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Aim To evaluate the incidence and features of left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombosis in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) after novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).Material and methods Percutaneous echocardiography (pcEchoCG) was performed for 128 patients with persistent AF prepared for cardioversion, 36 (28.1 %) of whom had had COVID-19. In 3 (8.3 %) patients, the lung lesion area was 50–75 %; in 31 (86.1 %) patients, 25–50 %; in 1 (2.8 %) patient, less than 25 %. One patient had no lung lesion. Median time from the onset of COVID-19 to the patient enrollment in the study was 76.5 days. At the time of enrollment, the polymerase chain reaction test for SARS-CoV-2 was negative in all patients.Results Patients after COVID-19 and those who had not had COVID-19 were comparable by age (62.5±9.2 and 62.4±9.1 years, respectively; р=0.956), gender (men 52.8 and 59.8 %, respectively; р=0.471), and risk of stroke (score 2.19±1.28 and score 1.95±1.35, respectively; р=0.350). Duration of the last arrhythmia episode was longer for patients after COVID-19 than for the comparison group (76.5 and 45.0 days, respectively; р=0.011). All patients received oral anticoagulants. 55.6 % of COVID-19 patients received rivaroxaban, whereas 62.0% of patients who had not had COVID-19 were treated with apixaban. Median duration of the anticoagulant treatment was longer for COVID-19 patients than for the comparison group (61.5 and 32.0 days; р=0.051). LAA thrombus was detected in 7 (19.4 %) patients after COVID-19 and in 6 (6.5 %) patients of the comparison group (р=0.030). In COVID-19 patients, the thrombus adhered to LAA wall over the entire thrombus length whereas in patients who had not have COVID-19, the thrombus had a free part that formed a sharp angle with LAA walls. In the presence of LAA thrombus, the LAA blood flow velocity was considerably higher for COVID-19 patients than for the comparison group (31.0±8.9 and 18.8±4.9 cm/sec, respectively; p=0.010). At the follow-up examination performed at 24.0 days on the average, the thrombus was found to be dissolved in 80 and 50% of patients after and without COVID-19, respectively (р=0.343).Conclusion In patients with persistent AF after the novel coronavirus infection, LAA thrombosis was detected more frequently than in patients who had never had COVID-19; it was characterized by mural localization and was not associated with a decrease in LAA blood flow velocity.

Aim To study a possibility of using the left atrial strain (LAS) for predicting results of the noninvasive diastolic stress test (DST) in patients with arterial hypertension (AH).Material and methods The study included 98 patients previously diagnosed with AH. As a part of evaluation for complaints of dyspnea, palpitation or pain in the area of the heart, DST and transthoracic echocardiography were performed. Echocardiography included measurements of LAS in the reservoir phase, left atrial volume index (LAVI), pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), and ratio of early filling transmitral flow velocity to mitral annular velocity (Е / е’).Results The DST was negative in 52 patients (group 1) and positive in 46 patients (group 2). Group 2 had greater values of mean Е / е’ (11.0 [9.4; 12.6] vs 9.0 [7.9; 11.1], р=0.0003); LAVI (33.8 [29.0; 40.0] ml /m2 vs 28.0 ml /m2 [25.0; 32.9], р=0.0001); and PASP (29.0 mm Hg [28.0; 30.0] vs 26.0 mm Hg [25.0; 28.0], рvs 24.0 % [22.0; 28.0], рConclusion If the DST cannot be performed for a noninvasive diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, a positive result of this test can be predicted by a decrease of LAS in the reservoir phase to 21 % or lower. The diagnostic accuracy of this criterion is 88.8 % (81.0–93.6 %).

Aim To study the right ventricular (RV) myocardial longitudinal systolic strain in patient with RV myocardial infarction (MI), and pulmonary embolism (PE) with and without McConnell’ phenomenon.Material and methods This study included 53 patients with PE (mean age, 59.0±15.1 years; men, 58.5 %) and 30 patients with RVMI (mean age, 61.8±10.9 years; men, 90 %). Longitudinal strain of basal, medial and apical segments of the RV free wall (RVFW) and the interventricular septum (IVS) was determined in the mode of two-dimensional speckle tracking. Ratio of the IVS apical strain to the RVFW strain (apical ratio) was calculated. Systolic excursion of the RVFW apical segment (apical excursion) was measured in the anatomical M-mode from the apical four-chamber view.Results The McConnell’s sign was observed in 23 (43.4 %) of 53 patients with PE and in 16 (53.3 %) of 30 patients with RVMI (p>0.05). Irrespective of the cause for the RV damage, patients with the McConnell’s sign had higher values of the apical ratio (1.69±0.50 vs. 0.95±0.22; pvs. 2.6±1.4 mm; p0.05).Conclusion Incidence of the McConnell’s sign was similar in patients with PE and RVMI. McConnell’s sign is based on a passive systolic shift of the RVFW apical segment, which develops during contraction of the IVS apical segment. The greater the ratio of IVS apical segment to RBFW global strain the greater the amplitude of this shift. With the ratio value of 1.18 or more, the systolic shift of RVFW apical segment was >5 mm, which was visually perceived as the McConnell’s sign.

The article describes a case of isolated right ventricular myocardial infarction induced by proximal occlusion of the right coronary artery in a patient with the left type of heart blood supply. A specific feature of the case was detection of the McConnell’s sign, which is considered characteristic of pulmonary artery thromboembolism.

Aim To compare the incidence of cardiovascular complications (CVC) in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) following thrombus dissolution in the left atrial appendage (LAA) and in patients with persistent AF without preceding LAA thrombosis.Material and methods The main group included 43 patients who had been diagnosed with LAA thrombosis on the first examination, transesophageal echocardiography, and who showed dissolution of the thrombus on a repeated study performed after 7.1+2.0 weeks of the anticoagulant treatment. The control group consisted of 123 patients with a risk score >0 for men without LAA thrombosis and score >1 for women without LAA thrombosis according to the CHA2DS2‑VASc scale. The patients were followed up for 47.3±17.9 months. The following unfavorable outcomes were recorded: all-cause mortality, ischemic stroke or systemic thromboembolism, hemorrhagic stroke or severe bleeding, and myocardial infarction (MI).Results Unfavorable clinical outcomes were observed in 39.5 % of patients in the main group and in 3.3 % of patients in the control group (pConclusion In patients with persistent AF, the risk of CVC after LAA thrombus dissolution remains significantly higher than in patients with AF without LAA thrombosis.

Objective Compare the distance between the pulmonary artery (PA) and the left coronary artery (LCA) using pulmonary angiography and the rate of detection of the signs of left ventricular myocardial ischemiain the first electrocardiogram (ECG) in pulmonary embolism (PE) patients with or without angina to detect possible causes of angina pectoris.Material and Methods Measurement of the minimum distance between the PA and LCA in multislice spiral computed tomography and analysis of the first ECG were performed in 55 PE patients. 15 (27.3%) patients had angina pectoris at the onset of the disease.Results Angina pectoris was observed in 14 (93.3%) of 15 patients with the distance between the PA andLCA less than 4.3 mm, and in one (2.5%) of 40 patients with the distance between these vessels equalto or exceeding the specified value (pConclusions The findings suggest that angina pectoris in acute pulmonary embolism may be caused by compression of the LCA by the dilated PA.

1-3 years after myocardial infarction 140 patients (66 with - group 1, and 74 without - group 2 - hypertension before infarction) were examined by echocardiography. In group 1 concentric remodeling was found in 71.4% of patients with postinfarction scar occupying/=25% of left ventricular area (nonextensive scar) and in 100% of patients with larger (extensive) scars. In group 2 concentric and eccentric remodeling was found in 43.8 and 6.3%, respectively, of patients with nonextensive and in 9.5 and 28.6%, respectively, of patients with extensive scars. These results allow to suggest that after myocardial infarction left ventricles of patients with preexisting hypertension undergo predominantly concentric remodeling while in patients without hypertension mainly eccentric remodeling takes place. These tendencies are more obvious in patients with larger postinfarction scars.

To elucidate relationship between presence of ischemic heart disease and 24-hour blood pressure (BP) profile.Twenty four hour BP index characterizing degree of nocturnal blood pressure fall was measured in patients with hypertension without coronary heart disease (n=65, group 1), with hypertension and effort angina (n=35, group 2), with effort angina and normal BP (n=25, group 3).Values of 24-hour BP systolic and diastolic index were in group 1 12.7+/-1.3 and 16.0+/-1.1%, respectively, in group 2 5.8+/-2.4 and 7.4+/-3.6%, respectively, in group 3, 6.0+/-2.2 and 6.0+/-3.0%, respectively (p0.05, groups 2 and 3 vs group 1).Decreased nocturnal BP lowering could be a compensatory reaction aimed at maintenance of adequate blood flow through stenosed coronary vessels.