A screening for cerebral deoxygenation during VT ablations in patients with structural heart disease.

Background: Patients undergoing ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation often present with structural heart disease (SHD) and reduced ejection fraction. Inducing VT by programmed electrical stimulation (PES) puts these patients at risk for hemodynamic instability and cerebral hypoperfusion.

Objective: The present study screens for cerebral oxygen desaturation phases (ODPs) in patients undergoing VT ablation.

Recurrent Atrial Fibrillation Ablation after Initial Successful Pulmonary Vein Isolation.

Background: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is an effective treatment option for patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the electrical recovery of pulmonary veins (PVs) is the main trigger for AF recurrences. This study investigates the characteristics of patients admitted for redo AF ablation, the PV reconnection rates depending on previous ablation modalities and the impact of different ablation strategies for redo procedures.

Does Atrial Fibrillation Deteriorate the Prognosis in Patients With Septic or Cardiogenic Shock?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with increased risk of mortality in various clinical conditions. However, the prognostic role of preexisting and new-onset AF in critically ill patients, such as patients with septic or cardiogenic shock remains unclear. This study investigates the prognostic impact of preexisting and new-onset AF on 30-day all-cause mortality in patients with septic or cardiogenic shock.

The prothrombin time/international normalized ratio predicts prognosis in cardiogenic shock.

Objective: The study investigates the prognostic impact of the prothrombin time/international normalized ratio (PT/INR) in patients with cardiogenic shock.

Background: Despite ongoing improvements regarding the treatment of cardiogenic shock patients, intensive care unit (ICU)-related mortality in cardiogenic shock patients remains unacceptably high. Limited data regarding the prognostic value of the PT/INR during the course of cardiogenic shock treatment is available.

Does Albumin Predict the Risk of Mortality in Patients with Cardiogenic Shock?

This study investigates the prognostic impact of albumin levels in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS). Intensive care unit (ICU) related mortality in CS patients remains unacceptably high despite improvement concerning the treatment of CS patients. Limited data regarding the prognostic value of albumin in patients with CS is available.

Prognosis of cardiogenic shock with and without acute myocardial infarction: results from a prospective, monocentric registry.

Objective: The study investigates the prognostic impact of cardiogenic shock (CS) stratified by the presence or absence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) related mortality in CS patients remains unacceptably high despite improvement concerning the treatment of CS patients.

Methods: Consecutive patients with CS from 2019 to 2021 were included monocentrically.

Diagnostic and Prognostic Performance of Plasma Albumin and Cholinesterase in Patients with Sepsis and Septic Shock.

Objective: Despite improved risk stratification tools and identification of novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis in patients with sepsis, sepsis-related mortality has not significantly improved during the past years. This study investigates the diagnostic and prognostic role of the plasma albumin and cholinesterase (ChE) in patients with sepsis and septic shock.

Methods: Consecutive patients with sepsis and septic shock from 2019 to 2021 were included at one institution.

Electrical Storm Has Worse Prognosis Compared to Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia after VT Ablation.

Background: Electrical storm (ES) represents a serious heart rhythm disorder. This study investigates the impact of ES on acute ablation success and long-term outcomes after VT ablation compared to non-ES patients.

Methods: In this large single-centre study, patients presenting with ES and undergoing VT ablation from June 2018 to April 2021 were compared to patients undergoing VT ablation due to ventricular tachyarrhythmias but without ES.

Adverse Prognosis of Patients With Septal Substrate After VT Ablation Due to Electrical Storm.

Background: Data about ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation in patients with electrical storm (ES) is limited.

Objectives: This study sought to compare the prognostic outcome of patients undergoing VT ablation after ES with and without a septal substrate.

Methods: In this large single-center study, consecutive patients presenting with ES and undergoing VT ablation from June 2018 to April 2021 were included.

Acute oesophageal safety and long-term follow-up of AI-guided high-power short-duration with 50 W for atrial fibrillation ablation.

Aims: Pulmonary vein isolation using radiofrequency ablation is an effective treatment option for patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF). Application of high power over a short period of time (HPSD) is reported to create more efficient lesions and may prevent collateral thermal oesophageal injury. This study aims to compare efficacy and safety of two different HPSD ablation approaches using different ablation index settings.

C-Reactive Protein and White Blood Cell Count in Cardiogenic Shock.

This study examines the prognostic impact of C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) counts in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS). Data regarding the prognostic impact of inflammatory biomarkers in CS are scarce. All consecutive patients with CS from 2019 to 2021 admitted to a cardiac intensive care unit (ICU) were included at one institution.

Diagnostic and Prognostic Significance of the Prothrombin Time/International Normalized Ratio in Sepsis and Septic Shock.

Objective: The study investigates the diagnostic and prognostic significance of the prothrombin time/international normalized ratio (PT/INR) in patients with sepsis and septic shock.

Background: Sepsis may be complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). While the status of coagulopathy of septic patients is represented within the sepsis-3 definition by assessing the platelet count, less data regarding the prognostic impact of the PT/INR in patients admitted with sepsis and septic shock is available.

Radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation-50 W or 90 W?

Background: This study sought to evaluate the short and midterm efficacy and safety of the novel very high power very short duration (vHPvSD) 90 W approach compared to HPSD 50 W for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation as well as reconnection patterns of 90 W ablations.

Methods And Results: Consecutive patients undergoing first AF ablation with vHPvSD (90 W; predefined ablation time of 3 s for posterior wall ablation and 4 s for anterior wall ablation) were compared to patients using HPSD (50 W; ablation index-guided; AI 350 for posterior wall ablation, AI 450 for anterior wall ablation) retrospectively. A total of 84 patients (67.

Long-Term Outcomes after Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia in Dilated vs. Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.

Ischemic (ICM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) represent the two main underlying heart diseases in patients referred for catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT). While VT ablation in ischemic cardiomyopathy is relatively well-studied, data in patients with DCM are still scarce. The study aimed to compare the acute and long-term outcomes in patients with ICM and DCM who underwent VT ablation at a high-volume center.

Empirical superior vena cava isolation in patients undergoing repeat catheter ablation procedure after recurrence of atrial fibrillation.

Background: Although the ectopic foci responsible for initiating atrial fibrillation (AF) are usually located in the pulmonary veins (PVs), non-PV sources may initiate AF in approximately 11% of unselected patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF. The superior vena cava (SVC) is one of the most frequent non-PV origins for initiating AF. This study aims to investigate the effect of empirical SVC isolation in redo AF ablation procedures.

Digitalis therapy in patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias.

. The study sought to assess the prognostic value of treatment with digitalis on long-term prognosis in patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias and atrial fibrillation (AF) and/or heart failure (HF). .

Prognostic Value of Cardiac Troponin I in Patients with Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias.

Besides the diagnostic role in acute myocardial infarction, cardiac troponin I levels (cTNI) may be increased in various other clinical conditions, including heart failure, valvular heart disease and sepsis. However, limited data are available regarding the prognostic role of cTNI in the setting of ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Therefore, the present study sought to assess the prognostic impact of cTNI in patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias (i.

Efficacy and safety of high-power short duration atrial fibrillation ablation in elderly patients.

Introduction: Data about atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation using high-power short duration (HPSD) radiofrequency ablation in the elderly population is still scarce. The aim of our study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of HPSD ablation in patients over 75 years compared to younger patients.

Methods: Consecutive patients older than 75 years with paroxysmal or persistent AF undergoing a first-time AF ablation using 50 W HPSD ablation approach were analyzed in this retrospective observational analysis and compared to a control group <75 years.

Acute oesophageal safety of high-power short duration with 50 W for atrial fibrillation ablation.

Aims: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using radiofrequency (RF) ablation is an effective treatment option for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). This study aims to investigate the safety of high-power short duration (HPSD) with emphasis on oesophageal lesions after PVI.

Methods And Results: Consecutive patients undergoing AF ablation with HPSD (50 W; ablation index (AI)-guided; target AI 350 for posterior wall ablation, AI 450 for anterior wall ablation) using the ThermoCool SmartTouch SF catheter were included.

Guideline-adherence regarding critical time intervals in the German Chest Pain Unit registry.

Background: Since 2008, the German Cardiac Society certified 256 Chest Pain Units (CPUs). Little is known about adherence to recommended performance measures in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) presenting to CPUs. We investigated guideline-adherence regarding critical time intervals and selected performance measures in German Chest Pain Units.