Atrial Tachyarrhythmias With Ultra-Rapid Ventricular Response and Sudden Death in Patients Without Structural Heart Disease.

Background: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is generally associated with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Supraventricular arrhythmias are an accepted cause of SCD in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and complex congenital heart disease. However, the role of atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATAs) in SCD in patients with structurally normal hearts is unclear.

Patient Preferences for Telemental Health Care in a Federally Qualified Health Center.

: This cross-sectional study evaluated whether preferences for attending mental health visits virtually or in-person vary by demographics and identified factors influencing these preferences among federally qualified health center (FQHC) patients. : FQHC patients ( = 350) completed a satisfaction survey of their mental health care experiences in 2022. Demographic data were obtained from the electronic health record.

Catheter Ablation of Persistent AF-Where are We Now?

Persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) is a diverse condition that includes various subtypes and underlying causes of arrhythmia. Progress made in catheter ablation technology in recent years has significantly enhanced the durability of ablation. Despite these advances however, the effectiveness of ablation in treating persistent AF is still relatively modest.

Risk assessment of esophageal ulceration following left atrial radiofrequency linear ablation.

Introduction: Esophageal safety following radiofrequency (RF) left atrial (LA) linear ablation has not been established. To determine the esophageal safety profile of LA linear RF lesions, we performed systematic esophagogastroduodenoscopy in all patients with intraesophageal temperature rise (ITR) ≥ 38.5°C.

Rescue retrograde coronary venous ethanol ablation of ventricular tachycardia storm in a patient with Lamin A/C cardiomyopathy: a case report.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) summit arrhythmias account for up to 14% of LV arrhythmias. The ablation of LV summit arrhythmias is challenging, as testified by the fact that radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation failure is frequent. Retrograde coronary venous ethanol infusion has been proposed as an alternative approach for the ablation of LV summit arrhythmias.

Cohort profile: Life-course experiences and pregnancy (LEAP)-A retrospective pregnancy cohort for life-course reproductive health research.

Background: Life course factors may be associated with pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain; however, collecting information on pre-pregnancy exposures and pregnancy health in the same cohort is challenging.

Objectives: The Life-course Experiences And Pregnancy (LEAP) study aims to identify adolescent and young adult risk factors for pre-pregnancy weight and gestational weight gain (GWG). We built upon an existing cohort study to overcome challenges inherent to studying life course determinants of pregnancy health.

Procedural performance and outcome after pulsed field ablation for pulmonary vein isolation: comparison with a reference radiofrequency database.

Aims: Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is a promising ablation technique for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with appealing advantages over radiofrequency (RF) including speed, tissue selectivity, and the promise of enhanced durability. In this study, we determine the procedural performance, efficacy, safety, and durability of PFA and compare its performance with a dataset of optimized RF ablation.

Methods And Results: After propensity score matching, we compared 161 patients who received optimized RF-guided PVI in the PowerPlus study (CLOSE protocol) with 161 patients undergoing PFA-guided PVI for paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation (AF; pentaspline basket catheter).

Early atrial fibrillation recurrence post catheter ablation: Analysis from insertable cardiac monitor in the era of optimized radiofrequency ablation.

Background: Early recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmia (ERAT) is associated with ablation-induced proarrhythmogenic inflammation; however, existing studies used intermittent monitoring or nonoptimized radiofrequency (RF) applications (noncontiguous or without ablation index target value).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between ERAT and late recurrence based on insertable cardiac monitor (ICM) data.

Methods: We compiled data from Close-To-Cure and Close Maze studies, which enrolled patients who underwent RF ablation for paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation (AF).

No Effect of Continued Antiarrhythmic Drug Treatment on Top of Optimized Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Patients With Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: Results From the POWDER-AF2 Trial.

Background: In patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (PersAF), catheter ablation aiming for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is associated with moderate clinical effectiveness. We investigated the benefit of continuing previously ineffective class 1C or 3 antiarrhythmic drug therapy (ADT) in the setting of a standardized PVI-only ablation strategy.

Methods: In this multicenter, randomized controlled study, patients with PersAF (≥7 days and <12 months) despite ADT were prospectively randomized 1:1 to PVI with ADT continued versus discontinued beyond the blanking period (ADT ON versus ADT OFF).

Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Well-Being of Emerging Adult Populations: A Synthesis of Findings From the COVID-19 Eating and Activity Over Time (C-EAT) Study.

Research addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychosocial well-being and health behavior is accumulating; however, implications for emerging adult populations are underexplored. This manuscript synthesizes findings from a mixed-methods study of well-being, eating and activity behaviors, and food insecurity among a diverse, longitudinal cohort of emerging adults. The review includes findings from 11 original studies that involved collecting online surveys from 720 emerging adults and in-depth, virtual interviews with 33 respondents who were food insecure.

Impact of Catheter Ablation on Arrhythmia Burden in Patients With Shock-Resistant Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Persistent shock-resistant atrial fibrillation (AF) is a challenging entity, with modest results from catheter ablation according to conventional survival analysis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of catheter ablation on atrial tachyarrhythmia (ATA) burden in persistent AF patients undergoing first-time ablation with the use of an implantable cardiac monitor (ICM).

Methods: Patients with drug-resistant ongoing persistent AF and at least 1 previous failed cardioversion were implanted with an ICM 2 months before the procedure.

The role of prior trauma exposure and subsequent posttraumatic stress disorder in reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study.

Objective: A growing body of literature suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic is a traumatic stressor capable of causing posttraumatic stress symptoms. People with a history of trauma, particularly those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), may be particularly vulnerable to the negative mental health impacts of the pandemic. However, qualitative research exploring potential differences in the lived experiences of and reactions to COVID-19 between people with and without PTSD is lacking.

Loss of control eating during pregnancy is associated with excessive gestational weight gain among individuals with overweight and obesity.

Background: Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) predicts negative health outcomes among individuals with overweight or obesity. Loss of control eating (LOC), the ingestion of food associated with being unable to control eating, is the core psychopathology of binge eating disorders. We evaluated the contribution of LOC to GWG among pregnant individuals with prepregnancy overweight/obesity.

Very High-Power Ablation for Contiguous Pulmonary Vein Isolation: Results From the Randomized POWER PLUS Trial.

Background: Very high-power, short-duration (90-W/4-second) ablation for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) may reduce procedural times. However, shorter applications with higher power may impact lesion quality.

Objectives: In this multicenter, randomized controlled trial, the authors compared procedural efficiency, efficacy, and safety of PVI using 90-W/4-second ablation to 35/50-W ablation.