Project description:Exercise hemodynamic catheterization is helpful to evaluate exertional symptoms when noninvasive investigations fail to provide an explanation in non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. In this case, a rate-related left bundle branch block resulted in severe dynamic mitral regurgitation and acute increase in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. Cardiac resynchronization therapy resolved her symptoms. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).
Project description:Chest pain may be rarely associated with left bundle branch block (LBBB)-mediated ventricular dys-synchrony has been reported. This article reports 2 such cases, where left bundle branch area pacing resulted in resolution of the LBBB and associated symptoms. By adjusting the atrioventricular delays, the QRS duration was narrowed further by achieving fusion with the intrinsic activation wavefront. (Level of Difficulty: Beginner.).
Project description:AimsCurrently, electrical rather than mechanical parameters of delayed left ventricular (LV) activation are used for patient selection for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). However, despite adhering to current guideline-based criteria, about one-third of heart failure (HF) patients fail to derive benefit from CRT. This study sought to investigate the prognostic survival significance of a recently introduced index of contractile asymmetry (ICA) based on the deformation of entire opposing LV walls in the context of selecting patients with HF and left bundle branch abnormality (LBBB) for CRT.Methods and resultsWe analysed 367 patients with HF and LBBB undergoing CRT (31.6% females, 69 ± 9 years, ischaemic aetiology in 50.7%, LV ejection fraction 27 ± 6%). ICA was calculated using LV strain rate values from curved anatomical M-mode plots of apical 2D echocardiography images. The predictive value of ICA was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards models. During a median follow-up time of 5.54 years, death or cardiac transplantation occurred in 105 (28.6%) cases. Higher baseline ICA values in all apical views, particularly in the two-chamber view (ICA-2ch), were associated with increased event-free survival, and the unadjusted hazard ratio was 0.28 (95% confidence interval 0.18-0.46). Higher ICA-2ch (>0.319 s-1) consistently predicted survival across clinical subgroups and remained significant after covariate adjustment, while the event rate sharply increased in low ICA-2ch cases. Additionally, including ICA-2ch improved the predictive value of the multivariate risk model containing the typical LBBB pattern.ConclusionPre-implant ICA suggests a quantitative prognostic threshold for both long-term survival and adverse outcomes following CRT implantation.
Project description:Abstract Background Functional mitral regurgitation (MR) changes dynamically depending on the loading conditions and can cause acute heart failure (HF). Isometric handgrip is a simple stress test and can be performed during early phase of acute HF for the evaluation of MR. Case summary A 70-year-old woman with a prior myocardial infarction four months before, and with history of recurrent HF admission with functional MR, who received optimal HF medications, was hospitalized for acute HF. On the following day of the admission, isometric handgrip stress echocardiography was performed to evaluate functional MR. During the handgrip, MR deteriorated from moderate to severe and the tricuspid regurgitation pressure gradient increased from 45 to 60 mmHg. After HF stabilization 2 weeks after admission, repeat handgrip stress echocardiography showed that the degree of MR did not significantly change being moderate and the tricuspid regurgitation pressure gradient was only mildly elevated from 25 to 30 mmHg. She underwent transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral repair, and thereafter she has not experienced the rehospitalization for acute HF. Discussion Exercise stress test is recommended for the evaluation of functional MR in HF patients; however, exercise tests are difficult to perform during the early phase of acute HF. In this regard, handgrip test is an option to investigate the exacerbating impact of functional MR during early-phase acute HF. This case indicated that response to isometric handgrip can vary depending on HF condition, highlighting the importance of taking into account the timing of the handgrip procedure in patients with functional MR and HF.
Project description:BackgroundQRS transition criteria during dynamic manoeuvers are the gold-standard for non-invasive confirmation of left bundle branch (LBB) capture, but they are seen in <50% of LBB area pacing (LBBAP) procedures.ObjectiveWe hypothesized that transition from left ventricular septal pacing (LVSP) to LBB pacing (LBBP), when observed during lead penetration into the deep interventricular septum (IVS) with interrupted pacemapping, can suggest LBB capture.MethodsQRS transition during lead screwing-in was defined as shortening of paced V6-R wave peak time (RWPT) by ≥10 ms from LVSP to non-selective LBBP (ns-LBBP) obtained during mid to deep septal lead progression at the same target area, between two consecutive pacing manoeuvres. ECG-based criteria were used to compared LVSP and ns-LBBP morphologies obtained by interrupted pacemapping.ResultsSixty patients with demonstrated transition from LVSP to ns-LBBP during dynamic manoeuvers were compared to 44 patients with the same transition during lead screwing-in. Average shortening in paced V6-RWPT was similar among study groups (17.3 ± 6.8 ms vs. 18.8 ± 4.9 ms for transition during dynamic manoeuvres and lead screwing-in, respectively; p = 0.719). Paced V6-RWPT and aVL-RWPT, V6-V1 interpeak interval and the recently described LBBP score, were also similar for ns-LBBP morphologies in both groups. LVSP morphologies showed longer V6-RWPT and aVL-RWPT, shorter V6-V1 interpeak interval and lower LBBP score punctuation, without differences among the two QRS transition groups. V6-RWPT < 75 ms or V6-V1 interpeak interval > 44 ms criterion was more frequently achieved in ns-LBBP morphologies obtained during lead screwing-in compared to those obtained during dynamic manoeuvres (70.5% vs. 50%, respectively p = 0.036).ConclusionsDuring LBBAP procedure, QRS transition from LVSP to ns-LBBP can be observed as the lead penetrates deep into the IVS with interrupted pacemapping. Shortening of at least 10 ms in paced V6-RWPT may serve as marker of LBB capture.
Project description:BackgroundLeft bundle branch pacing (LBBP) has been suggested as an alternative means to deliver cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).HypothesisLBBP may deliver resynchronization therapy along with an advantage over traditional biventricular (BiV) pacing in clinical outcomes.MethodsHeart failure patients who presented LBBB morphology according to Strauss's criteria and received successful CRT procedure were enrolled in the present study. Propensity score matching was applied to match patients into LBBP-CRT group and BiV-CRT group. Then, the electrographic data, the echocardiographic data and New York heart association (NYHA) class were compared between the groups.ResultsTwenty-one patients with successful LBBP procedure and another 21 matched patients with successful BiV-CRT procedure were finally enrolled in the study. The QRS duration (QRSd) was narrowed from 167.7 ± 14.9 ms to 111.7 ± 12.3 ms (P < .0001) in the LBBP-CRT group and from 163.6 ± 13.8 ms to 130.1 ± 14.0 ms (P < .0001) in the BiV-CRT group. A trend toward better left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was recorded in the LBBP-CRT group (50.9 ± 10.7% vs 44.4 ± 13.3%, P = .12) compared to that in the BiV-CRT group at the 6-month follow-up. A trend toward better echocardiographic response was documented in patients receiving LBBP-CRT procedure (90.5% vs 80.9%, P = .43) and more super CRT response was documented in the LBBP-CRT group (80.9% vs 57.1%, P = .09) compared to that in the BiV-CRT group.ConclusionsLBBP-CRT can dramatically improve the electrical synchrony in heart failure patients with LBBB. Meanwhile, compared with the traditional BiV-CRT, it has a tendency to significantly improve LVEF and enhance the NYHA cardiac function scores.
Project description:Biventricular endocardial (BIV-endo) pacing and left bundle pacing (LBP) are novel delivery methods for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Both pacing methods can be delivered through leadless pacing, to avoid risks associated with endocardial or transvenous leads. We used computational modelling to quantify synchrony induced by BIV-endo pacing and LBP through a leadless pacing system, and to investigate how the right-left ventricle (RV-LV) delay, RV lead location and type of left bundle capture affect response. We simulated ventricular activation on twenty-four four-chamber heart meshes inclusive of His-Purkinje networks with left bundle branch block (LBBB). Leadless biventricular (BIV) pacing was simulated by adding an RV apical stimulus and an LV lateral wall stimulus (BIV-endo lateral) or targeting the left bundle (BIV-LBP), with an RV-LV delay set to 5 ms. To test effect of prolonged RV-LV delays and RV pacing location, the RV-LV delay was increased to 35 ms and/or the RV stimulus was moved to the RV septum. BIV-endo lateral pacing was less sensitive to increased RV-LV delays, while RV septal pacing worsened response compared to RV apical pacing, especially for long RV-LV delays. To investigate how left bundle capture affects response, we computed 90% BIV activation times (BIVAT-90) during BIV-LBP with selective and non-selective capture, and left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP), simulated by pacing 1 cm below the left bundle. Non-selective LBP was comparable to selective LBP. LBBAP was worse than selective LBP (BIVAT-90: 54.2 ± 5.7 ms vs. 62.7 ± 6.5, p < 0.01), but it still significantly reduced activation times from baseline. Finally, we compared leadless LBP with RV pacing against optimal LBP delivery through a standard lead system by simulating BIV-LBP and selective LBP alone with and without optimized atrioventricular delay (AVD). Although LBP alone with optimized AVD was better than BIV-LBP, when AVD optimization was not possible BIV-LBP outperformed LBP alone, because the RV pacing stimulus shortened RV activation (BIVAT-90: 54.2 ± 5.7 ms vs. 66.9 ± 5.1 ms, p < 0.01). BIV-endo lateral pacing or LBP delivered through a leadless system could potentially become an alternative to standard CRT. RV-LV delay, RV lead location and type of left bundle capture affect leadless pacing efficacy and should be considered in future trial designs.
Project description:We describe a patient with symptoms of heart failure caused by severe mitral regurgitation. Echocardiography revealed an intracardiac mass embedding the posterior mitral valve leaflet, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed two intracardiac thrombi and endomyocardial fibrosis. Eosinophil count kept rising and a mutation in the gene for platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha was found. The combination of these findings led to the diagnosis of Loeffler's endocarditis. Treatment with prednisone and a tyrosine kinase inhibitor resulted in complete remission of the hypereosinophilia and mitral valve regurgitation was only mild at 9-month follow-up visit. <Learning objective: This case report presents a patient with severe mitral regurgitation and heart failure due to hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES). It leads to thrombus formation and endomyocardial thickening due to eosinophilic infiltration of the myocardium. Treatment with steroids and a tyrosine kinase inhibitor led to clinical improvement and only mild mitral regurgitaton after 6 months. Loeffler's endomyocarditis is a model disease for restrictive cardiomyopathy. It is important to recognize and treat this disease early and prevent morbidity and mortality. As far as we know there is no previous case report that describes the reversibility of severe mitral regurgitation after pharmacological treatment of HES, not needing mitral valve replacement.>.