Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jieyun Bai, Yaosheng Lu, Yijie Zhu, Huijin Wang, Dechun Yin, Henggui Zhang, Diego Franco, Jichao Zhao
Summary: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia with genetic predispositions playing a major role in its development. Genetic variants near the PITX2 gene on chromosome 4q25 have been identified in association with AF populations. Computational models are useful for understanding the functional impacts of PITX2 and may lead to improved anti-AF therapies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Physiology
Inseok Hwang, Je-Wook Park, Oh-Seok Kwon, Byounghyun Lim, Myunghee Hong, Min Kim, Hee-Tae Yu, Tae-Hoon Kim, Jae-Sun Uhm, Boyoung Joung, Moon-Hyoung Lee, Hui-Nam Pak
Summary: Computational modeling revealed that PITX2 gene deficiency affects the response of patients with atrial fibrillation to antiarrhythmic drugs, showing distinct differences in electrophysiological and wave-dynamic characteristics compared to wild-type models.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jeffrey D. Steimle, Francisco J. Grisanti Canozo, Minjun Park, Zachary A. Kadow, Md Abul Hassan Samee, James F. Martin
Summary: This study reveals the association between gene variants related to atrial fibrillation and cell states through single nuclei multiomic profiling and spectral clustering, and identifies the correlation between atrial fibrillation predisposition genes, cell dysfunction, and cell-to-cell signaling.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Shaojie Chen, Yuehui Yin, Zhiyu Ling, Christian Meyer, Helmut Puererfellner, Martin Martinek, Marcio Galindo Kiuchi, Piotr Futyma, Lin Zhu, Alexandra Schratter, Jiazhi Wang, Willem-Jan Acou, Philipp Sommer, Feifan Ouyang, Shaowen Liu, Julian K. R. Chun, Boris Schmidt
Summary: Catheter ablation is an effective therapeutic option for atrial fibrillation, reducing AF burden and improving clinical outcomes. Early rhythm control is associated with lower risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. CA as an initial first line strategy significantly reduces arrhythmia recurrence and rehospitalization in patients with paroxysmal AF. CA lowers the risk of progression from paroxysmal AF to persistent AF. In persistent AF, overall clinical success after ablation is unsatisfactory, but better outcomes are observed in patients with early persistent AF. Adjunctive ablations on top of PVI can further reduce arrhythmia recurrence.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Jwan A. Naser, Eunjung Lee, Christopher G. Scott, Austin M. Kennedy, Patricia A. Pellikka, Grace Lin, Sorin Pislaru, Barry A. Borlaug
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and incidence of DD in patients with new-onset AF compared with SR. The results showed that patients with new-onset AF have high-risk features for HFpEF at diagnosis and accelerated progression in DD over time.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Philipp Krisai, Laurent Roten, Ivan Zeljkovic, Nikola Pavlovic, Peter Ammann, Tobias Reichlin, Eric Auf Der Maur, Olivia Streicher, Sven Knecht, Michael Kuhne, Stefan Osswald, Jan Novak, Christian Sticherling
Summary: The study found a high proportion of post-ablation AF in cAFL patients during standardized follow-up, indicating the need for consideration when deciding on long-term oral anticoagulation.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Shaojie Han, Ruikun Jia, Zhifu Cen, Ran Guo, Shenyu Zhao, Yixuan Bai, Min Xie, Kaijun Cui
Summary: A systematic review and meta-analysis showed that early rhythm control is associated with lower risks of mortality, cardiovascular mortality, stroke, and heart failure hospitalization compared to rate control in patients with atrial fibrillation.
FRONTIERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
P. Krisai, P. Hammerle, S. Blum, P. Meyre, S. Aeschbacher, P. Melchiorre-Mayer, O. Baretella, N. Rodondi, D. Conen, S. Osswald, M. Kuhne, C. S. Zuern
Summary: The presence of atrial fibrillation (AF) on a single surface ECG is significantly associated with increased risk of mortality and hospitalizations for congestive heart failure in AF patients, suggesting that these patients are a high-risk group that may benefit from intensified treatment.
JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Dong-Seon Kang, Daehoon Kim, Eunsun Jang, Hee Tae Yu, Tae-Hoon Kim, Hui-Nam Pak, Jung-Hoon Sung, Moon-Hyoung Lee, Pil-Sung Yang, Boyoung Joung
Summary: This study investigated the associations between sex and the relative effect of rhythm control over rate control in patients with atrial fibrillation. The results showed that the benefit of rhythm control over rate control on the primary composite outcome became statistically insignificant after 3 months from atrial fibrillation diagnosis in women while remained steadily until 12 months in men. There was a significant interaction between sex and the relative effect of rhythm control if it was initiated after 6 months.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Jiunn-Cherng Lin, Cheng-Hung Li, Yun-Yu Chen, Chi-Jen Weng, Yu-Shan Chien, Shang-Ju Wu, Chu-Pin Lo, Hui-Chun Tien, Ching-Heng Lin, Jin-Long Huang, Yenn-Jiang Lin, Yu-Cheng Hsieh, Shih-Ann Chen
Summary: Pharmacological rhythm control strategy is associated with a lower risk of dementia in patients with atrial fibrillation, particularly in those receiving aspirin treatment, compared to rate control strategy during long-term follow-up.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Wengen Zhu, Zexuan Wu, Yugang Dong, Gregory Y. H. Lip, Chen Liu
Summary: The results of this meta-analysis suggest that early initiation of rhythm control treatment in patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation is associated with improved adverse effectiveness outcomes.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Matteo Gadaleta, Patrick Harrington, Eric Barnhill, Evangelos Hytopoulos, Mintu P. Turakhia, Steven R. Steinhubl, Giorgio Quer
Summary: Early identification of atrial fibrillation (AF) is crucial in reducing the risk of serious cardiovascular outcomes. This study developed a model using a deep learning approach to predict the near-term risk of AF based on electrocardiogram (ECG) data. The model showed high accuracy in predicting AF over a two-week period, providing a potential digital strategy for improving diagnosis and treatment initiation.
NPJ DIGITAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Daehoon Kim, Pil-Sung Yang, Seng Chan You, Eunsun Jang, Hee Tae Yu, Tae-Hoon Kim, Hui-Nam Pak, Moon-Hyoung Lee, Gregory Y. H. Lip, Jung-Hoon Sung, Boyoung Joung
Summary: This study found that early initiation of rhythm control was associated with a lower risk of stroke and heart failure-related admission than rate control in patients with recently diagnosed AF. However, the effects were attenuated as initiating the rhythm control treatment later.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Ho-Gi Chung, Junbeom Park, Jin-Kyu Park, Ki-Woon Kang, Jaemin Shim, Jin-Bae Kim, Jun Kim, Eue-Keun Choi, Hyung Wook Park, Young Soo Lee, Boyoung Joung
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between rhythm control and cardiovascular outcomes in a contemporary atrial fibrillation (AF) registry. No difference in the risk of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular outcomes was found between the rhythm control and rate control groups. These findings suggest that early rhythm control should be considered to improve patient outcomes.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Elena Arbelo, Nikolaos Dagres
Summary: This article critically reviews the recommendations of the 2020 ESC guidelines for the management of AF in light of two landmark trials, emphasizing the safety of contemporary rhythm control treatment and the importance of personalized treatment strategies.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Renate B. Schnabel, Henning Witt, Jochen Walker, Marion Ludwig, Bastian Geelhoed, Nils Kossack, Marie Schild, Robert Miller, Paulus Kirchhof
Summary: This study used machine learning techniques to explore predictors of incident atrial fibrillation (AF) in German health claims data. The study found that using ICD-coded clinical variables can improve the identification of patients at risk of newly diagnosed AF. This can help target AF screening efforts to high-risk populations in primary care and stroke survivors.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL-QUALITY OF CARE AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Renate B. Schnabel, Elena Andreassi Marinelli, Elena Arbelo, Giuseppe Boriani, Serge Boveda, Claire M. Buckley, A. John Camm, Barbara Casadei, Winnie Chua, Nikolaos Dagres, Mirko de Melis, Lien Desteghe, Soren Zoga Diederichsen, David Duncker, Lars Eckardt, Christoph Eisert, Daniel Engler, Larissa Fabritz, Ben Freedman, Ludovic Gillet, Andreas Goette, Eduard Guasch, Jesper Hastrup Svendsen, Stephane N. Hatem, Karl Georg Haeusler, Jeff S. Healey, Hein Heidbuchel, Gerhard Hindricks, F. D. Richard Hobbs, Thomas Huebner, Dipak Kotecha, Michael Krekler, Christophe Leclercq, Thorsten Lewalter, Honghuang Lin, Dominik Linz, Gregory Y. H. Lip, Maja Lisa Lochen, Wim Lucassen, Katarzyna Malaczynska-Rajpold, Steffen Massberg, Jose L. Merino, Ralf Meyer, Lluis Mont, Michael C. Myers, Lis Neubeck, Teemu Niiranen, Michael Oeff, Jonas Oldgren, Tatjana S. Potpara, George Psaroudakis, Helmut Purerfellner, Ursula Ravens, Michiel Rienstra, Lena Rivard, Daniel Scherr, Ulrich Schotten, Dipen Shah, Moritz F. Sinner, Rudiger Smolnik, Gerhard Steinbeck, Daniel Steven, Emma Svennberg, Dierk Thomas, Mellanie True Hills, Isabelle C. van Gelder, Burcu Vardar, Elena Pala, Reza Wakili, Karl Wegscheider, Mattias Wieloch, Stephan Willems, Henning Witt, Andre Ziegler, Matthias Daniel Zink, Paulus Kirchhof
Summary: This article summarizes the key outcomes of the 8th AFNET/EHRA Consensus Conference, which was held in Hamburg in October 2021 and attended by 83 international experts. The consensus paper highlights new evidence-based approaches to improve care for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), including population-based screening, evolving management strategies, atrial cardiomyopathy characterization, cognitive function assessment, and the role of artificial intelligence (AI).
Editorial Material
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Stefan Kaab, Hilma Holm, Paulus Kirchhof
Summary: This editorial discusses the study by Marston NA et al., which shows that a polygenic risk score can predict atrial fibrillation in cardiovascular disease.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Nina Fluschnik, Enver Tahir, Jennifer Erley, Kai Muellerleile, Andreas Metzner, Jan-Per Wenzel, Helena Guerreiro, Gerhard Adam, Stefan Blankenberg, Paulus Kirchhof, Tobias Toennis, Julius Nikorowitsch
Summary: Pending verification in independent series, clinically indicated MRI scans at 3T field strength should not be withheld from patients with cardiac pacemakers or defibrillators, as our data suggest that it is safe and does not result in adverse events in most cases.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Molly O'Reilly, Laura C. Sommerfeld, C. O'Shea, S. Broadway-Stringer, S. Andaleeb, J. S. Reyat, S. N. Kabir, D. Stastny, A. Malinova, D. Delbue, L. Fortmueller, K. Gehmlich, D. Pavlovic, B. Skryabin, A. P. Holmes, P. Kirchhof, L. Fabritz
Summary: This study found that the point mutation M1875T in the SCN5A gene is associated with familial AF. A new mouse model was used to show that this mutation causes gain-of-function of the cardiac sodium channel, resulting in increased atrial excitability.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Manuel C. Olma, Serdar Tutuncu, Cornelia Fiessler, Claudia Kunze, Michael Kraemer, Lena Steindorf-Sabath, Muhammad Jawad-Ul-Qamar, Paulus Kirchhof, Ulrich Laufs, Johannes Schurig, Peter Kraft, Joachim Roether, Albrecht Guenther, Goetz Thomalla, Boris Dimitrijeski, Darius G. Nabavi, Roland Veltkamp, Peter U. Heuschmann, Karl Georg Haeusler, Matthias Endres
Summary: This study aims to analyze the frequency and type of abnormal ECG findings, subsequent changes in medical treatment, and their association with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke. The results show that systematic in-hospital Holter ECG reveals abnormal findings in 1 of 5 patients with acute stroke, and mortality was lower at 24 months in patients with systematic ECG recording in the hospital.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Tze-Fan Chao, Martin Unverdorben, Paulus Kirchhof, Yukihiro Koretsune, Takeshi Yamashita, Robert A. Crozier, Ladislav Pecen, Cathy Chen, Amanda P. Borrow, Raffaele De Caterina
Summary: Non-recommended dosing is common in non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant prescriptions, including edoxaban. Non-recommended dosing is more frequent near dose-reduction thresholds. Overdosed patients (60 mg) have lower rates of ischemic stroke and all-cause death compared to recommended 30 mg, while underdosed patients have higher all-cause death rates.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Christoph Kondziella, Nina Fluschnik, Jessica Weimann, Benedikt Schrage, Peter Moritz Becher, Felix Memenga, Alexander M. Bernhardt, Stefan Blankenberg, Hermann Reichenspurner, Paulus Kirchhof, Renate B. Schnabel, Christina Magnussen
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the impact of sex on selection for and outcomes after heart transplantation. It was found that male heart transplant recipients differed from females in terms of cardiac etiology, cardiovascular risk factors, and treatment. Even after adjusting for multiple factors, male heart transplant recipients still had a higher risk of cardiac allograft vasculopathy and malignancy.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Manuel C. Olma, Serdar Tuetuencue, Ulrike Grittner, Claudia Kunze, Muhammad Jawad-Ul-Qamar, Paulus Kirchhof, Joachim Roether, Goetz Thomalla, Roland Veltkamp, Ulrich Laufs, Darius G. Nabavi, Peter U. Heuschmann, Matthias Endres, Karl Georg Haeusler
Summary: Little is known about the extent and standardization of routine cardiac diagnostic work-up at certified stroke-units in Germany. This study analyzed the routine diagnostic work-up at different stroke centres in Germany and found that detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) varied among the centres, with lower detection rates in university-based comprehensive stroke centres compared to non-university-based and primary stroke centres. The use of echocardiography and Holter-ECG monitoring also differed among the centres.
NEUROLOGICAL RESEARCH AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Laura Rottner, Stefan Reubold, Sophie Schoenhofer, Bruno Reissmann, Feifan Ouyang, Julius Obergassel, Ilaria My, Fabian Moser, Jan-Per Wenzel, Marc Lemoine, Daniel Steven, Philipp Sommer, Paulus Kirchhof, Andreas Rillig, Andreas Metzner
Summary: A survey was conducted in Germany to evaluate the management of cardiac tamponade in EP centers. The results showed that high-volume and centers with onsite cardiac surgery have more dedicated EP laboratories, EP-nursing teams, and better safety precautions. There are also differences in the spectrum of ablation procedures and treatment of tamponade among centers with different volumes and with or without onsite cardiac surgery.
CLINICAL CARDIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Renate B. Schnabel, Pietro Ameri, Jolanta M. Siller-Matula, Igor Diemberger, Marianne Gwechenberger, Ladislav Pecen, Marius Constantin Manu, Jose Souza, Raffaele De Caterina, Paulus Kirchhof
Summary: Heart failure is a risk factor for adverse events in patients with atrial fibrillation. This study investigates the relationship between heart failure and outcomes in atrial fibrillation patients treated with edoxaban. The results show that patients with heart failure have higher rates of major bleeding and all-cause death, indicating the need for optimized management and novel preventive strategies.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Felix Memenga, Meike Rybczynski, Christina Magnussen, Alina Gossling, Christoph Kondziella, Nina Becher, Peter Moritz Becher, Julia Bernadyn, Filip Berisha, Wiebke Bremer, Christoph Sinning, Stefan Blankenberg, Paulus Kirchhof, Dorit Knappe
Summary: This study analyzes the impact of heart rate-reducing drugs on the prognosis of heart failure patients and finds a correlation between heart rate reduction and improved survival. However, no specific drug regimen was identified to have a particular effect.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Benedikt N. Beer, Lisa Besch, Jessica Weimann, Kishore Surendra, Kevin Roedl, Joern Grensemann, Jonas Sundermeyer, Angela Dettling, Stefan Kluge, Paulus Kirchhof, Stefan Blankenberg, Clemens Scherer, Benedikt Schrage
Summary: Shock of any cause can result in end-organ damage, particularly in perfusion-sensitive organs like the liver. In septic shock, hypoxic hepatitis (S-HH) is defined as a 20-fold increase in the upper limit of aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) and is associated with a high mortality rate. This study aimed to determine if the S-HH definition is applicable in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS).
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL-ACUTE CARDIOVASCULAR CARE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Winnie Chua, Victor R. Cardoso, Eduard Guasch, Moritz F. Sinner, Christoph Al-Taie, Paul Brady, Barbara Casadei, Harry J. G. M. Crijns, Elton A. M. P. Dudink, Stephane N. Hatem, Stefan Kaeaeb, Peter Kastner, Lluis Mont, Frantisek Nehaj, Yanish Purmah, Jasmeet S. Reyat, Ulrich Schotten, Laura C. Sommerfeld, Stef Zeemering, Andre Ziegler, Georgios V. Gkoutos, Paulus Kirchhof, Larissa Fabritz
Summary: Early detection of atrial fibrillation through the measurement of circulating biomarkers can reduce the risk of stroke, cardiovascular death, and heart failure.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Hematology
Fawaz O. Alenazy, Maan H. Harbi, Dean P. Kavanagh, Joshua Price, Paul Brady, Oscar Hargreaves, Paul Harrison, Alexandre Slater, Alok Tiwari, Phillip L. R. Nicolson, Derek L. Connolly, Paulus Kirchhof, Neena Kalia, Martine Jandrot-Perrus, Pierre H. Mangin, Steve P. Watson, Mark R. Thomas
Summary: This study investigated the additional antithrombotic effects of combining glenzocimab, a GPVI inhibitor, with aspirin and ticagrelor. The results showed that glenzocimab enhanced platelet inhibition and reduced atherosclerotic plaque-induced platelet aggregation, adhesion, and activation. Compared to a GPIIb/IIIa inhibitor, glenzocimab exhibited similar antithrombotic effects but with less inhibition of general hemostasis.
JOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS
(2023)
