BACKGROUND: The randomized, sham-controlled RADIANCE-HTN (A Study of the Recor Medical Paradise System in Clinical Hypertension) SOLO, RADIANCE-HTN TRIO, and RADIANCE II (A Study of the Recor Medical Paradise System in Stage II Hypertension) trials independently met their primary end point of a greater reduction in daytime ambulatory systolic blood pressure (SBP) 2 months after ultrasound renal denervation (uRDN) in patients with hypertension. To characterize the longer-term effectiveness and safety of uRDN versus sham at 6 months, after the blinded addition of antihypertensive treatments (AHTs), we pooled individual patient data across these 3 similarly designed trials. METHODS: Patients with mild to moderate hypertension who were not on AHT or with hypertension resistant to a standardized combination triple AHT were randomized to uRDN (n=293) versus sham (n=213); they were to remain off of added AHT throughout 2 months of follow-up unless specified blood pressure (BP) criteria were exceeded. In each trial, if monthly home BP was ≥135/85 mm Hg from 2 to 5 months, standardized AHT was sequentially added to target home BP <135/85 mm Hg under blinding to initial treatment assignment. Six-month outcomes included baseline- and AHT-adjusted change in daytime ambulatory, home, and office SBP; change in AHT; and safety. Linear mixed regression models using all BP measurements and change in AHT from baseline through 6 months were used. RESULTS: Patients (70% men) were 54.1±9.3 years of age with a baseline daytime ambulatory/home/office SBP of 150.5±9.8/151.0±12.4/155.5±14.4 mm Hg, respectively. From 2 to 6 months, BP decreased in both groups with AHT titration, but fewer uRDN patients were prescribed AHT ( P =0.004), and fewer additional AHT were prescribed to uRDN patients versus sham patients ( P =0.001). Whereas the unadjusted between-group difference in daytime ambulatory SBP was similar at 6 months, the baseline and medication-adjusted between-group difference at 6 months was −3.0 mm Hg (95% CI, −5.7, −0.2; P =0.033), in favor of uRDN+AHT. For home and office SBP, the adjusted between-group differences in favor of uRDN+AHT over 6 months were −5.4 mm Hg (−6.8, −4.0; P <0.001) and −5.2 mm Hg (−7.1, −3.3; P <0.001), respectively. There was no heterogeneity between trials. Safety outcomes were few and did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS: This individual patient-data analysis of 506 patients included in the RADIANCE trials demonstrates the maintenance of BP-lowering efficacy of uRDN versus sham at 6 months, with fewer added AHTs. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifiers: NCT02649426 and NCT03614260.
Background: For patients with high-risk pulmonary artery embolism (PE), catheter-directed therapies pose a viable alternative treatment option to systemic thrombolysis or anticoagulation. Right now, there are multiple devices available which have been proven to be safe and effective in lower-risk settings. There is, however, little data comparing their efficacies in high-risk PE. Methods: We performed a retrospective, single-center study on patients with high-risk PE undergoing catheter interventional treatment. Patients receiving large-bore catheter thrombectomy were compared to patients receiving alternative treatment forms. Results: Of the 20 patients included, 9 received large-bore thrombectomy, and 11 received alternative interventional treatments. While the baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups, periprocedural and in-hospital mortality tended to be significantly lower with large-bore thrombectomy when compared to other treatment forms (0 vs. 55% and 33 vs. 82%, p = 0.07 and 0.01, respectively). Conclusions: In this small, retrospective study, large-bore thrombectomy was associated with lower mortality as compared to alternative treatment forms. Future prospective research is needed to corroborate these findings.
Many forms of human hypertension are associated with an increased systemic sympathetic activity.Especially the renal sympathetic nervous system has been found to play a prominent role in this context.Therefore, catheterinterventional renal sympathetic denervation (RDN) has been established as a treatment for patients suffering from therapy resistant hypertension in the past decade.The initial enthusiasm for this treatment was markedly dampened by the results of the Symplicity-HTN-3 trial, although the transferability of the results into clinical practice to date appears to be questionable.In contrast to the extensive use of RDN in treating hypertensive patients within or without clinical trial settings over the past years, its effects on the complex pathophysiological mechanisms underlying therapy resistant hypertension are only partly understood and are part of ongoing research.Effects of RDN have been described on many levels in human trials: From altered systemic sympathetic activity across cardiac and metabolic alterations down to changes in renal function.Most of these changes could sustainably change long-term morbidity and mortality of the treated patients, even if blood pressure remains unchanged.Furthermore, a number of promising predictors for a successful treatment with RDN have been identified recently and further trials are ongoing.This will certainly help to improve the preselection of potential candidates for RDN and thereby optimize treatment outcomes.This review summarizes important pathophysiologic effects of renal denervation and illustrates the currently known predictors for therapy success.
Left atrial (LA) reservoir strain provides prognostic information in patients with and without heart failure (HF), but might be altered by atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of the current study was to investigate changes of LA deformation in patients undergoing cardioversion (CV) for first-time diagnosis of AF.We performed 3D-echocardiography and strain analysis before CV (Baseline), after 25 ± 10 days (FU-1) and after 190 ± 20 days (FU-2). LA volumes, reservoir, conduit and active function were measured. In total, 51 patients were included of whom 35 were in SR at FU-1 (12 HF and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)), while 16 had ongoing recurrence of AF (9 HFpEF). LA maximum volume was unaffected by cardioversion (Baseline vs. FU-2: 41 ± 11 vs 40 ± 10 ml/m2; p = 0.85). Restored SR led to a significant increase in LA reservoir strain (Baseline vs FU-1: 12.9 ± 6.8 vs 24.6 ± 9.4, p < 0.0001), mediated by restored LA active strain (SR group Baseline vs. FU-1: 0 ± 0 vs. 12.3 ± 5.3%, p < 0.0001), while LA conduit strain remained unchanged (Baseline vs. FU-1: 12.9 ± 6.8 vs 13.1 ± 6.2, p = 0.78). Age-controlled LA active strain remained the only significant predictor of LA reservoir strain on multivariable analysis (β 1.2, CI 1.04-1.4, p < 0.0001). HFpEF patients exhibited a significant increase in LA active (8.2 ± 4.3 vs 12.2 ± 6.6%, p = 0.004) and reservoir strain (18.3 ± 5.7 vs. 22.8 ± 8.8, p = 0.04) between FU-1 and FU-2, associated with improved LV filling (r = 0.77, p = 0.005).Reestablished SR improves LA reservoir strain by restoring LA active strain. Despite prolonged atrial stunning following CV, preserved SR might be of hemodynamic and prognostic benefit in HFpEF.
BACKGROUND:The widely used macrolide antibiotic azithromycin increases risk of cardiovascular and sudden cardiac death, although the underlying mechanisms are unclear.Case reports, including the one we document here, demonstrate that azithromycin can cause rapid, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia in the absence of QT prolongation, indicating a novel proarrhythmic syndrome.We investigated the electrophysiological effects of azithromycin in vivo and in vitro using mice, cardiomyocytes, and human ion channels heterologously expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. METHODS AND RESULTS:In conscious telemetered mice, acute intraperitoneal and oral administration of azithromycin caused effects consistent with multi-ion channel block, with significant sinus slowing and increased PR, QRS, QT, and QTc intervals, as seen with azithromycin overdose.Similarly, in HL-1 cardiomyocytes, the drug slowed sinus automaticity, reduced phase 0 upstroke slope, and prolonged action potential duration.Acute exposure to azithromycin reduced peak SCN5A currents in HEK cells (IC 50 =110±3 μmol/L) and Na + current in mouse ventricular myocytes.However, with chronic (24 hour) exposure, azithromycin caused a ≈2-fold increase in both peak and late SCN5A currents, with findings confirmed for I Na in cardiomyocytes.Mild block occurred for K + currents representing I Kr (CHO cells expressing hERG; IC 50 =219±21 μmol/L) and I Ks (CHO cells expressing KCNQ1+KCNE1; IC 50 =184±12 μmol/L), whereas azithromycin suppressed L-type Ca ++ currents (rabbit ventricular myocytes, IC 50 =66.5±4μmol/L) and I K1 (HEK cells expressing Kir2.1, IC 50 =44±3 μmol/L). CONCLUSIONS:Chronic exposure to azithromycin increases cardiac Na + current to promote intracellular Na + loading, providing a potential mechanistic basis for the novel form of proarrhythmia seen with this macrolide antibiotic.
'%3e%3cpath fill='%23012169' d='M0 0v30h60V0z'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='6' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='4' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30' clip-path='url(%23b)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='10' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='6' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
