Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is usually performed with biventricular pacing (BiVP), but recently, conduction system pacing (CSP) has been proposed as an alternative in case of BiVP failure. The aim of this study is to define an algorithm to choose between BiVP and CSP resynchronization using the interventricular conduction delays (IVCD) as a guide. Methods: Consecutive patients from January 2018 to December 2020 with an indication for CRT were prospectively enrolled in the study group (delays-guided resynchronization group, DRG). A treatment algorithm based on IVCD was used to decide whether to leave the left ventricular (LV) lead to perform BiVP or pull it out and perform CSP. Outcomes from the DRG group were compared to a historical cohort of CRT patients who underwent CRT procedures between January 2016 and December 2017 (resynchronization standard guide group, SRG). The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular mortality, heart failure (HF) hospitalization, or HF event at 1 year after the date of intervention. Results: The study population consisted of 292 patients, of which 160 (54.8%) were in the DRG and 132 (45.2%) in the SRG. In the DRG, 41 of 160 patients underwent CSP based on the treatment algorithm (25.6%). The primary endpoint was significantly higher in the SRG (48/132, 36.4%) compared to the DRG (35/160, 21.8%) (hazard ratio (HR): 1.72; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12–2.65; p = 0.013). Conclusions: A treatment algorithm based on IVCD shifted one patient out of every four from BiVP to CSP, with consequent reduction in the primary endpoint after implantation. Therefore, its application could be useful to determine whether to perform BiVP or CSP.

In recent years, the role of pre-participation evaluation (PPE) in the prevention of sudden cardiac death in competitive athletes has become evident. Most physicians routinely supplement assessment by resting electrocardiogram with imaging techniques, such as echocardiography. The primary goal of imaging in the clinical assessment of competitive athletes is to exclude cardiovascular conditions associated with adverse outcomes. Cardiac computed tomography is emerging as an important technique for stratifying cardiovascular risk and assessing coronary artery disease (CAD), particularly in master athletes. Conversely, in young athletes, this technique has the best non-invasive coronary artery resolution and provides valuable details on coronary artery anatomy. Recent technical developments have brought about a dramatic reduction in radiation exposure, a major drawback of this diagnostic method; nowadays cardiac computed tomography may be performed at a dose of barely one millisievert. The present review provides a practical guide for the use of cardiac computed tomography in the PPE of competitive athletes, with a specific focus on its value for detecting congenital coronary anomalies and CAD in young and master athletes, respectively.

Introduction Cardiac involvement is described as the most important prognostic factor in light chain amyloidosis. An early diagnosis is mandatory to customize the follow-up timing and the best treatment. The aim of the study was to identify the role of advanced echocardiography in the diagnosis of amyloid light chain cardiac amyloidosis (ALCA). Material and methods Seventy-seven patients were prospectively included in the study: 22 patients with biopsy proven ALCA, 28 patients with multiple mieloma, and 27 with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. All patients underwent first and second level imaging including Speckle Tracking and complete biochemical profile. Univariate and Multivariate analysis was applied to the best multi-chamber predictor assessed with Receiver Operating Curve analysis. Continuous variables were discretized and compared with different subgroups based on multiparametric imaging assessment using available AL score. Results Biochemical indices have been confirmed as the best predictors of ALCA. More specifically, high sensitivity troponin (hsTn) and N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) showed an AUC of 0.88 and 0.91 respectively. Among left ventricular systolic function parameters, left ventricular longitudinal strain (AUC: 0.92); apical sparing pattern (AUC: 0.75) and relative wall thickness (RWT) (AUC: 0.88) showed the best diagnostic accuracy. Atrial parameters such as left atrial volume index (LAVI) (AUC: 0.74), left atrial stiffness (LAS) (AUC: 0.82) and inter-atrial septum diameter (AUC: 0.75) showed a good diagnostic accuracy in ALCA (Figure 1). LAS and AL score maintained their diagnostic value in the multivariate model analysis (B=2,16; p=0,01 and B= 0,72; p<0.01 respectively). However, only LAS, with a cut off value of 0.65, was able to discriminate ALCA when AL score was not detrimental (P<0.001). Conclusion ALCA diagnosis often relies only on the biochemical profile. A comprehensive cardiac evaluation by a multiparametric imaging approach with LAS estimation is mandatory to ensure early diagnosis and a prompt treatment through a multidisciplinary team assessment. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

The moderator band (MB) is an intracavitary structure of the right ventricle composed of muscular fibers encompassing specialized Purkinje fibers, separated each other by collagen and adipose tissue. In the last decades, premature ventricular complexes originating within the Purkinje network have been implicated in the genesis of life-threatening arrhythmias. However, right Purkinje network arrhythmias have been much less reported in the literature compared to the left counterpart. The MB has unique anatomical and electrophysiological properties, which may account for its arrhythmogenicity and may be responsible for a significant portion of idiopathic ventricular fibrillation. MB embodies autonomic nervous system cells, with important implications in arrhythmogenesis. Some idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias, defined as the absence of any identifiable structural heart disorder, can begin from this site. Due to these complex structural and functional peculiarities strictly interplayed each other, it is arduous to determine the precise mechanism underlying MB arrhythmias. MB-related arrhythmias should be differentiated from other right Purkinje fibers arrhythmias because of the opportunity for intervention and the unusual site for the ablation poorly described in the literature. In the current paper, we report the characteristics and electrical properties of the MB, their involvement in arrhythmogenesis, clinical and electrophysiological peculiarities of MB-related arrhythmias, and current treatment options.