Comparison of the efficacy between impedance-guided and contact force-guided atrial fibrillation ablation using an automated annotation system.

Background: This study compared the efficacy of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) between impedance (IMP)-guided and contact force (CF)-guided annotation using the automated annotation system (VisiTag™).

Methods: Fifty patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for AF were randomized to the IMP-guided or CF-guided groups. The annotation criteria for VisiTag™ were a 10 second minimum ablation time and 2 mm maximum catheter movement range.

Prognostic Usefulness of Tricuspid Annular Diameter for Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Tricuspid Regurgitation of Moderate to Severe Degree.

Functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is frequently encountered. Current guidelines recommend the surgical correction of severe TR only at the time of left valve surgery despite emphasizing the enlarged tricuspid annulus (TA) dimension. We attempted to evaluate the relation between TA dimension and clinical outcomes of moderate or severe TR.

The Melatonin Signaling Pathway in a Long-Term Memory In Vitro Study.

The activation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element-binding protein (CREB) via phosphorylation in the hippocampus is an important signaling mechanism for enhancing memory processing. Although melatonin is known to increase CREB expression in various animal models, the signaling mechanism between melatonin and CREB has been unknown in vitro. Thus, we confirmed the signaling pathway between the melatonin receptor 1 (MT1) and CREB using melatonin in HT-22 cells.

Implications of prescribing a fixed-dose combination in clinical cardiology practice: a retrospective observational study using a single medical centre database in Korea.

Objective: Fixed-dose combination (FDC) prescribing enhances adherence to medication. However, there are limited data regarding the usefulness of FDC drugs across different risk groups. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between FDC discontinuation and clinical outcomes.

Induction of Inflammation In Vivo by Electrocardiogram Sensor Operation Using Wireless Power Transmission.

Prolonged monitoring by cardiac electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors is useful for patients with emergency heart conditions. However, implant monitoring systems are limited by lack of tissue biocompatibility. Here, we developed an implantable ECG sensor for real-time monitoring of ventricular fibrillation and evaluated its biocompatibility using an animal model.

Heart rate at first postdischarge visit and outcomes in patients with heart failure.

Objective: Heart rate control is important to prevent adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). However, postdischarge activity may worsen heart rate control, resulting in readmission. This study aimed to explore the implications of the heart rate differences between discharge and the first outpatient visit (D-O diff).

Supraventricular tachyarrhythmias in patients with a persistent left superior vena cava.

Aims: A persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is the most common thoracic venous anomaly. This venous anomaly can impact the evaluation and treatment of supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVA). The aim of this study was to assess the proportion and characteristics of PLSVC in adult SVA patients.

Extension of catheter ablation and outcome for ventricular tachycardia or premature ventricular contractions from the right ventricular outflow tract.

Objective We aimed to determine whether the extension of ablation could influence the ablation outcome for ventricular tachycardia (VT)/premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) from the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). Methods and results The radiofrequency catheter ablation results of 33 VT/6 frequent PVCs from the RVOT were analysed. The ablation extension was divided into 3 categories from the final successful ablation point with the earliest activation: (I) focal ablation (15 cases); ablation at 1 or 2 points; (II) focal with extended ablation (12 cases); focal and surrounding area ablation (maximum ≤1 cm) after elimination of clinical VT/PVCs; and (III) broad ablation (12 cases); continued broad ablation (maximum >1 cm) after elimination of clinical VT/PVCs.

Predictors of an adverse clinical outcome in patients with long-term right ventricular apical pacing.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) apical pacing can result in progressive left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and contribute to the development of heart failure (HF). This study aimed to predict the outcome after long-term RV apical pacing in patients with acquired atrioventricular (AV) block who required permanent pacing.

Methods: We included 247 patients who underwent long-term (>90% ventricular pacing with atrioventricular synchrony for more than 1 year) RV apical pacing for acquired AV block.

Effectiveness of Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Therapy for Heart Failure Patients according to Ischemic or Non-Ischemic Etiology in Korea.

Background And Objectives: This study was performed to describe clinical characteristics of patients with left ventriculars (LV) dysfunction and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), and to evaluate the effect of ICD therapy on survival in Yeongnam province of Korea.

Subjects And Methods: From a community-based device registry (9 centers, Yeongnam province, from November 1999 to September 2012), 146 patients with LV dysfunction and an ICD implanted for primary or secondary prophylaxis, were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups, based on the etiology (73 with ischemic cardiomyopathy and 73 with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy), and indication for the device implantation (36 for primary prevention and 110 for secondary prevention).

Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Deferred Coronary Lesions according to Disease Severity Assessed by Fractional Flow Reserve.

Data on the clinical outcomes in deferred coronary lesions according to functional severity have been limited. This study evaluated the clinical outcomes of deferred lesions according to fractional flow reserve (FFR) grade using Korean FFR registry data. Among 1,294 patients and 1,628 lesions in Korean FFR registry, 665 patients with 781 deferred lesions were included in this study.

Discrepancy between frequency domain optical coherence tomography and intravascular ultrasound in human coronary arteries and in a phantom in vitro coronary model.

Background: This purpose of this study is to evaluate, concomitantly with quantitative coronary angiography (QCA), the potential discrepancy between frequency domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) measurements in a phantom coronary model and in human coronary arteries within and outside stented segments.

Methods: FD-OCT and IVUS images sequentially obtained from a phantom coronary model and 57 stented human coronary arteries were compared between each other and with QCA.

Results: Lumen area (LA) by IVUS was 10.

No Association of the rs17822931 Polymorphism in ABCC11 with Breast Cancer Risk in Koreans.

ABCC11 is reported to be associated with breast cancer. However, whether ABCC11 polymorphisms relate to breast cancer risk remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate any association of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs17822931, in ABCC11 with breast cancer in Koreans.

Significance of apical cavity obliteration in apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Objective: Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is characterised by apical systolic obliteration and is associated with atrial fibrillation (AF), stroke, heart failure (HF), and mortality. We investigated whether apical obliteration of the left ventricular (LV) cavity could have an unfavourable impact on the clinical course of apical HCM.

Methods: 188 patients with apical HCM (114 males, median age 67 years) were identified retrospectively from January 2008 to December 2010.

Usefulness of Frequency Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Compared with Intravascular Ultrasound as a Guidance for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Objectives: To compare outcomes and rates of optimal stent placement between optical coherence tomography (OCT) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Background: Unlike IVUS-guided PCI, rates of clinical outcomes and optimal stent placement have not been well characterized for OCT-guided PCI.

Methods: The study enrolled 290 patients who underwent implantation of a second generation drug eluting stent under OCT (122 patients) or IVUS (168 patients) guidance.

Genetic Variation of SCN5A in Korean Patients with Sick Sinus Syndrome.

Background And Objectives: Due to recent studies that have shown an association between the genetic variation of SCN5A and sick sinus syndrome (SSS), we sought to determine if a similar correlation existed in Korean patients with SSS.

Subjects And Methods: We enrolled 30 patients with SSS who showed a sinus pause (longer than 3.0 s) in Holter monitoring, in addition to 80 controls.

Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of the Lercanidipine/Valsartan Combination in Korean Patients With Essential Hypertension Not Adequately Controlled With Lercanidipine Monotherapy: A Randomized, Multicenter, Parallel Design, Phase III Clinical Trial.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the lercanidipine/valsartan combination compared with lercanidipine monotherapy in patients with hypertension.

Methods: Part 1 of this study was the randomized, multicenter, double-blind, parallel group, Phase III, 8-week clinical trial to compare superiority of lercanidipine 10 mg/valsartan 80 mg (L10/V80) and lercanidipine 10 mg/valsartan 160 mg (L10/V160) combinations with lercanidipine 10 mg (L10) monotherapy. At screening, hypertensive patients, whose diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was >90 mm Hg after 4 weeks with L10, were randomized to 3 groups of L10, L10/V80, and L10/V160.

Randomized clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of remote patient monitoring and physician care in reducing office blood pressure.

The effectiveness of remote patient monitoring and physician care for the treatment of hypertension has not been demonstrated in a randomized clinical trial. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of remote patient monitoring with or without remote physician care in reducing office blood pressure in patients with hypertension. A total of 374 hypertensive patients over 20 years of age were randomized into the following three groups: group (1) control, the patients received usual clinical care with home BP monitoring; group (2) the patients were remotely monitored and received office follow-up; and group (3) the patients received remote monitoring without physician office care using the remote monitoring device.

Bio-optics based sensation imaging for breast tumor detection using tissue characterization.

The tissue inclusion parameter estimation method is proposed to measure the stiffness as well as geometric parameters. The estimation is performed based on the tactile data obtained at the surface of the tissue using an optical tactile sensation imaging system (TSIS). A forward algorithm is designed to comprehensively predict the tactile data based on the mechanical properties of tissue inclusion using finite element modeling (FEM).

Characteristics of function-anatomy mismatch in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background And Objectives: Coronary lesions with mismatched functional and anatomical significance are not uncommon. We assessed the accuracy and predictors of mismatch between fractional flow reserve (FFR) and quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) analyses in patients with coronary lesions.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 643 lesions with pre-interventional FFR and QCA measurements were consecutively enrolled and divided into four groups using FFR ≤0.

A comparison of tissue prolapse with optical coherence tomography and intravascular ultrasound after drug-eluting stent implantation.

The aim of this study was to compare the detection rate of tissue prolapse (TP) in optical coherence tomography (OCT) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation and evaluate clinical implication of TP at 2 years after percutaneous coronary intervention. In spite of the superiority of OCT in the aspect of resolution when it was compared to IVUS, there was little data about the superiority of OCT in detecting TP. And there has been controversy about the clinical significance of TP.

Long-term outcomes of simple crossover stenting from the left main to the left anterior descending coronary artery.

Background/aims: Although complex bifurcation stenting in patients with non-left main (LM) bifurcation lesions has not yielded better clinical outcomes than simpler procedures, the utility of complex bifurcation stenting to treat LM bifurcation lesions has not yet been adequately explored.

Methods: In the present study, patients who underwent LM-to-left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery simple crossover stenting to treat significant de novo distal LM or ostial LAD disease, in the absence of angiographically significant ostial left circumflex (LCX) coronary artery disease, were consecutively enrolled. The frequencies of 3-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs; cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization), were analyzed.