A retrospective analysis of cardiovascular outcomes in patients treated with ASV.

Objectives: The effect of long-term adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) on cardiovascular mortality and admission rates in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) has not been much studied. The aim of this study was primarily to investigate whether ASV therapy significantly reduced these parameters.

Design: We included 75 CHF patients on optimal medication and CSR ≥25% of sleeping time, in New York Heart Association (NYHA) classes II-IV and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 45%.

The Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome; atrial pacing combined with ß-blocker therapy, a favorable approach in young high-risk patients with long QT syndrome?

Background: Patients with Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome (JLNS) exhibit severe phenotypes that are characterized by congenital deafness, very long QT intervals, and high risk of life-threatening arrhythmias. Current treatment strategies include high doses of beta-blocker medication, left cardiac sympathetic denervation, and ICD placement, which is challenging in young children.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and effect of pacing in addition to beta-blocker treatment in children with JLNS.

Combination of ECG and Echocardiography for Identification of Arrhythmic Events in Early ARVC.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate early markers of arrhythmic events (AEs) and improve risk stratification in early arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC).

Background: AEs are frequent in patients with ARVC, but risk stratification in subjects with early ARVC is challenging.

Methods: Early ARVC disease was defined as possible or borderline ARVC diagnosis according to the ARVC Task Force Criteria 2010.

Ventricular structure in ARVC: going beyond volumes as a measure of risk.

Background: Altered right ventricular structure is an important feature of Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC), but is challenging to quantify objectively. The aim of this study was to go beyond ventricular volumes and diameters and to explore if the shape of the right and left ventricles could be assessed and related to clinical measures. We used quantifiable computational methods to automatically identify and analyse malformations in ARVC patients from Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (CMR) images.

Strain imaging - from Scandinavian research to global deployment.

Knowledge about myocardial function is important for diagnosis, treatment and prediction of the majority of all cardiac diseases. Ejection fraction (EF) by echocardiography has been the preferred diagnostic tool for these purposes, but do have some important limitations. Strain imaging has emerged as a relatively new and important echocardiographic method that will give cardiologists incremental and additional information to EF in several important diseases affecting the myocardium.

Implantation of subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillators in Europe: results of the European Heart Rhythm Association survey.

Aims: The purpose of this European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) survey is to provide an overview of the current use of subcutaneous cardioverter defibrillators (S-ICDs) across a broad range of European centres.

Methods And Results: A questionnaire was sent via the internet to centres participating in the EHRA electrophysiology research network. Questions included standards of care and policies used for patient management, indications, and techniques of implantation of the S-ICDs.

Criteria for recommendation and expert consensus papers: from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging Scientific Documents Committee.

The recommendations given in this document are intended as a guide for the writing committees with the aim to harmonize the style and content of EACVI expert consensus and recommendation documents.

Replacement of implantable cardioverter defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices: results of the European Heart Rhythm Association survey.

The aim of this EP Wire was to assess the management, indications, and techniques for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) device replacement in Europe. A total of 24 centres in 14 European countries completed the questionnaire. All centres were members of the European Heart Rhythm Association Electrophysiology Research Network.

Comparison of patients with early-phase arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy and right ventricular outflow tract ventricular tachycardia.

Aims: Differentiation between early-phase arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) and right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT)-ventricular tachycardia (VT) can be challenging, and correct diagnosis is important. We compared electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters and morphological right ventricular (RV) abnormalities and investigated if ECG and cardiac imaging can help to discriminate early-phase ARVC from RVOT-VT patients.

Methods And Results: We included 44 consecutive RVOT-VT (47 ± 14 years) and 121 ARVC patients (42 ± 17 years).

Strain echocardiography is related to fibrosis and ventricular arrhythmias in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Aims: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients are at risk of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). We aimed to explore whether systolic function by strain echocardiography is related to VAs and to the extent of fibrosis by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR).

Methods And Results: We included 150 HCM patients and 50 healthy individuals.

EACVI/EHRA Expert Consensus Document on the role of multi-modality imaging for the evaluation of patients with atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the commonest cardiac rhythm disorder. Evaluation of patients with AF requires an electrocardiogram, but imaging techniques should be considered for defining management and driving treatment. The present document is an expert consensus from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) and the European Heart Rhythm Association.

The use of wearable cardioverter-defibrillators in Europe: results of the European Heart Rhythm Association survey.

The aim of this European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) survey was to collect data on the use of wearable cardioverter-defibrillators (WCDs) among members of the EHRA electrophysiology research network. Of the 50 responding centres, 23 (47%) reported WCD use. Devices were fully reimbursed in 17 (43.

Mechanical Dispersion Assessed by Strain Echocardiography Is Associated with Malignant Arrhythmias in Chagas Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Sudden death is one of the characteristics of Chagas disease (ChD). With the development of strategies for the prevention of malignant arrhythmias, especially with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), there is interest in developing strategies to predict sudden cardiac death. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that global longitudinal strain (GLS) and mechanical dispersion (MD) may be associated with malignant ventricular arrhythmias in patients with ChD.

QT Adaptation and Intrinsic QT Variability in Congenital Long QT Syndrome.

Background: Increased variability of QT interval (QTV) has been linked to arrhythmias in animal experiments and multiple clinical situations. Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS), a pure repolarization disease, may provide important information on the relationship between delayed repolarization and QTV.

Methods And Results: Twenty-four-hour Holter monitor tracings from 78 genotyped congenital LQTS patients (52 females; 51 LQT1, 23 LQT2, 2 LQT5, 2 JLN, 27 symptomatic; age, 35.

Myocardial strain imaging: how useful is it in clinical decision making?

Myocardial strain is a principle for quantification of left ventricular (LV) function which is now feasible with speckle-tracking echocardiography. The best evaluated strain parameter is global longitudinal strain (GLS) which is more sensitive than left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) as a measure of systolic function, and may be used to identify sub-clinical LV dysfunction in cardiomyopathies. Furthermore, GLS is recommended as routine measurement in patients undergoing chemotherapy to detect reduction in LV function prior to fall in LVEF.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis.

This review aims to give an update on the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy is mainly an autosomal dominant inherited disease linked to mutations in genes encoding desmosomes or desmosome-related proteins. Classic symptoms include palpitations, cardiac syncope, and aborted cardiac arrest due to ventricular arrhythmias.

Nadolol decreases the incidence and severity of ventricular arrhythmias during exercise stress testing compared with β1-selective β-blockers in patients with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia.

Background: Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is an inheritable cardiac disease predisposing to malignant ventricular arrhythmias.

Objective: We aimed to explore the incidence and severity of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with CPVT before the initiation of β-blocker treatment, when treated with β1-selective β-blockers, and when treated with nadolol.

Methods: In this study, 34 patients with CPVT were included (mean age 34 ± 19 years; 15 (44%) women; 30 (88%) ryanodine receptor 2 variant positive).

Frequency and cause of transient QT prolongation after surgery.

Patients undergoing surgery are often exposed to QT-inciting factors that may increase the risk for complications. We evaluated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with QTc ≥500 ms within the first 24 hours after surgery as identified by an institution-wide electrocardiogram alert system. From November 2010 to June 2011, 470 patients exhibited an electrocardiographically isolated QTc ≥500 ms.

Management of patients with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy in the Nordic countries.

Objectives: Diagnostics of patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) are complex, and based on the 2010 Task Force document including different diagnostic modalities. However, recommendations for clinical management and follow-up of patients with ARVC and their relatives are sparse. This paper aims to give a practical overview of management strategies, risk stratification, and selection of appropriate therapies for patients with ARVC and their family members.

Mechanical Dyssynchrony by Tissue Doppler Cross-Correlation is Associated with Risk for Complex Ventricular Arrhythmias after Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy.

Background: Tissue Doppler cross-correlation analysis has been shown to be associated with long-term survival after cardiac resynchronization defibrillator therapy (CRT-D). Its association with ventricular arrhythmia (VA) is unknown.

Methods: From two centers 151 CRT-D patients (New York Heart Association functional classes II-IV, ejection fraction ≤ 35%, and QRS duration ≥ 120 msec) were prospectively included.

Strain echocardiographic assessment of left atrial function predicts recurrence of atrial fibrillation.

Aims: We evaluated if a dispersed left atrial (LA) contraction pattern was related to atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with normal left ventricular (LV) function, and normal or mildly enlarged left atrium.

Methods And Results: We included 61 patients with paroxysmal AF (PAF). Of these, 30 had not while 31 had recurrence of AF after radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

Left ventricular markers of mortality and ventricular arrhythmias in heart failure patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Aims: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) reduces morbidity and mortality in heart failure. However, prediction of the outcome remains difficult. We aimed to investigate for echocardiographic predictors of ventricular arrhythmias and fatal outcome and to explore how myocardial function is changed by biventricular pacing in heart failure.

Myocardial Function by Two-Dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography and Activin A May Predict Mortality in Patients with Carcinoid Intestinal Disease.

Objectives: Myocardial fibrosis causes deterioration of myocardial function in carcinoid intestinal disease (CID). We assessed the ability of myocardial function and various biomarkers to predict mortality in patients with CID.

Methods: A total of 71 patients with small intestinal carcinoid tumours were included, and underwent echocardiography at baseline.

Cardiac Mechanical Alterations and Genotype Specific Differences in Subjects With Long QT Syndrome.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore systolic and diastolic function and to investigate genotype-specific differences in subjects with long QT syndrome (LQTS).

Background: LQTS is an arrhythmogenic cardiac ion channelopathy that traditionally has been considered a purely electrical disease. The most commonly affected ion channels are the slow potassium channel, IKs (KCNQ1 gene/LQT1), and the rapid potassium channel, IKr (KCNH2 gene/LQT2).