1
|
Cavarretta E, D'Ascenzi F, Bianco M, Castelletti S, Cavigli L, Cecchi F, D'Andrea A, De Luca A, Di Salvo G, Nistri S, Palamà Z, Palmieri V, Ricci F, Sinagra G, Zorzi A, Biffi A, Pelliccia A, Romano S, Dello Russo A, Zeppilli P, Patrizi G, Sciarra L. The role of echocardiography in sports cardiology: An expert opinion statement of the Italian Society of Sports Cardiology (SIC sport). Int J Cardiol 2024; 410:132230. [PMID: 38852859 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2024.132230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is routinely required during pre-participation screening in the presence of symptoms, family history of sudden cardiac death or cardiomyopathies <40-year-old, murmurs, abnormal ECG findings or in the follow-up of athletes with a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD). TTE is a cost-effective first-line imaging modality to evaluate the cardiac remodeling due to long-term, intense training, previously known as the athlete's heart, and to rule out the presence of conditions at risk of sudden cardiac death, including cardiomyopathies, coronary artery anomalies, congenital, aortic and heart valve diseases. Moreover, TTE is useful for distinguishing physiological cardiac adaptations during intense exercise from pathological behavior due to an underlying CVD. In this expert opinion statement endorsed by the Italian Society of Sports Cardiology, we discussed common clinical scenarios where a TTE is required and conditions falling in the grey zone between the athlete's heart and underlying cardiomyopathies or other CVD. In addition, we propose a minimum dataset that should be included in the report for the most common indications of TTE in sports cardiology clinical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Cavarretta
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy; Advanced Cardiovascular Therapies Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Flavio D'Ascenzi
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Sports Cardiology and Rehab Unit, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Bianco
- Sports Medicine Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Catholic University, Rome, Italy; Unit of Sports Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Sacred Heart Catholic University, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Castelletti
- Department of Cardiology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Piazzale Brescia 20, 20149 Milan, Italy
| | - Luna Cavigli
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Sports Cardiology and Rehab Unit, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Franco Cecchi
- Department of Cardiology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Piazzale Brescia 20, 20149 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonello D'Andrea
- Department of Cardiology and Intensive Coronary Care, Umberto I Hospital, 84014 Nocera Inferiore, Italy
| | - Antonio De Luca
- Cardiothoracovascular Department, Division of Cardiology, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina and University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Giovanni Di Salvo
- Department of Woman and Child Health, Paediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Stefano Nistri
- CMSR Veneto Medica, 36077 Altavilla Vicentina, VI, Italy
| | - Zefferino Palamà
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Public Health, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, piazzale Salvatore Tommasi 1, 67100 Coppito, Italy; Electrophysiology Unit, Casa di Cura "Villa Verde", Taranto, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Palmieri
- Sports Medicine Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Catholic University, Rome, Italy; Unit of Sports Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Sacred Heart Catholic University, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Ricci
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, G.d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via Luigi Polacchi, 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy; Heart Department, SS. Annunziata Hospital, ASL 2 Abruzzo, 66100 Chieti, Italy; Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Jan Waldenströms gata 35, 214 28 Malmö, Sweden
| | - Gianfranco Sinagra
- Cardiothoracovascular Department, Division of Cardiology, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina and University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandro Zorzi
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Biffi
- Med-Ex, Medicine and Exercise srl, Medical Partner Scuderia Ferrari, RomeMaranello, MO, Italy
| | - Antonio Pelliccia
- Institute of Sport Medicine and Science, National Italian Olympic Committee, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvio Romano
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Public Health, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, piazzale Salvatore Tommasi 1, 67100 Coppito, Italy
| | - Antonio Dello Russo
- Cardiology and Arrhythmology Clinic, Marche Polytechnic University, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Paolo Zeppilli
- Sports Medicine Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Catholic University, Rome, Italy; Unit of Sports Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Sacred Heart Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
| | - Giampiero Patrizi
- Department of Cardiology, B. Ramazzini Hospital, Ausl Modena, Carpi, Italy
| | - Luigi Sciarra
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Public Health, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, piazzale Salvatore Tommasi 1, 67100 Coppito, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Di Resta C, Berg J, Villatore A, Maia M, Pili G, Fioravanti F, Tomaiuolo R, Sala S, Benedetti S, Peretto G. Concealed Substrates in Brugada Syndrome: Isolated Channelopathy or Associated Cardiomyopathy? Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:1755. [PMID: 36292641 PMCID: PMC9602309 DOI: 10.3390/genes13101755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Brugada syndrome (BrS) is an inherited autosomal dominant genetic disorder responsible for sudden cardiac death from malignant ventricular arrhythmia. The term "channelopathy" is nowadays used to classify BrS as a purely electrical disease, mainly occurring secondarily to loss-of-function mutations in the α subunit of the cardiac sodium channel protein Nav1.5. In this setting, arrhythmic manifestations of the disease have been reported in the absence of any apparent structural heart disease or cardiomyopathy. Over the last few years, however, a consistent amount of evidence has grown in support of myocardial structural and functional abnormalities in patients with BrS. In detail, abnormal ventricular dimensions, either systolic or diastolic dysfunctions, regional wall motion abnormalities, myocardial fibrosis, and active inflammatory foci have been frequently described, pointing to alternative mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis which challenge the definition of channelopathy. The present review aims to depict the status of the art of concealed arrhythmogenic substrates in BrS, often resulting from an advanced and multimodal diagnostic workup, to foster future preclinical and clinical research in support of the cardiomyopathic nature of the disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Di Resta
- Genomic Unit for the Diagnosis of Human Pathologies, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Jan Berg
- Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Villatore
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Marianna Maia
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Gianluca Pili
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Fioravanti
- Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Rossella Tomaiuolo
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Simone Sala
- Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Benedetti
- UOC Screening Neonatale e Malattie Metaboliche, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco Ospedale dei Bambini “Vittore Buzzi”, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Peretto
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mitroi C, García-Izquierdo E, García-Lunar I, Castro-Urda V, Toquero-Ramos J, Moñivas-Palomero V, Mingo-Santos S, Cavero MA, Brugada J, Fernández-Lozano I. Right ventricular function and dyssynchrony in Brugada syndrome: Highlighting the importance of the mechanical substrate in the right ventricular outflow tract. Int J Cardiol 2021; 333:233-238. [PMID: 33727123 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2021.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current evidence suggests that Brugada syndrome (BrS), far from being a purely electrical condition, is associated with subtle mechanical abnormalities primarily affecting the right ventricle (RV). We aimed to characterize RV function in BrS and investigate the echocardiographic profile of patients with arrhythmic events, with a special focus on parameters of RV dyssynchrony using speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE). METHODS An echocardiogram was performed in 71 BrS patients and 25 healthy controls. STE was performed to assess regional and global RV mechanics, including RV outflow tract shortening (RVOTS). RVOT contraction time was considered to calculate the modified RV mechanical dispersion (RVMDm). Arrhythmic events were prospectively evaluated in the BrS cohort. RESULTS Compared to controls, BrS patients showed subtle contractile abnormalities, including impaired RV longitudinal strain, higher RV index of myocardial performance (RIMP) and lower RVOTS. BrS patients also exhibited a greater contraction delay between the lateral and the septal aspect of the RV. After a median follow-up of 7.3 year (IQR 5.2-10.8), 6 patients presented malignant arrhythmic events. RIMP >0.50, RVOTS <16.2% and RVMDm > 42 ms showed high sensitivity for the identification of BrS patients with arrhythmic events during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Subtle RV mechanical abnormalities were present in BrS patients. RIMP and RVOTS, a novel STE-derived parameter, were found to be sensitive markers of arrhythmic events. Adding the RVOT contraction time to the analysis of RVMD may help identify patients at higher risk, reflecting the importance of the RVOT mechanical substrate in the assessment of the arrhythmic risk in BrS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Mitroi
- Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Majadahonda, Spain
| | | | - Inés García-Lunar
- Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain; Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Victor Castro-Urda
- Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Majadahonda, Spain
| | - Jorge Toquero-Ramos
- Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Majadahonda, Spain
| | | | - Susana Mingo-Santos
- Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Majadahonda, Spain
| | - Miguel A Cavero
- Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Majadahonda, Spain
| | - Josep Brugada
- Institut Clínic Cardio-Vascular, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ignacio Fernández-Lozano
- Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Majadahonda, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|