Background:The shape of the left atrial appendage (LAA) might affect thrombus formation. The chicken wing-type LAA (CW) has been reported as unlikely to influence stroke events in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients, so we investigated whether LAA shapes could influence LAA function. Methods and Results:We studied 102 patients (64 men, age 65±9 years) who underwent transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), and cardiac computed tomography prior to catheter ablation (CA) for AF. LAA morphology were classified into 2 types: (1) CW: LAA with a bend in its shape and (2) non-CW type (NCW): LAA without any bends. All patients were classified into these groups using a cutoff value of LAA flow velocity (LAAFV). Patients with LAAFV <35 cm/s were classified as the low LAAFV group (Low FV, n=37). The patients with LAAFV >35 cm/s were classified as normal LAAFV group (Normal FV, n=65). The NCW type was detected in 25/102 patients (25%). In multivariate analysis, the patients with Low FV were associated with NCW type (P=0.0429, odds ratio [OR] 9.664, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.075-86.900) and higher B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) (P=0.0350, OR 1.012 for each 1 pg/ml increase in BNP, 95% CI 1.001-1.022). Conclusions:The NCW-type LAA and higher BNP were associated with lower LAAFV. One reason for the frequent cardiogenic stroke in patients with the NCW-type LAA may be the lower LAAFV. (Circ J 2015; 79: 1706 -1711
Some patients experience a left atrial thrombus (LAT) in spite of taking warfarin. We aimed to clarify the characteristics of patients with LAT during warfarin administration and investigated whether the CHADS2 or CHA2DS2-VASc scores are useful predictors of LAT. We studied 230 patients (169 males, age 65 ± 10 years) who underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) prior to cardioversion or catheter ablation of atrial tachyarrhythmias between 2008 and 2012. All patients were taking oral warfarin. LAT was detected in 19 patients (8.3%) using TEE. LAT was significantly associated with the presence of hypertension (P = 0.0035), prior congestive heart failure (P < 0.0001), structural heart disease (P = 0.0012), persistent arrhythmias (P < 0.0001), the absence of SR during TEE (P = 0.0070), left ventricular ejection fraction (P < 0.0001), left atrial diameter (P = 0.0015), left ventricular dimension during end diastole (P = 0.0215), left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH; P < 0.0001), and the E/e' ratio (P = 0.0074). A multivariate analysis showed that LVH (P = 0.0065, OR 5.591, 95% CI 1.618–19.316) and persistent arrhythmia (P = 0.0364, OR 12.121, 95% CI 1.171–125.451) were independently associated with LAT. Moreover, the mean CHADS2 (2.3 ± 0.9 vs. 1.4 ± 1.2) and CHA2DS2-VASc scores (3.8 ± 1.2 vs. 2.8 ± 1.7) were higher in the patients with than without LAT. However, a multivariate analysis showed that the CHADS2/CHA2DS2-VASc scores did not associate with LAT. LVH and persistent arrhythmia may be useful for predicting LAT in patients with atrial tachyarrhythmias.
BackgroundVarious difficulties can occur in patients who undergo cardiac resynchronization therapy for drug-refractory heart failure with respect to placement of the left ventricular (LV) lead, because of anatomical features, pacing thresholds, twitching, or pacing lead anchoring, possibly requiring other pacing sites. The goal of this study was to determine whether Purkinje potential (PP) pacing could provide better hemodynamics in patients with left bundle branch block and heart failure than biventricular (BiV) pacing.MethodsEleven patients with New York Heart Association functional class II or III heart failure despite optimal medical therapy were selected for this study. All patients underwent left- and right-sided cardiac catheterization for measurement of LV functional parameters in the control state during BiV and PP pacing.ResultsMaximum dP/dt increased during BiV and PP pacing when compared with control measurements. This study compared parameters measured during BiV pacing with PP pacing and non-paced beats as the control state in each patient (717±171 mmHg/s vs. 917±191 mmHg/s, p<0.05; and 921±199 mmHg/s, p<0.005); however, the difference between PP pacing and BiV pacing was not significant. There was no difference in heart rate, electrocardiographic wave complex duration, minimum dP/dt, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, left ventricular end-systolic pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, or cardiac index when comparing BiV pacing and PP pacing to control measurements.ConclusionsThe hemodynamic outcome of PP pacing was comparable to that of BiV pacing in patients with advanced heart failure.
Shock after DFT testing improved LV systolic and diastolic function immediately, especially in patients with preserved LV ejection fraction.
The identifi cation of patients at risk for cardiac death or life-threatening arrhythmias (CD/LTA) in patients with a previous history of myocardial infarction (MI) without reduced systolic function still remains an important goal. Signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG) provides useful prognostic information in MI patients. Methods: SAECG and left ventriculography were performed in patients who had suffered MI at least 6 months prior. The study population included 103 patients (89 men, mean age 63 9 years) who had no heart failure symptoms and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of at least 50%. The fi ltered QRS duration (f-QRS) and root mean square voltage of the terminal 40ms of the QRS complex (RMS40) were obtained by SAECG. Late potentials (LP) were considered to be present if f-QRS >130ms or if RMS40 >15 µ V. Results: LP were present in 38% (39 patients). During the follow-up period (110 40 months), 8 patients had CD(n=7) and/or LTA(n=3). CD/ LTA was signifi cantly associated with LVEF (p=0.0444) and the presence of LP (p=0.0083). The presence of LP (p=0.0381, hazard ratio 9.424, 95%CI 1.131 to 78.532) was independently associated with CD/LTA. Patients with LP had a higher risk of CD/LTA (log rank p=0.0036). Conclusion: LP may be used as a long-term predictor of CD/LTA in patients with a previous history of MI and preserved ejection function.
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