Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation is an established treatment strategy for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). However, the recurrence rate of PAF is 8% to 37%, despite repeated procedures, and the ...catheter ablation strategy for PAF with non-PV foci is unclear.
The purpose of this study was to assess the PAF ablation strategy for non-PV foci.
The study included 304 consecutive patients undergoing PAF ablation (209 males, age 63.0 ± 10.4 years) divided into 3 groups: group 1 (245 patients) with no inducible non-PV foci; group 2 (34 patients) with atrial fibrillation (AF) originating from non-PV foci and all the foci successfully ablated; and group 3 (25 patients) with AF originating from non-PV triggers, but without all foci being ablated or with persistently inducible AF.
Mean follow-up period was 26.9 ± 11.8 months, and AF recurrence rates since the last procedure were 9.8%, 8.8%, and 68.0% in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in recurrence rate between groups 1 and 2 (P = .89); however, there were statistically significant differences between groups 3 and 1 (P <.0001) and groups 3 and 2 (P <.0001). The patients in group 2 had an AF-free outcome to equivalent to those who had PV foci in group 1 (P = .83).
Success rates can be improved for PAF ablation if non-PV foci are detected and eliminated.
Abstract Background The causative organism in cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infection is usually diagnosed with the cultures from blood, removed leads, and/or infected pocket ...material. The cultured organism, however, is sometimes different among these samples. Methods Two hundred sixty patients with CIED infection, who underwent lead extraction between April 2005 and December 2014, were analyzed. More than two blood culture sets, all the extracted leads, and swab culture of the pocket were sent to the laboratory for culture. Among the patients all of whose microbiological examinations were available, we analyzed the causative organism defined as the species detected in at least two different sites. Results All the culture results were available in the 208 patients, showing 69 systemic infections (including 30 cases of infectious endocarditis) and 139 local infections. Blood culture, lead culture, and swab culture were positive in 57 (27%), 169 (81%), and 152 (73%), respectively. Staphylococcus aureus 37% including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) (12%) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS, 36%) were the most common causative organism, followed by non-staphylococci (23%), and poly-microbial infection (4%). The detection of S. aureus from pocket or removed leads rendered higher predictive value of a causative organism than that of CoNS. The detection of Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and mycobacteria indicated that it was most likely a causative organism. Gram-positive bacteria excluding Staphylococcus , such as Corynebacterium spp., tended to coexist as a benign organism. Conclusions The causative organism is mostly S. aureus and CoNS. Detection of S. aureus or Gram-negative bacteria means that it is more likely a causative organism.
Abstract Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC) with neuroendocrine differentiation/morphology (NED/NEM) is exceedingly rare. We present three cases of ChRCC with NED/NEM, two of which showed ...positivity for neuroendocrine markers on immunohistochemical analysis. Patients ranged in age from 49 to 79 years (mean: 64.3 years). One of the three patients died of metastatic disease to multiple organs. Of the remaining two patients, one is currently alive without disease and the other is alive with disease. Histologically, all three tumors were composed of conventional ChRCC and NEM showed glandular and rosette formation. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for CK7, KAI1, E-cadherin, and c-kit in both ChRCC and neuroendocrine areas in three cases. CD56 and synaptophysin immunoreactivity were detected in two cases; in only the neuroendocrine area in one case and in both components in the other. Neuroendocrine granules were ultrastructurally observed at both neuroendocrine and conventional areas of ChRCC. Array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) study indicated losses of chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 10, 17, 21, and Y in both conventional ChRCC and NED in one case. In addition, losses of chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 10, 13, 16p, 17, and 21 were observed in both components of the remaining one tumor. Furthermore, loss of chromosome 5 was identified only in the neuroendocrine area in this case. We concluded that the neuroendocrine area may reflect dedifferentiation within ChRCC. It is possible that losses of chromosomes 4, 5, and 16p may be involved in the neuroendocrine differentiation or progression of ChRCC.
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