Access to and clinical use of cardiac implantable electronic devices and interventional electrophysiological procedures in the European Society of Cardiology Countries: 2016 Report from the European Heart Rhythm Association.

AIMS: The aim of this analysis was to provide comprehensive information on the access to and use of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) and catheter ablation therapy in the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) area. METHODS AND RESULTS: The European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) has been collecting descriptive and quantitative data on invasive arrhythmia therapies since 2008. This year 50 of the 56 ESC member countries provided data for the EHRA White Book. Up-to-date information on procedure rates for the last 5 years together with information on demographics, economy, vital statistics, local healthcare systems, and training activities is presented for each country and the 5 geographical ESC regions. Our analysis indicated that considerable heterogeneity in the access to arrhythmia therapies still exists across the ESC area. In 2015, the CIED implantation rates per million population were highest in the Western followed by the Southern and Northern European countries. The catheter ablation activity was largest in the Western followed by the Northern and Southern areas. Overall, the procedure rates were 3-10 times higher in the European than in the non-European ESC countries. Economic resources were not the only driver for utilization of arrhythmia therapies as in some Eastern European countries with relative low gross domestic product the procedure rates exceeded the average values. CONCLUSION: These data will help the healthcare professionals and stakeholders to identify and to understand in more depth the trends, disparities, and gaps in cardiac arrhythmia care and thereby promote harmonization of cardiac arrhythmias therapies in the ESC area

How often should we monitor for reliable detection of atrial fibrillation recurrence? Efficiency considerations and implications for study design

OBJECTIVE: Although atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence is unpredictable in terms of onset and duration, current intermittent rhythm monitoring (IRM) diagnostic modalities are short-termed and discontinuous. The aim of the present study was to investigate the necessary IRM frequency required to reliably detect recurrence of various AF recurrence patterns. METHODS: The rhythm histories of 647 patients (mean AF burden: 12±22% of monitored time; 687 patient-years) with implantable continuous monitoring devices were reconstructed and analyzed. With the use of computationally intensive simulation, we evaluated the necessary IRM frequency to reliably detect AF recurrence of various AF phenotypes using IRM of various durations. RESULTS: The IRM frequency required for reliable AF detection depends on the amount and temporal aggregation of the AF recurrence (p<0.0001) as well as the duration of the IRM (p<0.001). Reliable detection (>95% sensitivity) of AF recurrence required higher IRM frequencies (>12 24-hour; >6 7-day; >4 14-day; >3 30-day IRM per year; p<0.0001) than currently recommended. Lower IRM frequencies will under-detect AF recurrence and introduce significant bias in the evaluation of therapeutic interventions. More frequent but of shorter duration, IRMs (24-hour) are significantly more time effective (sensitivity per monitored time) than a fewer number of longer IRM durations (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Reliable AF recurrence detection requires higher IRM frequencies than currently recommended. Current IRM frequency recommendations will fail to diagnose a significant proportion of patients. Shorter duration but more frequent IRM strategies are significantly more efficient than longer IRM durations. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION URL: Unique identifier: NCT00806689

Mobile health in adults with congenital heart disease: Current use and future needs

Objective Many adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) are affected lifelong by cardiac events, particularly arrhythmias and heart failure. Despite the care provided, the cardiac event rate remains high. Mobile health (mHealth) brings opportunities to enhance daily monitoring and hence timely response in an attempt to improve outcome. However, it is not known if adults with CHD are currently using mHealth and what type of mHealth they may need in the near future. Methods Consecutive adult patients with CHD who visited the outpatient clinic at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam were asked to fill out questionnaires. Exclusion criteria for this study were mental impairment or inability to read and write Dutch. Results All 118 patients participated (median age 40 (range 18–78) years, 40 % male, 49 % symptomatic) and 92 % owned a smartphone. Whereas only a small minority (14 %) of patients used mHealth, the large majority (75 %) were willing to start. Most patients wanted to use mHealth in order to receive more information on physical health, and advice on progression of symptoms or signs of deterioration. Analyses on age, gender and complexity of defect showed significantly less current smartphone usage at older age, but no difference in interest or preferences in type of mHealth application for the near future. Conclusion The relatively young adult CHD population only rarely uses mHealth, but the majority are motivated to start using mHealth. New mHealth initiatives are required in these patients with a chronic condition who need lifelong surveillance in order to reveal if a reduction in morbidity and mortality and improvement in quality of life can be achieved

Cardiovascular care of patients with stroke and high risk of stroke: The need for interdisciplinary action: A consensus report from the European Society of Cardiology Cardiovascular Round Table.

Comprehensive stroke care is an interdisciplinary challenge. Close collaboration of cardiologists and stroke physicians is critical to ensure optimum utilisation of short- and long-term care and preventive measures in patients with stroke. Risk factor management is an important strategy that requires cardiologic involvement for primary and secondary stroke prevention. Treatment of stroke generally is led by stroke physicians, yet cardiologists need to be integrated care providers in stroke units to address all cardiovascular aspects of acute stroke care, including arrhythmia management, blood pressure control, elevated levels of cardiac troponins, valvular disease/endocarditis, and the general management of cardiovascular comorbidities. Despite substantial progress in stroke research and clinical care has been achieved, relevant gaps in clinical evidence remain and cause uncertainties in best practice for treatment and prevention of stroke. The Cardiovascular Round Table of the European Society of Cardiology together with the European Society of Cardiology Council on Stroke in cooperation with the European Stroke Organisation and partners from related scientific societies, regulatory authorities and industry conveyed a two-day workshop to discuss current and emerging concepts and apparent gaps in stroke care, including risk factor management, acute diagnostics, treatments and complications, and operational/logistic issues for health care systems and integrated networks. Joint initiatives of cardiologists and stroke physicians are needed in research and clinical care to target unresolved interdisciplinary problems and to promote the best possible outcomes for patients with stroke

Randomized, double blind study of non-excitatory, cardiac contractility modulation electrical impulses fr symptomatic heart failure

AIMS: We performed a randomized, double blind, crossover study of cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) signals in heart failure patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-four subjects with ejection fraction (EF) < 35% and NYHA Class II (24%) or III (76%) symptoms received a CCM pulse generator. Patients were randomly assigned to Group 1 (n = 80, CCM treatment 3 months, sham treatment second 3 months) or Group 2 (n = 84, sham treatment 3 months, CCM treatment second 3 months). The co-primary endpoints were changes in peak oxygen consumption (VO2,peak) and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLWHFQ). Baseline EF (29.3 +/- 6.7% vs. 29.8 +/- 7.8%), VO2,peak (14.1 +/- 3.0 vs. 13.6 +/- 2.7 mL/kg/min), and MLWHFQ (38.9 +/- 27.4 vs. 36.5 +/- 27.1) were similar between the groups. VO2,peak increased similarly in both groups during the first 3 months (0.40 +/- 3.0 vs. 0.37 +/- 3.3 mL/kg/min, placebo effect). During the next 3 months, VO2,peak decreased in the group switched to sham (-0.86 +/- 3.06 mL/kg/min) and increased in patients switched to active treatment (0.16 +/- 2.50 mL/kg/min). MLWHFQ trended better with treatment (-12.06 +/- 15.33 vs. -9.70 +/- 16.71) during the first 3 months, increased during the second 3 months in the group switched to sham (+4.70 +/- 16.57), and decreased further in patients switched to active treatment (-0.70 +/- 15.13). A comparison of values at the end of active treatment periods vs. end of sham treatment periods indicates statistically significantly improved VO2,peak and MLWHFQ (P = 0.03 for each parameter). CONCLUSION: In patients with heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction, CCM signals appear safe; exercise tolerance and quality of life (MLWHFQ) were significantly better while patients were receiving active treatment with CCM for a 3-month period

Subject-Specific Calculation of Left Atrial Appendage Blood-Borne Particle Residence Time Distribution in Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia that leads to thrombus formation, mostly in the left atrial appendage (LAA). The current standard of stratifying stroke risk, based on the CHA2DS2-VASc score, does not consider LAA morphology, and the clinically accepted LAA morphology-based classification is highly subjective. The aim of this study was to determine whether LAA blood-borne particle residence time distribution and the proposed quantitative index of LAA 3D geometry can add independent information to the CHA2DS2-VASc score. Data were collected from 16 AF subjects. Subject-specific measurements included left atrial (LA) and LAA 3D geometry obtained by cardiac computed tomography, cardiac output, and heart rate.We quantified 3D LAA appearance in terms of a novel LAA appearance complexity index (LAA-ACI). We employed computational fluid dynamics analysis and a systems-based approach to quantify residence time distribution and associated calculated variable (LAA mean residence time, tm) in each subject. The LAA-ACI captured the subject-specific LAA 3D geometry in terms of a single number. LAA tm varied significantly within a given LAA morphology as defined by the current subjectivemethod and it was not simply a reflection of LAA geometry/appearance. In addition, LAA-ACI and LAA tm varied significantly for a given CHA2DS2-VASc score, indicating that these two indices of stasis are not simply a reflection of the subjects’ clinical status. We conclude that LAA-ACI and LAA tm add independent information to the CHA2DS2-VASc score about stasis risk and thereby can potentially enhance its ability to stratify stroke risk in AF patients

Innovations and paradigm shifts in atrial fibrillation ablation

Treatment of symptomatic atrial fibrillation has seen important changes in the past decades. Advancements have especially been made in the field of non-pharmacological treatment of this disease. Patients in whom a rhythm control strategy is chosen the place of catheter ablation has become more frontline therapy in the past years. The procedure itself has also seen changes in technologies that can be used, either using point-by-point radiofrequency or one of the single-shot techniques. One of the major limitations that remain is that re-do procedures are often necessary due to incomplete pulmonary vein isolation and/or atrial fibrillation being initiated by other mechanisms than pulmonary vein triggers. Therefore, there is further need for developing ablation tools that reproducibly isolate the pulmonary vein transmurally. Furthermore, addressing the underlying conditions before and after catheter ablation has been shown to be of great importance. In this review, we will give an overview of the evolution of catheter ablation, highlight the latest technologies and their future endeavours, and lifestyle modifications are being discussed as part of the catheter ablation strategy

Current controversies in determining the main mechanisms of atrial fibrillation

Despite considerable basic research into the mechanisms of atrial fibrillation (AF), not much progress has been made in the prognosis of patients with AF. With the exception of anticoagulant therapy, current treatments for AF still do not improve major cardiovascular outcomes. This may be due partly to the diverse aetiology of AF with increasingly more factors found to contribute to the arrhythmia. In addition, a strong increase has been seen in the technological complexity of the methods used to quantify the main pathophysiological alterations underlying the initiation and progression of AF. Because of the lack of standardization of the technological approaches currently used, the perception of basic mechanisms of AF varies widely in the scientific community. Areas of debate include the role of Ca2+-handling alterations associated with AF, the contribution and noninvasive assessment of the degree of atrial fibrosis, and the best techniques to identify electrophysiological drivers of AF. In this review, we will summarize the state of the art of these controversial topics and describe the diverse approaches to investigating and the scientific opinions on leading AF mechanisms. Finally, we will highlight the need for transparency in scientific reporting and standardization of terminology, assumptions, algorithms and experimental conditions used for the development of better AF therapies. Content List - Read more articles from the symposium: Atrial fibrillation - from atrial extrasystoles to atrial cardiomyopathy. What have we learned from basic science and interventional procedures

Systematic Review of Medicine-Related Problems in Adult Patients with Atrial Fibrillation on Direct Oral Anticoagulants

New oral anticoagulant agents continue to emerge on the market and their safety requires assessment to provide evidence of their suitability for clinical use. There-fore, we searched standard databases to summarize the English language literature on medicine-related problems (MRPs) of direct oral anticoagulants DOACs (dabigtran, rivaroxban, apixban, and edoxban) in the treatment of adults with atri-al fibrillation. Electronic databases including Medline, Embase, International Pharmaceutical Abstract (IPA), Scopus, CINAHL, the Web of Science and Cochrane were searched from 2008 through 2016 for original articles. Studies pub-lished in English reporting MRPs of DOACs in adult patients with AF were in-cluded. Seventeen studies were identified using standardized protocols, and two reviewers serially abstracted data from each article. Most articles were inconclusive on major safety end points including major bleeding. Data on major safety end points were combined with efficacy. Most studies inconsistently reported adverse drug reactions and not adverse events or medication error, and no definitions were consistent across studies. Some harmful drug effects were not assessed in studies and may have been overlooked. Little evidence is provided on MRPs of DOACs in patients with AF and, therefore, further studies are needed to establish the safety of DOACs in real-life clinical practice