Publications by authors named "Jun Munakata"

Objective: Uric acid (UA) and obesity are significant risk factors for new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF). Based on the pathogenesis mechanisms of new-onset AF involving obesity and UA, it is possible that UA and weight gain may interact with each other. We investigated the impact of UA and weight gain on new-onset AF using a simple measure of weight change over time, 'weight gain of ≥10 kg after age 20'.

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Article Synopsis
  • Hypertension is a known risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF) and strokes, but there is limited research on AF screening in hypertensive patients and its link to blood pressure levels.
  • A study involving over 4,000 hypertensive patients aged 60 and older in Japan measured their electrocardiograms (ECG) and blood pressure (BP) at home for three months.
  • The study found that 5.8% of participants had undiagnosed AF, with no significant differences in AF detection rates based on different baseline BP categories or the use of antihypertensive medication.
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Article Synopsis
  • Atrial fibrillation (AF) is categorized by duration into paroxysmal, persistent, and long-standing persistent types, with longer durations increasing the risk of recurrence during catheter ablation treatment.
  • The study aims to enhance the diagnosis accuracy of AF duration through a predictive model, utilizing data from 272 patients to train a machine learning algorithm.
  • Results showed the model achieved 81.8% accuracy in predicting AF duration, significantly improving cardiologists' diagnostic performance from 63.9% to 71.6% after using the model's insights.
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Key Clinical Message: This case highlights the pitfalls and provides tips for the extraction of deeply implanted lumenless leads, and encourages careful lead selection in the current era of widespread left bundle branch area pacing.

Abstract: The extraction of cardiovascular implantable electronic device leads is sometimes complicated. We describe a case with difficult but successful extraction of SelectSecure, a lumenless permanent pacemaker lead, implanted deep in the ventricular septum, highlighting its pitfalls and tips in the current era of left bundle branch area pacing.

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Background: The impact of sleep apnea (SA) on heart rate variability (HRV) in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients has not been investigated.

Methods and results: Of 94 patients who underwent AF ablation between January 2021 and September 2022, 76 patients who had a nocturnal Holter electrocardiography and polysomnography conducted simultaneously were included in the analysis. A 15-min duration of HRV, as determined by an electrocardiogram during apnea and non-apnea time, were compared between patients with and without AF recurrence at 12 months' postoperatively.

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Background: Several factors that predict new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) have been investigated using the 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) and 12-lead ECG; however, these have been based on each test independently. The aim of this study was to combine findings from the two tests to create a comprehensive, easy-to-use score and to examine its validity.

Methods And Results: A total of 502 patients underwent 24-hour Holter ECG and 12-lead ECG were followed up for 6.

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Tako-tsubo syndrome (TTS) can be triggered by emotional or physical stress and is characterized by transient left ventricular dysfunction with apical ballooning. Some neurologic disorders and pheochromocytoma serve as triggers for TTS, however, its association with primary aldosteronism (PA) is not well known. Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) has been performed worldwide, and TTS following PVI has been reported as a rare complication.

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This research assessed whether public space users will adopt a least-effort approach and choose a less suitable seat nearby or seek the most suitable seat, even if it is farther away from them when the decision is made. How distance assessment affects seat choice was investigated through an observational survey, which allowed the identification of behavioral patterns. Those behavioral patterns were then tested in a paired comparison experiment with 40 participants.

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