BACKGROUND In Tunisia, the number of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) is increasing, owing to the increase in patient life expectancy and expanding indications. Despite their life-saving potential and a significant reduction in population morbidity and mortality, their increased numbers have been associated with the development of multiple early and late complications related to vascular access, pockets, leads, or patient characteristics. OBJECTIVE The study aims to identify the rate, type, and predictors of complications occurring within the first year after CIED implantation. It also aims to describe the demographic and epidemiological characteristics of a nationwide sample of patients with CIED in Tunisia. Additionally, the study will evaluate the extent to which Tunisian electrophysiologists follow international guidelines for cardiac pacing and sudden cardiac death prevention. METHODS The Tunisian National Study of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices (NATURE-CIED) is a national, multicenter, prospectively monitored study that includes consecutive patients who underwent primary CIED implantation, generator replacement, and upgrade procedure. Patients were enrolled between January 18, 2021, and February 18, 2022, at all Tunisian public and private CIED implantation centers that agreed to participate in the study. All enrolled patients entered a 1-year follow-up period, with 4 consecutive visits at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after CIED implantation. The collected data are recorded electronically on the clinical suite platform (DACIMA Clinical Suite). RESULTS The study started on January 18, 2021, and concluded on February 18, 2023. In total, 27 cardiologists actively participated in data collection. Over this period, 1500 patients were enrolled in the study consecutively. The mean age of the patients was 70.1 (SD 15.2) years, with a sex ratio of 1:15. Nine hundred (60%) patients were from the public sector, while 600 (40%) patients were from the private sector. A total of 1298 (86.3%) patients received a conventional pacemaker and 75 (5%) patients received a biventricular pacemaker (CRT-P). Implantable cardioverter defibrillators were implanted in 127 (8.5%) patients. Of these patients, 45 (3%) underwent CRT-D implantation. CONCLUSIONS This study will establish the most extensive contemporary longitudinal cohort of patients undergoing CIED implantation in Tunisia, presenting a significant opportunity for real-world clinical epidemiology. It will address a crucial gap in the management of patients during the perioperative phase and follow-up, enabling the identification of individuals at particularly high risk of complications for optimal care. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05361759; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05361759 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR1-10.2196/47525
Paravalvular leaks (PVLs) are complications of a surgical or percutaneous valve replacement. They are persistent defects between the native annulus and the sewing ring, which result in a regurgitant prosthesis. They are observed in 2–18% of patients after a surgical valve replacement (SVR) and in 7–40% after a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Clinical manifestations are heart failure and hemolysis. They develop in 1–5% of PVL patients, and they have a poor prognosis. Surgery was the only available treatment to improve the patient’s outcome. But it is a high-risk surgery in frail patients and PVL relapse is not rare. Percutaneous PVL closure has emerged as a promising technique. Nevertheless, it needs a careful assessment, demands high technical expertise, and still has limitations. This chapter focuses on the diagnosis of PVL after a SVR and transcatheter PVL closure (TPVL).
Background: Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy occurs typicallly after an intrinsic adrenergic hyperstimulation triggered by a psychological or physically stressful event. Exceptionally, it may be caused by an exogenous hyperadrenergism. We report the case of an 85 year old man, hypertensive, with a history of ischemic stroke. He consulted for signs of heart failure with recurrent dizziness two weeks which was explained by an atrioventricular block. Initial echocardiography showed left ventricular ejection fraction to 60% with no wall motion abnormalities. The patient received iso-prenaline (0.02 mcg/kg/mn) for 20 hours before the implantation of a single chamber pacemaker. At 24 hours of admission an acute pulmonary edema occurred. The control echocardiography showed impaired left ventricular ejection fraction of 25% with apical ballooning and akinesis was also found on ventricu-lography. Coronary angiography showed no significant coronary lesions. Troponin level was elevated to 2 ng/ml. The pulmonary edema was then controlled. Subsequent clinical and echocardiographic were favo- rable after two weeks which was consistent with the diagnosis of tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy. Conclusion: This case illustrates an example of tako-tsubo syndrome induced by an exogenous catecholergic stimulation (isoprenaline) combined with an endogenous release after a pacemaker implantation which confirmed the physiopathological hypothesis of a catecholamine-mediated stunning in tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy.
This study was designed to evaluate the care of hypertensive patients in daily clinical practice in public and private centers in all Tunisian regions.
Atrial septal defects (ASD) constitute the most frequent congenital heart disease in adults and ostium secundum (OS) the most common type. Benefit of its closure in adulthood has long been controversial.To evaluate outcomes of OS-ASD closure in adults.Retrospective cohort study, over a ten-year period from 2008 to 2018. All adults (≥20 years old) who benefited from OS-ASD closure were included. Study endpoints were closure success rate, functional status evolution and incidence of new arrhythmias at 12 months.Fifty patients were recruited. Dyspnea (≥ NYHA II) was noted in 58% and arrhythmia in 18% of patients. Feasibility of a percutaneous closure was 50%. Closure success rate was 100%. Surgery was associated with high postoperative morbidity with longer hospitalization stay (20 vs. 4 days, p <0.001). At 12 months, an improvement in functional status was observed in 79%. Incidence of new arrhythmias was 5%. A significant decrease in right cavities dilation as well as pulmonary arterial pressure has been reported.Immediate results of OS-ASD closure in adults are satisfactory. Percutaneous closure is associated with reduced hospital morbidity. At 12 months, a significant improvement in functional status was observed however the possible occurrence of new arrhythmias imposes a close follow-up.
Background In Tunisia, the number of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) is increasing, owing to the increase in patient life expectancy and expanding indications. Despite their life-saving potential and a significant reduction in population morbidity and mortality, their increased numbers have been associated with the development of multiple early and late complications related to vascular access, pockets, leads, or patient characteristics. Objective The study aims to identify the rate, type, and predictors of complications occurring within the first year after CIED implantation. It also aims to describe the demographic and epidemiological characteristics of a nationwide sample of patients with CIED in Tunisia. Additionally, the study will evaluate the extent to which Tunisian electrophysiologists follow international guidelines for cardiac pacing and sudden cardiac death prevention. Methods The Tunisian National Study of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices (NATURE-CIED) is a national, multicenter, prospectively monitored study that includes consecutive patients who underwent primary CIED implantation, generator replacement, and upgrade procedure. Patients were enrolled between January 18, 2021, and February 18, 2022, at all Tunisian public and private CIED implantation centers that agreed to participate in the study. All enrolled patients entered a 1-year follow-up period, with 4 consecutive visits at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after CIED implantation. The collected data are recorded electronically on the clinical suite platform (DACIMA Clinical Suite). Results The study started on January 18, 2021, and concluded on February 18, 2023. In total, 27 cardiologists actively participated in data collection. Over this period, 1500 patients were enrolled in the study consecutively. The mean age of the patients was 70.1 (SD 15.2) years, with a sex ratio of 1:15. Nine hundred (60%) patients were from the public sector, while 600 (40%) patients were from the private sector. A total of 1298 (86.3%) patients received a conventional pacemaker and 75 (5%) patients received a biventricular pacemaker (CRT-P). Implantable cardioverter defibrillators were implanted in 127 (8.5%) patients. Of these patients, 45 (3%) underwent CRT-D implantation. Conclusions This study will establish the most extensive contemporary longitudinal cohort of patients undergoing CIED implantation in Tunisia, presenting a significant opportunity for real-world clinical epidemiology. It will address a crucial gap in the management of patients during the perioperative phase and follow-up, enabling the identification of individuals at particularly high risk of complications for optimal care. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05361759; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05361759 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR1-10.2196/47525