Associations Between Biomarkers of Myocardial Injury and Systemic Inflammation and Risk of Incident Ventricular Arrhythmia.

Background: Cardiac troponins (cTns) and biomarkers of inflammation are elevated in heart failure (HF) and predict cardiovascular risk. Whether these biomarkers associate with risk of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) is unclear.

Objectives: This study sought to assess whether cTnT, growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations are associated with incident VA.

Exercise training and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin-I in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Aims: The aims of this sub-study of the SMARTEX trial were (1) to evaluate the effects of a 12-week exercise training programme on serum levels of high sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) in patients with moderate chronic heart failure (CHF), in New York Heart Association class II-III with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and (2) to explore the associations with left ventricular remodelling, functional capacity and filling pressures measured with N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP).

Methods And Results: In this sub-study, 196 patients were randomly assigned to high intensity interval training (HIIT, n = 70), moderate continuous training (MCT, n = 59) or recommendation of regular exercise (RRE), (n = 67) for 12 weeks. To reveal potential difference between structured intervention and control, HIIT and MCT groups were merged and named supervised exercise training (SET) group.

QRS fragmentation is associated with increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias in high-risk patients; Data from the SMASH 1 Study.

Introduction: QRS fragmentation (fQRS), defined as the presence of additional spikes within the QRS complex, has been associated with myocardial conduction abnormalities and arrhythmogenicity.

Objective: We aimed to assess whether fQRS is associated with incident ventricular arrhythmias (VA) in high-risk patients treated with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) for primary and secondary prevention.

Methods: In a prospective observational multicenter study, we included 495 patients treated with ICD.