Percutaneous or mini-invasive surgical radiofrequency re-ablation of atrial fibrillation: Impact on atrial function and echocardiographic predictors of short and long-term success.

Objectives The aim of this study was to compare percutaneous catheter ablation vs. minimally invasive surgical ablation, evaluating the impact of repeated ablation on atrial function, and evaluating predictors of atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence. Background When AF ablation fails, re-ablations are required in up to 40% of patients to treat recurrent arrhythmia; surgical ablation is more effective than catheter ablation. Methods Thirty-two patients with failed prior catheter ablation and referred for a second ablation (18 catheter and 14 surgical) were included in a descriptive observational study. Left atrial volumes, strain, and strain rate were measured with 2D speckle tracking echocardiography at baseline and 6 months after the procedures to assess left atrial functions. Patients received up to 1 year of clinical and Holter follow-up. Results At the 12-month follow-up, catheter ablation was effective in 56% and surgical ablation in 72% of patients (OR 2 (CI 0.45–8.84), p 0.36). Left atrial booster function was similar in all patients, but left atrial reservoir function was more impaired in those patients who underwent surgical ablation. Left atrial booster function was predictive of arrhythmia recurrence after both catheter and surgical ablation: late diastolic strain rate (LASRa) cut-off ≤ -0.89 s–1 (sensitivity 88%, specificity 70%, AUC 0.82) and ≤ -0.85 s–1 (sensitivity 60%, specificity 100%, AUC 0.82), respectively. Conclusion Surgical ablation has a more negative impact on LA reservoir function despite being slightly more effective in arrhythmia suppression. LA booster function is not significantly impaired by either procedure. LA booster function predicts arrhythmia elimination after a re-ablation (catheter or surgical)

Echocardiography in the evaluation of athletes

Echocardiography is currently a widely available imaging technique that can provide useful data in the field of sports cardiology particularly in two areas: pre-participation screening and analysis of the cardiac adaptation induced by exercise. The application of pre-participation screening and especially, the type and number of used diagnostic tests remains controversial. Echocardiography has shown though, higher sensitivity and specificity as compared to the ECG, following a protocol adapted to athletes focused on ruling out the causes of sudden death and the most common disorders in this population. It is still a subject of controversy the actual cost of adding it, but depending on the type of sport, echocardiography might be cost-effective if added in the first line of examination. Regarding the evaluation of cardiac adaptation to training in athletes, echocardiography has proved to be useful in the differential diagnosis of diseases that can cause sudden death, analysing both the left ventricle (hypertrophy cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, left ventricle non compaction) and the right ventricle (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy). The aim of this paper is to review the current knowledge and the clinical practical implications of it on the field of echocardiography when applied in sport cardiology areas

Emerging risk factors and the dose-response relationship between physical activity and lone atrial fibrillation: a prospective case-control study

A history of a parts per thousand yen2000 h of vigorous endurance training, tall stature, abdominal obesity, and OSA are frequently encountered as risk factors in patients with Ln-AF. Fewer than 2000 total hours of high-intensity endurance training associates with reduced Ln-AF risk

Prevalence, features and predictive factors of liver nodules in Fontan surgery patients: The VALDIG Fonliver prospective cohort

Background & Aims: Fontan surgery is used to treat a variety of congenital heart malformations, and may lead to advanced chronic liver disease in the long-term. This study examines the prevalence, characteristics and predictors of liver nodules in patients following Fontan surgery. Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional, observational study conducted at 8 European centres. Consecutive patients who had undergone Fontan surgery underwent blood tests, abdominal ultrasonography (US), transient elastography (Fibroscan®), echocardiography, haemodynamic assessments, and abdominal MRI/CT scan. The primary outcome measure was liver nodules detected in the MRI/CT scan. Predictors of liver nodules were identified by multivariate logistic regression. Results: One hundred and fifty-two patients were enrolled (mean age 27.3 years). The mean time elapsed from surgery to inclusion was 18.3 years. Liver nodule prevalences were 29.6% (95% CI 23–37%) on US and 47.7% (95% CI 39–56%) on MRI/CT. Nodules were usually hyperechoic (76.5%), round-shaped (>80%), hyperenhancing in the arterial phase (92%) and located in the liver periphery (75%). The sensitivity and specificity of US were 50% (95% CI 38–62%) and 85.3% (95% CI 75–92%), respectively. Inter-imaging test agreement was low (adjusted kappa: 0.34). In the multivariate analysis, time since surgery >10 years was the single independent predictor of liver nodules (odds ratio 4.18; p = 0.040). Hepatocellular carcinoma was histologically diagnosed in 2 of the 8 patients with hypervascular liver nodules displaying washout. Conclusion: While liver nodules are frequent in Fontan patients, they may go unnoticed in US. Liver nodules are usually hyperechoic, hypervascular and predominantly peripheral. This population is at risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, the diagnosis of which requires confirmatory biopsy

Proposta d’uns criteris de consens entre els CEIC catalans per a l’avaluació ètica, jurídica i metodològica de projectes de recerca amb medicaments

La necessitat de l’estudi va sorgir perquè els procediments per a l’avaluació dels aspectes metodològics i, sobretot, dels ètics i jurídics dels CEIC de Catalunya són heterogenis i amb diferents graus d’eficàcia. L’estudi pretenia donar resposta als quatre reptes següents: (a) concretar i ordenar tots els ítems que s’han de considerar en la valoració d’un protocol de recerca clínica amb medicaments, tenint en compte els procediments i els coneixements dels CEIC de Catalunya; (b) facilitar l’avaluació; (c) donar un tractament equànime als diferents protocols que valora un mateix CEIC i al mateix protocol que valoren diferents CEIC de Catalunya, i (d) utilitzar un procediment àgil i operatiu. El resultat ha estat una Proposta de guia d’avaluació d’estudis clínics per als comitès d’ètica d’investigació clínica de Cataluny

Echocardiography in the evaluation of athletes

Echocardiography is currently a widely available imaging technique that can provide useful data in the field of sports cardiology particularly in two areas: pre-participation screening and analysis of the cardiac adaptation induced by exercise. The application of pre-participation screening and especially, the type and number of used diagnostic tests remains controversial. Echocardiography has shown though, higher sensitivity and specificity as compared to the ECG, following a protocol adapted to athletes focused on ruling out the causes of sudden death and the most common disorders in this population. It is still a subject of controversy the actual cost of adding it, but depending on the type of sport, echocardiography might be cost-effective if added in the first line of examination. Regarding the evaluation of cardiac adaptation to training in athletes, echocardiography has proved to be useful in the differential diagnosis of diseases that can cause sudden death, analysing both the left ventricle (hypertrophy cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, left ventricle non compaction) and the right ventricle (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy). The aim of this paper is to review the current knowledge and the clinical practical implications of it on the field of echocardiography when applied in sport cardiology areas

Biblioteques universitàries del Regne Unit : nous serveis i espais bibliotecaris

Presentació integrant de l'àmbit de coneixement "Espais, serveis i sistemes d'automatització de les biblioteques: estades a biblioteques universitàries i centres de recerca" de les Jornades de Mobilitat Internacional del PAS de la UPC (11-13 de febrer de 2009

Biblioteques universitàries del Regne Unit : nous serveis i espais bibliotecaris

Presentació integrant de l'àmbit de coneixement "Espais, serveis i sistemes d'automatització de les biblioteques: estades a biblioteques universitàries i centres de recerca" de les Jornades de Mobilitat Internacional del PAS de la UPC (11-13 de febrer de 2009

Targeting macrophages with phosphatidylserine-rich liposomes as a potential antigen-specific immunotherapy for type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from a breakdown in immunological tolerance, with pivotal involvement of antigen-presenting cells. In this context, antigen-specific immunotherapies have been developed to arrest autoimmunity, such as phosphatidylserine (PS)-liposomes. However, the role of certain antigen-presenting cells in immunotherapy, particularly human macrophages (Mφ) in T1D remains elusive. The aim of this study was to determine the role of Mφ in antigen-specific immune tolerance and T1D. To that end, we evaluated Mφ ability to capture apoptotic-body mimicking PS-liposomes in mice and conducted a phenotypic and functional characterisation of four human monocyte-derived Mφ (MoMφ) subpopulations (M0, M1, M2a and M2c) after PS-liposomes uptake. Our findings in mice identified Mφ as the most phagocytic cell subset in the spleen and liver. In humans, while phagocytosis rates were comparable between T1D and control individuals, PS-liposome capture dynamics differed among Mφ subtypes, favouring inflammatory (M1) and deactivated (M2c) Mφ. Notably, high nanoparticle concentrations did not affect macrophage viability. PS-liposome uptake by Mφ induced alterations in membrane molecule expression related to immunoregulation, reduced secretion of IL-6 and IL-12, and diminished autologous T-cell proliferation in the context of autoantigen stimulation. These results underscore the tolerogenic effects of PS-liposomes and emphasize their potential to target human Mφ, providing valuable insights into the mechanism of action of this preclinical immunotherapy