Box Lesion Isolation of the Left Atrial Posterior Wall with Radiofrequency Ablation Restricted in Predetermined Lines for the Treatment of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: The Prognostic Role of Acute Interventional Outcome and Trigger Identification.

The left atrial posterior wall (PW) is known to be a critical substrate for the initiation and perpetuation of atrial fibrillation (AF) and has been explored as a target for catheter ablation, particularly in persistent AF (PerAF). In this retrospective study, we investigate the clinical outcome of patients with PerAF who underwent PW isolation (PWI) restricted in predetermined lines in addition to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). One hundred consecutive patients (64 ± 9.

Impact of drinking water hardness on carotid atherosclerosis and arterial stiffness: Insights from the "Corinthia" study.

Background: Several investigations have highlighted the role of water quality in cardiovascular health. In the present study, we have investigated the effects of drinking water hardness on atherosclerotic burden in carotid arteries and arterial stiffness.

Methods: "Corinthia" study was conducted in the homonym region in Greece from 2015 to 2017.

The Association of Physical Activity with Arterial Stiffness and Inflammation: Insight from the "Corinthia" Study.

Diminished physical activity is a frequent phenomenon leading to a higher incidence of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Our study aimed to assess the impact of physical activity on arterial stiffness and inflammation. Classification of physical activity was performed in 1945 individuals of the cross-sectional "Corinthia" study using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire.

The association of diabetes mellitus with carotid atherosclerosis and arterial stiffness in the Corinthia study.

Background And Aims: Evaluation of arterial stiffness and carotid atherosclerotic burden can provide important prognostic information regarding the risk of future cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to assess these vascular properties in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods And Results: In the context of the observational "Corinthia" study, we analyzed 1757 participants with determined DM status.

The Electrophysiology of Atrial Fibrillation: From Basic Mechanisms to Catheter Ablation.

The electrophysiology of atrial fibrillation (AF) has always been a deep mystery in understanding this complex arrhythmia. The pathophysiological mechanisms of AF are complex and often remain unclear despite extensive research. Therefore, the implementation of basic science knowledge to clinical practice is challenging.

Incidence, electrophysiological characteristics, and long-term follow-up of perimitral atrial flutter in patients with previously confirmed mitral isthmus block.

Introduction: After mitral isthmus (ΜΙ) catheter ablation, perimitral atrial flutter (PMF) circuits can be maintained due to the preservation of residual myocardial connections, even if conventional pacing criteria for complete MI block are apparently met (MI pseudo-block). We aimed to study the incidence, the electrophysiological characteristics, and the long-term outcome of these patients.

Methods: Seventy-two consecutive patients (mean age 62.

Ventricular ectopy from the non-coronary cusp: Pathophysiological and anatomical considerations.

Non-coronary cusp (NCC) is a rare site for ventricular arrhythmias because it does not come into direct contact with the ventricular myocardium. Instead, the NCC comes in contact with the membranous septum near the His region. We describe a case of a young man with a ventricular ectopy who was successfully ablated in the NCC.

The impact of sleeping duration on atherosclerosis in the community: insights from the Corinthia study.

Purpose: Sleep is an essential physiologic process whose disturbances have been regarded as a risk factor in various pathophysiologic processes, including atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Although the negative influence of short sleep duration has been well-established, recent data suggest a possible harmful effect of prolonged sleeping pattern.

Methods: In the setting of the Corinthia cross-sectional study, self-reported night sleep duration was recorded in 1752 apparently healthy individuals and was classified as normal sleep duration (NSD, 7-8 h), short sleep duration (SSD, 6-7 h), very short sleep duration (VSSD, < 6 h), and long sleep duration (LSD, > 8 h).

The evolution of mapping and ablation techniques in the treatment of atrial tachycardias occurring after atrial fibrillation ablation.

Purpose: A possible consequence of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation is the occurrence of organized atrial tachycardias (ATs). ATs after AF ablation (ATAAF) may be more symptomatic than AF itself, thus necessitating catheter ablation. We evaluated the prognostic significance of clinical and invasive characteristics for long-term sinus rhythm (SR) maintenance following ATAAF ablation and assessed the effect of technological developments on these results.

Relationship of depressive symptoms with arterial stiffness and carotid atherosclerotic burden in the Corinthia study.

Background: It has been long hypothesized that emotional factors and depression may play role in the development of cardiovascular diseases.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the association between depression, arterial stiffness and atheromatic burden in carotid arteries.

Design And Methods: Corinthia study is a cross-sectional epidemiological study conducted in subjects aged 40-99 years, inhabitants of the homonym region of Greece.

Diagnostic performance of electrocardiographic criteria in echocardiographic diagnosis of different patterns of left ventricular hypertrophy.

Background: Electrocardiogram (ECG) is considered the initial screening method for the detection of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) despite its low sensitivity. However, there are no data on how ECG criteria for LVH perform in patients with concentric (cLVH) and eccentric LVH (eLVH).

Methods: In the setting of the Corinthia cross-sectional study, ECGs were analyzed in 1,570 participants of the study.

Selective Activation Re-Mapping Reveals the Mechanism in Apparently Unstable Atrial Tachycardias.

Following atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedures, patients may present with atrial tachycardias (ATs) that show remarkable stability for short periods of time but degenerate in unstable forms right afterwards. In order to map these types of ATs, we applied the sequential mapping capabilities only for time segments where ATs exhibited constant cycle length (CL) and activation sequence, excluding the segments with unstable recordings. We herein describe two cases of ATs after AF ablation which were mapped with this technique that allowed for the successful identification and subsequent ablation of the tachycardia circuit.

Breakfast association with arterial stiffness and carotid atherosclerotic burden. Insights from the 'Corinthia' study.

Background And Aims: The role of dietary patterns, in cardiovascular diseases has been challenged. The role of breakfast as an element of balance energy intake has gained research interest. However, the effects of dietary patterns related to breakfast consumption on vascular function are unknown.

Alcohol Consumption and Aortic Root Dilatation: Insights from the Corinthia Study.

Aortic diameter and progression to thoracic aortic aneurysm are influenced by several factors. In this study, we investigated the association of alcohol consumption with aortic root and ascending aorta dilatation. In the context of the Corinthia study, we examined 1751 patients with echocardiography.

The influence of resting heart rate on pulse wave velocity measurement is mediated by blood pressure and depends on aortic stiffness levels: insights from the Corinthia study.

Objective: Increased resting heart rate as well as increased arterial stiffness are both independent predictors of cardiovascular events and mortality. Results of previous studies have failed to converge concerning the association between heart rate and arterial stiffness, regardless of other potential confounders, such as age, gender and particularly blood pressure (BP). We aimed to investigate: (a) the degree of association (if any) between resting heart rate and carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), the gold standard index of arterial stiffness, (b) if the relationship between heart rate and PWV is mediated by BP levels and (c) whether their association is affected by the levels of aortic stiffening.

The impact of sedentary behavior patterns on carotid atherosclerotic burden: Implications from the Corinthia epidemiological study.

Background And Aims: Sedentary lifestyle, unlike leisure time physical activity (PA), is associated with atherosclerosis progression. Regarding the interrelationship between television watching, as a sedentary behavior pattern, and cardiovascular disease burden, few data exist.

Methods: In this cross-sectional epidemiological study based on 2043 inhabitants of the Corinthia region, in Greece, ultrasonography was used to measure carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in both carotid arteries.

Arterial stiffness and subclinical aortic damage of reclassified subjects as stage 1 hypertension according to the new 2017 ACC/AHA blood pressure guidelines.

The 2017 ACC/AHA blood pressure (BP) guidelines generated controversies due to the new proposed BP cut-off values defining hypertension. We aimed to assess aortic stiffness of subjects who are reclassified as stage 1 hypertensive according to the new guidelines and compare them with the subjects of "elevated BP" category. Data from the "Corinthia" study, an observational, cross-sectional survey of 2,043 participants were analyzed.

Environment and cardiovascular disease: rationale of the Corinthia study.

Environmental factors constitute an important but underappreciated risk factor towards the development and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Environmental exposure to variable pollutants is implicated in the derangement or propagation of adverse pathophysiological processes linked with atherosclerosis, including genetic, hemodynamic, metabolic, oxidative and inflammation parameters. However, no data exist on environmental pollution in rural or semi-rural areas.

Acute systemic inflammation induced by influenza A (H1N1) vaccination causes a deterioration in endothelial function in HIV-infected patients.

Objectives: Vaccination of HIV-infected patients against the influenza A/H1N1 subtype was proposed as a mandatory precautionary measure during the 2009 pandemic. The immediate cardiovascular effects of the novel vaccine have been largely unexplored. We investigated the impact of vaccination on indices of endothelial function in a cohort of HIV-infected patients.

Distinct role of electrocardiographic criteria in echocardiographic diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy according to age, in the general population: the Ikaria Study.

Objective: The age-dependent performance of electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria was examined for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) prediction.

Methods: During 2009, 570 middle-aged (54  ± 7 years, 45% men) and 507 elderly (75 ± 6 years, 45% men) inhabitants of the Ikaria Island were studied. Seven ECG criteria were calculated (Sokolow-Lyon voltage and product, sex-specific Cornell voltage and product, Gubner-Ungerleider voltage, Lewis voltage and Framingham), whereas LVH was defined as left ventricular mass indexed for body surface area (BSA) at least 125 g/m in men and at least 110 g/m in women or left ventricular mass indexed for height 49 g/m or more in men and 45 g/m or more in women.

Safety of myocardial flash-contrast echocardiography in combination with dobutamine stress testing for the detection of ischaemia in 5250 studies.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to provide evidence regarding the safety of real-time flash-contrast echocardiography combined with dobutamine-atropine stress echo (DASE).

Background: The combination of perfusion assessment using myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) with DASE has shown very promising results for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Concerns have, however, been expressed regarding the safety of the use of echo-contrast agents in echocardiography.

The diagnostic value of adenosine stress-contrast echocardiography for diagnosis of coronary artery disease in hypertensive patients: comparison to Tl-201 single-photon emission computed tomography.

Background: The use of the vasodilating agent adenosine as stressor in conjunction with myocardial contrast echocardiography has not been extensively evaluated in hypertensive patients. Our aim was to evaluate the diagnostic value of adenosine myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) in comparison to single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), with reference to angiographic findings, in a hypertensive population.

Methods: Fifty hypertensive subjects, treated with standard antihypertensive treatment, were submitted to adenosine stress MCE, adenosine SPECT, and coronary angiography within a 1-month period, without any intervening events.