Beyond conduction impairment: Unveiling the profound myocardial injury in left bundle branch block.

Heart Rhythm

Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China; Medical Imaging Center, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

Published: August 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • Left bundle branch block (LBBB) is a common heart condition that raises concerns about its link to cardiomyopathy and specifically how it might initiate dilated cardiomyopathy.
  • The study involved inducing LBBB in 14 dogs, monitoring their heart function and structural changes at multiple time points to understand the effects on left ventricular function and potential pathological mechanisms.
  • Results showed that LBBB caused significant heart tissue damage and progressive left ventricular dysfunction over 12 months, revealing a complex relationship between LBBB and cardiomyopathy that could guide future clinical research and treatments.

Article Abstract

Background: Left bundle branch block (LBBB) represents a frequently encountered conduction system disorder. Despite its widespread occurrence, a continual dilemma persists regarding its intricate association with underlying cardiomyopathy and its pivotal role in the initiation of dilated cardiomyopathy. The pathologic alterations linked to LBBB-induced cardiomyopathy (LBBB-CM) have remained elusive.

Objective: This study sought to investigate the chronologic dynamics of LBBB to left ventricular dysfunction and the pathologic mechanism of LBBB-CM.

Methods: LBBB model was established through main left bundle branch trunk ablation in 14 canines. All LBBB dogs underwent transesophageal echocardiography and electrocardiography before ablation and at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after LBBB induction. Single-photon emission computed tomography imaging was performed at 12 months. We then harvested the heart from all LBBB dogs and 14 healthy adult dogs as normal controls for anatomic observation, Purkinje fiber staining, histologic staining, and connexin43 protein expression quantitation.

Results: LBBB induction caused significant fibrotic changes in the endocardium and mid-myocardium. Purkinje fibers exhibited fatty degeneration, vacuolization, and fibrosis along with downregulated connexin43 protein expression. During a 12-month follow-up, left ventricular dysfunction progressively worsened, peaking at the end of the observation period. The association between myocardial dysfunction, hypoperfusion, and fibrosis was observed in the LBBB-afflicted canines.

Conclusion: LBBB may lead to profound myocardial injury beyond its conduction impairment effects. The temporal progression of left ventricular dysfunction and the pathologic alterations observed shed light on the complex relationship between LBBB and cardiomyopathy. These findings offer insights into potential mechanisms and clinical implications of LBBB-CM.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2024.03.012DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

left bundle
12
bundle branch
12
left ventricular
12
ventricular dysfunction
12
lbbb
9
conduction impairment
8
profound myocardial
8
myocardial injury
8
branch block
8
pathologic alterations
8

Similar Publications

Superficial acral fibromyxoma on the palm: a case report.

J Med Case Rep

January 2025

Department of Clinical Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, China.

Background: Superficial acral fibromyxoma is a noncancerous, benign tumor of soft tissue with an unidentified origin. Occurrences of abnormalities on the palm are less frequently documented.

Case Report Presentation: A 47-year-old East Asian woman presented with a palm tumor on her left knuckle that had been present for 4 months.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing in a Patient with Ventricular Septal Defect.

Turk Kardiyol Dern Ars

January 2025

Division of Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, Department of Cardiology, University of Health Sciences, Yuksek Ihtisas Cardiovascular Building, Ankara City Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Variations and Asymmetry in Sacral Ventral Rami Contributions to the Bladder.

Diagnostics (Basel)

January 2025

Aging + Cardiovascular Discovery Center, Department of Biomedical Education and Data Science, Lewis Katz School of Medicine of Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.

We have demonstrated in human cadavers and canines that nerve transfer to bladder vesical nerve branches is technically feasible for bladder reinnervation after nerve injury. We further clarify here that sacral (S) ventral rami contribute to these vesical branches in 36 pelvic sides (in 22 human cadavers). Gross post-mortem visualization and open anterior abdominal approaches were used, as was micro-CT of sacral nerve bundles, for further confirmation when needed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Andersen-Tawil syndrome (ATS) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder caused by variants in the gene. It is associated with periodic paralysis, dysmorphic features and cardiac arrhythmias. The syndrome exhibits incomplete penetrance, leading to a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, making diagnosis challenging.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Diagnostic Accuracy of Low-Dose Myocardial Perfusion Imaging in a Real-World Setting.

J Nucl Cardiol

January 2025

Université de Lorraine, CHRU-Nancy, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Nancyclotep Imaging Platform, F-54000, Nancy, France; Université de Lorraine, INSERM U1254, IADI, F-54000 Nancy, France. Electronic address:

Background: This large-scale study analyzes factors affecting diagnostic accuracy of low-dose myocardial perfusion imaging and correlation with coronary angiography in a real-world practice.

Methods: We compared data extracted from routine reports of (i) low-dose [Tc]sestamibi stress-MPI performed with no attenuation correction and predominantly exercise stress testing and (ii) the corresponding coronary angiography.

Results: We considered 1070 pairs of coronary angiography/stress-MPI results reported by 11 physicians.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!