Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Jan 15. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, University Hospitals Leuven, University of Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven 3000, Belgium.

Aims: Observation of better outcome in women after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has led to controversies about a potential sex-specific response. In this study, we investigated to which extent this sex-specific difference in CRT outcome could be explained by differences in baseline characteristics between both sexes.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively analysed data from a multicentre registry of 1058 patients who received CRT. Read More

Case Rep Cardiol 2018 13;2018:5498052. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Cardiology, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11219, USA.

A 73-year-old female with multiple comorbidities including coronary artery disease was admitted for an elective PCI of a lesion detected in the RCA. On the day of the planned PCI, shortly after right femoral artery cannulation, the patient developed a sudden complete heart block requiring the administration atropine and insertion of a temporary pacemaker. Concomitantly, the patient developed acute pulmonary edema, hypotension, and hypoxia requiring intubation for mechanical ventilation. Read More

Australas Phys Eng Sci Med 2019 Jan 14. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Department of Biomedical Systems and Informatics Engineering, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) beat classification is a significant application in computer-aided analysis and diagnosis technologies. This paper proposed a method to detect, extract informative features, and classify ECG beats utilizing real ECG signals available in the standard MIT-BIH Arrhythmia database, with 10,502 beats had been extracted from it. The present study classifies the ECG beat into six classes, normal beat (N), Left bundle branch block beat, Right bundle branch block beat, Premature ventricular contraction, atrial premature beat, and aberrated atrial premature, using Gaussian mixture and wavelets features, and by applying principal component analysis for feature set reduction. Read More

Development 2019 Jan 14. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 20, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.

Mural cells (MCs) are essential for blood vessel stability and function; however, the mechanisms regulating MC development remain incompletely understood, particularly those involved in MC specification. Here, we investigated the first steps of MC formation in zebrafish utilizing transgenic reporters. Using and reporters, we show that the onset of expression of , a pericyte marker in adult mice and zebrafish, occurs almost coincidentally with an increment in expression in peri-arterial mesenchymal cells suggesting that these transcriptional changes mark the specification of MC lineage cells from naïve mesenchymal cells. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2019 Jan 11;20(2). Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea.

The effects of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) in cardiac surgery have been inconsistent. We investigated whether anesthesia or beta-blockers interfere with RIPC cardioprotection. Fifty patients undergoing cardiac surgery were randomized to receive limb RIPC (four cycles of 5-min of upper arm cuff inflation/deflation) in the awake state (no-anesthesia; = 17), or under sevoflurane ( = 17) or propofol ( = 16) anesthesia. Read More

Curr Opin Cardiol 2019 Jan 11. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Mount Sinai Health System. New York, New York.

Purpose Of Review: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become the cornerstone for aortic valve intervention since the first implantation in 2002. Recent advances with novel devices and introduction into lower risk cohorts have been successful. In this review, we discuss the ongoing limitations to transcatheter aortic valve therapy and whether it will replace surgical aortic valve replacement in the foreseeable future. Read More

Am Heart J 2018 Dec 11;209:20-28. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Herzzentrum Leipzig-Universitätsklinik für Kardiologie, Leipzig, Germany.

Patients experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) without ST-segment elevation are a heterogenic group with a variety of underlying causes. Up to one-third of patients display a significant coronary lesion compatible with myocardial infarction as OHCA trigger. There are no randomized data on patient selection and timing of invasive coronary angiography after admission. Read More

Kathmandu Univ Med J (KUMJ) 2018 Apr-Jun;16(62):171-174

Department of Physiology, Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel, Kavre, Nepal.

Background It is a well known fact that phases of respiration cause change in heart rate and autonomic tone of the heart. But how cardiovascular autonomic reflexes affect the electrocardiographic Heart rate-corrected QT interval (QTc) during the inspiratory and expiratory phase of respiration also need to be established. Objective To determine whether the respiratory phases influence the QTc interval or not. Read More

Circ Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Dec;12(1):e007508

Leviev Heart Center (Y.B., F.C., I.B., E.R., V.G., A.S., P.F., M.G.), Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.

Background: The risk of conduction system abnormalities (CSA) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation remains high. We aimed to evaluate the impact of mitral annular calcium (MAC) score on the development of CSA after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Methods: Consecutive patients (n=168), with severe AoV stenosis, without prior CSA, underwent computed tomography transcatheter AoV implantation followed by device implantation; CoreValve (n=72) and SAPIEN (n=96). Read More

Circ Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Dec;12(1):e008372

Leon H Charney Division of Cardiology (A.F.V., M.S.), New York University Langone Medical Center.

Circ Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Dec;12(1):e008630

Structural Heart and Valve Center, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY.

J Cell Biochem 2019 Jan 11. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shanxi, China.

Finding ways to reduce myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in the process of myocardial infarction has been an area of intense study in the field of heart disease. Recent studies have shown that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and autophagy play important roles in cardiovascular diseases. In our study, software analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assays have shown that miR-30a has binding sites on both AK088388 and Beclin-1. Read More

J Cell Biol 2019 Jan 11. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany

Elucidating the morphogenetic events that shape vertebrate heart valves, complex structures that prevent retrograde blood flow, is critical to understanding valvular development and aberrations. Here, we used the zebrafish atrioventricular (AV) valve to investigate these events in real time and at single-cell resolution. We report the initial events of collective migration of AV endocardial cells (ECs) into the extracellular matrix (ECM), and their subsequent rearrangements to form the leaflets. Read More

Heart Rhythm 2019 Jan 8. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Cardiovascular Division, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, 305-8575, Japan.

Background: Although fluoroscopy-guided right ventricular (RV) lead placement in the ventricular septum is a widely performed procedure, variation in true RV lead tip position confirmed via computed tomography (CT) and its prognostic implications in patients with atrioventricular block (AVB) are not well understood.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the prognostic impact of CT-confirmed RV lead tip position.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 228 consecutive patients (77 ± 10 years; 125 men) with AVB who underwent fluoroscopy-guided RV septal lead implantation and thoracic CT after pacemaker implantation. Read More

Anesth Analg 2019 Jan 8. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

From the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Background: Perioperative music interventions have been shown to reduce anxiety and pain in adults. This inexpensive, easily applicable intervention could be of benefit to children as well. Our objective was to determine the effects of music interventions on distress, anxiety, and postoperative pain in infants undergoing surgery. Read More

Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc Care 2019 Jan 11:2048872618823441. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

1 Clinic of Cardiology and Urgent Internal Medicine, Military Medical Academy, Serbia.

Background:: Electrocardiography (ECG) signs, typical or acute pulmonary embolism, and their changes can be used for the prediction of clinical and haemodynamic outcomes.

Purpose:: To study the predictive value of the resolution of admission ECG signs in higher risk pulmonary embolism patients for 30-day survival and for the decrease in right ventricular systolic pressure.

Methods:: We analysed the 12-lead ECGs at admission and daily for the first 5 days after hospitalisation in 110 intermediate-high and high-risk pulmonary embolism patients admitted to the intensive care unit of a single tertiary centre. Read More

Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Jan 9. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Room 1929B, Block K, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.

Aims: Few prospective studies have evaluated the natural progression of left ventricular (LV) remodelling in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of obesity on longitudinal cardiac structural and functional changes in patients with T2DM.

Methods And Results: This study comprised of 274 patients with T2DM (mean age, 62. Read More

J Saudi Heart Assoc 2019 Apr 17;31(2):78-87. Epub 2018 Nov 17.

Cardiology Department, Tanta University Hospitals, Tanta, Egypt.

Objectives: To assess safety, efficacy and follow-up results of transcatheter closure of ventricular septal defect (VSD) using Nit-Occlud_ Lê VSD Coil (pfm medical, KÖln, Germany).

Background: Transcatheter VSD closure has achieved encouraging results but more follow-up studies are needed.

Patients And Methods: Between January 2012 and December 2013 in the cardiology department, Tanta University Hospital, Tanta, Egypt, 80 patients underwent percutaneous VSD closure using Nit-Occlud_ Lê VSD Coil. Read More

J Clin Anesth 2019 Jan 6;55:103-104. Epub 2019 Jan 6.

Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA. Electronic address:

JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2019 Jan;12(1):52-61

Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess mortality and rehospitalization in patients with new bundle branch block (BBB) and/or permanent pacemaker (PPM) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Background: Previous studies have provided inconsistent results on the clinical impact of new BBB or new PPM after TAVR.

Methods: A total of 816 consecutive patients without pre-procedural BBB or PPM undergoing TAVR between 2007 and 2017 were followed for 5 years or until data extraction in September 2017. Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2019 Jan;12(1):50-51

Centre for Heart Valve Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2019 Jan 8. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

Objective: Assuming that autoimmune congenital heart block (CHB) is a progressive disease amenable to therapeutic modulation, we introduced a surveillance program for at risk pregnancies with the dual aim of investigating if fetal atrioventricular block (AVB) could be detected and treated before becoming complete and irreversible and to establish the incidence of AVB I-III in a large prospective cohort.

Methods: From 2000 to 2015, 212 anti-Ro52 antibody-exposed pregnancies were followed weekly between 18 and 24 weeks' gestation at our tertiary fetal cardiology centre. A 12 lead ECG was recorded within 1 week after birth. Read More

J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2019 Jan 4. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

St Vincent Medical Group, St Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana.

A 55-year-old woman presented with severe dyspnea during acceleration-dependent left bundle branch block (LBBB). Metoprolol initially ameliorated symptoms by preventing the heart rate at which LBBB occurred. Over time LBBB presented at slower heart rates and the patient developed recurrent dyspnea during an activity that correlated with the development of LBBB on event monitors and exercise stress testing. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2019 Jan;8(1):e009146

4 Division of Cardiology Department of Internal Medicine Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Chang Gung University College of Medicine Kaohsiung Taiwan.

Background The molecular mechanisms through which high-demand pacing induce myocardial dysfunction remain unclear. Methods and Results We created atrioventricular block in pigs using dependent right ventricular septal pacing for 6 months. Echocardiography was performed to evaluate dyssynchrony between pacing (n=6) and sham control (n=6) groups. Read More

J Electrocardiol 2018 Dec 21;53:40-43. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

University of Foggia, Department of Medical & Surgical Sciences, Foggia, Italy. Electronic address:

Here we report the identification of two novel mutations in a previously asymptomatic young man who suffered an out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest. During following evaluation, diagnosis of early stage dilated cardiomyopathy was established, while electrocardiogram monitoring showed frequent complex ventricular arrhythmias, incomplete right bundle branch block and prolonged QT duration. No reversible causes explaining the clinical presentation were established and an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator was therefore implanted. Read More

Life Sci 2019 Jan 3. Epub 2019 Jan 3.

Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, China. Electronic address:

Aims: Progressive cardiac conduction disease (PCCD) is a rare heart disease that usually shows familial inheritance. Potential genetic risk factors for PCCD have been mostly limited to genes that encode ion channels, cardiac transcription factors, T-box transcription factors, gap junction proteins, energy metabolism regulators and structural proteins.

Main Methods: Subjects in the present study came from a family who exhibited the autosomal dominant inheritance of PCCD. Read More

Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 2019 Jan 4. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

Department of Cardiology and Vascular Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia.

The existence of the upper common pathways is not well-established yet. This case describes atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia with persistent ventriculoatrial dissociation that proof of upper common pathway existence. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2018 Nov;7(21):e010085

2 Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh PA.

Background 8-Aminoguanosine and 8-aminoguanine are K-sparing natriuretics that increase glucose excretion. Most effects of 8-aminoguanosine are due to its metabolism to 8-aminoguanine. However, the mechanism by which 8-aminoguanine affects renal function is unknown and is the focus of this investigation. Read More

Physiol Res 2018 Dec;67(Supplementum 4):S601-S610

Institute of Physiology, Charles University in Prague, First Faculty of Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has proven efficacious in the treatment of patients with heart failure and dyssynchronous activation. Currently, we select suitable CRT candidates based on the QRS complex duration (QRSd) and morphology with left bundle branch block being the optimal substrate for resynchronization. To improve CRT response rates, recommendations emphasize attention to electrical parameters both before implant and after it. Read More

J Caring Sci 2018 Dec 1;7(4):189-195. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

Research Center of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Heart failure is a chronic medical condition that, despite the existing therapies, involves different aspects of an individual's life (such as self-care capability). Illness perception is one of the most important variables which seem to improve the self-efficacy skills in chronic diseases such as heart failure. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of family-centered empowerment model on the perception of the illness in heart failure patients. Read More

Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2018 Dec 19;6(12):2363-2368. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

Anesthesia Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.

Background: One of the important and predicted physiological effects of spinal anaesthesia is hypotension. A range of strategies including mechanical interventions, intravenous fluids and vasoconstrictor drugs have been used to minimise or prevent spinal anaesthesia-induced hypotension. Observational studies suggest that ondansetron reduces the incidence of post-spinal hypotension (PSH) and support the use of combined fluid preloading and vasoconstrictors for this purpose (but with limited doses) to avoid side effects as fluid overload and tachycardia respectively. Read More

Heart Surg Forum 2018 Dec 19;21(6):E507-E512. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH, USA.

Intravenous drug abuse rates in the United States have increased exponentially in recent years. Ohio is one of 5 states with the highest age-adjusted drug overdose death rates, with drug overdose causing 39.1 of every 100,000 deaths. Read More

J Nucl Cardiol 2019 Jan 2. Epub 2019 Jan 2.

Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.

Background: Phase analysis of gated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion scintigraphy provides a measure of left ventricular dyssynchrony and may have applications for identifying patients suitable for cardiac resynchronisation therapy. Phase analysis is typically described in degrees of cardiac cycle, less intuitive to cardiologists familiar with ECGs. We assessed the relationship between time and degrees, to determine whether they are interchangeable. Read More

J Interv Card Electrophysiol 2019 Jan 3. Epub 2019 Jan 3.

Department of Heart and Vessels, Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, University of Insubria, Viale Borri, 57, 21100, Varese, Italy.

Purpose: Radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of para-Hisian (P-H) and mid-septal (M-S) accessory pathways (APs) is a potentially harmful procedure due to their close location to the A-V node. Conversely, cryoablation (CA) appears safer in this setting. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of CA of these APs using a specific protocol. Read More

Ann Transl Med 2018 Dec;6(23):457

Department of Cardiology, "Attikon" University Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece.

Background: Autonomic modulation is used for treating various cardiovascular diseases, such as cardiac arrhythmias. Sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) block is an easy, non-invasive therapy for migraine with a potential cardiovascular impact that remains unclear. In this study, we sought to assess the effect of SPG block on cardiac autonomic tone, as expressed by heart rate variability (HRV), and on ventricular arrhythmogenesis. Read More

Comput Biol Med 2018 Dec 20;105:92-101. Epub 2018 Dec 20.

Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore; Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Science and Technology, Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore; School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, 47500, Subang Jaya, Malaysia. Electronic address:

Abnormality of the cardiac conduction system can induce arrhythmia - abnormal heart rhythm - that can frequently lead to other cardiac diseases and complications, and are sometimes life-threatening. These conduction system perturbations can manifest as morphological changes on the surface electrocardiographic (ECG) signal. Assessment of these morphological changes can be challenging and time-consuming, as ECG signal features are often low in amplitude and subtle. Read More

Ann Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Nov;7(6):834-836

Divisions of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.

Biophys J 2018 Dec 7. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

University Bordeaux, IMB UMR 5251, Talence, France; IHU Liryc, Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute, Fondation Bordeaux Université, Pessac-Bordeaux, France. Electronic address:

Transient receptor potential melastatin member 4 (TRPM4) channels are nonselective monovalent cationic channels found in human atria and conduction system. Overexpression of TRPM4 channels has been found in families suffering from inherited cardiac arrhythmias, notably heart block. In this study, we integrate a mathematical formulation of the TRPM4 channel into a Purkinje cell model (Pan-Rudy model). Read More

Kidney Int 2018 Dec 28. Epub 2018 Dec 28.

Department of Nephrology and Nutrition, Centre Hospitalier Lyon SUD, Carmen, CENS, University of Lyon, UCBL, Pierre Bénite, France.

The past two decades have witnessed tremendous progress in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying wasting and cachexia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and in other chronic illnesses, such as cancer and heart failure. In all these conditions wasting is an effect of the activation of protein degradation in muscle, a response that increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. Major recent advances in our knowledge on how CKD and inflammation affect cellular signaling include the identification of the myostatin (MSTN)/activin system, and its related transcriptional program that promotes protein degradation. Read More

Indian Heart J 2018 Dec 24;70 Suppl 3:S60-S63. Epub 2018 May 24.

Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Valiasr Street, Tehran, Iran.

Background: According to American Heart Association guidelines, QRS duration and morphology are used to select patients for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). But still there are some patients who are not responding to this device. We investigated whether the Cardiogoniometry (CGM) as a three-dimensional vectorcardiogram method can improve patient selection. Read More

Indian Heart J 2018 Dec 2;70 Suppl 3:S359-S364. Epub 2018 Nov 2.

Department of Cardiology, Room No. 127, 1st Floor, Academic Block, GIPMER, New Delhi 110002, India. Electronic address:

Background: The association between duration of QRS and myocardial reperfusion is not very well established. Our aim was to assess the relationship between measurements of QRS duration and myocardial blush grade (MBG) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who were treated with a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: Between January 2016 and June 2017, 200 patients with STEMI who presented within 12 h of symptom onset and taken up for primary PCI were analyzed with electrocardiogram (ECG) before and after the procedure. Read More

Biomed Pharmacother 2018 Dec 27;111:427-435. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

Department of Anesthesia, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada.

Decades of focus on selective ion channel blockade has been dismissed as an effective approach to antiarrhythmic drug development. In that context many older antiarrhythmic drugs lacking ion channel selectivity may serve as tools to explore mixed ion channel blockade producing antiarrhythmic activity. This study investigated the non-clinical electrophysiological and antiarrhythmic actions of bisaramil and penticainide using in vitro and in vivo methods. Read More

Int J Cardiol 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Institute for Cardiovascular Science, University College London, London, UK; Department of Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, Bart's Heart Centre, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK.

Eur J Heart Fail 2018 Dec 28. Epub 2018 Dec 28.

University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.

Aims: Despite our prior report suggesting heart failure (HF) risk reduction from cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D) in mild HF patients with higher left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF > 30%), data on mortality benefit in this cohort are lacking. We aimed to assess long-term mortality benefit from CRT-D in mild HF patients by LVEF > 30%.

Methods And Results: Among 1274 patients with mild HF and left bundle branch block enrolled in MADIT-CRT, we analysed long-term effects of CRT-D vs. Read More

Egypt Heart J 2018 Dec 19;70(4):455-459. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Cardiac Science Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Late onset of complete heart block is a life-threatening uncommon complication after surgical repair of congenital heart diseases. In this report, we discuss two cases of Perimembranous ventricular septal defect (VSD) that had late presentation of complete heart block after surgical repair. We are aiming to highlight this unusual complication for more awareness, better understanding and management of this unusual complication after pediatric cardiac surgery. Read More

Arch Cardiovasc Dis 2018 Dec 24. Epub 2018 Dec 24.

Service de cardiologie, CHU de Poitiers, 86021 Poitiers, France.

Background: While a multicentre trial has demonstrated that the SonR™ contractibility sensor is as effective as echocardiography-guided optimization at improving response to cardiac resynchronization therapy, an association between SonR™ values and clinical endpoints has not been established.

Aims: The primary objective was to assess the predictive value of SonR™ signal evolution regarding cardiovascular events in patients implanted with a cardiac resynchronization therapy device. The secondary objective was to evaluate whether SonR™ signal evolution was associated with cardiovascular death. Read More

Europace 2018 Dec 24. Epub 2018 Dec 24.

Department of Cardiology, CARIM, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

Aims: An appropriate left ventricular (LV) lead position is a pre-requisite for response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and is highly patient-specific. The purpose of this study was to develop a non-invasive pre-procedural CRT-roadmap to guide LV lead placement to a coronary vein in late-activated myocardium remote from scar.

Methods And Results: Sixteen CRT candidates were prospectively included. Read More

Circulation 2018 Nov 6:CIR0000000000000629. Epub 2018 Nov 6.

Circulation 2018 Nov 6:CIR0000000000000628. Epub 2018 Nov 6.

Circulation 2018 Nov 6:CIR0000000000000627. Epub 2018 Nov 6.