. During SR, RV, LV, and BIV pacing, respectively, a "U"-shaped LV activation pattern was found in three, seven, four, and and two patients; mean LV activation time was 58.1 + or - 7.0, 81.7 + or - 15.8, 71.1 + or - 12.4, and 65.6 + or - 7.7 ms; and mean systolic LV peak pressure was 114 + or - 21, 97 + or - 18, 103 + or - 17 and 110 + or - 15 mmHg, respectively. LV activation was influenced by a slow conduction area at the pacing site and by the duration of transeptal time., Conclusion: An NCM during CRT is safe and feasible. It provides an additional information on electrical activation in SR and in various modality of pacing. Further studies with larger populations are needed in order to correlate electrical to clinical outcomes.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare contact versus noncontact mapping for radiofrequency (RF) ablation of any sustained post-myocardial infarction (MI) ventricular tachycardia (VT)., Methods: Forty patients with tolerated VT post-MI were randomized to RF ablation with contact (group 1) or noncontact (group 2) mapping systems. In both groups ablation of tolerated VT was guided by VT activation map confirmed by concealed entrainment. When untolerated VTs were induced, ablation was performed in group 1 according to pace mapping starting from the scar border zone and in group 2 according to the VT activation map confirmed by pace mapping., Results: No differences were seen between the groups in terms of acute success rate of clinical VT ablation (95% vs 100%, respectively; P = ns) and in the noninducibility of any VT at the end of the procedure (55% vs 85%, respectively; P = 0.08). Moreover, untolerated VTs were eliminated in 30% of group 1 versus 83.3% of group 2 patients (P < 0.05). The mean total procedural and fluoroscopy times were 236.4 +/- 42.7 and 29.0 +/- 7.8 minutes in group 1 and 144.5 +/- 50.8 and 23.4 +/- 5.8 minutes in group 2 (P < 0.001 and < 0.05, respectively). At a mean follow-up of 15.2 +/- 6.7 months no differences were seen in VT recurrences between groups, but noninducibility at the end of the procedure was predictive of freedom from recurrences (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: Both systems are useful for ablation of tolerated VT. Noncontact mapping is more effective for ablation of untolerated VT and allows the reduction of procedural and fluoroscopy times. Noninducibility at the end of the procedure seems predictive of freedom from recurrences during follow-up.

Background: The optimal approach and long-term results of radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) are still unknown. We report our experience with respect to an ablation protocol diversified on a patient's AF pathophysiology with long-term follow-up., Methods: Seventy-two patients with paroxysmal/persistent drug-resistant AF were selected. Patients with apparently normal hearts (group 1, n = 20) underwent electrophysiological disconnection of pulmonary veins (PVs) presenting a clear PV potential, whereas those with even initial cardiopathy (group 2, n = 52), underwent PV encircling., Results: Sinus rhythm was maintained at 6 months in 85% of group 1 and 71% of group 2 patients. After 42 months of follow-up, including 15.2% re-do procedures, 85% of group 1 and 77% of group 2 patients were in sinus rhythm, including patients with anti-arrhythmic drugs (AADs). The long-term success rate without AADs was 75% and 46% for each group, respectively. Age and the 6-month success of the procedure were predictive of sinus rhythm maintenance during follow-up., Conclusions: An ablation protocol diversified on AF pathophysiology assured, at 3 years of follow-up, sinus rhythm maintenance in 85% of patients with a normal heart and in 77% of those with even initial cardiopathy. The 6-month result of the ablation procedure remained stable over time.

Background: Electrical cardioversion (ECV) usually requires the assistance of the anesthesiology team. To avoid this dependence, previous studies have considered the use of sedation with benzodiazepines administered by cardiologists. We describe our experience with intravenous Midazolam during cardioversion., Methods: We performed 280 ECV in 202 patients sedated with intravenous Midazolam, without anesthesiology supervision. In scheduled cardioversions, we tested two protocols of Midazolam administration: a bolus of 3 mg, followed by 2 mg each minute until necessary, and a loading dose of 0.09-0.1 mg/kg. In cardioversions performed during electrophysiology studies or defibrillator implant, Midazolam was administered by small repeated doses during the entire procedure., Results: Midazolam was effective to obtain adequate sedation in 99% of cases. All patients had amnesia with regards of the cardioversion. A loading dose of Midazolam allowed a shortening of the procedural time without serious adverse events. Intubation or the assistance of an anesthetist was never necessary., Conclusion: Sedation with Midazolam for ECV is effective and well tolerated, with some cautions discussed. A loading dose of Midazolam is well tolerated and further reduces the procedural time.

A 41-year-old man with Brugada syndrome (BS) and no previous episodes of aborted sudden death or syncope referred to local emergency room for an episode of symptomatic atrial fibrillation. Blood chemistry results showed hypokalemia (2.9 mEq/L). The other parameters were within the normal range. After few minutes, an episode of ventricular fibrillation treated with biphasic DC shock 150 J occurred. In successive 2 hours, the patient experienced recurrent episodes of ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. Each biphasic DC shock 150 J was effective to restore sinus rhythm. No further episodes occurred after normalization of serum levels of potassium. Before discharge, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator was inserted to prevent sudden cardiac death. Hypokalemia increases the risk of arrhythmic events in BS.

Convincing evidence is now available suggesting that several unfavorable cardiovascular events respect a well-defined diurnal pattern in their occurrence. In particular, ischemic heart disease has been widely investigated, and many data indicate a constellation of underlying risk factors whose temporal coincidence might act as triggering factors in the occurrence of acute events. In this paper, the recent knowledge concerning both epidemiology of ischemic heart disease and potentially favoring factors are reviewed from a chronobiological point of view.