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Front Pediatr 2022 9;10:910660. Epub 2022 Jun 9.

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity, London, United Kingdom.

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is the most prevalent inherited neuromuscular dystrophy in adults. It is a multisystem disease with cardiac manifestations. Whilst these are well-defined in adults, there are scarce published data in the pediatric population. Read More

EClinicalMedicine 2022 Jul 27;49:101475. Epub 2022 May 27.

Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.

Background: Multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) has increasingly been documented globally with the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic and a significant proportion of cases have been noted in children of Black descent. There has been a noticeable discrepancy in the presentation and outcomes of COVID-19 infection in sub-Saharan Africa compared to the rest of the world. We documented the demography, clinical features, laboratory and imaging findings, therapeutic management, and short-term outcomes of paediatric patients with MIS-C diagnosed during the COVID-19 pandemic in Lagos, Nigeria. Read More

Herzschrittmacherther Elektrophysiol 2022 Jun 23. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Clinic of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Sophien- und Hufeland-Klinikum Weimar, Weimar, Germany.

A 34-year-old road builder was admitted to the authors' emergency department due to progressive dyspnoea that had been present for 6 days. The patient had a history of excessive smoking (60 cigarettes/day). The medical history was otherwise unremarkable. Read More

Eur Heart J Case Rep 2022 Jun 31;6(6):ytac226. Epub 2022 May 31.

Department of Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.

Background: Although methotrexate has been widely used as a second-line therapy for cardiac sarcoidosis (CS), it is not clear if it has a direct anti-inflammatory effect.

Case Summary: A 65-year-old man presented to our hospital with symptomatic ventricular tachycardia (VT). After cardioversion, electrocardiography showed a first-degree atrioventricular block with a right bundle branch block, and transthoracic echocardiography revealed left ventricular dilatation. Read More

Pediatr Cardiol 2022 Jun 14. Epub 2022 Jun 14.

Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 1935 Medical District Dr, Dallas, TX, 75235, USA.

Maternal autoantibody-related complete heart block in the fetus is considered irreversible. During prenatal care for a 25-year-old nulliparous Hispanic woman with newly diagnosed nephrotic-range proteinuria and positive anti-nuclear antigen antibody, complete fetal heart block with a ventricular rate of 60 beats per minute was detected on a fetal echocardiogram at 28-week gestation. A small pericardial effusion and ascites were noted consistent with fetal hydrops. Read More

Cureus 2022 May 4;14(5):e24729. Epub 2022 May 4.

Infectious Disease, Keesler Medical Center, Biloxi, USA.

A 39-year-old male without significant past medical history presented with three weeks of worsening fatigue, migratory arthralgia, rash, and unilateral facial weakness after spending three months in Vermont. Serology showed positive Lyme titers 1:64 for both IgM and IgG. EKG on presentation showed a P-R interval of 384 ms, and the patient was admitted for concern of Lyme carditis. Read More

Circ Genom Precis Med 2022 Jun 12;15(3):e003464. Epub 2022 May 12.

Department of Pediatric Cardiology, CHRU Lille, France (A.H.).

Background: Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA) is a rare disease of unknown cause. We aimed to better understand familial recurrence patterns.

Methods: An international, multicentre, retrospective cohort study was conducted in 29 tertiary hospitals in 6 countries between 1990 and 2018, entailing investigation of 1043 unrelated ccTGA probands. Read More

J Infect Dev Ctries 2022 04 30;16(4):726-728. Epub 2022 Apr 30.

Department of Propaedeutic Pediatrics and Medical Genetics, Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Communal Noncommercial Enterprise of Lviv Regional Council Lviv Regional Children's Clinical Hospital "Ohmatdyt", Lviv, Ukraine.

Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) complex and is characterized by predominant lesions of the skin, cardiovascular system, nervous system and musculoskeletal system. We have described a clinical case of first-degree atrioventricular block in a 14-year-old boy caused by Lyme borreliosis. The disease started with the manifestations of cardiovascular system involvement. Read More

HeartRhythm Case Rep 2022 Mar 9;8(3):187-190. Epub 2021 Dec 9.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Centre, Osaka, Japan.

JA Clin Rep 2022 Apr 28;8(1):33. Epub 2022 Apr 28.

Department of Anesthesiology, Saiseikai Fukuoka General Hospital, Tenjin 1-3-46, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka-ken, 810-0001, Japan.

Background: First-degree atrioventricular block (AVB) may lead to complete AVB. Herein, we present a case of a complete AVB under thoracic epidural catheter infusion of ropivacaine with fentanyl in a patient with first-degree AVB and myasthenia gravis.

Case Presentation: A 74-year-old woman with first-degree AVB underwent thymectomy for myasthenia gravis. Read More

Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol 2022 Apr 21:e12954. Epub 2022 Apr 21.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.

Background: Atrial pacing and right ventricular (RV) pacing are both associated with adverse outcomes among patients with first-degree atrioventricular block (1°AVB). His-bundle pacing (HBP) provides physiological activation of the ventricle and may be able to improve both atrioventricular (AV) and inter-ventricular synchrony in 1°AVB patients. This study evaluates the acute echocardiographic and hemodynamic effects of atrial, atrial-His-bundle sequential (AH), and atrial-ventricular (AV) sequential pacing in 1°AVB patients. Read More

Turk Gogus Kalp Damar Cerrahisi Derg 2022 Jan 28;30(1):36-43. Epub 2022 Jan 28.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul Mehmet Akif Ersoy Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.

Background: This study aims to investigate the effect of atriotomy approaches applied in mitral valve surgery and variations of the sinoatrial nodal artery on postoperative arrhythmias and the need for a temporary or permanent pacemaker.

Methods: Data of 241 patients (108 males, 133 females, mean age: 53.7±12. Read More

Eur Heart J Case Rep 2022 Apr 22;6(4):ytac128. Epub 2022 Mar 22.

Universidad de los Andes, Faculty of Medicine, Carrera 1 #18a-12, Bogotá 111711, Colombia.

Background: Lamin A/C-associated heart disease is a group of clinical entities characterized by a mutation in the gene. Multiple cardiac phenotypes have been described, including a higher risk of sudden death.

Case Summary: A 23-year-old asymptomatic patient with an extensive history of heart disease in the family consulted the clinic. Read More

Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022 May;16(5):411-423

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Northwestern University-Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Introduction: Ozanimod is a sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) modulator that inhibits lymphocyte trafficking from lymph nodes to the circulation. It is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis and most recently for the management of moderate-severe ulcerative colitis (UC).

Areas Covered: Here we review the status of drugs approved for moderate-severe UC, the unmet needs in the management of UC, proposed mechanisms of action of S1P modulators, clinical data regarding ozanimod in UC, and emerging S1P modulators being evaluated in inflammatory bowel disease. Read More

BMJ Open 2022 04 4;12(4):e062005. Epub 2022 Apr 4.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China

Objective: To investigate the prognostic significance of first-degree atrioventricular block (AVB) in Asian populations.

Design And Setting: Participants (N=9634) from the Northeast China Rural Cardiovascular Health Study were included. The first-degree AVB was defined as PR (from the beginning of the P wave to the beginning of the QRS complex on an electrocardiogram) interval >200 ms, and primary composite outcome (all events) included new onset cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. Read More

Heart Lung Circ 2022 Jul 31;31(7):999-1005. Epub 2022 Mar 31.

Department of Cardiology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia; The Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Vic, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Western Health, Melbourne, Vic, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Cabrini Health, Melbourne, Vic, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: Implantable loop recorders (ILR) are increasingly utilised in the evaluation of unexplained syncope. However, they are expensive and do not protect against future syncope.

Objectives: To compare patients requiring permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation during ILR follow-up with those without abnormalities detected on ILR in order to identify potential predictors of benefit from upfront pacing. Read More

Cureus 2022 Feb 16;14(2):e22269. Epub 2022 Feb 16.

Internal Medicine, Health Corporation of America-University of Central Florida (HCA-UCF) Consortium, Ocala, USA.

Infective endocarditis (IE) occurs when bacterial or fungal pathogens enter the blood and attach to the endocardium. Right-sided endocarditis is usually associated with intravenous drug use (IVDU), intracardiac devices, and central venous catheters. There is more data published about left-side endocarditis when compared to right-sided endocarditis. Read More

Eur Heart J Case Rep 2022 Feb 3;6(2):ytac032. Epub 2022 Feb 3.

Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.

Background: Echocardiography plays a central role in the diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE). In recent years, additional imaging techniques have begun to challenge the conventional approach. We present a case where the use of transthoracic/transoesophageal echocardiography (TTE/TOE) in suspected IE failed to identify an extensive periannular abscess, later identified by F-flurodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), requiring urgent intervention. Read More

J Cardiol Cases 2022 Mar 18;25(3):126-129. Epub 2021 Aug 18.

Department of Pediatric Cardiology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan.

Given the rarity of significant first-degree atrioventricular block (AVB) after Occlutech Figulla Flex II atrial septal defect occluder (OFF II, Occlutech International AB, Helsingborg, Sweden) placement, its management and predictors of recovery have not been established. We report a 9-year-old boy who developed significant first-degree AVB a day after OFF II deployment. Thereafter, oral prednisolone was initiated at 1. Read More

Am J Emerg Med 2022 Jun 26;56:392.e1-392.e3. Epub 2022 Feb 26.

Hospital Universitario del Rio, Cuenca, Ecuador; Universidad de Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador; Universidad Católica de Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador. Electronic address:

A 78-year-old man presented to the emergency department with a 10-day history of diarrhea and presyncope. His electrocardiogram showed a type-1 Brugada pattern but also a first-degree atrioventricular block, right bundle branch block, and peaked and symmetrical hyperacute T waves. A blood test revealed a potassium level of 9. Read More

Heart 2022 Mar 4. Epub 2022 Mar 4.

Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

Objective: Rare cases of genetically inherited atrioventricular block (AVB) have been reported; however, the heredity of AVB remains unknown. We aimed to assess the heredity of AVB.

Design, Setting And Participants: Using data from the Danish Civil Registration Registry, we established a nationwide cohort of individuals with parental links. Read More

Heart Vessels 2022 Aug 8;37(8):1411-1417. Epub 2022 Feb 8.

Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Ohyaguchi-kamicho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173-8610, Japan.

Some patients with pacemakers present with first-degree atrioventricular (AV) block. To avoid right ventricular (RV) pacing, preserving intrinsic AV conduction as much as possible is recommended. However, there is no clear cutoff AV interval to determine whether intrinsic AV conduction should be preserved or RV pacing should be delivered. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2022 04 31;169:107-112. Epub 2022 Jan 31.

Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

The Norwood procedure with a right ventricular to pulmonary artery shunt (RVPAS) decreases early mortality, but requires a ventriculotomy, possibly increasing risk of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) compared with the modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (MBTS). The effect of shunt and Fontan type on arrhythmias by 6 years of age in the SVRII (Single Ventricle Reconstruction Extension Study) was assessed. SVRII data collected on 324 patients pre-/post-Fontan and annually at 2 to 6 years included antiarrhythmic medications, electrocardiography (ECG) at Fontan, and Holter/ECG at 6 years. Read More

Front Cardiovasc Med 2021 14;8:781335. Epub 2022 Jan 14.

Cardiology Unit, Department of Medical Translational Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.

Introduction: Little is known about the clinical performance of single-chamber leadless pacemaker (LLPM) in patients without atrial fibrillation (AF) as pacing indication. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of patients who underwent single chamber LLPM implantation at three tertiary referral centers and to compare the safety and effectiveness of the single-chamber LLPM among patients with or without AF.

Materials And Methods: All the consecutive patients who underwent LLPM implantation at three referral centers were analyzed. Read More

Med Clin (Barc) 2022 Jan 21. Epub 2022 Jan 21.

Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia, Córdoba, España; Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, España.

Aim: Amyloidosis is a disease in which amyloid fibrils can be deposited in different cardiac structures, and several electrocardiographic abnormalities can be produced by this phenomenon. The objective of this study was to describe the most common basal electrocardiographic alterations in patients diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis (CA) and to determine if these abnormalities have an impact on the need of pacemaker.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients who had an established diagnosis of CA [light-chain cardiac amyloidosis (LA-CA) or transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (TTR-CA)] between January 2013 and March 2021. Read More

Open Vet J 2021 Oct-Dec;11(4):662-666. Epub 2021 Nov 16.

Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan.

Background: Third-degree atrioventricular block (AVB) is usually permanent, with transient cases being rare. Cats with transient third-degree AVB. It had been not reported in detail. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2022 02 8;11(3):e023000. Epub 2022 Jan 8.

The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto Ontario Canada.

Background Transplacental fetal treatment of immune-mediated fetal heart disease, including third-degree atrioventricular block (AVB III) and endocardial fibroelastosis, is controversial. Methods and Results To study the impact of routine transplacental fetal treatment, we reviewed 130 consecutive cases, including 108 with AVB III and 22 with other diagnoses (first-degree/second-degree atrioventricular block [n=10]; isolated endocardial fibroelastosis [n=9]; atrial bradycardia [n=3]). Dexamethasone was started at a median of 22. Read More

JTCVS Tech 2021 Dec 18;10:219-226. Epub 2021 Oct 18.

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Australia.

Objectives: There have been reports of postoperative conduction disturbances after rapid-deployment aortic valve replacement. Our objective was to assess electrocardiogram changes in patients undergoing this procedure and review the literature on this topic.

Methods: In this retrospective case series, clinical data were extracted from patient records at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne and the Australia New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons database. Read More

Exp Gerontol 2022 03 30;159:111679. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

Center for Supercentenarian Medical Research, Keio University School of Medicine, Japan; Utsunomiya Hospital, Japan.

Background And Objective: Supercentenarians, people who have reached 110 years of age, represent an ultimate model of human longevity. We have conducted research from both biomedical and psychosocial perspectives to clarify the factors that contribute to healthy longevity. The current study described the clinical course of the oldest lived man in the world. Read More

Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 2021 Dec 26. Epub 2021 Dec 26.

Department of Cardiology, Kerckhoff Heart and Thorax Center, Benekestr. 2-8, 61231, Bad Nauheim, Germany.

Epicardial fat tissue (EFT) is a highly metabolically active fat depot surrounding the heart and coronary arteries that is related to early atherosclerosis and adverse cardiac events. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the amount of EFT and preexisting cardiac conduction abnormalities (CCAs) and the need for new postinterventional pacemaker in patients with severe aortic stenosis planned for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). A total of 560 consecutive patients (54% female) scheduled for TAVI were included in this retrospective study. Read More