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Background: Myocardial fibrosis occurs in aortic stenosis (AS) as part of the hypertrophic response. It can be detected by LGE, which is associated with an adverse prognosis in the form of increased mortality and morbidity., Objectives: To assess the prevalence of LGE patterns using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in severe AS patients and to study its prognostic significance., Methods: Patients enrolled into the study from June 2012 to November 2014. All the patients underwent CMR and various patterns of LGE studied. These patients if symptomatic were advised AVR and others were managed conservatively. All patients were followed up and watched for outcomes like mortality, heart failure/hospitalization for cardiovascular cause, fall in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥20% and arrhythmia., Results: A total of 109 patients (mean age-57.7±12.5yrs) underwent CMR with 63 males. These patients were followed up for a mean of 13 months. Among 38 patients who underwent AVR, 6 died (5-cardiovascular cause, 1-non cardiovascular). 71 patients were managed conservatively out of which 18 died (17-cardiovascular cause, 1-non cardiovascular cause). LGE patterns were seen in 46 patients (43%); mid myocardial enhancement was seen in 31.1% of cases (33 patients). No LGE pattern was seen in 57%(63 patients). Basal and mid regions were maximally involved with mid myocardial enhancement in 66% & 68.3% respectively. LV ejection fraction (p=0.002), peak aortic systolic velocity (p=0.01) and peak aortic systolic gradient (p=0.02) were the main predictors of LGE. Main predictors of primary outcome were NYHA class [OR- 13.4(2.8-26.1), p≤0.001], age- 62± 9.6yrs(p=0.001), EF simpson-50.9±13%(p≤ 0.001), LGE[OR 2.8 (1.27-6.47),p=0.01], number of segments involved [2.37±2.1,P≤0.001] & CMR LV mass (151.73±32gms, p=0.007). LGE predicted heart failure/hospitalization for cardiovascular cause [OR- 3.8(1.2-11.9), p=0.01] and fall in LVEF [OR- 5.8(1.5-22.5), p=0.005]. Patients with LGE had 2.87 times risk of adverse outcomes and patients with more than 3 segment LGE involvement had again increased chances for adverse outcomes., Conclusions: LGE was detected by CMR in 43% of patients with severe AS. It predicted recurrent heart failure, hospitalization for cardiovascular cause and fall in LV ejection fraction. Our study has laid a path to larger prospective studies with long term follow up to assess the prognostic impact of CMR in patients with severe AS., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Aim: Mitral stenosis (MS) is found to produce left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in some studies. We sought to study the left ventricular function in patients with rheumatic MS undergoing balloon mitral valvotomy (BMV). Ours is the first study to analyze effect of BMV on mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE), and to quantify prevalence of longitudinal left ventricular dysfunction in rheumatic MS., Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we included 43 patients with severe rheumatic mitral stenosis undergoing BMV. They were compared to twenty controls whose distribution of age and gender were similar to that of patients. The parameters compared were LV ejection fraction (EF) by modified Simpson's method, mitral annular systolic velocity (MASV), MAPSE, mitral annular early diastolic velocity (E'), and myocardial performance index (MPI). These parameters were reassessed immediately following BMV and after 3 months of procedure., Results: MASV, MAPSE, E', and EF were significantly lower and MPI was higher in mitral stenosis group compared to controls. Impaired longitudinal LV function was present in 77% of study group. MAPSE and EF did not show significant change after BMV while MPI, MASV, and E' improved significantly. MASV and E' showed improvement immediately after BMV, while MPI decreased only at 3 months follow-up., Conclusions: There were significantly lower mitral annular motion parameters including MAPSE in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis. Those with atrial fibrillation had higher MPI. Immediately after BMV, there was improvement in LV long axis function with a gradual improvement in global LV function. There was no significant change of MAPSE after BMV., (Copyright © 2015 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Beta-blockers are frequently used in patients with mitral stenosis to control the heart rate and alleviate exercise-related symptoms. The objective of our study was to examine whether ivabradine was superior to atenolol for achieving higher exercise capacity in patients with moderate mitral stenosis in sinus rhythm. We also evaluated their effects on left ventricular myocardial performance index (MPI)., Methods and Results: Eighty-two patients with moderate mitral stenosis in sinus rhythm were randomized to receive ivabradine (n=42) 5mg twice daily or atenolol (n=40) 50mg daily for 6 weeks. Transthoracic echocardiography and treadmill test were performed at baseline and after completion of 6 weeks of treatment. Mean total exercise duration in seconds markedly improved in both study groups at 6 weeks (298.57±99.05s vs. 349.12±103.53s; p=0.0001 in ivabradine group, 290.90±92.42s vs. 339.90±99.84s; p=0.0001 in atenolol group). On head-to-head comparison, there was no significant change in improvement of exercise time between ivabradine and atenolol group (p=0.847). Left ventricular MPI did not show any significant change from baseline and at 6 weeks in both drug groups (49.8%±8% vs. 48.3%±7% in ivabradine group, 52.9%±10% vs. 50.9%±10% in atenolol groups; p=0.602)., Conclusion: Ivabradine or atenolol can be used for heart rate control in patients with moderate mitral stenosis in sinus rhythm. Ivabradine is not superior to atenolol for controlling heart rate or exercise capacity. Left ventricular MPI was unaffected by either of the drugs., (Copyright © 2015 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)