Lead Integrity and Failure Evaluation in Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing (LIFE-LBBAP) Study.

Background: Left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) has gained increased adoption globally with the use of both lumenless leads (LLLs) and stylet-driven leads (SDLs). As these leads have been developed for conventional endocardial pacing sites, concerns remain regarding the lead integrity with LBBAP.

Objectives: This study evaluates lead integrity of pacing leads used for LBBAP in a large, real-world cohort of patients with LBBAP.

Trans-oesophageal echocardiography-guided implantation of a cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker and successful ablation of the atrioventricular node after TriClip: case report.

Background: Edge-to-edge intervention is the most common trans-catheter procedure performed for isolated severe tricuspid regurgitation in high-surgical-risk patients. However, it creates an obstacle for future right ventricular (RV) procedures such as implantation of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). Reports of the management of CIED implantation after tricuspid edge-to-edge therapy are scarce.

Real-life data on the workload of cardiac implantable electronic device remote monitoring in a large tertiary center.

Background: Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) and implantable loop recorders (ILR) are increasingly monitored by systems allowing remote transmission of data from the patient to the hospital. Remote monitoring (RM) has been shown to increase patient satisfaction and safety. However, real-life data on the number and causes of the RM transmissions, and actions initiated by them are scarce.

Novel findings of an old algorithm: PVC response "Atrial Pace'' initiates atrial arrhythmias in Abbott ICD and CRT-D devices.

Background: Many algorithms have been developed to ensure the safety and accuracy of cardiac implantable electric devices (CIED). A specific algorithm designed to prevent pacemaker induced tachycardia (PMT) after a premature ventricular complex (PVC response) is available in all Abbott (former St. Jude Medical) CIED.

Reducing cardiac implantable electronic device-induced artefacts in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Objectives: Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED)-induced metal artefacts possibly significantly diminish the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), particularly cardiac MR (CMR). Right-sided generator implantation, wideband late-gadolinium enhancement (LGE) technique and raising the ipsilateral arm to the generator during CMR scanning may reduce the CIED-induced image artefacts. We assessed the impact of generator location and the arm-raised imaging position on the CIED-induced artefacts in CMR.

Magnetic resonance imaging safety in patients with abandoned or functioning epicardial pacing leads.

Objectives: The European Society of Cardiology Guidelines on cardiac pacing from 2021 allow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) but do not recommend MRI in patients with epicardial pacing leads. The clinical dilemma remains whether performing an MRI in patients with CIED and epicardial leads is safe. We aimed to evaluate the safety of performing an MRI in patients with CIED and abandoned or functioning epicardial pacing leads.

Heart Rate Turbulence and T-Wave Alternans in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: The Influence of Diabetes.

Background: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have a higher risk of sudden cardiac death. Factors associated with the risk profiles of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with DM are not well established. Heart rate turbulence (HRT) and T-wave alternans (TWA) are often used to predict arrhythmia events.

Paraoxonase-1 gene Leu-Met55 and Gln-Arg192 polymorphisms are not associated with carotid artery atherosclerosis in a population-based cohort.

Background: Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is an enzyme that prevents low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. The role of polymorphisms of PON1 determining early atherosclerotic changes is currently unclear.

Design: Cross sectional cohort study.

Immunoglobulin M type of autoantibodies to oxidized low-density lipoprotein has an inverse relation to carotid artery atherosclerosis.

Background: Lipoprotein oxidation plays an important part in atherogenesis. Autoantibodies to oxidation-specific epitopes of LDL occur in plasma and atherosclerotic lesions of humans and animals. The potential role of these autoantibodies in atherogenesis still remains unsolved.

Apolipoprotein E polymorphism affects carotid artery atherosclerosis in smoking hypertensive men.

Objective: Smoking is a risk factor for increased carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT). The apolipoprotein E (apoE) 4 allele has been associated with cardiovascular diseases, but the role of apoE in regard to intima-media thickness (IMT) has remained controversial. The objective was to investigate whether there is some gene-environment interaction between smoking and apoE polymorphism.