Background-Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is considered a frequent complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), associated with increased in-hospital and long-term mortality rates. This notion is based on data collected before thrombolysis and additional modern methods of treatment became widely available, and no information is available on the significance of PAF in the general population with AMI in the thrombolytic era. The aim of the present study was to define the incidence, associated clinical parameters, and short-and long-term prognostic significance of PAF in patients with AMI in the thrombolytic era. Methods and Results-A prospective, nationwide survey was conducted of 2866 consecutive patients admitted with AMI in all 25 coronary care units in Israel during January/February 1992). The data were compared with a previous Israeli study of 5803 patients with AMI hospitalized in 1981 through 1983 (prethrombolytic era [PTE]). Patients in the TE with PAF were older and had a worse risk profile than those without PAF. PAF in the TE was independently associated with increased 30-day (odds ratio, 1.32; 95% confidence interval, 0.92 to 1.87) and 1-year (relative risk, 1.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.05 to 1.68) mortality rates. The incidence of PAF (8.9% and 9.9%) and the 30-day (25.1% and 27.6%) and 1-year (38.4% and 42.5%) mortality rates of patients with PAF were similar in the TE and PTE, although PAF in the TE occurred in older and sicker patients than those in the PTE. After adjustment for conventional risk factors, PAF was associated with significantly lower 30-day (odds ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.44 to 0.94) and 1-year (relative risk, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.54 to 0.88) mortality rates compared with the PTE. Conclusions-Patients with AMI who develop PAF in the TE have significantly worse short-and long-term prognoses than patients without PAF, mostly due to their worse risk profile. After adjustment for confounding factors, patients with PAF in the TE have a better overall outcome than counterparts in the PTE, probably reflecting the better management of patients with AMI in the TE. (Circulation. 1998;97:965-970.)

We studied three groups of Israeli Jewish schoolchildren in and surrounding Petach Tikva, Israel, cross-sectionally, at ages 9-10, 13-14, and 16-18 years, and compared lipid and lipoprotein levels and age-associated lipoprotein patterns in the same age groups of boys and girls in neighboring Israeli Moslem Arab schools during 1986-1987. Moslem children displayed striking differences in the levels of lipids and age-associated patterns of lipoproteins compared with Jewish schoolchildren. The mean total cholesterol levels were lower in the Moslem children, in both sexes, in every age grouping. High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were significantly higher at age 16-18 in the Moslem boys than in the Jewish boys. While the Jewish boys displayed a previously reported "typical" pattern of lower HDL-C levels postpuberty compared with prepuberty, the Moslem boys had markedly higher mean HDL-C levels at age 16-18 compared with those at age 9-10. The Moslem girls also had higher HDL-C levels at age 16-18 than those observed in the age 9-10 group. Concomitantly higher HDL-C levels (HDL-C/total cholesterol (%)) were seen in the Moslem boys and girls, at age 16-18 compared with age 9-10, but were not observed in the Jewish children. The identification of an ethnic group in whom HDL-C appears to increase at or near puberty could provide opportunities to elucidate factors that may increase HDL-C in individuals or in populations.

Introduction Recent series have demonstrated the benefit of trans-catheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TEER) in acutely ill hospitalised patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and intractable heart failure despite intensive intravenous therapy. We describe our cumulative experience with such patients at the Sheba Medical Centre over a 10 year period. Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of TEER in hospitalized patients with acute decompensated heart failure and severe MR that was deemed to play a major role in the patients' deterioration. Methods We included 30 hospitalised patients with intractable heart failure and MR ≥3+ (20 males; mean age 74.2±10.6 years; 10 had cardiogenic shock). MR was primary in 4, secondary in 24 and mixed in 2 patients. Acute results were assessed by echocardiography prior to discharge and safety was evaluated clinically, according to the occurrence of procedure-related adverse events. Mortality data were drawn from the national death registry. Results TEER devices were successfully implanted in 28 patients. Early (POD 1) procedure-failure was noted in one patient due to recurrence of flail. There was no peri-procedural mortality. Two patients were hemodynamically unstable during the procedure. One patient had peri-procedural access site bleeding necessitating blood transfusion. Following intervention, 16 patients required ICU care (mean stay 4.8±2.5 days), shock was recorded in 7 patients, 16 required hemodynamic support, and 8 required invasive ventilation. At 30 days 7 patients had died and an additional 4 died 1 to 6 months following intervention. However, mortality in the remaining patients was low with only 3 additional deaths up to 4 years after the procedure (80% of patients alive at 6 months). MR reduction was achieved in 24 patients (to ≤mild in 10 and to moderate in 11). At 12 months follow up MR severity was mild in 3 (37.5%) and moderate in 5 (62.5%) patients. Only 1 patient reported HF rehospitalisation during the year following the procedure. Conclusion TEER for hospitalised patients with severe MR and intractable heart failure is safe, associated with high early mortality, and good long-term outcome for patients alive 6 months after the procedure. More research is needed to better characterise patients likely to benefit from TEER in this clinical scenario. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.