Aims Although cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation is a well-established treatment for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), it’s role in persistent AF is unclear. We examined procedural success and long-term outcomes of cryoablation in persistent and longstanding persistent AF. Methods and results International multicentre registry from three UK and eight European centres. Consecutive patients undergoing cryoablation for persistent AF included. Procedural data, complications, and follow-up were prospectively recorded. Patients were followed-up at 3, 6, and 12 months with an electrocardiogram with open access to arrhythmia nurses thereafter. Ambulatory monitoring was dictated by symptoms. Success was defined as freedom from AF or atrial tachycardia lasting >30 s off antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs). Six hundred and nine consecutive cryoablation procedures. Mean procedure and fluoroscopy times were 95 ± 65 and 13 ± 10 min. Single procedure success rates were 368/602 (61%) off AADs over a median of 2.4 (1.0–4.0) years. Arrhythmia-free survival off AADs was 64% and 57% for persistent and longstanding persistent AF at 24 months of follow-up (P = 0.02). Rate of repeat ablations was 20% in persistent and 32% in longstanding persistent AF (P = 0.006). Cox regression analyses showed a significant association between duration of AF and left atrial diameter and arrhythmia recurrence [hazard ratio (HR) 1.05, P-value 0.01 and HR 1.02, P-value 0.004]. Conclusion Cryoablation for persistent AF is safe, fast and has good outcomes at long-term follow-up. Cryoablation is reasonable as a first line option for these patients. Short procedure times may help increase capacity of cardiac units to meet the rising demand for AF ablation. Randomised control trials are needed to compare outcomes with different techniques.

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The COVID-19 global pandemic has placed unprecedented strain on healthcare and critical care services around the world. Whilst most resources have focused on the acute phase of the disease, there is likely to be an untold burden of patients chronically affected.A wide range of sequelae contribute to post intensive care syndrome (PICS); from our current knowledge of COVID-19, a few of these have the potential to be more prevalent following critical care admission. Follow-up assessment, diagnosis and treatment in an increasingly virtual setting will provide challenges but also opportunities to develop these services. Here, we propose an A to E approach to consider the potential long-term effects of COVID-19 following critical care admission.Anxiety and other mental health diagnosesBreathlessnessCentral nervous system impairmentDietary insufficiency and malnutritionEmbolic eventsDeveloping strategies to mitigate these during admission and providing follow-up, assessment and treatment of persistent multiple organ dysfunction will be essential to improve morbidity, mortality and patient quality of life.

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Introduction: Hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury (HIBI), is a common sequalae following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA), it is reported as the cause of death in 68% of patients who survive to ICU admission, while other patients can be left with permanent neurological disability. Prediction of neurological outcome follows a multimodal approach, including use of the biomarker, neurone specific enolase (NSE). There is however no definitive cut-off value for poor neurological outcome, and little research has analysed NSE and long-term outcomes in survivors. We investigated an NSE threshold for poor short-term neurological outcome and the relationship between NSE and poor neurological outcome in survivors. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of all adult OOHCA patients admitted to the Royal County Sussex Hospital ICU between April 2017 and November 2018. NSE levels, Targeted Temperature Management (TTM), cross-sectional imaging, mortality and GCS on ICU discharge were recorded. Assessment of neurological function after a median of 19 months (range 14–32 months) post ICU discharge was undertaken following ICU discharge and related to NSE. Results: NSE levels were measured in 59 patients; of these 36 (61%) had a poor neurological outcome due to hypoxic ischaemic brain injury. Youden’s index and ROC analysis established an NSE cut-off value of 64.5 μg/L, with AUC of 0.901, sensitivity of 77.8% and specificity of 100%. Follow-up of 26 survivors after 19 months did not show a significant relationship between NSE after OOHCA and long-term neurological outcome. Conclusion: Our results show that NSE >64.5 µg/L has a poor short-term neurological outcome with 100% specificity. Whilst limited by a low sample size, NSE in survivors showed no relationship with neurological outcome post OOHCA in the long term.