Masry, Hicham El

ABSTRACT Background Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is an emerging non‐thermal ablation modality with proven safety in atrial arrhythmia ablation. However, data on its performance for ventricular arrhythmias (VA) remain limited. Objective To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of PFA for complex VA in a multicenter real‐world US registry. Methods This retrospective study included consecutive patients undergoing PFA for ventricular tachycardia (VT) or premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) at three Mayo Clinic centers (April 2024 to July 2025). The primary feasibility outcome was the successful delivery of PFA lesions to the intended target substrate. Primary efficacy outcomes included acute procedural success; sustained VT recurrence requiring implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (ICD) shocks or multiple antitachycardia pacing therapies; and ≥ 80% reduction in PVC burden. Safety outcomes included procedural complications, valvular function, thromboembolic events, renal function, and conduction disturbances. Results Twenty‐six patients were included (13 PVC, 13 VT). Acute success was achieved in all VT ablations (69.2% complete; 30.8% partial) and in 92.3% of PVC ablations. Complications occurred in 11.5% of patients (transient LBBB [ n = 1] and vascular complications [ n = 2]). No thromboembolic events, intracardiac thrombus, or acute kidney injury were observed. Lesions near the mitral valve apparatus did not worsen mitral regurgitation, including in patients with pre‐existing valve disease. After a median follow‐up of 365 days, one patient experienced VT recurrence requiring ICD shocks. Estimated recurrence‐free survival after VT ablation was 61.5% at 12 months; 58.3% of PVC patients achieved ≥ 80% burden reduction. Conclusion PFA for VA appears feasible and acutely effective, with a low rate of procedure‐related complications. While acute success was high, long‐term outcomes were acceptable for VT ablation and relatively modest for PVC ablation, highlighting the need for continued refinement of technology and energy‐delivery strategies. Larger prospective studies are warranted.

Background Connective tissue disorders (CTDs) such as Marfan syndrome, Loeys-Dietz syndrome, and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are traditionally defined by vascular fragility and aortic complications. Increasing evidence, however, demonstrates that CTDs also predispose to atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, often independent of overt cardiomyopathy or severe valvular disease. Content This review integrates emerging data on the arrhythmogenic substrates of CTDs. Four mechanistic bridges are emphasized: (1) diffuse myocardial fibrosis driven by dysregulated TGF-β signaling, (2) structural valve and annular abnormalities, particularly mitral valve prolapse and mitral annular disjunction, (3) altered mechanotransduction linking extracellular matrix instability to cytoskeletal and nuclear signaling pathways, and (4) downstream ion-channel and gap-junction remodeling as secondary amplifiers. We outline the genetic architecture underlying these processes, focusing on established CTD-implicated genes in the TGF-β/SMAD pathway, valve and annulus regulators, cytoskeletal and myocyte-coupling proteins, and extracellular matrix components, while incorporating emerging CTD modifiers that expand the spectrum of arrhythmia susceptibility. Summary Recognition of CTDs as both vascular and electrical disorders reframes clinical management. Imaging markers such as mitral annular disjunction and diffuse fibrosis, together with targeted ambulatory rhythm monitoring and consideration of genetic context, may improve recognition of higher-risk phenotypes. Therapeutic strategies must balance arrhythmia control with procedural risk in fragile connective tissue substrates. Conclusions By unifying genetic, mechanistic, and clinical insights, this review provides an integrated framework for understanding arrhythmias in CTDs. It underscores the need for prospective registries and genotype-phenotype studies to refine surveillance and prevention strategies.

Multimodality imaging plays a pivotal role in ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation by providing critical insights into arrhythmogenic substrates and guiding procedural strategies. This updated review explores the integration of various imaging techniques, including echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), electroanatomical mapping (EAM), and nuclear imaging, to optimize VT ablation outcomes. Echocardiography, particularly transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), is an essential first-line tool for evaluating structural heart disease and left ventricular function. Moreover, echocardiography aids in risk stratification and procedural planning by detecting regional wall motion abnormalities and thrombus formation. Meanwhile, intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) enhances ablation precision by providing real-time catheter visualization, improving procedural success, and reducing complications such as cardiac tamponade. Nonetheless, CMR is the gold standard for myocardial tissue characterization, enabling the identification of scar burden and conduction channels critical for VT pathogenesis. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) facilitates preprocedural planning by localizing arrhythmogenic substrates, predicting VT recurrence risk, and informing ablation strategies. Additionally, T1- and T2-mapping techniques refine the assessment of myocardial fibrosis and inflammation, further improving patient selection and outcomes. MDCT complements CMR by offering high-resolution anatomical visualization and aids in delineating scar distribution, epicardial fat, and vascular structures, informing safe and effective ablation approaches. The integration of these imaging modalities significantly enhances VT ablation precision, reduces recurrence rates, and improves patient outcomes.

Abstract Introduction Despite its prevalence, risk stratification for tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy remains poorly understood. A deep learning model developed at Mayo Clinic uses standard 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) to predict reduced LVEF (≤35%) in the general population with high accuracy (AUC 0.93) Purpose We investigated the performance of AI-ECG in predicting systolic dysfunction among patients with atrial fibrillation and rapid ventricular response, and compared it with NT-proBNP. Methods We conducted a retrospective study (IRB approval #25-000904) of adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) evaluated across our Clinic enterprise with atrial fibrillation and rapid ventricular response (heart rate >100 bpm), including AF occurring in-hospital and AF at presentation, between January 2017 and May 2025. We excluded patients with a known history of heart failure with reduced EF (<50%). We also collected data on NT-proBNP levels when available within one week of the ECG and echocardiogram. Results A total of 11,801 patients were included, with a mean age of 73.2 +- 12.6 years, 48.6% female and 94.8% White. A combination of AI ECG low EF probability cutoff of 75% had specificity of 96% and 98% NPV in ruling out LVEF < 35%. A combination of AI ECG low EF probability cutoff of 17% and LVEF <35% provided the best balance of sensitivity and specificity, 66% and 78%, respectively with an accuracy of 78%. NT-proBNP data was available on 5,279 patients (48%). Mean NT-proBNP level was 4090 pg/mL. Based on ROC curve analysis, AI ECG was superior to NT-proBNP in predicting LVEF <35% (AUC 0.72 vs 0.59), with accuracy of 77% versus 47% at Youden’s cutpoints of AI-ECG probability of 17% and NT-proBNP level of 1767 pg/mL, respectively Conclusions Our study demonstrates the utility of AI-ECG in predicting reduced LVEF among patients with AF RVR. AI-ECG demonstrated excellent specificity and NPV in ruling out reduced LVEF, serving as a powerful clinical screening tool to assist with the pharmacologic choice of rate control and could change the timing of further echocardiographic evaluation. Our study offers novel insights paving the way for future investigations to help fine-tune and further delineate the role of AI ECG in risk stratifying patients with suspected tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy, guiding therapeutic and diagnostic clinical decisions

Background: AF in the setting of cardiac amyloidosis is associated with a high risk of TEs, irrespective of CHA2DS2-VASc score. While warfarin has been the traditional anticoagulant, DOACs offer a promising alternative, but their safety in this population remains underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of thromboembolic events (TEs), including stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA), and major bleeding events in patients with cardiac amyloidosis (CA) and atrial fibrillation (AF) treated with either warfarin or direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Additionally, we aimed to explore whether DOACs are at least as effective as warfarin in protecting against TEs in this population. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed 422 patients with confirmed CA and AF from Mayo Clinic, with a median follow-up of 4.3 years. Data on anticoagulation therapy, baseline characteristics, and outcomes (TEs and bleeding) were collected. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, t-tests, and Cox regression to assess the relationship between anticoagulation and TE. Results: Among 422 patients, 21 experienced a TE. The annual event rate was 0.83% for warfarin and 0.67% for DOACs, with no significant difference (HR 0.66, CI 0.22–2.01, p = 0.5). Patients with anticoagulation interruptions > 5 days had increased TE risk (HR 3.19, CI 0.97–10.5, p = 0.056). The bleeding rate was 9.9% over 4.3 years (2.33% per year), with no significant differences between anticoagulants. Conclusions: Both warfarin and DOACs have similar, low risks of TEs in CA and AF patients. However, anticoagulation interruptions were associated with increased TE risk, emphasizing the challenges in managing anticoagulation in this population.

Background/Objectives: Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) often results from structural degeneration of the aortic wall. Traditional management focuses on hemodynamic control using beta-blockers (BB) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), originally developed for diabetes and weight management, may offer additional vascular protective benefits through anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and matrix-stabilizing mechanisms. However, their role in reducing mortality and thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) risk in patients with TAA has not been evaluated in human populations. In this study, we aimed to assess the association between GLP-1 RA use and the risks of mortality and thoracic aortic dissection. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults diagnosed with TAA between 2018 and 2024 across three Mayo Clinic sites. Patients receiving GLP-1 RAs were compared with non-users using 1:1 propensity score matching. Outcomes included all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and incident TAD. Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses were performed. Results: A total of 32,279 patients with TAA, with a median age of 68.0 [IQR: 59.0–76.0] and 70.7% male, were included in a 1:1 propensity score match. This yielded a balanced cohort of 588 GLP-1 RA users and 588 non-users. Through a median follow-up of 4.1 (2.2, 5.9) years, GLP-1 RA use was associated with significantly lower 5-year cumulative incidence of all-cause mortality (5.0% vs. 14.5%, HR: 0.31; 95% CI: 0.19–0.50; p < 0.001), cardiovascular mortality (1.9% vs. 5.5%, HR: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.13–0.70; p = 0.005), and TAD (0.9% vs. 4.0%, HR: 0.19; 95% CI: 0.06–0.60; p < 0.0004). Conclusions: GLP-1 RAs are associated with reduced incidence of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and TAD incidence in patients with TAA. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and evaluate effects on aneurysm progression.

Background Marfan syndrome (MFS) is associated with progressive aortic and valvular disease requiring cardiac surgery, but contemporary data on repeat cardiac operations in adults remain limited. Methods We performed a retrospective multicentre cohort study of 783 adults with MFS evaluated across three Mayo Clinic sites. Cardiac operations, postoperative complications, echocardiographic findings and redo sternotomy events were identified by chart review. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with redo sternotomy. Results Overall, 454 patients (58.0%) underwent at least one cardiac operation, and 185 patients (23.6% of the total cohort; 41.0% of operated patients) required redo sternotomy. The most common procedures were aortic root intervention (53.4%), aortic valve intervention (39.6%), mitral valve intervention (16.1%) and tricuspid valve intervention (2.6%). Valvular abnormalities were frequent, including mitral regurgitation (51.5%), mitral valve prolapse (41.1%), tricuspid regurgitation (44.6%) and aortic regurgitation (28.5%). Major postoperative complications occurred in 15.3% of patients. On multivariate analysis, hypertension (OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.54 to 3.72), emergent initial operation (OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.97 to 5.80) and postoperative complications (OR 2.59, 95% CI 1.58 to 4.27) were independently associated with redo sternotomy, whereas repair extending beyond the aortic root was associated with lower odds (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.53). Conclusion In this large multicentre cohort of adults with MFS, cardiac surgery was common, and redo sternotomy occurred frequently among operated patients. These findings provide a contemporary description of the long-term need for cardiac surgery in adults with MFS managed at tertiary referral centres.

This cross-sectional study investigates the association between lipoprotein(a) levels and risk of ventricular arrhythmias among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction receiving implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy.

Background. Solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) are at heightened risk for cardiovascular implantable electronic device-related complications, particularly infection, because of chronic immunosuppression and comorbidities. Although leadless pacemakers (LPs) reduce infection risk by eliminating transvenous leads and generator pockets, adoption in SOTRs has remained limited, largely because earlier systems were restricted to single-chamber ventricular pacing and lacked physiologic atrioventricular synchrony. The helix-fixation Aveir LP platform enables atrial, ventricular, and dual-chamber leadless pacing, but clinical experience in transplant recipients remains limited. Methods. We conducted a retrospective, multisite analysis across an integrated health system, identifying all adult SOTRs who underwent Aveir LP implantation between January 2022 and October 2025. Clinical characteristics, transplant details, pacing indications, device configuration, procedural outcomes, and follow-up data were collected. Primary outcomes included procedural success, complications, and device-related infection. Secondary outcomes included pacing performance, need for system revision or upgrade, and early device durability. Results. Thirteen SOTRs (mean age 64 ± 15 y; 15% female) underwent Aveir LP implantation, including atrial (n = 4), ventricular (n = 5), and dual-chamber (n = 4) systems. Transplanted organs included heart (46%), lung (31%), kidney (38%), and liver (15%), with 31% having multiple organ transplants. Over half of patients were critically ill at implantation, and 46% were dialysis-dependent, representing a high-risk cohort. All procedures were acutely successful with no intraprocedural complications. During a median follow-up of 258 d (interquartile range, 216–641 d), no device-related infections occurred. Electrical performance remained stable, with 1 atrial device replacement at 2.5 y for elevated capture thresholds. Conclusions. In a high-risk population of SOTRs, atrial and atrioventricular synchronous leadless pacing using the Aveir platform was feasible, achieved high acute procedural success, and demonstrated favorable early safety signals, including absence of device-related infection over available follow-up. Larger studies with longer-term follow-up are needed to define durability and long-term outcomes.