Early Cryoablation After First Diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation Reduces Arrhythmia Recurrence in Heart Failure Patients.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) often coexist, leading to increased mortality. A cryoballoon-based approach is a potential treatment for patients with HF because of its safety and efficacy.

Objectives: The authors sought to evaluate the optimal timing of cryoballoon ablation after the first clinical diagnosis of AF and its prognosis for patients with HF.

The potential of dynamic Tc-sestamibi cadmium zinc telluride-single-photon emission computed tomography camera assessing myocardial flow reserve in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Aims: Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is related to the pathophysiology, mortality, and morbidity of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). A novel single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) camera with cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors allows for the quantification of absolute myocardial blood flow and myocardial flow reserve (MFR) in patients with coronary artery disease. However, the potential of CZT-SPECT assessing for CMD has never been evaluated in patients with HFpEF.

The impact of the dominant frequency of body surface electrocardiography in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation.

The dominant frequency (DF) of atrial fibrillation (AF) reflects atrial electrical activity. However, the relationship between DF measured using surface electrocardiography (ECG) and AF ablation success remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify whether the DF of surface ECG in patients with persistent AF could predict arrhythmia recurrence after catheter ablation.

Correction to: Differences in prothrombotic response between the uninterrupted and interrupted apixaban therapies in patients undergoing cryoballoon ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: a randomized controlled study.

In the original publication of the article, the table 2 was published incorrectly.

Differences in prothrombotic response between the uninterrupted and interrupted apixaban therapies in patients undergoing cryoballoon ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: a randomized controlled study.

Periprocedural bleeding and thromboembolic events are worrisome complications of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). Periprocedural anticoagulation management could decrease the risk of these complications. However, evaluation of the complications from pulmonary vein isolation using cryoballoon related to different anticoagulation strategies is limited.

Myocardial viability as shown by left ventricular lead pacing threshold and improved dyssynchrony by QRS narrowing predicts the response to cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Introduction: Patients with advanced heart failure and dyssynchrony can benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). To predict the response to CRT, myocardial viability and improved dyssynchrony are suggested to be important.

Methods: We retrospectively investigated 93 patients who underwent CRT implantation in Nagoya University Hospital.

Uninterrupted Direct Oral Anticoagulant and Warfarin Administration in Elderly Patients Undergoing Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: A Comparison With Younger Patients.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) use and uninterrupted warfarin administration in elderly patients undergoing catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF).

Background: There is limited knowledge regarding the uninterrupted use of oral anticoagulant agents in elderly patients undergoing catheter ablation for AF.

Methods: This retrospective study included 2,164 patients (n = 325 ≥75 years of age and n = 1,839 <75 years of age) who underwent catheter ablation for AF.

Head-to-head comparison of acute and chronic pulmonary vein stenosis for cryoballoon versus radiofrequency ablation.

Background: Cryoballoon (CB) applications to pulmonary veins (PVs) can cause stenosis just as radiofrequency (RF) energy deliveries. The goal of the present study was to clarify whether or not there was any difference in the extent of acute or chronic PV narrowing after PV isolation between the two different energy sources.

Methods: Consecutive patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation who were scheduled to undergo a PV isolation were randomized 1:1 to receive CB or RF ablation.

Assessment of autonomic nervous system modulation after novel catheter ablation techniques for atrial fibrillation using multiple short-term electrocardiogram recordings.

Purpose: The effect of novel catheter ablation techniques for atrial fibrillation (AF) on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is unclear. This study aimed to assess the ANS after three novel catheter ablation techniques for paroxysmal AF by evaluating heart rate variability (HRV) parameters using a 3-min electrocardiogram recording.

Methods: Two hundred and thirty-five patients who underwent catheter ablation for paroxysmal AF (119 in irrigated-tip, 51 in contact-force sensing-guided, and 65 patients in second-generation cryoballoon ablation) were included.

Renal function and risk of stroke and bleeding in patients undergoing catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: Comparison between uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulants and warfarin administration.

Background: The effect of uninterrupted oral anticoagulant use in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) during catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) is not fully understood.

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of periprocedural uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) use compared with those of uninterrupted warfarin use in patients undergoing catheter ablation for AF stratified by various renal function groups.

Methods: A total of 2091 patients were retrospectively included in this study.

Vagal response in cryoballoon ablation of atrial fibrillation and autonomic nervous system: Utility of epicardial adipose tissue location.

Background: Mechanism and effects of vagal response (VR) during cryoballoon ablation procedure on the cardiac autonomic nervous system (ANS) are unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between VR during cryoballoon catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation and ANS modulation by evaluating epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) locations and heart rate variability (HRV) analysis.

Methods: Forty-one patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (11 with VR during the procedure and 30 without VR) who underwent second-generation cryoballoon ablation were included.

An ECG Index of P-Wave Force Predicts the Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation after Pulmonary Vein Isolation.

Background: Although several prognostic factors of atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) have been investigated, the accurate prediction of AF recurrence remains difficult. We propose an electrocardiogram (ECG) index, the P-wave force (PWF), which is the product of the amplitude of the negative terminal phase of the P wave in the V1 electrode and the filtered P-wave duration, obtained by a signal-averaged P-wave analysis. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of the PWF on the recurrence of AF after PVI.

Impaired renal function is associated with recurrence after cryoballoon catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: A potential effect of non-pulmonary vein foci.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are closely related. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and outcomes after cryoballoon catheter ablation for AF.

Methods: We included a total of 110 patients (64.

Effect and Significance of Early Reablation for the Treatment of Early Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation After Catheter Ablation.

There are few reports on early reablation (ER) for early recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after catheter ablation. The present study evaluated the efficacy and significance of ER for early recurrence within a blanking period of 3 months after ablation of both paroxysmal and persistent AF, using a propensity-matched analysis. Of 874 patients who underwent catheter ablation of AF, 389 (45%) had early recurrence.

Comparison of the change in the dimension of the pulmonary vein ostia immediately after pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation-open irrigated-tip catheters versus non-irrigated conventional 4 mm-tip catheters.

Introduction: A difference in the lesion formation between open irrigated-tip (OITC) and non-irrigated 4-mm-tip catheters (NITC) may result in a difference in the dimension of the pulmonary vein (PV) ostia after PV isolation of atrial fibrillation (AF). This study evaluated the difference using intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) before and immediately after an extensive encircling PV isolation (EPVI) with an OITC and with an NITC.

Methods And Results: We studied 100 consecutive patients (OITC group, 54; NITC group, 46) who received EPVI.

Procedural sedation with dexmedetomidine during ablation of atrial fibrillation: a randomized controlled trial.

Aims: Procedural sedation by non-anaesthesiologists with GABAergic anaesthetics has the potential risk of fatal respiratory depression. Dexmedetomidine works its sedative action via α2-adrenergic receptors, and is less associated with respiratory depression. We tested the usability of dexmedetomidine as a procedural sedative during ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF).

A head-to-head comparison of periprocedural coagulability under anticoagulation with rivaroxaban versus dabigatran in patients undergoing ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Background And Objectives: Two new oral anticoagulants, rivaroxaban and dabigatran, with no need for anticoagulation monitoring, are available for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to compare their anticoagulant effects and safety when used during the AF ablation periprocedural period.

Methods: Patients undergoing AF ablation were randomly assigned to receive rivaroxaban 15 mg once daily (N = 30) or dabigatran 110 mg twice daily (N = 30).

Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors can suppress atrial fibrillation recurrence after encircling ipsilateral pulmonary vein isolation in patients with a non-dilated left atrium.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the effects of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASIs) after encircling ipsilateral pulmonary veins isolation (EIPVsI) for atrial fibrillation (AF) differed between patients with non-dilated and dilated left atria.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively studied 292 consecutive patients (mean age=61±11 years, 75% males) who underwent successful EIPVsI for paroxysmal or persistent AF. RASIs' effects were compared between the patients with a non-dilated left atrium of <40 mm (n=178) and dilated left atrium of ≥40 mm (n=114).