| 1. |
- Blomström-Lundqvist, Carina, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of Catheter Ablation vs Antiarrhythmic Medication on Quality of Life in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation : The CAPTAF Randomized Clinical Trial
- 2019
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Ingår i: JAMIA Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. - Chicago : American Medical Association (AMA). - 1067-5027 .- 1527-974X .- 0098-7484 .- 1538-3598. ; 321:11, s. 1059-1068
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- IMPORTANCE Quality of life is not a standard primary outcome in ablation trials, even though symptoms drive the indication. OBJECTIVE To assess quality of life with catheter ablation vs antiarrhythmic medication at 12 months in patients with atrial fibrillation. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Randomized clinical trial at 4 university hospitals in Sweden and 1 in Finland of 155 patients aged 30-70 years with more than 6 months of atrial fibrillation and treatment failure with 1 antiarrhythmic drug or beta-blocker, with 4-year follow-up. Study dateswere July 2008-September 2017. Major exclusionswere ejection fraction <35%, left atrial diameter > 60 mm, ventricular pacing dependency, and previous ablation. INTERVENTIONS Pulmonary vein isolation ablation (n= 79) or previously untested antiarrhythmic drugs (n= 76). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Primary outcomewas the General Health subscale score (Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey) at baseline and 12 months, assessed unblinded (range, 0 [worst] to 100 [best]). There were 26 secondary outcomes, including atrial fibrillation burden (% of time) from baseline to 12 months, measured by implantable cardiac monitors. The first 3 months were excluded from rhythm analysis. RESULTS Among 155 randomized patients (mean age, 56.1 years; 22.6% women), 97% completed the trial. Of 79 patients randomized to receive ablation, 75 underwent ablation, including 2 who crossed over to medication and 14 who underwent repeated ablation procedures. Of 76 patients randomized to receive antiarrhythmic medication, 74 received it, including 8 who crossed over to ablation and 43 for whom the first drug used failed. General Health score increased from 61.8 to 73.9 points in the ablation group vs 62.7 to 65.4 points in the medication group (between-group difference, 8.9 points; 95% CI, 3.1-14.7; P=.003). Of 26 secondary end points, 5 were analyzed; 2 were null and 2 were statistically significant, including decrease in atrial fibrillation burden (from 24.9% to 5.5% in the ablation group vs 23.3% to 11.5% in the medication group; difference -6.8%[95% CI, -12.9% to -0.7%]; P=.03). Of the Health Survey subscales, 5 of 7 improved significantly. Most common adverse events were urosepsis (5.1%) in the ablation group and atrial tachycardia (3.9%) in the medication group. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation despite use of antiarrhythmic medication, the improvement in quality of life at 12 months was greater for those treated with catheter ablation compared with antiarrhythmic medication. Although the study was limited by absence of blinding, catheter ablation may offer an advantage for quality of life.
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| 2. |
- Braunschweig, Frieder, et al.
(författare)
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Transient repolarization instability following the initiation of cardiac resynchronization therapy.
- 2011
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Ingår i: EP Europace. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1532-2092. ; 13:9, s. 1327-1334
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) may cause changes in ventricular repolarization (VR), particularly in the initial phase of treatment. This study investigated the effect of CRT cessation and re-initiation on parameters of VR duration and heterogeneity at different paced heart rates. Methods Cardiac resynchronization therapy was inactivated for 2 weeks in 16 treatment responders to CRT. QT and JT intervals were measured on the surface electrocardiogram at 60, 70, and 80 bpm (randomized order) and vectorcardiography (VCG) was performed with CRT ‘on’ (day 0), ‘off’ (day 0, 1, 7, and 14) and after CRT re-initiation (day 14, 15, 16, and 21). On day 0 (‘on’) and 14 (‘off’) echocardiography, the 6 min walking distance and brain natriuretic peptide were assessed. Results The QT interval at baseline (CRT ‘on’), measured at 60, 70, and 80 bpm, was 482 ± 31, 468 ± 37, and 457 ± 39 ms, respectively, and decreased by 5, 5, and 6% during the first week following CRT cessation (all P< 0.05). Immediately after re-initiation on day 14, it increased again by 20 ± 18 (4%; P< 0.05), 34 ± 39 (8%; P< 0.01), and 16 ± 38 ms (4%, ns) followed by a gradual decrease towards previous ‘off’ levels. Similar changes were observed for the JT interval. Ventricular repolarization duration was significantly shortened by increasing the paced heart rate from 60 to 70 and 80 bpm. Vectorcardiography parameters reflecting VR gradients (ST-vector magnitude, Tarea, and Tavplan) increased significantly (by 31, 45, and 71%) after CRT cessation. A similar but non-significant pattern was observed after CRT re-initiation. Conclusion The increase in repolarization duration and gradients observed after CRT initiation suggests a transient state of VR instability that can be attenuated by programming of higher paced heart rates during the initial phase of treatment.
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| 3. |
- Chaudhry, U., et al.
(författare)
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Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation – Long term prognosis in relation to clinical findings and ECG patterns in a Swedish cohort
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of Electrocardiology. - Philadephia : Churchill Livingstone Inc. Medical Publishers. - 0022-0736 .- 1532-8430. ; 56, s. 46-51
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) is a rare cause of sudden cardiac arrest which may pose therapeutic and prognostic challenges. To date, the only effective treatment for survivors of cardiac arrest is the insertion of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). We sought to review the long-term outcome of a Swedish cohort with IVF.Methods and results: Fifty patients with IVF diagnosis between 1988 and 2016 (mean age at index 34.3, 56% male), were followed for a median 13.8 years in this retrospective multicenter observational study. No cardiac mortality was reported. 32% (n = 16) of patients had recurrence of ventricular fibrillation or sustained ventricular tachycardia, requiring ICD therapy, at a median time of 1.9 years (range 0.1–20.3) from the index event. Annual incidence rate of ventricular tachyarrhythmia was 3.1%. Abnormal ECG at baseline did not predict appropriate ICD therapy (p = 0.56). During the follow-up period, 14% (n = 7) patients received a cardiac diagnosis. Follow-up genetic testing was low (26%), however did confirm pathogenic mutations in three cases.Conclusion: Idiopathic VF is a rare diagnosis with a relatively good prognosis provided ICD therapy is initiated. Routine clinical follow-up is recommended due to potential late emerging cardiac pathology. ECG changes are common, but have no prognostic value in determining the risk of ventricular arrhythmias recurrence. Screening for genetic diseases has previously been low, and this calls for improvement, especially since cheaper and more comprehensive genetic panels are now readily available.
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| 4. |
- Jansson, Victoria, et al.
(författare)
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Atrial fibrillation burden, episode duration and frequency in relation to quality of life in patients with implantable cardiac monitor
- 2021
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Ingår i: IJC Heart & Vasculature. - : Elsevier BV. - 2352-9067. ; 34
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims: To assess the relation between atrial fibrillation (AF) characteristics and health-related quality of life (QoL), and which AF characteristic had the greatest impact.Method: The AF characteristics burden (percentage of time in AF), duration and number of AF episodes/month were obtained from implantable cardiac monitors during the 2-month run-in period in 150 patients included in the randomized CAPTAF trial comparing early ablation and antiarrhythmic drug therapy. The QoL was measured by the General Health and Vitality dimensions of the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey. AF characteristics were analysed continuously and in quartiles (Q1-Q4).Results: Greater AF burden (p = 0.003) and longer AF episodes (p = 0.013) were associated with impaired QoL (Vitality score only) in simple linear regression analyses. Greater AF burden was, however, the only AF characteristic associated with lower QoL, when adjusted for sex, type of AF, hypertension, heart rate above 110 beats per minute during AF, and beta-blocker use in multiple linear regression analyses. For every 10% increase in AF burden there was a 1.34-point decrease of Vitality score (95% confidence interval (CI) -2.67 to -0.02, p = 0.047). The Vitality score was 12 points lower (95% CI -22.73 to -1.27, p = 0.03) in patients with an AF burden > 33% (Q4) versus those with < 0.45% (Q1), but only in unadjusted analysis.Conclusion: AF burden had a greater impact on QoL (Vitality), than the duration and number of AF episodes, corroborating that AF burden may be the preferred outcome measure of rhythm control in trials including relatively healthy AF populations.
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| 5. |
- Jemtrén, Anette, et al.
(författare)
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Accessory pathway properties are similar in symptomatic and asymptomatic preexcitation.
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of interventional cardiac electrophysiology : an international journal of arrhythmias and pacing. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1572-8595. ; 65:1, s. 193-199
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Patients with WPW syndrome have an increased mortality rate compared to the general population. Although asymptomatic preexcitation has previously been considered benign, recent studies have found that also asymptomatic patients have clinical and electrophysiological factors associated with increased risk of sudden cardiac death. This study compares the baseline electrophysiological characteristics of accessory pathways in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with preexcitation. We hypothesized that a significant proportion of asymptomatic patients has inducible orthodromic tachycardia during programmed electrical stimulation.This retrospective study includes 1853 patients with preexcitation who underwent invasive electrophysiological testing in two Swedish University Hospitals between 1991 and 2018. The mean age was 36±17years with a range of 3-89years. Thirty-nine percent was women. A total of 269 patients (15%) were children younger than 18years. Electrophysiological data included effective refractory period of the accessory pathway (APERP, in 1069 patients), tachycardia cycle length, inducibility and type of tachycardia, and AP localization.A total of 1703 (93%) patients reported symptoms suggesting tachyarrhythmias before the study and 128 (7%) were asymptomatic. The proportion of potentially dangerous pathways with short APERP (≤250ms) were similar in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients (187/949, 20% vs. 25/108, 23%) (P=0.40) as was the mean APERP (303±68ms vs. 307±75) (P=0.61). The proportion of patients who had inducible arrhythmia was larger in the symptomatic group (64% vs. 31%) (P<0.001).The results of this study strengthen the present guideline recommendation (IIA) to consider invasive risk assessment in patients with asymptomatic preexcitation.
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| 6. |
- Lingman, Markus, 1975, et al.
(författare)
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Transient repolarization alterations dominate the initial phase of an acute anterior infarction-a vectorcardiography study
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Electrocardiology. - : Churchill Livingstone. - 0022-0736 .- 1532-8430. ; 47:4, s. 478-485
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To study effects of ischemia-reperfusion on ventricular electrophysiology in humans by three-dimensional electrocardiography. METHODS: Fifty-seven patients with first-time acute anterior ST elevation myocardial infarction were monitored from admission and >24h after symptom onset with continuous vectorcardiography (VCG; modified Frank orthogonal leads). Global ventricular depolarization and repolarization (VR) measures were compared at maximum vs. minimum ST vector magnitude (STVM) (median 208; 111-303 vs. 362; 165-1359min after symptom onset). RESULTS: At maximum vs. minimum STVM the Tarea (overall VR dispersion) almost tripled (118 vs. 41μVs; p<0.0001), the T-loop bulginess was 90% greater (Tavplan 0.91 vs 0.48μV; p<0.0001), and Tpeak-end/QT was 39% larger (0.32 vs 0.23; p<0.0001). QRSarea (overall dispersion of depolarization) was 12% larger at maximum STVM, while QRS duration was 10% longer at minimum STVM. CONCLUSIONS: Ischemia-reperfusion was accompanied by profound and transient alterations of VR dispersion, while changes in depolarization were modest and delayed.
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| 7. |
- Lingman, Markus, 1975, et al.
(författare)
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Value of the QRS-T area angle in improving the prediction of sudden cardiac death after acute coronary syndromes.
- 2016
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Ingår i: International Journal of Cardiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-5273 .- 1874-1754. ; 218, s. 1-11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Prediction of sudden cardiac death (SCD) after acute coronary syndromes (ACS) remains a challenge. Although electrophysiology measures obtained by 3-D vectorcardiography (VCG) shortly after ACS may be useful predictors of SCD, they have not been adopted into clinical practice. The main objective of our study was to assess whether the VCG-derived QRS-T area angle (between area vectors) and the QRS-T angle (between maximum vectors) have additional value beyond standard risk factors in predicting SCD after ACS.METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 643 consecutive ACS patients for whom data on VCG and echocardiography during the index hospitalization were available. Seventy-seven patients (12%) died, 37 (6%) from SCD and 21 (3%) from other cardiac causes during the 30-month follow-up. After adjusting for 9 standard risk factors (age, sex, diabetes, previous stroke, left ventricular ejection fraction; and estimated glomerular filtration rate, heart rate, systolic blood pressure<100mmHg, and Killip class>1 on admission), QRS-T area angle and QRS-T angle were shown to have independent predictive value for both SCD and all cardiac deaths. Reclassification analysis showed that both measures had additional predictive value beyond the 9 standard risk factors. For SCD, net reclassification improvements for QRS-T area angle and QRS-T angle were 46% and 45% and relative integrated discriminative improvements were 16% and 13% (vs the average~11% of the 9 standard risk factors).CONCLUSIONS: The VCG-derived QRS-T area angle and QRS-T angle improved prediction of SCD after ACS beyond standard risk factors. Further evaluation of their clinical utility and cost-effectiveness is therefore warranted.
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| 8. |
- Odenstedt, Jacob, 1968, et al.
(författare)
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Distorted T-vector loop and increased heart rate are associated with ventricular fibrillation in a porcine ischemia-reperfusion model
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Electrocardiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0022-0736 .- 1532-8430. ; 42:3, s. 267-73
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The ventricular repolarization (VR) response to short-lasting coronary occlusion has been characterized by 3-dimensional vectorcardiography during angioplasty in humans; the T-vector loop becomes distorted (increased T(avplan)) and more circular (decreased T(eigenvalue)), but these changes have not been related to ventricular arrhythmias. PURPOSE: The VR response was therefore explored in a porcine ischemia-reperfusion model and compared in pigs with (n = 16) vs without (n = 17) ventricular fibrillation (VF). METHODS: Different aspects of VR were evaluated at baseline, at maximum ischemia, before reperfusion and at the subsequent ST maximum, after 1 hour of reperfusion, and before VF. Three aspects of the VR response were assessed: the ST-segment, the T-vector angles, and the T-vector loop morphology. RESULTS: All parameters changed significantly from baseline during ischemia and/or reperfusion. The early changes were similar to those previously observed in humans during angioplasty. The VF episodes were preceded by a significantly exaggerated T-loop distortion (increased T(avplan)) and increased heart rate. CONCLUSION: Aggravated T-loop distortion might, in this porcine ischemia-reperfusion model, reflect aspects of VR relevant to arrhythmogenesis.
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| 9. |
- Rubulis, Aigars, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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Ischemia induces aggravation of baseline repolarization abnormalities in left ventricular hypertrophy: a deleterious interaction
- 2006
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Ingår i: J Appl Physiol. - : American Physiological Society. - 8750-7587 .- 1522-1601. ; 101:1, s. 102-10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Epidemiological studies show that left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and hypertension (HT) in coronary artery disease increases the risk for cardiovascular events including sudden cardiac death (SCD). According to experimental studies, myocardial hypertrophy is associated both with altered electrophysiological properties (including prolonged repolarization) and increased vulnerability to ischemia. However, human data to support a repolarization-related mechanism for the increased SCD risk has not been provided. We therefore studied 187 patients undergoing three-dimensional vectorcardiographic monitoring during coronary angioplasty. Eight parameters reflecting different aspects of ventricular repolarization were used: 1) the ST segment (ST-VM and STC-VM), 2) the T vector (QRS-T angle, Televation, and Tazimuth), and 3) the T vector loop (Tavplan, Teigenv, and Tarea). Data collection was performed at rest and at the time of maximum ischemia during coronary occlusion. The patients were divided into three groups: 33 patients with ECG signs of LVH (18 with HT), 54 with HT but without LVH signs, and 100 patients with neither. Coronary artery disease patients with LVH not only had the most abnormal baseline repolarization (as expected) but also a significantly more pronounced repolarization response during coronary occlusion, whereas HT patients had mean parameter values between LVH patients and those without neither HT nor LVH signs. Because there is a relation between increased SCD risk and repolarization disturbances in various clinical settings, the results of the present study are in agreement with animal data and epidemiological observations, although other factors than disturbed repolarization might be of importance.
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| 10. |
- Rubulis, Aigars, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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Prediction of cardiovascular death and myocardial infarction by the QRS-T angle and T vector loop morphology after angioplasty in stable angina pectoris: an 8-year follow-up.
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of Electrocardiology. - 0022-0736. ; 43:4, s. 310-317
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Reliable cardiovascular (CV) risk assessment by a noninvasive tool would be of great value for CV event prevention. The present study consists of 187 coronary artery disease patients with 8 years of follow-up. Eight vectorcardiographic parameters characterizing different aspects of ventricular repolarization were analyzed at baseline: (1) the ST-segment (ST-VM), (2) the T vector angles (QRS-T angle, Televation, and Tazimuth), (3) the T vector loop morphology (Tavplan and Teigenvalue), and (4) Tarea and Tpeak-end. Cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction (MI), and repeated revascularization were traced via national registries. There were 16 CV deaths and 19 MIs; 89 patients remained free from CV events and revascularization. Ventricular repolarization parameters independently predicted CV death (widened QRS-T angle) and new MI (increased Tavplan) during follow-up. CV mortality was associated with increased divergence between depolarization and repolarization waves (widened QRS-T angle). Increased Tavplan, presumably reflecting heterogeneous repolarization, predicted future MI, which is a novel finding.
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