Circulation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology
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Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol · Feb 2015
Digoxin and risk of death in adults with atrial fibrillation: the ATRIA-CVRN study.
Digoxin remains commonly used for rate control in atrial fibrillation, but limited data exist supporting this practice and some studies have shown an association with adverse outcomes. We examined the independent association between digoxin and risks of death and hospitalization in adults with incident atrial fibrillation and no heart failure. ⋯ In adults with atrial fibrillation, digoxin use was independently associated with higher risks of death and hospitalization. Given other available rate control options, digoxin should be used with caution in the management of atrial fibrillation.
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Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol · Feb 2015
Utilization and adverse outcomes of percutaneous left atrial appendage closure for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation in the United States: influence of hospital volume.
Safety data on percutaneous left atrial appendage closure arises from centers with considerable expertise in the procedure or from clinical trial, which might not be reproducible in clinical practice. We sought to estimate the frequency and predictors of adverse outcomes and costs of percutaneous left atrial appendage closure procedure in the US. ⋯ Our study demonstrates that the frequency of inhospital adverse outcomes associated with percutaneous left atrial appendage closure is higher in the real-world population than in clinical trials. We also demonstrate that higher annual hospital volume is associated with safer procedures, with lower length of stay and cost.
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Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol · Feb 2015
Observational StudyFive-year outcome of catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation using termination of atrial fibrillation as a procedural endpoint.
This study aimed to determine 5-year efficacy of catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) using AF termination as a procedural end point. ⋯ In patients with persistent AF, an ablation strategy aiming at AF termination is associated with freedom from arrhythmia recurrence in the majority of patients over a 5-year follow-up period. Procedural AF nontermination and specific baseline factors predict long-term outcome after ablation.
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Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol · Feb 2015
Left septal atrial tachycardia after open-heart surgery: relevance to surgical approach, anatomical and electrophysiological characteristics associated with catheter ablation, and procedural outcomes.
Septal atrial tachycardia (AT) can occur in patients without structural heart disease and in patients with previous catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation. We aimed to assess septal AT that occurs after open-heart surgery. ⋯ Left septal AT after open-heart surgery was characterized by a thicker septum, more scar burden in the septum, and repeated prolongations of the tachycardia cycle length during ablation. Such an arrhythmogenic substrate may interfere with transmural lesion formation by ablation and may account for higher likelihood of recurrence of left septal AT.
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Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol · Feb 2015
Comparative Study Observational StudyPrimary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in older racial and ethnic minority patients.
Racial and ethnic minorities are under-represented in clinical trials of primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). This analysis investigates the association between primary prevention ICDs and mortality among Medicare, racial/ethnic minority patients. ⋯ Primary prevention ICDs are associated with lower mortality in nonwhite and Hispanic patients, similar to that seen in white, non-Hispanic patients. These data support a similar approach to ICD patient selection, regardless of race or ethnicity.