Predictors of Mortality, Rehospitalization for Syncope and Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Cardiovascular Syncope.

Background: Predictors of poor outcomes remain unknown for cardiovascular syncope patients after discharge.

Methods and results: We reviewed the medical records of consecutive patients admitted to hospital with cardiovascular syncope. We then performed Cox stepwise logistic regression analysis to identify significant independent factors for death, rehospitalization for syncope, and cardiovascular events.

Immediate discontinuation of ablation during pulmonary vein isolation remarkably decreases the incidence of esophageal thermal lesions even when using steerable sheaths.

Background: Left atrial-esophageal fistulas (LAEFs) are serious complications with high mortality after atrial fibrillation radiofrequency ablation (AFRA). Decreasing the incidence of esophageal thermal lesions (EsoTLs) that may lead to LAEFs is important. The aim of this study was to suppress EsoTL development and determine the appropriate alarm setting for a temperature-monitoring probe by using steerable sheath (STS) methods.

Effects of Aging on the Coagulation Fibrinolytic System in Outpatients of the Cardiovascular Department.

Background: Although clinical trials demonstrate that the elderly with atrial fibrillation have risks of thrombosis and bleeding, the relationship between aging and coagulation fibrinolytic system in "real-world" cardiology outpatients is uncertain.

Methods and results: We retrospectively evaluated 773 patients (mean age: 58 years; 52% men; Asian ethnicity). To thoroughly investigate markers of coagulation and fibrinolysis, we simultaneously measured levels of D-dimer, prothrombin-fragment1+2 (F1+2), plasmin-α2 plasmin inhibitor complex (PIC), and thrombomodulin (TM).

Recurrence of atrial fibrillation within three months after pulmonary vein isolation for patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: Analysis using external loop recorder with auto-trigger function.

Background: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) via catheter ablation has been shown to be a highly effective treatment option for patients with symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). The recurrence of AF within 3 months after PVI is not considered to be the result of ablation procedure failure, because early recurrence of AF is not always associated with late recurrence. We examined the usefulness of an external loop recorder with an auto-trigger function (ELR-AUTO) for the detection of atrial fibrillation following PVI to characterize early recurrence and to determine the implications of AF occurrence within 3 months after PVI.

J-Wave in Patients With Syncope.

Background: Syncope is a common occurrence. The presence of J-wave, also known as early repolarization, on electrocardiogram is often seen in the general population, but the relationship between syncope and J-wave is unclear.

Methods and results: After excluding 67 patients with structural heart disease from 326 with syncope, we classified 259 patients according to the presence or absence of J-wave (≥1 mm) in at least 2 inferior or lateral leads.

Type III procollagen-N-peptide as a predictor of persistent atrial fibrillation recurrence after cardioversion.

Aims: Fibrosis and inflammation may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence. Type III procollagen-N-peptide (PIIINP) may be related to atrial fibrosis and play a role in predicting the recurrence of AF. We investigated whether PIIINP as a fibrosis marker predicts the recurrence of AF after cardioversion.