Severe Bradycardia Research Articles

Centralized monitored anesthesia care by nurse anesthetist for cataract and glaucoma surgery in a 1:3 ratio: a non-inferiority study.

Minor Ophthalmic Procedures (MOP), especially cataract or glaucoma surgery, are considered low risk. However, in France, anesthesia must be monitored continuously and carried out by an anesthetist or a nurse anesthetist (NA). The aim was to assess whether an externalized monitored anesthesia care (MAC) would be non-inferior to an individual MAC inside the OR regarding the incidence of severe hypertension, bradycardia, hypoxemia, and surgeon satisfaction. We performed a monocentric randomized, non-inferiority trial. Adults undergoing MOP with topical or locoregional anesthesia were randomly assigned to externalized MAC (the NA monitored simultaneously up to 3 patients with a screen monitor repeating the inside monitor) or inside MAC. The primary endpoint was a composite of per-operative complications defined as a blood pressure >200 mmHg, pulse rate <45/min, pulse oximetry <85%, or surgeon satisfaction regarding patient security <3/10. Secondary endpoints included patient and surgeons' overall satisfaction, re-operation within 24 hours, and nurses' overall satisfaction. A total of 900 patients were enrolled (450 in both groups). The externalized MAC was non-inferior to inside MAC as event occurred in 29 patients (6.4%) and 26 patients (5.8%), respectively (adjusted difference - 0.7%). Patient agitation assessed by the surgeon was lower with the inside MAC (adjusted mean difference -0.33; 95%CI -0.61 to -0.04). Among patients undergoing MOP with topical or locoregional anesthesia, an externalized MAC strategy with a 1:3 NA-to-patient ratio were non-inferior to an inside monitoring on the incidence of severe hypertension, bradycardia, hypoxemia and surgeon satisfaction regarding patient safety.

Comparison of Remimazolam and Propofol for Intravenous Anesthesia on Trigeminocardiac Reflex in Percutaneous Balloon Compression for Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Trigeminal neuralgia usually presents as incapacitating facial pain. Percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) is frequently utilized to manage this ailment. Trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) commonly presents with sudden severe bradycardia or even asystole, alongside a sudden increase in blood pressure during this surgical procedure. Notably, remimazolam has been reported to maintain higher heart rate (HR) levels during anesthesia than propofol. Thus, this study aims to assess the impact of remimazolam anesthesia versus propofol on TCR occurrence during this procedure. This randomized controlled trial involved patients with trigeminal neuralgia scheduled for elective PBC. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either remimazolam or propofol for anesthesia. The primary outcome was the incidence of TCR, a potential complication during the procedure. Secondary outcomes included the occurrence of severe TCR, usage of atropine, HR at the time of foramen ovale puncture (T4), HR at the time of trigeminal ganglion compression (T5), and any adverse events. A total of 80 patients were included in the study, with 40 patients in each group. The incidence of TCR was significantly lower in the remimazolam group compared to the propofol group (30.0% vs 82.5%; risk difference -52.5%, 95% CI -67.3% to -18.6%; P < 0.001). The remimazolam group also showed a lower incidence of severe TCR (7.5% vs 45.0%) and significantly lower usage of atropine compared to the propofol group (P < 0.001). Furthermore, HR at T4 and T5 were higher in the remimazolam than in the propofol group (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups. In PBC surgery for trigeminal neuralgia, remimazolam-based intravenous anesthesia showed a higher HR and a lower incidence of TCR than propofol without any increased adverse events.

Diagnostic yield of actionable arrhythmias in patients referred with syncope and collapse using ePatch extended holter

Abstract Background/Introduction Cardiac syncope commonly points to a potentially lethal disease process and carries one-year mortality up to 30%. Current guidelines on management of syncope suggest choosing ambulatory monitoring modality based upon the likelihood of symptoms during the monitoring period and is frequently undertaken with short duration (0-2 days) or extended wear Holter (EWH) monitoring (3-14 days). Purpose Determine the diagnostic yield (DY) of actionable arrhythmias (AA) in patients referred for syncope and collapse prescribed short or extended ambulatory monitoring. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted for patients wearing the Philips ePatch between July 1st, 2022, and June 30th, 2023, with ICD-10 referral code R55 (Syncope and Collapse). Monitoring duration was grouped by 0-2, 3-7, and 8-14 days of wear time. Wear time was defined as number of hours with analysable ECG data. Arrhythmia detection was defined as either non-AA (did not meet urgent or emergent criteria) or AA (met urgent and/or emergent criteria). Urgent criteria were defined as Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter (&amp;gt;10 seconds), Ventricular Tachycardia (&amp;gt;100 BPM for &amp;gt;3 beats), Severe Tachycardia (&amp;gt;170 BPM for ≥30 seconds), Pause/Asystole (≥3 seconds), Severe Bradycardia (&amp;lt;35 BPM), and 2nd Degree or Higher AV Block. Emergent criteria were defined as VT (&amp;gt;100 BPM for ≥30 beats), Severe Tachycardia (≥220 BPM for ≥30 seconds), Pause/Asystole (≥10 seconds), and Severe Bradycardia (&amp;lt;20 BPM). Results The DY for any urgent and/or emergent AA was 6.8%, 11.0%, and 20.4% at 0-2, 3-7 and 8-14 days of wear time, respectively (p&amp;lt;0.00001 for all). For urgent AA, DY increased 1.6X at 3-7 vs 0-2 days, 1.9X at 8-14 vs 3-7 days and 3X at 8-14 vs 0-2 days of wear time (p&amp;lt;0.05 for all); for emergent AA, the DY increased 5X at 3-7 vs 0-2 days, 1.6X at 8-14 vs 3-7 days, and 8.2X at 8-14 vs 0-2 days of wear time (p&amp;lt;0.05 for all) (Graph 1). When examining tachyarrhythmias vs bradyarrhythmias, similar multiplicative yields in AA were noted between short, intermediate, and extended duration monitoring; statistical significance was noted for all arrhythmia subtypes (p&amp;lt;0.01), except for Severe Tachycardia and Bradycardia which were not significant between 0-2 and 3-7 days of wear time (Graph 2). Conclusion(s) In patients referred for ambulatory monitoring with syncope and collapse, urgent and emergent actionable arrhythmias increase significantly when extending from short to intermediate to long duration monitoring, with both tachyarrhythmias and bradyarrhythmias demonstrating similar increases in occurrence. Accordingly, EWH monitoring in patients referred with syncope and collapse has greater potential to identify arrhythmic aetiologies than use of standard duration Holter.

11 Is emergency department transfer always required following anaphylaxis and epinephrine use?

Abstract Background Patients known for anaphylaxis are advised to always carry 2 epinephrine auto-injectors (EAI) with them. With epinephrine being the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis, current guidelines recommend prompt EAI administration, followed by observation in the emergency department (ED) for 4 hours. Data supporting transfer to the ED in all cases after epinephrine are sparse. Recent North American allergy guidelines no longer suggest that ED presentation after EAI use is required for all cases of anaphylaxis. Objectives We aimed to describe the need for additional ED treatment in children known for food-triggered anaphylaxis who received at least 1 EAI pre-hospital. Design/Methods Data on children under 18 years with food-induced anaphylaxis who received at least one dose of pre-hospital epinephrine was collected from the Cross-Canada Anaphylaxis REgistry (C-CARE) from seven hospitals. A standardized questionnaire obtained information on symptoms, allergens, comorbidities, and pre-hospital and in-hospital management. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with ED management, among children who received 1, 2 or 3 or more doses of epinephrine pre-hospital. Results From 2011 to 2023, 1054 children with known food-triggered anaphylaxis and who used one or more EAIs pre-hospital were enrolled in C-CARE. The mean age at reaction was 8.2 (standard deviation [SD] 5.3) years, 648 (60.8%) were male and 82 (7.8%) of reactions were severe (defined as loss of bowel control, cyanosis, respiratory arrest, hypotension and/or circulatory collapse, dysrhythmia, severe bradycardia and/or cardiac arrest, confusion, and loss of consciousness). Primary triggers included peanuts (n=280; 26.6%) followed by tree nuts (n=173; 16.4%). 193 patients (18.3%) had known asthma and 201 received additional dose(s) of epinephrine in the ED, the majority of whom (177, 88.1%) received one dose. Only 2.9% of patients required admission. Among all patients, reactions to egg were less likely to require additional epinephrine (aOR 0.90; 95% CI 0.83, 0.99), and more likely with severe reactions (aOR 1.24; 95% CI 1.14-1.35). Among patients who received only one EAI pre-hospital, severe reactions (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-1.31) and reactions to tree nuts (aOR 1.12; 95% CI 1.04-1.20) were associated with increased odds of an additional dose of epinephrine in hospital. Conclusion One-fifth of anaphylaxis cases that used EAI require an additional dose of epinephrine in ED. Children with severe reactions and reactions to tree nuts are more likely to require additional doses; these cases should be considered for ED transfer and treatment following pre-hospital EAI use.

Predictors of complications and mortality among patients undergoing pacemaker implantation in resource-limited settings: a 10-year retrospective follow-up study

IntroductionPacemakers (PMs) are used to treat patients with severe bradycardia symptoms. They do, however, pose several complications. Even with these risks, there are only a few studies assessing PM implantation outcomes in resource-limited settings like Ethiopia and other sub-Saharan countries in general. Therefore, this study aims to assess the mid-term outcome of PM implantation in patients who have undergone PM implantation in the Cardiac Center of Ethiopia by identifying the rate and predictors of complications and death.MethodologyThis retrospective study was conducted at the Cardiac Center of Ethiopia from October 2023 to January 2024 on patients who had PM implantation from September 2012 to August 2023 to assess the midterm outcome of the patients. Complication rate and all-cause mortality rate were the outcomes of our study. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with complications and death. To analyze survival times, a Kaplan–Meier analysis was performed.ResultsThis retrospective follow-up study included 182 patients who underwent PM implantation between September 2012 and August 2023 and were at least 18 years old. The patients' median follow-up duration was 72 months (Interquartile range (IQR): 36–96 months). At the end of the study, 26.4% of patients experienced complications. The three most frequent complications were lead dislodgement, which affected 6.6% of patients, PM-induced tachycardia, which affected 5.5% of patients, and early battery depletion, which affected 5.5% of patients. Older age (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 1.1, 95% CI 1.04–1.1, p value < 0.001), being female (AOR 4.5, 95%CI 2–9.9, p value < 0.001), having dual chamber PM (AOR 2.95, 95%CI 1.14–7.6, p value = 0.006) were predictors of complications. Thirty-one (17%) patients died during the follow-up period. The survival rates of our patients at 3, 5, and 10 years were 94.4%, 92.1%, and 65.5% respectively with a median survival time of 11 years. Patients with a higher Charlson comorbidity index before PM implantation (AOR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1–1.8, p = 0.04), presence of complications (AOR 3.5, 95% CI 1.2–10.6, p < 0.03), and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV (AOR 3.3, 95% CI 1.05–10.1, p = 0.04) were associated with mortality.ConclusionMany complications were experienced by patients who had PMs implanted, and several factors affected their prognosis. Thus, it is essential to identify predictors of both complications and mortality to prioritize and address the manageable factors associated with both mortality and complications.

Immediate Clinical Complications Occurring During Membrane Change in Patients on Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

The clinical tolerance of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) membrane changes in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients under veno-venous ECMO (VV-ECMO) has not been reported. The aim of this study was to describe the tolerance of membrane change. Patients requiring VV-ECMO were retrospectively included between March 2020 and May 2022. In case of membrane dysfunction or an increase in hemolysis markers or an alteration in gas exchange, a membrane change was performed. The primary outcome was a composite measure defined as the occurrence of at least one of the following events within 1 hour of membrane change: severe hypoxemia, hemodynamic collapse, bradycardia, arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, and death. During the study period, 70 patients required a VV-ECMO, 29 (41%) of whom died. Thirty-two patients required a membrane change for a total of 56 changes. The primary outcome occurred for 33 (59%) changes. Arterial desaturation <80% occurred for all complicated membrane changes and cardiac arrest concerned nine changes (16%). Low tidal volume (VT), respiratory system compliance (Crs), PaO2, and high ECMO blood flow (QECMO) were associated with poor tolerance of membrane change. Threshold values of 130 ml for VT, 9.3 cm H2O for Crs, 72 mm Hg for PaO2, and 3.65 L/minute for QECMO best determined the risk of poor tolerance of membrane change.

Cardiorespiratory failure induced by inhalation of aerosolized fentanyl in anesthetized rats

Intravenous rapid injection of fentanyl causes respiratory depression (severe apneas), leading to sudden death, which constitutes the deadliest drug reaction among overdoses of synthetic opioids. Here we asked whether acute inhalation of overdose fentanyl would also result in similar respiratory failure and death. The anesthetized and spontaneously breathing rats with tracheal cannulation were exposed to aerosolized fentanyl at 100 mg/m3 (FNTH) or 30 mg/m3 (FNTL) for 10 min. Minute ventilation (VE), electromyography (EMG) of the internal and external intercostal muscles and thyroarytenoid muscles (EMGII, EMGEI, and EMGTA), heart rate and arterial blood pressure were recorded. During the exposure, FNTH and FNTL immediately triggered bradypnea (40 % reduction, p < 0.05) with TE prolonged and then gradually decreased VE by 40 % (P < 0.05) after a brief VE recovery. The initial TE prolongation (apneas) were characterized by the cessation of EMGEI activity with enhanced tonic discharges of EMGTA and EMGII. After termination of the exposure, the cardiorespiratory responses to FNTL returned to the baseline values 30 min later, while those to FNTH were greatly exacerbated (P < 0.05), leading to ventilatory and cardiac arrest occurred 16.4 ± 4.7 min and 19.3 ± 4.5 min respectively after the onset of FNTH. The ventilatory arrest was featured by cessation of both EMGEI and EMGII and augmentation of tonic EMGTA. Our results suggest that acute exposure to an overdose of fentanyl aerosol leads to death through initially inducing a brief central and upper airway obstructive apnea as well as chest wall rigidity followed by gradual severe hypoventilation, bradycardia and hypotension, and eventual cardiorespiratory arrest in anesthetized rats.

Cardiac arrest during alveolar recruitment manoeuvre under general anaesthesia for laparoscopic surgery.

A 67-year-old woman with no history of cardiovascular disease, undergoing an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy, experienced severe bradycardia and cardiac arrest immediately following an alveolar recruitment manoeuvre under general anaesthesia. Prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation restored cardiac output within 2-3 min. Postoperatively, she remained stable and was discharged following 24 h of monitoring. The cardiac arrest was likely triggered by vagal nerve stimulation and activation of intrinsic cardiac reflexes by the alveolar recruitment manoeuvre. The event emphasises a rare, but significant, risk of the routine management of pulmonary atelectasis.

Long-Term Echocardiographic and Clinical Outcomes After Invasive and Non-Invasive Therapies for Sub-Massive and Massive Acute Pulmonary Embolism

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a significant cause of mortality in the hospital setting. The objective of this study was to outline the long-term outcomes after surgical and non-surgical management for patients with massive and submassive PE. Population cohort observational study evaluating all patients who presented to three tertiary hospitals in the state of Western Australia with access to cardiothoracic services over 5 years (2013-2018). Reviewed notes of all patients as well as radiology, linked mortality data and all available echocardiography studies at the primary hospital. In total, 245 patients were identified, of which 41 received surgical management and 204 non-surgical management; demographic data was similar. Clinically, the surgical group had higher rates of shock requiring vasopressors, severe bradycardia, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation prior to intervention. The 28-day mortality was not statistically significantly different between the surgical embolectomy group (2/41 [4.2%]) and the non-surgical group (17/201 [8.3%]) (p=0.382). There was no difference in 12-month mortality, including when this was adjusted for vasopressors, right ventricular (RV) strain, troponin, and brain natriuretic peptide. In the massive PE sub-group, 28-day mortality was not significantly different: 2/29 (6.9%) surgical group vs 7/34 (20.2%) non-surgical group (p=0.064). Higher rates of severe RV impairment and dilatation were present in the surgical group. All patients with available echocardiography studies at outpatient follow-up returned to normal or mild RV impairment. Patients who presented with massive or submassive PE had similar outcomes whether treated with surgical or non-surgical management. Surgical embolectomy is a safe option in a cardiothoracic centre setting.

Ironing out the Links: Ferroptosis in epilepsy and SUDEP

Iron is a crucial element for almost all organisms because it plays a vital role in oxygen transport, enzymatic processes, and energy generation due to its electron transfer capabilities. However, its dysregulation can lead to a form of programmed cell death known as ferroptosis, which is characterized by cellular iron accumulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and unrestricted lipid peroxidation.Both iron and ferroptosis have been identified as key players in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases. While in epilepsy this phenomenon remains relatively understudied, seizures can be considered hypoxic-ischemic episodes resulting in increased ROS production, lipid peroxidation, membrane disorganization, and cell death. All of this is accompanied by elevated intracellular free Fe2+ concentration and hemosiderin precipitation, as existing reports suggest a significant accumulation of iron in the brain and heart associated with epilepsy.Generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS), a primary risk factor for Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), not only have an impact on the brain but also lead to cardiogenic dysfunctions associated with “Iron Overload and Cardiomyopathy” (IOC) and “Epileptic heart” characterized by electrical and mechanical dysfunction and a high risk of malignant bradycardia. In line with this phenomenon, studies conducted by our research group have demonstrated that recurrent seizures induce hypoxia in cardiomyocytes, resulting in P-glycoprotein (P-gp) overexpression, prolonged Q-T interval, severe bradycardia, and hemosiderin precipitation, correlating with an elevated spontaneous death ratio.In this article, we explore the intricate connections among ferroptosis, epilepsy, and SUDEP. By synthesizing current knowledge and drawing insights from recent publications, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the molecular underpinnings. Furthermore, this review offers insights into potential therapeutic avenues and outlines future research directions.

COMPARATIVE SAFETY EFFICACY OF CONVENTIONAL AND TRADITIONAL MEDICINE FOR COVID-19 TREATMENT: UMBRELLA REVIEW

Until now, no specific drug to kill the virus that causes COVID-19 has received approval from the Food and Drug Association (FDA). However, the drugs that are often used are off-label antiviral drugs. The research design used is an umbrella review that identifies, assesses and interprets all findings on a systematic review and meta-analysis research topic. This umbrella review research involved 76 studies and 871,985 COVID-19 patients. Statins, colchicine, aspirin and siltuximab are associated with a reduced risk of mortality in COVID-19 patients, but siltuximab has the side effects of cytopenias, infections and hypersensitivity reactions. Remdesivir and umifenovir have the side effect of diarrhea, while ribavirin has the side effect of severe bradycardia in COVID-19 patients. Anakinra, oseltamivir, umifenovir, azithromycin, interferon beta and favipiravir are ineffective and have no significant benefit. Meanwhile, treating COVID-19 with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) combined with conventional medicine has excellent results, efficacy, and safety effects. Only Jinhua qinggan granule (JHQG) has side effects in the form of mild diarrhea. Further research is needed regarding the concentration of TCM administered to COVID-19 patients, both children and adults.

Altered firing activity of intracardiac neurons isolated from mice carrying the Scn5a-1798insD mutation

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements None. Background Dysfunction of the cardiac sodium channel Nav1.5 (encoded by SCN5A) is associated with arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death, the mechanisms of which have been extensively studied in cardiomyocytes. However, patients carrying an SCN5A mutation often display clinical symptoms which are not readily explained solely by alterations in cardiomyocyte electrophysiology. For instance, carriers of the SCN5A-1795insD mutation, which is associated with features of Brugada syndrome and Long QT syndrome type 3 (LQT3), display severe bradycardia leading to excessive QT-prolongation and sudden death especially occurring at rest or during the night, suggesting autonomic triggers. Interestingly, SCN5A is not only present in cardiomyocytes, but also in intracardiac neurons (ICN). ICN modulate cardiac electrophysiological properties and their dysregulation may contribute to arrhythmogenesis. Purpose To explore whether ICN from mice carrying the Scn5a-1798insD mutation (the murine equivalent of SCN5A-1795insD) display electrophysiological alterations that may (in part) contribute to the arrhythmogenic phenotype. Methods and Results ICN were isolated by enzymatic dissociation from fat pads located in the pulmonary veins and sinoatrial node regions of the hearts of wild-type (WT) and Scn5a-1798insD mice. Immunodetection of the cholinergic marker ChAT confirmed the prominent cholinergic phenotype of ICN. In agreement with previous reports in other species, we also detected the presence of Nav1.5 in murine ICN. Nav1.5 expression was mainly observed in ChAT positive cells. To evoke repetitive action potential (AP) firing in single ICN, 500 ms-sustained depolarizing current pulses were applied of increasing amplitude (from 0 pA to 150 pA). Two types of neurons were identified on the basis of firing pattern characteristics: accommodating (neurons that discharged multiple APs decrementing in frequency during the pulse) and tonic (neurons that discharged multiple APs at a high frequency). APs firing frequency did not differ between WT and Scn5a-1798insD accommodating ICN, while it was significantly increased in Scn5a-1798insD tonic ICN as compared to WT (at 100 pA, AP count/500ms in WT CMs: 29.5±1.7, n=24; at 100 pA, AP count/500ms in Scn5a-1798insD: 36.2±2.0, n=18, p=0.02). Conclusions The impact of SCN5A mutations on ICN function are unexplored, but may play an essential role in arrhythmogenesis. The increased AP firing frequency observed in Scn5a-1798insD ICN may lead to increased release of neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine, that in turn may contribute to the bradycardia observed in patients. Overall, further elucidation of the electrophysiological consequences of inherited Nav1.5 dysfunction in ICN might provide novel therapeutic targets to prevent lethal arrhythmias.

Cardioneuroablation guided by extracardiac vagal stimulation for cardioinhibitory vasovagal syncope

Abstract Introduction Vasovagal Syncope (VVS) is often linked to abnormal autonomic reflexes, with hypervagotonia identified as a key mechanism, especially in cases with pronounced cardioinhibition. Cardioneuroablation (CNA), which involves radiofrequency ablation of cardiac vagal ganglia, targets parasympathetic hyperactivity, offering a promising treatment for recurrent VVS. This study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of anatomically guided CNA, which may provide an alternative treatment option to pacemaker implantation for younger patients with severe cardioinhibitory VVS. Methods Consecutive patients between January 2019 and October 2023 who underwent CNA at two cardiology centers were enrolled. All patients had a history of recurrent syncope, predominantly cardioinhibitory and unresponsive to conventional treatments. Patients showed no signs of conduction system disease, evidenced by normal rate responses in treadmill stress tests and 24-hour Holter monitoring. Electroanatomic mapping of the left atrium and pulmonary veins was performed. Extracardiac vagal stimulation (ECVS) through the right internal jugular vein, with or without atrial pacing, was utilized to assess baseline responses of the sinus and atrioventricular (AV) nodes. The ablation strategy was tailored based on rhythm disturbances triggered by ECVS, using sequential and anatomically guided ablation of ganglionated parasympathetic plexuses. Radiofrequency ablation, conducted with an irrigated catheter, was guided by the ablation index. Acute success was defined as the absence or significant reduction of cardiac parasympathetic response to ECVS, indicated by the elimination of asystole, severe bradycardia, or AV block. The primary endpoint was syncope recurrence during follow-up. Results The study included 25 patients (16 males; mean age 36 ± 12 years). All had documented cardioinhibition, identified through ECG monitoring (N=12), implantable loop recorders (N=5), or head-up tilt tests (N=8). The average number of syncopal episodes per patient in the year preceding ablation was 2.7, ranging from 1 to 10. Ablation was acutely successful in all cases. Post-ablation, there were no immediate complications related to the procedure, except for one convulsion deemed unrelated. Over a mean follow-up of 17 ± 14 months, 23 patients remained syncope-free. Two patients experienced syncope recurrence; despite undergoing a repeat ablation, they eventually required pacemaker implantation. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that CNA guided by ECVS, may offer a promising treatment for patients with refractory cardioinhibitory VVS. While the procedure showed a high rate of acute success and a notable reduction in syncope recurrence, further research is warranted to fully establish its role as an alternative to pacemaker implantation.

Clinical analysis of temporary pacemaker implantation in 6 children with fulminant myocarditis.

There is little literature on the use of temporary pacemakers in children with fulminant myocarditis. Therefore, we summarized the use of temporary cardiac pacemakers in children with fulminant myocarditis in our hospital. The clinical data of children with fulminant myocarditis treated with temporary pacemakers in Wuhan Children's Hospital from January 2017 to May 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 6 children were enrolled in the study, including 4 boys and 2 girls, with a median age of 50 months and a median weight of 15kg. The average time from admission to pacemaker placement was 2.75 ± 0.4h. The electrocardiogram showed that all 6 children had third-degree atrioventricular block (III°AVB). The initial pacing voltage, the sensory sensitivity of the ventricle and the pacing frequency were set to 5-10 mV, 5V and 100-120bpm respectively. The sinus rhythm was recovered in 5 patients within 61h (17-134) h, and the median time of using temporary pacemaker was 132h (63-445) h. One of the children had persistent III°AVB after the temporary pacemaker. With parental consent, the child was fitted with a permanent pacemaker on the 12th day of his illness. When fulminant myocarditis leads to severe bradycardia or atrioventricular block in children, temporary pacemakers have the characteristics of high safety to improve the heart function.

Cardiogenic shock in general intensive care unit: a nationwide prospective analysis of epidemiology and outcome

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements None. Background Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a heterogenous, life-threatening disease burdened by a mortality up to 50%. An increasing incidence of the CS related to other etiological causes, including acute decompensated heart failure, has been reported. However, most of the epidemiological data are derived from patients admitted to dedicated acute cardiac care units. Epidemiology and management of CS patients admitted to general intensive care unit (ICU) in Italy is yet unexplored. Purpose To describe the epidemiology, patients feature, management and outcome of CS patients admitted to Italian general ICUs. Methods Prospective multicentric epidemiological study. Over 600 thousand patients admitted to 316 hundred Italian general intensive care units from 2011 to 2018 were screened trough PROSAFE software. The Margherita PROSAFE project is an observational project for the continuous electronic collection of data on patients admitted to ICUs; it is developed by the GiViTI (Gruppo italiano per la valutazione degli interventi in terapia intensiva - Italian Group for the Evaluation of Interventions in Intensive Care Medicine). The primary outcome of the analysis was hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included description of patients features and management. Results 11661 patients (72.1±12.1 years old.; 39.5% women) with a diagnosis of CS were included in the analysis. ICU and in-hospital mortality were respectively 45.5 % and 53.9%. Highest mortality was observed for pulmonary embolism (58.4%), right heart failure (56.3%) and acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) (44.2%). 46.9% of patients presented with more than 3 organ failure (panel A). CS commonest aetiologies were ADHF (63,3%), acute myocardial infarction (19.8%) and right heart failure (11%). Invasive mechanical ventilation was used in the 88.6% of cases. Intra-aortic balloon pump was placed in 15.2%, with higher frequency in ischemic aetiologies (43.9%) and ADHF (13.7%); VA-ECMO was most frequently placed in the right heart failure (3.7%) and acute myocardial infarction (2.6%) groups. The factors independently associated with increased hospital mortality were increasing age (p &amp;lt;0.001), lower Glasgow coma scale (p &amp;lt;0.001), hypoxemia (PaO2 &amp;lt;100, OR: 1.91; 95% Cl: 1.58 – 2.3; p &amp;lt;0.001), bradycardia (OR: 1.84; 95% Cl: 1.49 – 2.26; p &amp;lt;0.001), hypotension (OR: 1.27; 95% Cl: 1.12 – 1.43; p &amp;lt;0.001), bilirubin above 12 mg/dl (OR: 7.90; 95% Cl: 2.56 – 24.3), increased creatinine (p &amp;lt;0.001) and reduced platelets (&amp;lt;50000 U/mL, OR: 2.43; 95% Cl: 1.78 – 3.31; p &amp;lt;0.001) (panel B). Curiously, in the predictive model a BMI above normal values was protective as well as tachycardia compared to severe bradycardia (panel C). Conclusions The etiology of CS in general intensive care units is heterogeneous with acute heart failure being the commonest. The mortality rate remains unacceptably high with right heart failure and acute heart failure being burden by the worst outcome.

Sudden Death Induced by Rapid Intravenous Injection of Fentanyl in Conscious Rats

The sudden death induced by rapid intravenous (IVr) injection of overdose FNT in clinical settings is commonly observed in conscious humans and more often in the males than females. Our previous study has shown that IVr injection of FNT induces a long-lasting apnea associated with bradycardia and hypotension in anesthetized rats (Zhuang et al. 2023 EB). This study aimed to determine whether a lethal dose of FNT could cause sudden death with the mortality being higher in male rats than female ones and whether the FNT-induced respiratory disorder, especially ventilatory arrest, but not cardiac arrest, was the trigger of the death. The rat previously instrumented with ECG electrodes and jugular vein cannulation was placed in a restraint tube that was connected to a plethysmograph chamber to record cardiorespiratory activities. We found that FNT at doses &lt;2 mg/kg induced an immediate persistent apnea, lasting less than 1 min, associated with bradycardia. Following restoration of respiratory rhythm, the rats showed depressed VE and bradycardia for several hours and the cardiorespiratory variables recovered next day. A lethal dose of FNT at 3 mg/kg, compared to FNT at &lt;2 mg/kg, induced an even longer apnea (lasting &gt;1.5 min) accompanied with more severe bradycardia. This sustained apnea was usually interrupted by brief restoration of breathing, which was followed by ventilatory and cardiac arrest occurring at approximately 5 min and 10 min post injection respectively. Although the initial cardiorespiratory response to FNT appeared to be similar in both genders, the death rate was relatively higher in male rats than female ones. In conclusion, our study establishes an animal model of IVr injection of overdose FNT-induced sudden death occurring within minutes. The sudden death is the result of ventilatory, but not cardiac, arrest following a brief restoration of respiratory activity from a sustained apnea. Supported by NIH R01 grants HL163512 and DA059063. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

The effectiveness of dexmedetomidine cardioprotection during vascular surgery in high cardiac risk patients

The objective was to study the occurrence of perioperative cardiovascular complications (CVС) and clinical and laboratory cardioprotection parameters in patients treated with dexmedetomidine infusion in perioperative period of vascular surgery.Materials and methods. The study involved 204 patients with high cardiac risk (revised cardiac risk index &gt; 2, risk of perioperative myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest &gt; 1%) who underwent elective vascular surgery. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. Group I patients received perioperative infusion of dexmedetomidine at a dose 0.40 [0.34–0.47] mg/kg/h during 7.0 [6.0–8.0]) hours. Group II was a control group. In the perioperative period, the occurrence of CVC, the blood level of the N-terminal fragment of the prohormone B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and cardiospecific troponin I (cTnI) were analyzed. The data were statistically processed, using the Fisher’s exact test, Mann–Whitney test and logistic regression.Results. Perioperative CVC without taking into account arterial hypotension were recorded in 3 (2.9%) patients in group I and in 14 (13.7%) patients in group II (p = 0.009). Arterial hypotension was recorded in 14 (13.7%) patients in group I and in 5 (4.9%) patients in group II (p = 0.051). Perioperative dexmedetomidine infusion reduced the risk of CVC, except for arterial hypotension (OR 0.1905, 95% CI 0.0530–0.6848, p = 0.011) and increased the risk of arterial hypotension (OR 3.5787, 95% CI 1.1254–11.3796, p = 0.031). The cTnI level in patients of groups I and II was 0.017 [0.011–0.024] and 0.019 [0.011–0.028] ng/ml (p = 0.196) before surgery, 0.02 [0.011–0.029] and 0.02 [0.015–0.039] ng/ml (p = 0.050) after surgery, 0.018 [0.014–0.024] and 0.028 [0.018–0.033] ng/ml (p = 0.0002) before discharge from the hospital. At the same stages, the level of NT-proBNP was 221.5 [193.3–306.5] and 237.8 [171.3–310.1] pg/ml (p = 0.572), 237.0 [205–303.5] and 289.0 [217.5–409.5] pg/ml (p = 0.007), 250.5 [198.8–302.0] and 259.6 [171.0–421.6] pg/ml (p = 0.933).Conclusion. In patients at high cardiac risk undergoing vascular surgery, perioperative dexmedetomidine infusion reduces the risk of a composite outcome including cardiac mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, myocardial ischemia, pulmonary embolism, stroke, hypertension, and arrhythmias, while the risk of arterial hypotension increases significantly. The perioperative dynamics of cTnI and NT-proBNP require further research. The start of dexmedetomidine infusion in 2.7% of cases is accompanied by severe bradycardia, requiring discontinuation of the infusion.

Sinus arrest during thoracic drain placement in a dog

AbstractA 5‐year‐old female neutered Podenco Canario dog presented with a moderate pleural effusion and subsequently underwent placement of bilateral thoracic drains. Pre‐medication consisted of intravenous medetomidine (2 µg/kg) and methadone (0.2 mg/kg), followed by induction with propofol (2.1 mg/kg, via intravenous administration). Anaesthesia was maintained with isoflurane in 100% oxygen. The modified Seldinger technique was used to place bilateral small‐bore, wire‐guided thoracic drains. During placement of the first chest drain, the dog developed sinus arrest. It is suspected that there was direct vagal nerve stimulation by the guide wire during placement, leading to severe bradycardia and subsequent sinus arrest that was responsive to atropine. It is important to note that the definitive cause of the transient cardiac arrest could not be ascertained. It is possible that this is a rare complication of thoracic drain placement, warranting further research in this area.

Management of Patients Post Laminectomy Decompression Et Causa Spinal Cord Injury Cervical Vertebrae 1-7 with Hyperglikemia in Intensive Care Unit

Background: In the United States, in 2008 of 100,000 cases of spinal cord injury, 2/3 were cases of cervical injury. Patients who experience cervical to thoracic Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) above T8, usually have impaired function of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles which causes respiratory failure. Neurogenic shock occurs in patients who experience SCI above T6 which causes vasodilation, hypotension and severe bradycardia or asystole when stimulating vagal reflexes such as laryngoscopy or suctioning.Case: The patient was diagnosed with SCI cervical vertebrae 1-7. The patient underwent decompressive laminectomy et causa SCI cervical vertebrae 1-7 and hyperglycemia. Management includes surgical therapy, management of respiratory failure in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), pharmacological therapy include insulin for hyperglicemia control, and support for neurogenic shock and physioterapy.Discussion: Patients with SCI require laminectomy, supportive therapy, pharmacotherapy include insulin, neurogenic shock, and respiratory support if there is respiratory failure. In cases of injury to cervical vertebrae 1-7, the patient requires ventilator support to assist the function of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, pharmacological supportive therapy for neurogenic shock, as well as care from a sub-endocrine specialist to treat hyperglycemia. Stress-induced hyperglycemia was occurred due to CNS injury.Conclusion: Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is a disorder of the spinal cord or spinal cord with neurological symptoms ranging from motor, sensory and autonomic function. Respiratory failure in SCI above thoracic 8, is due to disturbances in the function of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles. The occurrence of neurogenic shock in SCI cases, especially above thoracic 6, manifests in the form of vasodilation, hypotension and severe bradycardia or asystole. Management in the ICU includes hemodynamic monitoring, respiratory failure, prevention of neurogenic shock, and pharmacology to treat hyperglycemia. Biochemical parameters, nutritional status, and respiratory function were also monitored.

Attenuation of hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation using oral ivabradine – Randomised controlled trial

Endotracheal intubation is one of the most common procedures, and anesthesiologists play an important role in patient care. During laryngoscopy and intubation, the patient can experience rapid and drastic hemodynamic changes that are potentially fatal. The purpose of this study is to know the efficacy of ivabradine in attenuating the hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation. In this prospective randomised double-blinded study, fifty patients belonging to ASA 1 and 2 were randomised to group A - ivabradine 5mg (first dose on the evening before the day of surgery and the second dose one hour before intubation). Patients in group B received tablet MVT (placebo) (first dose on the evening before the day of surgery and the second dose one hour before intubation). Patients in group A showed attenuation of heart rate during laryngoscopy and intubation till 10minutes after intubation. Patients in group B showed a rise in blood pressure during laryngoscopy and intubation till 10 minutes after intubation. Patients in group A and group B showed no significant difference in hemodynamics when monitored intraoperatively. All patients recovered fully from anaesthesia and had no complications such as severe bradycardia. Ivabradine effectively attenuates the hemodynamic stress response without a fall in blood pressure and without severe bradycardia.