Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to test the feasibility and usefulness of a new delayed-enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance (DE-CMR)–guided approach to ablate gaps in redo ...procedures. Background Recurrences of atrial fibrillation (AF) after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) may be related to gaps at the ablation lines. DE-CMR allows identification of radiofrequency lesions and gaps (CMR gaps). Methods Fifteen patients undergoing repeated AF ablations were included (prior procedure was PVI in all patients and roof-line ablation in 8 patients). Pre-procedure 3-dimensional (3D) DE-CMR was performed with a respiratory-navigated (free-breathing) and electrocardiographically gated inversion-recovery gradient-echo sequence (voxel size 1.25 × 1.25 × 2.5 mm). Endocardium and epicardium were manually segmented to create a 3D reconstruction (DE-CMR model). A pixel signal intensity map was projected on the DE-CMR model and color-coded (thresholds 40 ± 5% and 60 ± 5% of maximum intensity). The DE-CMR model was imported into the navigation system to guide the ablation of CMR gaps, with the operator blinded to electrical data. Fifteen conventional procedures were used as controls to compare procedural duration, radiofrequency, and fluoroscopy times. Results Fifteen patients (56 pulmonary veins PVs; 57 ± 8 years of age; 9 with paroxysmal AF) were analyzed. In total, 67 CMR gaps were identified around PVs (mean 4.47 gaps/patient; median length 13.33 mm/gap) and 9 at roof line. All of the electrically reconnected PVs (87.5%) had CMR gaps. The site of electrical PV reconnection (assessed by circular mapping catheter) matched with a CMR gap in 79% of PVs. CMR-guided ablation led to reisolation of 95.6% of reconnected PVs (median radiofrequency time of 13.3 interquartile range: 7.5 to 21.7 min/patient) and conduction block through the roof line in all patients (1.4 interquartile range: 0.7 to 3.1 min/patient). Compared with controls, the CMR-guided approach shortened radiofrequency time (1,441 ± 915 s vs. 930 ± 662 s; p = 0.026) but not the procedural duration or fluoroscopy time. Conclusions DE-CMR can successfully guide repeated PVI procedures by accurately identifying and localizing gaps and may reduce procedural duration and radiofrequency application time.
Objective To gather information for a future confirmatory trial of dobutamine (DB) for circulatory impairment (ie, low superior vena cava SVC flow). Study design A total of 127 infants born at ...<31 weeks gestational age were serially scanned from birth to 96 hours after birth. The infants were randomly assigned to 2 groups and were treated with DB (stepwise dose increase, 5-10-15-20 μg/kg/min) or placebo if they had an SVC flow <41 mL/kg/min within the first 24 hours after birth. The primary outcome measures were the achievement and maintenance of an SVC flow ≥41 mL/kg/min. Secondary outcome measures were the short-term evolution of clinical and biochemical variables, near-infrared spectroscopy, cranial Doppler ultrasound, and clinical outcomes. Results SVC flow increased throughout the first 96 hours for the entire cohort. All of the randomized infants (n = 28) except 2 achieved and maintained an SVC flow ≥41 mL/kg/min after intervention; however, the infants treated with DB (n = 16) showed a higher heart rate and improved base excess compared with those treated with placebo (n = 12). Low SVC flow was associated with low gestational age ( P = .02) and poor condition at birth ( P = .02). Low SVC flow significantly increased the risk of severe ischemic events (OR, 13; 95% CI, 2.4-69.2; P < .01). Conclusion This exploratory trial demonstrates a tendency toward improved short-term clinical and biochemical perfusion variable outcomes in infants with low SVC flow treated with DB. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT01605279 ) and the European Clinical Trials Database (EurodraCT 2009-010901-35).
Hereditary angioedema due to C1 inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-HAE) causes swelling in the skin and upper airways and pain in the abdomen because of mucosal swelling. C1-INH-HAE is frequently ...misdiagnosed, leading to delays in diagnosis, inadequate treatment, and unnecessary procedures.
To evaluate the history of misdiagnosis in patients participating in the Icatibant Outcome Survey (IOS).
The IOS is an observational study in which safety and effectiveness of icatibant have been evaluated since 2009. As part of the IOS, patients record any misdiagnoses received before being diagnosed as having C1-INH-HAE.
In January 2016, a total of 418 of 633 IOS patients with C1-INH-HAE type I or II had provided misdiagnosis data. Of these, 185 of 418 (44.3%) received 1 or more prior misdiagnoses. The most common misdiagnoses were allergic angioedema (103 of 185) and appendicitis (50 of 185). A variety of other misdiagnoses were reported, including a substantial number of gastrointestinal disorders (excluding appendicitis). Misdiagnosis rates were similar between males (41.1%) and females (46.5%) and between C1-INH-HAE type I (43.7%) and type II (51.6%). Patients with family members diagnosed as having C1-INH-HAE were significantly less likely to be misdiagnosed than patients without a family history (140 of 366 41.7% vs 38 of 58 65.5%, respectively; P = .001). Patients with a prior misdiagnosis had longer median delay to C1-INH-HAE diagnosis (13.3 years) than patients without (1.7 years; P < .001).
From this large database, approximately 50% of patients with C1-INH-HAE type I or II have previously had their conditions misdiagnosed, most commonly as allergic angioedema or appendicitis. Misdiagnosis results in marked delays in receiving the correct diagnosis, during which time patients cannot access effective, lifesaving treatment.
ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01034969.
To analyse the association between waist-to-height ratio (WtHR) and body fat and to develop predictive adiposity equations that will simplify the diagnosis of obesity in the paediatric age group.
...Cross-sectional study conducted in Spain during 2007 and 2008. Anthropometric dimensions were taken according to the International Biology Program. The children were classified as underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese according to national standards of percentage body fat (%BF). WtHR differences among nutritional status categories were evaluated using ANOVA. Correlation analysis and regression analysis were carried out using WtHR as a predictor variable for %BF. A t test was applied to the results obtained by the regression model and by the Siri equation. The degree of agreement between both methods was evaluated by estimating the intra-class correlation coefficient.
Elementary and secondary schools in Madrid (Spain).
Girls (n 1158) and boys (n 1161) from 6 to 14 years old.
WtHR differed significantly (P < 0.001) depending on nutritional status category. This index was correlated (P < 0.001) with all adiposity indicators. The mean %BF values estimated by the regression model (boys: %BF = 106.50 × WtHR - 28.36; girls: %BF = 89.73 × WtHR - 15.40) did not differ from those obtained by the Siri equation. The intra-class correlation coefficient (0.85 in boys, 0.79 in girls) showed a high degree of concordance between both methods.
WtHR proved to be an effective method for predicting relative adiposity in 6-14-year-olds. The developed equations can help to simplify the diagnosis of obesity in schoolchildren.
Durante la temporada 2017-2018 y siguiendo el protocolo de la Sociedad Internacional para el Avance de la Cineantropometría, se evaluó la composición corporal el somatotipo y proporcionalidad de 25 ...jugadoras españolas de elite de 15-18 años (15,48 ± 1,05). El porcentaje de grasa corporal (%GC) analizado por antropometría estuvo en un rango de 14,21% - 17,30 % y mediante BIA entre 24,20%-29,63%. La menor adiposidad correspondió a jugadoras de banda y la mayor a porteras y delanteras. El somatotipo medio fue 3,67-4,10-1,90 para el conjunto de la muestra; En la categoría sub-18 (3,10-4,33-1,82) la dispersión somatotípica fue menor y la mesomorfia mayor que en la categoría Sub 16 (3,20-3,97-1,95). En análisis de proporcionalidad, mostro que las jugadoras, sobre todo las Sub18, presentan menores pliegues subcutáneos y mayores perímetros en la extremidad inferior que el modelo Phantom.
Study objective The objective of this study is to characterize repeated emergency medical services (EMS) transports among older adults across a large and socioeconomically diverse region. Methods ...Using the North Carolina Prehospital Medical Information System, we analyzed the frequency of repeated EMS transports within 30 days of an index EMS transport among adults aged 65 years and older from 2010 to 2015. We used multivariable logistic regressions to determine characteristics associated with repeated EMS transport. Results During the 6-year period, EMS performed 1,711,669 transports for 689,664 unique older adults in North Carolina. Of these, 303,099 transports (17.7%) were followed by another transport of the same patient within 30 days. The key characteristics associated with an increased adjusted odds ratio of repeated transport within 30 days include transport from an institutionalized setting (odds ratio OR 1.42; 95% confidence interval CI 1.38 to 1.47), blacks compared with whites (OR 1.29; 95% CI 1.24 to 1.33), a dispatch complaint of psychiatric problems (OR 1.38; 95% CI 1.25 to 1.52), back pain (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.26 to 1.45), breathing problems (OR 1.21; 95% CI 1.15 to 1.30), and diabetic problems (OR 1.14; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.22). Falls accounted for 15.6% of all transports and had a modest association with repeated transports (OR 1.07; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.14). Conclusion More than 1 in 6 EMS transports of older adults in North Carolina are followed by a repeated transport of the same patient within 30 days. Patient characteristics and chief complaints may identify increased risk for repeated transport and suggest the potential for targeted interventions to improve outcomes and manage EMS use.
Objective To describe an alternative analysis in the frequency-domain of the temporal relationship between 2 biological signals and evaluate the method's predictive capacity for classifying infants ...at risk for an adverse outcome. Study design We studied 54 infants (mean gestational age 27 weeks) with invasive mean arterial blood pressure monitoring. The bivariate autoregressive spectral coherence (BiAR-COH) method and the spectral coherence methods were used to analyze the relationship between spontaneous changes in mean arterial blood pressure and the near-infrared tissue oxygenation index. Results The mean postnatal age at the beginning and end of the autoregulation study was 6.0 (3.0) and 29.0 (7.5) hours, respectively. The BiAR-COH was superior to the spectral coherence in predicting low superior vena cava (SVC) flow (≤41 mL/kg per minute), with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.84 (95% CI, 0.77-0.90; P < .001). The BiAR-COH threshold for identifying low SVC flow was 0.577, with 0.8 sensitivity and 0.76 specificity. After adjusting for the repeated measures effect (multiple epochs) in a given patient, the averaged BiAR-COH per patient and averaged COH per patient were calculated as the average value per patient. The pBiAR-COH (but not the pCOH) was associated with intraventricular hemorrhage grades 3 and 4 and predicted mortality. Conclusions The BiAR-COH classifier identifies low SVC flow infants who are at risk for brain hypoperfusion. The BiAR-COH is superior to frequency domain methods in predicting adverse outcomes in infants.
Insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs) are increasingly used for cardiac rhythm diagnosis with expanding indications. Little has been reported about their use and efficacy.
The study sought to evaluate ...the clinical utility of a novel ICM (Biotronik BIOMONITOR III) including the time to diagnosis in unselected patients with different ICM indications.
Patients from 2 prospective clinical studies were included to determine the diagnostic yield of the ICM. The primary endpoint was time to clinical diagnosis per implant indication or to the first change in atrial fibrillation (AF) therapy.
A total of 632 patients were included with a mean follow-up of 233 ± 168 days. Of 384 patients with (pre)syncope, 34.2% had a diagnosis at 1 year. The most frequent therapy was permanent pacemaker implantation. Of 133 patients with cryptogenic stroke, 16.6% had an AF diagnosis at 1 year, resulting in oral anticoagulation. Of 49 patients with an indication for AF monitoring, 41.0% had a relevant change in AF therapy based on ICM data at 1 year. Of 66 patients with other indications, 35.4% received a rhythm diagnosis at 1 year. Moreover, 6.5% of the cohort had additional diagnoses: 26 of 384 patients with syncope, 8 of 133 patients with cryptogenic stroke, and 7 of 49 patients with AF monitoring.
In a large unselected patient population with heterogeneous ICM indications, the primary endpoint of rhythm diagnosis was achieved in ∼1 in 4, and additional clinically relevant findings was achieved in 6.5% of patients at short-term follow-up.
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