Extended Ambulatory ECG Monitoring Enhances Identification of Higher-Risk Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), 48-hour ambulatory monitoring has been standard practice to detect nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT), a sudden death risk marker. Extended-wear ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) devices have more recently used for monitoring patients with HCM.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate NSVT burden identified with continuous ambulatory monitoring for up to 2 weeks compared with initial 48 hours.

Effect of Screening for Undiagnosed Atrial Fibrillation on Stroke Prevention.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) often remains undiagnosed, and it independently raises the risk of ischemic stroke, which is largely reversible by oral anticoagulation. Although randomized trials using longer term screening approaches increase identification of AF, no studies have established that AF screening lowers stroke rates.

Objectives: To address this knowledge gap, the GUARD-AF (Reducing Stroke by Screening for Undiagnosed Atrial Fibrillation in Elderly Individuals) trial screened participants in primary care practices using a 14-day continuous electrocardiographic monitor to determine whether screening for AF coupled with physician/patient decision-making to use oral anticoagulation reduces stroke and provides a net clinical benefit compared with usual care.

Premature ventricular complexes: Assessing burden density in a large national cohort to better define optimal ECG monitoring duration.

Background: Premature ventricular contraction (PVC) burden is a risk factor for heart failure and cardiovascular death in patients with structural heart disease. Long-term electrocardiographic monitoring can have a significant impact on PVC burden evaluation by further defining PVC distribution patterns.

Objective: This study aimed to ascertain the optimal duration of electrocardiographic monitoring to characterize PVC burden and to understand clinical characteristics associated with frequent PVCs and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in a large US cohort.

Validation of a Deep Learning Algorithm for Continuous, Real-Time Detection of Atrial Fibrillation Using a Wrist-Worn Device in an Ambulatory Environment.

Background: Wearable devices may be useful for identification, quantification and characterization, and management of atrial fibrillation (AF). To date, consumer wrist-worn devices for AF detection using photoplethysmography-based algorithms perform only periodic checks when the user is stationary and are US Food and Drug Administration cleared for prediagnostic uses without intended use for clinical decision-making. There is an unmet need for medical-grade diagnostic wrist-worn devices that provide long-term, continuous AF monitoring.

Comparison of data quality and monitoring completion rates between clinic and self-applied ECG patches.

Background: Since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, direct-to-patient, self-applied ECG patch use has substantially increased. There are limited data comparing clinic with self-applied electrocardiogram (ECG) patches.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare rates of ECG patch return, percentages of time patches yielded analyzable data (analyzable time), and percentages of prescribed time ECG patches were worn between clinic and self-applied ECG patches before and during COVID-19.

ReducinG stroke by screening for UndiAgnosed atRial fibrillation in elderly inDividuals (GUARD-AF): Rationale and design of the GUARD-AF randomized trial of screening for atrial fibrillation with a 14-day patch-based continuous ECG monitor.

Background: Screening for atrial fibrillation (AF) is attractive because AF independently raises the risk of ischemic stroke, this risk is largely reversible by long-term oral anticoagulant therapy (OAC), and many patients with AF remain undiagnosed and untreated. Recent trials of one-time brief screening for AF have not produced a significant increase in the proportion of patients diagnosed with AF. Trials of longer-term screening have demonstrated an increase in AF diagnoses, primarily paroxysmal AF.

Arrhythmia patterns during and after hospitalization for COVID-19 infection detected via patch-based mobile cardiac telemetry.

Background: Coronavirus infection is the cause of the current world-wide pandemic. Cardiovascular complications occur in 20-30% of patients with COVID-19 infection including myocardial injury and arrhythmias. Current understanding of specific arrhythmia type and frequency is limited.

One-Year Outcomes After MitraClip for Functional Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: Secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR) occurs in the absence of organic mitral valve disease and may develop as the left ventricle dilates or remodels or as a result of leaflet tethering with impaired coaptation, most commonly from apical and lateral distraction of the subvalvular apparatus, with late annular dilatation. The optimal therapy for SMR is unclear. This study sought to evaluate the 1-year adjudicated outcomes of all patients with SMR undergoing the MitraClip procedure in the EVEREST II (Endovascular Valve Edge-to-Edge Repair Study) Investigational Device Exemption program, which is comprised of the randomized clinical trial, the prospective High-Risk Registry, and the REALISM Continued Access Registry (Multicenter Study of the MitraClip System).

Gene expression patterns in hypoxic and post-hypoxic adult rat retina with special reference to the NMDA receptor and its interactome.

Purpose: A gene expression analysis of hypoxic rat retina was undertaken to gain a deeper understanding of the possible molecular mechanisms that underlie hypoxia-induced retinal pathologies and identify possible therapeutic targets.

Methods: Rats were made severely hypoxic (6%-7% O(2)) for 3 h. Some rats were sacrificed at this time, and others were allowed to recover for 24 h under normoxic conditions.