Abstract
Conduction system pacing (CSP) has emerged as a more physiological alternative to right ventricular pacing and is also being used in selected cases for cardiac resynchronization therapy. His ...bundle pacing was first introduced over two decades ago and its use has risen over the last five years with the advent of tools which have facilitated implantation. Left bundle branch area pacing is more recent but its adoption is growing fast due to a wider target area and excellent electrical parameters. Nevertheless, as with any intervention, proper technique is a prerequisite for safe and effective delivery of therapy. This document aims to standardize the procedure and to provide a framework for physicians who wish to start CSP implantation, or who wish to improve their technique.
Abstract
Conduction system pacing (CSP) has emerged as a more physiological alternative to right ventricular pacing and is also being used in selected cases for cardiac resynchronization therapy. His ...bundle pacing was first introduced over two decades ago and its use has risen over the last years with the advent of tools which have facilitated implantation. Left bundle branch area pacing is more recent but its adoption is growing fast due to a wider target area and excellent electrical parameters. Nevertheless, as with any intervention, proper technique is a prerequisite for safe and effective delivery of therapy. This document aims to standardize the procedure and to provide a framework for physicians who wish to start CSP implantation, or who wish to improve their technique. A synopsis is provided in this print edition of EP-Europace. The full document may be consulted online, and a ‘Key Messages’ App can be downloaded from the EHRA website.
This prospective, randomized, open-label multicenter trial evaluated the efficacy of catheter-based renal denervation (Symplicity, Medtronic) versus intensified pharmacological treatment including ...spironolactone (if tolerated) in patients with true-resistant hypertension. This was confirmed by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring after excluding secondary hypertension and confirmation of adherence to therapy by measurement of plasma antihypertensive drug levels before enrollment. One-hundred six patients were randomized to renal denervation (n=52), or intensified pharmacological treatment (n=54) with baseline systolic blood pressure of 159±17 and 155±17 mm Hg and average number of drugs 5.1 and 5.4, respectively. A significant reduction in 24-hour average systolic blood pressure after 6 months (−8.6 95% cofidence interval−11.8, −5.3 mm Hg; P<0.001 in renal denervation versus −8.1 95% cofidence interval−12.7, −3.4 mm Hg; P=0.001 in pharmacological group) was observed, which was comparable in both groups. Similarly, a significant reduction in systolic office blood pressure (−12.4 95% cofidence interval−17.0, −7.8 mm Hg; P<0.001 in renal denervation versus −14.3 95% cofidence interval−19.7, −8.9 mm Hg; P<0.001 in pharmacological group) was present. Between-group differences in change were not significant. The average number of antihypertensive drugs used after 6 months was significantly higher in the pharmacological group (+0.3 drugs; P<0.001). A significant increase in serum creatinine and a parallel decrease of creatinine clearance were observed in the pharmacological group; between-group difference were borderline significant. The 6-month results of this study confirmed the safety of renal denervation. In conclusion, renal denervation achieved reduction of blood pressure comparable with intensified pharmacotherapy.
Abstract
Aims
The field of conduction system pacing (CSP) is evolving, and our aim was to obtain a contemporary picture of European CSP practice.
Methods and results
A survey was devised by a ...European CSP Expert Group and sent electronically to cardiologists utilizing CSP. A total of 284 physicians were invited to contribute of which 171 physicians (60.2%; 85% electrophysiologists) responded. Most (77%) had experience with both His-bundle pacing (HBP) and left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP). Pacing indications ranked highest for CSP were atrioventricular block (irrespective of left ventricular ejection fraction) and when coronary sinus lead implantation failed. For patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) and heart failure (HF), conventional biventricular pacing remained first-line treatment. For most indications, operators preferred LBBAP over HBP as a first-line approach. When HBP was attempted as an initial approach, reasons reported for transitioning to utilizing LBBAP were: (i) high threshold (reported as >2 V at 1 ms), (ii) failure to reverse bundle branch block, or (iii) > 30 min attempting to implant at His-bundle sites. Backup right ventricular lead use for HBP was low (median 20%) and predominated in pace-and-ablate scenarios. Twelve-lead electrocardiogram assessment was deemed highly important during follow-up. This, coupled with limitations from current capture management algorithms, limits remote monitoring for CSP patients.
Conclusions
This survey provides a snapshot of CSP implementation in Europe. Currently, CSP is predominantly used for bradycardia indications. For HF patients with LBBB, most operators reserve CSP for biventricular implant failures. Left bundle branch area pacing ostensibly has practical advantages over HBP and is therefore preferred by many operators. Practical limitations remain, and large randomized clinical trial data are currently lacking.
Background
Left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) is an emerging technique to achieve cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), but its feasibility and safety in elderly patients with heart failure ...with reduced ejection fraction and left bundle branch block is hardly investigated.
Methods
We enrolled consecutive patients with an indication for CRT comparing pacing parameters and complication rates of LBBAP-CRT in elderly patients (≥ 75 years) versus younger patients (< 75 years) over a 6-month follow-up.
Results
LBBAP was successful in 55/60 enrolled patients (92%), among which 25(45%) were elderly. In both groups, LBBAP significantly reduced the QRS duration (elderly group: 168 ± 15 ms to 136 ± 12 ms,
p
< 0.0001; younger group: 166 ± 14 ms to 134 ± 11 ms,
p
< 0.0001) and improved LVEF (elderly group: 28 ± 5% to 40 ± 7%,
p
< 0.0001; younger group: 29 ± 5% to 41 ± 8%,
p
< 0.0001). The pacing threshold was 0.9 ± 0.8 V in the elderly group vs. 0.7 ± 0.5 V in the younger group (
p
= 0.350). The R wave was 9.5 ± 3.9 mV in elderly patients vs. 10.7 ± 2.7 mV in younger patients (
p
= 0.341). The fluoroscopic (elderly: 13 ± 7 min vs. younger: 11 ± 7 min,
p
= 0.153) and procedural time (elderly: 80 ± 20 min vs. younger: 78 ± 16 min,
p
= 0.749) were comparable between groups. Lead dislodgement occurred in 2(4%) patients, 1 in each group (
p
= 1.000). Intraprocedural septal perforation occurred in three patients (5%), 2(8%) in the elderly group (
p
= 0.585). One patient (2%) in the elderly group had a pocket infection.
Conclusions
LBBAP is a feasible and safe technique for delivering physiological pacing in elderly patients who are candidates for CRT with suitable pacing parameters and low complication rates.
This randomized, multicenter study compared the relative efficacy of renal denervation (RDN) versus pharmacotherapy alone in patients with true resistant hypertension and assessed the effect of ...spironolactone addition. We present here the 12-month data. A total of 106 patients with true resistant hypertension were enrolled in this study: 52 patients were randomized to RDN and 54 patients to the spironolactone addition, with baseline systolic blood pressure of 159±17 and 155±17 mm Hg and average number of drugs 5.1 and 5.4, respectively. Twelve-month results are available in 101 patients. The intention-to-treat analysis found a comparable mean 24-hour systolic blood pressure decline of 6.4 mm Hg, P=0.001 in RDN versus 8.2 mm Hg, P=0.002 in the pharmacotherapy group. Per-protocol analysis revealed a significant difference of 24-hour systolic blood pressure decline between complete RDN (6.3 mm Hg, P=0.004) and the subgroup where spironolactone was added, and this continued within the 12 months (15 mm Hg, P= 0.003). Renal artery computed tomography angiograms before and after 1 year post-RDN did not reveal any relevant changes. This study shows that over a period of 12 months, RDN is safe, with no serious side effects and no major changes in the renal arteries. RDN in the settings of true resistant hypertension with confirmed compliance is not superior to intensified pharmacological treatment. Spironolactone addition (if tolerated) seems to be more effective in blood pressure reduction.
Aims
Fabry disease (FD) is a rare X‐linked genetic disorder caused by α‐galactosidase A (AGALA) deficiency. Whereas ‘classic’ variant has multisystemic manifestation, the more recently described ...‘later‐onset’ variant is characterized by predominant cardiac involvement that often mimics hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
Methods and results
Consecutive unrelated patients with HCM were screened for FD in 16 (out of 17) cardiac centres in the Czech Republic covering specialized cardiology care from June 2017 to December 2018. AGALA activity and globotriaosylsphingosine (lyso‐Gb3) levels were measured in all subjects using the dry blood spot method. FD was suspected in male patients with AGALA activity <1.2 μmol/h/L and in females with either low AGALA activity or lyso‐Gb3 > 3.5 ng/mL. Positive screening results were confirmed by genetic testing. We evaluated 589 patients (390 males, 66%) with HCM (mean maximal myocardial thickness 19.1 ± 4.3 mm). The average age was 58.4 ± 14.7 years. In total, 17 patients (11 males, 6 females) had a positive screening result, and subsequently, six of them (four males and two females) had a genetically confirmed pathogenic GLA mutation (total prevalence of 1.02%). Five of these patients were carrying the p.N215S mutation known to cause a typical later‐onset cardiac FD.
Conclusions
We confirmed the prevalence of FD repeatedly reported in previous screening programmes (approximately 1% irrespective of gender) in a non‐selected HCM population in Central Europe. Our findings advocate a routine screening for FD in all adult patients with HCM phenotype including both genders. The dry blood spot method used led to identification of clearly pathogenic variants.
OBJECTIVES:The randomized, multicentre study compared the efficacy of renal denervation (RDN) versus spironolactone addition in patients with true resistant hypertension. We present the 24-month ...data.
METHODS:A total of 106 patients with true resistant hypertension were enrolled in this study52 patients were randomized to RDN and 54 patients to the spironolactone addition, with baseline SBP of 159 ± 17 and 155 ± 17 mmHg and average number of drugs 5.1 and 5.4, respectively. Two-year data are available in 86 patients. Spironolactone addition, as crossover after 1 year, was performed in 23 patients after RDN, and spironolactone addition followed by RDN was performed in five patients.
RESULTS:Similar and comparable reduction of 24-h SBP after RDN or spironolactone addition after randomization was observed, 9.1 mmHg (P = 0.001) and 10.9 mmHg (P = 0.001), respectively. Similar decrease of office blood pressure (BP) was observed, 17.7 mmHg (P < 0.001) versus 14.1 mmHg (P < 0.001), whereas the number of antihypertensive drugs did not differ significantly between groups. Crossover analysis showed nonsignificantly better efficacy of spironolactone addition in 24-h SBP and office SBP reduction than RDN (3.7 mmHg, P = 0.27 and 4.6 mmHg, P = 0.28 in favour of spironolactone addition, respectively). Meanwhile, the number of antihypertensive drugs was significantly increased after spironolactone addition (+0.7, P = 0.001).
CONCLUSION:In the settings of true resistant hypertension, spironolactone addition (if tolerated) seems to be of better efficacy than RDN in BP reduction over a period of 24 months. However, by contrast to the 12-month results, BP changes were not significantly greater.
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