BACKGROUND: Approximately 70% patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) presented without ST-segment elevation on electrocardiogram. Patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) often presented with atypical symptoms, which may be related to pre-hospital delay and increased risk of mortality. However, up to date few studies reported detailed symptomatology of NSTEMI, particularly among Asian patients. The objective of this study was to describe and compare symptoms and presenting characteristics of NSTEMI vs. STEMI patients. METHODS: We enrolled 21,994 patients diagnosed with AMI from China Acute Myocardial Infarction (CAMI) Registry between January 2013 and September 2014. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to ST-segment elevation: ST-segment elevation (STEMI) group and NSTEMI group. We extracted data on patients' characteristics and detailed symptomatology and compared these variables between two groups. RESULTS: Compared with patients with STEMI (N = 16,315), those with NSTEMI (N = 5679) were older, more often females and more often have comorbidities. Patients with NSTEMI were less likely to present with persistent chest pain (54.3% vs. 71.4%), diaphoresis (48.6% vs. 70.0%), radiation pain (26.4% vs. 33.8%), and more likely to have chest distress (42.4% vs. 38.3%) than STEMI patients (all P < 0.0001). Patients with NSTEMI were also had longer time to hospital. In multivariable analysis, NSTEMI was independent predictor of presentation without chest pain (odds ratio: 1.974, 95% confidence interval: 1.849-2.107). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with NSTEMI were more likely to present with chest distress and pre-hospital patient delay compared with patients with STEMI. It is necessary for both clinicians and patients to learn more about atypical symptoms of NSTEMI in order to rapidly recognize myocardial infarction. TRIAL REGISTRATION www.clinicaltrials.gov (No. NCT01874691).
Aged ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; pathology ; physiopathology ; China ; Electrocardiography ; methods ; Female ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Odds Ratio ; Registries ; Risk Factors ; ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction ; pathology ; physiopathology

Inter atrial block (IAB) is a prevailing cardiac conduction abnormality that is under-recognized in clinical practice. IAB has strong association with atrial arrhythmia, left atrial enlargement, and electromechanical discordance, increasing the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) and myocardial ischemia. IAB was generally believed to be caused by impaired conduction along the Bachmann bundle (BB). However, there are three other conduction pathways, including the fibers posteriorly in the vicinity of the right pulmonary veins (VRPV), transseptal fibers in the fossa ovalis (FO), and muscular bundles on the inferior atrial surface near the coronary sinus (CS). We hypothesized that the importance of BB on IAB might have been overestimated. To test this hypothesis, various combinations of conduction pathway blocks were simulated based on a realistic human atrial model to investigate their effects on the index of clinical diagnosis standard of IAB using a simulated 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). Firstly, the results showed that the BB block alone could not generate typical P wave morphology of IAB, and that the combination of BB and VRPV pathway block played important roles in the occurrence of IAB. Secondly, although single FO and CS pathways play subordinate roles in inter atrial conduction, their combination with BB and VRPV block could also produce severe IAB. In summary, this simulation study has demonstrated that the combinations of different inter atrial conduction pathways, rather than BB alone, resulted in ECG morphology of IAB. Attention needs to be paid to this in future pathophysiological and clinical studies of IAB.
Adult ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac/physiopathology* ; Atrial Fibrillation/physiopathology* ; Computer Simulation ; Coronary Sinus/physiopathology* ; Electrocardiography ; Heart ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Male ; Models, Anatomic ; Models, Cardiovascular ; Pulmonary Veins/physiopathology*

OBJECTIVETo observe the in vivo effect of Danlou Tablet (, DLT) on myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury.

METHODSDLT effects were evaluated in mouse heart preparation using 30-min coronary occlusion followed by 24-h reperfusion and compared among sham group (n=6), I/R group (n=8), IPC group (ischemia preconditioning, n=6) and DLT group (I/R with DLT pretreatment for 3 days, 750 mg•kg•day, n=8). The effects of DLT were characterized in infarction size (IS) compared with risk region (RR) and left ventricle using the Evans blue/triphenyltetrazolium chloride double dye staining method in vivo. Furthermore, the dose-dependent effect of DLT on I/R injury was evaluated by double staining method. Five different concentrations of DLT (0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 g•kg•day) were chosen in this study, and dose-response curve of DLT was obtained on these data.

RESULTSThe ratio of IS to left ventricle was significantly smaller in the DLT and IPC groups than the I/R group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), the ratio of IS to RR was also reduced in the DLT and IPC groups (P<0.01), while there were no differences in RR among the four groups (P>0.05). Experiments showed incidence of arrhythmias was reduced in the DLT group (P<0.01). Furthermore, DLT produced a dose-dependent inhibitory effect with a half maximal inhibitory concentration of 1.225 g•kg•day.

CONCLUSIONSOur research concluded that DLT was effective in reducing I/R injury in mice, and provided experimental supports for the clinical use of DLT.

Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; drug therapy ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Body Temperature ; drug effects ; Cardiotonic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Heart Rate ; drug effects ; Heart Ventricles ; drug effects ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Risk Factors ; Tablets

BACKGROUNDCurrently, transcatheter closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect (pmVSD) is a widely accepted therapeutic modality. However, arrhythmias, especially postprocedural heart blocks, are a concern and outcomes are not very clear. This study explored the outcomes and risk factors of arrhythmias associated with transcatheter device closure of pmVSD.

METHODSA total of 395 patients diagnosed with pmVSD who successfully underwent transcatheter intervention between January 2010 and December 2015 in our center were retrospectively reviewed. Electrocardiographic data before and after the procedure were collected and analyzed. We first evaluated the potential risk factors including gender, age, weight, inlet and outlet diameters of defect, subaortic rim length, occluder size, corrected occluder size into body surface area, fluoroscopy time, presence of aneurysm, and deployment position. We compared the potential risk factors between arrhythmia and nonarrhythmia groups using univariate analysis, followed by logistic analysis for independent risk factors.

RESULTSVarious arrhythmias were detected in 95 cases (24.1%) following transcatheter closure procedure. Logistic regression analysis revealed that eccentric (odds ratio [OR] 2.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-7.2) and large occluders (OR 2.0, 95% CI: 1.6-2.5), as well as long fluoroscopy time (OR 1.1, 95% CI: 1.1-1.2), were correlated with postprocedural arrhythmia. During 35.5 months (range: 9-80 months) of follow-up, most of the patients (74 out of 95) reverted to normal heart rhythm.

CONCLUSIONSThe mid-term outcome of patients with arrhythmias after transcatheter closure of pmVSD was satisfactory as most of the patients recovered normal rhythm. Eccentric, large device and long fluoroscopy time increase the risk of arrhythmias after transcatheter closure of pmVSD.

Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Cardiac Catheterization ; adverse effects ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Septal Occluder Device ; adverse effects ; Treatment Outcome

Due to the negative autopsy and without cardiac structural abnormalities, unexpected sudden cardiac death （USCD） is always a tough issue for forensic pathological expertise. USCD may be associated with parts of fatal arrhythmic diseases. These arrhythmic diseases may be caused by disorders of cardiac ion channels or channel-related proteins. Caveolin can combine with multiple myocardial ion channel proteins through its scaffolding regions and plays an important role in maintaining the depolarization and repolarization of cardiac action potential. When the structure and function of caveolin are affected by gene mutations or abnormal protein expression, the functions of the regulated ion channels are correspondingly impaired, which leads to the occurrence of multiple channelopathies, arrhythmia or even sudden cardiac death. It is important to study the effects of caveolin on the functions of ion channels for exploring the mechanisms of malignant arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac/physiopathology* ; Autopsy ; Caveolins/metabolism* ; Channelopathies/genetics* ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac/pathology* ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Ion Channels/metabolism* ; Mutation ; Myocardium

The present study investigated the application of echocardiography to evaluation of cardiac dyssynchrony in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). A total of 348 consecutive CHF patients who were admitted for cardiac resynchronization (CRT) and presented with low ejection fraction (EF) and wide QRS duration were enrolled in this study, along with 388 healthy individuals. Dyssynchrony was assessed based on filling time ratio (FT/RR), left ventricular pre-ejection delay (PED), interventricular mechanical delay (IVMD), longitudinal opposing wall delay (LOWD) and radial septal to posterior wall delay (RSPWD). Response to CRT was defined as a ≥15% increase in EF. The results showed that FT/RR was decreased while PED, IVMD, LOWD and RSPWD were increased in the CHF group compared with the control group (P<0.01). In the CHF group, FT/RR was negatively correlated with the QRS duration, LV end-diastolic diameter (LVESd), LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) and LV end-systolic volume (LVESV) (P<0.01), but positively with the LVEF (P<0.01). Additionally, PED, IVMD, LOWD and RSPWD were positively correlated with the QRS duration, LVESd, LVEDV and LVESV (P<0.01), but negatively with the LVEF (P<0.01). The CHF group was divided into three subgroups according to the varying degrees of LVEF. FT/RR decreased successively from the LVEF-1 group to the LVEF-2 group to the LVEF-3 group, while the PED, IVMD, LOWD and RSPWD successively increased in the same order (P<0.01). The CHF group was divided into three subgroups according to the varying degrees of QRS duration, and FT/RR decreased successively in a sequence from the QRS-1 group to the QRS-2 group to the QRS-3 group, while the PED, IVMD, LOWD and RSPWD successively increased in the same order (P<0.01). Speckle tracking radial dyssynchrony ≥130 ms was predictive of an EF response in patients in QRS-1 group (78% sensitivity, 83% specificity), those in QRS-2 group (83% sensitivity, 77% specificity) and in QRS-3 group (89% sensitivity, 79% specificity). In conclusion, echocardiography is a convenient and sensitive method for evaluating cardiac dyssynchrony in patients with CHF.
Adult ; Aged ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy ; methods ; Case-Control Studies ; Diastole ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Heart Failure ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke Volume ; Systole ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Ventricular Remodeling

BACKGROUNDProlongation of the Tpeak-Tend (TpTe) interval as a measurement of transmural dispersion of repolarization (TDR) is an independent risk factor for chronic heart failure mortality. However, the cardiac resynchronization therapy's (CRT) effect on TDR is controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate CRTs acute and chronic effects on repolarization dispersion. Furthermore, we aimed to investigate the relationship between TpTe changes and ventricular arrhythmia.

METHODSThe study group consisted of 101 patients treated with CRT-defibrillator (CRT-D). According to whether TpTe was shortened, patients were grouped at immediate and 1-year follow-up after CRT, respectively. The echocardiogram index and ventricular arrhythmia were observed and compared in these subgroups.

RESULTSFor all patients, TpTe slightly increased immediately after CRT-D implantation, and then decreased at the 1-year follow-up (from 107 ± 23 to 110 ± 21 ms within 24 h, to 94 ± 24 ms at 1-year follow-up, F = 19.366,P< 0.001). No significant difference in the left ventricular reverse remodeling and ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) episodes between the TpTe immediately shortened and TpTe immediately nonshortened groups. However, patients in the TpTe at 1-year shorten had a higher rate of the left ventricular (LV) reverse remodeling (65% vs. 44%, χ2 = 4.495, P = 0.038) and less VT/VF episodes (log-rank test, χ2 = 10.207, P = 0.001) compared with TpTe 1-year nonshortened group. TpTe immediately after CRT-D independently predicted VT/VF episodes at 1-year follow-up (hazard ratio [HR], 1.030; P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSPatients with TpTe shortened at 1-year after CRT had a higher rate of LV reverse remodeling and less VT/VF episodes. The acute changes of TpTe after CRT have minimal value on mechanical reverse remodeling and ventricular arrhythmia.

Aged ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; etiology ; Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy ; adverse effects ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

The management of pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA/IVS) remains controversial. The goal of separating systematic and pulmonary circulation can be achieved by biventricular or uni-ventricular (Fontan or one and a half ventricle repair) strategies. Although outcomes have been improved, these surgical procedures are still associated with high mortality and morbidity. An optimal strategy for definitive repair has yet to be defined. We searched databases for genetically randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing biventricular with uni-ventricular repair for patient with PA/IVS. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed following the guidelines of the Cochrane Collaboration. Primary outcome measures were overall survival, and secondary criteria included exercise function, arrhythmia-free survival and treatment-related mortality. A total number of 669 primary citations were screened for relevant studies. Detailed analysis revealed that no RCTs were found to adequately address the research question and no systematic meta-analysis would have been carried out. Nevertheless, several retrospective analyses and case series addressed the question of finding right balance between biventricular and uni-ventricular repair for patient with PA/IVS. In this review, we will discuss the currently available data.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; physiopathology ; prevention & control ; Cardiac Valve Annuloplasty ; methods ; mortality ; Fontan Procedure ; methods ; mortality ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Heart Ventricles ; abnormalities ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Pulmonary Atresia ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis ; Treatment Outcome

The present paper is to analyze the trend of sinus heart rate RR interphase sequence after a single ventricular premature beat and to compare it with the two parameters, turbulence onset (TO) and turbulence slope (TS). Based on the acquisition of sinus rhythm concussion sample, we in this paper use a piecewise linearization method to extract its linear characteristics, following which we describe shock form with natural language through cloud model. In the process of acquisition, we use the exponential smoothing method to forecast the position where QRS wave may appear to assist QRS wave detection, and use template to judge whether current cardiac is sinus rhythm. And we choose some signals from MIT-BIH Arrhythmia Database to detect whether the algorithm is effective in Matlab. The results show that our method can correctly detect the changing trend of sinus heart rate. The proposed method can achieve real-time detection of sinus rhythm shocks, which is simple and easily implemented, so that it is effective as a supplementary method.
Algorithms ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; physiopathology ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Ventricular Premature Complexes ; physiopathology

To study the antiarrhythmic effect of the newly developed alpha/beta-blocker TJ0711, a variety of animal models of arrhythmia were induced by CaCl2, ouabain and ischemia/reperfusion. Glass microelectrode technique was used to observe action potentials of right ventricular papillary muscle of guinea pig. The onset time of arrhythmia induced by CaCl2 was significantly prolonged by TJ0711 at 0.75, 1.5 and 3 mg x kg(-1) doses. TJ0711 (1.5 and 3 mg x kg(-1)) can significantly shorten the ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) duration, the incidence of VF and mortality were significantly reduced. On ischemia-reperfusion-induced arrhythmic model, TJ0711 (0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg x kg(-1)) can significantly reduce the ventricular premature contraction (PVC), VT, VF incidence, mortality, arrhythmia score with a dose-dependent manner. At the same time, rats serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) activities decreased significantly by TJ0711 (1 and 2 mg x kg(-1)). Ouabain could cause arrhythmia in guinea pigs, when TJ0711 (0.375, 0.75, 1.5 and 3 mg x kg(-1)) was given, the doses of ouabain inducing a variety of arrhythmia PVC, VT, VF, cardiac arrest (CA) were significantly increased with a dose-dependent manner. In the TJ0711 0.1-30 micromol x L(-1) concentration range, guinea pig right ventricular papillary muscle action potential RP (rest potential), APA (action potential amplitude) and V(max) (maximum velocity of depolarization) were not significantly affected. APD20, APD50 and APD90 had a shortening trend but no statistical difference with the increase of TJ0711 concentration. TJ0711 has antiarrhythmic effect on the sympathetic nerve excitement and myocardial cell high calcium animal arrhythmia model. Myocardial action potential zero phase conduction velocity and resting membrane potential were not inhibited by TJ0711. APD20, APD50 and APD90 were shortened by TJ0711 at high concentration. Its antiarrhythmic action mechanism may be besides the action of blocking beta1 receptor, may also have a strong selective blocking action on alpha1 receptor and reducing intracellular calcium concentration.
Action Potentials ; drug effects ; Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; blood ; chemically induced ; etiology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Calcium Chloride ; Creatine Kinase ; blood ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Heart Ventricles ; cytology ; Lactate Dehydrogenases ; blood ; Male ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; complications ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; physiology ; Ouabain ; Papillary Muscles ; cytology ; Phenoxypropanolamines ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley