Fangyi Xiao

Benefits of Permanent His Bundle Pacing Combined With Atrioventricular Node Ablation in Atrial Fibrillation Patients With Heart Failure With Both Preserved and Reduced Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction

Background Clinical benefits from His bundle pacing (HBP) in heart failure patients with preserved and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction are still inconclusive. This study evaluated clinical outcomes of permanent HBP in atrial fibrillation patients with narrow QRS who underwent atrioventricular node ablation for heart failure symptoms despite rate control by medication. Methods and Results The study enrolled 52 consecutive heart failure patients who underwent attempted atrioventricular node ablation and HBP for symptomatic atrial fibrillation. Echocardiographic left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular end‐diastolic dimension, New York Heart Association classification and use of diuretics for heart failure were assessed during follow‐up visits after permanent HBP. Of 52 patients, 42 patients (80.8%) received permanent HBP and atrioventricular node ablation with a median 20‐month follow‐up. There was no significant change between native and paced QRS duration (107.1±25.8 versus 105.3±23.9 milliseconds, P=0.07). Left ventricular end‐diastolic dimension decreased from the baseline (P<0.001), and left ventricular ejection fraction increased from baseline (P<0.001) in patients with a greater improvement in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction patients (N=20) than in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction patients (N=22). New York Heart Association classification improved from a baseline 2.9±0.6 to 1.4±0.4 after HBP in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction patients and from a baseline 2.7±0.6 to 1.4±0.5 after HBP in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction patients. After 1 year of HBP, the numbers of patients who used diuretics for heart failure decreased significantly (P<0.001) when compared to the baseline diuretics use. Conclusions Permanent HBP post–atrioventricular node ablation significantly improved echocardiographic measurements and New York Heart Association classification and reduced diuretics use for heart failure management in atrial fibrillation patients with narrow QRS who suffered from heart failure with preserved or reduced ejection fraction.

A Novel Pacing Strategy With Low and Stable Output: Pacing the Left Bundle Branch Immediately Beyond the Conduction Block

This report demonstrates the feasibility of pacing the left bundle branch (LBB) immediately beyond the conduction block to functionally restore the impaired His-Purkinje conduction system in a patient with heart failure and left bundle branch block (LBBB). The pacing required only a low pacing output (0.5 volts/0.5 ms) to correct the LBBB with accompanying right BBB on the electrocardiogram. Over 1-year of follow-up, the patient had a significant improvement in clinical outcome and echocardiographic measurements. The case shows a novel pacing strategy for patients with BBB that affects many patients with heart failure.

Successful Percutaneous Retrieval of a 33-mm Watchman Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Device From the Left Atrium

An 84-year-old man with permanent atrial fibrillation was referred for left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion with a CHA2DS2-VASc score of 3 and a HAS-BLED score of 4. Pre-operative transesophageal echocardiography identified a LAA ostial diameter of 30 mm. A 33-mm Watchman device (Boston Scientific

Long-term outcomes of His bundle pacing in patients with heart failure with left bundle branch block

Objectives His bundle pacing (HBP) can potentially correct left bundle branch block (LBBB). We aimed to assess the efficacy of HBP to correct LBBB and long-term clinical outcomes with HBP in patients with heart failure (HF). Methods This is an observational study of patients with HF with typical LBBB who were indicated for pacing therapy and were consecutively enrolled from one centre. Permanent HBP leads were implanted if the LBBB correction threshold was <3.5V/0.5 ms or 3.0 V/1.0 ms. Pacing parameters, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) and New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class were assessed during follow-up. Results In 74 enrolled patients (69.6±9.2 years and 43 men), LBBB correction was acutely achieved in 72 (97.3%) patients, and 56 (75.7%) patients received permanent HBP (pHBP) while 18 patients did not receive permanent HBP (non-permanent HBP), due to no LBBB correction (n=2), high LBBB correction thresholds (n=10) and fixation failure (n=6). The median follow-up period of pHBP was 37.1 (range 15.0–48.7) months. Thirty patients with pHBP had completed 3-year follow-up, with LVEF increased from baseline 32.4±8.9% to 55.9±10.7% (p<0.001), LVESV decreased from a baseline of 137.9±64.1 mL to 52.4±32.6 mL (p<0.001) and NYHA Class improvement from baseline 2.73±0.58 to 1.03±0.18 (p<0.001). LBBB correction threshold remained stable with acute threshold of 2.13±1.19 V/0.5 ms to 2.29±0.92 V/0.5 ms at 3-year follow-up (p>0.05). Conclusions pHBP improved LVEF, LVESV and NYHA Class in patients with HF with typical LBBB.