Significant improvement in LV dimensions and serum BNP level appeared to indicate that RFCA of VPBs ameliorated occult cardiac dysfunction induced by frequent VPBs.

Effects of physical training on maximal exercise capacity were noted in both exercise training groups. However, improvement in cardiac function (such as stroke volume), both at rest and during exercise, was noted only in the high-intensity training group. Our results suggest that relatively high-intensity training may improve exercise capacity and cardiac function of patients with prior myocardial infarction.

Activity of sarcoid granulomas may be associated with the occurrence of VT. Gallium-67 scintigraphy reflects the activity of sarcoid granulomas and thus is useful for evaluation of cardiac sarcoidosis in patients with potential VT.

We present a case of a 49-year-old man who experienced invariably reproducible paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia during swallowing. Because beta-blockers and multiple antiarrhythmic drugs failed to prevent the episodes of this tachycardia, we performed catheter mapping and ablation. After placing multiple decapolar catheters, when the patient swallowed a few sections of an orange, intracardiac mapping revealed atrial premature beats and atrial tachycardia that lasted for a few seconds and arose from an ostial site of the right superior pulmonary vein. After the right superior pulmonary vein antrum was completely isolated, the patient became free from the swallowing-induced tachycardia.

SummaryThis study investigated the clinical course of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) patients and in particular evaluated the contribution of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) to the treatment of ARVC.ARVC is a myocardial disorder and a cause of sudden cardiac death due to ventricular tachycardia (VT). Little is known about its prognosis in Japanese ARVC patients.Thirty-five ARVC patients were studied. Mean age of patients whose onset of ARVC was congestive heart failure (CHF) (66.0 ± 4.0 years) was significantly higher than those whose onset was VT (44.5 ± 14.8 years, P < 0.05). ARVC patients with CHF onset showed significantly higher death rates compared to those with VT onset. ICD treatment significantly reduced episodes of hospitalization due to VT (0.1 ± 0.4 episodes) in comparison to treatment by RFCA (1.7 ± 2.2 episodes, P < 0.03). RFCA treatment did not reduce recurrence of VT in the followup period. ICD therapy showed comparable mortality to RFCA treatment.The prognosis of ARVC with CHF onset is poor. ICD therapy significantly reduced hospitalization due to VT compared with RFCA treatment. ICD implantation in combination with medication may be a better treatment for ARVC. (Int Heart J 2010; 51: 34-40)