Partial Brain Tissue Oxygen Levels Predict Arrhythmia and Prognosis in Patients With Brain Injury.

The objective of this study was to examine the clinical determinants of incidence and prognosis of arrhythmias in the setting of acute brain injury. Acute brain injury is known to cause electrocardiographic abnormalities and cardiac arrhythmias. The relation between partial brain tissue oxygen (PBTO) and intracranial pressure (ICP) with arrhythmia incidence and prognosis remains unknown.

Elevated brain natriuretic peptide level in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation: is it a predictor of failed ablation or a mere function of atrial rhythm and rate at a point in time?

Background: Pre- and postablation atrial fibrillation (AF) brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels were shown to predict increased recurrence of AF following ablation.

Objective: Our objective was to assess whether elevated BNP levels merely represent the presence of AF at the time of measurement or indeed the true recurrence of AF.

Methods And Results: In a prospective study of 88 patients undergoing AF ablation, BNP levels were measured immediately before, after, 24 h, and 4-6 months postablation.

Clinical utility and prognostic significance of measuring troponin I levels in patients presenting to the emergency room with atrial fibrillation.

Background: The clinical significance of mildly elevated troponins in patients presenting to the emergency room (ER) with atrial fibrillation (AF) is not well understood.

Hypothesis: We hypothesized that mildly elevated troponin in these patients is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

Methods: In a multi-center, retrospective study, 662 patients with AF were divided into 3 groups based on troponin levels: group 1, mildly elevated; group 2, normal; and group 3, troponin not measured.

Atrial fibrillation ablation in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease or irritable bowel syndrome-the heart to gut connection!

Purpose: An association between atrial fibrillation (AF) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and/or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is increasingly being identified; yet the role of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) of AF has not been systematically evaluated in these patient populations.

Methods: We performed a prospective matched case-control study of AF patients with GERD and/or IBS who underwent RFA for AF in two centers in North America. AF patients with GERD and/or IBS (gastrointestinal [GI] group) were matched by age, gender, and type of AF at each of the centers with an equal number of AF patients without GERD or IBS (non-GI group).

Effect of yoga on arrhythmia burden, anxiety, depression, and quality of life in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: the YOGA My Heart Study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of yoga on atrial fibrillation (AF) burden, quality of life (QoL), depression, and anxiety scores.

Background: Yoga is known to have significant benefit on cardiovascular health. The effect of yoga in reducing AF burden is unknown.