Oxidative stress is one of several important factors contributing to unfavourable outcome of human diabetic pregnancy.

Key Clinical MessageBipolar radiofrequency (RF) ablation is effective in treatment of ventricular tachycardia originating from thick interventricular septum. The RF generator and CARTO system can be used to precisely and safely perform ablation. Standard ablation catheter can be used with indifferent ablation electrode connected to the electrode receptacle in RF generator with custom‐made cable.

Aims: Our study aimed to examine the pregnancy outcomes (maternal and fetal) concerning different models of antenatal care across a period of over 25 years (1993–2018) in 459 women with type 1 diabetes. Data from patients with a history of the condition lasting at least 15 years were considered eligible for analysis. Methods: The study group was divided into three cohorts based on the different models of treatment used in Poznan University Hospital, Poland: 1993–2000 (cohort I, n = 91), 2001–2005 (cohort II, n = 83), 2006–2018 (cohort III, n = 284). To identify predictors for the selected dichotomous outcomes, we calculated the risks for fetal or maternal complications as dependent variables for cohorts II and III against cohort I, using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: The mean gestational age was 36.8 ± 2.4 weeks in the total cohort. The percentages of deliveries before the 33rd and the 37th weeks was high. We observed a decreasing percentage during the following periods, from 41.5% in the first period to 30.4% in the third group. There was a tendency for newborn weight to show a gradual increase across three time periods (2850, 3189, 3321 g, p <0.0001). In the last period, we noticed significantly more newborns delivered after 36 weeks with a weight above 4000 g and below 2500 g. Caesarean section was performed in 88% of patients from the whole group, but in the subsequent periods this number visibly decreased (from 97.6%, 86.7%, to 71%, p = 0.001). The number of emergency caesarean sections was lowest in the third period (27.5%, 16.7%, 11.2%, p = 0.006). We observed a decreasing number of “small for gestational age” newborns (SGA) in consecutive periods of treatment (from 24.4% to 8.7%, p = 0.002), but also a higher percentage of “large for gestational age” (LGA) newborns (from 6.1% to 21.6%, p = 0.001). Modification of treatment might be associated with the gradual reduction of SGA rates (cohort I 3.6%, cohort III 2.3% p <0,0005). Conclusions: Strict glycemic and blood pressure control from the very beginning of pregnancy, as well as modern fetal surveillance techniques, may contribute to the improvement of perinatal outcomes in women with long-duration type 1 diabetes.

We aimed to compare therapies of sacubitril/valsartan + spironolactone (S/V + S) with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors + spironolactone (ACEI + S) on the left-sided cardiac reverse remodeling (L-CRR). The second objective was to analyze the usefulness of GLS and LVEF in response to therapy.Methods78 patients (mean age 63.4 years, 20 females) with symptomatic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction were randomized to groups of equal numbers, i.e., 39 patients, and started on therapy of S/V + S or ACEI + S. Second evaluations were made after 6–8 weeks of therapy.ResultsGLS changed from −7.4% to −9.4% (18% improvement) in both arms equally. More than 50% of patients, initially with very severe systolic dysfunction (GLS &gt; −8%), were reclassified to severe (GLS −8% to −12%). LVEF did not improve in any of the groups. The quality of life measured by MLHFQ and walking distance by 6-MWT increased. Positive correlations between GLS and 6MWT (r = 0.41, p = 0.02) and GLS and MHFLQ (r = 0.42, p = 0.03) were found. The S/V + S subgroup demonstrated improvements in LVEDV (Δ16.7 vs. 4.5 ml), E/e ratio (Δ 2.8 vs. 1.4), and LAVI (Δ 9.4 vs. 8.4 ml/m2) as compared to ACEI + S.ConclusionGLS, unlike LVEF, detects early changes in LV systolic function after 6–8 weeks of combined therapy, i.e., SV + S and ACE + S. GLS is more useful than LVEF in assessing early response to treatment. The effect of S/V + S and ACEI + S on LV systolic function was comparable, but the improvement in diastolic function as expressed by E/e’, LAVI, and LVEDV was more pronounced with S/V + S.

Introduction: The RF ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT) or atrial flutter (AFl) can be unsuccessful due to lack of lesion transmurality. Bipolar ablation (BA) is more successful than unipolar ablation (UA). The purpose of our study was to investigate the long-term effect of BA ablation in patients after failed UA. Methods: Patients with septal VT (5) or AFL (2) after 2 to 5 unsuccessful UA were prospectively analysed after BA. All patients presented with heart failure or had ICD interventions. Results: BA was successful in 5 patients (1 failure each in the AFL and VT group). The follow-up duration was 10 to 26 months. In AFL group, BA was successful in 1 patient, unidirectional cavotricuspid block in was achieved in the other patient. All patients were asymptomatic for 12 months, but 1 had atrial fibrillation and the other had AFL reablation 19 months after BA. In VT group, all patients had several forms of septal VT. BA was successful in 4 patients. In 2 patients with high septal VT BA resulted in complete atrioventricular block. During follow-up, 1 patient had VT recurrence 26 months after BA and died after an unsuccessful reablation. Three patients had VT recurrences of different morphologies, which required reablation (UA in 2 and alcohol septal ablation in the other patient). Conclusion: BA was successful in patients with AFL and septal VT resistant to standard ablation. Relapses of clinical arrhythmia are rare; however, long-term follow-up is complicated by recurrences of different arrhythmias related to complex arrhythmogenic substrate