Background: Cardiac implantable electronic device-related infections (CDI) are of increasing importance and involve substantial healthcare resources. This study aimed to evaluate potential CDI risk factors and the utility of the novel PADIT and PACE DRAP scores to predict CDI. Methods and Results:The study group included 1,000 consecutive patients undergoing implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) surgery. Patients' and procedural characteristics were collected. CDI occurrence was assessed during 1-year follow-up. Moreover, if periprocedural significant pocket hematoma (SPH) occurred, the maximal volume was calculated based on ultrasonographic measurements and ABC/2 formula. The overall incidence of CDI was 1.8%. In the multivariable regression analysis independent CDI risk factors were: age >75 years

Aims To assess the safety and efficacy of transendocardial delivery of muscle‐derived stem/progenitor cells with connexin‐43 overexpression (Cx‐43‐MDS/PC) in advanced heart failure (HF). Methods and results Thirteen subjects with advanced HF, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II–III were enrolled and treated with targeted injection of Cx‐43‐MDS/PCs and then monitored for at least 6 months. Overexpression of Cx43 (Cx43+) was significantly higher in all but one subject (Cx43–). Injection of MDS/PCs was associated with significant improvement of exercise capacity: NYHA (3 ± 0 vs. 1.8 ± 0.7, P = 0.003), exercise duration (388.69 ± 141.83 s vs. 462.08 ± 176.69 s, P = 0.025), peak oxygen consumption (14.38 ± 3.97 vs. 15.83 ± 3.74 ml/kg.min, P = 0.022) and oxygen pulse (10.58 ± 2.89 vs. 18.88 ± 22.63 mLO2/heart rate, P = 0.012). Levels of BNP, left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction and LV end‐diastolic volumes tended to improve. There was a significant improvement of the mean unipolar voltage amplitudes measured for the injected segments and the entire left ventricle (9.62 ± 2.64 vs. 11.62 ± 3.50 mV, P = 0.014 and 8.83 ± 2.80 vs. 10.22 ± 3.41 mV, P = 0.041, respectively). No deaths were documented, Cx43+ (n = 12) subjects presented no significant ventricular arrhythmia; one Cx43– subject suffered from ventricular tachycardia (successfully treated with amiodarone). Conclusions Injection of Cx‐43‐MDS/PCs in patients with severe HF led to significant improvement in exercise capacity and myocardial viability of the injected segments while inducing no significant ventricular arrhythmia. This may arise from improved electrical coupling of the injected cells and injured myocardium and thus better in‐situ mechanical cooperation of both cell types. Therefore, further clinical studies with Cx43+ MDS/PCs are warranted.

We present three patients with variant angina pectoris and episodes of cardiac arrest. All of them had typical clinical symptoms, ST‐segment changes in electrocardiogram, and coronary artery spasm confirmed by arteriography. They were treated with high doses of calcium antagonists and nitrates. An automatic cardioverter‐defibrillator was implanted in the patient who developed ventricular fibrillation despite therapy with calcium antagonists. In another patient a DDD pacemaker was implanted because of high‐degree atrioventricular block.

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INTRODUCTION Currently, no risk score for predicting significant bleeding complications (SBCs) after cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) surgery is available. OBJECTIVES We aimed to develop a new scoring system for predicting SBCs after CIED surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS We included 1100 consecutive patients undergoing CIED surgery. The occurrence of SBCs including significant pocket hematoma or significant bleeding was evaluated within 30 days after surgery. RESULTS The incidence of SBCs was 4.5%. Based on multivariable analyses, the following predictors of SBCs were identified: age ≥75 years (odds ratio [OR], 8.10; 95% CI, 3.54-18.54); cardiac resynchronization therapy or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator surgery (