Abstract: A method and kit for screening a sample of body fluid for at least one autoantibody to at least one antigen. A source of at least one antigen to the autoantibody is provided. A substrate having immobilized thereto at least one antibody to the antigen is also provided. The antigen source is contacted with the sample of body fluid, so as to obtain a mixture wherein the antigen is allowed to substantially bind with the autoantibody, when the latter is present in the sample of body fluid. The mixture is allowed to flow relative to the substrate so as to allow the mixture to contact the antibody immobilized to the substrate. Labeling means are provided to permit monitoring of binding of the autoanitbody and the antigen present in the mixture, so as to provide an indication of the presence of the autoanitbody in the sample of body fluid.

Abstract: The present invention enables hemodynamic efficiencies for patients suffering from intraventricular conduction delays or conduction blockage. The invention effectively overcomes such conduction delay or block (e.g., left bundle branch block, “LBBB,” or right bundle branch block, “RBBB”) by delivering a novel form of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Specifically, a single ventricular pre-excitation pacing stimulus is triggered from an atrial event (e.g., intrinsic or evoked depolarization). The triggering event may emanate from the right atrium (RA) or the left atrium (LA). A single ventricular pre-excitation pacing stimulus is delivered prior to the intrinsic depolarization of the other ventricle and thus promotes intraventricular electromechanical synchrony during CRT delivery.

Abstract: Determining an optimal atrioventricular interval is of interest for proper delivery of cardiac resynchronization therapy. Although device optimization is gradually and more frequently being performed through a referral process with which the patient undergoes an echocardiographic optimization, the decision of whether to optimize or not is still generally reserved for the implanting physician. Recent abstracts have suggested a formulaic approach for setting A-V interval based on intrinsic electrical sensing, that may possess considerable appeal to clinicians versus a patient average nominal A-V setting of 100 ms. The present invention presents a methods of setting nominal device settings based on entering patient cardiac demographics to determine what A-V setting may be appropriate. The data is based on retrospective analysis of the MIRACLE trial to determine what major factors determined baseline A-V settings.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing and assessing the response to extra-systolic stimulation (ESS) are provided. An optimization/monitoring parameter is calculated as a function of potentiation ratio, PR, and recirculation fraction, RF, derived from measurements of myocardial contractile function during and after ESS. PR may be computed as the ratio of the contractile function on post-extra-systolic beats during ESS to baseline contractile function. RF may be computed as the slope of a linear regression performed on a plot of the contractile function for a post-extra-systolic beat versus the contractile function for the previous post-extra-systolic beat after ESS is ceased. The ESI resulting in a maximum optimization/monitoring parameter, preferably computed as the product of PR and RF, is determined as the optimal ESI. The operating ESI may be automatically adjusted, and/or PR and RF data may be stored for monitoring purposes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for classifying cardiac beats based on activation-recovery intervals (ARIs) or an ARI-related parameter such as the spatial dispersion of activation, recovery or ARIs. The beat classification method may be used in monitoring and detecting cardiac rhythms and/or for controlling a cardiac stimulation therapy. The beat classification method includes acquiring a reference ARI for one or more known types of cardiac beats; measuring the activation-recovery interval of an unknown cardiac beat during cardiac activity monitoring; comparing the measured activation-recovery interval to the stored reference ARI(s); and classifying the cardiac beat based on the comparison between the measured ARI and the reference ARI(s).

Abstract: A passive transponder has a power antenna which receives a power signal and a communication antennas which receives a communication signal. An information generating circuit creates a second communication signal in response to the first communication signal and outputs the second communication signal through the communication antenna. The information generating circuit is powered by a power supply which outputs a voltage for powering the transponder in response to the power signal. The information generating circuit includes a reprogrammable EEPROM and an EEPROM interface circuit which operates on the EEPROM by retrieving and storing data in response to the instructions and data contained within the first communication signal.