New REVIEW paper

Most important MTWA presentation at HRS 2008: Predictive Accuracy of Microvolt T-Wave Alternans Testing in Primary Prevention Patients With and Without ICDs – Author: Stefan H. Hohnloser, MD
MEDICARE Final Statement: CMS has determined that there is INSUFFICIENT evidence to conclude that the MMA (Time Domain) method of determining MTWA improves health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries at risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD) and we therefore find that it is NOT reasonable and necessary
Heart Rhythm 2008 San Francisco:NEW Most important TWA Presentations and abstracts at HRS 2008

Editor Comments : MTWA Clinical Use According to the Guidelines and ICD implants in real world applications

Microvolt T-wave alternans for risk stratification in athletes with ventricular arrhythmias: correlation with programmed ventricular stimulation (ANE 2008)

REFINE Study published on JACC

NEW to understand MASTER results: ICD Therapy for FAST Ventricular Tachycardia ( >240 bpm) or Ventricular Fibrillation is a Surrogate Endpoint for Mortality in MADIT II : in the MASTER study the end point setup was ICD Therapy with VT >188 bpm.

MTWA Review on NATURE:Can microvolt T-wave alternans testing reduce unnecessary defibrillator implantation?

· AHA 2005 Studies Demonstrate Effectiveness of Microvolt T-Wave Alternans in Predicting Sudden Cardiac Death Regardless of Ejection Fraction on 2358 patients

· European Congress of Cardiology August 2008 Munich TWA presentations

· TWA presentations at AHA 2008

· MTWA at CARDIOSTIM 2008 with related abstracts

· Biventricular pacing attenuates T-wave alternans and T-wave amplitude compared to other pacing modes (Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2008 Jun)

· New REVIEW paper

· MTWA at ACC 2008 with abstracts

· Video from the experience of a MTWA tested patient

· European Heart Journal: T-wave alternans predicts mortality in a population undergoing a clinically indicated exercise test

· Editorial on the European Heart Journal: T Wave Alternans: predicting the unpredictable

2007

· MASTER Study discussion on The Heart.org

· Dr Theodore Chow, Principal Investigator of MASTER I trial, statement

· Latest news: ALPHA Study published on JACC on line

· AHA 2007 Late-Breaking Clinical Trials:

· MASTER I Study results

· Comments from TheHeart.org

· Reference paper to understand the results: Frequency and causes of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapies: is device therapy proarrhythmic? (Am J. Card)

· Editorial: New MTWA studies on ICD patients, end points, follow up time, indeterminate results and MTWA Stress /EP protocols.

· NEW on Int J. Card: Combined prognostic value of peak O2 uptake and microvolt level T-wave alternans in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

· New paper on PACE : MTWA on Diabetic Patients:

· Relationship between abnormal Microvolt T Wave Alternans and poor glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients

· New paper on JACC:

· Predictive Value of Microvolt T-Wave Alternans in Patients With Left Ventricular Dysfunction

· Editorial: New MTWA studies on ICD patients, end points, follow up time, indeterminate results and MTWA Stress /EP protocols.

· Other issues:

· The first European Multicenter Clinical Trial: The ALPHA (T-Wave Alternans in Patients With Heart Failure) clinical study late-breaker presentation during plenary session (theHeart.org)

· The ALPHA Study and review of the latest MTWA studies at Cardiosource (ACC)

· Other MTWA presentations at ACC

· 2 papers on JACC:

· Microvolt T-Wave Alternans Identifies Patients With Ischemic Cardiomyopathy Who Benefit From Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Therapy ( J Am Coll Cardiol, 2007;49:50-58):

· -Abstract at JACC

· -Expert moderated discussion at JACC NEW

· -Full paper at Medscape

· -Comments at TheHeart.org

· Predictive Value of Microvolt T-Wave Alternans for Sudden Cardiac Death in Patients With Preserved Cardiac Function After Acute Myocardial Infarction (JACC 2006;48:2268-74)

· Comments at TheHeart.org

· ACC/AHA/ESC Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Ventricular Arrhythmias and the Prevention of Cardiac Death – Extracted Sections on T Wave Alternans in Class 2a (Level of Evidence A): All reference papers are based on the Spectral Analytic Method

· Microvolt T-Wave Alternans (TWA) Testing: Can It Identify Athletes at High Risk of Ventricular Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death?

· Cost-Effectiveness of a Microvolt T-Wave Alternans Screening Strategy for Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Placement in the MADIT-II–Eligible Population (JACC June 7on line )

· MEDICARE Decision Memo for Microvolt T-wave Alternans (ONLY Spectral Method) for patients who may need an ICD

· Comments to the MEDICARE Decision Memo:

· - Editor Comment

· -The Wall Street Journal

· European Congress of Cardiology Vienna September 2007 ABSTRACTS

· AHA MTWA Abstracts 2007

· Heart Rhythm Society 2007 in Denver :

· 20 MTWA presentations

· MTWA Session: T Wave Alternans. Mechanism and Implications to Clinical Practice

· Best Clinical MTWA abstracts

· Italian Congress of Cardiology (ANMCO) June 5

· ISHNE Congress Athens Greece June 7-9

· MTWA presentations at EUROPACE – June 2007 in Lisbon

· New paper on JACC: Prognostic Utility of Microvolt T-Wave Alternans in Risk Stratification of Patients With Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

· Endocardial and Epicardial Repolarization Alternans in Human Cardiomyopathy - Evidence for Spatiotemporal Heterogeneity and Correlation With Body Surface T-Wave Alternans (J Am Coll Cardiol, 2007; 49:338-346)

· TheHeart.org: Medicare proposes drastic reductions in reimbursement for cardiovascular procedures ICD implantation would be reduced by about a quarter… so MTWA could be necessary

· Medscape: Microvolt T-Wave Alternans Testing and ICD Risk Stratification: An Expert Interview With Anne B. Curtis, MD President of the Heart Rhythm Society

· MTWA at ACC: Meet the experts Sessions ”T-Wave Alternans Negative Patients Do Not Need an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator” and the best MTWA abstracts

· Best T Wave Alternans AHA 2006 abstracts

· The Cost Effectiveness of Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators: Results From the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial (MADIT)-II (JACC 2006;47:2310-2318)

· Microvolt T-Wave Alternans with Exercise in Pediatrics and Congenital Heart Disease: Limitations and Predictive Value

· MTWA Session at Heart Rhythm 2006 Scientific Sessions (HRS) with abstracts

· Additional MTWA sessions and abstracts at HRS

· CARDIOSTIM 2006( Nice, June 14 - 17 ) MTWA updated presentations with abstracts

· New paper: MTWA test can be performed on Atrial Fibrillation patients with simultaneous A-V pacing: Editor Comment

· Am J Cardiol 2006: Frequency and causes of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapies: is device therapy proarrhythmic?

· The Wall Street Journal (Nov. 1^st ,2005):T Wave Test for Patients Facing Defibrillator Recall

· MTWA Session at AHA 2005 with abstracts

· Predictive significance for sudden death of microvolt-level T wave alternans in New York Heart Association class II congestive heart failure patients ,A prospective study (International Journal of Cardiology, Volume 105, Issue 1 , 20 October 2005)

· ACC 2005 in Orlando: 7 new presentations

· T-wave alternans could surpass LVEF as risk-stratifier for ICD Implantation

· Heart Rhythm 2005 Congress in New Orleans: 20 Presentations and best abstracts

· Clinical Utility of T-Wave Alternans (ACCEL ONLINE)

· The Lancet: T Wave Alternans Stratifies Defibrillator Candidates in MADIT II type patients (Lancet 2003;362:91-92) Answers to Commentary

· JACC : SCD most likely to strike when LVEF doesn't meet criteria for prophylactic ICD

· Measurement of microvolt T-wave alternans, a new arrhythmic risk stratification test, in Type 2 diabetic patients without clinical cardiovascular disease (Diabetic Medicine Volume 23 Page 207 - February 2006)

· MTWA in MADIT II type patients - Review paper

· paper on Circulation: Microvolt T-Wave Alternans as a Predictor of Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias: A Prospective Study Using Atrial Pacing Circulation 2004;109 1854-1858

· NASPE 2004: Identification of response to Resynchronization Therapy

· MTWA as Predictor of Electrophysiology Testing Results in Professional Competitive Athletes with 23 months follow up A.N.E 2004;9(3):1-6

· NEW 6 presentations at AHA 2004 in New Orleans

· Spontaneous Ventricular Tachycardia and Fibrillation in a Patient with Positive MicroVolt T Wave Alternans Test and Negative Electrophysiological Study (PACE 2004; 27:1-3)

· The ALPHA study ( T wave Alternans in Patients with Heart fAilure): rationale, design and endpoints (Ital Heart J 2004; 5(8):587-592)

· ACC 2004 : 14 New presentations with 8 Clinical abstracts

· T Wave Alternans is a Predictor of Death in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure ( International Journal of Cardiology 2004; Vol 93 )

· Use of BetaBlockers during MTWA Test in DCM patients: Editor Comment

· CARDIOSTIM 2004 MTWA presentations with best abstracts

· MTWA at NASPE 2003:- 5 new posters and one presentation

· Low value of EP testing in MADIT II population

· ESC 2003: The comparison of principal component analysis (PCA) ratio with QT dispersion (QTd) and T-wave alternans in patients with old myocardial infarction.

· ACC2003 MADITII patients:-Late Breaking Clinical Trials,-“T-Wave Alternans in Congestive Heart Failure,” Daniel Bloomfield, MD, Columbia Presbyterian, New York City

· Repolarization Alternans: Implications for the mechanism and prevention of sudden death, David Rosembaum Cardiovascular Research Vol 57(3) (2003)(pdf file on request)

· Usefulness of MTWA for Prediction of VT Events in Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Results From a Prospespective Study (JACC Vol 41, No 12, 2003) pdf files on request

· Intravenous Administration of Class I Antiarrhythmic Drug Induced T Wave Alternans in an Asymptomatic Brugada Syndrome Patient (PACE 2003 ;26:1900-1903)

· AHA 2003 11 presentations abstracts Microvolt T-Wave Alternans Identifies MADIT II Type Patients at Low Risk of Ventricular Tachyarrhythmic Events (poster abstract)

· Effects of Selective Autonomic Blockade on T-Wave Alternans in Humans ( Circulation. 2002;105 105:837)

· Abstracts at ACC 2002

· “Clinical Use of Microvolt T-Wave Alternans Testing in the Electrophysiology Laboratory”

· NASPE 2002 abstracts

· M T Wave Alternans as predictor of malignant tachyarrhythmias in athletes (abstract) published on GIAC, Vol 5, March 2002(*)

· MTWA at CARDIOSTIM 2002

· MTWA at European Congress of Cardiology

· MTWA and Tetralogy of Fallot J C E July 2002 (first page pdf file)

· MTWA Short-Term Reproducibility JCE July 2002 (first page pdf file)

· Pathophysiological Basis JACC Vol 40 No2, 2002 (first page pdf file)

· MADIT II Type Patients Successfully Risk Stratified By MTWA

· Alternans of Action Potentials During Atrial Flutter as a Precursor to Atrial Fibrillation (Circulation 2002;106:1968) abstract

· AHA 2002 Scientific Session: 9 MTWA presentations with ABSTRACTS

· MTWA is associated with left ventricle remodeling after myocardial infarction

· His Electrogram Alternans Reveal Dual Atrioventricular Nodal Pathway Conduction During Atrial Fibrillation: The Role of Slow-Pathway Modification

· ICD meta-analysis: Risk stratification remains the challenge

· Does Biventricular Pacing Decrease the Incidence of Microvolt T-Wave Alternans? (Abstract)

· JACC full text: Comparison of TWA, Signal averaged ECG and programmed Stimulation for Arrhythmia risk Stratification (pdf); December 2000 (*)

· Full text TWA Review paper (**)

· Micro TWA Study Matrix

· ABSTRACTS AC ACC 2001

· Hypertension: T Wave Alternans and V. Arrhythmias in Arterial Hypertension; February 2001 ABSTRACT,FULL TEXT (pdf)(*)

· NASPE 2001 TWA Abstracts

· TWA at Europace and ESC 2001 abstracts

· TWA in the Task Force Report on Sudden Death of ESC

· Clinical Usefullness of the Combination of TWA and late Potentials for Identifying High Risk Patients with Moderately or Severely Impared Left Ventricular Function ( first page pdf file) (*)

· Predicting the Recurrence of Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias from TWA on Antiarrhythmic Pharmacotherapy (first page pdf file) (*)

· Optimal Target Heart Rate for Exercise-Induced T Wave Alternans, Nabil El-Sherif ANE 2001 First Page pdf file (*)

· ABSTRACTS at AHA 2001

· MADIT II: Facts and MTWA Statements

· New 2002 published papers (review):T Wave Alternans as Predictor for Sudden Death After Myocardial Infarction ( AJC Vol. 89 Jan 1, 2002) (*)Onset Heart Rate of Microvolt TWA Provides Clinical and Prognostic Value in Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy (JACC Vol. 3, No 2, 2002)(*)Effect of Metropol and d,l-Sotalol on MicroVolt TWA (Vol. 38, No 7, 2001(*): (*)Pdf files on request

· Full Text T Wave Alternans overview paper ( published on MASPE Journal) (**)

· ABSTRACTS AT ACC 2000

· ABSTRACTS AT NASPE 2000

· Abstract and Editor C. of Buxton A. NEJM 2000 “ EPS to Identify Pts with CAD at Risk for Sudden Death”

· The Lancet full text: Predictive value of TWA for arrhythmic events in patients with Congestive Heart Failure (pdf ); August 2000 (*)

· Updated: Medicare Increases Payment for Microvolt T-Wave Alternans Test by 50%

· ABSTRACTS AT ACC 99

· PAPERS Published on Circulation

· ABSTRACTS AT NASPE 99

· ABSTRACTS AT AHA 99

· Syncope Patients Dan Bloomfield full Abstract AHA 99