Rare variants in KDR, encoding VEGF Receptor 2, are associated with tetralogy of Fallot

Purpose Rare genetic variants in KDR, encoding the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), have been reported in patients with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). However, their role in disease causality and pathogenesis remains unclear. Methods We conducted exome sequencing in a familial case of TOF and large-scale genetic studies, including burden testing, in >1,500 patients with TOF. We studied gene-targeted mice and conducted cell-based assays to explore the role of KDR genetic variation in the etiology of TOF. Results Exome sequencing in a family with two siblings affected by TOF revealed biallelic missense variants in KDR. Studies in knock-in mice and in HEK 293T cells identified embryonic lethality for one variant when occurring in the homozygous state, and a significantly reduced VEGFR2 phosphorylation for both variants. Rare variant burden analysis conducted in a set of 1,569 patients of European descent with TOF identified a 46-fold enrichment of protein-truncating variants (PTVs) in TOF cases compared to controls (P = 7 x 10(-11)). Conclusion Rare KDR variants, in particular PTVs, strongly associate with TOF, likely in the setting of different inheritance patterns. Supported by genetic and in vivo and in vitro functional analysis, we propose loss-of-function of VEGFR2 as one of the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of TOF.Developmen

Novel therapies in cardiac rhythm management:The start of the leadless era

Pacemakers are a successful therapy for bradyarrhythmias, but complication rates are as high as 10-12%, and are mostly associated with the transvenous lead or pacemaker pocket. Leadless pacemakers, miniaturized intra-cardiac pacing devices, have been introduced to eliminate these complications. This thesis describes the first clinical experience with leadless pacemakers. Initial studies showed that both available leadless pacing systems have similar outcomes with respect to acute complications (4.0-6.5%) – primarily related to the implant procedure (perforations, dislocations, groin complications). An implanter learning curve is observed up until 10 implanted devices. Comparison to conventional therapy with available literature showed somewhat higher acute complications for leadless pacing, but lower mid-term complications in a propensity matched cohort. Definitive comparison to conventional pacing therapy requires randomized controlled trials and long-term follow-up to prove robustness of this novel therapy. Complications in patients that receive temporary pacing are strikingly high (23-33%). Within this group, transcatheter aortic valve replacement patients can potentially benefit from leadless pacing. The prospective randomized controlled PACE NOW trial is designed to evaluate superiority of leadless pacing over temporary and subsequent conventional pacing therapy with respect to complication rates and need for follow-up procedures. In the final part of this thesis, the next generation of leadless cardiac rhythm management systems is evaluated. Prototypes of a communicating subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (S-ICD) and a leadless pacemaker were co-implanted, showed adequate device-device communication, and delivery of anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) and shock therapy in pre-clinical animal experiments. Additional and chronic studies are required before transition to clinical studies

Combined leadless pacemaker and subcutaneous implantable defibrillator therapy: feasibility, safety, and performance

Cardiolog

Common and rare susceptibility genetic variants predisposing to Brugada syndrome in Thailand.

BACKGROUND Mutations in SCN5A are rarely found in Thai patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS). Recent evidence suggested that common genetic variations may underlie BrS in a complex inheritance model.OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to find common and rare/low-frequency genetic variants predisposing to BrS in persons in Thailand.METHODS We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to explore the association of common variants in 154 Thai BrS cases and 432 controls. We sequenced SCN5A in 131 cases and 205 controls. Variants were classified according to current guidelines, and case-control association testing was performed for rare and low frequency variants.RESULTS Two loci were significantly associated with BrS. The first was near SCN5A/SCN10A (lead marker rs10428132; odds ratio [OR] 2.4; P = 3 x 10(-10)). Conditional analysis identified a novel independent signal in the same locus (rs6767797; OR 2.3; P = 2.7 x 10(-10)).The second locus was near HEY2 (lead marker rs3734634; OR 2.5; P = 7 x 10(-) (9)). Rare (minor allele frequency [MAF] <0.0001) coding variants in SCN5A were found in 8 of the 131 cases (6.1% in cases vs 2.0% in controls; P = .046; OR 3.3; 95% confident interval [CI] 1.0-11.1), but an enrichment of low-frequency (MAF 0.001 and 0.0001) variants also was observed in cases, with 1 variant (SCN5A: p.Arg965Cys) detected in 4.6% of Thai BrS patients vs 0.5% in controls (P = 0.015; OR 9.8; 95% CI 1.2-82.3).CONCLUSION The genetic basis of BrS in Thailand includes a wide spectrum of variant frequencies and effect sizes. As previously shown in European and Japanese populations, common variants near SCN5A and HEY2 are associated with BrS in the Thai population, confirming the transethnic transferability of these 2 major BrS loci

Electrocardiogram-based mortality prediction in patients with COVID-19 using machine learning

Background and purpose The electrocardiogram (ECG) is frequently obtained in the work-up of COVID-19 patients. So far, no study has evaluated whether ECG-based machine learning models have added value to predict in-hospital mortality specifically in COVID-19 patients. Methods Using data from the CAPACITY-COVID registry, we studied 882 patients admitted with COVID-19 across seven hospitals in the Netherlands. Raw format 12-lead ECGs recorded within 72 h of admission were studied. With data from five hospitals (n = 634), three models were developed: (a) a logistic regression baseline model using age and sex, (b) a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) model using age, sex and human annotated ECG features, and (c) a pre-trained deep neural network (DNN) using age, sex and the raw ECG waveforms. Data from two hospitals (n = 248) was used for external validation. Results Performances for models a, b and c were comparable with an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.73 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.65-0.79), 0.76 (95% CI 0.68-0.82) and 0.77 (95% CI 0.70-0.83) respectively. Predictors of mortality in the LASSO model were age, low QRS voltage, ST depression, premature atrial complexes, sex, increased ventricular rate, and right bundle branch block. Conclusion This study shows that the ECG-based prediction models could be helpful for the initial risk stratification of patients diagnosed with COVID-19, and that several ECG abnormalities are associated with in-hospital all-cause mortality of COVID-19 patients. Moreover, this proof-of-principle study shows that the use of pre-trained DNNs for ECG analysis does not underperform compared with time-consuming manual annotation of ECG features

Sequential defects in cardiac lineage commitment and maturation cause hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Complex molecular programs in specific cell lineages govern human heart development. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is the most common and severe manifestation within the spectrum of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction defects occurring in association with ventricular hypoplasia. The pathogenesis of HLHS is unknown, but hemodynamic disturbances are assumed to play a prominent role. METHODS: To identify perturbations in gene programs controlling ventricular muscle lineage development in HLHS, we performed whole-exome sequencing of 87 HLHS parent-offspring trios, nuclear transcriptomics of cardiomyocytes from ventricles of 4 patients with HLHS and 15 controls at different stages of heart development, single cell RNA sequencing, and 3D modeling in induced pluripotent stem cells from 3 patients with HLHS and 3 controls. RESULTS: Gene set enrichment and protein network analyses of damaging de novo mutations and dysregulated genes from ventricles of patients with HLHS suggested alterations in specific gene programs and cellular processes critical during fetal ventricular cardiogenesis, including cell cycle and cardiomyocyte maturation. Single-cell and 3D modeling with induced pluripotent stem cells demonstrated intrinsic defects in the cell cycle/unfolded protein response/autophagy hub resulting in disrupted differentiation of early cardiac progenitor lineages leading to defective cardiomyocyte subtype differentiation/maturation in HLHS. Premature cell cycle exit of ventricular cardiomyocytes from patients with HLHS prevented normal tissue responses to developmental signals for growth, leading to multinucleation/polyploidy, accumulation of DNA damage, and exacerbated apoptosis, all potential drivers of left ventricular hypoplasia in absence of hemodynamic cues. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight that despite genetic heterogeneity in HLHS, many mutations converge on sequential cellular processes primarily driving cardiac myogenesis, suggesting novel therapeutic approaches