José Peña-Hernández

Alteraciones de la conducción auriculoventricular y predictores de la necesidad de marcapasos tras el implante percutáneo de la prótesis aórtica de CoreValve

Introduccion y objetivos Los cambios en la conduccion auriculoventricular son frecuentes tras el implante percutaneo de la protesis aortica, pero se desconoce que mecanismos estan implicados y su evolucion. Analizamos las alteraciones electrocardiograficas y los predictores de la necesidad de marcapasos tras el implante percutaneo con la protesis aortica CoreValve®. Metodos Entre abril de 2008 y octubre de 2009 se ha tratado a 65 pacientes con estenosis aortica grave sintomatica mediante la protesis aortica CoreValve®. Se analizaron caracteristicas clinicas y electrocardiograficas y predictores de la necesidad de marcapasos por bloqueo auriculoventricular avanzado. Del analisis se excluyo a 3 pacientes por tener marcapasos y a un cuarto paciente que fallecio durante el procedimiento. Resultados La media de edad era 79 ± 7,8 anos y el EuroSCORE logistico, 20% ± 14%. El exito del implante fue del 98,4%. Tras el implante de la protesis, el 47,5% tenia bloqueo de rama izquierda y 21 pacientes (34,4%) precisaron de marcapasos definitivo. La necesidad de marcapasos se relaciono con la mayor profundidad de la protesis en el tracto de salida del ventriculo izquierdo (TSVI) (13 ± 2,5 frente a 8,8 ± 2,8 mm; p Conclusiones Tras el implante de la protesis aortica CoreValve®, un alto porcentaje de pacientes precisan de marcapasos definitivo por bloqueo auriculoventricular avanzado. El unico predictor independiente es la profundidad de la protesis en el TSVI y podria detectar precozmente la necesidad de marcapasos.

Persistence of secondary mitral regurgitation and response to cardiac resynchronization therapy

AIMS Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves survival and quality of life in advanced heart failure (HF). Although mitral regurgitation (MR) reduction has been reported, its presence has been associated with non-response to CRT. This study was undertaken to assess the potential role of significant mitral regurgitation (SMR) persistence after CRT on clinical outcome, major arrhythmic events, and echocardiographic response in the mid-long term. METHODS AND RESULTS Seventy-six patients (28.9% women, 63 +/- 11 years) with dilated cardiomyopathy in advanced HF were included. SMR, defined as regurgitant orifice area > or =0.20 cm(2), was assessed at baseline and its evolution 6 months after CRT. Clinical outcome (cardiovascular death/HF readmission), major arrhythmic events, and echocardiographic response (reverse remodelling) were recorded on follow-up. Thirty-two patients (42.1%) presented baseline SMR, becoming non-significant in 11 of the 32 patients (34.3%) 6 months after CRT. Its persistence was associated with higher rates of clinical events (46.4 vs. 18.7%, P = 0.011), arrhythmic events (35.7 vs. 14.5%, P = 0.034), and less reverse remodelling (28.5 vs. 83.3%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION CRT can reduce moderate or severe baseline MR to non-significant in one-third of patients. However, its persistence was associated with worse clinical evolution, greater incidence of arrhythmic events, and less reverse remodelling.

Comparison of the new risk prediction model (HCM Risk-SCD) and classic risk factors for sudden death in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and defibrillator

AIMS Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is one of the main causes of sudden death in young people. Recent clinical practice guidelines include a risk prediction model for sudden death (HCM Risk-SCD), which facilitates the decision of whether to implant a defibrillator. The aim of our study was to ascertain the percentage of events in our series of primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator recipients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and whether HCM Risk-SCD predicts the onset of arrhythmic events. METHODS AND RESULTS This was an observational, retrospective cohort study, which included 48 primary prevention defibrillator recipient patients with HCM. We compiled their demographic and clinical characteristics, estimated 5-year risk using HCM Risk-SCD, and collected the documentation on arrhythmias during follow-up. The majority was male (66.7%) and mean age at implantation was 44.44 ± 14.46 years. Non-sustained ventricular tachycardia was the most prevalent risk factor (66.67%), followed by a family history of sudden death (47.92%). Mean HCM Risk-SCD was 6.15 ± 5.01%. HCM Risk-SCD was the only factor independently associated with the onset of ventricular tachyarrhythmia, above any other classic risk factor or association [odds ratio = 1.46 (95% confidence interval 1.051-2.013); P = 0.02]. None of the 11 patients estimated as low risk using HCM Risk-SCD suffered any appropriate events (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS During an average follow-up of 4 years, 16.67% presented appropriate events (4.16%/year). HCM Risk-SCD predicted the onset of events more suitably than classic risk factors.

Benefits of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Who Have Not Undergone Atrioventricular Node Ablation

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy on left ventricular function and reverse remodeling in patients in sinus rhythm with the effects in patients with atrial fibrillation who have not undergone atrioventricular node ablation. Echocardiographic and clinical parameters were evaluated at baseline and after 6 months of cardiac resynchronization therapy in 55 patients: 15 had atrial fibrillation and 40 were in sinus rhythm. Device programming was similar in the 2 groups, as were the reductions in QRS interval and echocardiographic measures of asynchrony observed after implantation. However, although significant improvements in end-systolic volume and ejection fraction were seen in both groups, reverse remodeling was greater in patients in sinus rhythm (reduction in end-systolic volume 30.9%+/-24.6% vs 12.5%+/-18.6%; P=.024), as was the relative increase in ejection fraction (15.4%+/-12.6% vs 5.0%+/-7.2%; P=.010). Cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation who had not undergone atrioventricular node ablation resulted in significant improvements in ejection fraction and reverse remodeling, but these were less than those observed in patients in sinus rhythm.

Long-term prognosis of patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy and implantable defibrillator.

reference group. They also found that normotensive individuals with preserved eGFR (≥90 ml/min/1.73 m) and moderately high ACR (30 to 299 mg/g) have an elevated risk of all-cause death [5]. The results are very similar to the results of our study. Therefore, to conclude that our results are inconsistent with the results of the previous studies may be the result of an incorrect interpretation of the results from the previous studies. Dr. Kawada requested the authors to add medication profiles for hypertension and diabetes mellitus [1]. We added the prevalence of hypertensive subjects on medication and diabetic subjects on medication in Table 2 of this paper. We are confident that the high risks of outcomes in individuals with preserved eGFR and albuminuria observed in our study reflect a true relationship. However, we agree with some of the comments by Dr. Kawada. We used too many explanatory variables in the multivariate-adjusted Poisson model and we share Dr. Kawadas concerns about type I error (overfitting) [6]. We hope the analyses were performed in the spirit of Dr. Kawadas intent. Finally, we strongly agree with the phrase “keeping a satisfactory number of events for the epidemiological study to keep the validity of the outcome” provided by Dr. Kawada. We appreciate having the opportunity to discuss the problem and we express our deepest gratitude to Dr. Kawada.

Combined resynchronization therapy and automatic defibrillator in advanced non-ischaemic heart failure: the importance of QRS width.

AIMS The combined use of an automatic defibrillator in resynchronization therapy for primary prevention in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy is controversial. METHODS AND RESULTS We assessed a series of 46 patients (61 +/- 10 years, 64% male) with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy undergoing resynchronization therapy combined with a defibrillator in primary prevention and the potential relationship between baseline characteristics and the onset of ventricular arrhythmic events. Of the 46 patients included, eight (17%) presented episodes of ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation during follow-up (19 +/- 12 months). There were no baseline differences among these patients, except the proportion of males (57.9 vs. 100%, P = 0.02) and QRS width (162 +/- 24 vs. 189 +/- 26 ms, P = 0.008), which was the only independent predictor of arrhythmic events (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.12-1.68; P = 0.03). CONCLUSION In patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy undergoing resynchronization therapy combined with a defibrillator, baseline QRS is an independent predictor of arrhythmic events.