The impact of serum concentration-guided digoxin therapy on mortality of heart failure patients: A long-term follow-up, propensity-matched cohort study.

Background: Recently published studies suggested that digoxin may increase mortality in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, in the vast majority of former trials serum digoxin concentration (SDC) was not measured and therapy was not SDC-guided.

Aim: To assess the impact of SDC-guided digoxin therapy on mortality in HFrEF patients.

Association of Remote Monitoring With Survival in Heart Failure Patients Undergoing Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: Retrospective Observational Study.

Background: Remote monitoring is an established, guideline-recommended technology with unequivocal clinical benefits; however, its ability to improve survival is contradictory.

Objective: The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of remote monitoring on mortality in an optimally treated heart failure patient population undergoing cardiac resynchronization defibrillator therapy (CRT-D) implantation in a large-volume tertiary referral center.

Methods: The population of this single-center, retrospective, observational study included 231 consecutive patients receiving CRT-D devices in the Medical Centre of the Hungarian Defence Forces (Budapest, Hungary) from January 2011 to June 2016.

Needle aspiration for treating iatrogenic pneumothorax after cardiac electronic device implantation: a pilot study.

Purpose: Pneumothorax (PTX) following cardiac implantable electronic device procedures is traditionally treated with chest tube drainage (CTD). We hypothesized that, in a subset of patients, the less invasive needle aspiration (NA) may also be effective. We compared the strategy of primary NA with that of primary CTD in a single-center observational study.

Effects of implantation of quadripolar left ventricular leads on CRT response.

Background: The use of quadripolar (QP) left ventricular leads for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is intended to improve outcomes compared with conventional bipolar leads (BP). Hence, the number of implanted quadripolar CRT systems is increasing despite limited long-term data.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical response and long-term outcomes of CRT recipients who were implanted with quadripolar versus bipolar left ventricular leads.

Physical activity detection in patients with intracardiac leadless pacemaker.

Introduction: The Micra Transcatheter Pacing System provides a rate adaptive pacing using an individually programmable three-axis accelerometer. We evaluated the short- and mid-term performance of the Micra activity sensor by testing all three available activity vectors during the exercise tests.

Methods And Results: Implantation and follow-up data were prospectively collected from the patients undergoing Micra implantation at our institution.

ICD lead type and RV lead position in CRT-D recipients.

Background: Data on preferred ICD lead type and optimal RV lead position in patients undergoing CRT-D implantation are limited.

Objectives: To compare dual- versus single-coil ICD leads and non-apical versus apical RV lead position and their impact on clinical parameters and survival in CRT-D recipients.

Methods: A total of 563 consecutive patients with advanced heart failure and indication for CRT-D implantation were enrolled in two European tertiary centers.

Refined heart failure detection algorithm for improved clinical reliability of OptiVol alerts in CRT-D recipients.

Background: The reliability of intrathoracic impedance monitoring for prediction of heart failure (HF) by implantable cardiac devices is controversial. Despite using additional device-based parameters described in the PARTNERS HF study, such as new onset of arrhythmias, abnormal autonomics, low biventricular pacing rate or patient activity level, the predictive power of device diagnostic algorithm is still in doubt. The objective of this study was to compare the device diagnostic algorithm described in the PARTNERS HF study to a newly developed algorithm applying refined diagnostic criteria.

Ventricular rate stabilization for treatment of recurrent VT.

A patient with ischaemic cardiomyopathy received a secondary prevention VVI implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) after an episode of sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). Because of recurrent VTs transmitted via CareLink, medical therapy was optimized and VT ablation was performed. Subsequently, a fast VT with a typical short-long-short initiation developed.

Effect of cardiac resynchronization therapy with implantable cardioverter defibrillator versus cardiac resynchronization therapy with pacemaker on mortality in heart failure patients: results of a high-volume, single-centre experience.

Aims: There are limited and contradictory data on the effects of CRT with implantable cardioverter defibrillator (CRT-D) on mortality as compared with CRT with pacemaker (CRT-P).

Methods And Results: We evaluated the long-term outcome of patients implanted with a CRT-D or CRT-P device in our high-volume single-centre experience. Data on all-cause mortality were derived from clinic visits and the Hungarian National Healthcare Fund Death Registry.