Cardiac echocardiography

INTRODUCTION: The use of androgenic anabolic steroids (AASs) among recreational athletes is steadily increasing. However, knowledge regarding the potentially harmful effects of AAS primarily originates from case reports and small observational studies. This large-scale study aims to investigate the impact of AAS use on vascular plaque formation, preclinical coronary disease, cardiac function, circulating cardiovascular risk markers, quality of life (QoL) and mental health in a broad population of illicit AAS users...

The three striatins (STRN, STRN3, STRN4) form the core of STRiatin-Interacting Phosphatase and Kinase (STRIPAK) complexes.  These place protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) in proximity to protein kinases thereby restraining kinase activity and regulating key cellular processes.  Our aim was to establish if striatins play a significant role in cardiac remodelling associated with cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.  All striatins were expressed in control human hearts, with upregulation of STRN and STRN3 in failing hearts...

A 79-year-old man with a failed 25-mm CE Magna Ease 3300 surgical prosthesis (Edwards Lifesciences) and of high re-operative surgical risk (STS 8%) presented with dyspnea, NYHA III. Cardiac computed tomography angiography revealed anatomy that was high risk for coronary occlusion with a short right coronary artery height of 6 mm and a valve-to-coronary distance of 2 mm.

AIM: The "2024 AHA/ACC/AMSSM/HRS/PACES/SCMR Guideline for the Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy" provides recommendations to guide clinicians in the management of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted from September 14, 2022, to November 22, 2022, encompassing studies, reviews, and other evidence on human subjects that were published in English from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and other selected databases relevant to this guideline...

BACKGROUND: Cardiac hypertrophy is the common pathological process of multiple cardiovascular diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms of cardiac hypertrophy are unclear. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), a newly discovered type of transcript that has been demonstrated to function as crucial regulators in the development of cardiovascular diseases. This study revealed a novel regulatory pathway of lncRNA in cardiac hypertrophy. METHODS: The cardiac hypertrophy models were established by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) in mice and angiotensin II (Ang II) in HL-1 cardiomyocytes...

The transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life is a critical period for neonates. Assessing the cardiovascular transition during this period immediately after birth is crucial but challenging. The present study compares adjusted estimated cardiac output values calculated by the Liljestrand and Zander formula (COest/adj LaZ) with non-invasively measured cardiac output values (CO-bioimpedance) during immediate transition after birth. We performed a secondary outcome analysis of a prospective observational study in preterm and term neonates...

BACKGROUND: Assessment of dynamic parameters to guide fluid administration is one of the mainstays of current resuscitation strategies. Each test has its own limitations, but passive leg raising (PLR) has emerged as one of the most versatile preload responsiveness tests. However, it requires real-time cardiac output (CO) measurement either through advanced monitoring devices, which are not routinely available, or echocardiography, which is not always feasible. Analysis of the hepatic vein Doppler waveform change, a simpler ultrasound-based assessment, during a dynamic test such as PLR could be useful in predicting preload responsiveness...

PURPOSE: We sought to detect left ventricular (LV) adverse alterations in structure and function in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with or without mild renal dysfunction (MRD) using comprehensive echocardiography techniques and to explore the independent risk factors for LV remodeling (LVR) and dysfunction in these patients. METHODS: The study included 82 T2DM patients with normal LV ejection fraction (presence (n = 42)/absence (n = 40) of MRD)...

Congenital diverticulum is an uncommonly detected cardiac lesion, especially in infancy. However, its association with cyanotic congenital heart disease is extremely rare. In the current work, we report a case diagnosed in the neonatal period with tetralogy of Fallot and pulmonary valve atresia associated with a large congenital diverticulum originating from the right ventricle.

BACKGROUND: Echocardiographic (2-dimensional echocardiography) thresholds indicating disease or impaired functional status compared with normal physiological aging in individuals aged ≥65 years are not clearly defined. In the present study, we sought to establish standard values for 2-dimensional echocardiography parameters related to chamber size and function in older adults without cardiopulmonary or cardiometabolic conditions. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study of 3032 individuals who underwent 2-dimensional echocardiography at exam 6 in the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis), 608 participants fulfilled our inclusion criteria of healthy aging, with normative values defined as the mean ± 1...

This study presents a case of norepinephrine and dobutamine-induced dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) caused by systolic anterior motion (SAM) in a patient experiencing acute anterior myocardial infarction (MI). In a 76-year-old patient presenting with acute MI, intensive use of norepinephrine and dobutamine may lead to the development of dynamic LVOTO and SAM. The presence of hypotension and a new cardiac murmur may suggest a mechanical complication such as acute mitral regurgitation (MR) or ventricular septal rupture (VSR)...

UNLABELLED: Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a primary valvular disease of the mitral valve with a prevalence of 2.4% of the general population. Valve abnormalities range from simple fibroelastic deficiency of the leaflets to diffuse myxomatous degenerative changes. MVP is a usually a benign condition. However, the scattered reports of sudden cardiac death in patients with MVP in the absence of severe mitral insufficiency or coronary artery disease suggest the existence of a malignant phenotype of MVP...

INTRODUCTION: Sarcoidosis has many possible clinical presentations since it can affect any organ, most commonly the lungs. The hallmark of the disease consists of the formation of non-necrotising granulomas. Pathogenesis is thought to rely on the interplay of genetic, environmental and epigenetic factors. This case highlights the importance of a thorough clinical history and physical examination, and the correlation with imaging findings in the diagnostic work-up of the non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy...

INTRODUCTION: Myxoma of the left atrium is a less typical cause of mitral obstruction. If this develops, a flash pulmonary oedema can be the first manifestation. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present a case report of a 50-year-old woman who was admitted to our internal department because of dyspnoea. The patient overcame a stroke three years before the index hospitalisation with a negative transthoracic echocardiography. By anamnesis and physical examination, an exacerbation of COPD was assumed, and the patient was treated accordingly...

BACKGROUND: Early rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is characterized by valve regurgitation, leading to ventricular distention and possible elaboration of amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). METHODS: Thirty-one children with RHD were entered in the study. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed in all patients to assess the severity of the valve disease and cardiac function, thus will be classified into three groups: mild, moderate, and severe mitral valve regurgitation (MR), with and without left ventricular (LV) dilatation...

BACKGROUND: Myxomas are uncommon and benign cardiac neoplasms that can present with various cardiac, systemic, embolic, or without symptoms depending on their location and size. Very few cases of large, truly biatrial, or tumours connected via the cardiac atria have been reported throughout the years. CASE SUMMARY: We present an unusual case of an apparently healthy 25-year-old French woman, who presented with dyspnoea at Munich's Octoberfest. Echocardiography and computed tomography identified gigantic masses in left and right atrium, which were connected through an atrial septal defect...

BACKGROUND: Multiple myxomas are rare and often associated with Carney syndrome. We present a giant left atrial myxoma that passes through a patent foramen ovale (PFO), mimicking biatrial myxoma. CASE SUMMARY: A 46-year-old female was admitted to the hospital with a cardiac neoplasm without symptoms. The physical examination did not reveal any abnormalities in the skin and endocrine system. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a large, hypoechoic mass attached to the atrial septum, occupying both the left and right atria...

BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence regarding the optimal strategy for treating patients with acute decompensated heart failure complicated by severe left ventricular dysfunction, functional mitral regurgitation (FMR), and atrial septal defect (ASD) that cannot be controlled despite optimal medical treatment. CASE SUMMARY: A 72-year-old man with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy presented with acute heart failure and recurrent atrial fibrillation. An electrocardiogram after electrical cardioversion revealed left bundle block with QRS duration of 152 ms...

BACKGROUND: A coronary artery aneurysm is a rare cardiac anomaly that may be incidentally detected on echocardiography. When associated with a coronary cameral fistula, an aneurysm can become symptomatic. We present a unique case of a giant left circumflex coronary aneurysm with a fistula to the left atrium and a large atrial septal defect causing acute heart failure in a young woman during the peripartum period. CASE SUMMARY: A 32 year-old woman who presented with hypoxia after the delivery of her fourth child was found to have heart failure with severe mitral regurgitation and multiple abnormal intracardiac shunts...

Assessing the volume status in critically ill patients is the key to maintain the stability of the hemodynamics; however, it can be challenging to view the complexity of cases and the diversity of shock etiology. Multiple noninvasive means have been used to study the effectiveness of volume resuscitation, but none of them have been used as gold standard. We aim to illustrate the most used techniques: left ventricular outflow tract velocity time integral versus inferior vena cava compressibility index, and highlight their limitations and strengths...