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A prespecified objective of the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial (ASCOT) was to assess whether any synergistic effects were apparent between the lipid-lowering and blood-pressure-lowering regimens in preventing cardiovascular events.A total of 19 257 hypertensive subjects were randomized to an amlodipine-based regimen or an atenolol-based regimen. Of these, 10 305 subjects with total cholesterolor =6.5 mmol/L were further randomized to atorvastatin 10 mg daily or placebo. In this analysis, the effects of atorvastatin were compared with placebo on coronary heart disease (CHD), cardiovascular and stroke events in those assigned amlodipine-based and atenolol-based regimens. In the ASCOT lipid-lowering arm (LLA), overall, atorvastatin reduced the relative risk of the primary endpoint of non-fatal myocardial infarction and fatal CHD events by 36% (HR 0.64, CI 0.50-0.83, P=0.0005), total cardiovascular events by 21% (HR 0.79, CI 0.69-0.90, P=0.0005), and stroke by 27% (HR 0.73, CI 0.56-0.96, P=0.024). However, atorvastatin reduced the relative risk of CHD events by 53% (HR 0.47, CI 0.32-0.69, P0.0001) among those allocated the amlodipine-based regimen, and by 16% (HR 0.84, CI 0.60-1.17, p: n.s.) among those allocated the atenolol-based regimen (P=0.025 for heterogeneity). There were no significant differences between the effects of atorvastatin on total cardiovascular events or strokes among those assigned amlodipine (HR 0.73, CI 0.60-0.88, P0.005 and HR 0.69, CI 0.45-1.06, P: n.s., respectively) or atenolol (HR 0.85, CI 0.71-1.02, P: n.s and HR 0.76, CI 0.53-1.08, P: n.s, respectively). Differences in blood pressure and lipid parameters (placebo corrected) between the two antihypertensive treatment limbs could not account for the differences observed in CHD outcome.These findings of an apparent interaction between atorvastatin and an amlodipine-based regimen in the prevention of CHD events are of borderline significance, and hence generate an hypothesis that merits independent evaluation in other trials.

Purpose Echocardiography (echo) is widely used for right ventricular (RV) assessment. Current techniques for RV evaluation require additional imaging and manual analysis; machine learning (ML) approaches have the potential to provide efficient, fully automated quantification of RV function. Methods An automated ML model was developed to track the tricuspid annulus on echo using a convolutional neural network approach. The model was trained using 7791 image frames, and automated linear and circumferential indices quantifying annular displacement were generated. Automated indices were compared to an independent reference of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) defined RV dysfunction (RVEF

Objective To explore the value of three‐dimensional speckle‐tracking imaging (3DSTI) in detecting left ventricular systolic function in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Methods Totally 31 DCM patients were enrolled in this study. Left ventricular end‐systolic volume (LVESV), left ventricular end‐diastolic volume (LVEDV), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured using the 3DSTI, two‐dimensional echocardiography (2DE), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Left ventricular end‐diastolic mass (EDmass) and left ventricular end‐diastolic mass index (LVEDmass I) were also detected by 3DSTI and MRI. The differences in these measurements were analyzed and compared. Results The values of LVESV, LVEDV, and LVEF showed significantly positive correlations among 2DE group, 3DSTI group, and MRI group. The LVEF value showed significant difference among these three groups [(33.3 ± 11.1)%, (30.3 ± 10.6)%, and (26.2 ± 10.7)%; P = 0.04], whereas LVEDV and LVESV values were not significantly different (P > 0.05; respectively). Inter‐group comparison showed the mean of LVEF was significantly lower in MRI group than in 2DE group (P = 0.031), whereas there was no significant difference between 2DE group and 3DSTI group and between 3DSTI group and MRI group (P > 0.05; respectively). The EDmass and EDmassI detected by 3DSTI and MRI were (143.2 ± 40.2) g vs (190.0 ± 58.3) g and (83.2 ± 21.1) g/m2 vs (110.1 ± 29.7) g/m2 (P

The authors estimated the risk of cardiovascular mortality associated with echocardiographic (ECHO) left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and subtypes of this phenotype in patients with and without electrocardiographic (ECG) LVH. A total of 1691 representatives of the general population were included in the analysis. During a follow‐up of 211 months, 89 cardiovascular deaths were recorded. Compared with individuals with neither ECHO LVH nor ECG LVH, fully adjusted risk of cardiovascular mortality increased (hazard ratio [HR], 3.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.51–7.47; P=.003) in patients with both ECHO‐LVH and ECG‐LVH, whereas the risk entailed by ECHO‐LVH alone was of borderline statistical significance (P=.04). Combined concentric nondilated LVH and ECG‐LVH, but not concentric nondilated LVH alone, predicted cardiovascular death (HR, 3.79; 95% CI, 1.25–11.38; P=.01). Similar findings were observed for eccentric nondilated LVH (HR, 3.37; 95% CI, 1.05–10.78; P=.04.). The present analysis underlines the value of combining ECG and ECHO in the assessment of cardiovascular prognosis related to abnormal left ventricular geometric patterns.

Evidence on the association of nocturnal hypertension (NH) with subclinical cardiac and vascular damage is scanty. The authors performed a meta‐analysis to provide comprehensive information on this clinically relevant issue. Full articles providing data on subclinical cardiac and carotid damage as assessed by ultrasonographic methods in patients with NH as compared with patients with nocturnal normotension (NN) were considered. A total of 3657 patients (NH=2083, NN=1574) of both sexes were included in seven studies. Left ventricular mass index was higher in individuals with NH than in those with NN (112±4.7 g/m(2) vs 98±4.8 g/m(2); standard mean difference [SMD], 0.54±0.16; confidence interval [CI], 0.23–0.85; P

Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a known factor that affects the structure of the left ventricle. The association between left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and BP in normotensive individuals is poorly understood. All individuals who underwent routine echocardiography and BP measurements as aircrew candidates for the Israeli Air Force in the years 2006 to 2012 were identified. Participants with normal values were included. Associations between echocardiographic characteristics and BP were studied. A total of 2386 participants were included. Mean systolic BP was 125.31±11.18 mm Hg and mean diastolic BP was 68.69±9.02 mm Hg. Interventricular septal (IVS) thickness was positively correlated with systolic BP (P

In middle‐aged and “young elderly” cohorts, higher left ventricular mass (LVM) is associated with worse outcomes. The authors examined LVM and 5‐year mortality among community‐dwelling 85‐year‐old patients. A representative sample (n=526, born 1920–1921) from the Jerusalem Longitudinal Cohort Study underwent echocardiography at age 85. LVM was indexed by body surface area (LVM‐BSA) or height (LVM‐Ht). Patients with higher LVM were less educated and sedentary and had poorer self‐rated health, functional limitations, and increased comorbidity. Five‐year mortality was 21.7% (n=114). Adjusted 5‐year mortality rates were increased for the two upper quintiles of LVM‐BSA (hazard ratio [HR], 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–3.06) and LVM‐Ht (HR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.2–3.5). A step up in mortality occurred around the third quintile corresponding with LVM‐BSA 110 g/m(2) or LVM‐Ht 51 g/m(2.7). Among the oldest old, elevated LVM is significantly associated with mortality.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is central in the management of hypertension. Factors related to BP, such as body mass index (BMI), may differently affect particular aspects of 24‐hour ABPM profiles. However, the relevance of BMI, the most used index of adiposity, has been underappreciated in the determination of specific aspects of 24‐hour ABPM profiles in hypertension. The authors evaluated the association between BMI and aspects of ABPM together with their associations with cardiac remodeling in 1841 patients. A positive association of BMI with 24‐hour, daytime, and nighttime pulse pressure in untreated normal weight and overweight/obese hypertensive patients and a positive association of BMI with nocturnal BP parameters in treated overweight/obese hypertensive patients was observed. The clinical relevance of these findings was supported by the positive significant correlations of BMI‐related BPs with left ventricular mass and atrial diameter.

The evolution of QT interval and its dispersion (QTd) were studied in 135 newly diagnosed nondiabetic patients, as well as the relationship between changes of these left ventricular (LV) repolarization parameters with blood pressure (BP) and LV mass changes, which were prospectively studied for a median period of 3.8 years. At baseline and at last follow‐up visit, all patients underwent ambulatory BP monitoring, echocardiographic assessment, and 12‐lead electrocardiography. At the end of follow‐up, responders of antihypertensive treatment based on a reduced 24‐hour systolic BP (n=122) exhibited a reduction in LV mass index (by 7.6 g/m(2), P

Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH) is classified according to geometric pattern into 4 types: concentric hypertrophy, eccentric hypertrophy, concentric remodeling, and normal geometry. Prevalence of death and cardiovascular complications associated with hypertension depend on the geometric pattern. Although soluble ST2 levels, a novel cardiac biomarker of mechanical strain is increased in hypertension, the relationship with hypertensive LV geometric patterns has not been studied. The authors investigated the relationship between soluble ST2 levels and LV geometric patterns in a cohort of hypertensive patients. LVH was considered present when echocardiographic LV mass index exceeded 49.2 g/m(2.7) in men and 46.2 g/m(2.7) in women. Patients with concentric hypertrophy had higher soluble ST2 levels compared with patients with normal geometry (20.4±8.4 ng/mL vs 14.3±5.4 ng/mL, P

Clinical implications of blood pressure variability (BPV) on subclinical organ damage in children are unknown. The authors sought to explore the potential utility of two newly derived BPV indices: weighted standard deviation (wBPSD) and real average variability (ARV), as well as two standard ambulatory blood pressure indices: average 24-hour systolic blood pressure (SBP) and 24-hour SBP load, to identify children at high risk for left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH). The study group consisted of 67 consecutive children who were referred to our institution for evaluation of suspected hypertension. LV mass was estimated by M-mode echocardiography using Devereux's formula according to the Penn convention and indexed for height(2.7) . We found a statistically significant, positive correlation between 24-hour wBPSD and LV mass index (LVMI) (ρ=0.389; P=.002) and no correlation between 24-hour ARV and LVMI (P>.05). However, partial correlation analysis of 24-hour wBPSD adjusted for body mass index (BMI) and LVMI showed only a weak correlation (ρ=0.3; P=.022). By using multiple linear regression analysis in a model with LVMI as a dependent variable and 24-hour wBPSD, 24-hour ARV, and BMI as independent variables, only BMI showed statistically significant independent positive associations with LVMI (P=.028). Results of our study showed that currently used BPV indices (24-hour wBPSD and 24-hour ARV) are not clinically reliable parameters to identify children at risk for LVH. Apparent contribution of the 24-hour wBPSD parameter to LVMI is negligible and is secondary to its close correlation with BMI (ρ=0.335 P=.009).

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich) Between 1995 and 2005, 196 adults with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) were evaluated. Among these, 122 (62%, group 1) patients also had systemic hypertension. The clinical presentation, management, outcome, and echocardiographic findings of these patients were compared with 74 (38%, group 2) patients without systemic hypertension. Patients in group 1 were older at the time of HCM diagnosis and had a higher prevalence of diabetes (28% vs 9%; P=.02) and coronary artery disease (40% vs 25%; P=.03). In addition, echocardiography showed a significantly higher prevalence of systolic anterior motion of the anterior mitral valve in association with dynamic left ventricular outflow obstruction (52% vs 19%; P=.02) and mitral annular calcification (27% vs 13%; P=.03) in group 1 patients. Left ventricular wall thickness (17 mm vs 19 mm), end‐diastolic diameter (42 mm vs 42 mm), resting outflow tract gradient >30 mm Hg (17% vs 16%), and ejection fraction (65% vs 64%) were similar in the two groups. HCM frequently coexists with systemic hypertension in the adult population. Presence of systemic hypertension in HCM patients is associated with older age and higher risk of diabetes, coronary artery disease, and noncardiac death.

The authors aimed to investigate the association between glucose metabolism measures and the exaggerated blood pressure response (EXBPR) to exercise testing in normotensive nondiabetic patients. One hundred and forty-two consecutive patients underwent office blood pressure (BP) measurements, 24-hour BP monitoring, echocardiography, and treadmill exercise test according to the Bruce protocol. The population was divided into 2 groups according to EXBPR at a submaximal workload level. Furthermore, blood samples were obtained for fasting glucose (FG), fasting insulin (FI), and lipid profile assessment. Measures of insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR], quantitative insulin sensitivity check index [QUICKI], and McAuley index) were also estimated, and a standardized oral glucose tolerance test was performed to evaluate glucose levels at 120 minutes (G120). Patients with EXBPR (n=40; 27 men) compared with those without EXBPR (n=102; 66 men) were older by 4+/-6 years (P

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) has been demonstrated to define an adverse cardiovascular prognosis. However, due to poor noninvasive tools in which to accurately define LVH, the clinical manifestations dictate an inexact manner in which to either initiate therapy or to gauge the success of LVH regression. Herein, the authors define the current state of imaging modalities available to interrogate LVH and its regression, but concentrating chiefly on the “gold standard” of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). The authors review the data demonstrating the importance of LVH regression. Additionally, they highlight the strengths and weaknesses of CMR via several pinnacle studies that demonstrate the ease, efficiency, and accuracy of this new noninvasive reproducible and available tool to relatively inexpensively delineate LVH. Finally, upon pharmacologic administration of an antihypertensive regimen, the authors, for the first time, define a goal of left ventricular mass reduction (in grams) for echocardiography and CMR based in part on Framingham data aiming at improving cardiovascular risk.

Prior investigations have shown impaired endothelial function in hypertensive blacks when compared with whites. It is not clear, however, whether the difference in vascular responsiveness predates or follows the development of hypertension. Thirty‐nine young black adults with a family history of essential hypertension and 41 control participants were studied for brachial artery reactivity and carotid intima‐media thickness via ultrasonography, cardiac muscle mass and diastolic function by echocardiography, and biochemical analysis. There was no significant difference in brachial artery reactivity between the study groups, although women had greater reactivity than men (P=.05). Carotid intima‐media thickness, left ventricular geometry, and biomarkers were equivalent between the study groups (P=not significant). Vascular imaging and biomarkers were unable to identify early evidence of endothelial dysfunction in offspring of African Americans with essential hypertension. These same studies demonstrated some early changes in vascular function based on sex.

Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy is related to blood pressure level and neurohormonal factors. The authors previously demonstrated that arterial norepinephrine levels predict LV mass in middle-aged men who developed hypertension through 20 years. The aim of this 20-year prospective study was to investigate arterial vasopressin, aldosterone, and renin as long-term predictors of LV mass. Normotensives (n=17), subjects who developed hypertension (n=17), and sustained hypertensives (n=22) were compared at baseline (42 years) and at follow-up (62 years). There were no significant differences in baseline vasopressin, aldosterone, or renin levels. The group with sustained hypertension had more LV hypertrophy (P=.025) at follow-up. Among new hypertensives, multiple regression analysis demonstrated that baseline arterial vasopressin (beta-0.53; P=.041) and aldosterone (beta-0.56;P=.032) independently explained LV mass index (R(2)=0.85; P=.035). In conclusion, baseline arterial vasopressin and aldosterone, but not renin, appear to predict LV mass in middle-aged men who developed hypertension over a 20-year period.

The authors investigated the associations between target organ damage and individual components of the metabolic syndrome (MS) compared with the MS itself. Carotid intima‐media thickness (IMT), carotid plaque, and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were assessed by ultrasonography in 356 participants who were free of overt cardiovascular disease. Participants with the MS (n=33) had higher LVMI and carotid IMT than those without the MS (n=323), but the percentage of patients who had carotid plaque was similar. Individually, each component of the MS was significantly associated with the 3 measures of target organ damage. In bivariate and multivariate analyses, the association of clinic systolic blood pressure to both LVMI and carotid IMT and the negative association of high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol with carotid plaque were stronger than and independent of the MS. The data suggest that physicians should evaluate blood pressure and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol as well as other cardiovascular risk factors without regard to whether a patient meets the criteria for the MS.

Left ventricular hypertrophy increases the risk for cardiovascular target organ damage, myocardial infarction, and stroke. The authors assessed the patterns of ventricular adaptation in 107 essential hypertensives whose treatment had been withdrawn and its modification after 1 year of hypertension treatment. Blood pressure decreased from 158+/-17/96+/-12 mm Hg to 137+/-15/83+/-10 mm Hg (mean +/- SD; p0.001); 45% of the patients (49 of 107) had their blood pressure controlled below 140 mm Hg and 90 mm Hg. Although a significant decrease of left ventricular mass index was found in the study, the percentage of patients with normal left ventricular geometry at the completion of the study increased by only 9% (27% to 36%, p0.05). Left ventricular mass geometry improved in 31% of the patients, remained unaffected in 51%, and worsened in 18%. The data suggest that even while suboptimal antihypertensive treatment reduces left ventricular mass index, either left ventricular hypertrophy or concentric remodeling remains present in a significant number of patients at the end of a 1-year treatment period. The authors conclude that these patients should be considered as a subgroup at high risk and should be treated more aggressively.

Current evidence on the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on cardiac mechanics in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is based on a few single studies. The authors investigated this topic through a meta-analysis of speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) studies that provided data on left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) mechanics as assessed by global longitudinal strain (GLS). The PubMed, OVID-MEDLINE, and Cochrane library databases were systematically analyzed to search English-language review papers published from inception to January 31, 2022. Studies were identified by crossing the following terms: "obstructive sleep apnea", "sleep quality", "sleep disordered breathing", "continuous positive airway pressure therapy", "noninvasive ventilation", "left ventricular hypertrophy", "systolic dysfunction", "global longitudinal strain", "left ventricular mechanics", "right ventricular mechanics", "echocardiography" and "STE echocardiography". The meta-analysis, including a total of 337 patients with OSA from nine studies (follow-up 2-24 months) showed a significant GLS improvement in both LV and RV after CPAP, standard mean difference (SMD) being 0.51±0.08, CI:0.36-0.66, p = .0001 and 0.28±0.07, CI:0.15-0.42, p = .0001), respectively. Corresponding SMD values for LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) were 0.20±0.06, CI:0.08-0.33, p = .001 and 0.08±0.06, CI: -0.04/0.20, p = .21. Our meta-analysis suggests that: I) CPAP treatment exerts beneficial effects on biventricular function in patients with OSA; II) the assessment of cardiac mechanics by STE should be routinely recommended for monitoring cardiac function in this setting, due to limitations of conventional echocardiography in evaluating biventricular performance.

Objective Cardiac dysfunction is a common sequela in patients with sepsis and multi-organ dysfunction. Echocardiography is commonly used in the investigation of circulatory failure. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of echocardiographic parameters in patients with septic shock. Methods This study was a retrospective trial. We included patients who were admitted to ICU with septic shock. The patients' echocardiograms, clinical data, and outcomes were obtained from their medical records. Associations between echo-cardiogram variables and mortality were assessed using logistic regression, controlled for age, sex, BMI, and the interval between the ICU admission and echocardiogram. The utility of statistically significant echocardiogram variables to predict mortality were assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results The outcomes presented that Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion(TAPSE) was statistically significantly associated with both ICU (p = 0.02) and 90-day (p = 0.001) mortality. From the ROC curves, TAPSE emerged a significant and moderate predictor for 90-day (area under curve (AUC) = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.565-0.814) and in-ICU mortality (AUC = 0.762, 95% CI = 0.652-0.871). The optimal cut-off for TAPSE was 2.1 cm for both 90-day mortality (sensitivity of 80% and specificity and 58%) and in-ICU mortality (sensitivity of 69% and specificity of 77%). Conclusion TAPSE was associated with increased mortality in those with sepsis and suspicion of cardiac dysfunction. This is a hypothesis generating paper that an association may be present and requires significant more work with expansion to the entire population base. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Contains fulltext : 235000.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) BACKGROUND: Cardiotoxicity is a well-known side effect after anthracyclines and chest radiotherapy in childhood cancer survivors (CCS). The DCCSS LATER 2 CARD (cardiology) study includes evaluation of echocardiographic measurements for early identification of CCS at highest risk of developing heart failure. This paper describes the design, feasibility, and reproducibility of the echocardiography protocol. METHODS: Echocardiograms from CCS and sibling controls were prospectively obtained at the participating centers and centrally analyzed. We describe the image acquisition, measurement protocol, and software-specific considerations for myocardial strain analyses. We report the feasibility of the primary outcomes of systolic and diastolic function, as well as reproducibility analyses in 30 subjects. RESULTS: We obtained 1,679 echocardiograms. Biplane ejection fraction (LVEF) measurement was feasible in 91% and 96% of CCS and siblings, respectively, global longitudinal strain (GLS) in 80% and 91%, global circumferential strain (GCS) in 86% and 89%, and ≥2 diastolic function parameters in 99% and 100%, right ventricle free wall strain (RVFWS) in 57% and 65%, and left atrial reservoir strain (LASr) in 72% and 79%. Intra-class correlation coefficients for inter-observer variability were 0.85 for LVEF, 0.76 for GLS, 0.70 for GCS, 0.89 for RVFWS and 0.89 for LASr. Intra-class correlation coefficients for intra-observer variability were 0.87 for LVEF, 0.82 for GLS, 0.82 for GCS, 0.85 for RVFWS and 0.79 for LASr. CONCLUSION: The DCCSS LATER 2 CARD study includes a protocolized echocardiogram, with feasible and reproducible primary outcome measurements. This ensures high-quality outcome data for prevalence estimates and for reliable comparison of cardiac function parameters.

Ventricular tachycardia and premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) arising from right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) are the most common type of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) in patients without structural heart disease. Radiofrequency ablation is now the gold standard of treatment in this setting due to high efficacy rates and optimal safety profile. During the last few years, the pulmonary valve (PV) and the pulmonary artery (PA) have attracted much attention as reliable sites of origin of RVOT-type arrhythmias. In the mean while intracardiac echocardiogram (ICE) has undoubtedly improved our understanding of the cardiac anatomy. Aim of this paper is to provide an illustrated step-by-step guide on how to use ICE with the CARTOSOUND module to visualize and reconstruct 3D shell of the RV, the PV, as well of other contiguous anatomical structures (i.e., the aortic valve and coronary arteries) to perform aware and safe ablation in this region. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The diagnosis of congenital heart disease in children has been an issue in the medical community. Timely diagnosis and treatment can provide a greater guarantee for children's healthy growth. In recent years, there have been more and more studies on the diagnosis of congenital heart disease in children. This paper compares the advantages and disadvantages of echocardiography and 64-slice spiral computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of congenital heart disease in children. In clinical trials, we also tested 64 patients with spiral computed tomography (SCT) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) detection of patients and then confirmed the accuracy of the diagnosis by the surgical methods. The two methods of detection, the rate of missed diagnosis, and the rate of misdiagnosis were counted. Through the test results and pathological diagnosis results, the diagnostic accuracy of the two methods were all above 90%, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The sensitivity of echocardiographic in detecting intracardiac structure abnormalities was relatively high, but when the diagnosis of extracardiac structural abnormalities less than 64-slice spiral CT method, misdiagnosis of TTE was mainly due to extracardiac vascular malformations. Therefore, it is recommended to combine the two methods to improve the diagnosis of congenital heart disease in children.

Aims Five echocardiographic parameters-left atrial volume index, left ventricular mass index, tricuspid regurgitation velocity, myocardial tissue velocity, and the ratio of early mitral inflow to tissue velocity of the mitral annulus (E/e')-are recommended in both the current European Society of Cardiology heart failure guidelines and the American Society of Echocardiography/European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging recommendations for the evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function. We aimed to perform a systematic review of these echocardiographic parameters at resting conditions for their correlation with left ventricular filling pressures in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). In addition, the prognostic value of these parameters was assessed. Methods and results Nine studies reported the correlation between echocardiography and invasive haemodynamics, and 18 papers reported on the prognostic value of echocardiography in HFpEF. Among the parameters, most data were reported for E/e'. The pooled correlation coefficient r was 0.56 for the relation between E/e' and invasively measured filling pressures. Combined weighted-mean meta-analysis of prognostic studies resulted in a hazard ratio of 1.05 (95% confidence interval 1.03-1.06) per unit increase in E/e' for the combined outcome of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular hospitalization. The other echocardiographic parameters, when taken individually, had similar or lower association with prognosis. Conclusion Only a small number of studies validated the use of echocardiographic parameters at rest in patients with HFpEF. The best established parameter appears to be E/e', but the existing data only show modest correlations of E/e' with invasive filling pressures and outcomes in HFpEF.

Coronary to pulmonary arterial fistula complicated with huge coronary aneurysm is a very rare condition. In this paper, we report a patient with bilateral coronary arteries to pulmonary artery fistulas with a giant coronary artery aneurysm. The patient was treated successfully by closure of the fistulas and repair of the coronary artery aneurysm with the preparation of multimodality imaging for surgery.

Agreement studies are often concerned with assessing whether different observers for measuring responses on the same subject or sample can produce similar results. The concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) is a popular index for assessing the closeness among observers for quantitative measurements. Usually, the CCC is used for data without and with replications based on subject and observer effects only. However, we cannot use this methodology if repeated measurements rather than replications are collected. Although there exist some CCC-type indices for assessing agreement with repeated measurements, there is no CCC for random observers and random time points. In this paper, we propose a new CCC for repeated measures where both observers and time points are treated as random effects. A simulation study demonstrates our proposed methodology, and we use vertebral body data and image data for illustrations.

A discussion on Ultrasound Fluoroscopy and how it relates to the traditional Real Time Instrumentation. This paper covers the various types of Ultrasound Fluoroscopy Instrumentation, a few of the advantages and disadvantages of each and Unirad Corporation's approach to Ultrasound Fluoroscopy. Also detailed discussions on the technical differences between their approach and the traditional Real Time Instrumentation itemizing electronic beam resolution control in some detail as to its advantages, complexity and comparison to Real Time (Non-focused) and the traditional single element Ultrasound Instruments.

A variety of cardiac tumors have been acknowledged in the literature since the 16th century as rare forms of cardiac disease. Of the primary tumors, myxomas account for at least 30% to 50% of benign tumors. Despite significant advances in cardiac diagnostics leading to early recognition of myxomas, the potential for deleterious effects secondary to embolic complications remains high. The purpose of this paper is to provide nurses with an understanding of the epidemiology, pathology, clinical presentation, and assessment of individuals with cardiac myxomas. A case presentation is used to illustrate how the misdiagnosis of cardiac myxoma led to a delay in patient treatment. Prompt recognition, diagnosis, and treatment are important in improving patient outcomes and quality of life. Due to the infrequency of cardiac myxomas, ensuring appropriate preoperative and postoperative nursing care to the patient with a cardiac myxoma is essential.

The diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) is difficult with many patients treated without the disease or left untreated without an adequate diagnostic work up. Recent advances in PE diagnosis are reviewed. The use of risk stratification in PE diagnosis is strongly recommended and evidence on how it can best be performed summarized. The Ginsberg/Wells stratification rule is recommended currently as the best validated rule. Computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) was found to have quite poor sensitivity and to be poorly validated. It is recommended as adequate as a positive test in moderate/high risk groups and an exclusionary test in low risk groups or where an adequate alternative diagnosis is found. For D-Dimer tests the only test with adequate sensitivity and validation in management studies is the VIDASCopyright D-Dimer. This is in low/intermediate risk groups in the ED population. The Simpli-RedCopyright test is also reviewed but is too insensitive for most populations. Echocardiography: this is good in compromised patients as it is a bedside test which when negative virtually excludes PE. If positive in the right setting it has a high positive predictive value. A negative echocardiogram predicts a benign clinical course for PE. The rest of the paper details the authors approach to integrating these new techniques with established algorithms and where progress is likely to occur in the next few years. These include improvements in CTPA (plus the addition of CT venography), new point of care D-Dimer tests, better risk stratification rules and integration of new strategies with artificial neural networks or computerized guidelines.

The use and interpretation of noninvasive cardiac testing in the elderly may differ from that in younger patients due to changes in disease prevalence, normal values, comorbidities, or patient and physician preferences. This paper reviews the experience with several commonly used noninvasive tests such as electrocardiography, exercise testing, and stress imaging with echocardiography or with scintigraphy in geriatric patients. Most commonly used noninvasive tests remain feasible and safe. Data suggest that exercise stress testing is feasible in many elderly patients with a good safety profile and should be considered as a first-line test due to the extra information provided by the duration and hemodynamic response to exercise. Adjunctive imaging may be particularly helpful when the electrocardiogram is uninterpretable or suspect due to underlying baseline abnormalities or when determining the extent or distribution of ischemia is felt to be important.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a familial cardiac disease with exceptionally diverse clinical and morphologic presentations. The influence of age on the disease manifestation has become increasingly clear over the last decade. Most initial reports concentrated on characterization and treatment of the disease in younger individuals, but a better appreciation of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in elderly patients has yielded important information regarding clinical presentation, morphologic appearance on echocardiography, prognosis, and management. This paper reviews the literature focusing on the age-related differences in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery (ARCA) from the main pulmonary artery (MPA) is a rare congenital anomaly, with only 18 reported cases in the pediatric age group. More than half of these had associated cardiac anomalies that masked the presence of ARCA. Conversely, in many patients with ARCA as an isolated anomaly, the diagnosis has been missed during lifetime. The only patient with an isolated ARCA who was diagnosed in infancy presented with congestive heart failure. Asymptomatic infants with ARCA from the MPA have not been previously reported. Three additional cases, two infants and a child with ARCA from the MPA, are reported in this paper. The diagnostic dilemmas and the prognosis are discussed and management is recommended.

Beattie JR, Cohen DJ, Manning WJ, Douglas PS (Harvard Medical School, Harvard-Thorndike Laboratory, and Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA). Role of routine transthoracic echocardiography in evaluation and management of stroke. J Intern Med 1998; 243: 281–91. Objective To determine the value of routine transthoracic echocardiography in patients with cerebral ischemia without known cardiac disease. Design The literature from 1990 to 1995 was searched and relevant bibliographies from these papers reviewed. Articles reporting the prevalence and/or risk of stroke for myxoma, vegetation, mitral stenosis, left atrial thrombus, left ventricular thrombus or cardiomyopathy, patent foramen ovale, and atrial septal aneurysm were used. Prevalences and recurrent stroke risk were examined for adult patients less than and greater than 45 years. Results Both the prevalence of transthoracic echocardiographic findings and recurrent risk of stroke differ by age. The finding of a patent foramen ovale can be expected in nearly half of younger patients with stroke, whilst transthoracic echo can be expected to yield no relevant lesion in three quarters of patients > 45 years. Warfarin anticoagulation appears beneficial in patients with mitral stenosis, left atrial thrombus, left ventricular thrombus, and left ventricular dysfunction, but is of unproven benefit for patent foramen ovale, atrial septal aneurysm, or in the absence of a risk-associated abnormality. Conclusion For most transthoracic echo findings in stroke, optimal management strategies have not been well defined. Future research is needed to evaluate the appropriate therapeutic approaches.

This paper reports on two cases of large volume pericardiocentesis followed by transient severe acute left ventricular (LV) systolic failure in the absence of any prior history of LV dysfunction. Acute LV volume overload due to inter‐ventricular volume mismatch is believed by most authors to be the cause for this phenomenon. Another plausible physiopathologic explanation is the acute increase in “wall stress” (Laplace's law) due to acute distention of the cardiac chambers secondary to a sudden increase in venous return at high filling pressures, combined with a “vacuum” effect of the evacuated pericardial space.

An intriguing relationship between idiopathic mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and cardiomyopathy has been reported in adult cases of MVP. This paper reports a girl with idiopathic MVP, who presented with progressive cardiomegaly and cardiomyopathic findings or, cardiac biopsy; right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy at the age of 15 years showed myocardial hypertrophy, disarray, myocardial degeneration, interstitial fibrosis and endocardial thickening. To our knowledge, this is the first case of idiopathic MVP in childhood that has been shown to have positive biopsy findings for cardiomyopathy.

Kartagener's syndrome (KS) usually includes mirror‐image dextrocardia. The incidence of congenital heart disease in KS is comparable with that in the general population. This paper reports on a case of Kartagener's syndrome associated with dextrocardia, corrected transposition of the great arteries (I, D, D), ventricular septal defect, and valvar pulmonary stenosis in an 8‐year‐old girl.

Intravenous carbon dioxide (CO2) was employed to cause echocardiographic contrast in 40 patients. One to 3 cc of medically pure CO2 were agitated with 5 to 8 cc of 5% dextrose in water and rapidly injected into an upper extremity vein. Contrast was obtained in all patients. In 33 patients contrast density from 5% dextrose was compared with that from 5% dextrose-CO2 injections. Six of these patients had no contrast on the initial 5% dextrose injection and definite contrast with the subsequent injection containing CO2. Of the 33, 12 patients had initial contrast with 5% dextrose injections and greater contrast density when CO2 was added; 15 showed no definite difference; and none had less contrast with intravenous CO2-5% dextrose than with 5% dextrose alone. Intravenous CO2-5% dextrose is a useful method of increasing contrast in those patients who fail to demonstrate echocardiographic contrast when routine techniques are employed. It is also safe, provided precautions emphasized in this paper are observed.

The purpose of this paper is to review basic and practical adult echocardiography. The commonly used techniques are briefly described. Normal valve characteristics, common valvular abnormalities, evaluation of cardiac chamber dimensions, pericardial space and left ventricular function are discussed. Newer aspects of echocardiography, two-dimensional scanning and pulsed Doppler techniques, are briefly reviewed. Finally, a discussion of problems and new directions in the field are presented.

The accurate calculation of left ventricular (LV) wall motion from two-dimensional echocardiographs will require the accurate registration of the position from which each two-dimensional (2-D) view was obtained. This paper describes a mechanical arm with five degrees of freedom that was developed so that the position and orientation of 2-D echo sections could be calculated in three-dimensional space. High precision potentiometers, direct or gear driven, permit calibration and measurement of each of the five movements. Using the length of the arm and the angles measured by these potentiometers, the position of a 2-D section can be calculated with respect to a fixed reference point outside the body. The measurement arm was extensively retested after six months of clinical use. In patient studies, 95% confidence interval for positioning a cross-section of the long axis is +/- 6 mm. This error is similar to the cross-plane resolution to most contemporary two-dimensional transducers. On the basis of an extensive analysis of variance, recommendations are made to improve the accuracy of the arm.

Left ventricular hypertrophy is caused by a wide variety of cardiovascular conditions, including systemic hypertension, aortic valvular disease, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This paper describes a case of diffuse hypoplasia of the aorta in left ventricular hypertrophy. This condition has not previously been well documented. We emphasize the need for evaluation of aortic dimension when systolic hypertension and vascular bruits are observed in association with myocardial hypertrophy.

In ultrasonic examination of the heart, the anatomy and motion of heart structures can be observed by placing the ultrasonic transducer over an intercostal window adjacent to the sternum. The ultrasonic beam may be reflected, refracted, or scattered from its path by the ribs and soft tissues before reaching the target of interest. This interaction between the tissues and ultrasound beam, which introduces significant changes in ultrasonic beam characteristics, may result in considerable degradation of the lateral resolution of the ultrasonic system, determined largely by the beam width. In this paper, the effect of rib cage on the beam characteristics is examined. It is shown that the rib cage can produce severe distortions of the ultrasonic beam, namely, asymmetry in beam cross-section, alteration in beam diameter, and deflection of the beam from its central path. It is also demonstrated that this distortion is dependent upon transducer diameter, width of the intercostal window, and transducer angulation relative to the breast plate.

This paper describes two cases of left ventricular aneurysm following myocardial infarction by real time B mode echocardiography with a mechanical sector scan. The most distinctive feature was the paradoxical movement of the aneurysmal wall; in systole, it moved posteriorly to form a bulge, whereas the remaining noninfarcted area was oriented toward the left ventricular cavity in contraction. The final diagnosis was verified by aneurysmectomy.

With the widespread use of diagnostic ultrasound to evaluate the human fetus, it is now possible to diagnose a number of anomalies of varying organ systems. Although most anomalies of the central nervous, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and skeletal systems are recognizable at birth, serious ones involving the cardiovascular system are often silent until the neonate demonstrates signs of cardiovascular compromise. Because an ever increasing number of fetuses are routinely scanned during pregnancy, it becomes imperative to incorporate a simple, logical approach to screen for cardiovascular disease during each fetal examination. The approach outlined in this paper would suggest that one method is the routine examination of the four-chamber view. Although there are a number of fetal and maternal risk factors which predispose to congenital heart disease, we have diagnosed a number of anomalies simply on the basis of the "screening" four-chamber examination in the "low-risk" fetus. For this reason, an attempt to examine the four-chamber view of the fetal heart should be done during each routine fetal examination. If an abnormality is noted, then a Level II, or consultative echocardiographic examination should be carried out. If a fetus at risk for congenital heart disease is being examined, a complete examination of the cardiovascular system (Levels I and II) should be performed. If the above approaches are integrated into obstetrical scanning, in the not too distant future it will be commonplace to diagnose cardiovascular anomalies prior to birth and thus provide the best care during the transition from the intrauterine to the extrauterine environment for the potentially cardiovascularly compromised neonate. The experience gained in our laboratory during the past 5 years strongly suggests that what is "today's research will become tomorrow's clinical tool."

Summary During a period of 18 months, a comparison was made between echocardiography and angiocardiography in every patient submitted to heart catheterization and angiocardiography. This paper deals with comparisons between an aortic root dimension measured on an echocardiogram and the aortic root diameter measured on the angiocardiogram, and between a left atrial dimension measured on an echocardiogram and the sagittal left atrial diameter measured on the angiocardiogram. This study could be made in 89% of the 166 patients with respect to the aortic root and in 87% of the 91 patients with respect to the left atrial dimension. The failure to obtain measurements in some of the patients (9 and lo%, respectively for the two comparisons) was generally due to an abnormal position of the aorta (transposition of the great arteries, double outlet right ventricle or truncus arteriosus communis) while in a few remaining cases no satisfactory echocardiogram could be obtained. A very good correlation (r = 0.98) was found between the aortic root dimension as measured by echocardiography and the aortic root diameter as measured by angiocardiography. A good correlation (r=0.93) was also found between the left atrial dimension as measured by echocardiography and the left atrial sagittal diameter as measured by angiocardiography. Examination of the outflow vessel in truncus arteriosus communis by echocardiography gave echocardiograms which could contribute to the diagnosis of truncus arteriosus communis. The conclusion of this investigation is that the echocardiographic examination as described here can serve as a useful, non-invasive, semi-quantitative method for the estimation of the aortic root diameter and the left atrial size.