Atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia affecting patients today. Disease prevalence is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide, and is associated with often catastrophic and costly consequences, including heart failure, syncope, dementia, and stroke. Therapies including anticoagulants, anti-arrhythmic medications, devices, and non-pharmacologic procedures in the last 30 years have improved patients＂ functionality with the disease. Nonetheless, it remains imperative that further research into AF epidemiology, genetics, detection, and treatments continues to push forward rapidly as the worldwide population ages dramatically over the next 20 years.

Prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma with bile duct tumor thrombus after R0 resection:a matched study

BACKGROUND： Hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） with bile duct tumor thrombus （BDTT） is rare. The present study aimed to determine post-surgical prognoses in HCC patients with BDTT, as outcomes are currently unclear. METHODS： We compared the prognoses of 110 HCC patients without BDTT （group A） to 22 cases with BDTT （group B）. The two groups were matched in age, gender, tumor etiology, size, number, portal vascular invasion, and TNM stage. Additionally, 28 HCC patients with BDTT were analyzed to identify prognostic risk factors. RESULTS： The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 90.9%, 66.9%, and 55.9% for group A and 81.8%, 50.0%, and 37.5% for group B, respectively. The median survival time in groups A and B was 68.8 and 31.4 months, respectively （P=0.043）. The patients for group B showed higher levels of serum total bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase and gammaglutamyl transferase, a larger hepatectomy range, and a higher rate of anatomical resection. In subgroup analyses of patients with BDTT who underwent R0 resection, TNM stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ was an independent risk factor for overall survival; these patients had worse prognoses than those with TNM stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ after R0 resection （hazard ratio=6.056, P=0.014）. Besides, univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that non-R0 resection and TNM stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ were independent risk factors for both disease-free survival and overall survival of 28 HCC patients with BDTT. The median overall survival time of patients with BDTT who underwent R0 resection was longer than that of patients who did not undergo R0 resection （31.0 vs 4.0 months, P=0.007）.CONCLUSIONS： R0 resection prolonged survival time in HCC patients with BDTT, although prognosis remains poor. For such patients, R0 resection is an important treatment that determines long-term survival.

Impact of Pulmonary Vein Anatomy on Long-term Outcome of Cryoballoon Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation

Variant pulmonary vein anatomy （PVA） has been reported to influence the recurrence of atrial fibrillation （AF） after radiofrequency ablation. However, the effects of PVA on AF in patients undergoing cryoballoon ablation （CBA） remain unknown. The present study aimed to examine the impact of PVA on the long-term outcome of CBA for AF. A total of 78 patients （mean age 60.7±10.9 years, 64.1% males） with symptomatic and drug-refractory paroxysmal AF were enrolled in the study. Left atrium （LA） and PVA acquired at computed tomography angiography （CTA） were reconstructed with CARTO 3 SYSTEM. Patients were routinely evaluated by 24-hour Holter monitoring following CBA. Cox regression was used to detect the predictors of AF recurrence after CBA. The results showed abnormal PVA in 30 patients （38.5%） and 18 patients （23.1%） had left common PV （LCPV）. Electrical pulmonary vein isolation was achieved in all patients. After a mean follow-up of 689.5±103.8 days, it was found that patients with abnormal PVA had similar AF recurrence rate to those with normal PVA （26.7% vs. 25.0%, P=0.54）, and there was no significant difference in AF recurrence rate between LCPV patients and non-LCPV patients （33.7% vs. 23.3%, P=0.29）. Cox regression analysis showed that AF duration （72.9±9.0 vs. 42.3±43.2 months, HR 1.001; 95%CI 1.003- 1.014; P〈0.001） and cryo-applications of right-side PVs （3.0±1.6 vs. 4.7±1.7, HR 0.661; 95% CI 0.473-0.925; P=0.016） were independent predictors of freedom from AF, but PVA was not identified as a predictor of long-term success. In conclusion, the variant PVA cannot significantly influence the long-term outcome of AF patients undergoing CBA; longer AF duration and less cryo-applications of right-side PVs are associated with higher AF recurrent rate.

Children with type 1 diabetes in COVID-19 pandemic:Difficulties and solutions

Children/adolescents with type 1 diabetes(T1D)require holistic approach and continuous care.However,the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic has made challenges for the T1D children and their caregivers,professionals,and the healthcare system.This minireview aims to consolidate and discuss the difficulties and solutions of children with type 1 diabetes in the COVID-19 pandemic.T1D has been the most common type of diabetes in children and adolescents and the last decades has seen a rapid increase in the prevalence of T1D in youths worldwide,which deserves a public concern particularly in the COVID-19 pandemic.As reported in previous studies,T1D is a risk factor related to severe cases,while the virus may induce new-onset diabetes and serious complications.Moreover,restriction strategies influence medical availability and lifestyle,impact glycemic control and compilation management,and thus pose stress on families and health providers of youths with T1D,especially on those with certain fragile conditions.Therefore,special treatment plans are required for children provided by caregivers and the local health system.Latest health tools such as improved medical devices and telemedicine service,as well as a combined support may benefit in this period.This minireview emphasises that continued medical access and support are required to prevent deteriorated condition of children and adolescents with diabetes throughout this pandemic.Therefore,strategies are supposed to be formulated to mitigate the difficulties and stress among this group,particularly in the most at-risk population.Proposed solutions in this minireview may help individuals and the health system to overcome these problems and help youths with T1D in better diabetes management during such emergency situations.

轻度心功能受损的高度房室传导阻滞患者采用中位间隔部起搏是否优于心尖部起搏?(英文)

研究目的：对于轻度心功能受损的高度房室传导阻滞患者，明确右室起搏的最优化位置，同时明确哪一类患者能够从最优化的右心窜起搏中获益。创新要点：首次明确相比于右心室心尖部起搏，中位间隔部起搏明显改善轻度心功能受损，尤其是左室射血分数在35％-40％的高度房室传导阻滞患者的临床预后。研究方法：随机分配进入中位间隔部起搏或心尖部起搏的患者，在基线状态下记录N-末端脑钠肽前体、六分钟步行试验以及心超结果；随访18个月后观察上述结果变化。同时，根据射血分数的不同进行亚组分析。重要结论：相比于右心室心尖部起搏，中位间隔部起搏能够改善轻度心功能受损的高度房窒传导阻滞患者的临床预后，尤其对于左窀射血分数在35%-40％的患者。