Pulsed Field Ablation Measures Up in Head-to-Head Trial
AMSTERDAM — Pulsed field ablation appeared as safe and effective as thermal ablation in treating paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (Afib) in the first randomized head-to-head trial for the novel technology. Efficacy failure of the procedure — initial procedural failure, documented atrial tachyarrhythmia after a 3-month blanking period, antiarrhythmic drug use, cardioversion, or repeat ablation — at […]
Afib Ablation Exceeds Expectations in Sickest Heart Failure Patients
AMSTERDAM — Catheter ablation conferred large clinical benefits to people with end-stage heart failure and symptomatic atrial fibrillation (Afib) in the small CASTLE HTx randomized trial that was terminated prematurely for efficacy. The trial, originally planned for 2 years, was brought to a halt upon the discovery that these patients undergoing catheter ablation had fewer […]
Complete PCI Better for Older MI Patients Too
AMSTERDAM — Complete revascularization improved outcomes over culprit-lesion-only stenting in older acute myocardial infarction (MI) patients, the FIRE trial affirmed. Among a population ages 75 and older, the composite risk of death, MI, stroke, or any revascularization came out a relative 27% less common when addressing all the stenosed vessels during the same hospitalization (15.7% […]
Iron Infusions Narrowly Miss the Mark for Clinical Benefit in Heart Failure
AMSTERDAM — Ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) did not go so far as to improve hard outcomes in people with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and iron deficiency in the well-powered HEART-FID trial, and it is questionable whether it is headed in that direction based on the totality of the evidence. Between study participants randomized […]
Colchicine Stumbles for Protecting the Heart From Thoracic Surgery
AMSTERDAM — Anti-inflammatory colchicine (Lodoco) given perioperatively around major non-cardiac thoracic surgery did not cut atrial fibrillation (Afib) or myocardial injury complications, the COP-AF trial showed, although with some positive post hoc endpoints. Clinically important Afib occurred in 6.4% of colchicine-treated patients and 7.5% of placebo recipients (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.65-1.10, P=0.22), David Conen, […]
Sleep Quality Linked With Cognition Across Five Cohorts
AMSTERDAM — Better sleep consolidation and the absence of sleep apnea were associated with better global cognition over 5 years, a pooled analysis of sleep studies in nearly 6,000 adults showed. Across five cohorts, higher sleep maintenance efficiency (pooled β per 1% increase 0.08, P<0.01) and lower wake after sleep onset (pooled β per 1-min […]
MIND Diet Trial Reports Brain Findings
AMSTERDAM — Changes in cognition and brain MRI outcomes did not differ significantly over 3 years in overweight or obese people with a family history of dementia who followed the MIND diet — a hybrid of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet — compared with those who followed a […]
Donanemab Slows Progression in Early Alzheimer’s
AMSTERDAM — Investigational donanemab significantly slowed clinical progression at 76 weeks in people with early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease who had amyloid and tau pathology, the phase III TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 trial showed. The drug, which targets a modified form of beta amyloid known as N3pG, showed significant slowing versus placebo on measures of cognition and daily […]