Background Catheter ablation for complex left-atrial arrhythmia is increasing worldwide with many centres admitting patients overnight. Same-day procedures using conscious sedation carry significant benefits to patients/healthcare providers but data are limited. We evaluated the safety and cost-effectiveness of same-day complex left-atrial arrhythmia ablation. Method Multi-centre retrospective cohort study of all consecutive complex elective left-atrial ablation procedures performed between January 2011 and December 2019. Data were collected on planned same-day discharge versus overnight stay, baseline parameters, procedure details/success, ablation technology, post-operative complications, unplanned overnight admissions/outcomes at 4-months and mortality up to April 2020. A cost analysis of potential savings was also performed. Results A total of 967 consecutive patients underwent complex left-ablation using radiofrequency (point-by-point ablation aided by 3D-mapping or PVAC catheter ablation with fluoroscopic screening) or cryoballoon-ablation (mean age: 60.9 ± 11.6 years, range 23-83 yrs., 572 [59%] females). The majority of patients had isolation of pulmonary veins alone ( n = 846, 87%) and most using conscious-sedation alone ( n = 921, 95%). Of the total cohort, 414 (43%) had planned same-day procedure with 35 (8%) admitted overnight due to major ( n = 5) or minor ( n = 30) complications. Overall acute procedural success-rate was 96% ( n = 932). Complications in planned overnight-stay/same-day cohorts were low. At 4-month follow-up there were 62 (6.4%) readmissions (femoral haematomas, palpitation, other reasons); there were 3 deaths at mean follow-up of 42.0 ± 27.6 months, none related to the procedure. Overnight stay costs £350; the same-day ablation policy over this period would have saved £310,450. Conclusions Same-day complex left-atrial catheter ablation using conscious sedation is safe and cost-effective with significant benefits for patients and healthcare providers. This is especially important in the current financial climate and Covid-19 pandemic.

Rotational atherectomy-assisted percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on unprotected left main stem (LMS) bifurcation lesions is technically challenging. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has become a standard part of the PCI procedure for the treatment of LMS disease. There is limited experience in performing these cases via a transradial approach using a sheathless guiding catheter (SGC) system. We report a case of a symptomatic octogenarian patient with restrictive angina and significant LMS bifurcation disease, who was successfully treated transradially with the use of the 7.5F Eaucath SGC system and we describe the technical challenges encountered with this strategy.

Background With an ageing population, the demand for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the elderly is on the rise. Technical advances, better peri-procedural pharmacology and greater operator experience have led to improved outcomes after PCI. Octogenarians as a group, however, have been underrepresented in randomised clinical trials of coronary revascularisation. Observational studies therefore provide useful insights into the safety and efficacy of PCI in this patient population in a real-world clinical practice. Aim The aim of this study was to examine the trends in patient characteristics and clinical outcomes after PCI in octogenarians over a 10-year period in a large non-surgical PCI centre and to determine the predictors of mortality in this high risk patient cohort. Methods A total of 782 consecutive octogenarians were identified from a prospectively collected database of all patients undergoing PCI at our centre between 2007 and 2016. We analysed the characteristics of the cohort with respect to all-cause in-hospital and 1-year mortality, in-hospital Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE) rates, complexity of coronary artery disease and major comorbidities. The patients were stratified into three chronological tertiles to assess differences over time. A multivariate analysis was performed to determine predictors of mortality. Results The number of octogenarians undergoing PCI was found to have increased nearly ten-fold, from 19 in 2007 to 178 in 2016. Despite this, there were no significant differences in adverse clinical outcomes. A greater use of radial access was noted (p<0.0001). Increasing age, the presence of cardiogenic shock, severe left ventricular impairment, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes mellitus and low creatinine clearance were identified as independent predictors of mortality after PCI (Table 1). Conclusion PCI in octogenarians is a safe and effective revascularisation option, the use of which is increasing in the real-world clinical practice. Future PCI randomised clinical trials should include this challenging cohort to enhance the evidence base. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Background There has been a shift in paradigm proposing that comorbidities play a significant role towards the pathophysiology of the heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) syndrome. Further, HFpEF patients have abnormal macrovascular function, potentially contributing significantly in altered ventricular-vascular coupling in these patients. However, our full understanding of the role of comorbidities, arterial stiffness and it relationship with HFpEF remains incomplete. Purpose The IDENTIFY-HF study aims to shed light on the HFpEF pathophysiology and investigates whether gradually increase in arterial stiffness (in addition to ageing) due to increasing common comorbidities, such as hypertension and diabetes, is associated with HFpEF. Methods Arterial compliance was assessed in five groups (Groups A to E) matched for age, (≥70 years), sex and renal function: Group A; normal healthy volunteers without major comorbidities (control). Group B; patients with hypertension only. Group C; patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus only. Group D; patients with HFpEF. Group E; patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF); the parallel group. Arterial compliance was assessed using pulse wave velocity (PWV), as the primary outcome measure and was compared between Group A to D. A separate comparison was made between Groups D and E. To avoid confounding factors, participants were asked to omit their morning blood pressure medication and abstain from caffeine for 12 hours prior to the study. Results From the 95 volunteers recruited, PWV was obtained in 94 subjects. The mean PWV in group A, B, C, D and E was 10.2-, 12.2-, 13.0-, 13.7- and 10.0 m/s respectively. After adjusting for covariance (age, sex, BMI and renal function), the mean difference between Group A (healthy volunteers) and D (HFpEF) was 2.14 m/s (p=0.023). Whilst the mean difference between the HFpEF and HFrEF group D and E respectively was 2.68 m/s (p=0.003). Conclusion Rise in comorbidities increases arterial stiffness, as measured by pulse wave velocity, which in turn significantly associates with HFpEF (p=0.023). It is therefore possible that the HFpEF syndrome may not be due to a primary cardiac pathology but rather an end-result of non-cardiac comorbidities affecting vascular resistance with perhaps some secondary cardiac involvement. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): 1)West Midlands Clinical Research Network, National Institute of Health Research, UK2)Research, Development & Innovation department of the University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust (RDI, UHCW), UK.