Computerized misinterpretation of QT interval in 12-lead electrocardiogram and its clinical consequences: A case of recurrent syncope.

Don't blindly accept the automated assessment of electrocardiogram. It is important to raise long QT syndrome to the differential diagnosis of repeated syncope.

Abdominal Fat Pad Fine-Needle Aspiration for Diagnosis of Cardiac Amyloidosis in Patients with Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.

The diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis is frequently delayed because histological confirmation is often challenging. Few studies have attempted to clarify the utility and safety of abdominal fat pad fine-needle aspiration (FPFNA) for an initial screening test in patients with suspected cardiac amyloidosis.This study included 77 consecutive patients with suspected non-ischemic cardiomyopathy who had left ventricular dysfunction and/or hypertrophy.

Association between Changes in the Systolic Blood Pressure from Evening to the Next Morning and Night Glucose Variability in Heart Disease Patients.

Objectve To assess the impact of glycemic variability on blood pressure in hospitalized patients with cardiac disease. Methods In 40 patients with cardiovascular disease, the glucose levels were monitored by flash continuous glucose monitoring (FGM; Free-Style Libre™ or Free-Style Libre Pro; Abbott, Witney, UK) and self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) for 14 days. Blood pressure measurements were performed twice daily (morning and evening) at the same time as the glucose level measurement using SMBG.

The mechanisms of left septal and anterior wall reentrant atrial tachycardias analyzed with ultrahigh resolution mapping: The role of functional block in the circuit.

Background: Low voltage areas (LVAs) are most commonly observed on the left atrial (LA) septal/anterior wall.

Objective: We explored the mechanisms of LA septal/anterior wall reentrant tachycardias (LASARTs) using ultrahigh resolution mapping.

Methods: This study included seven consecutive LASARTs in six patients (75 [62.

Discrepancy between CARTO and Rhythmia maps for defining the left atrial low-voltage areas in atrial fibrillation ablation.

Reported mapping procedures of left atrial (LA) low-voltage areas (LVAs) vary widely. This study aimed to compare the PentaRay/CARTO3 (PentaRay map) and Orion™/Rhythmia™ (Orion map) systems for LA voltage mapping. This study included 15 patients who underwent successful pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for atrial fibrillation.

Early repolarization in the inferolateral leads predicts the presence of vasospastic angina: a novel predictor in patients with resting angina.

Background: An association between early repolarization and ventricular fibrillation has recently been reported in patients with vasospastic angina (VSA). However, no studies have clarified whether the presence of early repolarization can predict VSA.

Methods: Participants comprised 286 patients (136 males) with clinically suspected VSA who underwent intracoronary provocation tests using acetylcholine or ergonovine.

Ultra-high resolution mapping and ablation of accessory pathway conduction.

Background: Detailed mapping studies of accessory pathway (AP) conduction have not been previously performed using ultra-high resolution mapping systems. We sought to evaluate the clinical utility of ultra-high resolution mapping systems and the novel "Lumipoint" algorithm in AP ablation.

Methods: This study included 17 patients who underwent AP mapping using minielectrode basket catheters and Rhythmia systems.

Mapping and ablation of clinical spontaneous perimitral atrial tachycardias using an ultra-high-resolution mapping system.

Background: Perimitral atrial tachycardias (PMATs) are common atrial tachycardias (ATs), yet their mechanisms vary.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterize clinical spontaneous PMATs using an ultra-high-resolution (UHR) mapping system.

Methods: The study included 32 consecutive PMATs in 31 patients who had undergone AT mapping/ablation using a UHR mapping system.

Effects of PCSK9 Inhibitor on Favorable Limb Outcomes in Patients with Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of evolocumab on favorable limb events in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI).

Methods: A single-center, prospective observational study was performed on 30 patients with CLTI. The subjects were divided into 2 groups based on evolocumab administration: evolocumab-treated (E) group ( n=14) and evolocumab non-treated (non-E) group (n=16).

Femoral vascular complications after catheter ablation in the current era: The utility of computed tomography imaging.

Background: Few studies have examined the characteristics of catheter ablation vascular complications, and recently physicians increasingly use computed tomography angiography (CTA) for diagnosing.

Objective: We sought to investigate the incidence of femoral vascular complications in catheter ablation and factors associated with complications in the current era.

Methods: This single-center observational study consisted of 311 consecutive (atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, and ventricular arrhythmias in 222 [71.

Sequential organ failure assessment score on admission predicts long-term mortality in acute heart failure patients.

Aims: The sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score has been a widely used predictor of outcomes in the intensive care unit, whereas short-term and long-term survivals of heart failure (HF) patients are predicted by the American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines-Heart Failure (GWTG-HF) risk score. The purpose of present study was to examine whether the SOFA score on admission is more useful for predicting long-term mortality in acute HF patients than the GWTG-HF risk score.

Methods And Results: A total of 269 patients (mean age, 78.

Serum tenascin-C levels in atrium predict atrial structural remodeling processes in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Fibro-inflammatory processes in the extracellular matrix are closely associated with progressive structural remodeling in atrial fibrillation (AF). Serum concentrations of tenascin-C (TNC), an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, and of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) might serve as a marker of remodeling and progressive inflammation of the aorta and in myocardial diseases. This study aimed to clarify relationships between TNC and CRP in patients with AF.

Feasibility of Uninterrupted Direct Oral Anticoagulants with Temporary Switching to Dabigatran ("Dabigatran Bridge") for Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation.

Uninterrupted anticoagulation therapy during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation minimizes the risk of periprocedural thromboembolic events. Although the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) has rapidly developed in patients undergoing AF ablation, no antidote is available for factor Xa inhibitors. We sought to investigate the feasibility of an uninterrupted DOAC protocol with temporary switching to dabigatran ("dabigatran bridge") for AF ablation.

The P wave morphology in lead V7 on the synthesized 18-lead ECG is a useful parameter for identifying arrhythmias originating from the right inferior pulmonary vein.

Atrial tachyarrhythmias often originate from the superior vena cava (SVC), and right superior (RSPV) and inferior pulmonary veins (RIPV). However, a precise differentiation of those origins is challenging using the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) P-wave morphology due to the anatomical proximity. The recently developed synthesized 18-lead ECG provides virtual waveforms of the right-sided chest and back leads.

Pressure-guided second-generation cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation: Prospective comparison of the procedural and clinical outcomes with the conventional strategy.

Background: The utility of pressure waveform analyses to assess pulmonary vein (PV) occlusions has been reported in cryoballoon PV isolation (CB-PVI) using first-generation CBs. This prospective randomized study compared the procedural and clinical outcomes of pressure-guided and conventional CB-PVI.

Methods And Results: Sixty patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation underwent CB-PVI with 28-mm second-generation CBs.

Efficacy and Safety of Tolvaptan in Patients More Than 90 Years Old With Acute Heart Failure.

Background: The oral vasopressin-2 receptor antagonist, tolvaptan, causes aquaresis and improves symptoms in patients with congestive heart failure. However, few studies have explored the effect of tolvaptan in acute heart failure (AHF) patients ≥90 years old.

Methods: This study enrolled 106 AHF patients treated with tolvaptan added to standard therapy.

Effects of Sitagliptin on the Coronary Flow Reserve, Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Stromal Cell-derived Factor-1alpha.

Objective Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are regulated by stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1α) and are reduced in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). SDF-1α is a substrate of dipeptidyl-peptidase-4 (DPP-4), so we investigated whether or not DPP-4-inhibitors modulate EPC levels in type 2 DM patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods Thirty patients with CAD and type 2 DM treated using an ordinary regimen were enrolled.

Intra-procedural evaluation of the cavo-tricuspid isthmus anatomy with different techniques: comparison of angiography and intracardiac echocardiography.

Cavo-tricuspid isthmus (CTI) anatomies are highly variable, and specific anatomies lead to a difficult CTI ablation. This study aimed to compare the clinical utility of angiography and intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) in evaluating CTI anatomies, and to investigate the impact of the CTI anatomy on the procedure when the ablation tactic was adjusted to the anatomy. This study included 92 consecutive patients who underwent a CTI ablation.

Mid-axillary pacemaker re-implantation after contralateral pocket infection in an emaciated elderly case.

The number of implantations of cardiac implantable electrophysiological devices (CIEDs) has increased over the past several years. However, the aging population and expansion of indications for CIEDs have led to an increase in associated infections. We experienced a case of a 99-year-old man presenting with skin erosion at the pocket site, where a 6-month-old implantable pacemaker was replaced.