Remote Management of Pacemaker Patients With Biennial In-Clinic Evaluation: Continuous Home Monitoring in the Japanese At-Home Study: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Current expert consensus recommends remote monitoring for cardiac implantable electronic devices, with at least annual in-office follow-up. We studied safety and resource consumption of exclusive remote follow-up (RFU) in pacemaker patients for 2 years.

Methods: In Japan, consecutive pacemaker patients committed to remote monitoring were randomized to either RFU or conventional in-office follow-up (conventional follow-up) at twice yearly intervals.

Major bleeding complications related to combined antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation patients 12 months after coronary artery stenting.

Background And Purpose: Many patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and coronary artery stent deployment are given both antiplatelet drug and warfarin. Little information is available as to the relationship between the antithrombotic therapies in the late phase after stenting and the clinical outcomes of these patients. We examined the clinical outcomes of AF patients 12 months after coronary artery stenting.

Association between clinical outcome and antiarrhythmic treatment in heart failure patients who have atrial fibrillation upon admission to the hospital.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) are associated with significant mortality and morbidity. We sometimes encounter patients who have AF upon admission to the hospital, but it spontaneously converts to sinus rhythm within several days (i.e.

Prognostic significance of T-wave amplitude in lead aVR in heart failure patients with narrow QRS complexes.

Background: Prolonged duration of the QRS complex is a prognostic marker in patients with heart failure (HF), whereas electrocadiographic markers in HF with narrow QRS complex remain unclear. We evaluated the prognostic value of the T-wave amplitude in lead aVR in HF patients with narrow QRS complexes.

Methods: We examined 331 patients who were admitted to our hospital for worsening HF (68 ± 15 years, mean ± standard deviation) from January 2000 to October 2004 who had sinus rhythm and QRS complex <120 ms.

Prognostic significance of circadian variability of RR and QT intervals and QT dynamicity in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: In patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), circadian variability of RR and QT intervals may be altered because of neurohumoral activation and functional and structural remodeling of the heart.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of circadian variability of the RR and QT intervals and QT dynamicity (QT/RR slope) in CHF patients.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 121 patients with stable CHF in sinus rhythm (age 67 +/- 14 years, mean +/- SD; range 34 to 87 years).

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein is predictive of successful cardioversion for atrial fibrillation and maintenance of sinus rhythm after conversion.

Background: Cardioversion for atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most effective treatment for the restoration of sinus rhythm (SR). Recently, an elevated level of hs-CRP has been shown to be associated with AF burden, suggesting that inflammation increases the propensity for persistence of AF. We examined whether the level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was predictive of the outcome of cardioversion for AF.