Background: Individuals recovering from COVID-19 infection have reported experiencing symptoms of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). These observations have raised concerns about COVID-19 as a significant precipitating factor in the development of post-viral POTS. Given the increasing number of POTS cases reported after COVID-19, we sought to examine the baseline characteristics of POTS patients before and after COVID-19. Methods: We conducted an interrupted time series analysis on data obtained from the TriNetX database, which included a cohort of 65 141 065 patients aged 18 and older across 64 healthcare organizations. Monthly data on incidence rates (IR), incidence cases (IC), and prevalence cases (PC) of POTS were collected from January 2018 to June 2024, with 1 March 2020 defined as the cutoff date for pre- and post-COVID analysis. Results: There was a significant increase in the IR of POTS post-COVID (P < 0.0001), with the IR increasing from 1.42/1000 000 to 20.3/1000 000 cases per person-year. Similarly, the monthly IC trend showed a significant rise from 4.21 to 22.66 cases (P < 0.001). The month-to-month prevalence showed an initial decline after COVID with a robust increase starting January 2023. Additionally, the prevalence of autonomic nervous system disorders and related comorbidities significantly decreased in the post-COVID cohort. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate a significant increase in the incidence of POTS following the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting a potential association between COVID-19 infection and the development of post-viral POTS. Future research should explore the underlying mechanisms and treatment strategies for POTS in the context of post-COVID recovery.

Aims: The aim of this study is to examine the trends and outcomes of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) device use among patients with mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods and results: Using data from the National Inpatient Sample (a large admirative database in the USA) years 2016–20, we identified AMI admissions (ST-elevation and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction) with mechanical complications (ventricular septal defect, free wall rupture, or papillary muscle rupture). Among 4 450 219 AMI patients, 7025 (0.2%) had a mechanical complication of which 3115 patients (44.3%) received at least one MCS device. There was a rising trend in MCS use (39.3% in 2016 to 48.9% in 2020, Ptrend = 0.02), but there was no corresponding reduction in the incidence of in-hospital mortality (36.9% in 2016 vs. 43.4% in 2020, Ptrend = 0.75). There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between those who received MCS vs. those who did not (48.4 vs. 34.5%, respectively). Conclusion: In this large observational analysis of AMI hospitalizations, mechanical complications were rare and associated with very high in-hospital mortality. Although the use of MCS has increased, in-hospital mortality rates remain high even among patients who received MCS. Further investigations are needed to clarify the role of MCS devices among patients with mechanical complications of AMI.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a risk factor for the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). There is a paucity of contemporary data studying the association between COPD and outcomes of AF ablation. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of COPD on AF ablation outcomes using a large nationwide database. This study was a retrospective analysis of the National Readmission Database for the years 2016-2018 and included patients admitted with a diagnosis of AF who underwent catheter ablation. Admissions were stratified according to COPD diagnosis using International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Multivariate, linear, Cox, and logistic regressions were performed to study the impact of COPD on AF ablation. A total of 18,224 admissions (mean age, 68 years; standard deviation, 10 years) were included, of whom 3,494 (19%) had a diagnosis of COPD. The COPD group was older (72 ± 8 vs. 67 ± 11 years, P < .001) and more likely to have congestive heart failure (73% vs. 44%, P < .001) and renal failure (31% vs. 17%, P < .001). COPD was associated with an increased risk of readmission (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-1.56; P < .001) and all-cause in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.74-4.60; P < .001). However, COPD was not associated with an increased risk of readmission due to recurrent AF (aHR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.75-1.27; P = .844) or the need for re-ablation (aHR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.44-1.65; P = .639), respectively. In conclusion, COPD was not associated with an increased risk of recurrent AF after ablation despite higher periprocedural risks. The present study contributes to a better understanding of this high-risk subgroup of patients undergoing AF ablation.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) poses significant risks of stroke and mortality. Catheter ablation (CA) has emerged as a superior rhythm control strategy compared with medical therapy, but its long-term benefits in AF, in ischaemic stroke prevention, remain underexplored. Methods and results: This observational study analysed data from the TriNetX Research Network, encompassing over 115 million patients. Adults diagnosed with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) between 2012 and 2019 were stratified into CA and non-CA groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) accounted for baseline differences in demographics, comorbidities, and medication use. The primary outcome was ischaemic stroke rates at five years, with and without prior ischaemic stroke. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs). Among 791 013 patients with PAF, 53 178 (6.7%) underwent CA. Post-PSM, ischaemic stroke rates were significantly lower in the CA group (7.96% vs. 9.52%, HR: 0.823, 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.785–0.863, P < 0.0001), even after excluding patients with prior ischaemic stroke (de novo ischaemic stroke) (4.70% vs. 6.43% HR: 0.709, 95% CI: 0.665–0.756, P < 0.0001). All-cause mortality was markedly reduced (9.33% vs. 20.68% HR: 0.388, 95% CI: 0.373–0.404, P < 0.0001). Conclusion: This large-scale study demonstrates that in PAF patients CA is associated with lower ischaemic stroke rates and all-cause mortality compared with a PSM group without CA. These findings support urgent evaluation of CA in managing PAF and highlight its role in potentially improving survival and reducing stroke risk. Further trials are needed to support these findings.