The degree of permanent pacemaker dependence and clinical outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve implantation: implications for procedural technique.

Aims: Conduction abnormalities necessitating permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation remain the most frequent complication post-transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), yet reliance on PPM function varies. We evaluated the association of right-ventricular (RV)-stimulation rate post-TAVI with 1-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalization).

Methods And Results: This retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing TAVI in two high-volume centers included patients with existing PPM pre-TAVI or new PPM post-TAVI.

Increasing Lesion Dimensions of Bipolar Ablation by Modulating the Surface Area of the Return Electrode.

Objectives: This study sought to examine the effect of the return electrode's surface area on bipolar RFA lesion size.

Background: Bipolar radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is typically performed between 2 3.5-mm tip catheters serving as active and return electrodes.

Impact of timing of atrial fibrillation, CHADS-VASc score and cancer therapeutics on mortality in oncology patients.

Objectives: To investigate timing and age distribution of atrial fibrillation (AF) in selected oncology patients, and the impact of AF timing, CHADS-VASc score and cancer therapeutics on mortality.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of oncology patients referred to the cardio-oncology service from 2011 to 2018 for echocardiographic cardiosurveillance and/or pre-existing cardiovascular risk factor/disease management. Rates of first AF diagnosis was assessed using a parametric multiphase hazard model (predictive modelling) and non-parametrically by Kaplan-Meier with transformations tested using a bootstrap methodology.

Late Gadolinium Enhancement in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Preserved Systolic Function.

Background: A high proportion of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) have evidence of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).

Objectives: This study sought to assess the incremental prognostic utility of LGE in patients with HCM.

Methods: We studied 1,423 consecutive low-/intermediate-risk patients with HCM (age ≥18 years) with preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (mean age 66 ± 14 years, 60% men) who underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) (including dimensions and LV outflow tract gradients) and CMR (including LGE as a % of LV mass) at our center between January 2008 and December 2015.

Prediction of sudden death risk in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: Potential for refinement of current criteria.

Background: In patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the use of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) can prevent sudden cardiac death (SCD). In patients with obstructive HCM, we sought to determine the prognostic utility of European Society of Cardiology (ESC) SCD risk score and to evaluate whether additional factors modulate SCD risk.

Methods: We studied 1809 consecutive patients with obstructive HCM (mean age, 50 ± 14 years; 63% males; mean maximal outflow tract gradient, 93 ± 40 mm Hg).