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Biomedical subjects

M Rosenqvist

Publications and source records attributed to M Rosenqvist.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Adverse events with transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillators: a prospective multicenter study. European 7219 Jewel ICD investigators.

BACKGROUND: A newly developed classification system relates adverse events to the surgical procedure or the function of the implantable defibrillator. METHODS AND RESULTS: Adverse events were monitored during prospective clinical evaluation of the Medtronic model 7219 Jewel ICD and were classified according to the definitions of the ISO 14155 standard for device clinical trials into 3 groups: severe and mild device-related and severe non-device-related adverse events. In addition, events were related to the surgical procedure, treatment with the device, or cardiac function. Seven hundred seventy-eight patients were followed up for an average of 4.0 months after ICD implantation. In total, 356 adverse events were observed in 259 patients. At 1, 3, and 12 months after ICD implantation, 99%, 98%, and 97% of the patients, respectively, survived; 95%, 93%, and 92%, respectively, were free of surgical reintervention; and 79%, 68%, and 51%, respectively, were free of any adverse event. Twenty patients died: 6 deaths were related to the surgical procedure, 12 deaths were considered unrelated to ICD treatment, and 2 patients died of an unknown cause. Of 111 nonlethal severe adverse device effects, 47 required surgical intervention, 19 times for correction of a dislodged lead. Inappropriate delivery of therapy was observed 128 times in 111 patients, and the events were typically resolved by reprogramming or drug adjustment. Nine of these required rehospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 50% of patients experience an adverse event within the first year after ICD implantation. The observed adverse event rate depends on the definitions and the prospective monitoring. The incidence of inappropriate therapy emphasizes the need for improved detection algorithms and for quality-of-life evaluations, especially when considering ICD treatment in high-risk but arrhythmia-free patients.

Algorithms

Changes in human coronary sinus blood flow and myocardial metabolism induced by ventricular fibrillation and defibrillation.

BACKGROUND: During implantation of cardioverter-defibrillators, repeated inductions of ventricular fibrillation and defibrillation are performed. Little is known about the myocardial metabolism associated with ventricular fibrillation and defibrillation in humans. METHODS: Sixteen patients scheduled for transvenous cardioverter-defibrillator implantation were included in the study. In 10 of the patients, blood samples were taken simultaneously in the coronary sinus and radial artery and analyzed for PO2, PCO2, standard bicarbonate, pH, lactate, alanine, glucose, and glycerol. Oxygen saturation, base excess, and oxygen content were calculated. The patients were studied before, shortly after, and 2 and 5 minutes after successful defibrillation. In six of the patients, coronary sinus blood flow was registered continuously. RESULTS: The coronary sinus blood flow declined from a basal value of 93 +/- 16 mL/min to 35 +/- 6 mL/min 14 +/- 2 seconds after induction of ventricular fibrillation. Following termination of ventricular fibrillation, coronary sinus blood flow increased to a peak value of 227 +/- 75 mL/min. Oxygen saturation, PO2, and oxygen content in the coronary sinus increased by approximately 25% shortly after each episode of ventricular fibrillation and defibrillation. The coronary sinus lactate increased and the arterio-coronary sinus lactate difference decreased shortly after each of the four episodes, but was normalized within 2 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated threshold tests during defibrillator implantation did not cause any long-lasting or cumulative metabolic effects, indicating that the described technique, with a 5-minute recovery period in between episodes, is safe as regards myocardial metabolism.

Adult

Re-used pacemakers--as safe as new? A retrospective case-control study.

UNLABELLED: Re-use of pacemakers is of interest in an era of declining health care resources if it is proven safe and without risks to the patients. In order to investigate the safety of re-use of pacemakers we performed a retrospective case-control study. One hundred patients, who received a re-used pacemaker, were matched for date of implantation and mode (AAI; VVI; DDD) to 100 others who received a newly manufactured pacemaker and were followed for a mean of 32 +/- 11 months for complications defined as infections and signs of pacemaker malfunction and pacemaker replacement earlier than anticipated due to battery depletion. Patients who received re-used pacemakers were significantly older than those who received new units (79 +/- 9 vs 68 +/- 21 years; P < 0.0001). The number of complications did not differ significantly between groups. There were no early replacements due to battery depletion in either of the two groups. A cost-benefit analysis revealed a substantial economical advantage. CONCLUSIONS: The re-use of pacemakers can be carried out without increased risk to the patients provided a proper routine for technical control and sterilization is followed. Re-use means substantial savings which possibly could make advanced pacemaker treatment available to all eligible patients irrespective of age. Whether re-use is feasible with implantable defibrillators remains to be determined.

Aged

Alcohol and cardiac arrhythmias.

Chronic alcohol overconsumption increases the risk for sudden death presumably due to ventricular arrhythmias. This paper is a review of the mechanisms behind alcohol-induced arrhythmias and describe the incidence of alcohol-related ventricular arrhythmias.

Alcohol Drinking

Magnetocardiographic localization of arrhythmia substrates: a methodology study with accessory pathway ablation as reference.

In magnetocardiographic (MCG) localization of arrhythmia substrates, a model of the thorax as volume conductor is a crucial component of the calculations. In this study, we investigated different models of the thorax, to determine the most suitable to use in the computations. Our methods and results are as follows. We studied 11 patients with overt Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, scheduled for catheter ablation. The MCG registrations were made with a 37-channel "superconducting quantum interference device" system. The underlying equivalent current dipole was computed for the delta-wave. Three models of the thorax were used: the infinite halfspace, a sphere and a box. For anatomical correlation and to define the suitable sphere and box, magnetic resonance images were obtained. As reference we used the position of the tip of the catheter, at successful radio-frequency-ablation, documented by cine-fluoroscopy. Nine patients could be evaluated. The mean errors (range) when using the infinite halfspace, the sphere and the box were 96 (49-125), 21 (5-39), and 36 mm (20-58 mm), respectively (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, the sphere was significantly better suited than the other models tested in this study, but even with this model the accuracy of MCG localization must further improve to be clinically useful. More realistic models of the thorax are probably required to achieve this goal.

Adult

Pharmacological stress testing of the His-Purkinje system in patients with bifascicular block.

This literature review, based mainly on the English-language literature, focuses on pharmacological stress testing of the His-Purkinje system as part of an invasive electrophysiological study. The main target group for this investigation is patients with bifascicular block and syncope in which intermittent high grade AV block is suspected. Several drugs have been used for this purpose, mainly Class I antiarrhythmic agents such as ajmaline, procainamide, disopyramide, and flecainide. Most studies, unfortunately, suffer from limited patient numbers, lack of adequate control groups, and/or adequate follow-up. The sensitivity of the disopyramide stress test has been shown to be 75%-100% for prediction of impending high grade AV block. The specificity was > 90%. Studies on procainamide have shown a sensitivity of 60% but the specificity has not been assessed. There are no studies allowing a strict comparison of the diagnostic value of pharmacological provocation with different drugs. Based on the similarities of the electrophysiological effects on the His-Purkinje system of the above Class I agents, it is reasonable to assume that all of them might be of diagnostic value in the present clinical context, provided atrial and ventricular stimulation after drug is included in the protocol.

Anti-Arrhythmia Agents

Incidence of sudden death after radiofrequency ablation of the atrioventricular junction for atrial fibrillation.

This study assesses the incidence of sudden death and classifies the causes of death following radiofrequency ablation of the atrioventricular (AV) junction. We studied 220 patients with paroxysmal (n = 105) or chronic (n = 115) atrial fibrillation (AF) and a mean age of 64 +/- 12 years. These patients were followed 31 +/- 15 months after radiofrequency ablation of the AV junction and pacemaker implantation. In 86 patients, structural heart disease was identified before the procedure. All patients were traced via the Swedish National Civic Registry and Cause of Death Registry. The cause-of-death was classified according to data from death certificates, autopsy protocols, and medical records. Thirty-one patients (mean age 69 +/- 11 years, 16 men) died 15 +/- 15 months (range 0.2 to 60) after the procedure. There were 6 sudden unexplained deaths, 14 cardiovascular deaths, and 11 deaths from noncardiovascular causes. Eleven patients, all with structural heart disease, died suddenly out of hospital 16 +/- 16 months (range 0.2 to 42) after the procedure. In 6 of these there was no obvious cause of death. Three of these 6 patients underwent autopsy, which showed extensive coronary artery disease (n = 1), severe heart failure (n = 1) and cardiac hypertrophy and dilation (n = 1). The remaining 3 all had depressed left ventricular systolic function and a history of congestive heart failure. Five of the patients who died suddenly from cardiovascular causes had autopsies that revealed acute myocardial infarction (n = 4) and massive pulmonary embolism (n = 1).

Aged

[ECG findings with poor prognosis. Bifascicular block as a warning sign in cases of syncope].

Of 517 emergency room admissions for syncope at four Stockholm hospitals, 36 (7 per cent) were found to be cases of bifascicular block. Of these 36 patients, 34 underwent ambulatory electrocardiography (ECG) in hospital, which showed significant arrhythmia to be present in three cases [high-grade atrioventricular block (n = 2), or sustained ventricular tachycardia (n = 1)]. After a mean follow-up of 32 months, eight more patients had developed high-grade atrioventricular block, and 13 patients had died (eight of them suddenly). It is concluded that patients with bisfascicular block constitute a high-risk category, and would benefit from thorough investigation, including an invasive electrophysiological study, in order to identify those at risk of progression to high-grade atrioventricular block or malignant ventricular arrhythmia.

Aged

Myocardial injury after electrical therapy for cardiac arrhythmias assessed by troponin-T release.

Episodes of ventricular fibrillation with subsequent intracardiac, and to a lesser extent, external defibrillation give rise to a statistically significant increase in S-troponin T, S-CK-MB(mass) and S-myoglobin indicative of a minor myocardial injury or dysfunction. In contrast, no such signs were observed after external direct-current conversion of atrial fibrillation using high energies, or after pace-terminated ventricular tachycardia.

Adult

Head-up tilt test. A nonspecific method of evaluating patients with bifascicular block.

BACKGROUND: Patients with bifascicular block have an increased risk of syncopal attacks, but the underlying mechanism often remains unclear despite an extensive diagnostic workup. The head-up tilt test has been established as an important diagnostic tool in the unmasking of vasovagal syncope in patients with unexplained syncope. Its role in the evaluation of patients with bifascicular block has not been studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: A head-up tilt test, using a 60 degrees angle of tilt for 45 minutes without pharmacological provocation, was performed in 25 patients with bifascicular block and syncope that remained unexplained after an extensive invasive and noninvasive electrophysiological investigation. As a control group, 25 subjects with bifascicular block without syncope, matched for age, sex, left ventricular function, and underlying heart disease, were included. A positive head-up tilt test was found in 7 (28%) of the syncope patients and in 8 (32%) of the control subjects (P = NS). Six patients, of whom 3 had a positive tilt test, had recurrent syncopal attacks during 32 months of follow-up. None of the control subjects had syncope during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This study gives rise to serious concern regarding the specificity of the head-up tilt test in patients with bifascicular block. A head-up tilt test should therefore be interpreted with caution, and its role as a diagnostic tool in this patient category remains to be established.

Aged

Left ventricular function after repeated episodes of ventricular fibrillation and defibrillation assessed by transoesophageal echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: Investigators studying the effects of cardioverter-defibrillators on left ventricular systolic function have given only minor attention to the diastolic effects. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of repeated episodes of ventricular fibrillation and defibrillation on systolic function and diastolic filling of the left ventricle during non-thoracotomy implantation of a cardioverter-defibrillator. METHODS: Systolic function and diastolic filling of the left ventricle were assessed peri-operatively on a beat-by-beat basis using a transoesophageal echo-Doppler technique in 12 patients during > or = 4 episodes of ventricular fibrillation and defibrillation. Systolic function was assessed from the fractional area change and diastolic filling from the E/A ratio. Arterial blood pressure and the ECG were recorded continuously. RESULTS: Blood pressure and heart rate did not change significantly throughout the procedure. The systolic function, similarly, was not significantly affected; the only changes were seen in the first two beats after defibrillation when the mean fractional area increased from 0.2 +/- 0.01 to 0.4 +/- 0.02 and 0.3 +/- 0.02, respectively (P < 0.001). Diastolic filling was, however, impaired as reflected by a decrease in the E/A ratio from 2.6 +/- 0.5 before to 1.6 +/- 0.4 (P < 0.01) after repeated threshold tests. CONCLUSIONS: While the combined ischaemic and electrical trauma caused by repeated episodes of ventricular fibrillation and defibrillation during the implantation of a cardioverter-defibrillator did not cause any systolic dysfunction, diastolic filling was significantly impaired.

Adult

Brief episodes of ventricular fibrillation do not influence postischemic cerebral perfusion assessed by positron emission tomography.

OBJECTIVES: To establish the defibrillation threshold in patients receiving an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, at least three episodes of ventricular fibrillation are induced and converted back to regular rhythm, using direct current countershocks. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of repeated short episodes of ventricular fibrillation on global and regional cerebral perfusion. DESIGN: A prospective, descriptive study. SETTING: A positron emission tomography laboratory at a university hospital. PATIENTS: Four patients, admitted for defibrillation threshold tests 2 yrs after the implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator, were included in the study. Global and regional cerebral blood flow was measured by cerebral positron emission tomography, using an 15O-labeled tracer under propofol-induced general anesthesia. Electroencephalograms (EEGs) were concomitantly recorded. INTERVENTIONS: Induction and conversion of ventricular fibrillation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: No effect on global cerebral perfusion was observed after induced ventricular fibrillation lasting 21 +/- 3 secs. The average global cerebral perfusion was 23 +/- 1 mL/100 g/min after induction of anesthesia and 31 +/- 8 mL/100 g/min and 24 +/- 2 mL/100 g/min immediately after the termination of the first and second ventricular fibrillation episodes, respectively. Ten minutes after the second and the third threshold tests, global cerebral perfusion was 21 +/- 1 mL/100 g/min and 21 +/- 2 mL/100 g/min, respectively. Regional cerebral perfusion and EEGs were not influenced. CONCLUSION: Short episodes of ventricular fibrillation did not induce any measurable effects on global and regional cerebral perfusion detectable by positron emission tomography 30 secs and 10 mins after restitution of sinus rhythm.

Aged

Antitachycardia pacing: which patients and which methods?

This article is a review on the value of antitachycardia pacing in patients with implantable cardiac-defibrillators (ICD). Antitachycardia pacing is highly effective in terminating monomorphic ventricular tachycardias, with a success rate of 80-90%. Which algorithm is used for termination seems to be of less importance, with respect to both efficacy and safety. Spontaneous episodes of ventricular tachycardia are slower and more easily convertible than those induced by programmed stimulation. It is thus possible that fine-tuning of the antitachycardia pacing algorithm, using induced episodes, is of limited value with respect to efficacy during follow-up. Prospective studies need to be performed to resolve this issue. Spontaneous monomorphic ventricular tachycardia can also occur in patients who are noninducible. Antitachycardia pacing should therefore also be considered for such patients. Inappropriate therapy, most often due to supraventricular arrhythmias, has been reported in up to 25% of patients. The sensitivity and specificity of algorithms developed to differentiate supraventricular from ventricular tachycardias still require validation.

Cardiac Pacing, Artificial

Quality of life in octogenarians after valve replacement due to aortic stenosis. A prospective comparison with younger patients.

BACKGROUND: Results of aortic valve surgery in octogenarians have been evaluated as event-free survival. However, little attention has been given to quality of life aspects. METHODS: Thirty-two consecutive patients, mean age 83 +/- 2 years, undergoing valve replacement due to aortic stenosis, were compared to 30 patients, mean age 71 +/- 3 years, undergoing the same procedure. Mortality, morbidity and quality of life were studied. An interview was performed before surgery and 3 and 12 months postoperatively. The questionnaire contained items related to self-rated health, symptoms, physical ability, sleep disturbances and social and emotional functioning. RESULTS: Pre-operatively the older patient group was in a worse condition with a higher NYHA functional class and a more pronounced cardiomegaly. They had more cardiac symptoms and were more depressed. The control group had a higher score for physical ability and rated their quality of life as better. Postoperatively there was a higher early mortality rate in the octogenarians (9% vs 0%; ns). After 3 months, improvement of functional status and relief of symptoms was observed in both groups. Physical ability improved and the depression score decreased significantly in both groups. Self-rated health and quality of life improved. One year after valve replacement the improvement in quality of life was of a similar magnitude in the two groups. CONCLUSION: Following aortic valve replacement, octogenarians, despite a more compromised pre-operative status showed an improvement in symptomatology, physical ability and general well being, of a similar magnitude to that of the younger patients group. These findings lend further support to the recommendation that valve replacement should be performed in octogenarians with symptomatic aortic stenosis.

Aged

The effect of ventricular activation sequence on cardiac performance during pacing.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of a normal ventricular activation pattern for cardiac performance. In nine mongrel dogs, atrial pacing was compared to AV synchronous pacing at three different AV delays (150, 100, and 60 ms). In six dogs, proximal septal AV synchronous pacing was compared to apical AV synchronous pacing at three different AV delays. AV synchronous pacing was performed after RF induced complete heart block. Hemodynamics were evaluated by assessment of positive and negative dP/dt, cardiac output, and left ventricular and pulmonary pressures. Atrial pacing was superior to AV synchronous pacing with respect to positive and negative dP/dt and cardiac output. This difference was present at all AV delays. Proximal septal pacing was associated with a higher positive and negative dP/dt compared to apical pacing at all AV delays. Left ventricular activation time was significantly shorter during proximal septal pacing than during apical pacing (88 +/- 4 vs 115 +/- 4 ms, P < 0.001). We conclude that atrial and proximal septal pacing improves cardiac function and shortens the ventricular activation time compared to apical AV synchronous pacing independent of the AV interval.

Animals