2024 updated European Heart Rhythm Association core curriculum for physicians and allied professionals: a statement of the European Heart Rhythm Association of the European Society of Cardiology.

Heart rhythm management is a continuously evolving sub-speciality of cardiology. Every year, many physicians and allied professionals (APs) start and complete their training in cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) or electrophysiology (EP) across the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) member countries. While this training ideally ends with an EHRA certification, the description of the learning pathway (what, how, when, and where) through an EHRA core curriculum is also a prerequisite for a successful training.

Profiling heart failure with preserved or mildly reduced ejection fraction by cluster analysis.

Background: Significant knowledge gaps remain regarding the heterogeneity of heart failure (HF) phenotypes, particularly among patients with preserved or mildly reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFp/mrEF). Our aim was to identify HF subtypes within the HFp/mrEF population.

Methods: K-prototypes clustering algorithm was used to identify different HF phenotypes in a cohort of 2 570 patients diagnosed with HFmrEF or HFpEF.

The ERA Registry Annual Report 2020: a summary.

Background: The European Renal Association (ERA) Registry collects data on kidney replacement therapy (KRT) in patients with ESKD. This paper is a summary of the ERA Registry Annual Report 2020, also including comparisons among primary renal disease (PRD) groups.

Methods: Data were collected from 52 national and regional registries from 34 European countries and countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea: 35 registries from 18 countries providing individual level data and 17 registries from 17 countries providing aggregated data.

Bayesian analysis of the Substrate Ablation vs. Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy for Symptomatic Ventricular Tachycardia trial.

Background And Aims: Bayesian analyses can provide additional insights into the results of clinical trials, aiding in the decision-making process. We analysed the Substrate Ablation vs. Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy for Symptomatic Ventricular Tachycardia (SURVIVE-VT) trial using Bayesian survival models.

Long-term prognosis and emergency management for patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator: the EMERGE-ICD study.

Objectives: Patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are at risk of serious complications that are often treated in hospital emergency departments (EDs). The EMERG-ICD study (Emergency Department Management and Long-term Prognosis for Patients with ICDs) analysed management and long-term prognosis of ED patients with an ICD after an acute clinical event.

Material And Methods: Observational multicenter cohort study including consecutive adult patients with ICDs who came to 27 hospital EDs in Spain for treatment and were followed for 10 years.

Differences in clinical outcomes, health care resource utilization and costs in heart failure patients according to left ventricular ejection fraction.

Introduction And Objectives: The impact of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on health care resource utilization (HCRU) and cost in heart failure (HF) patients is not well known. We aimed to compare outcomes, HCRUs and costs according to LVEF groups.

Methods: Retrospective, observational study of all patients with an emergency department (ED) visit or admission to a tertiary hospital in Spain 2018 with a primary HF diagnosis.

Non-embolic outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease and atrial fibrillation treated with rivaroxaban.

It is not well known how comorbidities may change the prognosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. This study was aimed to analyze the impact of cardiovascular disease on this population. EMIR was a multicenter, prospective study, including 1433 AF patients taking rivaroxaban for ≥6 months.

Rivaroxaban for the prevention of outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation in clinical practice: an indirect comparison of national and international registries.

To analyze the effectiveness and safety of rivaroxaban in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The clinical profile and outcomes of the EMIR study were indirectly compared with those of ROCKET-AF, eight other Spanish observational studies and XANTUS. In EMIR, mean age was 74.

Outcomes and predictive value of the 2MACE score in patients with atrial fibrillation treated with rivaroxaban in a prospective, multicenter observational study: The EMIR study.

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of the 2MACE in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) treated with rivaroxaban and to improve the accuracy of 2MACE.

Methods: This was a post-authorization and observational study of AF adults treated with rivaroxaban for ≥ 6 months. The primary endpoint was any of the major adverse cardiac events (MACE), namely, cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and myocardial revascularization.

Substrate Ablation vs Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy for Symptomatic Ventricular Tachycardia.

Background: In patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), catheter ablation and antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) reduce ICD shocks, but the most effective approach remains uncertain.

Objectives: This trial compares the efficacy and safety of catheter ablation vs AAD as first-line therapy in ICD patients with symptomatic ventricular tachycardias (VTs).

Methods: The SURVIVE-VT (Substrate Ablation vs Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy for Symptomatic Ventricular Tachycardia) is a prospective, multicenter, randomized trial including patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and appropriated ICD shock.

The anti-aging factor Klotho protects against acquired long QT syndrome induced by uremia and promoted by fibroblast growth factor 23.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased propensity for arrhythmias. In this context, ventricular repolarization alterations have been shown to predispose to fatal arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Between mineral bone disturbances in CKD patients, increased fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23 and decreased Klotho are emerging as important effectors of cardiovascular disease.

Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 on Cardiac Arrhythmia Care: Experience of a Spanish Tertiary Hospital During the Health Crisis Triggered by the First Wave of the Pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in a deep restructuring of cardiovascular care, especially in the setting of cardiac arrhythmia units, which are characterized by a wide variety of clinical and interventional activities. We describe the experience of a large university hospital deeply hit during the COVID-19 health crisis (first outbreak of the pandemic), focusing on the exceptional measures implemented and their impact in terms of outcomes. We performed a retrospective study comparing the human and structural resources and the activity of a cardiac arrhythmia unit in a Spanish tertiary hospital for two consecutive periods: from January 12, 2020, to March 8, 2020 ("pre-COVID stage"), and from March 9, 2020, to May 2, 2020 ("COVID stage").

Selective Segmental Pulmonary Angiography: Anatomical, Technical and Safety Aspects of a Must-Learn Technique in Times of Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty for Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.

With the advent of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) for non-surgical chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients, there is renewed interest in the pulmonary angiography technique. This technique is still the standard imaging modality to confirm CTEPH, which, in addition, helps to determine the most appropriate treatment. Furthermore, learning this technique fulfills two main purposes: to identify BPA candidates and to provide the operator with the catheter handling needed to perform BPA.

Thromboembolic and bleeding events with rivaroxaban in clinical practice in Spain: impact of inappropriate doses (the EMIR study).

To analyze the frequency and variables related to inappropriate rivaroxaban dosage in clinical practice and its impact on outcomes after 2 years. Postauthorization, observational, multicenter study, in which atrial fibrillation patients, treated with rivaroxaban ≥6 months were included.  A total of 1421 patients (74.

The ERA-EDTA Registry Annual Report 2018: a summary.

Background: The European Renal Association - European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) Registry collects data on kidney replacement therapy (KRT) via national and regional renal registries in Europe and countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. This article summarizes the 2018 ERA-EDTA Registry Annual Report, and describes the epidemiology of KRT for kidney failure in 34 countries.

Methods: Individual patient data on patients undergoing KRT in 2018 were provided by 34 national or regional renal registries and aggregated data by 17 registries.

Factors Associated with the Prescribing of High-Intensity Statins.

In this study, we investigated the relationship between sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric, and lifestyle characteristics and the type of statin prescribed for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We conducted an observational study in workers who began statin treatment. Statin therapy was categorized as "high-intensity" or "low-moderate-intensity".