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Background: The aim of the publication is to show differences among patients with the first detected episode of atrial fibrillation (AF), paroxysmal, and persistent AF patients, for whom cardioversion was planned in the hospital setting in Poland. Methods: We present an analysis of the Polish cohort of the multicenter, multinational RHYTHM-AF registry. Consecutive patients in the hospital setting, aged ≥ 18 years, with documented AF at the time of enrollment, and for whom cardioversion of AF is one of the planned therapeutic options were recruited. Follow-up data was collected 60 days after enrollment. Results: Five-hundred-and-one patients were recruited, 483 with a defined AF type: 88 — first detected, 191 paroxysmal, and 204 persistent AF. CHA 2 DS 2 VASc scores were not significantly different between the groups, while treatment with vitamin K antagonists (VKA) was significantly lower in paroxysmal AF group than in persistent AF patients. Primary electrical cardioversion was most commonly performed in patients with persistent AF (90.4%), while primary pharmacological cardioversion — in the first detected AF (80.0%) and paroxysmal AF patients (76.7%). During 2 months of follow-up, the rate of rehospitalization and complications was comparable among the groups. Conclusions: Despite their comparable CHA 2 DS 2 VASc scores, patients with persistent AF were more frequently treated with VKA antagonists than other groups. Recurrence of AF within 2 months after restoring sinus rhythm was present in about 25% of the patients, and the rate of complications was not different among the three groups.

Background: A key procedure of the rhythm control strategy in atrial fibrillation (AF) is cardioversion to normal sinus rhythm. The aim of the present study was to provide a review of treatment patterns for the cardioversion of patients with AF in a hospital setting in Poland and document the success rate of various cardioversion procedures. Methods: We herein present the results from Poland of a prospective observational study to characterize patients with recent onset episodes of AF for whom cardioversion is one of the planned therapeutic options — the RHYTHM-AF registry. Consecutive patients in the hospital setting, age > 18 years, with documented AF at the time of enrollment, excluding those with atrial flutter and those treated with vernakalant, were recruited. No treatment was recommended nor discouraged . Results: Five hundred and one patients were recruited (mean age 64.2 ± 12.1), with 294 (58.7%) patients finally undergoing cardioversion. Primary electrical cardioversion (ECV) was successful in 131 (88.5%) patients. Primary pharmacological cardioversion (PCV) was successful in 110 (75.3%) patients. Amiodarone and propafenone were most commonly used (52.1% and 24.7%, respectively). Fourteen complications and adverse events were recorded (no stroke was observed). Conclusions: Conversion to sinus rhythm was attempted in < 60% of the patients with AF admitted to the hospital with an intention to terminate arrhythmia. ECV was successful in ~90% of the patients, while PCV in ~75% of the patients (amiodarone and propafenone were most commonly used). The rate of complications was low (2.8%).

Background: Cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) and maintenance of sinus rhythm are the basic strategies of treating AF patients. Precise data regarding the current practice of AF cardioversion in Europe in clinical practice is lacking. Aim: The primary objective of this prospective observational study was to characterise patients and treatment patterns in whom cardioversion was the planned therapeutic option. Methods: Patients with recent onset of AF were included, regardless of when the timing of the cardioversion was planned. Ten countries participated in the study, with Poland contributing 501 patients. The global enrollment period lasted from May 2010 to June 2011. Follow-up data was collected 60 days after enrollment via a medical chart abstraction or a telephone interview. Results: The average age of the Polish patient population was 64.2 years, and 38.5% of patients were female. Mean duration of arrhythmia was 3.3 years. Paroxysmal AF was diagnosed in 38.3% and persistent AF in 43.6% of patients. The most prevalent AF risk factors were hypertension (75.0%), diabetes mellitus (20.5%), and family history of AF (12.1%). Mean body mass index of study patients was 29.5 kg/m 2 . The most pertinent factors triggering AF were emotion (12.4%), exercise (6.5%), electrolyte disturbances (5.5%), and acute myocardial infarction (3.7%). Only 14.2% of patients were asymptomatic. Previous episodes of AF were present in 83.1% of patients and 58.5% of them had previous cardioversion: 49.8% pharmacological and 50.2% electrical. The most often used anti-arrhythmic drugs were amiodarone (53.4%) and propafenone (32.2%). The rate of antithrombotic treatment was low: 59.6%. Finally electrical cardioversion had been undergone by 165 (53%) patients and pharmacological by 146 (47%) patients. Conclusions: The population of patients with AF and planned cardioversion represented typical patients with non-valvular AF and standard symptoms, the vast majority of whom were symptomatic. The study group in terms of comprehensive characteristics is representative of the general population of AF patients.

This paper deals with determinants of physical fitness and of a value system of the Polish Handball Federation’s [Polski Związek Pilki Re cznej] referees (N=61). The reference group theory describing the transfer of a value system within a group of referees constitutes the theoretical foundation of the paper. The referees’ age ranged from 19 to 59 years (M=30.56 years SD=7.16 years). The measurement was carried out by means of the Scheler Values Scale constructed by Piotr Brzozowski and the Questionnaire of Ethics constructed by Wieslaw Baryla and Bogdan Wojciszke. The results of the six basic hierarchies of values were analysed: sanctity, hedonistic, vital, aesthetic, truth, and moral. Comparisons of data obtained from a group of referees preferring common good ethics with referees showing low acceptance of the common good ethics have not revealed a considerably higher acceptance rate only in the case of values of truth and aesthetics values. The remaining hierarchies demonstrated considerable statistical variance. Further research on the determinants of referees’ moral behaviours should focus on determining the impact of the subject’s sex and a change in temperament traits on the development of a refereeing career.

In this paper we present DFL designer --- a collection-oriented scientific workflow (COSW) tool based on the DFL notation which combines established formalisms from workflow modeling and databases, namely Petri nets and the nested relational calculus (NRC). COSW tools are used in applied sciences like bioinformatics where structured data is processed with the use of specialized services which are made available online by scientific institutions. They make such data processing experiments easier to conduct by the experimentators and easier to comprehend and repeat by the reviewers. The notations, models and techniques used for the construction of COSW tools are similar to the ones known from workflow modeling, but additional emphasis is put on the data manipulation aspects, e.g., the processing of nested collections of data. DFL designer not only allows design and enactment of complicated COSWs with the use of a huge library of supported bioinformatics services, but also provides a set of features for testing and analyzing workflow specifications that is unique for COSWs, including but not limited to interactive firing of transitions, hierarchical analysis of COSWs and translation of side-effect free COSWs to a query language like NRC.