Do depressive and anxiety symptoms influence the quality of life of patients with atrial fibrillation after cryoballoon ablation: a comparison study.

Background And Aims: One third of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) suffer from high levels of anxiety and depression, which may significantly impair quality of life (QoL). The purpose of this study was to assess whether depressive and anxiety symptoms before ablation affect the QoL in patients with AF one year after cryoballoon ablation (CBA).

Methods: This single-center retrospective study investigated whether the AF patients with a high Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) score (≥ 8) had worse outcomes than patients with a low pre-ablation HADS score (< 8).

No large effects on cognitive performance in high versus low solar green-flag WBGT conditions.

Excessive solar radiation negatively affects cognitive performance. Occupational guidelines typically combine environmental components into one value, such as wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT). Here, we evaluated cognitive performance in two similar 28.

Effects of heat load and hypobaric hypoxia on cognitive performance: a combined stressor approach.

This study investigates how cognitive performance is affected by the combination of two stressors that are operationally relevant for helicopter pilots: heat load and hypobaric hypoxia. Fifteen participants were exposed to (1) no stressors, (2) heat load, (3) hypobaric hypoxia, and (4) combined heat load and hypobaric hypoxia. Hypobaric hypoxia (13,000 ft) was achieved in a hypobaric chamber.

The Protective Performance of Process Operators' Protective Clothing and Exposure Limits under Low Thermal Radiation Conditions.

During the early stage of a fire, a process operator often acts as the first responder and may be exposed to high heat radiation levels. The present limit values of long- (>15 min) and short-term exposure (<5 min), 1.0 and 1.

Strategies for repeat ablation for atrial fibrillation: A multicentre comparison of nonpulmonary vein versus pulmonary vein target ablation.

Introduction: Approximately 18% of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergo a repeat ablation within 12 months after their index ablation. Despite the high prevalence, comparative studies on nonpulmonary vein (PV) target strategies in repeat AF ablation are scarce. Here, we describe 12 months efficacy of non-PV and PV target ablations as a repeat ablation strategy.

Intermediate-term outcome of cryoballoon ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation and improvements in quality of life of patients.

Background: Clinical outcome of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) has been predominantly focused on the reoccurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and the maintenance of sinus rhythm. However, there has been a limited intermediate follow-up on health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) of patients. Given the relatively high recurrence rate of persistent AF after PVI treatment, it is important to follow up with clinical outcomes on symptom improvement as well as health-related quality-of-life.

Persistent phrenic nerve palsy after atrial fibrillation ablation: Follow-up data from The Netherlands Heart Registration.

Background: Persistent phrenic nerve palsy (PNP) is an established complication of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation, especially during cryoballoon and thoracoscopic ablation. Data on persistent PNP reversibility is limited because most patients recover <24 h. This study aims to investigate persistent PNP recovery, freedom of PNP-related symptoms after AF ablation and identify baseline variables associated with the occurrence and early PNP recovery in a large nationwide registry study.

The sensitivity and specificity of wideband absorbance measure in identifying pathologic middle ears in adults living with HIV.

Background: Limited research exists on the sensitivity and specificity of wideband acoustic immittance (WAI) in adults living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study forms part of the bigger study titled 'wideband acoustic immittance in adults living with HIV'.

Objectives: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the wideband absorbance measure at tympanic peak pressure (TPP), as a screening tool for detecting middle ear pathologies in adults living with HIV.

The Use of Tele Practice in Assessment of Middle Ear Function in Adults Living with HIV During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is the latest threat to global health that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Tele-practice has inadvertently sprung to the forefront to become a common practice amongst healthcare providers during COVID-19. Limited evidence exists on the use of tele-practice in assessing middle ear function in adults living with HIV during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Association of Rare Genetic Variants and Early-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in Ethnic Minority Individuals.

Importance: Although rare variants in cardiac ion channels, transcription factors, and myocardial structural proteins are associated with early-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in White individuals of European descent, it remains unclear whether genetic variation also contributes to the cause of AF in those of minority ethnicity.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of rare and novel pathogenic variants in candidate genes in ethnic minority probands with early-onset AF and determine genotype-phenotype associations.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this cohort, family-based study, probands of African and Hispanic descent with early-onset AF (defined as AF occurring in individuals aged ≤66 years) prospectively enrolled in a clinical and genetic biorepository underwent sequencing of 60 candidate genes.

Complications in pulmonary vein isolation in the Netherlands Heart Registration differ with sex and ablation technique.

Aims: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) has become a cornerstone of the invasive treatment of atrial fibrillation. Severe complications are reported in 1-3% of patients. This study aims to compare complications and follow-up outcome of PVI in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Two isothermal challenges yield comparable physiological and subjective responses.

Purpose: Ventilated vests are developed to reduce thermal stress by enhancing convective and evaporative cooling from skin tissue underneath the vest. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether thermal stress is equal when a ventilated vest is worn compared to a no-vest situation with similar dry thermal resistance.

Methods: Nine healthy males walked on a treadmill (7 km h) for 45 min in a desert climate (34 °C, 20% relative humidity) with and without ventilated vest.

Contact feedback improves 1-year outcomes of remote magnetic navigation-guided ischemic ventricular tachycardia ablation.

Introduction: Remote magnetic navigation (RMN)-guided catheter ablation (CA) is a feasible treatment option for patients presenting with ischemic ventricular tachycardia (VT). Catheter-tissue contact feedback, enhances lesion formation and may consequently improve CA outcomes. Until recently, contact feedback was unavailable for RMN-guided CA.

A Single Axial Impact Load Causes Articular Damage That Is Not Visible with Micro-Computed Tomography: An Study on Caprine Tibiotalar Joints.

Objective: Excessive articular loading, for example, an ankle sprain, may result in focal osteochondral damage, initiating a vicious degenerative process resulting in posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Better understanding of this degenerative process would allow improving posttraumatic care with the aim to prevent PTOA. The primary objective of this study was to establish a drop-weight impact testing model with controllable, reproducible and quantitative axial impact loads to induce osteochondral damage in caprine tibiotalar joints.

Additional Diagnostic value of Mini Electrodes in an 8-mm Tip in Cavotricuspid Isthmus Ablation.

Background: Eight-mm ablation catheters are widely used in cavotricuspid isthmus ablation (CTI) for treatment of right sided atrial flutter. However a high success rate, these large ablation tips comes with adisadvantage of lower resolution of fractionated signals.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the additional diagnostic value of the electrograms recordedfrom mini electrodes (MEs) in an 8-mm ablation catheter tip during CTI.