Publications by authors named "Badertscher P"
Background: Early recurrences of atrial tachyarrhythmias (ERATs) after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) are common. While many correlate to late recurrences (LRs), some do not. The impact of ERATs timing is difficult to assess with noninvasive Holter monitoring because of undersampling.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImpact of new-onset atrial fibrillation in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.
J Interv Card Electrophysiol
December 2024
Background: New-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) complicating ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains clinically challenging. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of NOAF, identify risk factors for the development of atrial fibrillation (AF), and analyze the impact on patient care, therapy, and outcomes during long-term follow-up.
Methods: This retrospective single-center study reviewed consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG) for acute STEMI between May 2015 and September 2023.
Background: Pulsed field ablation (PFA) with use of a pentaspline catheter for the treatment of atrial fibrillation is performed in a standardized fashion. Whether a reduced number of applications results in similar clinical outcomes has not been fully investigated.
Objective: This study aimed to assess a simplified PFA dosing protocol for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) compared with a standard protocol.
Background: Risk stratification of patients with right bundle branch block (RBBB) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) remains challenging.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) criteria for risk stratification of RBBB patients undergoing TAVI.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed prospectively enrolled patients with preexisting RBBB undergoing TAVI between 2011 and 2023.
Characteristics of electrograms depend on the electrode design and distance to the electric source. Our aim was to assess the impact of electrode design and distance from the myocardial electric source on the unipolar and bipolar electrograms to deduce a far-field cut-off. We retrospectively analyzed left atrial electroanatomical maps of 25 patients acquired using an ablation catheter with a 4.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The influence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and blood pressure (BP) on brain lesions and cognitive function is unclear. We aimed to investigate the association of BP with different types of brain lesions and cognitive decline in patients with AF.
Methods: Overall, 1,213 AF patients underwent standardized brain magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and after 2 years, as well as yearly neurocognitive testing.
Article Synopsis
- Single-shot devices, like the Arctic Front cryoballoon, are becoming popular for pulmonary vein isolation in atrial fibrillation, with a new option, the FARAPULSE pulsed field ablation device, aiming for better safety and effectiveness.
- The SINGLE SHOT CHAMPION trial involves 210 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation randomly assigned to either the FARAPULSE or the cryoballoon treatment, with thorough monitoring for outcomes.
- The study's primary focus is on the first recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias within a year after the procedure, alongside safety measures and quality of life assessments.
Background: We report endocardial radiofrequency (RF) ablation as an alternative treatment approach for a symptomatic patient with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM), who is not suitable for surgical septal myectomy or alcohol septal ablation. Endocardial RF ablation, with detailed 3D mapping of the intrinsic conducting system, offers the possibility of reducing the risk of complete heart block rates and of effectively relieving symptoms.
Case Summary: We present a symptomatic 51-year-old female patient with oHCM and a maximum left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient of 148 mmHg.
Background: This study investigated sex differences in acute myocarditis patients during index hospitalization.
Methods: We included 365 patients with acute myocarditis, hospitalized with continuous monitoring at the intensive care unit from 2000-2023 into the Basel Myocarditis Cohort study. We compared sex differences in clinical presentation, the presenting electrocardiogram, prior medical history, inflammatory and cardiac biomarkers, cardiac imaging, arrhythmia occurrence, and short- to midterm outcomes.
Article Synopsis
- A study was conducted to evaluate the success and outcomes of electroanatomical-guided cardioneuroablation (EACNA) in treating patients with vagally induced atrioventricular blocks (VAVBs).
- The results showed a high acute procedural success rate of 96.2%, but 14% of patients experienced recurrence of AVB or new syncopal episodes during a follow-up period of approximately 300 days.
- The findings suggest that EACNA is a promising option for patients with VAVB, but further research is needed to explore its effects on daytime symptom burden.
Article Synopsis
- Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common procedure in electrophysiology, aiming to isolate pulmonary veins, but there is insufficient data on severe complications worldwide.
- A study involved collecting and analyzing data from 23 centers with 33,879 procedures to determine the incidence and management of severe complications during AF ablation.
- The study found that while severe complications like tamponade and stroke have a low incidence, factors like age, gender, and procedure duration play a role in their occurrence; most patients with complications were discharged after about 5 days.
Background: Differentiation of syncope from seizure is challenging and has therapeutic implications. Cardioinhibitory reflex syncope typically affects young patients where permanent pacing should be avoided whenever possible. Cardioneuroablation may obviate the need for a pacemaker in well-selected patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Pulmonary vein isolation is an effective treatment for atrial fibrillation, with cryoballoon ablation being superior to medication; the study compares the new PolarX cryoballoon with the existing Arctic Front cryoballoon.
- Patients with symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were randomly assigned to receive either cryoballoon treatment and monitored for recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias and procedural safety within one year.
- Results showed that the PolarX cryoballoon had a similar effectiveness compared to Arctic Front but caused significantly more cases of phrenic nerve palsies (5% vs. 0%).
Aims: Arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy (AiCM) represents a subtype of acute heart failure (HF) in the context of sustained arrhythmia. Clear definitions and management recommendations for AiCM are lacking. The European Heart Rhythm Association Scientific Initiatives Committee (EHRA SIC) conducted a survey to explore the current definitions and management of patients with AiCM among European and non-European electrophysiologists.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure frequently coexist. Prediction of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) recovery after catheter ablation (CA) for AF remains difficult.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of biomarkers, alone and in combination with the Antwerp score, to predict LVEF recovery after CA for AF.
Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) recurs in about one-third of patients after catheter ablation (CA), mostly in the first year. Little is known about the electrophysiological findings and the effect of re-ablation in very late AF recurrences (VLR) after more than 1 year. The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics and outcomes of the first repeat CA after VLR of AF after index CA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Infranodal conduction disorders are common after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Risk factors are incompletely understood.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of valve implantation depth and calcium burden of the device landing zone on infranodal conduction intraprocedure pre- and post-TAVR.
Article Synopsis
- * It focuses on the CNA-FWRD Registry, a multicenter prospective study that compares outcomes between patients receiving standard therapy and those undergoing cardioneuroablation over a follow-up period of three years.
- * The findings aim to provide valuable data on long-term effects, recurrence of symptoms, and overall safety of cardioneuroablation, addressing a gap in existing research which is largely based on retrospective studies.
Background: Multiple smart devices capable of automatically detecting atrial fibrillation (AF) based on single-lead electrocardiograms (SL-ECG) are presently available. The rate of inconclusive tracings by manufacturers' algorithms is currently too high to be clinically useful.
Method: This is a prospective, observational study enrolling patients presenting to a cardiology service at a tertiary referral center.