Cardiac resynchronisation therapy in patients with left bundle branch block with residual conduction

AimTo evaluate whether left bundle branch block with residual conduction (rLBBB) is associated with worse outcomes after cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT).MethodsAll consecutive CRT implants at our institution between 2006 and 2013 were identified from our local device registry. Pre- and post-implant patient specific data were extracted from clinical records.ResultsA total of 690 CRT implants were identified during the study period. Prior to CRT, 52.2% of patients had true left bundle branch block (LBBB), 19.1% a pacing-induced LBBB (pLBBB), 11.2% a rLBBB, 0.8% a right bundle branch block (RBBB), and 16.5% had a nonspecific intraventricular conduction delay (IVCD) electrocardiogram pattern. Mean age at implant was 67.5 years (standard deviation [SD] = 10.6), mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LV EF) was 25.7% (SD = 7.9%), and mean QRS duration was 158.4 ms (SD = 32 ms). After CRT, QRS duration was significantly reduced in the LBBB (p < 0.001), pLBBB (p < 0.001), rLBBB (p < 0.001), RBBB (p = 0.04), and IVCD groups (p = 0.03). LV EF significantly improved in the LBBB (p < 0.001), rLBBB (p = 0.002), and pLBBB (p < 0.001) groups, but the RBBB and IVCD groups showed no improvement. There was no significant difference in mortality between the LBBB and rLBBB groups. LV EF post-CRT, chronic kidney disease, hyperkalaemia, hypernatremia, and age at implant were significant predictors of mortality.ConclusionCRT in patients with rLBBB results in improved LV EF and similar mortality rates to CRT patients with complete LBBB. Predictors of mortality post-CRT include post-CRT LV EF, presence of CKD, hyperkalaemia, hypernatremia, and older age at implant.     

Preferential conduction travelling from the left coronary cusp to the right ventricular outflow tract via the right coronary cusp of the aorta

This report describes a case of premature ventricular contractions with the preferential pathway traveling from the left coronary cusp (LCC) to the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) via the right coronary cusp (RCC). The earliest activation was recorded within the LCC, while the successful ablation site was the RCC, where the second earliest prepotential was recorded. The remediable ablation site for ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) arising from the left ventricular (LV) ostium may not necessarily be the site of the earliest activation, but may be the site with the potential representing the preferential pathway.     

急性心肌梗死伴新发束支传导阻滞的临床意义

目的:观察急性心肌梗死伴新发左、右束支传导阻滞的临床特点,评价束支阻滞对急性心肌梗死预后的影响。方法:对上海交通大学附属第一人民医院心内科重症监护室2010年1月1日到12月31日收治的197例急性心肌梗死患者的病历资料进行回顾性分析,根据束支传导阻滞有无及类型分为左束支传导阻滞组(12例),右束支传导阻滞组(19例)和对照组(无束支传导阻滞的急性心梗,166例)。分析和比较三组患者的基线资料,心梗部位、Killip分级、恶性室性心律失常、左室射血分数LVEF、病变血管数量、梗死相关冠脉、住院天数及病死率、实验室检查(BNP,心肌损伤标志物峰值)。结果:LBBB组AMI患者的恶性心律失常发生率明显高于对照组(P=0.007),LVEF明显低于RBBB组和对照组(P值分别为0.020、0.045),梗死相关动脉以LAD多见。结论:急性心梗伴束支传导阻滞往往提示病情严重,预后不良,急性心梗合并左束支阻滞较合并右束支阻滞病情更严重。     

Outflow-tract ventricular tachycardia: Can 12 lead ECG during sinus rhythm identify underlying cardiac sarcoidosis?

BackgroundPatients with outflow tract ventricular tachycardia (OTVT) with normal echocardiogram are labeled as idiopathic VT (IVT). However, a subset of these patients is subsequently diagnosed with underlying cardiac sarcoidosis (CS). Objective:Whether electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities in sinus rhythm (SR) can differentiate underlying CS from IVT.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the SR-ECGs of 42 patients with OTVT/premature ventricular complexes (PVC) and normal echocardiography. All underwent advanced imaging with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)/¹⁸FDG PET-CT for screening of CS. Twenty-two patients had significant abnormalities in cardiac imaging and subsequently had biopsy-proven CS (Cases). Twenty patients had normal imaging and were categorized as IVT (Controls). SR-ECGs of all patients were analyzed by 2 independent, blinded observers.ResultsBaseline characteristics were comparable. Among the ECG features analyzed – fascicular (FB) or bundle branch block (BBB) was seen in 9/22 Cases vs. 1/20 controls (p = 0.01). Among patients without FB or BBB, fragmented QRS (fQRS) was present in 9/13 cases but in none of the controls (p < 0.001). Low voltage QRS was more often seen among cases as compared to controls (10/22 vs. 3/20 p = 0.03). A stepwise algorithm based on these 3 sets of ECG findings helped to diagnose CS among patients presenting with OTVT/PVC with sensitivity of 91%, specificity of 75%, a PPV of 80%, and a NPV of 88%.ConclusionsIn patients presenting with OTVT/PVC: FB/BBB, fQRS, and low QRS voltage on the baseline ECG were more often observed among patients with underlying CS as compared to true IVT. These findings may help to distinguish underlying CS among Cases presenting with OTVT/PVC.     

Feasibility of fast ventricular tachycardia mapping using the Rhythmia ™ system in a patient with an Impella ™

Use of 3D navigation systems may be sometimes impossible in patients with left ventricular assist devices because of major electromagnetical interferences with some 3D systems based on magnetic localization. Mapping with the Rhythmia ™ system in patients implanted with an Impella ™ is described to be non feasible. We relate how to overcome this technical issues in this case.     

Intramural conduction system gradients and electrogram regularity during ventricular fibrillation

Introduction

The His-Purkinje system has been shown to harbor triggers for ventricular fibrillation (VF) initiation. However, the substrate responsible for VF maintenance remains elusive. We hypothesized that standard, electrode-based, point-to-point mapping would yield meaningful insight into site-specific patterns and organization which may shed light on the critical substrate for maintenance of VF.