Functional echocardiography

OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively analyze the myocardial work of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) by use of the pressure-strain loop and to investigate the clinical factors that affect myocardial work in the left ventricle. METHODS: We analyzed data from 50 control patients and 180 case patients, with 70 cases in group A (T2D only), 40 cases in group B (T2D + high blood pressure), 33 cases in group C (T2D + coronary heart disease), and 37 cases in group D (T2D + high blood pressure + coronary heart disease)...

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to construct a nomogram prediction model for prognostic assessment of patients with heart failure (HF) based on serological markers and echocardiography. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 200 HF patients admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from January 2018 to January 2020 were selected as the research objects. According to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) cardiac function classification, they were divided into 3 groups, including 65 cases of grade II, 97 cases of grade III, and 38 cases of grade IV...

BACKGROUND: Dapagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, is an epochal oral antidiabetic drug that improves cardiorenal outcomes. However, the effect of early dapagliflozin intervention on left ventricular (LV) remodeling in patients with type 2 diabetes free from cardiovascular disease remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: The ELUCIDATE trial was a prospective, open-label, randomized, active-controlled study that enrolled 76 patients with asymptomatic type 2 diabetes with LV ejection fraction ≥50%, randomized to the dapagliflozin 10 mg/day add-on or standard-of-care group...

BACKGROUND: The goal was to determine the feasibility of mapping the injured-but-not-infarcted myocardium using 99m Tc-duramycin in the postischemic heart, with spatial information for its characterization as a pathophysiologically intermediate tissue, which is neither normal nor infarcted. METHODS AND RESULTS: Coronary occlusion was conducted in Sprague Dawley rats with preconditioning and 30-minute ligation. In vivo single-photon emission computed tomography was acquired after 3 hours (n=6) using 99m Tc-duramycin, a phosphatidylethanolamine-specific radiopharmaceutical...

AIMS: The study aims to investigate exercise-limiting factors in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) using combined stress echocardiography and cardiopulmonary exercise test. METHODS AND RESULTS: A symptom-limited ramp bicycle exercise test was performed in the semi-supine position on a tilting dedicated ergometer. Echocardiographic images were obtained concurrently with gas exchange measurements along predefined stages of exercise. Oxygen extraction was calculated using the Fick equation at each activity level...

AIMS: Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is an important complication of reperfusion therapy for acute myocardial infarction, extremely compromising the cardiac benefits of revascularization, however, specific and efficient treatment for cardiac I/R injury is still lacking. Isthmin-1 (ISM1) is a novel adipokine, and plays indispensable roles in regulating glycolipid metabolism and cell survival. The present study aims to investigate the potential role and molecular mechanism of ISM1 in cardiac I/R injury using gain- and loss-of-function approaches...

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is usually accompanied by the activation of the sympathetic nerve, and the excessive activation of the sympathetic nerve also promotes cardiac remodeling and cardiac dysfunction. In the isoproterenol (ISO) induced animal model, it is often accompanied by myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis, and inflammation. Leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor B4a (Lilrb4a) is an immunosuppressive regulatory receptor and plays a vital role in cardiovascular disease. However, the effect of Lilrb4a on ventricular arrhythmias from ISO-induced mice model remains unclear...

This study aimed to explore the effects and mechanism of action of stachydrine hydrochloride (Sta) against myocardial infarction (MI) through sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum stress-related injury. The targets of Sta against MI were screened using network pharmacology. C57BL/6J mice after MI were treated with saline, Sta (6 or 12 mg·kg-1 ) for 2 weeks, and adult mouse and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (AMCMs and NRCMs) were incubated with Sta (10-4 -10-6 M) under normoxia or hypoxia for 2 or 12 h, respectively...

BACKGROUND: There are limited data comparing hemodynamic valve function in mechanical aortic valve prostheses. We compared the hemodynamic function of two commonly used mechanical aortic valve (AV) prostheses, the On-X and Top Hat valves. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 512 patients who received AV replacement with On-X (n=252, 49%) or Top Hat (n=260, 51%) mechanical valves between 2011 and 2019. Patients were matched based on select variables. Echocardiographic data were collected pre- and postoperatively over a median follow-up of 1...

BACKGROUND: Myocarditis is an important clinical issue which lacks specific treatment by now. Ivermectin (IVM) is an inhibitor of importin α/β-mediated nuclear translocation. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effects of IVM on acute myocarditis. METHODS: Mouse models of coxsackie B3 virus (CVB3) infection-induced myocarditis and experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) were established to evaluate the effects of IVM. Cardiac functions were evaluated by echocardiography and Millar catheter...

OBJECTIVE: To establish the criteria for reversibility of myocardial contractility in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) after coronary artery bypass grafting considering data of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and echocardiography. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied the results of coronary artery bypass grafting in 186 patients with CAD complicated by reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (<30%). All patients underwent cardiac MRI and echocardiography before surgery...

BACKGROUND: Precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) is characterized by a sustained increase in right ventricular (RV) afterload, impairing systolic function. Two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography is the most performed cardiac imaging tool to assess RV systolic function; however, an accurate evaluation requires expertise. We aimed to develop a fully automated deep learning (DL)-based tool to estimate the RV ejection fraction (RVEF) from 2D echocardiographic videos of apical four-chamber views in patients with precapillary PH...

BACKGROUND: Right ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction has been identified as a prognostic marker for adverse clinical events in patients presenting with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). However, challenges exist in identifying RV dysfunction using conventional echocardiography techniques. Strain echocardiography is an evolving imaging modality which measures myocardial deformation and can be used as an objective index of RV systolic function. This study evaluated RV Global Longitudinal Strain (RVGLS) in patients with intermediate risk PE as a parameter of RV dysfunction, and compared to traditional echocardiographic and CT parameters evaluating short-term mortality...

The presented case report demonstrates the successful operative treatment of a patient with thymic carcinoma located in the anterior mediastinum, infiltrating the vena cava, and affecting the upper lobe of the left lung. Our multidisciplinary approach, incorporating various operative techniques, proved effective in treating this type of pathology. The Clinic for Thoracic Surgery at UMHAT Kaspela, Plovdiv admitted a 72-year-old female patient due to complaints related to her cardiovascular and respiratory systems...

Background  Continuous monitoring using implantable cardiac monitors (ICMs) results in atrial fibrillation (AF) detection rates of up to 30% in patients with cryptogenic stroke (CS). Although higher age is an independent risk factor for AF, there are no age-specific recommendations for the implantation of ICM. Objective  The aim of this study was to analyze age-related AF rates in patients with CS and continuous rhythm monitoring, to determine the rates of oral anticoagulation (OAC) and recurrent cerebrovascular events (stroke or transient ischemic attack) in patients with ICM-detected AF, and to describe the temporal relationship of AF detection and recurrent cerebrovascular events...

BACKGROUND: Lean body mass (LBM) and the functional capacity of cardiovascular (CV) and respiratory systems constitute a female-specific relationship in European-American individuals. Whether this recent finding be extrapolated to the world's largest ethnic group, that is, Hans Chinese (HC, a population characterized by low LBM), is unknown. METHODS: Healthy HC adults (n = 144, 50% ♀) closely matched by sex, age and physical activity were included...

Echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular function is crucial in NICU. The study aimed to compare the accuracy and agreement of global longitudinal strain (GLS) with conventional measurements. Real-life echocardiograms of neonates receiving intensive care were retrospectively reviewed. Shortening fraction (SF), ejection fraction (EF) and S' measurements were retrieved from health records. GLS was calculated offline from stored images. The association with stroke volume indexed for body weight (iSV) was evaluated by regression analysis...

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BACKGROUND: Fetal two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) is an emerging technique for assessing fetal cardiac function by measuring global longitudinal strain. Alterations in global longitudinal strain may serve as early indicator of pregnancy complications, making 2D-STE a potentially valuable tool for early detection. Early detection can facilitate timely interventions to reduce fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of performing 2D-STE at 16 weeks gestational age...

IMPORTANCE: Although the results of A Study to Evaluate the Corvia Medical Inc IASD System II to Reduce Elevated Left Atrial Pressure in Patients with Heart Failure (REDUCE LAP-HF II) trial were neutral overall, atrial shunt therapy demonstrated potential efficacy in responders (no latent pulmonary vascular disease and no cardiac rhythm management device). Post hoc analyses were conducted to evaluate the effect of shunt vs sham stratified by responder status. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of atrial shunt vs sham control on cardiac structure/function in the overall study and stratified by responder status...