Effect of Systemic Hypertension With Versus Without Left Ventricular Hypertrophy on the Progression of Atrial Fibrillation (from the Euro Heart Survey).

Hypertension is a risk factor for both progression of atrial fibrillation (AF) and development of AF-related complications, that is major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). It is unknown whether left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) as a consequence of hypertension is also a risk factor for both these end points. We aimed to assess this in low-risk AF patients, also assessing gender-related differences. We included 799 patients from the Euro Heart Survey with nonvalvular AF and a baseline echocardiogram. Patients with and without hypertension were included. End points after 1 year were occurrence of AF progression, that is paroxysmal AF becoming persistent and/or permanent AF, and MACCE. Echocardiographic LVH was present in 33% of 379 hypertensive patients. AF progression after 1 year occurred in 10.2% of 373 patients with rhythm follow-up. In hypertensive patients with LVH, AF progression occurred more frequently as compared with hypertensive patients without LVH (23.3% vs 8.8%, p = 0.011). In hypertensive AF patients, LVH was the most important multivariably adjusted determinant of AF progression on multivariable logistic regression (odds ratio 4.84, 95% confidence interval 1.70 to 13.78, p = 0.003). This effect was only seen in male patients (27.5% vs 5.8%, p = 0.002), while in female hypertensive patients, no differences were found in AF progression rates regarding the presence or absence of LVH (15.2% vs 15.0%, p = 0.999). No differences were seen in MACCE for hypertensive patients with and without LVH. In conclusion, in men with hypertension, LVH is associated with AF progression. This association seems to be absent in hypertensive women

An early European experience with transapical off-pump mitral valve repair with NeoChord implantation

OBJECTIVES: Transapical off-pump NeoChord repair is a novel minimally invasive surgical procedure to treat degenerative mitral valve regurgitation. The aim was to evaluate 1-year clinical results of the NeoChord procedure in a consecutive cohort of patients. METHODS: Between February 2013 and July 2016, 213 patients were enrolled in the NeoChord Independent International Registry. All patients presented severe mitral regurgitation due to flail/prolapse of 1 or both leaflets, and they all completed postoperative echocardiographic assessment up to 1 year. We identified the primary end point as composed of procedural success, freedom from mortality, stroke, reintervention, recurrence of severe mitral regurgitation, rehospitalization and decrease of at least 1 New York Heart Association functional class at 1-year follow-up. We also compared outcomes according to the anatomical classification (Type A: isolated central posterior leaflet disease; Type B: posterior multisegment disease; Type C: anterior, bileaflet, paracommissural disease with/without leaflet/annular calcifications). RESULTS: The median age was 68 years (interquartile range 56-77), and the median EuroSCORE II was 1.05% (interquartile range 0.67-1.76). The number of Type A, B and C patients was 82 (38.5%), 98 (46%) and 33 (15.5%), respectively. Procedural success was achieved in 206 (96.7%) patients. At 1-year follow-up, overall survival was 98 ± 1%. Composite end point was achieved in 84 ± 2.5% for the overall population and 94 ± 2.6%, 82.6 ± 3.8% and 63.6 ± 8.4% in Type A, Type B and Type C patients, respectively (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that the NeoChord procedure is safe, effective and reproducible. Clinical and echocardiographic efficacy is maintained up to 1 year with significant differences among the anatomical groups. Specific anatomical selection criteria are necessary to achieve stable results

Progression From Paroxysmal to Persistent Atrial Fibrillation. Clinical Correlates and Prognosis

Objectives: We investigated clinical correlates of atrial fibrillation (AF) progression and evaluated the prognosis of patients demonstrating AF progression in a large population. Background: Progression of paroxysmal AF to more sustained forms is frequently seen. However, not all patients will progress to persistent AF. Methods: We included 1,219 patients with paroxysmal AF who participated in the Euro Heart Survey on AF and had a known rhythm status at follow-up. Patients who experienced AF progression after 1 year of follow-up were identified. Results: Progression of AF occurred in 178 (15%) patients. Multivariate analysis showed that heart failure, age, previous transient ischemic attack or stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and hypertension were the only independent predictors of AF progression. Using the regression coefficient as a benchmark, we calculated the HATCH score. Nearly 50% of the patients with a HATCH score >5 progressed to persistent AF compared with only 6% of the patients with a HATCH score of 0. During follow-up, patients with AF progression were more often admitted to the hospital and had more major adverse cardiovascular events. Conclusions: A substantial number of patients progress to sustained AF within 1 year. The clinical outcome of these patients regarding hospital admissions and major adverse cardiovascular events was worse compared with patients demonstrating no AF progression. Factors known to cause atrial structural remodeling (age and underlying heart disease) were independent predictors of AF progression. The HATCH score may help to identify patients who are likely to progress to sustained forms of AF in the near future. \ua9 2010 American College of Cardiology Foundation

Minimaly invasive mitral valve repair with Neochord system in patients with degenerative mitral disease: echocardiographic assessment and predictors for mid-term outcome

Abstract Introduction Various minimally invasive mitral valve (MV) repair techniques are available to treat degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR). Transapical implantation of artificial chordae on a beating heart is performed using the NeoChord DS1000 device with real-time TEE guidance. Purpose 1)To assess preoperative and the mid-term follow-up echocardiographic data in patients after MV repair using the NeoChord DS1000 device; 2)to investigate the changes of left ventricle (LV), left atrium (LA) and mitral annulus dimensions during the follow-up period; 3)to assess the difference of baseline echocardiographic parameters between successful and not-successful (severe residual MR) MV repair groups; 4)to identify the preoperative echocardiographic variables that may be associated with recurrence of MR at mid-term follow. Methods All patients after transapical MV repair with Neochord implantation in Vilnius University hospital were prospectively entered into the study. The acquired preoperative and follow-up echocardiographic datasets were analysed. According to the residual MR at follow-up, patients were stratified to 2 groups: group A – successful durable MV repair (residual MR ≤2); group B – MV repair failure (recurrence of severe MR or reintervention). Values were expressed as Mean±SD. Univariable regression analysis was used to identify anatomical predictors of residual MR. Results 53 (70.67%) patients had a residual MR ≤2 (Group A) and 22 (29.33%) residual MR≥2+ (Group B) at 26±6 months follow-up. At baseline, Group B patients had significantly larger left ventricle end diastolic diameter (LVEDD) (mean difference 5.67±1.29mm, p&amp;lt;0.0001) left ventricle end systolic diameter (LVESD) (mean difference 4.08±1.57mm, p=0.012), LA volume index (mean difference 21.57±5.003 p&amp;lt;0.0001) and higher systolic pulmonary pressure values (mean difference 10.46±3.34, p&amp;lt;0.003) compared with group A. Overall, a significant reduction in LA volume index (mean change 15.69±4.15ml/m2, p&amp;lt;0.001), LA diameter (mean change 3.15±1.24, p=0.012), LV diameter (mean change in LVEDD 4.78±0.88mm p&amp;lt;0.000) was observed at 24 months follow up. There was no significant changes in MV annular parameters at follow up. Left atrium volume (OR 1.018; 95% CI 1.006–1.035; p=0.009), left atrium volume index (OR 1.038; 95% CI 1.013–1.072; p=0.010), LVEDD (OR 1.201; 95% CI 1.088–1.353; p=0.0008), LVESD (OR 1.122; 95% CI 1.02–1.248); p=0.0236) and sPAP (OR 1.418; 95% CI 1.139–2.016; p=0.0014) were all significantly associated with the worse outcome (MR &amp;gt;2) after mini-invasive MV repair in univariable regression analysis. Conclusions Minimaly invasive MV repair with Neochord system on beating heart is effective in patients with degenerative MR. Baseline echocardiographic characteristics predictive for a worse middle term outcome are mainly related to LV and LA remodeling. Reverse remodeling of LV and LA is observed during the follow-up period with no significant changes in MV annulus. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None </jats:sec