Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is a transient acute cardiac disorder often associated with QT prolongation, but this rarely leads to torsades de pointes (TdP). Additionally, it is a rare complication ...of catheter ablation. Here we report a case of TCM that developed after catheter ablation for common atrial flutter, which led to TdP.
The patient was an 85-year-old male who had persistent supraventricular tachycardia, which was considered atrial flutter. The patient was hospitalized for congestive heart failure. Although the response to diuretic administration was unfavorable, heart failure improved with the combined use of rate control by landiolol. Catheter ablation was performed because of the possibility of tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy. Tachycardia disappeared following ablation to the cavotricuspid isthmus, but the patient complained of severe pain during the ablation. Approximately 2 h after the treatment, the patient's heart failure re-exacerbated. The next day, electrocardiogram confirmed a marked QT prolongation, and TdP occurred.
Although the phenomenon we experienced is rarely reported, it should be considered a complication following catheter ablation. Adequate analgesia, care for anxiety about treatment, and evaluation of cardiac condition after treatment are considered important.
<Learning objective: We encountered a case who developed torsades de pointes due to takotsubo cardiomyopathy after catheter ablation for atrial flutter. Currently, the efficacy and safety of catheter ablation have been established. This procedure has become widespread worldwide and is expected to progress in the future. Through this case, we want to focus on a rare complication of catheter ablation. Although the phenomenon we experienced is rarely reported, it should be considered a possible complication.>
Atrial fibrillation (AF) activates the coagulation system, leading to hypercoagulation of the blood. The liver is a major source of prothrombotic molecules.
This study aimed to clarify whether ...cardiohepatic interactions are involved in AF-related hypercoagulation.
We compared gene expression profiles of human liver tissue between patients with AF and sinus rhythm. An AF model was created by rapid atrial pacing (RAP) at a frequency of 1200 beats/min in anesthetized 10-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats. Livers, atria, and peripheral blood cells were collected and analyzed after 12 hours of RAP.
DNA microarray analysis revealed marked changes in the gene expression profile of human liver of patients with AF. The extrinsic prothrombin activation pathway showed the most prominent change in 354 BioCarta pathways. Twelve hours of RAP also markedly altered the gene expression profile of rat liver. RAP markedly augmented the hepatic messenger RNA expression of fibrinogen chains, prothrombin, coagulation factor X, and antithrombin III. The augmented fibrinogen production by RAP was accompanied by increased of interleukin 6 (IL-6) messenger RNA expression in peripheral blood cells, enhanced monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression in the liver, infiltrated cluster of differentiation 11b-positive mononuclear cells in the liver, and enhanced signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation in the nuclei of hepatocytes. STAT3 phosphorylation and increased fibrinogen and coagulation factor X production by RAP were suppressed by pretreatment with IL-6 neutralizing antibody.
Rapid atrial excitation mimicking paroxysmal AF remotely altered the hepatic gene expression of prothrombotic molecules. Increased fibrinogen expression in the liver by RAP was mediated by activation of the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway in the peripheral blood and liver.
Compared to conscious sedation (CS), the use of general anesthesia (GA) in pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is associated with a lower recurrence rate of atrial fibrillation (AF). GA may improve ...catheter stability and mapping system accuracy compared to CS, but its influence on contact force (CF) parameters during ipsilateral PVI has not previously been investigated. The study population comprised 176 consecutive patients (107 in GA group and 69 in CS group) with AF who underwent their first PVI procedure. We retrospectively assessed CF parameters, force–time integral (FTI), FTI/wall thickness during anatomical ipsilateral PVI and long-term outcome after ablation. Complete PVI with single continuous circular lesions around the ipsilateral PVs was achieved in 54 patients (50.5%) in the GA group but only 24 patients (34.8%) in the CS group (
P
= 0.04). The distribution of gaps did not differ between the groups. All CF parameters were significantly higher in the GA group than in the CS group (average CF: 19.4 ± 8.7 vs. 16.7 ± 7.7 g,
P
< 0.0001; FTI: 399.0 ± 262.5 vs. 293.9 ± 193.4 gs,
P
< 0.0001; FTI/wall thickness: 155.5 ± 106.1 vs. 115.7 ± 85.5 gs,
P
< 0.0001). GA was associated with lower AF recurrence rate in patients with paroxysmal AF but not with persistent AF. Compared with CS, GA improves CF parameters, FTI and FTI/wall thickness, and reduced gap formation after ipsilateral PVI.
Phrenic nerve (PN) stimulation is essential for the elimination of PN palsy during balloon-based pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). Although ultrasound-guided vascular access is safe, insertion of a PN ...stimulation catheter via central venous access carries a potential risk of the development of mechanical complications. We evaluated the safety of a left cubital vein approach for positioning a 20-electrode atrial cardioversion (BeeAT) catheter in the coronary sinus (CS), and the feasibility of right PN pacing from the superior vena cava (SVC) using proximal electrodes of the BeeAT catheter. In total, 106 consecutive patients who underwent balloon-based PVI with a left cubital vein approach for BeeAT catheter positioning were retrospectively assessed. The left cubital approach was successful in 105 patients (99.1%), and catheter insertion into the CS was possible for 104 patients (99.0%). Among these patients, constant right PN pacing from the SVC was obtained for 89 patients (89/104, 85.6%). In five patients, transient loss of right PN capture occurred during right pulmonary vein ablation. No persistent right PN palsy was observed. Small subcutaneous hemorrhage was observed in eight patients (7.5%). Neuropathy, pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, and perforations associated with the left cubital approach were not detected. Body mass index was significantly higher in the right PN pacing failure group than in the right PN pacing success group (26.2 ± 3.2 vs. 23.8 ± 3.8;
P
= 0.025). CS catheter placement with a left cubital vein approach for right PN stimulation was found to be safe and feasible. Right PN pacing from the SVC using a BeeAT catheter was successfully achieved in the majority of the patients. This approach may prove to be preferable for non-obese patients.
Cardiac tamponade is a rare but serious complication of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC). Two cases of cardiac tamponade subsequent to TC have been reported. The pericardial effusion in these cases was ...hemorrhagic and caused by ventricular rupture. Cardiac tamponade induced by an inflammatory effusion complicated with TC has not been reported. This is the first case report of TC, which developed cardiac tamponade during the recovery phase with a large volume non-hemorrhagic inflammatory effusion.
We describe a case of an 81-year-old woman admitted to our hospital because of severe chest pain. Her symptoms began soon after her son's hospitalization. We diagnosed her with TC based on results of an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and emergent coronary angiography. Her symptoms and left ventricular dysfunction improved gradually. She developed newly confirmed chest pain and dyspnea on day 9 after admission. A large pericardial effusion developed, resulting in cardiac tamponade. Her symptoms and hemodynamic status improved immediately after the pericardiocentesis. The effusion was non-hemorrhagic and exudative. No specific signs of infection, collagen disease, or malignant tumors were observed, except for TC.
We experienced a case of circulatory collapse induced by TC-related inflammatory pericardial effusion at recovery phase. This case emphasizes the importance of careful follow-up even after improved left ventricular dysfunction in a patient with TC.
•Detecting acute pulmonary embolism (APE) by electrocardiogram (ECG) is difficult.•A standard 12-lead ECG and a synthesized right-sided chest ECG were evaluated.•Traditional findings in 12-lead ECG ...were found in relatively few patients with APE.•Syn-V3R ECG showed a higher frequency of negative T waves (66.1%) at the onset.•Synthesized right-sided chest ECGs may be useful and convenient to detect APE.
The significance of right-sided chest lead electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities in acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is unclear. This study evaluated the characteristics of such abnormalities in APE patients.
This retrospective study included consecutive patients who were diagnosed with APE by contrast-enhanced computed tomography or pulmonary artery angiography. A standard 12-lead ECG and a synthesized right-sided chest ECG were obtained from these patients. Waveform differences were noted between the acute and post-treatment phases.
In total, 56 APE patients (18 men and 38 women, mean age 66.7±13.3 years) were included. Traditional ECG findings, such as right-axis deviation, the S1Q3T3 pattern, and clockwise rotation, were found in relatively few patients (14.3%, 32.1%, and 21.4%, respectively). In some cases, a negative T wave in standard 12-lead ECGs was observed in leads III, V1, and V2 (46.4%, 60.7%, and 39.9%, respectively). Syn-V3R ECG showed a higher frequency of negative T waves (66.1%) at the onset and significantly (p<0.01) decreased at the follow-up. Multiple logistic regression analyses for differentiating APE revealed that the negative T waves only in lead syn-V3R were significantly related (odds ratio: 6.95, 95% confidence interval: 2.50–19.32, p<0.001).
The presence of a negative T wave in a synthesized right-sided chest ECG, particularly in the V3R lead, is a new and distinctive finding denoting pulmonary embolism. To confirm the utility of this characteristic using synthesized right-sided chest ECGs for the diagnosis of APE, further studies with larger populations will be required.
The impact of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) on cardiovascular events and mortality is controversial. We investigated the impact of sinus rhythm maintenance on major adverse cardiac ...and cerebrovascular events after AF ablation from a Japanese multicenter cohort of AF ablation. We investigated 3326 consecutive patients (25.8% female, mean age 63.3 ± 10.3 years) who underwent catheter ablation for AF from the atrial fibrillation registry to follow the long-term outcomes and use of anti coagulants after ablation (AF frontier ablation registry). The primary endpoint was a composite of stroke, transient ischemic attack, cardiovascular events, and all-cause death. During a mean follow-up of 24.0 months, 2339 (70.3%) patients were free from AF after catheter ablation, and the primary composite endpoint occurred in 144 (4.3%) patients. The AF nonrecurrence group had a significantly lower incidence of the primary endpoint (1.8 per 100 person-years) compared with the AF recurrence group (3.0 per 100 person-years,
p
= 0.003). The multivariate analysis revealed that freedom from AF (hazard ratio 0.61, 95% confidence interval 0.44–0.86,
p
= 0.005) was independently associated with the incidence of the composite event. In the multicenter cohort of AF ablation, sinus rhythm maintenance after catheter ablation was independently associated with lower rates of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events.
Background
Low contact force and force–time integral (FTI) during catheter ablation are associated with ineffective lesion formation, whereas excessively high contact force and FTI may increase the ...risk of complications. We sought to evaluate the optimal FTI for pulmonary vein (PV) isolation based on atrial wall thickness under the ablation line.
Methods and Results
Contact force parameters and FTI during anatomical ipsilateral PV isolation for atrial fibrillation and atrial wall thickness were assessed retrospectively in 59 consecutive patients for their first PV isolation procedure. The PV antrum was divided into 8 segments, and the wall thickness of each segment under the ablation line was determined using multidetector computed tomography. The FTI for each ablation point was divided by the wall thickness of the PV antrum segment where each point was located to obtain FTI/wall thickness. In total, 5335 radiofrequency applications were delivered, and 85 gaps in PV isolation ablation lines and 15 dormant conductions induced by adenosine were detected. The gaps or dormant conductions were significantly associated with low contact force, radiofrequency duration, FTI, and FTI/wall thickness. Among them, FTI/wall thickness had the best prediction value for gaps or dormant conductions by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. FTI/wall thickness of <76.4 gram‐seconds per millimeter (gs/mm) predicted gaps or dormant conductions with sensitivity (88.0%) and specificity (83.6%), and FTI/wall thickness of <101.1 gs/mm was highly predictive (sensitivity 97.0%; specificity 69.6%).
Conclusions
FTI/wall thickness is a strong predictor of gap and dormant conduction formation in PV isolation. An FTI/wall thickness ≈100 gs/mm could be a suitable target for effective ablation.
Although benefits of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) for treatment of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) were well demonstrated, few data exist regarding cost-effectiveness between DOAC and ...warfarin uses in real-world clinical practice. Therefore, we estimated total cost of treatment for AF by authorized cardiologists in Japan. We studied consecutive 617 anticoagulated non-valvular AF patients (418 men, mean age 68.8, 54% warfarin) consulted by authorized cardiologists. The mean time in therapeutic range of warfarin was 71.8%. Under these conditions, we calculated the cost of anticoagulants, laboratory examination, and hospitalization due to thromboembolism or bleeding during follow-up for 3.1 years. Thromboembolism occurred in 26 patients (4.2%, 1.3/100 person-year) and hemorrhagic events in 20 patients (3.2%, 1.0/100 person-year). There was no significant difference in the occurrence rate of thromboembolism (log rank
P
= 0.16) or hemorrhagic events (log rank
P
= 0.83) between these two groups. Importantly, warfarin group showed lower cost than DOAC group (117,361 ± 743,710 yen/year vs. 310,436 ± 1,075,639 yen/person,
P
= 0.009) in terms of cost including drug, medical check, and hospitalization. These results demonstrate that the total cost with warfarin can be lower than DOAC in treatment for AF by authorized cardiologists in Japan, although further prospective randomized cost calculation is necessary including post-discharge care fee.
Evidence suggests that atrial fibrillation (AF) could increase the risk of worsening kidney function (WKF) which is linked to an increased risk of stroke, bleeding, and death in AF patients. However, ...limited data exist regarding the factors that could lead to WKF in these patients. Therefore, we sought to identify the potential factors associated with the development of WKF in patients with non-valvular AF (NVAF). We analyzed prospectively recruited 1122 NVAF patients men 71.9%, median age 73.0 years (interquartile range: 66.0–79.0) with a baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 15 mL/min/1.73 m
2
from the Hokuriku-Plus AF Registry. The primary outcome was incident WKF, defined as the %eGFR change from the baseline ≥ 30% during the follow-up period. We evaluated the association between baseline variables and incident WKF using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. We also evaluated the non-linear association between the identified factors and incident WKF. During a median follow-up period of 3.0 years (interquartile range: 2.7–3.3), incident WKF was observed in 108 patients (32.6 per 1000 person-years). Compared to the patients without incident WKF, the patients with incident WKF were older and had a higher prevalence of heart failure (HF), diabetes mellitus (DM), and vascular disease at baseline. Those who experienced incident WKF also had higher diastolic blood pressure, lower hemoglobin, lower eGFR, higher B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and used warfarin more frequently. Upon multivariate analysis, age ≥ 75 years, HF, DM, and anemia were independently associated with incident WKF. Additionally, age and hemoglobin were linearly associated with the risk of incident WKF, whereas a J- or U-shaped association was observed for HbA1c and BNP. Age ≥ 75 years, HF, DM, and anemia were associated with the development of WKF in Japanese patients with NVAF. In patients with these risk factors, a careful monitoring of the kidney function and appropriate interventions may be important when possible.
PDF
