Electrical storm (ES) is a life-threatening condition characterized by at least three separate episodes of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) over 24 h, each requiring therapeutic intervention, including implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapies. Patients with ICDs in secondary prevention are at higher risk of ES and the most common presentation is that of scar-related monomorphic VAs. Electrical storm represents a major unfavourable prognostic marker in the history of patients with structural heart disease, with an associated two- to five-fold increase in mortality, heart transplant, and heart failure hospitalization. Early recognition and prompt treatment are crucial to improve the outcome. Yet, ES management is complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach and well-defined protocols and networks to guarantee a proper patient care. Acute phase stabilization should include a comprehensive clinical assessment, resuscitation and sedation management skills, ICD reprogramming, and acute sympathetic modulation, while the sub-acute/chronic phase requires a comprehensive heart team evaluation to define the better treatment option according to the haemodynamic and overall patient’s condition and the type of VAs. Advanced anti-arrhythmic strategies, not mutually exclusive, include invasive ablation, cardiac sympathetic denervation, and, for very selected cases, stereotactic ablation. Each of these aspects, as well as the new European Society of Cardiology guidelines recommendations, will be discussed in the present review.

Background The benefit of invasive hemodynamic assessment in the setting of heart failure (HF) is still controversial. Increased right and left filling pressure have been shown to be associated with adverse prognosis, while reduced cardiac index (CI) has not. For this reason, novel hemodynamic indexes have been developed aiming to better describe the cardiac function in different loading conditions. In this context, the aortic pulsatility index (API) is a hemodynamic variable integrating LV function and loading condition which has the potential to better predict clinical outcome. It is calculated as systolic blood pressure (SBP) minus diastolic blood pressure (DBP) divided by pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP); the difference between SBP and DBP, known as arterial pulse pressure, correlates with SV, while PCWP is a marker of the degree of pulmonary congestion. API has been shown to predict long-term outcomes in acute decompensated HF and advanced HF cohorts. To the best of our knowledge, hemodynamically-derived API has never been compared to echocardiography-estimated API. Purpose To evaluate the accuracy of API obtained with echocardiographic methods (echo-API) compared with the invasive hemodynamic measure obtained with right heart catheterization (RHC) and to explore its prognostic role in a HF cohort. Methods Consecutive patients referred for RHC to Città della Salute e della Scienza hospital from May 2019 to August 2022 underwent complete two-dimensional echocardiographic evaluation and RHC. Patients ≥ 18 years with either acute or chronic HF, irrespective of etiology, were included. For the calculation of Echo-API PCWP was estimated using the average E/e’ ratio. The association between echo-API with MACE (composite of death, LVAD implantation or heart transplantation) at 1 year follow-up was evaluated. Results 112 patients were included in the analysis. They were mostly male, mean age was 57 years and the underlying heart disease was predominantly idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (32%), followed by ischemic (30%); mean LVEF was 35,07%. Mean Echo-API was 3,54. Echo-API showed a significant correlation with invasive API using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r = 0,6591, 95% CI 0,4639–0,7933, p < 0,0001) and showed a linear correlation at Bland-Altman plot. At multivariate regression analysis Echo-API was significatively associated with primary outcome (OR 0.469, 95% CI 0.26–0.84, p 0,011). Conclusions Echocardiographically-derived aortic pulsatility index can be obtained in all patients with advanced HF and shows a good correlation with invasive API; it is associated with MACE, representing a useful tool for non-invasive hemodynamic evaluation and risk stratification.

Background The structural alterations of arrhythmogenic right ventricular (RV) cardiomyopathy (ARVC) mainly involve the RV outflow tract (RVOT), but RVOT systolic function has been poorly investigated. Purpose We aimed to evaluate the Doppler Velocity Ratio (DVR) as a novel echocardiographic parameter for ARVC diagnosis. Methods 30 consecutive ARVC adult patients, 45 asymptomatic healthy volunteers and 45 consecutive patients with RV dysfunction due to ARVC mimics were prospectively enrolled between May 2019 and December 2021 and received complete transthoracic echocardiography examinations. The DVR was calculated as the ratio of RV free wall systolic velocity to RVOT systolic velocity at Doppler tissue imaging. The main study outcomes were to compare the DVR among ARVC patients, healthy controls, and mimics and to assess its diagnostic value in ARVC. Results 120 patients were included. Mean age was 55±17 years; 46 (38.3%) patients were female. The DVR was significantly higher in ARVC subjects (1.59±0.41) compared to both healthy controls (1.16±0.14, P<0.001) and mimics (1.17±0.23, P<0.001), but similar between healthy controls and mimics (P=1.000). The DVR cut-off value with the highest accuracy for ARVC diagnosis was 1.33 (sensitivity=80.0%, specificity=86.7%). The area under the curve of DVR alone was significantly superior to that of the major echocardiographic 2010 Task Force Criteria (0.833 vs 0.672 respectively, P=0.034). The net reclassification improvement for DVR alone against the major echocardiographic 2010 Task Force Criteria was 32.2% (P=0.023). Conclusions The DVR is a simple novel echocardiographic parameter with high accuracy for ARVC diagnosis. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Percutaneous left stellate ganglion block (PLSGB) has been recently implemented for the acute treatment of refractory ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). The beneficial effect on supraventricular arrhythmias susceptibility and their ventricular response is well characterized in animal models, less so in humans. Available data suggest a significant prolongation of atrial refractory period, a reduction in inducibility and duration of atrial fibrillation and of all spontaneous intra– and postoperative atrial arrhythmias after thoracic and cardiac surgery. Here we describe a case of PLSGB for focal atrial tachycardia (AT). Case: we present a 68–year–old men with hypertension, obesity, OSAS and previous anterior myocardial infarction in the setting of a trivessel coronary disease, treated with PCI and complicated by apical aneurysm, with a LVEF of 38% and a moderate mitral and aortic regurgitation. He was on chronic antiarrhythmic therapy with bisoprolol 1.25 mg and ranolazine. He presented in the ED due to palpitations, pre–syncopal episodes, and worsening dyspnea. The ECG showed very frequent, self–limiting episodes of AT with a 1:1 atrioventricular (AV) conduction and a variable heart rate (HR) between 100 and 160 bpm, alternating with sinus rhythm at 45–50 bpm, sometimes conducted with aberrancy. Isolated and repetitive premature ventricular beats (PVB, maximum 8 beats) were also documented. Amiodarone, lidocaine, and intravenous unloading therapy were tried, without benefit. Coronary angiography was negative. PLSGB with an ultrasound–guided lateral approach (local bolus of lidocaine 100 mg+ropivacaine 20 mg) was performed, without complications, inducing palpebral ptosis. Over the next 15 hours we observed the disappearance of non–sustained VAs, the reduction of PVBs, and a progressive reduction of AT burden, of mean hourly HR (from 84 to 50 bpm, –40%) and of mean HR during AT (from 158 to 84 bpm, –47%, with AV 1:1 conduction). The patient subsequently underwent ablation of an extra systolic focus found near the ostium of the right inferior pulmonary vein, with no recurrences after 18 months. Conclusions This case highlights the potential efficacy of PLSGB in the acute treatment of supraventricular arrhythmias refractory to medical therapy. Prospective studies will help us to identify the extent, time of onset, and duration of its benefit depending on the type and mechanism of the underlying arrhythmia and the clinical characteristics of the patient.

Background Cardiac power output (CPO) is currently used for cardiogenic shock patient's evaluation including shock phenotyping, mechanical circulatory support selection and weaning algorithms. Despite its remarkable prognostic role, CPO use is limited by the need for a Swan-Ganz catheter. Aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of echocardiographic estimation of CPO compared to RHC-derived measurement. We also aimed to investigate the prognostic role of non-invasive CPO in the specific setting of cardiogenic shock. Methods We performed blinded echocardiography in all consecutive heart failure (HF) patients undergoing RHC as a part of their evaluation at Cardiology Department of Città della Salute e della Scienza University hospital in Turin. Echocardiographic CPO was calculated as: (cardiac output * mean arterial pressure)/451. eCPO was subsequently assessed in 80 patients admitted for cardiogenic shock in cardiac ICU of centers participating at the Altshock registry during the first 24 hours from shock onset. Primary endpoint was in-hospital MACE (death, heart transplantation or LVAD implantation during the index hospitalization). Results 103 HF patients (57.6 ± 11.3 years, 63% males, median left ventricle ejection fraction 25% [IQR 20-51%]) were included in the derivation cohort. Mean invasive CPO was 0.72 ± 0.27 W, while eCPO was 0.74 ± 0.27 W. eCPO showed a good correlation with invasive CPO (Pearson r: 0.96, p<0.001). In the Altshock registry cohort (80 patients, 81% males, mean age 62.5 ± 14.4 years, in-hospital mortality 31.4%) eCPO <0.6 (HR 2,48 [95% CI 1,06 - 5,85], p=0,04), hemoglobin (p=0.005), systolic blood pressure (p=0.05) and SCAI class (p=0.02) were associated with increased risk of in-hospital MACE at univariate analysis. Echocardiographic CPO <0.6 remained significantly associated with MACE also after adjustment at multivariate Cox analysis (HR 2,87 [95% CI 1,03 - 7,96] p=0,043). Conclusion Echocardiographic estimation of CPO (eCPO) is feasible and showed a good agreement with invasive CPO. Reduced eCPO during the first 24 hours was associated with increased in-hospital MACE in cardiogenic shock patients.