Efficacy of Convalescent Plasma and Short Course of Corticosteroids in Patients with COVID-19

This study reported the efficacy of short course corticosteroids and convalescent plasma (CP) transfusion in treating five patients with severe COVID-19 disease. Five adults (mean age: 70 ± 9 years) with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and severe hypoxemia (PaO2/FiO2 [P/F]\u3c100) requiring invasive mechanical ventilation received 5-days methylprednisolone (40 mg intravenously every 12 hours) and subsequent CP transfusion (250-400 ml). Compared with the baseline, P/F ratios increased by 46% and by 28% after short course corticosteroids and CP transfusion. Four patients survived. Short course corticosteroids and CP transfusion may improve hypoxemia in patients with severe COVID-19 disease

Endo-Epicardial Homogenization of the Scar Versus Limited Substrate Ablation for the Treatment of Electrical Storms in Patients With Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

ObjectivesThis study investigated the impact on recurrences of 2 different substrate approaches for the treatment of these arrhythmias.BackgroundCatheter ablation of electrical storms (ES) for ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) has shown moderate long-term efficacy in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.MethodsNinety-two consecutive patients (81% male, age 62 ± 13 years) with ischemic cardiomyopathy and ES underwent catheter ablation. Patients were treated either by confining the radiofrequency lesions to the endocardial surface with limited substrate ablation (Group 1, n = 49) or underwent endocardial and epicardial ablation of abnormal potentials within the scar (homogenization of the scar, Group 2, n = 43). Epicardial access was obtained in all Group 2 patients, whereas epicardial ablation was performed in 33% (14) of these patients.ResultsMean ejection fraction was 27 ± 5. During a mean follow-up of 25 ± 10 months, the VAs recurrence rate of any ventricular tachycardia (VTs) was 47% (23 of 49 patients) in Group 1 and 19% (8 of 43 patients) in Group 2 (log-rank p = 0.006). One patient in Group 1 and 1 patient in Group 2 died at follow-up for noncardiac reasons.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates that ablation using endo-epicardial homogenization of the scar significantly increases freedom from VAs in ischemic cardiomyopathy patients

Effects of smoking in patients treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy

Smoking is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in cardiac patients. However, data on the prognostic impact of smoking in heart failure (HF) patients on cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D) are absent. We investigated the effects of smoking on all-cause mortality and on a composite endpoint (all-cause death/appropriate device therapy), appropriate and inappropriate device therapy, in 649 patients with HF who underwent CRT-D between January 2003 and October 2011 in 6 Centers (4 in Italy and 2 in USA). 68 patients were current smokers, 396 previous-smokers (patients who had smoked in the past but who had quit before the CRT-D implant), and 185 had never smoked. The risk of each endpoint by smoking status was evaluated with both Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional-hazard analysis. After adjusting for age, left ventricular ejection fraction, QRS width and ischemic etiology, both current and previous smoking were independent predictors of all-cause death [HR = 5.07 (95 % CI 2.68-9.58), p < 0.001 and HR = 2.43 (95 % CI 1.38-4.29), p = 0.002, respectively) and of composite endpoint [HR = 1.63 (1.04-2.56); p = 0.033 and HR = 1.46 (1.04-2.04) p = 0.027]. In addition, current smokers had a significantly higher rate of inappropriate device therapy compared to never smokers [HR = 21.74 (4.53-104.25), p = 0.005]. Our study indicates that in patients with HF who received a CRT-D device, current and previous smoking increase the event rate per person-time of death and of appropriate and inappropriate ICD therapy more than other known negative prognostic factors such as age, left ventricular dysfunction, prolonged QRS duration and ischemic etiology. © 2012 SIMI

Periprocedural Stroke and Management of Major Bleeding Complications in Patients Undergoing Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation

Background— Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation is associated with the potential risk of periprocedural stroke, which can range between 1% and 5%. We developed a prospective database to evaluate the prevalence of stroke over time and to assess whether the periprocedural anticoagulation strategy and use of open irrigation ablation catheter have resulted in a reduction of this complication. Methods and Results— We collected data from 9 centers performing the same ablation procedure with the same anticoagulation protocol. We divided the patients into 3 groups: ablation with an 8-mm catheter off warfarin (group 1), ablation with an open irrigated catheter off warfarin (group 2), and ablation with an open irrigated catheter on warfarin (group 3). Outcome data on stroke/transient ischemic attack and bleeding complications during and early after the procedures were collected. Of 6454 consecutive patients in the study, 2488 were in group 1, 1348 were in group 2, and 2618 were in group 3. Periprocedural stroke/transient ischemic attack occurred in 27 patients (1.1%) in group 1 and 12 patients (0.9%) in group 2. Despite a higher prevalence of nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation and more patients with CHADS2 (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age >75 years, diabetes mellitus, and prior stroke or transient ischemic attack) score >2, no stroke/transient ischemic attack was reported in group 3. Complications among groups 1, 2, and 3, including major bleeding (10 [0.4%], 11 [0.8%], and 10 [0.4%], respectively; P >0.05) and pericardial effusion (11 [0.4%], 11 [0.8%], and 12 [0.5%]; P >0.05), were equally distributed. Conclusion— The combination of an open irrigation ablation catheter and periprocedural therapeutic anticoagulation with warfarin may reduce the risk of periprocedural stroke without increasing the risk of pericardial effusion or other bleeding complications

Impact of uncontrolled hypertension on atrial fibrillation ablation outcome

Objectives The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of hypertension on the outcome of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. Background Hypertension is a well-known independent risk factor for incident AF. Methods A total of 531 consecutive patients undergoing AF ablation were enrolled in this study and divided into 3 groups: patients with uncontrolled hypertension despite medical treatment (group I, n = 160), patients with controlled hypertension (group II, n = 192), and patients without hypertension (group III, n = 179). Pulmonary vein (PV) antrum and posterior wall isolation was always performed, and non-PV triggers were identified during isoproterenol infusion. All patients underwent extensive follow-up. Results Three groups differed in terms of left atrial (LA) size, non-PV triggers, and moderate/severe LA scar. Non-PV triggers were present in 94 (58.8%), 64 (33.3%), and 50 (27.9%) patients in groups I, II, and III, respectively (p < 0.001). After 19 ± 7.7 months of follow-up, 65 (40.6%), 54 (28.1%), and 46 (25.7%) patients in groups I, II, and III had recurrences (log-rank test, p = 0.003). Among patients in group I who underwent additional non-PV trigger ablation, freedom from AF/atrial tachycardia was 69.8%, which was similar to groups II and III procedural success (log-rank p = 0.7). After adjusting for confounders, uncontrolled hypertension (group I) (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.52, p = 0.045), non-PV triggers (HR: 1.85, p < 0.001), and nonparoxysmal AF (HR: 1.64, p = 0.002) demonstrated significant association with arrhythmia recurrence. Conclusions Controlled hypertension does not affect the AF ablation outcome when compared with patients without hypertension. By contrast, uncontrolled hypertension confers higher AF recurrence risk and requires more extensive ablation