Overall, TTS patients had long-term outcomes comparable to age- and sex-matched ACS patients. Also, we demonstrated that TTS can either be benign or a life-threating condition depending on the inciting stress factor. We propose a new classification based on triggers, which can serve as a clinical tool to predict short- and long-term outcomes of TTS. (International Takotsubo Registry [InterTAK Registry]; NCT01947621).

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Background-The objective of this study was to assess the incidence and impact of asymptomatic arrhythmia in patients with highly symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF) who qualified for radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation. Methods and Results-In this prospective study, 114 patients with at least 3 documented AF episodes together with corresponding symptoms and an ineffective trial of at least 1 antiarrhythmic drug were selected for RF ablation. With the use of CARTO, circumferential lesions around the pulmonary veins and linear lesions at the roof of the left atrium and along the left atrial isthmus were placed. A continuous, 7-day, Holter session was recorded before ablation, right after ablation, and after 3, 6, and 12 months of follow-up. During each 7-day Holter monitoring, the patients recorded quality and duration of any complaints by using a detailed symptom log. More than 70 000 hours of ECG recording were analyzed. In the 7-day Holter records before ablation, 92 of 114 patients (81%) had documented AF episodes. All episodes were symptomatic in 35 patients (38%). In 52 patients (57%), both symptomatic and asymptomatic episodes were recorded, whereas in 5 patients (5%), all documented AF episodes were asymptomatic. After ablation, the percentage of patients with only asymptomatic AF recurrences increased to 37% (PϽ0.05) at the 6-month follow-up. An analysis of patient characteristics and arrhythmia patterns failed to identify a specific subset who were at high risk for the development of asymptomatic AF. Conclusions-Even

Aims To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of pulmonary vein isolation in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) using a standardized workflow aiming to enclose the veins with contiguous and optimized radiofrequency lesions. Methods and results This multicentre, prospective, non-randomized study was conducted at 17 European sites. Pulmonary vein isolation was guided by VISITAG SURPOINT (VS target ≥550 on the anterior wall; ≥400 on the posterior wall) and intertag distance (≤6 mm). Atrial arrhythmia recurrence was stringently monitored with weekly and symptom-driven transtelephonic monitoring on top of standard-of-care monitoring (24-h Holter and 12-lead electrocardiogram at 3, 6, and 12 months follow-up). Three hundred and forty participants with drug refractory PAF were enrolled. Acute effectiveness (first-pass isolation proof to a 30-min wait period and adenosine challenge) was 82.4% [95% confidence interval (CI) 77.4–86.7%]. At 12-month follow-up, the rate of freedom from any documented atrial arrhythmia was 78.3% (95% CI 73.8–82.8%), while freedom from atrial arrhythmia by standard-of-care monitoring was 89.4% (95% CI 78.8–87.0%). Freedom fromrepeat ablations by the Kaplan–Meier analysis was 90.4% during 12 months of follow-up. Of the 34 patients with repeat ablations, 14 (41.2%) demonstrated full isolation of all pulmonary vein circles. Primary adverse event (PAE) rate was 3.6% (95% CI 1.9–6.3%). Conclusions The VISTAX trial demonstrated that a standardized PAF ablation workflow aiming for contiguous lesions leads to low rates of PAEs, high acute first-pass isolation rates, and 12-month freedom from arrhythmias approaching 80%. Further research is needed to improve the reproducibility of the outcomes across a wider range of centres. Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT03062046, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03062046.

Introduction The CLOSE protocol combines ablation index (AI) and ≤6 mm interlesion distance using standard power settings for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). The purpose was to compare the safety and efficacy of a conventional CLOSE and a higher power shorter duration (HPSD)‐CLOSE pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) strategy. Methods and Results All consecutive patients referred for PVI were included after informed consent was obtained from them. Group 1 was treated with a standard CLOSE protocol and group 2 with a HPSD‐CLOSE protocol (45 W anterior and 35 W posterior). Procedural parameters and 6‐month follow‐up were analyzed. In total, 174 patients (group 1: n = 94 [paroxysmal: n = 74]; group 2: n = 80 [paroxysmal: n = 65], similar baseline characteristics) were included. PVI was reached in all, but procedure duration (82 ± 18 minutes vs 100 ± 22 minutes; P < .0001) and radiofrequency (RF) time (23 ± 5 minutes vs 36 ± 11 minutes; P < .0001) was shorter in group 2. First pass isolation was similar in groups 2 and 1 (left veins: 94% vs 90%; P = .42 and right veins: 83% vs 84%; P = .79, respectively). Six‐month off‐ antiarrhythmic drugs freedom of AF/AT was similar in groups 2 and 1 (82% [paroxysmal: 86%] vs 83% [paroxysmal: 88%]; P = .93, respectively). Major complications were similar (group 2: 1% vs group 1: 3%; P = .39). Conclusion A higher‐power short duration approach can shorten a CLOSE procedure and reduce ablation time without having a negative impact on safety or efficiency.

Background-Electrophysiological cardiac devices are increasingly used. The frequency of subclinical infection is unknown. We investigated all explanted devices using sonication, a method for detection of microbial biofilms on foreign bodies. Methods and Results-Consecutive patients in whom cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverter/defibrillators were removed at our institution between October 2007 and December 2008 were prospectively included. Devices (generator and/or leads) were aseptically removed and sonicated, and the resulting sonication fluid was cultured. In parallel, conventional swabs of the generator pouch were performed. A total of 121 removed devices (68 pacemakers, 53 implantable cardioverter/defibrillators) were included. The reasons for removal were insufficient battery charge (nϭ102), device upgrading (nϭ9), device dysfunction (nϭ4), or infection (nϭ6). In 115 episodes (95%) without clinical evidence of infection, 44 (38%) grew bacteria in sonication fluid, including Propionibacterium acnes (nϭ27), coagulase-negative staphylococci (nϭ11), Gram-positive anaerobe cocci (nϭ3), Gram-positive anaerobe rods (nϭ1), Gram-negative rods (nϭ1), and mixed bacteria (nϭ1). In 21 of 44 sonication-positive episodes, bacterial counts were significant (Ն10 colony-forming units/mL of sonication fluid). In 26 sterilized controls, sonication cultures remained negative in 25 cases (96%). In 112 cases without clinical infection, conventional swab cultures were performed: 30 cultures (27%) were positive, and 18 (60%) were concordant with sonication fluid cultures. Six devices and leads were removed because of infection, growing Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mitis, and coagulase-negative staphylococci in 6 sonication fluid cultures and 4 conventional swab cultures. Conclusions-Bacteria can colonize cardiac electrophysiological devices without clinical signs of infection. (Circulation.

Short-term infusions of single vasodilators, usually given in a fixed dose, have not improved outcomes in patients with acute heart failure (AHF).OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of a strategy that emphasized early intensive and sustained vasodilation using individualized up-titrated doses of established vasodilators in patients with AHF. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSRandomized, open-label blinded-end-point trial enrolling 788 patients hospitalized for AHF with dyspnea, increased plasma concentrations of natriuretic peptides, systolic blood pressure of at least 100 mm Hg, and plan for treatment in a general ward in 10 tertiary and secondary hospitals in Switzerland, Bulgaria, Germany, Brazil, and Spain. Enrollment began in December 2007 and follow-up was completed in February 2019.INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized 1:1 to a strategy of early intensive and sustained vasodilation throughout the hospitalization (n = 386) or usual care (n = 402). Early intensive and sustained vasodilation was a comprehensive pragmatic approach of maximal and sustained vasodilation combining individualized doses of sublingual and transdermal nitrates, low-dose oral hydralazine for 48 hours, and rapid up-titration of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, or sacubitril-valsartan. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURESThe primary end point was a composite of all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for AHF at 180 days. RESULTS Among 788 patients randomized, 781 (99.1%; median age, 78 years; 36.9% women) completed the trial and were eligible for primary end point analysis. Follow-up at 180 days was completed for 779 patients (99.7%). The primary end point, a composite of all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for AHF at 180 days, occurred in 117 patients (30.6%) in the intervention group (including 55 deaths [14.4%]) and in 111 patients (27.8%) in the usual care group (including 61 deaths [15.3%]) (absolute difference for the primary end point, 2.8% [95% CI, −3.7% to 9.3%]; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.07 [95% CI, 0.83-1.39]; P = .59). The most common clinically significant adverse events with early intensive and sustained vasodilation vs usual care were hypokalemia (23% vs 25%), worsening renal function (21% vs 20%), headache (26% vs 10%), dizziness (15% vs 10%), and hypotension (8% vs 2%).CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among patients with AHF, a strategy of early intensive and sustained vasodilation, compared with usual care, did not significantly improve a composite outcome of all-cause mortality and AHF rehospitalization at 180 days.

(2009)abnormalities. An entirely normal ECG was only present in 10 subjects (13%). However, no ECG findings or patterns specific for IVNC were found. A striking overlap was observed between the presence of intraventricular conduction delay (left bundle branch block, in particular), atrial conduction delay (PR interval prolongation or AV-block), and prolongation of the QTc on the one hand, and reduced systolic LV function and LV / left atrial dilation on the other. Moreover, patients with electrocardiographic voltage signs of LV hypertrophy more often presented with or had a history of systemic embolic events. In conclusion, our study provides a comprehensive analysis of ECG findings of patients newly diagnosed with IVNC; while intraventricular conduction delay, repolarisation abnormalities and LV hypertrophy are frequently present, no ECG patterns are specific for IVNC at the time of first presentation with the disease. Whether these findings indeed have prognostic implications needs to be investigated in long-term controlled studies. Whether these findings indeed have prognostic implications needs to be investigated in long-term controlled studies.