Circulation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology
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Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol · Jun 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialAtrial ectopy predicts late recurrence of atrial fibrillation after pulmonary vein isolation.
Late recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after radiofrequency ablation remains significant. Asymptomatic recurrence poses a difficult clinical problem as it is associated with an equally increased risk of stroke and death compared with symptomatic AF events. Meta-analyses reveal that no single preablation patient characteristic efficiently predicts these AF recurrences. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of premature atrial complex (PAC) occurrence with regard to the risk of late AF recurrence after radiofrequency ablation. ⋯ URL: http://www.anzctr.org.au. Unique identifier: ACRTN12606000467538.
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Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol · Jun 2015
Observational StudyCharacteristics of ventricular tachycardia ablation in patients with continuous flow left ventricular assist devices.
Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are increasingly used as a bridge to cardiac transplantation or as destination therapy. Patients with LVADs are at high risk for ventricular arrhythmias. This study describes ventricular arrhythmia characteristics and ablation in patients implanted with a Heart Mate II device. ⋯ Catheter ablation of VT among LVAD recipients is feasible and reasonably safe even soon after LVAD implantation. Intrinsic myocardial scar, rather than the apical cannula, seems to be the dominant substrate.
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Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol · Apr 2015
Review Meta AnalysisElectrocardiographic monitoring for detecting atrial fibrillation after ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major cause of stroke. Although standard investigations after an event include electrocardiographic monitoring, the optimal duration to detect AF is unclear. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether the duration of electrocardiographic monitoring after an ischemic event is related to the detection of AF. ⋯ Longer duration of electrocardiographic monitoring after cryptogenic stroke is associated with a greater detection of AF. Future investigation is needed to determine the optimal duration of long-term monitoring.