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Tsuji Y, Yamazaki M, Shimojo M, Yanagisawa S, Inden Y, Murohara T. Mechanisms of torsades de pointes: an update. Front Cardiovasc Med 2024; 11:1363848. [PMID: 38504714 PMCID: PMC10948600 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2024.1363848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Torsades de Pointes (TdP) refers to a polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) with undulating QRS axis that occurs in long QT syndrome (LQTS), although the term has been used to describe polymorphic ventricular tachyarrhythmias in which QT intervals are not prolonged, such as short-coupled variant of TdP currently known as short-coupled ventricular fibrillation (VF) and Brugada syndrome. Extensive works on LQTS-related TdP over more than 50 years since it was first recognized by Dessertennes who coined the French term meaning "twisting of the points", have led to current understanding of the electrophysiological mechanism that TdP is initiated by triggered activity due to early afterdepolarization (EAD) and maintained by reentry within a substrate of inhomogeneous repolarization. While a recently emerging notion that steep voltage gradients rather than EADs are crucial to generate premature ventricular contractions provides additions to the initiation mode, the research to elucidate the maintenance mechanism hasn't made much progress. The reentrant activity that produces the specific form of VT is not well characterized. We have conducted optical mapping in a rabbit model of electrical storm by electrical remodeling (QT prolongation) due to chronic complete atrioventricular block and demonstrated that a tissue-island with prolonged refractoriness due to enhanced late Na+ current (INa-L) contributes to the generation of drifting rotors in a unique manner, which may explain the ECG characteristic of TdP. Moreover, we have proposed that the neural Na+ channel NaV1.8-mediated INa-L may be a new player to form the substrate for TdP. Here we discuss TdP mechanisms by comparing the findings in electrical storm rabbits with recently published studies by others in simulation models and human and animal models of LQTS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiomi Tsuji
- Departments of Cardiovascular Research and Innovation, Cardiology and Advanced Cardiovascular Therapeutics, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Yamazaki
- Department of Cardiology, Nagano Hospital, Soja and Medical Device Development and Regulation Research Center and Department of Precision Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masafumi Shimojo
- Departments of Cardiovascular Research and Innovation, Cardiology and Advanced Cardiovascular Therapeutics, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Satoshi Yanagisawa
- Departments of Cardiovascular Research and Innovation, Cardiology and Advanced Cardiovascular Therapeutics, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yasuya Inden
- Departments of Cardiovascular Research and Innovation, Cardiology and Advanced Cardiovascular Therapeutics, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Toyoaki Murohara
- Departments of Cardiovascular Research and Innovation, Cardiology and Advanced Cardiovascular Therapeutics, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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Dahlberg P, Axelsson KJ, Rydberg A, Lundahl G, Gransberg L, Bergfeldt L. Spatiotemporal repolarization dispersion before and after exercise in patients with long QT syndrome type 1 versus controls: probing into the arrhythmia substrate. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2023; 325:H1279-H1289. [PMID: 37773058 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00335.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) carries an increased risk for syncope and sudden death. QT prolongation promotes ventricular extrasystoles, which, in the presence of an arrhythmia substrate, might trigger ventricular tachycardia degenerating into fibrillation. Increased electrical heterogeneity (dispersion) is the suggested arrhythmia substrate in LQTS. In the most common subtype LQT1, physical exercise predisposes for arrhythmia and spatiotemporal dispersion was therefore studied in this context. Thirty-seven patients (57% on β-blockers) and 37 healthy controls (mean age, 31 vs. 35; range, 6-68 vs. 6-72 yr) performed an exercise test. Frank vectorcardiography was used to assess spatiotemporal dispersion as Tampl, Tarea, the ventricular gradient (VG), and the Tpeak-end interval from 10-s signal averages before and 7 ± 2 min after exercise; during exercise too much signal disturbance excluded analysis. Baseline and maximum heart rates as well as estimated exercise intensity were similar, but heart rate recovery was slower in patients. At baseline, QT and heart rate-corrected QT (QTcB) were significantly longer in patients (as expected), whereas dispersion parameters were numerically larger in controls. After exercise, QTpeakcB and Tpeak-endcB increased significantly more in patients (18 ± 23 vs. 7 ± 10 ms and 12 ± 17 vs. 2 ± 6 ms; P < 0.001 and P < 0.01). There was, however, no difference in the change in Tampl, Tarea, and VG between groups. In conclusion, although temporal dispersion of repolarization increased significantly more after exercise in patients with LQT1, there were no signs of exercise-induced increase in global dispersion of action potential duration and morphology. The arrhythmia substrate/mechanism in LQT1 warrants further study.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Physical activity increases the risk for life-threatening arrhythmias in LQTS type 1 (LQT1). The arrhythmia substrate is presumably altered electrical heterogeneity (a.k.a. dispersion). Spatiotemporal dispersion parameters were therefore compared before and after exercise in patients versus healthy controls using Frank vectorcardiography, a novelty. Physical exercise prolonged the time between the earliest and latest complete repolarization in patients versus controls, but did not increase parameters reflecting global dispersion of action potential duration and morphology, another novelty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Dahlberg
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Region Vaestra Goetaland, Department of Cardiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Karl-Jonas Axelsson
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Region Vaestra Goetaland, Department of Cardiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Annika Rydberg
- Division of Pediatrics, Department of Clinical Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Gunilla Lundahl
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lennart Gransberg
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lennart Bergfeldt
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Region Vaestra Goetaland, Department of Cardiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Chang SN, Chang SH, Yu CC, Wu CK, Lai LP, Chiang FT, Hwang JJ, Lin JL, Tsai CT. Renal Denervation Decreases Susceptibility to Arrhythmogenic Cardiac Alternans and Ventricular Arrhythmia in a Rat Model of Post-Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 2:184-193. [PMID: 30167565 PMCID: PMC6113543 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacbts.2017.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Revised: 01/12/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In systolic heart failure, decreased renal perfusion due to impaired cardiac pumping activates the renal nerves, which send a signal to the brain to call for help. The brain thus activates the neurohormonal system to increase organ perfusion, which may predispose the heart to ventricular arrhythmia. Chemical renal denervation with phenol cuts the signal sent to the brain and thus decreases the susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmia in rats with systolic heart failure.
Several studies have shown the beneficial effect of renal denervation (RDN) in the treatment of ventricular arrhythmia, especially in the setting of heart failure (HF). However, the underlying mechanism of antiarrhythmic effect of RDN is unknown. Arrhythmogenic cardiac alternans, particularly spatially discordant repolarization alternans, characterized by simultaneous prolongation and shortening of action potential duration (APD) in different myocardial regions, is central to the genesis of ventricular fibrillation in HF. Whether RDN decreases the susceptibility to arrhythmogenic cardiac alternans in HF has never been addressed before. The authors used a rat model of post-myocardial infarction HF and dual voltage-calcium optical mapping to investigate whether RDN could attenuate arrhythmogenic cardiac alternans that predisposes to ventricular arrhythmias, as well as the hemodynamic effect of RDN in HF. The HF rats had increased body weights, dilated hearts, and lower blood pressure. The HF rats also had longer ventricular APDs and a delay in the decay of the calcium transient, typical electrophysiological features of human HF. Susceptibility to calcium transient alternans, APD alternans, and spatially discordant APD alternans was increased in the HF hearts. RDN significantly attenuated a delay in the decay of the calcium transient, calcium transient and APD alternans, and importantly, the discordant APD alternans, and thereby decreased the incidence of induced ventricular arrhythmia in HF. RDN did not further decrease blood pressure in HF rats. In conclusion, RDN improves calcium cycling and prevents spatially discordant APD alternans and ventricular arrhythmia in HF. RDN does not aggravate hemodynamics in HF.
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Key Words
- APD, action potential duration
- APD-ALT, action potential duration alternans
- Ca-ALT, calcium transient alternans
- HF, heart failure
- MI, myocardial infarction
- PR, pacing rate
- RDN, renal denervation
- SCD, sudden cardiac death
- VF, ventricular fibrillation
- VT, ventricular tachycardia
- alternans
- arrhythmia mechanism
- heart failure
- renal denervation
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-Nan Chang
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Yun-Lin, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Hsuan Chang
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Camillians Saint Mary’s Hospital Luodong, Luodong, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chieh Yu
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cho-Kai Wu
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ling-Ping Lai
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Fu-Tien Chiang
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Juey-Jen Hwang
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Yun-Lin, Taiwan
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jiunn-Lee Lin
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Ti Tsai
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Address for correspondence: Dr. Chia-Ti Tsai, Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine and Hospital, No. 7, Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan.
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Wilson LD, Laurita KR. Should We Be Ablating the Kidneys or the Heart to Prevent Arrhythmias? JACC Basic Transl Sci 2017; 2:194-196. [PMID: 30167566 PMCID: PMC6113561 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacbts.2017.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kenneth R. Laurita
- Heart and Vascular Research Center, MetroHealth Campus, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
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Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, and it causes substantial mortality. The autonomic nervous system, and particularly the adrenergic/cholinergic balance, has a profound influence on the occurrence of AF. Adrenergic stimulation from catecholamines can cause AF in patients. In human atrium, catecholamines can affect each of the electrophysiological mechanisms of AF initiation and/or maintenance. Catecholamines may produce membrane potential oscillations characteristic of afterdepolarisations, by increasing Ca(2+) current, [Ca(2+)](i) and consequent Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchange, and may also enhance automaticity. Catecholamines might affect reentry, by altering excitability or conduction, rather than action potential terminal repolarisation or refractory period. However, which arrhythmia mechanisms predominate is unclear, and likely depends on cardiac pathology and adrenergic tone. Heart failure (HF), a major cause of AF, causes adrenergic activation and adaptational changes, remodelling, of atrial electrophysiology, Ca(2+) homeostasis, and adrenergic responses. Chronic AF also remodels these, but differently to HF. Myocardial infarction and AF cause neural remodelling that also may promote AF. beta-Adrenoceptor antagonists (beta-blockers) are used in the treatment of AF, mainly to control the ventricular rate, by slowing atrioventricular conduction. beta-Blockers also reduce the incidence of AF, particularly in HF or after cardiac surgery, when adrenergic tone is high. Furthermore, the chronic treatment of patients with beta-blockers remodels the atria, with a potentially antiarrhythmic increase in the refractory period. Therefore, the suppression of AF by beta-blocker treatment may involve an attenuation of arrhythmic activity that is caused by increased [Ca(2+)](i), coupled with effects of adaptation to the treatment. An improved understanding of the involvement of the adrenergic system and its control in basic mechanisms of AF under differing cardiac pathologies might lead to better treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antony J Workman
- British Heart Foundation Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, Division of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow, 126 University Place, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK.
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