Efficacy and Safety of High-Power Short-Duration Ablation for Cavo-Tricuspid Isthmus With a Flexible-Tip Temperature-Controlled Power Regulation Catheter Performed by Electrophysiology Trainees.

Introduction: The suitability of high-power short-duration (HPSD) cavo-tricuspid isthmus ablation (CTI-Abl) for electrophysiology (EP) trainees, as well as the underlying mechanisms of its efficacy, remain unknown. The aim of this study was to clarify the efficacy and safety of HPSD CTI-Abl performed by EP trainees and assess lesion characteristics between HPSD and moderate-power long duration (MPLD) ablations.

Methods: Study 1: CTI-Abl was performed by first- to fourth-year EP trainees in consecutive 113 patients (67 ± 11 years, 27.

Secondary cardiac involvement in anti-SRP-antibody-positive myopathy: an 87-year-old woman with heart failure symptoms as the first clinical presentation.

Background: Necrotizing myopathy (NM) is defined by the dominant pathological feature of necrosis of muscle fibers without substantial lymphocytic inflammatory infiltration. Anti-signal recognition particle (SRP)-antibody-positive myopathy is related to NM. Anti-SRP-antibody-positive myopathy can comorbid with other disorders in some patients, however, comorbidity with malignant tumor and myopericarditis has still not been reported.

[A case of antisynthetase syndrome with anti-EJ antibody complicated by pericarditis].

A 69-year-old man was admitted with neck muscle weakness, symmetric proximal muscle weakness, skin rash and elevated serum creatine kinase levels. Muscle biopsy showed perifascicular necrosis and perimysial alkaline phosphatase activity. Chest CT revealed interstitial lung disease and colorectal cancer was diagnosed on colonoscopy.

Mechanisms of Diuresis for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure by Tolvaptan.

Tolvaptan, a vasopressin type 2 receptor antagonist, does not affect kidney circulation or cause worsening of renal function (WRF) in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) can be used to evaluate intravascular volume by calculating the ratio of extracellular water (ECW) to intracellular water (ICW). There have been no reports examining the mechanisms of tolvaptan-induced diuresis using BIA.

Occurrence of Focal Atrial Tachycardia During the Ablation Procedure Is Associated With Arrhythmia Recurrence After Termination of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.

Introduction: Catheter ablation can terminate persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). However, atrial tachycardia (AT) often arises after termination of AF.

Methods And Results: Of 215 patients who underwent index stepwise ablation for persistent AF, 141 (66%) patients (64 ± 9 years) in whom AF terminated during the ablation procedure were studied.

Novel Mapping Technique for Localization of Focal and Reentrant Activation During Atrial Fibrillation.

Introduction: Identification of wavefront propagation pattern during AF remains challenging in ablation procedures. We sought to test a novel combination of a new mapping technology called Ripple Map and high-density mapping to distinguish focal and reentrant activation during atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods And Results: Subjects were patients undergoing ablation for persistent AF.

Anti-salusin-β antibody enhances angiogenesis after myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury.

Backgrounds: Salusins are multifunctional endogenous bioactive peptides simultaneously biosynthesized from their precursor prosalusin. Salusin-β stimulates proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts and regulates myocardial growth and hypertrophy. Salusin-β has potent hypotensive, bradycardic and proatherosclerotic effects.

Different roles of PPAR-γ activity on physiological and pathological alteration after myocardial ischemia.

Background: Telmisartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker, which acts as a partial agonist of peroxisome proliferator activator receptor-γ (PPAR-γ). Because PPAR-γ initiates a variety of antiinflammatory responses, the effect on myocardial ischemia is to be elucidated.

Methods And Results: The left anterior descending arteries were ligated to induce myocardial infarction in rats.

Clarithromycin attenuates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Background: MMP activity is upregulated in the heart after myocardial ischemia reperfusion, and its activation contributes to the changes in left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. A major macrolide antibiotic, clarithromycin has many biological functions including MMP regulation. However, little is known about the effect of clarithromycin in myocardial reperfusion injury via MMPs.

Early treatment with clarithromycin attenuates rat autoimmune myocarditis via inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase activity.

Background: Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity is upregulated in the hearts with myocarditis, and its activation contributes to the changes in left ventricular function. A major macrolide antibiotic, clarithromycin (CAM), has many biological functions including MMP regulation. However, little is known about the effect of CAM in myocarditis via MMPs.

A novel IKK inhibitor suppresses heart failure and chronic remodeling after myocardial ischemia via MMP alteration.

Objective: Amplification of inflammatory response in the non-infarct area plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ventricular remodeling after myocardial ischemia. Activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) is involved in this amplification through a positive feedback loop of pro- inflammatory cytokines. We investigated the efficacy of IKK blockade with IMD-0560, a novel inhibitor of IKK, in a rat myocardial ischemia model.