Prognostic Implications and Efficacy of Catheter Ablation by Atrial Fibrillation Type.

Background Catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) is preferred for paroxysmal AF (PAF) but selectively performed in patients with persistent AF (PersAF). This study aimed to investigate the prognostic differences and consequences of CA based on the AF type. Methods and Results Data from a multicenter AF cohort study were analyzed, categorizing patients as PAF or PersAF according to AF duration (≤7 or >7 days, respectively).

Delineation of conduction gaps of linear lesions during atrial fibrillation ablation using ultra-high-density mapping.

Aims: Linear lesions are routinely created by radiofrequency catheter ablation. Unwanted electrical conduction gaps can be produced and are often difficult to ablate. This study aimed to clarify the characteristics of conduction gaps during atrial fibrillation ablation by analysing bidirectional activation maps using a high-density mapping system (RHYTHMIA).

Characteristics and health-status outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation detected via health screening.

Background: Early detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) is important. Japan has a universal screening system, and regular health screening (HS) is available to support AF detection without a hospital visit. However, health-related outcomes and other characteristics of HS-detected and conventionally diagnosed AF remain unknown.

Catheter ablation improves outcomes and quality of life in Japanese patients with early-stage atrial fibrillation: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Catheter ablation is widely used as first-line therapy for patients with impaired quality of life; however, whether catheter ablation improves survival and other outcomes in atrial fibrillation (AF) cases remains unclear.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether catheter ablation reduces adverse clinical outcomes and improves patients' quality of life using data from a contemporary Japanese multicenter registry of patients with early-stage AF.

Methods: The Keio Interhospital Cardiovascular Studies-Atrial Fibrillation registered 3318 patients with AF newly diagnosed at or referred to participating hospitals between 2014 and 2018.

Change in the local impedance and electrograms recorded by a micro-electrode tip catheter during initial atrial fibrillation ablation.

Background: A novel measurement of the local impedance (LI) and electrograms recorded from micro-electrodes on catheter tip has been developed. However, the data during pulmonary vein (PV) ablation is not sufficient. We aimed to investigate the utility of this measurement during initial atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation.

Symptom Under-Recognition of Atrial Fibrillation Patients in Consideration for Catheter Ablation: A Report From the KiCS-AF Registry.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate whether symptom under-recognition is associated with the application of catheter ablation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) symptom burden is frequently under-recognized and may affect the choice of treatment strategies.

Methods: A total of 3,276 patients with AF consecutively registered in a Japanese multicenter database from 2012 to 2017 were analyzed.

Anatomical changes in the pulmonary veins and left atrium after cryoballoon ablation.

Background: The anatomical changes in pulmonary veins (PVs) after cryoballoon ablation (CBA) are unclear. We aimed to determine the morphological changes in the PVs and left atrium (LA) along with the predictive factors for clinical PV stenosis.

Methods: We analyzed data of 320 PVs from 80 patients who underwent CBA for atrial fibrillation (age: 62 ± 10 years, 59 males).

Visualization of the electrophysiologically defined junction between the superior vena cava and right atrium.

Introduction: An electrical superior vena cava (SVC) isolation from the right atrium (RA) sometimes can be challenging. For a safe and efficient SVC isolation, we aimed to visualize the accurate position of the SVC-RA junction on a three-dimensional (3D) mapping system using the decremental conduction properties of the SVC-RA junction in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: This study consisted of 15 consecutive AF patients (11 males, age 59 ± 10 years).

Mexiletine shortens the QT interval in a pedigree of related long QT syndrome.

A 23-year-old female had been suffering from recurrent syncopal episodes during sleep since her childhood. She had a family history of sudden death and her QTc interval was remarkably prolonged to 537 ms A Holter ECG revealed torsade de pointes, corresponding to syncope. She was started on mexiletine and her QTc interval shortened.