Racial Differences in Device-Detected Incident Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Prior research suggests Black individuals have a lower risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) than White individuals, but this may be related to the underdetection of AF. Whether this trend persists using highly sensitive methods of AF diagnosis has not been well-studied.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to use cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) capable of AF diagnosis to compare AF incidence between Black and White individuals.

Retraction notice to "E-39 | Association Between Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter 2 Inhibitor Use and 30-Day Outcomes after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Retrospective Matched Cohort Analysis" [JSCAI 3 (2024) 101800].

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1016/j.jscai.

Associations Between Changes in Maximum Daily Atrial Fibrillation Duration, Ischemic Stroke, and Mortality.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) outcomes are strongly associated with continuous measures of AF burden.

Objectives: This study sought to assess the association between changes in maximum daily AF duration (MDAFD) and stroke or mortality in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs).

Methods: The Optum deidentified electronic health record data set (2007-2021) was linked with the Medtronic CareLink heart rhythm database.

Association of Atrial Fibrillation Burden and Mortality Among Patients With Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices.

Background: Current estimates of atrial fibrillation (AF)-associated mortality rely on claims- or clinical-derived diagnoses of AF, limit AF to a binary entity, or are confounded by comorbidities. The objective of the present study is to assess the association between device-recognized AF and mortality among patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices capable of sensitive and continuous atrial arrhythmia detection. Secondary outcomes include relative mortality among cohorts with no AF, paroxysmal AF, persistent AF, and permanent AF.

Safety and feasibility of intravenous sotalol loading for the prevention of ventricular arrhythmias.

Background: The use of intravenous (IV) sotalol loading following recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a 1-day loading protocol has reduced the obligatory 3-day hospital stay for sotalol initiation when given orally.

Associations of Circulating Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 and Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 With Long-Term Cardiac Function.

Background: Although VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) and ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1) have been associated with incident heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and atrial fibrillation (AF), the associations of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 with sensitive measures of cardiac structure/function are unclear. The objective of this study is to evaluate associations between VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and measures of cardiac structure and function as potential pathways through which cellular adhesion molecules promote HFpEF and AF risk.

Methods And Results: In MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis), we evaluated the associations of circulating VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 at examination 2 (2002-2004) with measures of cardiac structure/function on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at examination 5 (2010-2011) after multivariable adjustment.

Impact of Atrial Fibrillation Burden on Health Care Costs and Utilization.

Background: Integrating patient-specific cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED)-detected atrial fibrillation (AF) burden with measures of health care cost and utilization allows for an accurate assessment of the AF-related impact on health care use.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to assess the incremental cost of device-recognized AF vs no AF; compare relative costs of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (pAF), persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF), and permanent atrial fibrillation (PermAF) AF; and evaluate rates and sources of health care utilization between cohorts.

Methods: Using the de-identified Optum Clinformatics U.

Aortic Regurgitation and Heart Failure: Advances in Diagnosis, Management, and Interventions.

This review discusses the contemporary clinical evaluation and management of patients with comorbid aortic regurgitation (AR) and heart failure (HF) (AR-HF). Importantly, as clinical HF exists along the spectrum of AR severity, the present review also details novel strategies to detect early signs of HF before the clinical syndrome ensues. Indeed, there may be a vulnerable cohort of AR patients who benefit from early detection and management of HF.

Validation of the SCALE-CryoAF risk model to predict very late return of atrial fibrillation after cryoballoon ablation.

Background: To date, few risk models have been validated to predict recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) >1 year after ablation. The SCALE-CryoAF score was previously derived to predict very late return of AF (VLRAF) >1 year following cryoballoon ablation (CBA), with strong predictive ability. In this study, we aim to validate the SCALE-CryoAF score for VLRAF after CBA in a novel patient cohort.

Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation position predicts successful defibrillation in obese and non-obese patients.

Background: Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (S-ICD) are an alternative to transvenous ICDs for patients without a need for cardiac pacing. Obese patients have been proposed to be at higher risk for conversion failure with S-ICDs due to subcutaneous fat underneath the device. Optimal device positioning may promote equivalent outcomes between obese and non-obese patients by minimizing the effects of excess adipose tissue.

Comparison of data quality and monitoring completion rates between clinic and self-applied ECG patches.

Background: Since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, direct-to-patient, self-applied ECG patch use has substantially increased. There are limited data comparing clinic with self-applied electrocardiogram (ECG) patches.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare rates of ECG patch return, percentages of time patches yielded analyzable data (analyzable time), and percentages of prescribed time ECG patches were worn between clinic and self-applied ECG patches before and during COVID-19.

Impact of atrial fibrillation ablation on activity minutes in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices.

Background: Impaired quality of life due to atrial fibrillation (AF), which often includes decreased activity level, is an indication for ablation. However, the impact of ablation for AF on activity is poorly understood.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of ablation on activity minutes per day using continuous accelerometer data from cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs).

From 100 to 0: Endocardial Radiofrequency Ablation of Septal Hypertrophy for Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Septal reduction techniques can reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In a patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who was a poor candidate for surgical myectomy and alcohol septal ablation, endocardial radiofrequency ablation of septal hypertrophy provided durable reduction in left ventricular outflow tract gradients and symptomatic improvement. ().

Left Atrial Myopathy in Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure: Clinical Implications, Mechanisms, and Therapeutic Targets.

Purpose Of Review: This review discusses the mechanisms, clinical implications, and treatments of left atrial (LA) myopathy in comorbid atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) across the spectrum of ejection fraction.

Recent Findings: AF and HF are highly comorbid conditions. Left atrial (LA) myopathy, characterized by impairments in LA structure, function, or electrical conduction, plays a fundamental role in the development of both AF and HF with preserved ejection fraction (AF-HFpEF) along with AF and HF with reduced ejection fraction (AF-HFrEF).