Trends in ablation procedures in Greece over the 2008-2018 period: Results from the Hellenic Cardiology Society Ablation Registry.

Objective: In 2008, the radiofrequency ablation (RFA) procedures registry of the Hellenic Society of Cardiology was created. This online database allowed electrophysiologists around the country to input data for all performed ablation procedures. The aim of this study is to provide a thorough report and interpretation of the data submitted to the registry between 2008 and 2018.

"Real life" longevity of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator devices.

Background: Manufacturers of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) promise a 5- to 9-year projected longevity; however, real-life data indicate otherwise. The aim of the present study was to assess ICD longevity among 685 consecutive patients over the last 20 years.

Hypothesis: Real-life longevity of ICDs may differ from that stated by the manufacturers.

Peak Early Diastolic Transmitral Velocity As A Surrogate Marker Of Short-Term Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence After Electrical Cardioversion.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess if peak early diastolic transmitral velocity (E-wave) can be used as a surrogate marker of short-term atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence.

Methods: We prospectively studied 57 consecutive patients who underwent electrical cardioversion (ECV) for AF and successfully converted to sinus rhythm. N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide levels (BNP) before and after ECV was measured in all patients.

Relationship between pre-implant ejection fraction and outcome after cardiac resynchronization therapy in symptomatic patients.

Background: Left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is regarded as a strong predictor for morbidity and mortality in heart failure patients. The aim of the analysis was to assess the relationship between pre-implant LVEF and outcome of patients with advanced heart failure who received cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

Methods: We analysed the two-year follow-up of 366 patients who had been enrolled in the MASCOT study which included NYHA class III/IV patients with a class I CRT indication.

Gender-related safety and efficacy of cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an established therapy for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and a broad QRS complex. Gender-related safety and efficacy data are necessary for informed patient decision-making for female patients with CHF. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of gender on the outcome of CRT in highly symptomatic heart failure patients.

One-year outcome after CRT implantation in NYHA class IV in comparison to NYHA class III patients.

Background: The aim of the analysis was to compare the outcome of heart failure patients in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class IV to that of NYHA class III patients 1 year after implantation of a CRT device.

Methods: The analysis was based on the 405 CRT patients enrolled in the MASCOT trial. At enrollment, 350 patients (86%) were in NYHA class III and 55 (14 %) were in NYHA class IV.

Lead complications, device infections, and clinical outcomes in the first year after implantation of cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator and cardiac resynchronization therapy-pacemaker.

Aims: The decision to implant a cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) system with (defibrillator, CRT-D) or without (pacemaker, CRT-P) cardioverter defibrillator should weigh its benefits and risks. This study examined the (i) incidence of loss of capture and infectious complications and (ii) 1-year clinical outcomes of 402 CRT-D and CRT-P recipients enrolled in the MASCOT study.

Methods And Results: The indications for CRT-D or CRT-P were posed by the implanting physicians.

Radiofrequency ablation procedures in Greece: initial experience and results from the national registry 2008-2010.

Introduction: In 2008 the radiofrequency ablation procedures (RFA) registry of the Hellenic Cardiological Society (HCS) was created. This is a dynamic, web-based application, which acts as the interface for storing and retrieving patients' demographic data and ablation procedures. Access to the site is permitted only to registered users.

Right ventricular endocardial thermography in transplanted and coronary artery disease patients: first human application.

Background: We sought to evaluate for the first time in humans the safety and feasibility of right ventricular (RV) thermography in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and in patients after heart transplantation (Tx), in comparison to subjects without structural heart disease (controls).

Methods: Ninety-one RV thermography procedures were performed in 16 patients with CAD, 19 hearttransplant recipients and 6 patients without structural heart disease. We recorded the temperature of the RV intracavitary blood and RV endocardial septum, and calculated their difference using a dedicated commercially available thermography catheter.

Disorders of the autonomic nervous system in patients with Brugada syndrome: a pilot study.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to examine autonomic disorders in patients with Brugada syndrome by performing a cardiac sympathetic innervation evaluation, a head-up tilt-test (HUT) and heart rate variability (HRV) analysis.

Methods And Results: We enrolled 20 patients with Brugada syndrome (mean age 42.5 +/- 8.

Atrial fibrillation in recipients of cardiac resynchronization therapy device: 1-year results of the randomized MASCOT trial.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients suffering from heart failure (HF). Patients in New York Heart Association HF classes III or IV, with systolic dysfunction and a wide QRS, are candidates for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), and might benefit from atrial overdrive pacing (AOP).

Methods: The Management of Atrial fibrillation Suppression in AF-HF COmorbidity Therapy (MASCOT) trial enrolled 409 CRT device recipients (79% men), who were randomly assigned to AOP ON (n = 197), versus AOP OFF (n = 197) and followed up for 1 year.

Level of patient and operator dose in the largest cardiac centre in Greece.

The objective of this study was to investigate the patient and staff doses in the most frequent interventional cardiology (IC) procedures performed in Onassio, the largest Cardiac Centre in Greece. Data were collected from three digital X-ray systems for 212 coronary angiographies, 203 percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasties (PTCA) and 134 various electrophysiological studies. Patient skin dose was measured using suitably calibrated slow radiotherapy films and cardiologist dose using suitably calibrated thermoluminescent dosemeters placed on left arm, hand and foot.

Ablation of atrial tachycardias with radiofrequency current after surgical repair of complex congenital heart defects.

Introduction: Atrial tachycardias are a common problem following the surgical repair of complex congenital heart defects (CHD) and have a poor response to medication. The aim of this study was to describe the results of the treatment of such tachycardias with radiofrequency ablation in our hospital.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed of the medical records and electronically stored data from electrophysiological studies (EPS) and ablation procedures in patients with atrial tachycardias following the surgical repair of CHD.

Atrial premature complexes and heart rate have prognostic significance in 1-month atrial fibrillation recurrence after electrical cardioversion.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of simple 24-h Holter (24H) data after electrical cardioversion (CV) for atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence.

Methods: We prospectively studied 47 consecutive patients subjected to CV, who successfully converted to sinus rhythm. All underwent echocardiography and 24H after CV.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy decreases the mitral coaptation point displacement in heart failure patients.

Background: In patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction the mitral leaflet coaptation point (CPMA) is displaced towards the LV apex. The aim of our study was to estimate the value of CPMA measurement as a simple index regarding the acute effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), which is coming to be an established method of treatment for congestive heart failure (CHF).

Methods: We studied 20 patients with CHF (NYHA III-IV) and LV ejection fraction (LVEF) 22 +/- 4%.

Pre-treatment with Irbesartan attenuates left atrial stunning after electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation.

Aims: Left atrial (LA) stunning, the transient impairment of LA function, is responsible for an increased thrombo-embolic risk after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF). Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) attenuate atrial remodelling in AF and could theoretically influence LA stunning. We studied the effect of Irbesartan on LA stunning.

Programmed ventricular stimulation in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and syncope receiving implantable cardioverter-defibrillators: a case series and a systematic review of the literature.

Background: The role of programmed ventricular stimulation (PVS) in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and syncope receiving implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) remains controversial.

Methods And Results: Between 1994 and July 2002, 20 patients with DCM and syncope underwent PVS and ICD implantation at the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center or the Alexandra General Hospital. At PVS 10 patients had inducible sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (SMVT), 3 patients had inducible sustained polymorphic ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, and 7 patients had no inducible arrhythmia.

Cardiac and sternocleidomastoid muscle involvement in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: an MRI study.

Objective: To examine the extent of cardiac muscle and sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) involvement detected by MRI measurement of T2 relaxation time in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and no cardiorespiratory symptoms.

Design: Prospective controlled study.

Setting: Teaching referral hospital and university hospital.

Preliminary clinical experience with the repetitive administration of levosimendan in patients with end-stage heart failure.

We present our preliminary clinical experience with the initial and repetitive administration of the novel inotropic agent levosimendan in a cohort of 20 patients with end-stage heart failure who were acutely decompensated or whose symptoms were refractory to the usual pharmacological treatments thus necessitating hospitalization. Repetitive levosimendan infusions were administered to 9 patients (minimum 2, maximum 8 pulses). The effects of this therapy on the symptomatic status, vital signs, hemodynamic performance and clinical outcomes are discussed.

Arrhythmia recurrences are rare when the site of radiofrequency ablation of the slow pathway is medial or anterior to the coronary sinus os.

Aims: The site of successful ablation of the slow atrioventricular (AV) nodal pathway may be located in the posteroseptal or midseptal area. We have previously shown that the site of successful radiofrequency (RF) ablation of the slow pathway, rather than residual slow pathway conduction correlates with AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT) recurrences, with more recurrences noted in inferoposterior (to the coronary sinus os) locations. Accordingly, we have since modified our approach, and in a consecutive series of 105 patients we have performed slow pathway RF ablation exclusively at medial or anterior locations, with the objective of prospectively examining the recurrence rate of AVNRT incurred with this approach.

Correction for heart rate is not necessary for QT dispersion in individuals without structural heart disease and patients with ventricular tachycardia.

Background: It remains controversial whether QT dispersion should be corrected for heart rate, especially when the limitations of rate correction formulae are considered. We investigated whether incremental atrial pacing affects QT dispersion and the rate-corrected values according to Bazett's formula in individuals without structural heart disease and in patients with history of sustained ventricular tachycardia.

Methods: We studied 32 individuals without structural heart disease (group A), and 16 patients with a history of sustained ventricular tachycardia (group B).