Characteristics and Outcome of Patients with or without Previous Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Interventions Undergoing Ablation for Ventricular Tachycardia.

Catheter ablation (CA) is a well-established treatment in patients with ventricular tachycardia and appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapies. We enrolled 57 consecutive carriers of ICD undergoing CA for electrical storm (ES). Our aim was to investigate differences in clinical, device-related, and electroanatomic features among patients who had history of appropriate ICD interventions before the ES compared to those who had not.

Severity of spleep apnea syndrome and life-threatening tachyarrhythmias in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

Background: Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) has been reported to be associated with a higher incidence of ventricular arrhythmias. The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to investigate whether in SAS patients receiving an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) the severity of SAS was associated with the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias; (2) to assess whether changes in nocturnal apnoic/hypopnoic episodes may favor the occurrence of life-threatening arrhythmias, that is, sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT)/fibrillation (VF), requiring ICD intervention.

Methods: We enrolled 46 patients with documented SAS at polysomnography (apnea/hypopnea index [AHI] > 5) who also had a left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) < 35% and, according to primary prevention indications, implanted an ICD (Boston Scientific Incepta) able to daily monitor apnoic/hypopnoic episodes occurring during sleep.

[Cardiac contractility modulation: a treatment option for patients with refractory heart failure].

Heart failure is the cardiovascular epidemic of the 21st century, with poor prognosis and quality of life despite optimized medical treatment. In the past two decades, only two new drugs have been added to therapeutic strategies for patients with symptomatic heart failure and even less progresses have been made on devices, with the implantable defibrillator indicated for patients with ejection fraction ≤35% and cardiac resynchronization therapy for those with QRS >130 ms and evidence of left bundle branch block. Nevertheless, only a third of patients meet these criteria and a high percentage of patients are non-responders in terms of improving symptoms.

Prognostic significance of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia on stored electrograms in pacemaker recipients.

Background: Little is known about the prognostic significance of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NS-VT) in outpatients scheduled for routine pacemaker controls. We therefore sought to investigate the prognostic significance of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia on stored electrograms in pacemaker recipients.

Methods: We enrolled patients implanted with dual chamber pacemaker for atrioventricular block or sinus node dysfunction from 2010 to 2016, with LVEF> 45%, older than 18 years, with at least 3 device interrogations at follow-up.

Cardiac troponin T and NT-proBNP as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of primary cardiac involvement and disease severity in systemic sclerosis: A prospective study.

Objectives: The aim of our study was to define the role of high-sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) and NT-proBNP in identifying Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) patients with cardiac involvement and at higher risk of cardiac death.

Methods: Plasma hs-cTnT and NT-proBNP concentrations were measured in 245 SSc-patients.

Results: hs-cTnT and NT-proBNP levels were higher in SSc-patients than in healthy controls.

Prognostic Role of Ventricular Ectopic Beats in Systemic Sclerosis: A Prospective Cohort Study Shows ECG Indexes Predicting the Worse Outcome.

Background: Arrhythmias are frequent in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) and portend a bad prognosis, accounting alone for 6% of total deaths. Many of these patients die suddenly, thus prevention and intensified risk-stratification represent unmet medical needs. The major goal of this study was the definition of ECG indexes of poor prognosis.

Outcome of Patients Treated by Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Using a Quadripolar Left Ventricular Lead.

Background: Not all heart failure (HF) patients benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). We assessed whether choosing the site of left ventricular (LV) pacing by a quadripolar lead may improve response to CRT.

Methods and results: We prospectively randomized 23 patients with HF (67±11 years; 21 males) to CRT with a quadripolar LV lead (group 1, with the LV pacing site chosen on the basis of QRS shortening using simultaneous biventricular pacing), and 20 patients (71±6 years; 16 males) to a bipolar LV lead (group 2, with devices programmed with a conventional tip-to-ring configuration).

Renal artery stenting in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease.

Objectives: To investigate the role of renal stenting in selected patients with chronic ischemic heart disease and renal artery stenosis.

Methods: Consecutive patients, with chronic ischemic heart disease and severe hypertension and/or impaired renal function undergoing renal stenting, were prospectively enrolled. Mid-term (at least 2 years) follow-up was performed to assess both changes in renal function [serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtrate rate (eGFR)] and blood pressure (BP) control (number of required drugs) and to record the incidence of clinical major adverse events.

Myocardial infarction in isolated ventricular non-compaction: contrast echo and MRI.

We describe the case of an occasional discovery of isolated ventricular non-compaction in an adult recovered for an acute myocardial infarction, in which only the echocardiogram revealed an isolated ventricular non-compaction, confirmed by MRI: an unusual association between coronary artery disease and isolated ventricular non-compaction.