Defining the substrate for ventricular tachycardia ablation: The impact of rhythm at the time of mapping

BackgroundVoltage mapping is critical to define substrate during ablation. In ventricular tachycardia, abnormal potentials may be targets. However, wavefront of activation could impact local signal characteristics. This may be particularly true when comparing sinus rhythm versus paced rhythms. We sought to determine how activation wavefront impacts electrogram characteristics.MethodsPatients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, ventricular tachycardia, and without fascicular or bundle branch block were included. Point by point mapping was done and at each point, one was obtained during an atrial paced rhythm and one during a right ventricular paced rhythm. Signals were adjudicated after ablation to define late potentials, fractionated potentials, and quantify local voltage. Areas of abnormal voltage (defined as <1.5 mV) were also determined.Results9 patients were included (age 61.3 ± 9.2 years, 56% male, mean LVEF 34.9 ± 8.6%). LV endocardium was mapped with an average 375 ± 53 points/rhythm. Late potentials were more frequent during right ventricular pacing (51 ± 21 versus 32 ± 15, p < 0.01) while overall scar area was higher during atrial pacing (22 ± 11% vs 13 ± 7%, p < 0.05). In 1/9 patients, abnormal potentials were seen during a right ventricular paced rhythm that were not apparent in an atrial paced rhythm, ablation of which resulted in non-inducibility.ConclusionRhythm in which mapping is performed has an impact on electrogram characteristics. Whether one rhythm is preferable to map in remains to be determined. However, it is possible defining local signals during normal conduction as well as variable paced rhythms may impart a greater likelihood of elucidating arrhythmogenic substrate.     

CC类趋化因子亚家族与心肌梗死的研究进展

CC类趋化因子亚家族是趋化因子家族中成员最多、研究最广泛的一大类细胞因子,其主要功能参与炎症细胞激活、迁移、粘附等病理生理过程。大量研究表明,CC类趋化因子亚家族成员参与了心肌梗死后病理过程的各个阶段。其中研究最为深入的为单核细胞趋化蛋白-1（monocyte chemoattractant protein-1,MCP-1）及其受体CC趋化因子受体2（CC chemokine receptor 2,CCR2）,在心肌梗死后炎症期、增殖期及疤痕愈合期都发挥了重要作用从而影响梗死后心室重构。近年来,CC类趋化因子亚家族其他成员亦被逐渐揭示参与了心肌梗死的发展。本文结合以往大量文献将对CC类趋化因子亚家族在心肌梗死各个阶段中尤其是梗死后各期对于心室重构的影响进行综述,以期为今后的实验研究提供方向及疾病的预防和治疗提供药物靶点。     

AAI to DDD pacing mode inappropriate switches in a dual chamber pacemaker due to ventricular blanking period

A 90-year-old woman received a dual chamber pacemaker (PM) for a sick sinus syndrome. The PM was programmed with SafeR AAI-DD pacing mode at 60 bpm. During a standard follow up, some memorized electrograms (EGMs) were found in SafeR diagnostics, with atrial pacing (Ap) not followed by any ventricular sensing/pacing event, due to simultaneous junctional activity falling into ventricular blanking period during Ap and, for this reason, unsensed by the PM. Blanking periods can affect PM functioning if not revealed and adjusted.     

Successful termination of ventricular tachycardia with intrinsic anti-tachycardia pacing

Intrinsic anti-tachycardia pacing (iATP) is a novel automated ATP algorithm that employs post-pacing interval (PPI) to design the next ATP sequence based on an analysis of the prior failed ATP sequence. A patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) (Cobalt™ XT DR, Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA) following an episode of syncope due to macro-reentrant ventricular tachycardia (VT) (right bundle branch block configuration, cycle length [CL] 280 ms). The VF zone was set to VTCL <300 ms and iATP therapy was prescribed before and during capacitor charging. The iATP was initiated when VT recurred 3 months later. The first attempt with an assumption of 150 ms propagation time from the pacing site to the VT circuit (9 pulses) could not reset the VT, leaving a PPI of 650 ms. A subsequent attempt involving 20 pulses with an assumption of 250 ms propagation time terminated the VT. Failure to reach the circuit is a major cause of unsuccessful ATP. In this regard, iATP is expected to have theoretical advantages over empirical and traditional ATP therapies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first intracardiac electrogram illustrating how automated precision ATP terminates VT in a clinical setting.     

酿酒酵母酚类抑制物耐受性脂质组学研究

通过脂质组学分析方法从细胞膜磷脂分布方面探究适应进化酿酒酵母酚酸耐受性机制。主要利用高效液相色谱-质谱(LC-MS)对酚酸胁迫下适应进化菌株和原始菌株脂质成分检测并进行统计学比较分析。检测出565种脂质代谢物,包含细胞膜磷脂185种。相比初始菌株,适应进化菌株细胞膜中磷脂酰胆碱(PC)、磷脂酰乙醇胺(PE)和磷脂酰肌醇(PI)类磷脂分子相对含量增加,含有长链(C32-C36)和双不饱和脂酰链的磷脂分子含量增加。统计学分析表明显著性差异磷脂分子主要为含有长链不饱和脂酰链的PC和PE类磷脂分子。推测适应进化菌株通过膜磷脂重塑提高细胞膜完整性,对酚类抑制物起到选择性屏障作用,从而保持细胞活性。     

复方丹参滴丸联合沙库巴曲缬沙坦对老年心肌梗死患者PCI术后炎性反应、心室重塑和心肌灌注的影响

摘要 目的：探讨复方丹参滴丸联合沙库巴曲缬沙坦对老年心肌梗死患者经皮冠状动脉介入术（percutaneous coronary intervention,PCI）术后炎性反应、心室重塑和心肌灌注的影响。方法：采用随机数字表法将本院2017年3月至2020年2月间收治的行PCI治疗的68例老年心肌梗死为研究对象,分为对照组（34例）和观察组（34例）。两组均行常规药物治疗,在此基础上予以对照组沙库巴曲缬沙坦治疗,予以观察组复方丹参滴丸联合沙库巴曲缬沙坦治疗。比较两组治疗前后血浆中超敏C反应蛋白（high-sensitivity creactive protein,hs-CRP)、肿瘤坏死因子-α（Tumor necrosis factor-α,TNF-α）、白细胞介素-8（interleukin-8,IL-8）、N末端脑钠肽前体（N-terminal-pro-brain-natriuretic-peptide,NT-proBNP）、左室舒张末期前后径（left ventricular end-diastolic diamete,LVEDD）、左室射血分数（left ventricular ejection fraction,LVEF）、左室质量指数（left ventricular mass index,LVMI）以及治疗后TIMI血流分级。结果：两组血浆hs-CRP、TNF-α、IL-8和NT-proBNP水平以及LVEDD和LVMI水平较治疗前明显降低,LVEF水平明显增加（P<0.05）。观察组治疗后血浆hs-CRP、TNF-α、IL-8和NT-proBNP水平以及LVEDD和LVMI水平明显低于对照组,LVEF水平明显高于对照组（P<0.05）。两组术后20 minTIMI血流分级均明显好转,观察组术后20 min时TIMI血流分级明显优于对照组（P<0.05）。两组不良反应总发生率比较无明显差异（P>0.05）。结论：复方丹参滴丸联合沙库巴曲缬沙坦能够明显降低老年心肌梗死患者PCI术后炎性反应,抑制心室重塑,改善心肌灌注,安全性较高。     

急性心肌梗死患者PCI术后心室重构患者血清Hcy、CysC、MMP-1、NGAL的表达及临床意义

摘要 目的：观察急性心肌梗死（AMI）患者经皮冠脉介入术（PCI）术后心室重构患者血清同型半胱氨酸（Hcy）、胱抑素C（CysC）、基质金属蛋白酶-1（MMP-1）、中性粒细胞明胶酶相关脂质运载蛋白（NGAL）的表达及临床意义。方法：选取2018年3月~2020年9月期间我院收治的AMI患者70例。根据PCI术后是否发生心室重构将其分为无心室重构组（n=49）和心室重构组（n=21）。检测患者血清MMP-1、Hcy、NGAL、CysC水平及心功能指标[左室后壁厚度( LVPWT)、左室舒张末期内径( LVEDD)、左室射血分数( LVEF)、室间隔厚度( IVST)]。分析血清MMP-1、Hcy、NGAL、CysC水平与心功能指标的相关性。分析AMI患者PCI术后心室重构的影响因素。结果：心室重构组血清MMP-1、Hcy、NGAL、CysC水平均高于无心室重构组（P<0.05）;LVEDD、IVST、 LVPWT均大于无心室重构组,LVEF低于无心室重构组（P<0.05）。Pearson相关性分析结果显示：血清MMP-1、Hcy、NGAL、CysC水平和LVEDD、IVST、 LVPWT均呈正相关,而与LVEF呈负相关（P<0.05）。单因素分析结果显示：两组患者梗死部位、心律失常情况、单核细胞（MO）、肌酸激酶同功酶（CK-MB）、发病到开通梗死相关动脉时间组间对比差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示：梗死部位为前壁、发生心律失常以及高水平的MO、CK-MB、MMP-1、Hcy、CysC均是AMI患者PCI术后发生心室重构的危险因素（P<0.05）。结论：血清MMP-1、Hcy、NGAL、CysC表达均与AMI患者PCI术后的心室重构密切相关,检测以上指标水平可对AMI患者PCI术后心室重构的预测和防治提供一定参考。     

阿托伐他汀预处理对心肌缺血再灌注损伤大鼠心室重构、炎症反应和氧化应激的影响

目的:研究阿托伐他汀预处理对心肌缺血再灌注损伤大鼠心室重构、炎症反应和氧化应激的影响。方法:选取90只SD级大鼠进行研究,将其随机分成假手术组、缺血再灌注组、阿托伐他汀组,每组30只。假手术组与缺血再灌注组大鼠予以生理盐水(5 m L/d)连续灌胃7d处理,阿托伐他汀组予以阿托伐他汀20 mg/(kg·d)连续灌胃7 d,上述干预结束后,缺血再灌注组与阿托伐他汀组大鼠通过阻断大鼠冠状动脉左前降支的方式建立心肌缺血再灌注损伤模型。比较三组大鼠心室重构指标水平、炎症反应以及氧化应激相关指标水平。结果:缺血再灌注组、阿托伐他汀组大鼠的左室相对重量、右室相对重量、室间隔厚度、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)、白细胞介素-1β(IL-1β)、丙二醛(MDA)、乳酸脱氧酶(LDH)水平均高于假手术组,且阿托伐他汀组大鼠上述指标均低于缺血再灌注组(均P<0.05);缺血再灌注组、阿托伐他汀组大鼠白介素-10(IL-10)、超氧化物气化酶(SOD)水平低于假手术组,且阿托伐他汀组大鼠IL-10、SOD水平高于缺血再灌注组(均P<0.05)。结论:阿托伐他汀预处理可有效预防心肌缺血再灌注损伤大鼠心室重构,同时可在一定程度上改善大鼠的炎症反应和氧化应激反应。     

Epigenetic regulation of autophagy: A key modification in cancer cells and cancer stem cells

Aberrant epigenetic alterations play a decisive role in cancer initiation and propagation via the regulation of key tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes or by modulation of essential signaling pathways. Autophagy is a highly regulated mechanism required for the recycling and degradation of surplus and damaged cytoplasmic constituents in a lysosome dependent manner. In cancer, autophagy has a divergent role. For instance, autophagy elicits tumor promoting functions by facilitating metabolic adaption and plasticity in cancer stem cells (CSCs) and cancer cells. Moreover, autophagy exerts pro-survival mechanisms to these cancerous cells by influencing survival, dormancy, immunosurveillance, invasion, metastasis, and resistance to anti-cancer therapies. In addition, recent studies have demonstrated that various tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes involved in autophagy, are tightly regulated via different epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs. The impact of epigenetic regulation of autophagy in cancer cells and CSCs is not well-understood. Therefore, uncovering the complex mechanism of epigenetic regulation of autophagy provides an opportunity to improve and discover novel cancer therapeutics. Subsequently, this would aid in improving clinical outcome for cancer patients. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the existing knowledge available on epigenetic regulation of autophagy and its importance in the maintenance and homeostasis of CSCs and cancer cells.