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Cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) linear ablation has been established as the treatment for typical atrial flutter. Recently, ablation index (AI) has emerged as a novel marker for estimating ablation lesions. We investigated the relationship between CTI depth and ablation parameters on the procedural results of typical atrial flutter ablation . A total of 107 patients who underwent CTI ablation were retrospectively enrolled in this study. All patients underwent computed tomography before catheter ablation. From the receiver-operating curve, the best cut-off value of CTI depth was < 4.1 mm to predict first-pass success. Although the average AI was not different between deep CTI (DC; CTI depth ≥ 4.1) and shallow CTI (SC; CTI depth < 4.1), DC required a longer ablation time and showed a lower first-pass success rate ( p  < 0.01). In addition, the catheter inversion technique was more frequently required in the DC ( p  < 0.01). The lowest AI sites of the first-pass CTI line were determined in both the ventricular (2/3 segment of CTI) and inferior vena cava (IVC, 1/3 segment of CTI) sides. The best cut-off values of the weakest AIs at the ventricular and IVC sides for predicting first-pass success were > 420 and > 386, respectively. Among patients with these cut-off values, the first-pass success rate was 89% in the SC and 50% in the DC ( p  < 0.01). Although ablation parameters were not significantly different, the first-pass success rate was lower in the DC than in the SC. Further investigation might be required for better outcomes in deep CTIs.

The prediction of a perioperative adverse cardiovascular event (PACE) is an important clinical issue in the medical management of patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. Although several predictors have been reported, simpler and more practical predictors of PACE have been needed. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictors of PACE in noncardiac surgery. We retrospectively analyzed 723 patients who were scheduled for elective noncardiac surgery and underwent preoperative examinations including 12-lead electrocardiography, transthoracic echocardiography, and blood test. PACE was defined as cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, unstable angina, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia attack that needs emergency treatment (rapid atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and bradycardia), acute pulmonary embolism, asystole, pulseless electrical activity, or stroke during 30 days after surgery. PACE occurred in 54 (7.5%) of 723 patients. High-risk operation (11% vs. 3%, p  = 0.003) was more often seen, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (55 ± 8% vs. 60 ± 7%, p  = 0.001) and preoperative hemoglobin level (11.8 ± 2.2 g/dl vs. 12.7 ± 2.0 g/dl, p  = 0.001) were lower in patients with PACE compared to those without PACE. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, high-risk operation (odds ratio (OR): 7.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.16–23.00, p  = 0.001), LVEF (OR 1.06, every 1% decrement, 95% CI 1.03–1.09, p  = 0.001), and preoperative hemoglobin level (OR 1.22, every 1 g/dl decrement, 95% CI 1.07–1.39, p  = 0.003) were identified as independent predictors of PACE. Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that LVEF of 58% (sensitivity = 80%, specificity = 61%, area under the curve (AUC) = 0.723) and preoperative hemoglobin level of 12.2 g/dl (sensitivity = 63%, specificity = 64%, AUC = 0.644) were optimal cut-off values for predicting PACE. High-risk operation, reduced LVEF, and reduced preoperative hemoglobin level were independently associated with PACE in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery.

Background Non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) is a heterogeneous disease, and its prognosis varies. Although late gadolinium enhancement (LGE)-cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) demonstrates a linear pattern in the mid-wall of the septum or multiple LGE lesions in patients with NICM, the therapeutic response and prognosis of multiple LGE lesions have not been elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of left ventricular (LV) reverse remodeling (LVRR) and prognosis in patients with NICM who have multiple LGE lesions. Methods This single-center retrospective study included 101 consecutive patients with NICM who were divided into 3 groups according to LGE-CMR results: patients without LGE (no LGE group = 48 patients), patients with a typical mid-wall LGE pattern (n = 29 patients), and patients with multiple LGE lesions (n = 24 patients). LVRR was defined as an increase in LV ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 10 % and a final value of LVEF > 35 %, which was accompanied by a decrease in LV end-systolic volume ≥ 15 % at 12-month follow-up using echocardiography. The frequency of composite cardiac events, defined as sudden cardiac death (SCD), aborted SCD (non-fatal ventricular fibrillation, sustained ventricular tachycardia, or adequate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapies), and heart failure death or hospitalization for worsening heart failure, were summarized and compared between the groups. Results Among the 3 groups, the frequency of LVRR was significantly lower in the multiple lesions group than in the no LGE and mid-wall groups (no LGE vs. mid-wall vs. multiple lesions: 49 % vs. 52 % vs. 19 %, p = 0.03). There were 24 composite cardiac events among the patients: 2 in patients without LGE (hospitalization for worsening heart failure; 2), 7 in patients of the mid-wall group (SCD; 1, aborted SCD; 1 and hospitalization for worsening heart failure; 5), and 15 in patients of the multiple lesions group (SCD; 1, aborted SCD; 8 and hospitalization for worsening heart failure; 6). The multiple LGE lesions was an independent predictor of composite cardiac events (hazard ratio: 11.40 [95 % confidence intervals: 1.49−92.01], p = 0.020). Conclusions Patients with multiple LGE lesions have a higher risk of cardiac events and poorer LVRR. The LGE pattern may be useful for an improved risk stratification in patients with NICM.

Clinicians often have a difficulty in determining the presence of mitral regurgitation (MR)-related symptoms because of subjectivity. However, there are few actual measurement data for echocardiographic left ventricular (LV) and left atrial (LA) size related to the severity of MR and the relationship between MR-related symptoms and these echocardiographic parameters. Among patients enrolled in the Asian Valve Registry, we investigated 778 consecutive patients with primary MR showing sinus rhythm. Symptoms were determined by New York Heart Association grade (≤ II or ≥ III). MR severity was mild in 106, moderate in 285, and severe in 387 patients. LA volume index, LV end-diastolic diameter, and LV mass index increased with increasing MR grade [LA volume index: 47.9 (mild), 56.2 (moderate), and 64.9 ml/m 2 (severe) ( p  < 0.001), LV end-diastolic diameter: 51.2, 54.5, 58.1 mm ( p  < 0.001), and LV mass index: 101, 109, 123 g/m 2 ( p  < 0.001)]. Regarding moderate and severe MR, 70 patients (10.4%) were symptomatic. In multivariable analysis, for being symptomatic in moderate and severe MR patients, LV mass index (odds ratio [OR] per 10 g/m 2 increment; 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.005–1.18, p  = 0.040), ejection fraction (OR per 1% increment; 0.96, 95%CI: 0.93–0.98, p  < 0.001), female gender (OR 2.28; 95% CI: 1.31–3.98, p  = 0.004), and heart rate (OR per 1 bpm increment; 1.03; 95%CI: 1.01–1.05, p  = 0.007) were independent factors. LV and LA parameters on echocardiography worsened as MR severity progressed. Larger LV mass index and lower ejection fraction were independent determinant factors for MR-related symptoms. We should also pay attention to LV hypertrophy in patients with primary MR.

BackgroundLeft ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) has prognostic value for adverse cardiac events. Application of speckle-tracking technology to mitral annulus provides easy assessment of tissue-tracking mitral annular displacement (TMAD) in apical four-chamber view. The study aimed to examine whether TMAD can be used as a simple index of LV longitudinal deformation in patients with and without preserved ejection fraction (EF).MethodsThe study population consisted of 95 consecutive subjects. GLS was assessed from three apical views. TMAD was evaluated as the base-to-apex displacement of septal (TMADsep), lateral (TMADlat), and mid-point of annular line (TMADmid) in apical 4-chamber view. The percentage of TMADmid to LV length from the mid-point of mitral annuls to the apex at end-diastole (%TMADmid) was calculated. We compared each TMAD parameter with GLS by linear regression analysis, and analyzed each TMAD parameter by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to detect impaired LV longitudinal deformation (|GLS|< 15.0%).ResultsThere were good correlations between each TMAD parameter and GLS (TMADsep: r2 = 0.59, p < 0.01. TMADlat: r2 = 0.65, p < 0.01. TMADmid: r2 = 0.68, p < 0.01. %TMADmid: r2 = 0.75, p < 0.01). According to ROC curve, %TMADmid < 10.5% was the best cut-off value in determining impaired LV longitudinal deformation (|GLS|≤ 15.0%) with a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 93%. The area under the curve (AUC) of %TMADmid was 0.98 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.93–0.99).ConclusionsTMAD using speckle-tracking echocardiography quickly estimated from single apical four-chamber view can be used as a simple index for detection of impaired LV longitudinal deformation in patients with and without preserved EF.

BackgroundIntroduction of vector flow mapping (VFM) based on the combination of color Doppler and speckle-tracking echocardiography provides noninvasive assessment of early diastolic intra-ventricular pressure gradient (ED-IVPG). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of peak ED-IVPG measurement just after aortic valve closure using VFM for noninvasive estimation of impaired LV untwisting velocity as the index of LV relaxation in the clinical setting.Methods and resultsThe study included 65 consecutive patients in whom echocardiography was performed for the assessment of LV function. We assessed peak ED-IVPG between LV apex and base by VFM analysis software. We also measured peak LV untwisting velocity and LV twisting by speckle-tracking strain analysis. Peak ED-IVPG was successfully and quickly assessed in all the study patients. Peak ED-IVPG was significantly reduced in patients with impaired peak LV untwisting velocity (< 70 degrees/s) compared with patients without impaired peak LV untwisting velocity. The receiver operating characteristic analysis showed the best cut-off value of peak ED-IVPG for determining impaired peak LV untwisting velocity was 0.40 mmHg (sensitivity 81%, specificity 74%, and area under the curve 0.81). There was a well correlation between peak ED-IVPG and peak LV untwisting velocity (r = 0.64, p < 0.0001).ConclusionsThe present results suggest that peak ED-IVPG just after aortic valve closure measured by VFM may be used as noninvasive index for estimation of impaired LV untwisting velocity in the clinical setting.

The current guideline recommends lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) for the primary management of dyslipidemia in patients at high-risk of cardiovascular events. Patients who have achieved LDL-C levels below the recommended targets may still experience cardiovascular events, suggesting additional therapeutic targets beyond LDL-C. The aim of this study was to investigate whether high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels had an impact on plaque stabilization in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study consisted of 90 ACS patients with untreated dyslipidemia. In optical coherence tomography (OCT) analysis, a plaque with fibrous cap thickness ≦160 μm was defined as a high-risk plaque. We registered one high-risk plaque per one patient by baseline OCT imaging, and then administrated high-intensity statin. Based on the follow-up OCT results, patients whose registered plaque was no longer high-risk plaque were classified into a responder group and the remains into a non-responder group. No differences were observed in the baseline LDL-C and HDL-C levels between the two groups. Reduction of LDL-C levels (δ LDL-C: -53 ± 21 mg/dL vs. -42 ± 29 mg/dL, p = 0.036) and increase of HDL-C levels (δ HDL-C: 2.5 ± 5.9 mg/dL vs. -0.3 ± 6.7 mg/dL, p = 0.039) were greater in the responder group. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, δ LDL-C levels (OR: 0.956, 95% CI: 0.921-0.993; p = 0.020) and δ HDL-C levels (OR: 1.143; 95% CI: 1.005-1.300, p = 0.041) were independent contributors for plaque stabilization. Increase of HDL-C levels is associated with plaque stabilization in patients with ACS. HDL-C could be a therapeutic target for residual risk management.

Long-term safety of second generation drug-eluting stents (DES) has not yet been evaluated. We sought to evaluate the very late phase (> 3 years) vascular response after second generation everolimus-eluting stent (EES) as compared with first generation sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) by using optical coherence tomography (OCT). We examined the vascular response in 39 patients with a total of 55 DESs [31 EESs (mean 54 months after stenting) and 24 first generation SES (mean 66 months after stenting)] by OCT. The frequency of lesions with any malapposed stent struts (19% vs. 46%, p = 0.035) and evagination (6% vs. 42%, p = 0.002) was significantly lower. Segments with malapposed stent struts were significantly shorter (0.4 ± 0.9 mm vs. 1.9 ± 3.5 mm, p = 0.024), maximal malapposition area and malapposition volume were significantly smaller (0.26 ± 0.38 mm2 vs. 0.95 ± 1.54 mm2, p = 0.019, and 0.78 ± 1.35 mm3 vs. 6.22 ± 15.76 mm3, p = 0.016, respectively) in EES. Compared with first generation SES, second generation EES showed more favourable vascular responses at the very late phase.

The optimal timing of pretreatment with prasugrel in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is unclear. We used optical coherence tomography (OCT) to compare in-stent thrombus volume immediately after PCI between the administration of low-dose prasugrel (20 mg loading dose) at the time of diagnosis of ACS (early prasugrel: n  = 34) and the administration of low-dose prasugrel immediately after diagnostic angiography prior to PCI for ACS (late prasugrel: n  = 56). The durations between the administration of prasugrel and OCT in the early prasugrel group and late prasugrel group were 5.1 ± 6.5 and 0.9 ± 0.7 h, respectively ( p  < 0.001). OCT detected thrombus/plaque protrusion in all stented segments. In-stent thrombus/plaque protrusion volume (2.92 ± 1.96 vs. 6.48 ± 4.97 mm 3 , p  < 0.001), mean in-stent thrombus/plaque protrusion area (0.13 ± 0.07 vs. 0.29 ± 0.23 mm 2 , p  < 0.001) and maximum in-stent thrombus/plaque protrusion area (0.70 ± 0.36 vs. 1.06 ± 0.56 mm 2 , p  < 0.001) were significantly smaller in the early prasugrel group as compared with the late prasugrel group. The administration of prasugrel at the time of diagnosis of ACS was associated with significantly reduced in-stent thrombus/plaque protrusion immediately after PCI as compared with the administration of prasugrel after the coronary angiography prior to PCI.

BackgroundTissue-tracking mitral annular displacement (TMAD) by speckle-tracking echocardiography provides rapid and simple assessment of left ventricular (LV) longitudinal deformation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of TMAD for the assessment of LV longitudinal deformation in patients with severe AS and preserved LV ejection fraction (LVEF).MethodsWe studied 44 patients with severe AS preserved and LVEF in whom TMAD was assessed. Using TMAD analysis software, the base-to-apex displacement of automatically defined mid-point of mitral annular line in four-chamber view was quickly assessed, and the percentage of its displacement to LV length at end-diastole (%TMAD) was calculated. We investigated the association between %TMAD and the cardiac events including appearance of symptom (dyspnea on exertion and hospitalization due to heart failure), decreased LVEF (< 50%), and cardiac death.ResultsDuring follow-up, the cardiac events developed in 16 (36%) of 44 patients. %TMAD was significantly impaired in patients with the cardiac events compared with those without the cardiac events (9.6 ± 1.9 vs 12.1 ± 2.6, p = 0.002). The cardiac events were predicted by %TMAD (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.54–0.85; p = 0.0012).ConclusionsThe present study suggests that TMAD easily and rapidly estimated by speckle-tracking echocardiography may be used as a simple method to predict occurrence of the cardiac events in asymptomatic severe AS patients with preserved LVEF.