Association of left atrial enlargement and increased left ventricular wall thickness with arrhythmia recurrence after cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation.

Background: Left atrial enlargement (LAE) predicts atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after cryoballoon-based pulmonary vein isolation (CB). Increased left ventricular wall thickness (LVWT) is pathophysiologically associated with LAE and atrial arrhythmias.

Aims: To assess effect of increased LVWT on long-term outcomes of CB depending on coexistence of LAE.

Early stage of left atrium remodelling predicts better outcome in long-term follow-up of atrial fibrillation ablation.

Background: Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) has been increasingly used for the treatment of patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF).

Aim: To identify simple pre-procedural success predictors of RFCA in patients with AF.

Methods And Results: It comprised 294 consecutive patients (mean age 54 ± 11 years, 71% male) with symptomatic AF (28% - paroxysmal with short episodes (< 12 h); 50% - paroxysmal with episodes ≥ 12 h and < 7 days; 11.

Ventricular fibrillation risk factors in over one thousand patients with accessory pathways.

Background: Published data concerning risk factors of VF in WPW patients are inconsistent or contradictory.

Methods And Results: We included 1007 patient (pts) (mean age 35 years; 45% female) with an accessory pathway (AP) referred for non pharmacological treatment. Group 1 consisted of 56 pts (42M, aged 34 ± 15 yrs) with an AP and documented VF and Group 2-951 pts (513M, aged 35 ± 15 yrs) with an AP and without VF.

[Glass of water or ablation? - episodes of malignant atrial tachyarrhythmias during swimming in a lake in a woman with overt Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and benign palpitations for several decades of life].

We present a case of a 41 year old woman with overt Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) and benign palpitations for over four decades of life who suffered from a malignant atrial tachyarrhythmias (typical atrial flutter concomitant with left atrial fibrillation) during swimming in a lake. Loading dose of amiodarone increased frequency of attacks of sustained AVRT. In spite of treatment with amiodarone, effective refractory period of accessory pathway was still short.

The clinical course and risk in patients with pseudo-Mahaim fibers.

Background: Pseudo-Mahaim (AP-M) fibers are a rare variant of atrioventricular (AV) accessory pathways. Atriofascicular and atrioventricular accessory connections are characterized by slow conduction and decremental properties. Dual physiological AV node pathways, slow and fast, are observed in a large number of patients with AP-M.