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The introduction of dedicated tools for pacing and defibrillator lead extraction has resulted in relatively high success and low complication rates. The confidence this elicits has broadened the indications from device infections to non-functional or redundant leads and the latter make up an increasing share of extraction procedures. Proponents of extracting these leads point to the higher complication burden of lead extraction in patients with longstanding abandoned leads when compared one-to-one with extraction when these leads become redundant. However, this does not translate into better patient outcomes on a population level: complications are rare with properly abandoned leads and thus most patients will never be subjected to an extraction procedure and the ensuing complications. Therefore, not extracting redundant leads minimises the risk for the patients and avoids many expensive procedures.

In this review, the physiological rationale for atrioventricular and interventricular delay optimization of cardiac resynchronization therapy is discussed including the influence of exercise and long-term cardiac resynchronization therapy. The broad spectrum of both invasive and non-invasive optimization methods is reviewed with critical appraisal of the literature. Although the spectrum of both invasive and non-invasive optimization methods is broad, no single method can be recommend for standard practice as large-scale studies using hard endpoints are lacking. Current efforts mainly investigate optimization during resting conditions; however, there is a need to develop automated algorithms to implement dynamic optimization in order to adapt to physiological alterations during exercise and after anatomical remodeling.

The Heart Team approach has become an integral part of modern cardiovascular medicine. To evaluate current opinions and real-world practice among lead extraction practitioners, an online survey was created and distributed among a pool of lead extraction specialists participating in the International Lead Extraction Expert Meeting (ILEEM) 2018. The online survey consisted of 10 questions and was performed using an online survey tool (www.surveymonkey.com). The collector link was sent to 48 lead extraction experts via email. A total of 43 answers were collected (89% return rate) from lead extraction experts in 16 different countries. A great majority (83.7%) of the respondents performed more than 30 lead extraction procedures per year. The most common procedural environment in this survey was the hybrid operating room (67.4%). Most procedures were performed by electrophysiologists and cardiologists (80.9%). Important additional members of the current lead extraction teams were cardiac surgeons (79.1%), anesthesiologists (95.3%) and operating room scrub nurses (76.7%). An extended Heart Team is regarded beneficial for patient care by 86.0%, with potential further members being infectious diseases specialists, intensivists and radiologists. Team training activities are performed in 48.8% of participating centers. This survey supports the importance of establishing lead extraction Heart Teams in specialized lead extraction centers to potentially improve patient outcomes. The concept of a core and an extended Heart Team approach in lead extraction procedures is introduced.

Variable results of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on diastolic function have been described. We investigated 3 and 12 months' effect of CRT on diastolic function and left ventricular (LV) filling pressures and their relation to LV reverse remodeling. Fifty-two patients' (36 male, 69 ± 8 years, QRS duration 170 ± 29 milliseconds) echo-Doppler was performed before and 3 and 12 months after CRT. Tissue Doppler early diastolic annular (Em) and color M-mode–derived flow propagation (Vp) velocities were used to estimate LV filling pressures by E/Em and E/Vp ratios. After 12 months, LV reverse remodeling (end-systolic volume decrease >15%) was observed in 58%. Despite a significantly more compromised baseline diastolic function of patients without LV reverse remodeling, multivariate analysis revealed that only LV dyssynchrony could predict LV reverse remodeling. Grades 2 and 3 diastolic function improved only in LV reverse remodeling patients (from 34% to 13% to 10%), whereas a nonsignificant increase from 59% to 67% to 72% was observed in patients without reverse remodeling. Irrespective of LV volume response, short-term symptomatic benefit was related to decreased filling pressure. However, after 12 months, E/Em and E/Vp only significantly decreased in patients with LV reverse remodeling (from 16.0 ± 6 to 10.4 ± 4 and 2.2 ± 0.6 to 1.5 ± 0.4, respectively). Left ventricular reverse remodeling induced by CRT is accompanied by improvement in diastolic function and estimated LV filling pressure. Short-term symptomatic benefit was related to decreased filling pressure. However, for longer-term symptomatic improvement and decreased filling pressures, LV reverse remodeling appeared mandatory.

Patients with an indication for an implantable cardioverter–defibrillator but no indication for pacing were randomly assigned to a subcutaneous or a transvenous ICD. At 49 months, the subcutaneous ICD was noninferior to the transvenous ICD with respect to device-related complications and inappropriate shocks.

The interaction of influenza infection with the pathogenesis of acute heart failure (AHF) and the worsening of chronic heart failure (CHF) is rather complex. The deleterious effects of influenza infection on AHF/CHF can be attenuated by specific immunization. Our review aimed to summarize the efficacy, effectiveness, safety, and dosage of anti-influenza vaccination in HF. In this literature review, we searched MEDLINE and EMBASE from January 1st 1966 to December 31st, 2016, for studies examining the association between AHF/CHF, influenza infections, and anti-influenza immunizations. We used broad criteria to increase the sensitivity of the search. HF was a prerequisite for our search. The search fields used included “heart failure,” “vaccination,” “influenza,” “immunization” along with variants of these terms. No restrictions on the type of study design were applied. The most common clinical scenario is exacerbation of pre-existing CHF by influenza infection. Scarce evidence supports a potential positive association of influenza infection with AHF. Vaccinated patients with pre-existing CHF have reduced all-cause morbidity and mortality, but effects are not consistently documented. Immunization with higher antigen quantity may confer additional protection, but such aggressive approach has not been generally advocated. Further studies are needed to delineate the role of influenza infection on AHF/CHF pathogenesis and maintenance. Annual anti-influenza vaccination appears to be an effective measure for secondary prevention in HF. Better immunization strategies and more efficacious vaccines are urgently necessary.

Meeting abstracts - A single PDF containing all abstracts in this supplement is available at http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/files/pdf/1532-429X-13-S1-full.pdf.EMPTY Objective Evaluate the effect of myocardial scar burden, scar location, and scar transmurality on response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) Background Several recent single center studies have used late Gadolinium enhancement (LGE) MRI to predict which patients would likely not respond to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

Extravasation of monocytes into tissue and to the site of injury is a fundamental immunological process, which requires rapid responses via post translational modifications (PTM) of proteins. Protein arginine methyltransferase 7 (PRMT7) is an epigenetic factor that has the capacity to mono-methylate histones on arginine residues. Here we show that in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, PRMT7 expression is elevated in the lung tissue and localized to the macrophages. In mouse models of COPD, lung fibrosis and skin injury, reduced expression of PRMT7 associates with decreased recruitment of monocytes to the site of injury and hence less severe symptoms. Mechanistically, activation of NF-κB/RelA in monocytes induces PRMT7 transcription and consequential mono-methylation of histones at the regulatory elements of RAP1A, which leads to increased transcription of this gene that is responsible for adhesion and migration of monocytes. Persistent monocyte-derived macrophage accumulation leads to ALOX5 over-expression and accumulation of its metabolite LTB4, which triggers expression of ACSL4 a ferroptosis promoting gene in lung epithelial cells. Conclusively, inhibition of arginine mono-methylation might offer targeted intervention in monocyte-driven inflammatory conditions that lead to extensive tissue damage if left untreated. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a progressive and incurable chronic condition that involves accumulation of inflammatory macrophages in the lung tissue. Authors here show in mouse models of lung disease that PRMT7, a protein arginine methyltransferase, is an important regulator of recruitment and the pro-inflammatory phenotype of macrophages.