Long-term clinical and echocardiographic outcomes of Mitraclip therapy in patients nonresponders to cardiac resynchronization.

Objectives: This study deals with clinical and echocardiographic outcomes in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) nonresponders patients undergoing Mitraclip procedure.

Background: Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) occurs in approximately one-third of heart failure (HF) patients. Resynchronization therapy may correct FMR in patients with HF; however, significant FMR persists in 20-25% of CRT patients.

Ventricular arrhythmias in aortic valve stenosis before and after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Aims: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a therapeutic treatment for patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) at high surgical risk. Although the procedure is associated with a reduction in total mortality, there are no data regarding changing in the incidence of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) and ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) after TAVI. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of VAs before and after TAVI.

Functional and clinical implications of cardiac resynchronization therapy on outcomes of diabetic patients with heart failure.

Aims: To compare functional and structural changes of the left ventricle and long-term clinical outcomes in diabetic and nondiabetic patients with heart failure undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

Methods: Sixty-eight patients with heart failure undergoing CRT were included: 18 were diabetic patients and 50 nondiabetic patients. The CRT eligibility was established by echocardiographic assessments.

Intraoperative defibrillation threshold testing during implantable cardioverter-defibrillator insertion: do we really need it?

Background: The assessment of defibrillation efficacy using a safety margin of 10 J has long been the standard of care for insertion of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), but physicians are concerned about complications related to induction test. Therefore, the need for testing has been recently questioned. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of defibrillation threshold (DFT) testing of ICD on the efficacy of ICD therapy.