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The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is known to play an important role in the genesis and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF). Biomolecular and genetic mechanisms, anatomical knowledges with recent diagnostic techniques acquisitions, both invasive and non‐invasive, have enabled greater therapeutic goals in patients affected by AF related to ANS imbalance. Catheter ablation of ganglionated plexi (GP) in the left and right atrium has been proposed in varied clinical conditions. Moreover interesting results arise from renal sympathetic denervation and vagal nerve stimulation. Despite all this, in the scenario of ANS modulation translational strategies we necessary must consider the treatment or correction of dynamic factors such as obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, lifestyle, food, and stress. Finally, new antiarrhythmic drugs, gene therapy and “ablatogenomic” could be represent exciting future therapeutic perspectives., Cardioneuroablation and cardioneuromodulation for patients affected by AF related to ANS imbalance.

Several reports have focused on biatrial ganglionated plexi (GP) transcatheter ablation to treat cardioinhibitory neurocardiogenic syncope (CNS). Considering that anatomical studies showed a significant number of GP in the right atrium (RA), we hypothesized that RA “cardioneuroablation” could be an effective treatment for CNS. Eighteen consecutive patients (mean age: 36.9 ± 11.2 years) with severe CNS were submitted to transcatheter ablation of GPs in the RA alone using an anatomical approach. Head up tilt test evaluation was performed during the follow-up period at 6, 12, and 24 months and in case of significant symptoms, while heart rate variability parameters were evaluated at patients discharge at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months after ablation. At a mean follow-up of 34.1 ± 6.1 months, 3 (16.6%) patients experienced syncopal episodes and 5 patients (27.7%) only prodromal episodes. Syncopal and prodromal recurrences were significantly decreased both in overall population (P = 0.001) and in symptomatic patients after ablation (P = 0.003). Heart rate variability analysis showed the loss of autonomic balance secondary to a reincrease of sympathetic tone after the acute phase faster than vagal tone more evident at 12 months (LF/HF vs preablation, P

Background Several ECG voltage criteria have been proposed for the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Notably, ECG criteria have been historically validated in concentric LVH but not in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), wherein the hypertrophy pattern is typically asymmetric. Objectives The aim of our study was to evaluate the performance of ECG voltage criteria for LVH diagnosis in the HCM population. Material and methods The electrocardiograms of 92 HCM patients and 41 sex- and age-matched controls were evaluated with the most frequently used ECG voltage criteria for LVH diagnosis. Cardiac magnetic resonance (MRI) was performed in HCM and controls in order to quantify LVH and its distribution. Results In the HCM population, the maximal diagnostic accuracy was achieved by Amplitude total and Amplitude total product criteria (58% for both), while the Cornell Voltage best performed in septal HCM (62%), the Sokolov in aVL and Gubner criteria in apical HCM (79% for both) and the Cornell Voltage and Product in anterior HCM (86% for both). All the ECG voltage criteria showed a poor correlation with left ventricular mass and maximal thickness measured by cardiac MRI. Conclusions In our study, only a few ECG voltage criteria used for the detection of LVH in clinical practice showed an acceptable performance in the HCM population. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of ECG for LVH detection in HCM patients.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) refers to a spectrum of heterogeneous myocardial disorders characterized by ventricular dilation and depressed myocardial performance in the absence of hypertension, valvular, congenital, or ischemic heart disease. Mutations in LMNA gene, encoding for lamin A/C, account for 10% of familial DCM. LMNA-related cardiomyopathies are characterized by heterogeneous clinical manifestations that vary from a predominantly structural heart disease, mainly mild-to-moderate left ventricular (LV) dilatation associated or not with conduction system abnormalities, to highly pro-arrhythmic profiles where sudden cardiac death (SCD) occurs as the first manifestation of disease in an apparently normal heart. In the present study, we select, among 77 DCM families referred to our center for genetic counselling and molecular screening, 15 patient heterozygotes for LMNA variants. Segregation analysis in the relatives evidences other eight heterozygous patients. A genotype–phenotype correlation has been performed for symptomatic subjects. Lastly, we perform in vitro functional characterization of two novel LMNA variants using dermal fibroblasts obtained from three heterozygous patients, evidencing significant differences in terms of lamin expression and nuclear morphology. Due to the high risk of SCD that characterizes patients with lamin A/C cardiomyopathy, genetic testing for LMNA gene variants is highly recommended when there is suspicion of laminopathy.

Aim The aim of our study was to compare ivabradine versus bisoprolol in the short-term and long-term treatment of inappropriate sinus tachycardia. Methods From this prospective, parallel-group, open-label study, consecutive patients affected by inappropriate sinus tachycardia received ivabradine or bisoprolol and were evaluated with Holter ECG, ECG stress test, European Heart Rhythm Association score and Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire at baseline, after 3 and 24 months. Results Overall, 40 patients were enrolled. Baseline parameters were comparable in the ivabradine and bisoprolol subgroups. Two patients had transient phosphenes with ivabradine and two others interrupted the drug after 3 months as they planned to become pregnant. Eight individuals treated with bisoprolol experienced hypotension and weakness, which caused drug discontinuation in five of them. Ivabradine was superior to bisoprolol in reducing Holter ECG mean heart rate (HR) and mean HR during daytime at short- and long-term follow-up. Moreover, ivabradine but not bisoprolol significantly reduced Holter ECG mean HR during night-time as well as maximal and minimal HR and significantly increased the time duration and maximal load reached at ECG stress test. The quality of life questionnaires significantly improved in both subgroups. Conclusion This study suggests that ivabradine is better tolerated than bisoprolol and seems to be superior in controlling the heart rate and improving exercise capacity in a small population of individuals affected by inappropriate sinus tachycardia during a short-term and long-term follow-up.

BackgroundIn athletes with ventricular arrhythmias (VA) and otherwise unremarkable clinical findings, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) may reveal concealed pathological substrates. The aim of this multicenter study was to evaluate which VA characteristics predicted CMR abnormalities.Methods and ResultsWe enrolled 251 consecutive competitive athletes (74% males, median age 25 [17‐39] years) who underwent CMR for evaluation of VA. We included athletes with >100 premature ventricular beats/24 h or ≥1 repetitive VA (couplets, triplets, or nonsustained ventricular tachycardia) on 12‐lead 24‐hour ambulatory ECG monitoring and negative family history, ECG, and echocardiogram. Features of VA that were evaluated included number, morphology, repetitivity, and response to exercise testing. Left‐ventricular late gadolinium‐enhancement was documented by CMR in 28 (11%) athletes, mostly (n=25) with a subepicardial/midmyocardial stria pattern. On 24‐hour ECG monitoring, premature ventricular beats with multiple morphologies or with right‐bundle‐branch‐block and intermediate/superior axis configuration were documented in 25 (89%) athletes with versus 58 (26%) without late gadolinium‐enhancement (PPP=0.002), (PConclusionsIn athletes with apparently idiopathic VA, simple characteristics such as number and morphology of premature ventricular beats on 12‐lead 24‐hour ambulatory ECG monitoring and response to exercise testing predicted the presence of concealed myocardial abnormalities on CMR. These findings may help cost‐effective CMR prescription.

Background pacemaker induced cardiomyopathy or transient impairment of the left ventricle (LV) function could be common collateral effects of the prolonged right ventricle (RV) pacing in patients with a pacemaker (PM) and pre-existing intra-ventricular conduction disturbances. However, the impact of RV pacing-site on RV performance of patients with right bundle branch block(RBBB) is still under-investigated. Purpose to study the effects of RV pacing in the mid-septal versus apical site on the morpho-functional performance of RV in patients undergoing permanent PM implantation. Methods We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients with a pre-existent complete RBBB and undergoing dual-chamber PM implantation in our institution. We randomized the patients 1:1 to receive the RV catheter fixed either in the apex or in the mid-septal position. Patients with LV systolic dysfunction (LVEF Results a total of 22 patients were randomized in the study, 11 (50%) received RV catheter positioned in the apex and 11 (50%) in the mid-septum, respectively. No baseline differences were recorded between the two groups in clinical characteristics, ECG and echocardiographic parameters. At 2 months follow up, there were no statistically significant difference in the % of RV pacing between the two groups. Nonetheless, RV mid-septal group showed significantly shorter duration of the stimulated QRS (146 ± 12 msec vs. 161 ± 20 msec, p = 0.05), significantly reductions in the RV dimensions (pre: 42 ± 8 mm vs. post: 37 ± 7 mm, p = 0.05) telediastolic area (pre: 12 ± 3 cm2/m2 vs post: 9 ± 4 cm2/ m2, p = 0.02) telediastolic volume (pre: 55 ± 16 ml/m2 vs post: 50 ± 17 ml/m2, p = 0.02) and a significant improvement of RV ejection fraction (pre: 54 ± 9% vs post: 57 ± 11%, p = 0.02) than patients in the RV-apical group. Moreover, patients in the RV-apical group showed significant lowering in the GLS of the LV (pre: -16 ± 3% vs post: -11.7 ± 3%, p Conclusions In this study, mid-septal pacing seems associated with a better morpho-functional RV performance than apical pacing in patients with pre-existent RBBB undergoing permanent PM implantation.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) of young athletes is an unexpected and tragic event that could occur during sport activities and is frequently related to ventricular arrhythmias. Identifying athletes at risk of SCD remains a major challenge. While specific characteristics of premature ventricular contractions are considered common and benign, other "uncommon" features should require more accurate investigations, in order to determine eligibility for competitive sports. The most common type of idiopathic premature ventricular contractions originates from ventricular outflow tract and is characterized by an ECG pattern with left bundle branch block and inferior QRS axis (infundibular pattern). Another pattern associated with a good prognosis is the "fascicular" morphology, characterized by a typical right bundle branch block, superior QRS axis morphology and QRS duration

Background The early diagnosis of cardiac abnormalities in young athletes may be helpful not only to identify subjects potentially at risk of sudden cardiac death but also to prevent stress-related cardiac dysfunction and cardiovascular events during the life of these subjects. The aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of cardiac abnormalities in a population of young male soccer players undergoing pre-participation screening through electrocardiogram and trans-thoracic echocardiography. Methods All consecutive male football players undergoing pre-participation screening comprehensive of medical history, physical examination, 12-lead electrocardiogram and trans-thoracic echocardiography at the FMSI Sport Medicine Institute in Rome between January 2008–March 2009 were enrolled in the study. Results Overall, 2261 consecutive young athletes aged 12.4 ± 2.6 years were evaluated. Training-unrelated electrocardiogram abnormalities were observed in 65 (2.9%) athletes. Abnormal trans-thoracic echocardiography was observed in 102 athletes (4.5%), including two cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, eight of mild left ventricular hypertrophy, six of mild left ventricular dilation and 17 of bicuspid aortic valve. An abnormal electrocardiogram was associated with anomalous trans-thoracic echocardiography in 11/65 (16.9%) cases. All athletes requiring sport disqualification were identified by electrocardiogram. Notably, among 2216 athletes with a normal electrocardiogram, 91 had abnormal trans-thoracic echocardiography, including six cases of left ventricular dilation and six of ventricular hypertrophy. Conclusions In a wide population of peri-pubertal male athletes, evaluation of the electrocardiogram identified all cardiac diseases requiring sport disqualification. Trans-thoracic echocardiography alone allowed the identification of cardiac abnormalities potentially leading to cardiomyopathies or major cardiovascular events over time.

Right bundle branch block is relatively frequent in the general population and is generally considered benign in healthy individuals. However, it has been associated with increased cardiovascular risk and all-cause mortality in various cohort studies. Indeed, the presence of right bundle branch block in subjects affected by cardiomyopathies or channelopathies is not rare and may conceal underlying electrocardiographic changes, thus making the diagnosis of such conditions more challenging. The purpose of this review is to analyze the prevalence and clinical significance of right bundle branch block in subjects affected by Brugada syndrome and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Background: Risk stratification in asymptomatic patients remains by far the most important yet unresolved clinical problem in the Brugada syndrome (BrS).Objectives: This study sought to ana...

Aims To define the clinical characteristics and long-term clinical outcomes of a large cohort of patients with idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) and normal 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs). Methods and results Patients with ventricular fibrillation as the presenting rhythm, normal baseline, and follow-up ECGs with no signs of cardiac channelopathy including early repolarization or atrioventricular conduction abnormalities, and without structural heart disease were included in a registry. A total of 245 patients (median age: 38 years; males 59%) were recruited from 25 centres. An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) was implanted in 226 patients (92%), while 18 patients (8%) were treated with drug therapy only. Over a median follow-up of 63 months (interquartile range: 25–110 months), 12 patients died (5%); in four of them (1.6%) the lethal event was of cardiac origin. Patients treated with antiarrhythmic drugs only had a higher rate of cardiovascular death compared to patients who received an ICD (16% vs. 0.4%, P = 0.001). Fifty-two patients (21%) experienced an arrhythmic recurrence. Age ≤16 years at the time of the first ventricular arrhythmia was the only predictor of arrhythmic recurrence on multivariable analysis [hazard ratio (HR) 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.18–0.92; P = 0.03]. Conclusion Patients with IVF and persistently normal ECGs frequently have arrhythmic recurrences, but a good prognosis when treated with an ICD. Children are a category of IVF patients at higher risk of arrhythmic recurrences.

Sacubitril/valsartan has been shown to improve clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), but its effects on left ventricular (LV) systolic function and reverse remodeling parameters remain to be established. We hereby describe the case of a 41 year old man with HFrEF and severe reduction of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The patient was first treated with triple HF therapy (beta-blocker, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and mineralocorticoid antagonist), but after three months he was still symptomatic and with an LVEF firmly low. In consideration of poor response to therapy, we switched angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor to sacubitril/valsartan to the maximum tolerated dose (49/51 mg bid) with a marked improvement in LV systolic function and reduction in LV volumes at follow-up. In light of the almost normalized LVEF the patient was also removed from the list for the implantation of a cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator. In conclusion, our case showed a strong beneficial effect of sacubitril/valsartan on reverse remodeling and LVEF beyond the benefits of concomitant optimal medical therapy. This result is particular noteworthy because it was obtained although the patient wasn't able to reach the full dose of the drug. Physicians should always consider this drug effect when more demanding therapeutic strategies are needed for their HF patients.

Background: Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) in patients with normal baseline electrocardiograms (ECGs) is a rare disease. Little information is available on the clinical features and long-term follow-up of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors presenting with "true" IVF and 12-lead ECGs that remain normal over time. Objective: To define the clinical and ECG characteristics, as well as long-term clinical outcomes of a large cohort of survivors of OHCA due to "true" IVF. Methods: OHCA survivors with VF as the presenting rhythm, normal baseline and follow-up ECGs with no signs of cardiac channelopathy including early repolarization or atrioventricular (AV) conduction abnormalities, and without structural heart disease were included in a registry. Results: A total of 245 OHCA survivors with IVF (median age: 38 years; males 59%) were recruited from 25 centres. All had normal baseline and follow-up ECGs, and no evidence of structural heart disease. An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) was implanted in 226 patients (92%), while 18 patients (8%) were treated with drug therapy only. Over a median follow-up of 63 months (interquartile range: 25-110 months), 12 patients died (5%); in 4 of them (1.6%) the lethal event was of cardiac origin. Patients treated with antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) only had a higher rate of cardiovascular death compared to patients who received an ICD (16% vs. 0.4%, p=0.001). The ECG and echocardiogram of all patients remained unchanged over time. Fifty-two patients (21%) experienced an arrhythmic recurrence. Age ≤ 16 years at the time of the first ventricular arrhythmia was the only predictor of arrhythmic recurrence on multivariable analysis (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.18-0.92, p=0.03). Discussion: OHCA survivors of "true" IVF with normal baseline and follow-up ECGs frequently have arrhythmic recurrences, but a good prognosis when treated with an ICD. Children are a category of IVF patients at higher risk of arrhythmic recurrences. Funding: The study was supported by a grant of the Swiss Heart Foundation. Declaration of Interest: G.C. has received a research grant from the Swiss National Foundation. P.L. has received speaker fees and research grants from Boston Scientific, Abbott and Medtronic Research support from UCLH Biomedicine NIHR. F.L. is consultant and has received research support from Medtronic Plc, Abbott, Boston Scientific and Microport. S.B. has received speaker’s bureau from Medtronic and Microport. C.P. has received research grant from Biotronik and Biosense Webster. P.B. is consultant for Biotronik. A.A. is consultant to Abbott, Biosense Webster, Daiichi-Sankyo, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Microport-CRM; and has received speaker fee from Daiichi-Sankyo, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Microport-CRM Ethics Approval Statement: Data were collected in accordance with regulations set by the local Institutional Ethics Committee and/or Institutional Review Board.

Objective T wave inversion (TWI) has been associated with cardiomyopathies. The hypothesis of this study was that TWI has relevant clinical significance in peri-pubertal athletes. Methods Consecutive male soccer players, aged 8–18 years, undergoing preparticipation screening between January 2008 and March 2009 were enrolled. Medical and family histories were collected; physical examinations, 12-lead ECGs and transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) were performed. TWI was categorised by ECG lead (anterior (V1–V3), extended anterior (V1–V4), inferior (DII–aVF) and infero-lateral (DII–aVF/V4–V6/DI-aVL)) and by age. Results Overall, 2261 (mean age 12.4 years, 100% Caucasian) athletes were enrolled. TWI in ≥2 consecutive ECG leads was found in 136 athletes (6.0%), mostly in anterior leads (126/136, 92.6%). TWI in anterior leads was associated with TTE abnormalities in 6/126 (4.8%) athletes. TWI in extended anterior (2/136, 1.5%) and inferior (3/136, 2.2%) leads was never associated with abnormal TTE. TWI in infero-lateral leads (5/136, 3.7%) was associated with significant TTE abnormalities (3/5, 60.0%), including one hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and two LV hypertrophies. Athletes with normal T waves had TTE abnormalities in 4.4% of cases, including one HCM with deep Q waves in infero-lateral leads. Conclusions In this broad population of peri-pubertal male athletes, TWI in anterior leads was associated with mild cardiac disease in 4.8% of cases, while TWI in infero-lateral leads revealed HCM and LV hypertrophy in 60% of cases. ECG identified all cases of HCM.

In the past years, in vitro and animal studies have demonstrated several direct and indirect anti-arrhythmic effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), at least in part mediated by anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic properties. Several epidemiological and clinical studies have been conducted to investigate the eventual benefits of fish oils in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this paper is to critically review current evidence on the anti-arrhythmic effects of n-3 PUFAs in the prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) and atrial fibrillation (AF). Published data are conflicting, but some benefits have been reported in the prevention of SCD after myocardial infarction and of AF, generally after long-course administration.

Background Many patients fail to receive β-blockers before cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) implantation, or receive them at a suboptimal dose, and require optimization after implantation. We assessed the effectiveness of a structured program for β-blocker titration in CRT-D patients followed up by means of conventional in-clinic visits or remote monitoring. Methods and results 130 patients undergoing CRT implantation and treated according to the standard practice of the centers were included as a control group. A second group of 124 CRT-D candidates (Study Group) underwent up-titration visits every 2 weeks after implantation (target dose: 10 mg/day of bisoprolol or 50 mg/day of carvedilol). In the Study Group, remote monitoring was undertaken in 66 patients, who received additional equipment for daily transmission of weight and blood pressure data, and scheduled titration telephone calls. In the Control Group, the maximal dose of β-blockers was being administered to 12 (9%) patients on implantation and 21 (16%) on 6-month follow-up examination (p > 0.05). In the Study Group, 25 (20%) patients were receiving the maximal dose of β-blockers on implantation and 72 (58%) on follow-up examination (p < 0.001). The 66 Study Group patients on remote monitoring underwent fewer in-clinic visits (p = 0.034). Of these, 50 (76%) were on the maximal dose after remote up-titration (versus 38% of patients followed up conventionally, p < 0.001). The decrease in left ventricular end-systolic volume was larger in the Study Group (p = 0.040). Conclusions The program for β-blocker up-titration increased the number of patients reaching the target dose and improved the response to the therapy. The use of remote monitoring and daily transfer of weight and blood pressure data facilitated β-blocker titration.

Anti-arrhythmic properties of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, at least in part mediated by anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic power, have been widely proved. Effect of fish oil on atrial fibrillation, both in primary and in secondary prevention and after cardiac surgery, are controversial, mostly due to lack of homogeneity between studies but also due to individual variability in response to fatty acids administration. Inclusion of measurement of incorporation of fish oil into cell membranes, appears to be essential in future studies, to assess their antiarrhythmic effect.

A 65-year-old man was referred for atrial fibrillation ablation to our center. Routine pre-procedure transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography and cardiac computed tomography examinations showed a normal interatrial septum and fossa ovalis anatomy. Access to left atrium was initially planned using a conventional transseptal needle puncture. During the procedure, several consecutive attempts in conjunction with intracardiac echocardiography support, failed to cross the septum. The procedure was then successfully carried out using a specifically designed radiofrequency transseptal catheter.

Background. Exercise causes enhanced sympathetic discharge and results in physiologic tachycardia. However, in some patients with a diseased conduction system resulting from acute ischemia, exercise can precipitate heart block. Methods and results. In this report we describe a 51 years old male patient with transient advanced degree atrioventricular (AV) block developed during recovery from exercise stress testing, resolved after the administration of atropine. Nuclear perfusion imaging demostrated stress-induced ischemia of the inferior-apical segments, and recovery of perfusion in the images obtained at rest. Coronarography showed critical stenosis of the right coronary artery, which was treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and drug eluting stent (DES) deployment. Conclusion. Nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging provides noninvasive evidence that transient ischemia of the infero- apical segment can result in advanced degree AV block in patient with critical severe right coronary disease.

Small single-center comparative studies suggest improved outcomes in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) patients implanted with a quadripolar left ventricular (LV) lead in comparison with non-quadripolar (bipolar) leads. This study represents the first large multicenter prospective registry comparing implant and 6-month postoperative lead performance following CRT-defibrillator (CRT-D) implantation with quadripolar vs. bipolar leads.During a 39-month period, 418 consecutive patients having CRT-D implantation attempts with either a quadripolar (n = 230) or bipolar LV lead (n = 188) were enrolled in the registry. The primary outcome of the study was LV lead failure defined as any abnormality, excluding infection, resulting in surgical lead revision or CRT termination. Additionally, operative and follow-up data were analyzed for significant difference between groups.Baseline characteristics of both groups were similar. In 72.9 % of quadripolar leads versus 65.0 % of bipolar leads, the LV lead successfully engaged the predefined ideal target side branch (p = 0.47). Implant duration and fluoroscopy times were significantly shorter when a quadripolar lead was used (p = 0.007 and p = 0.001, respectively). The primary end point occurred in six patients (2.7 %) in the quadripolar group and in 14 patients (8.0 %) in the bipolar group (p = 0.02). Clinically significant phrenic nerve stimulation (PNS) occurred in 4.6 vs. 14.2 % of quadripolar vs. bipolar patients, respectively (p = 0.002); all PNS were resolved noninvasively through programming in the quadripolar group vs. 84 % in bipolar group (p = 0.75). The use of a bipolar lead was associated with a higher risk of surgical LV lead revision (6.3 vs. 2.3 %; p = 0.057) and a higher incidence of dislodgment (5.7 vs. 2.7 %; p = 0.16).This multicenter study demonstrates that the use of a quadripolar LV lead results in significantly lower rates of lead-related problems and reduced procedural and fluoroscopic times for biventricular system implantation. This has important implications for LV pacing lead choice.

To compare the utility of the partners-heart failure (HF) algorithm with the care alert strategy for remote monitoring, in guiding clinical actions oriented to treat impending HF.Consecutive cardiac resynchronization-defibrillator recipients were followed with biweekly automatic transmissions. After every transmission, patients received a phone contact in order to check their health status, eventually followed by clinical actions, classified as "no-action", "non-active" and "active". Active clinical actions were oriented to treat impending HF. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and diagnostic accuracy of the partners-HF algorithm vs care alert in determining active clinical actions oriented to treat pre-HF status and to prevent an acute decompensation, were also calculated.The study population included 70 patients with moderate to advanced systolic HF and QRS duration longer than 120 ms. During a mean follow-up of 8 ± 2 mo, 665 transmissions were collected. No deaths or HF hospitalizations occurred. The sensitivity and specificity of the partners-HF algorithm for active clinical actions oriented to treat impending HF were 96.9% (95%CI: 0.96-0.98) and 92.5% (95%CI: 0.90-0.94) respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 84.6% (95%CI: 0.82-0.87) and 98.6% (95%CI: 0.98-0.99) respectively. The partners-HF algorithm had an accuracy of 93.8% (95%CI: 0.92-0.96) in determining active clinical actions. With regard to active clinical actions, care alert had a sensitivity and specificity of 11.05% (95%CI: 0.09-0.13) and 93.6% respectively (95%CI: 0.92-0.95). The positive predictive value was 42.3% (95%CI: 0.38-0.46); the negative predictive value was 71.1% (95%CI: 0.68-0.74). Care alert had an accuracy of 68.9% (95%CI: 0.65-0.72) in determining active clinical actions.The partners-HF algorithm proved higher accuracy and sensitivity than care alert in determining active clinical actions oriented to treat impending HF. Future studies in larger populations should evaluate partners-HF ability to improve HF-related clinical outcomes.

BACKGROUND We hypothesized that a negative microvolt T-wave alternans (MTWA) test would identify patients unlikely to benefit from primary prevention implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy in a prospective cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS Data were pooled from 8 centers where MTWA testing was performed specifically for the purpose of guiding primary prevention ICD implantation. Cohorts were included if the ratio of ICDs implanted in patients who were MTWA "non-negative" to patients who were MTWA negative was >2:1, indicating that MTWA testing had a significant impact on the decision to implant an ICD. The pooled cohort included 651 patients: 371 MTWA non-negative and 280 MTWA negative. Among non-negative patients, 62% underwent ICD implantation whereas only 13% of MTWA-negative patients received an ICD (P

Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction is not a rare problem in the intensive care units and can precipitate hemodynamic shock unresponsive to catecholamine therapy. The use of echocardiographic examination is extremely important in recognizing this phenomenon and its underlying conditions, finally identifying the most appropriate therapeutic strategy. The simple correction of one or more of these factors can dramatically change patients clinical outcome. We report the clinical case of a 72-year-old man who developed hemodynamic shock in the intensive care unit. Hypovolemia, catecholamine infusion, and mechanical ventilation induced geometric modification of the left ventricle causing a systolic anterior motion of the mitral anterior leaflet and a severe subaortic gradient. Simple restoration of fluids and discontinuation of medical therapy dramatically changed the outcome of the patient. A review of the medical literature has been carried out to deeply investigate pathophysiology of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in critically ill patients.

The natural history of arrhythmias has suffered an epochal change after the advent of transcatheter ablation. It is a minimally invasive procedure that enables the elimination of additional electric circuits or foci that are responsible for supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias. In most cases it is carried out under local anesthesia, for which the patient, who is perfectly conscious or possibly mildly sedated, follows the operations and cooperates actively in the procedure and can at any moment communicate with the medical team. The catheters are inserted through venous and/or, more rarely, arterial vascular access points and are moved painlessly and under radioscopic guidance towards the heart. All the material used is completely sterile and for single use. The electrocatheters are positioned in certain anatomically defined areas of the heart, and the electric signals corresponding to cardiac activity are registered.

Electrophysiological studies are instrumental methods enabling the registration of electric endocavitary cardiac signals relative to the various phases of the cardiac cycle. Registration is carried out through unipolar or bipolar electrocatheters, which also allow electrical stimulation of the heart. Stimulation of the cardiac chambers is an extremely useful method for accurately measuring intervals and/or pauses and for reproducing in the laboratory arrhythmias that patients may experience clinically (arrhythmic inducibility test). Electrophysiological evaluations can be performed via the transesophageal or endocavitary pathways. All the material used both for endocavitary and transesophageal electrophysiological studies is sterile and for single use.

We present a case of a 49-year-old man with inappropriate sinus tachycardia and ventricular dysfunction. The conventional treatment (ace-inhibitor and beta-blockers) was not well tolerated by the patient, so Ivabradine, a specific inhibitor of If current in the sinus node, was started. After 3 months of using this medication, we observed an improvement of ejection fraction and quality of life.

Failure to reach 80% of maximal predicted heart rate (HR) during exercise may render a myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) study non-diagnostic for ischemia detection. We sought to investigate the injection of atropine in patients who fail to achieve 80% of age-predicted HR during exercise performed for myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPS), defining its safety and efficacy to raise HR to adequate levels as well as its effect on MPS interpretation.Between January 2002 and December 2004, we studied 3,150 consecutive patients (2,253 men and 897 women, mean age 55 +/- 6 years) who were referred to a single office-based nuclear cardiology laboratory for MPS using SPECT imaging. One milligram of atropine was administered to patients that were unable to continue because of fatigue before reaching minimal HR, without an ischemic response (group A, n = 397). The scintigraphic results for group A were compared with those of patients who spontaneously achieved target HR (group B, n = 2,753). In group A, mean HR before atropine injection was 119.5 +/- 13.6 beats per minute (bpm), and it increased up to 137.3 +/- 13.5 bpm after drug administration, with an incremental of 17.8 +/- 6.9 bpm (P0.0001). The mean percentage of age-related HR achieved in this group was 83.5 +/- 8.1%. In 302 of this patients (76.1%) more than 80% of their aged-related HR (86.9 +/- 5.1%) was attained. No major adverse effects occurred. When groups A and B were compared, baseline and peak HR, rate pressure product, and maximal metabolic equivalents achieved were higher in group B. There were no significant differences in the percentage of total positive perfusion studies between both groups: 210/397 patients (52.9%) in group A and 1,342/2,753 patients (48.7%) in group B (P = 0.39). Ischemia or ischemia plus scar was found in 112/397 patients (28.2%) in group A and in 923/2,753 patients (33.5%) of group B (P = 0.14).Atropine added to exercise stress testing in patients who cannot achieve their 80% age-related HR is a safe, well-tolerated, and feasible method for MPS.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) comprises a spectrum of diseases with no single mechanism adequate to comprehensively explain its variability. Although it occurs mostly in the subset of patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart failure, coronary artery, or valvular heart diseases, AF may be totally independent of these predisposing factors. ‘‘Lone AF” is characterized by the absence of any detectable heart disease or abnormality on chest x-ray film, ECG, or echocardiogram. When it occurs in the absence of any additional disease, lone AF is further termed “idiopathic.” During the last years, the concept of idiopathic AF has been reconsidered since the emergence of a number of epidemiologic associations, including sleep apnea syndrome, obesity, anger, high coffee or alcohol consumption, endurance sports activity, and mutations in various genes. A number of underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms also have been proposed for idiopathic AF, including increased atrial stretch, autonomic imbalance, systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and structural and electrophysiological alterations. Unsurprisingly, atrial fibrosis and loss of muscle mass have been found in biopsy samples from lone AF patients, and isolated atrial coronary flow reserve impairment and conduction abnormalities also have been reported. These findings suggest that meticulous investigation may reveal, at least in part, the underlying etiology of apparently idiopathic AF. In this context, the study by Weijs et al in this issue of HeartRhythm is of great interest. This is a case-control study of a relatively young population (mean age 55 10 years) of 115 paroxysmal idiopathic AF patients (71% male) versus 275 age-, sexand PROCAM risk score–matched sinus rhythm (SR) controls. Some differences between groups can be individuated. AF patients had slightly lower high-density lipoprotein and fasting blood glucose levels than did SR controls, together with lower percentages of smoking and family history of coronary artery disease (CAD). Left atrial volumes of AF patients were larger than those of SR controls. Moreover, AF patients consumed more vitamin K antagonists, aspirin, rate control drugs, and antiarrhythmic drugs. All patients underwent cardiac computed tomographic

Background Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is ineffective in approximately 30% of recipients, in part due to sub-optimal left ventricular (LV) pacing location. The Quartet LV lead, with 2 additional electrodes proximal to conventional bipolar lead electrodes, enables 10 different pacing configurations at four independent LV locations. In a CRT patient cohort, we sought to evaluate the spectrum of echocardiographic and electrocardiographic response over these 10 configurations, to select the optimal one in each patient. Moreover, we sought to evaluate the 6-months clinical and echocardiographic response to a "tailored approach" in which the optimal LV pacing configuration for CRT was determined by echocardiographic measures, QRSd and pacing capture thresholds. Methods Twenty-two consecutive CRT indicated patients were implanted with a quadripolar CRT system (St. Jude Medical). Optimal LV pacing configuration was determined by echocardiographic measures, including velocity time integral (VTI), myocardial performance index (MPI) and mitral regurgitation (MR), and an electrocardiographic measure (QRS duration) during pacing from each of the configurations at pre-discharge. The optimal LV pacing vector was chosen for every patient. Clinical and echocardiographic assessment was repeated after 6 months. Results Various configurations provided different VTI, MPI, MR and QRSd values. Conventional bipolar vectors (ie, D1-M2, D1-RVc, M2-RVc) were rarely associated with the best echocardiographic improvements and provided significantly worse VTI, MR, MPI, and QRSd values than the best configuration for every patient ( P = .005, P = .05 and P = .03 for VTI; P = .01, P = .005 and P = .001 for MPI; P = .003, P = .01 and P = .005 for MR, P > .5, P = .01 and P = .05 for QRSd) Conversely, "unconventional" proximal configurations (ie, making use of P4 and M3 electrodes) were generally characterized by higher acute VTI, MR and MPI improvements. CRT devices were reprogrammed with an "unconventional" LV pacing configuration in 50% of patients. A significant improvement in New York Heart Association class (81%), LV ejection fraction (76%), end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes was observed after 6 months ( P = .02, P P = .02 and P = .003, respectively). Conclusions In this study, conventional bipolar vectors of quadripolar-CRT were rarely associated with the best echocardiographic improvements. Quadripolar CRT utilizing optimal LV pacing configuration was associated with a significant improvement in New York Heart Association class and LV ejection fraction after 6 months.