Search

Purpose: The ironman (IM) triathlon is a popular ultraendurance competition, consisting of 3.8 km of swimming, 180.2 km of cycling, and 42.2 km of running. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictors of IM race time, comparing echocardiographic findings, anthropometric measures, and training characteristics. Methods: Amateur IM athletes (ATHL) participating in the Zurich IM race in 2010 were included. Participants were examined the day before the race by a comprehensive echocardiographic examination. Moreover, anthropometric measurements were obtained the same day. During the 3 months before the race, each IM-ATHL maintained a detailed training diary. Recorded data were related to total IM race time. Results: Thirty-eight IM finishers (mean ± SD age = 38 + 9 yr, 32 men [84%]) were evaluated. Total race time was 684 ± 89 min (mean + SD). For right ventricular fractional area change (45% ± 7%, Spearman p = -0.33, P = 0.05), a weak correlation with race time was observed. Race performance exhibited stronger associations with percent body fat (15.2 ± 5.6%, p = 0.56, P = 0.001), speed in running training (11.7 ± 1.2 km⋅h-1, p = -0.52, P = 0.002), and left ventricular myocardial mass index (98 + 24 g⋅m-2, p = -0.42, P = 0.009). The strongest association was found between race time and right ventricular end-diastolic area (22 ± 4 cm2, p= -0.64, P< 0.0001). In multivariate analysis, right ventricular end-diastolic area (Β = -16.7, 95% confidence interval = -27.3 to -6.1, P = 0.003) and percent body fat ((Β = 6.8, 95% confidence interval = 1.1-12.6, P = 0.02) were independently predictive of IM race time. Conclusions: In amateur IM-ATHL, RV end-diastolic area and percent body fat were independently related to race performance. RV end-diastolic area was the strongest predictor of race time. The role of the RV in endurance exercise may thus be more important than previously thought and needs to be further studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) uses surface electrodes to detect arrhythmia before initiating a treatment sequence. However, it is also prone to inappropriate detection due to artefacts. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the alarm burden in patients and its impact on clinical outcomes. Methods: Patients from the nationwide Swiss WCD Registry were included. Clinical characteristics and data were obtained from the WCDs. Arrhythmia recordings ≥30 s in length were analysed and categorized as VT/VF, atrial fibrillation (AF), supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) or artefact. Results: A total of 10653 device alarms were documented in 324 of 456 patients (71.1%) over a mean WCD wear-time of 2.0 ± 1.6 months. Episode duration was 30 s or more in 2996 alarms (28.2%). One hundred and eleven (3.7%) were VT/VF episodes. The remaining recordings were inappropriate detections (2736 (91%) due to artefacts; 117 (3.7%) AF; 48 (1.6%) SVT). Two-hundred and seven patients (45%) had three or more alarms per month. Obesity was significantly associated with three or more alarms per month (p = 0.01, 27.7% vs. 15.9%). High alarm burden was not associated with a lower average daily wear time (20.8 h vs. 20.7 h, p = 0.785) or a decreased implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation rate after stopping WCD use (48% vs. 47.3%, p = 0.156). Conclusions: In patients using WCDs, alarms emitted by the device and impending inappropriate shocks were frequent and most commonly caused by artefacts. A high alarm burden was associated with obesity but did not lead to a decreased adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Diagnosis of early stages of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) with minimal structural abnormalities is challenging. The purpose of this study was to assess the value of repeated cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in patients referred for right ventricular arrhythmias and clinical suspicion of ARVC. Methods and Results: Prospective follow-up study of 18 patients (8 females) studied with CMR for suspected ARVC. Patients with implanted defibrillators (ICD) were excluded. Mean follow-up was 37 ± 16 (12–59) months. Patients were assigned to 2 categories (ARVC likely or ARVC unlikely) according to a CMR-score based on right ventricular abnormalities. Clinical follow-up revealed no disease progression in 17 patients (94%). In 1 patient, an ICD was implanted because of disease progression. Of 9 patients with initial findings suggestive of ARVC, follow-up CMR remained positive in 3 and was diagnosed as normal in 6, mainly due to the inability to confirm the presence of fatty infiltrates at follow-up (5 of 6 patients). Initially, 9 patients had a normal CMR and 8 of those remained normal during follow-up. Conclusion: Repeated CMR after an average follow-up of 3 years was normal in 6 of 9 patients with clinical findings consistent with early stages of ARVC at the time of baseline CMR. Thus, CMR diagnosis of early stage ARVC is difficult and should be made with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background No prospective trial-based data are available for incremental cost-effectiveness of drug-eluting stents (DES) compared with bare-metal stents (BMS) in unselected patients, as treated in everyday practice. Methods The Basel stent cost-effectiveness trial (BASKET) included 826 consecutive patients treated with angioplasty and stenting for 1281 de-novo lesions, irrespective of indication for angioplasty. Patients were randomised to one of two DES (Cypher, n=264; Taxus, n=281) or to a cobalt-chromium-based BMS (Vision, n=281) and followed up for 6 months for occurrence of major adverse cardiac events and costs. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. The primary endpoint was cost-effectiveness after 6 months, with effectiveness defined as reduction of major adverse cardiac events. Findings Cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularisation occurred in 39 of 544 (7·2%) patients with DES and 34 of 280 (12·1%) with BMS (odds ratio 0·56, 95% CI 0·35-0·91; p=0·02), without significant differences between the two DES. Total costs at 6 months were higher with DES (mean &z.euro;10 544, SD 6849) than with BMS (&z.euro;9639, 9067; p<0·0001); higher stent costs of DES were not compensated for by lower follow-up costs. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of DES compared with BMS to avoid one major event was &z.euro;18 311, and costs per quality-adjusted life-year gained were more than &z.euro;50 000. Subgroup analyses showed that DES were more cost-effective for elderly patients in specific high-risk groups. Interpretation In a real-world setting, use of DES in all patients is less cost effective than in studies with selected patients. Use of these stents could be restricted to patients in high-risk groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to compare the hemodynamic effects of right-atrial-paced (DDD) and right-atrial-sensed (VDD) biventricular paced rhythm on cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy improves hemodynamics in patients with severe heart failure and left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony. However, the impact of active right atrial pacing on resynchronization therapy is unknown. Methods: Seventeen CRT patients were studied 10 months (range: 1 to 46 months) after implantation. At baseline, the programmed atrioventricular delay was optimized by timing LV contraction properly at the end of atrial contraction. In both modes the acute hemodynamic effects were assessed by multiple Doppler echocardiographic parameters. Results: Compared to DDD pacing, VDD pacing resulted in much better improvement of intraventricular dyssynchrony assessed by the septal-to-posterior wall motion delay (VDD 106 ± 83 ms vs. DDD 145 ± 95 ms; p = 0.001), whereas the interventricular mechanical delay (difference between onset of pulmonary and aortic outflow) did not differ (VDD 20 ± 21 ms vs. DDD 18 ± 17 ms; p = NS). Furthermore, VDD pacing significantly prolonged the rate-corrected LV filling period (VDD 458 ± 123 ms vs. DDD 371 ± 94 ms; p = 0.0001) and improved the myocardial performance index (VDD 0.60 ± 0.18 vs. DDD 0.71 ± 0.23; p &#60; 0.01). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that avoidance of right atrial pacing results in a higher degree of LV resynchronization, in a substantial prolongation of the LV filling period, and in an improved myocardial performance. Thus, the VDD mode seems to be superior to the DDD mode in CRT patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]