Impact of high-resolution 3D-mapping with micro-electrodes on catheter ablation of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

Background: It is currently unknown whether 3D-mapping and micro-electrodes add meaningful benefits in catheter ablation of Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome and challenging, e.g. -Hisian accessory pathways (APs).

Genotype-Specific ECG-Based Risk Stratification Approaches in Patients With Long-QT Syndrome.

Background: Congenital long-QT syndrome (LQTS) is a major cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young individuals, calling for sophisticated risk assessment. Risk stratification, however, is challenging as the individual arrhythmic risk varies pronouncedly, even in individuals carrying the same variant.

Materials And Methods: In this study, we aimed to assess the association of different electrical parameters with the genotype and the symptoms in patients with LQTS.

Initial Clinical Experience With a Novel 8-Spline High-Resolution Mapping Catheter.

Background: The Octaray (Biosense Webster) is a novel, multispline mapping catheter with 48 closely spaced microelectrodes enabling high-resolution electroanatomical mapping.

Objectives: This study sought to report the initial clinical mapping experience with this novel catheter in a variety of cardiac arrhythmias and to compare the mapping performance with the 5-spline Pentaray.

Methods: Fifty consecutive procedures among 46 patients were retrospectively analyzed regarding safety, efficacy, and acute procedural success defined as termination or noninducibility of clinical tachycardia, conduction block across an ablation line, or pulmonary vein isolation.

Device interaction between cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) and subcutaneous defibrillator (S-ICD).

Combined implantation of cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) with subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) appears a suitable option to reduce the amount of intracardiac leads and complications for patients. Here we report on a patient with ischemic cardiomyopathy carrying an S-ICD in which a CCM device was implanted. During crosstalk testing post-CCM implantation, the S-ICD misannotated QRS complexes and T waves.

Determination of aortic stiffness using 4D flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance - a population-based study.

Background: Increased aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease. Optimal measurement is highly beneficial for the detection of atherosclerosis and the management of patients at risk. Thus, it was our purpose to selectively measure aortic stiffness using a novel imaging method and to provide reference values from a population-based study.

Age-related changes of right atrial morphology and inflow pattern assessed using 4D flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance: results of a population-based study.

Background: To assess age-related changes of blood flow and geometry of the caval veins and right atrium (RA) using 4D flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) data obtained in a population-based study.

Methods: An age-stratified sample (n = 126) of the population of the city of Freiburg, Germany, underwent transthoracic echocardiography and electrocardiogram-triggered and navigator-gated 4D flow CMR at 3 Tesla covering the caval veins and right heart. Study participants were divided into three age groups (1:20-39; 2:40-59; and 3:60-80 years of age).

Age dependence of pulmonary artery blood flow measured by 4D flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance: results of a population-based study.

Background: It was our aim to systematically analyze pulmonary artery blood flow within different age-groups in the general population using 4D flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in order to provide a context for interpreting results of future studies (e.g., in pulmonary hypertension) using this technique.

Prosthetic valve endocarditis due to Actinomyces neuii successfully treated with antibiotic therapy.

Endocarditis due to Actinomyces neuii is a rare disease, with only 14 reported cases. Recently, A. neuii was added to the list of species implicated in endocarditis of native valves.

Gender-related effects of prenatal administration of estrogen and progesterone receptor antagonists on VEGF and surfactant-proteins and on alveolarisation in the developing piglet lung.

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is essential for embryonic lung development and has been shown to be regulated by estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P).

Aim: To investigate the effects of prenatal E2 and P withdrawal by specific receptor antagonists on the mRNA expression of VEGF, surfactant proteins (SP-B and SP-C) and on alveolarisation in lung tissue of male and female pig fetuses.

Methods: Fetuses from 10 sows were randomized to receive either both an intramuscular injection of the E2 receptor blocker ICI 182.