Cardiac device-induced right to left shunt causing significant hypoxemia: A case report and review of literature.

We describe a patient where a pacemaker lead induced tricuspid valve changes that caused a right to left shunt through a preexisting patent foramen ovale resulting in significant hypoxemia. This event occurred years after the pacemaker had been placed. Surgical closure of the patent foramen ovale resolved the patient's hypoxemia and dyspnea.

Outcomes of prednisone-tapering regimens for cardiac sarcoidosis: A retrospective analysis demonstrating a benefit of infliximab.

Background: The optimal treatment strategy for cardiac sarcoidosis has not been standardized. We examined the effectiveness of three prednisone-tapering treatment regimens for cardiac sarcoidosis.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed prednisone-tapering treatment regimens for cardiac sarcoidosis that contained prednisone alone (P), prednisone plus methotrexate (P-M), and prednisone plus infliximab containing regimens (P-I).

Increased incidence of electrical abnormalities in a pacemaker lead family.

Introduction: Several recent studies have raised concern about noise detections on Tendril pacemaker leads, which may represent insulation failure or algorithm-driven overreporting of physiologic signals.

Methods: We identified all pacemaker leads actively followed at Albany Medical Center, of which 1111 leads (262 Abbott Tendril, 576 Medtronic CapSure, 30 Fineline, 195 Ingevity, 48 Dextrus) in 703 patients were included in this observational study. Electrical abnormalities, comprising low-impedance measurements <200 Ω and repeated noise detections, were catalogued, as was initial management and subsequent need for surgical intervention.

Severe chronic kidney disease is associated with poor survival after initial CRT-defibrillator tachyarrhythmia therapy.

Background: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) recipients who receive appropriate device therapies have limited survival, and survival benefit in chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been questioned. We examined the association between CKD and survival after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT)-defibrillator tachyarrhythmia therapies.

Methods: We compared overall survival after appropriate shocks or anti-tachycardia pacing in 439 CRT-defibrillator recipients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤35%, non-right bundle-branch block QRS pattern, and QRS duration >130 ms according to glomerular filtration rate (GFR) at implant, including 31 patients with GFR ≤30, 164 patients with GFR 31-60, and 244 patients with GFR >60.

Implications of Neurological Status on Defibrillator Therapy and Long-Term Mortality of Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivors.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate the impact of the neurological status of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survivors on implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) insertion and long-term mortality.

Background: The neurological status of SCA survivors may impact the decision to insert an ICD insertion and influence long-term survival.

Methods: In 1,433 survivors of SCA between 2002 and 2012, we examined the neurological status immediately after the arrest using the Pittsburgh Cardiac Arrest Category (PCAC) and prior to hospital discharge using the cerebral performance category (CPC) score.