Abstract The wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) represents an alternative clinical approach to prevent sudden cardiac death as a bridge to therapy when making a final decision regarding the ...need for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), especially in patients who are in the so-called gray zone according to ICD guidelines. Although the WCD system was introduced in Japan in April 2014, data regarding its usage and experience are limited. We report the first case of appropriate shock therapy using the WCD in an outpatient setting in Japan. We describe the case of a 22-year-old-woman who received the first case of successful appropriate WCD shock therapy in an outpatient setting in Japan.
Full text
Available for:
FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, VSZLJ, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Abstract Background Dabigatran etexilate (DE), an effective direct oral anticoagulant for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), should be carefully used in patients with renal insufficiency. Data ...on the safety of DE in Japanese “real world” patients with mildly impaired renal function are limited. We hypothesized that low-dose DE (110 mg, twice daily) could be safely used in Japanese AF patients with mildly impaired renal function compared to those with preserved renal function. Methods and results One hundred ninety-six consecutive AF patients taking low-dose DE were retrospectively enrolled in this study, and were divided into two groups: preserved creatinine clearance (CCr ≥50 ml/min; n = 127) and reduced CCr (30–49 ml/min; n = 69). Baseline characteristics including CHADS2 , CHA2 DS2 -VASc, and HAS-BLED scores were evaluated. Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) was measured as a surrogate marker of the anticoagulant activity of DE, which was evaluated at 661 time points in total and the data were divided into five time windows after the last DE intake. The incidence of bleeding complications was compared between the two groups of reduced and preserved CCr. Reduced CCr group showed higher age (76.9 ± 6.3 years vs. 67.6 ± 6.7 years), higher CHADS2 (2.6 ± 1.4 vs. 1.8 ± 1.2), higher CHA2 DS2 -VASc (4.3 ± 1.6 vs. 3.2 ± 1.6), and higher HAS-BLED (2.3 ± 1.0 vs. 2.0 ± 1.0) scores in comparison with preserved CCr group ( p < 0.01, respectively). There was no difference in aPTT over the entire time windows between the two groups. The incidence of total bleeding events was not significantly different between the two groups (reduced vs. preserved CCr = 2/69 vs. 2/127). Conclusion Low-dose DE was safe in AF patients with mildly reduced CCr.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Background and Aims Per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has shown promising safety and efficacy in short-term studies. However, long-term follow-up data are very limited. The aims of this study were ...to assess (1) clinical outcome of patients with a minimum post-POEM follow-up of 2 years and (2) factors associated with long-term clinical failure after POEM. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed that included all consecutive patients with achalasia who underwent POEM with a minimum follow-up of 2 years at 10 tertiary-care centers. Clinical response was defined by a decrease in Eckardt score to 3 or lower. Results A total of 205 patients (45.8% men; mean age, 49 years) were followed for a median of 31 months (interquartile range, 26-38 months). Of these, 81 patients (39.5%) had received previous treatment for achalasia before POEM. Clinical success was achieved in 98% (185/189), 98% (142/144), and 91% (187/205) of patients with follow-up within 6 months, at 12 months, and ≥24 months, respectively. Of 185 patients with clinical response at 6 months, 11 (6%) experienced recurrent symptoms at 2 years. History of previous pneumatic dilation was associated with long-term treatment failure (odds ratio, 3.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.25-9.23). Procedure-related adverse events occurred in 8.2% of patients and only 1 patient required surgical intervention. Abnormal esophageal acid exposure and reflux esophagitis were documented in 37.5% and 18% of patients, respectively. However, these rates are simply a reference number among a very selective group of patients. Conclusions POEM is safe and provides high initial clinical success and excellent long-term outcomes. Among patients with confirmed clinical response within 6 months, 6% had recurrent symptoms by 2 years.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Background and Aims Per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for achalasia is particularly appealing in the elderly because it is minimally invasive. However, data in patients aged ≥80 years are scarce. ...The aim of this study was to assess the clinical outcome of POEM in octogenarians. Methods This was a multicenter retrospective study at 8 centers. Consecutive octogenarians with achalasia who underwent POEM between 2010 and 2016 were included. Rates of technical success (completion of myotomy), clinical response (Eckardt score ≤3), and adverse events (severity graded as per American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy lexicon) were assessed. Results A total of 76 patients (47.4% female, mean age 84 years) underwent POEM for treatment of achalasia: type I, 17.1%, type II, 35.5%, type III, 17.1%, and unspecified, 30.3%. Overall, 41.1% were treatment-naïve, whereas others had previous botulinum toxin injections and/or pneumatic dilation. The mean (± standard deviation SD) age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index was 6.2 ± 2.4, with the majority of patients having an American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification System score of II/III. Technical success was 93.4%, with a median follow-up of 256 days. Fourteen adverse events occurred in 11 patients (14.5%) (3 inadvertent mucosotomies, 6 symptomatic capnoperitoneum/mediastinum, 2 esophageal leaks, 1 cardiac arrhythmia, and 2 other). The severities of these adverse events were 78.6% mild, 14.3% moderate, and 7.1% severe. Clinical success was achieved in 90.8% of patients, with a mean (± SD) Eckardt score reduction from 7.0 ± 2.3 to 0.8 ± 0.1 ( P < .001) (median follow-up 256 days interquartile range 66-547). Conclusions Although the rate of technical success may be somewhat lower and the rate of adverse events slightly higher than previously reported, our data suggest that POEM in octogenarians is safe and effective, supporting its role as a primary modality for achalasia in this patient population.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Background The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel-coated balloon (PCB) for the treatment of the bare-metal stent restenosis (BMS-ISR) and drug-eluting stent ...restenosis (DES-ISR). Methods This study was a prospective, multicenter, randomized (2:1) trial conducted in 208 patients with 213 in-stent restenosis lesions (BMS-ISR: 123 lesions, DES-ISR: 90 lesions) at 13 centers in Japan. Patients were randomly assigned to a PCB group (137 patients with 142 lesions) or a conventional balloon angioplasty (BA) group (71 patients with 71 lesions). The primary end point was target vessel failure at 6-month follow-up. Results Clinical and angiographic follow-up 6 months after intervention was performed in 207 patients (99.5%) with 208 lesions (97.7%). Target vessel failure was noted in 6.6% of the PCB group and 31.0% of the BA group ( P < .001). Recurrent restenosis occurred in 4.3% of the PCB group and 31.9% of the BA group ( P < .001). Late lumen loss was lower in the PCB group than in the BA group (0.11 ± 0.33 mm vs 0.49 ± 0.50 mm, P < .001). In PCB-treated lesions, recurrent restenosis occurred in 1.1% of patients with BMS-ISR and in 9.1% of patients with DES-ISR ( P = .04). Late lumen loss was lower in patients with BMS-ISR than in patients with DES-ISR (0.05 ± 0.28 mm vs 0.18 ± 0.38 mm, P = .03). Conclusions This randomized clinical study suggested that PCB provided much better clinical and angiographic outcomes than did conventional BA in patients with BMS-ISR and DES-ISR. Drug-eluting stent restenosis was associated with poorer outcomes compared with BMS-ISR after treatment with PCB.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
6.
Arrhythmogenic left atrial roof vein Fukaya, Hidehira, MD, PhD; Niwano, Shinichi, MD, PhD; Nakamura, Hironori, MD ...
Journal of arrhythmia,
October 2017, Volume:
33, Issue:
5
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Abstract A seventy year-old male was referred to our hospital to undergo radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for drug-refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). Pre-operative ...three-dimensional computed tomography revealed a unique left atrial (LA) roof vein. Electrophysiological findings showed expansion of the myocardial sleeve and local firing in the LA roof vein. We performed isolation of this arrhythmogenic abnormal vein concomitant with general pulmonary vein isolation in this case, and AF did not recur after the procedure.
Full text
Available for:
FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, VSZLJ, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
To present, analyze, and discuss results of a nationwide, multicenter, retrospective study on high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) as monotherapy for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk prostate ...cancer.
From 1995 through 2013, 524 patients, 73 (14%) with low-risk, 207 (40%) with intermediate-risk, and 244 (47%) with high-risk prostate cancer, were treated with HDR-BT as monotherapy at 5 institutions in Japan. Dose fractionations were 27 Gy/2 fractions for 69 patients (13%), 45.5 Gy/7 fractions for 168 (32%), 49 Gy/7 fractions for 149 (28%), 54 Gy/9 fractions for 130 (25%), and others for 8 (2%). Of these patients, 156 (30%) did not receive androgen deprivation therapy, and 202 patients (39%) did receive androgen deprivation therapy <1 year, 112 (21%) for 1-3 years, and 54 (10%) for >3 years. Median follow-up time was 5.9 years (range, 0.4-18.1 years), with a minimum of 2 years for surviving patients.
After 5 years, respective actuarial rates of no biochemical evidence of disease, overall survival, cause-specific survival, and metastasis-free survival for all patients were 92%, 97%, 99%, and 94%. For low/intermediate/high-risk patients, the 5-year no biochemical evidence of disease rates were 95%/94%/89%, the 5-year overall survival rates were 98%/98%/94%, the 5-year cause-specific survival rates were 98%/100%/98%, and the 5-year metastasis-free survival rates were 98%/95%/90%, respectively. The cumulative incidence of late grade 2 to 3 genitourinary toxicity at 5 years was 19%, and that of late grade 3 was 1%. The corresponding incidences of gastrointestinal toxicity were 3% and 0% (0.2%). No grade 4 or 5 of either type of toxicity was detected.
The findings of this nationwide, multicenter, retrospective study demonstrate that HDR-BT as monotherapy was safe and effective for all patients with low-, intermediate-, and high-risk prostate cancer.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, NUK, OILJ, UL, UM, UPUK
Background
Cardiac troponin T (cTnT) has been reported to be associated with cardiac mortality.
In the present study, we evaluated the role of routine assessment of cTnT as a predictor of future ...cardiac death in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction.
Methods
Patients who were eligible for prophylactic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) were included from cardiac catheterization database. Inclusion criteria were patients with LV ejection fraction of ≤ 35% and with New York Heart Association (NYHA) ≥class II. Exclusion criteria were patients with acute coronary syndrome, ICD for secondary prevention, NYHA class IV, and lack of data. The final study patients were divided into the following three groups in accordance with two quartile points of serum cTnT levels: low cTnT, intermediate cTnT, and high cTnT groups. The primary endpoint of this study was cardiac death.
Results
A total of 70 patients were included (mean age, 62±13 years; male individuals, 56; ischemic, 36; and non‐ischemic, 34). During the observation period of 2.2 years, cardiac death was observed in 17 patients (fatal arrhythmic event, 9; heart failure, 7; myocardial infarction, 1). In the Kaplan–Meier analysis, the high cTnT group showed the highest risk among all the groups (p<0.001). Even in sub‐analyses for ischemic and non‐ischemic patients, the results were the same, and the high cTnT group showed the highest event rate (p<0.05). In contrast, no cardiac death was observed in the low cTnT group.
Conclusion
The cTnT levels in a stable state were associated with cardiac death in patients with LV dysfunction, even in those with non‐ischemic diseases.
Full text
Available for:
FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, VSZLJ, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
AbstractA 54-year-old man with congenitally corrected transposition of great arteries (CCTGA) was referred to our hospital for palpitation. 24-hour Holter ECG showed frequent premature ventricular ...contraction (PVC) and we performed catheter ablation for this PVC. Pace-mapping was performed in morphologic right ventricle (RV) by transaortic approach. Perfect pace-map was achieved in morphologic RV midpart lateral and ablation at this site could eliminate the clinical PVC. After the ablation, by integrating ablation site and 3D mapping, we diagnosed that the clinical PVC was originated from the moderator band (MB) of morphologic RV.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Abstract Background Patients having type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at high risk of cardiovascular events. Triglyceride-rich lipoprotein levels are synergistically ...increased in patients with DM and CKD. This study examined the predictive value of remnant lipoprotein levels for cardiovascular events in patients with DM and CKD. Methods Three hundred and sixty-five patients with type 2 DM and CKD were enrolled. Serum levels of remnant lipoproteins (remnant-like lipoprotein particles cholesterol; RLP-C) were measured by an immunoseparation method. All patients were followed prospectively for a period of 45 ± 23 months or until occurrence of one of the following events: cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, unstable angina requiring unplanned coronary revascularization, or ischemic stroke. Results During the follow-up period, 59 patients had cardiovascular events. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that high levels of RLP-C (≥4.3 mg/dL; median value) were a significant risk factor for cardiovascular events, independent of traditional risk factors (HR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.04–1.63; p = 0.02). The addition of high levels of RLP-C to traditional risk factors improved net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) (NRI 0.36, p = 0.01; and IDI 0.03, p = 0.02). Conclusions RLP-C is useful for risk assessment of future cardiovascular events in patients having type 2 DM and CKD.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
PDF
