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Eur Heart J Case Rep 2020 Jun 17;4(3):1-5. Epub 2020 Apr 17.

Department of Cardiology, Leiden Heart-Lung Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands.

Background: Anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare congenital disorder resulting in ischaemia and myocardial infarction which can act as a potential substrate for life-threatening arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.

Case Summary: A 19-year-old man was admitted to the hospital after successful resuscitation from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) due to ventricular fibrillation occurring during jogging. In the diagnostic work-up of the OHCA, computed tomography identified an ALCAPA. Read More

Int Heart J 2020 Mar 14;61(2):338-346. Epub 2020 Mar 14.

Cardiovascular Research, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Niigata University School of Medicine.

Sympathetic nerve activity has arrhythmogenic potential for ventricular arrhythmias associated with structural heart diseases. However, a sufficient amount of beta-blockers occasionally cannot be prescribed in some patients.An experimental study was performed to clarify the therapeutic effects of bepridil, a multiple ionic current inhibitor that does not affect beta-adrenergic receptors, for premature beats occurring during enhanced sympathetic nerve activity. Read More

Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2020 03 17;318(3):H534-H546. Epub 2020 Jan 17.

Cardiology Division of Cardiology, Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia.

Computational modeling based on experimental data remains an important component in cardiac electrophysiological research, especially because clinical data such as human action potential (AP) dynamics are scarce or limited by practical or ethical concerns. Such modeling has been used to develop and test a variety of mechanistic hypotheses, with the majority of these studies involving the rate dependence of AP duration (APD) including APD restitution and conduction velocity (CV). However, there is very little information regarding the complex dynamics at the boundary of repolarization (or refractoriness) and reexcitability. Read More

Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2019 07;2019:3799-3802

Functional electrical stimulation has been used in rehabilitation programs for patients with chronic spinal cord injury. When used correctly it is able to improve the well-being of patients. However, when the stimulus is not adequate it can accelerate the process of fatigue, reducing the time available for training the programmed motor activity. Read More

Pediatr Cardiol 2020 Feb 20;41(2):290-296. Epub 2019 Nov 20.

First Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Medical Centre Mannheim (UMM), University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a rare channelopathy associated with sudden cardiac death (SCD). Although outcome data of adult cohorts are well known, information on children are lacking. The aim of the present study was to analyze the clinical profile, treatment approach and long-term outcome of children affected with BrS. Read More

Biosens Bioelectron 2020 Jan 20;147:111793. Epub 2019 Oct 20.

Center for Bioelectronics, Biosensors and Biochips (C3B), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA; Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Institute for Academic Medicine and Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6670 Bertner Ave., Houston, TX, 77030, USA; ABTECH Scientific, Inc., Biotechnology Research Park, 800 East Leigh Street, Richmond, VA, 23219, USA. Electronic address:

A new dual-function electrical cell stimulation and recording apparatus (ECSARA) for simultaneously electrically stimulating cellular behavior within programmed stand-off electric fields (EFs) and monitoring cellular responses via AC electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is reported. ECSARA is designed to have a footprint similar to that of a common 24-well cell culture plate within which each well is electrified via a pair of opposing planar titanium electrodes, within the cover (0.10 cm) and base (0. Read More

PLoS Comput Biol 2019 10 28;15(10):e1007421. Epub 2019 Oct 28.

School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.

This paper presents a morphological analysis of fibrotic scarring in non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, and its relationship to electrical instabilities which underlie reentrant arrhythmias. Two dimensional electrophysiological simulation models were constructed from a set of 699 late gadolinium enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance images originating from 157 patients. Areas of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in each image were assigned one of 10 possible microstructures, which modelled the details of fibrotic scarring an order of magnitude below the MRI scan resolution. Read More

J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2019 12 14;30(12):3097-3115. Epub 2019 Nov 14.

Post Graduation Department, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

The recognition of the presence, location, and properties of unusual accessory pathways for atrioventricular conduction is an exciting, but frequently a difficult, challenge for the clinical cardiac arrhythmologist. In this third part of our series of reviews, we discuss the different steps required to come to the correct diagnosis and management decision in patients with nodofascicular, nodoventricular, and fasciculo-ventricular pathways. We also discuss the concealed accessory atrioventricular pathways with the properties of decremental retrograde conduction that are associated with the so-called permanent form of junctional reciprocating tachycardia. Read More

J Colloid Interface Sci 2020 Feb 3;559:65-75. Epub 2019 Oct 3.

School of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China. Electronic address:

Electroactive nanofibrous scaffold is a vital tool for the study of the various biological research fields from bioelectronics to regenerative medicine, which can provide cell preferable 3D nanofiber architecture and programmed electrical signal. However, intrinsic non-biodegradability is a major problem that hinders its widespread application in the clinic. Herein, we designed, synthesized, and characterized shell/core poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)/chitosan (CS) nanofibers by combining the electrospinning and recrystallization processes. Read More

J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2019 12 16;30(12):3079-3096. Epub 2019 Oct 16.

Post Graduation Department, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Recognition of the presence, location, and properties of unusual accessory pathways for atrioventricular conduction is an exciting, frequently difficult, challenge for the clinical cardiac arrhythmologist. In this second part of our series of reviews relative to this topic, we discuss the steps required to achieve the correct diagnosis and appropriate management in patients with the so-called "Mahaim" variants of pre-excitation. We indicate that, nowadays, it is recognized that these abnormal rhythms are manifest because of the presence of atriofascicular pathways. Read More

Int Heart J 2019 Sep 4;60(5):1168-1175. Epub 2019 Sep 4.

Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University.

The aims of the present study were to investigate the effects of angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors (ARNi) on the susceptibility of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) in rats with myocardial infarction (MI) and to explore the related mechanisms.A total of 32 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups: a control group, MI group, and MI+ARNi group. MI was generated by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Read More

Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am 2019 Aug;27(3):465-473

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Blalock 536, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. Electronic address:

The potential role of cardiac MR imaging in the diagnosis, risk-stratification, and treatment of patients with cardiac arrhythmias is rapidly evolving. Beyond substrate identification and characterization, it is now feasible to perform MR imaging-based noninvasive virtual programmed stimulation to identify potential ablation targets. The next phase of MR imaging-guided electrophysiology may involve intraprocedural guidance of electrophysiologic interventions using real-time MR imaging. Read More

J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2019 10 23;30(10):1939-1948. Epub 2019 Jul 23.

Division of Cardiology, Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado.

Introduction: While cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) carries a risk of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) and sudden cardiac death (SCD), risk stratification of patients with CS and preserved left ventricular/right ventricular (LV/RV) systolic function remains challenging. We sought to evaluate the role of electrophysiologic testing and programmed electrical stimulation of the ventricle (EPS) in patients with suspected CS with preserved ventricular function.

Methods: One hundred twenty consecutive patients with biopsy-proven extracardiac sarcoidosis and preserved LV/RV systolic function underwent EPS. Read More

Int Heart J 2019 May 17;60(3):761-767. Epub 2019 May 17.

Cardiovascular Center, Sakurabashi-Watanabe Hospital.

A 70-year-old woman was admitted for treatment of supraventricular tachycardia. Ventriculoatrial conduction was revealed through programmed ventricular stimulation; the coronary sinus ostium (CSos) was the earliest atrial activation site. The fast-slow forms of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) were induced by ventricular extra-stimuli. Read More

Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol 2019 09 16;24(5):e12650. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Faculdade Ciências Médicas, Ciências Médicas-MG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Background: The differential diagnosis of a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is accomplished using a number of pacing maneuvers. The incidence and mechanism of a single ventricular premature beat (VPB) on initiation and termination of tachycardia were evaluated during programmed electrical stimulation (PES) of the heart in patients with the two most common regular SVTs: atrioventricular re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT) and orthodromic atrioventricular tachycardia (AVRT).

Methods: Three hundred and thirty-seven consecutive patients aged above 18 years with an inducible sustained AVNRT or AVRT were prospectively enrolled. Read More

Redox Biol 2019 06 2;24:101186. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Department of Cardiology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China. Electronic address:

Sympathetic nerve hyperactivity is a primary reason for fatal ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) following myocardial infarction (MI). Pro-inflammatory cytokines produced in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) post-MI are associated with sympathetic overexcitation; however, the precise mechanism needs further investigation. Our aim was to explore the mechanism of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and its downstream molecular pathway in mediating sympathetic activity post-MI within the PVN. Read More

Nat Commun 2019 03 6;10(1):1087. Epub 2019 Mar 6.

Sino-Singapore International Joint Research Institute (SSIJRI), Guangzhou, 510000, China.

Precise and differential profiling of the dynamic correlations and pathophysiological implications of multiplex biological mediators with deep penetration and highly programmed precision remain critical challenges in clinics. Here we present an innovative strategy by tailoring a powerful multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) technique with a photon-upconverting nanoprobe (UCN) for simultaneous visualization of diversely endogenous redox biomarkers with excellent spatiotemporal resolution in living conditions. Upon incorporating two specific radicals-sensitive NIR cyanine fluorophores onto UCNs surface, such nanoprobes can orthogonally respond to disparate oxidative and nitrosative stimulation, and generate spectrally opposite optoacoustic signal variations, which thus achieves compelling superiorities for reversed ratiometric tracking of multiple radicals under dual independent wavelength channels, and significantly, for precise validating of their complex dynamics and correlations with redox-mediated pathophysiological procession in vivo. Read More

World J Urol 2019 Nov 26;37(11):2481-2492. Epub 2019 Feb 26.

Urology Department, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, No. 1 DaHua Road, Dong Dan, Beijing, 100730, People's Republic of China.

Purpose: The efficacy and safety of a novel remotely programmed BetterStim sacral neuromodulation (SNM) system was evaluated in patients with refractory overactive bladder (OAB) in a prospective, controlled, multicenter trial.

Methods: A total of 84 patients referred for SNM therapy from October 2015 to January 2018 were studied. Of the patients who qualified for implantation, 37 and 33 were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups, respectively. Read More

Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 2019 06 3;42(6):617-624. Epub 2019 Apr 3.

Department of Cardiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Background: Epicardiac conduction via the vein of Marshall (VOM) can bypass the mitral isthmus (MI) line, making MI ablation difficult. This study aimed to assess the contribution of the VOM in achieving MI conduction block.

Methods: This study included 143 consecutive patients with nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation who underwent initial MI ablation. Read More

J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) 2019 Apr;20(4):192-200

Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria S. Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna.

Aims: About one-third of patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) are not responders, due to either patient selection or technical issues. Left ventricular quadripolar passive fixation leads (QPL) and bipolar active fixation (BAF) leads have been designed to ensure a targeted left ventricular stimulation area, minimizing lead dislodgments and phrenic nerve stimulation (PNS). The aim was to compare real-world safety and efficacy of BAF (Attain Stability, Medtronic Plc. Read More

Front Immunol 2019 28;10. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States.

It was recently reported that acute influenza infection of the lung promoted distal melanoma growth in the dermis of mice. Melanoma-specific CD8+ T cells were shunted to the lung in the presence of the infection, where they expressed high levels of inflammation-induced cell-activation blocker PD-1, and became incapable of migrating back to the tumor site. At the same time, co-infection virus-specific CD8+ T cells remained functional while the infection was cleared. Read More

Neuromodulation 2019 Apr 26;22(3):269-279. Epub 2018 Dec 26.

Center of Research and Innovation in Bioengineering, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain.

Objective: Using computer simulation, we investigated the effect of electrode polarity on neural activation in spinal cord stimulation and propose a new strategy to maximize the activating area in the dorsal column (DC) and, thus, paresthesia coverage in clinical practice.

Materials And Methods: A new three-dimensional spinal cord model at the T10 vertebral level was developed to simulate neural activation induced by the electric field distribution produced by different typical four-contact electrode polarities in single- and dual-lead stimulation. Our approach consisted of the combination of a finite element model of the spinal cord developed in COMSOL Multiphysics and a nerve fiber model implemented in MATLAB. Read More

Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 2019 02 6;42(2):257-264. Epub 2019 Jan 6.

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.

Introduction: A spontaneous type I electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern and/or unheralded syncope are conventionally used as risk markers for primary prevention of sudden cardiac arrest/death (SCA/SCD) in Brugada syndrome (BrS). In this study, we determine the prevalence of conventional and newer markers of risk in those with and without previous aborted SCA events.

Methods: All patients with BrS were identified at our institute. Read More

J Am Coll Cardiol 2018 12;72(22):2747-2757

Cardiovascular Department, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy.

Background: The prevalence and significance of structural abnormalities in Brugada syndrome (BrS) are still largely debated.

Objectives: The authors investigated the relationship between genetic background, electroanatomic abnormalities, and pathologic substrate in BrS.

Methods: They performed 3-dimensional electroanatomic unipolar and bipolar mapping in 30 patients with BrS. Read More

Drug Des Devel Ther 2018 10;12:3407-3418. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

Heart Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China,

Purpose: Shensong Yangxin (SSYX) capsule is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been used widely to treat cardiac arrhythmia. This study aimed to assess whether SSYX prevents atrial fibrillation (AF) after chronic myocardial infarction (MI)-induced heart failure and to determine the underlying mechanisms.

Materials And Methods: The study included 45 male Sprague Dawley rats. Read More

JCI Insight 2018 10 4;3(19). Epub 2018 Oct 4.

Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Sudden death is the most common mode of exodus in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) reduce inflammation and fibrosis in a rat model of HFpEF, improving diastolic function and prolonging survival. We tested the hypothesis that CDCs decrease ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) and thereby possibly contribute to prolonged survival. Read More

Comput Biol Med 2018 11 16;102:390-395. Epub 2018 Aug 16.

Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Chronic hypertension is a multifactorial disease that is highly associated with cardiovascular disorders. Physical activity, such as long-term exercise, is advocated as a treatment for hypertension, but the responses of different age groups to long-term exercise are unknown. We used aged spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs, 80 weeks old) to test the hypothesis that long-term exercise compensated for deficient autonomic control and reduced susceptibility to ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) in this animal model. Read More

J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2018 12 5;29(12):1675-1681. Epub 2018 Oct 5.

Department of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK.

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is typically delivered via quadripolar leads that allow stimulation using either true bipolar pacing, where stimulation occurs between two electrodes (BP) on the quadripolar lead, or extended bipole (EBP) left ventricular (LV) pacing, with the quadripolar electrodes and right ventricular coil acting as the cathode and anode, respectively. True bipolar pacing is associated with reductions in mortality and it has been postulated that these differences are the result of enhanced electrical activation.

Materials And Methods: Patients undergoing a CRT underwent an electrocardiographic imaging study where electrical activation data were recorded while different LV pacing vectors were temporarily programmed. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 07 5;8(1):10206. Epub 2018 Jul 5.

Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.

Ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) are the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in patients with myocardial infarction (MI). We sought to compare effects of renal denervation (RDN) and metoprolol on VAs after MI. Fifty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery to induce MI, while 6 rats served as Control. Read More

Scand J Pain 2014 Apr 1;5(2):111-118. Epub 2014 Apr 1.

Department of Neurophysiology, Center for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim (CBTM), Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.

Background and purpose Conventional neurophysiological techniques do not assess the function of nociceptive pathways and are inadequate to detect abnormalities in patients with small-fiber damage. This overview aims to give an update on the methods and techniques used to assess small fiber (Aδ- and C-fibers) function using evoked potentials in research and clinical settings. Methods Noxious radiant or contact heat allows the recording of heat-evoked brain potentials commonly referred to as laser evoked potentials (LEPs) and contact heat-evoked potentials (CHEPs). Read More

Cardiovasc Res 2018 10;114(12):1605-1616

Montreal Heart Institute, Research Center, 5000 Bélanger, Montréal, Québec, Canada.

Aims: During pregnancy, there is a significant increase in heart rate (HR) potentially associated with an increased risk of arrhythmias or exacerbation of pre-existing cardiac conditions endangering both mother and foetus. Calcium homeostasis plays an important role in regulating automaticity of the sinoatrial node (SAN); however, its contribution to the accelerated HR during pregnancy remains unknown.

Methods And Results: Using murine SAN cells, we showed that pregnancy increased L-type Ca2+ current (ICaL) and CaV1. Read More

BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2018 05 21;18(1):100. Epub 2018 May 21.

Department of Respiration Medicine of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Renmin Street, Jinzhou, 121000, Liaoning Province, China.

Background: Preexcitation syndrome is characterized by a dominant delta wave on the baseline electrocardiogram (ECG), resulting from the change in QRS initial vector by the accessory pathway (AP). This study is to explore the effect of ventricular preexcitation on the QRS initial, maximal and terminal vector in an experimental rabbit with preexcitation syndrome induced by programmed electrical stimulation.

Methods: Rabbits (n = 10) were randomized for the experimental model of ventricular preexcitation. Read More

JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2017 07 26;3(7):767-778. Epub 2017 Apr 26.

Cardiac Electrophysiology Section, Cardiovascular Division, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Electronic address:

Objectives: The goal of this study was to determine the long-term outcomes of catheter ablation (CA) of electrical storm in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) compared with patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM).

Background: CA of ventricular tachycardia (VT) electrical storm has been shown to improve VT-free survival in patients with ICM. Data on the outcomes of CA of electrical storm in patients with NIDCM are insufficient. Read More

Heart Rhythm 2018 08 18;15(8):1165-1170. Epub 2018 Apr 18.

Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute & Research Foundation, Overland Park Regional Medical Center, HCA MidWest Overland Park, Kansas. Electronic address:

Background: Implantable hypoglossal nerve upper airway stimulation (HNS) is a novel strategy approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the management of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients with continuous positive airway pressure therapy intolerance or failure. Because of the proximity of a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) to this stimulator, interaction between these devices is theoretically possible.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess interactions between an implantable HNS device and a CIED. Read More

J Wound Care 2018 04;27(4):230-243

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bradford, UK.

Objective: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of an externally applied electroceutical (EAE) device, Accel-Heal, in treating non-healing venous leg ulcers (VLUs) in the UK.

Method: This was a prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-centre study of patients aged ≥18 years with a non-healing VLU. Patients were randomised in the ratio of 1:1 to receive six units of the EAE (consisting of a self-contained, programmed electric microcurrent generator and two skin contact pads) or an identical-looking placebo device over 12 consecutive days. Read More

Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2018 06 9;314(6):H1160-H1168. Epub 2018 Feb 9.

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario , London, Ontario , Canada.

Obstructive sleep apnea, which involves chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), is a major risk factor for developing atrial fibrillation (AF). Whether or not CIH alone alters cardiac mechanisms to support AF is unknown. This study investigated the effects of CIH on atrial electrophysiology and arrhythmia vulnerability and evaluated the role of autonomics in CIH promotion of AF. Read More

Annu Rev Med 2018 01;69:147-164

Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) accounts for ∼50% of mortality after myocardial infarction (MI). Most SCDs result from ventricular tachyarrhythmias, and the tachycardias that precipitate cardiac arrest result from multiple mechanisms. As a result, it is highly unlikely that any single test will identify all patients at risk for SCD. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2018 01 15;7(2). Epub 2018 Jan 15.

Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

Background: Attenuated cardiac vagal activity is associated with ventricular arrhythmogenesis and related mortality in patients with chronic heart failure. Our recent study has shown that expression of N-type Ca channel α-subunits (Ca2.2-α) and N-type Ca currents are reduced in intracardiac ganglion neurons from rats with chronic heart failure. Read More

Cochlear Implants Int 2018 05 2;19(3):153-161. Epub 2018 Jan 2.

a MEDers Speech and Hearing Clinic , Kadikoy, Istanbul , Turkey.

Introduction: Electrically evoked compound action potentials (eCAP) and electrically evoked stapedius reflexes are the most frequently used objective measurements for programming a cochlear implant (CI) audio processor. Objective methods are particularly beneficial for children and CI users that encounter difficulties in providing feedback. In this study, we compared the threshold and the slope of the eCAP amplitude growth function with the electrically evoked stapedius reflex threshold (eSRT) in pediatric CI users. Read More

J Neural Eng 2018 04;15(2):026005

Department of Bioengineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America. Scientific Computing & Imaging (SCI) Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America.

Objective: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a growing treatment option for movement and psychiatric disorders. As DBS technology moves toward directional leads with increased numbers of smaller electrode contacts, trial-and-error methods of manual DBS programming are becoming too time-consuming for clinical feasibility. We propose an algorithm to automate DBS programming in near real-time for a wide range of DBS lead designs. Read More

Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2017 Nov;21(22):5283-5289

Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, China.

Objective: To observe the expressions of myocardial connexin43 (Cx43) and interleukin-17 (IL-17) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rats and investigate its possible mechanism of telmisartan in the prevention and treatment of arrhythmia in AMI.

Materials And Methods: Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were selected and myocardial infarction model was established. After the successful modeling, the rats were randomly divided into three groups: Sham group, MI group, Telm group. Read More

BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2017 Dec 8;17(1):289. Epub 2017 Dec 8.

Arrhythmia Clinic, Skåne University Hospital and Department of Cardiology, Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 21185, Lund, Sweden.

Background: Atrial fibrillatory cycle length has been considered one of the indices of atrial electrical remodelling during atrial fibrillation (AF), which can be assessed from surface ECG by computer-assisted calculation of atrial fibrillatory rate (AFR). Horses have been suggested as a bona fide model for AF studies since horses too, develop lone AF, however data on AF characteristics in horses are extremely sparse and non-invasive characterization of AF complexity using surface ECG processing has not been reported.

Aim: The aim was to study characteristics of induced AF and its modification by flecainide. Read More

Europace 2017 Dec;19(suppl_4):iv17-iv24

The Heart Center of Chonnam National University Hospital, 42 Jaebongro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61469, South Korea.

Aims: Prolonged Tpeak-Tend interval has been shown to be markers of arrhythmogenesis in various cardiac disorders. However, its dynamicity is one of the obstacles to predict fatal ventricular arrhythmia. This study investigated whether Tpeak-Tend interval during therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is associated with ventricular fibrillation (VF) inducibility and clinical arrhythmia in subjects with aborted arrhythmic sudden cardiac death (SCD). Read More

J Electrocardiol 2018 Jan - Feb;51(1):33-37. Epub 2017 Sep 23.

Sarver Heart Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States. Electronic address:

A chronic heart failure (CHF) rat underwent epicardial programmed electrical stimulation (PES). Ventricular tachycardia (VT) developed during PES. Mechanical alternans was noted despite fixed tachycardia cycle length. Read More

J Am Coll Cardiol 2018 10 30;72(14):1653-1676. Epub 2017 Oct 30.

Background: Although large randomized clinical trials have found that primary prevention use of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) improves survival in patients with cardiomyopathy and heart failure symptoms, patients who receive ICDs in practice are often older and have more comorbidities than patients who were enrolled in the clinical trials. In addition, there is a debate among clinicians on the usefulness of electrophysiological study for risk stratification of asymptomatic patients with Brugada syndrome.

Aim: Our analysis has 2 objectives. Read More

Circulation 2018 09;138(13):e392-e414

These members of the evidence review committee are listed alphabetically, and all participated equally in the process.

Background: Although large randomized clinical trials have found that primary prevention use of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) improves survival in patients with cardiomyopathy and heart failure symptoms, patients who receive ICDs in practice are often older and have more comorbidities than patients who were enrolled in the clinical trials. In addition, there is a debate among clinicians on the usefulness of electrophysiological study for risk stratification of asymptomatic patients with Brugada syndrome.

Aim: Our analysis has 2 objectives. Read More

Europace 2018 07;20(7):1194-1200

Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.

Aims: The prognostic value of programmed electrical stimulation (PES) in Brugada syndrome (BrS) remains controversial. One of the reasons for discrepant results may be due to the selection of stimulation protocol. We evaluated the prognostic value of a positive PES result (PES+) according to the inducible pacing sites and the number of extra-stimuli in BrS patients without previous cardiac arrest (CA). Read More

Circulation 2017 Nov 3;136(21):2037-2050. Epub 2017 Oct 3.

Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles, CA (J.H.C., R.Z., P.J.K., G.d.C., J.I.G., E.M., E.C.)

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) represents approximately half of heart failure, and its incidence continues to increase. The leading cause of mortality in HFpEF is sudden death, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: Dahl salt-sensitive rats were fed a high-salt diet (8% NaCl) from 7 weeks of age to induce HFpEF (n=38). Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2017 Sep 19;6(9). Epub 2017 Sep 19.

Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China

Background: With chronic ischemia after myocardial infarction, the resulting scar tissue result in electrical and structural remodeling vulnerable to an arrhythmogenic substrate. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway elicited by vagal nerve via α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7-nAChR) can modulate local and systemic inflammatory responses. Here, we aimed to clarify a novel mechanism for the antiarrhythmogenic properties of vagal nerve during the ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Read More

Heart Rhythm 2018 01 24;15(1):48-55. Epub 2017 Aug 24.

San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics and outcome of patients undergoing ablation after electrical storm (ES).

Methods: Clinical and procedural characteristics, ventricular tachycardia (VT) recurrence, and mortality rates from 1940 patients undergoing VT ablation were compared between patients with and without ES.

Results: The group of 677 patients with ES (34. Read More