Echocardiographic observations in patients with systemic infiltrative disease involving the heart

Role of echocardiography in assessing cardiac amyloidoses: a systematic review

Cardiac amyloidosis is a manifestation of one of several systemic amyloidoses, and is characterized by increased left-ventricular (LV) wall thickness and normal or decreased LV cavity size. Congestive heart failure in cardiac amyloidosis is characterized by a predominant diastolic LV dysfunction, and systolic dysfunction occurs only in late-stage disease. Echocardiography is a noninvasive, reproducible method for assessing cardiac morphology and function in cardiac amyloidosis, and some echocardiographic indices are prognostic for amyloidoses. This review describes the advances in echocardiography and its role in the diagnosis and management of cardiac amyloidoses. Our review suggests that LV longitudinal function and the cyclic variation of myocardial integrated backscatter may be the best predictors of adverse outcomes. In the future, new echocardiographic techniques, such as fully automated echocardiogram interpretation, should provide further useful information for assessing cardiac function and prognosis in cardiac amyloidosis patients.

Comparison of echocardiographic parameters in Fabry cardiomyopathy and light-chain cardiac amyloidosis

BACKGROUND

Fabry cardiomyopathy (FC) and light-chain amyloid cardiomyopathy (AL) present with concentric left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy/remodeling and diastolic rather than systolic dysfunction. Direct comparisons are difficult due to rarity and confounded by variability of LV thickness.

AIMS

To compare LV diastolic and systolic properties between patients with FC and AL in a cohort matched for interventricular septal thickness (IVS).

METHODS

A two-center echocardiographic analysis was performed, comprising 118 patients with IVS ≥12 mm (FC and AL 59 patients each) matched by IVS.

RESULTS

Fabry cardiomyopathy patients had larger LV end-diastolic diameter (47.7 [44.0-50.9] vs 45.0 [41.5-49.0] mm, P = 0.002), better LV ejection fraction (EF 68.7 [63.4-74.0] vs 63.0 [54.0-70.0]%, P = 0.001) and midwall fractional shortening (midFS 14.8 [13.0-16.1] vs 12.1 [8.9-15.0]%, P = 0.006). LV EF <40% was rare in both (2% vs 7%, P = 0.17). AL patients expressed higher LV diastolic dysfunction grade (III in 26% vs 4%, II in 21% vs 12% and I in 54% vs 84%, P = 0.004), with higher E/e' ratio (13.6 [10.2-18.8] vs 9.8 [7.5-12.3], P < 0.0001). Average E/e' ratio and midFS were significantly associated with NYHA severity in both groups (P < 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSIONS

Matched AL patients had worse LV diastolic function than FC, driven by E/e'. Significant LV systolic dysfunction was rare overall. MidFS and E/e' were associated with heart failure severity in both groups.

Echocardiographic assessment of the cardiac amyloidoses

Cardiac amyloidosis is a cardiomyopathy characterized by increased left ventricular (LV) wall thickness and normal or decreased LV cavity size. Congestive heart failure in cardiac amyloidosis is generally considered a predominantly diastolic phenomenon, with systolic dysfunction only occurring in late-stage disease. Echocardiography is a noninvasive, reproducible method of assessing cardiac features and function in cardiac amyloidosis, and some echocardiographic indices are prognostic for the amyloidoses, with M-mode and 2-dimensional echocardiography able to detect increased LV wall thickness. Moreover, Doppler flow measurements can incrementally assess diastolic LV dysfunction, which is characteristic of cardiac amyloidosis, and provide important prognostic information. Additionally, tissue Doppler imaging can detect subtle changes in both systolic and diastolic LV function, which cannot be detected by Doppler flow measurements, and LV longitudinal strain assessed by color tissue Doppler and speckle tracking echocardiography can provide more accurate LV functional and prognostic information than tissue Doppler imaging. This review describes the advances in echocardiography and its crucial role in the diagnosis and management of cardiac amyloidosis.

Value of classical criteria for diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis re-evaluated with magnetic resonance

The noninvasive diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is often challenging. ECG abnormalities are common but lack both sensitivity and specificity. While some features on transthoracic echocardiography have confirmed the classical picture of CA, they have generally been validated against endomyocardial biopsy and thus are indicative of advanced disease. The ability of cardiac magnetic resonance to characterize the myocardium has opened a new door in the noninvasive diagnosis of CA, representing an opportunity to revisit the role of traditional ECG and transthoracic echocardiography diagnostic crtieria in earlier disease stages.

Highly refractile myocardial echoes in familial amyloidosis with polyneuropathy. A correlative echocardiographic and histopathological study

Two-dimensional echocardiography in systemic amyloidosis has in most cases shown highly refractile myocardial echoes. The morphological basis for this finding has so far been little examined. In the present study, echocardiographic examinations were performed in vitro on autopsied hearts from ten patients with familial amyloidosis with polyneuropathy (FAP). An ultrasonically visible needle was used to localize the abnormal echoes, and samples were taken for histological analysis of the region of the echocardiographic abnormality. Our results indicate that the highly refractile myocardial echoes in FAP are due to nodules composed of collagen and amyloid.

Echocardiographic features in familial amyloidosis with polyneuropathy

Twenty-two patients with the Swedish variant of familial amyloidosis with polyneuropathy were studied by M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiography. These patients had few symptoms consistent with cardiac disease but, nevertheless, echocardiograms of only two of them, both with a short history of the disease, were considered normal in all aspects. The most common abnormality was increased thickness of the interventricular septum found in 20 (91%) of the patients. This septal hypertrophy was asymmetric in 12 (55%) of them. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed a characteristic hyperrefractile appearance of the myocardium in 15 (68%) of the patients. Thus, echocardiography showed a characteristic pattern in these patients. This study also indicates that cardiac amyloidosis can be diagnosed in the preclinical, asymptomatic state by M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiography.

Treatment of hypereosinophilic syndromes with prednisone, hydroxyurea, and interferon

The hypereosinophilic syndromes continue to challenge our clinical acumen and skills. Prednisone, hydroxyurea, and interferon alpha 2b are three of the oldest agents that allow control of eosinophilia and its devastating clinical consequences. They still work. As our experience with them has grown, it has become evident that use of these agents in combination will control eosinophilia in most patients. Moreover, with time, the doses can frequently be reduced. Even with the advent of newer agents for treatment of hypereosinophilic syndromes, these three medications still afford an excellent, cost-effective avenue for disease management.

Predictive echo-Doppler indices of left ventricular impairment in B-thalassemic patients

Early detection of cardiac-function impairment by echo-Doppler indices can assist in preventing further cardiac damage by modifying disease progression and treatment. We analyzed our thalassemia major patients database with 10 years cardiac follow-up. Included patients were under constant therapy and should have an initial echo-Doppler study with normal Shortening Fraction (SF > 30%) and reexamination within the last year. We identified patients who developed impaired left ventricular (LV) function in the last Echo and we attempted to find which measured indices could predict LV function impairment. Three hundred fifteen of the 632 database patients were enrolled. Twelve of them developed LV systolic dysfunction. There were no statistically significant differences in mean age, ferritin, and pretransfusion hemoglobin levels of the two groups. LV-systolic-dysfunction group was presenting statistically significantly higher LF end-systolic diameter (LVESD) index, lower SF, higher early transmitral peak flow velocities/late transmitral peak flow velocities (A) ratios, lower A value. All other echocardiographic parameters did not differ significantly. By receiver-operating characteristic analysis, we determined systolic and diastolic indices specificity and sensitivity for LV impairment: LVESD 97% specificity, 11% sensitivity (cutoff value 2.44 cm/m(2) ), SF 92.1 and 33.3% (cutoff value 33%). Regarding diastolic indices, A index was the best criterion (97.7% specificity, 25% sensitivity, cutoff value <or=0.36). Low values of the diastolic index A wave and increased values of the LVESD index were the earliest pathological findings in patients that finally developed LV systolic dysfunction. These parameters could be used as heart-dysfunction predictors with relatively good sensitivity and specificity.

Correlation of echocardiography parameters with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in transfusion-dependent thalassaemia major

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Heart iron load (cardiac Fe) can be indirectly quantified by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) T2*. CMR accessibility is limited, whereas echocardiography (Echo) is relatively inexpensive and readily available. The objective was to find Echo parameters that may be useful for predicting cardiac Fe.

DESIGN AND METHODS

We compared a number of parameters derived from Echo to cardiac Fe in 142 thalassaemia major patients who had undergone a CMR study.

RESULTS

All patients with decreased left ventricular (LV) function had cardiac Fe. After removing those patients from the analysis, the total diameter index (Tdi) >5.57 cms/m2, left atrial diameter index >2.41 cm/m2, and the diastolic parameter E/A > 1.96 were highly specific (91.4%, 97.1% and 96.9% respectively) but had low sensitivity (31.8%, 20.45% and 21.8%) in predicting iron load. A right ventricular index >1.47 cm/m2, LV systolic index >2.26 cm/m2 or Tdi >6.26 cm/m2 discriminated between patients with no, or mild to moderate cardiac Fe from those with heavy load, with specificity of 91%, 98.5%, and 98.5%, respectively, but with low sensitivity.

INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS

Echo parameters for cardiac Fe prediction have restricted value, whereas CMR is essential to assess cardiac Fe. However, patients with decreased LV systolic function should be considered a priori as having cardiac Fe, and chelation therapy should be intensified. This also applies to patients who have the above-described Echo criterion values, even if CMR is not available. Once a patient is found by CMR to have cardiac Fe, then the above Echo criterion values may be useful for ongoing monitoring.

Echokardiographische Funktionsdiagnostik bei Patienten mit rheumatoider Arthritis und Kollagenosen

Cardiac manifestations were observed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other collagenoses. Echocardiography is a method of choice to detect pathologies in morphology and function of the heart. Pathophysiologically inflammatory alterations of the endo- as well as perimyocardium can be explained in these patients. In addition, in patients with collagenoses, the coagulation system is activated and the reactivity of the endothelium is reduced. Thus, thrombus formation at the heart valves with consecutive stenosis and/or regurgitations as well as ischemia-induced regional wall motion defects due to reduced vasodilator response of the coronary arteries can be expected. In the literature in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other collagenoses, pericardial effusion and pulmonary hypertension are most frequently described. The echocardiographic analysis, however, is more complex due to the variability of the patient cohort. Quantification of valve defects and the analysis of wall motion and perfusion at rest and during stress is necessary to detect early changes of the diseases. The prerequisites for successful diagnostic echocardiography in these patients are the knowledge of modern echocardiographic techniques like tissue Doppler and contrast echocardiography and clinical experience with patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other collagenoses. The standardization of the echocardiographic diagnostic procedure becomes more and more important for reproducibility and comparability of the results.

How to plan and perform a cardiac MR imaging examination

Because of the enormous economic and social impact of cardiovascular disease in the United States there is a need for improved noninvasive diagnosis. Cardiac MR imaging isa versatile, comprehensive technique for assessing cardiac morphology and function. With an understanding of cardiac anatomy and physiology and MR imaging physical principles,cardiac MR imaging can be performed and can play an important role in patient management. This article provides the reader with a basic understanding of cardiac MR imaging and the practical applications required to perform cardiac MR imaging.

Primary systemic amyloidosis presenting with advanced heart failure

Primary systemic amyloidosis (AL) is a rare, sporadic disease caused by deposition of immunoglobulin light chains in various tissues; symptoms vary based on which organs are infiltrated by the amyloid fibrils. Cardiac involvement occurs in up to 50% of patients with primary amyloidosis and is associated with a very poor prognosis. We report a case of a 57-year-old black man who presented with symptoms consistent with congestive heart failure. He was later found to have primary systemic amyloidosis, confirmed by abdominal fat pad biopsy.

Performing cardiac MR imaging: an overview

Because of the enormous economic and social impact of cardiovascular disease in the United States, there is a need for improved noninvasive diagnosis. Cardiac MR imaging is a versatile, comprehensive technique for assessing cardiac morphology and function. With an understanding of cardiac anatomy and physiology as well as MR physical principles, cardiac MR imaging can be performed and play an important role in patient management.

Cardiac amyloidosis: a case report and therapeutic implications

Primary amyloidosis with cardiac involvement presenting as congestive heart failure (CHF) usually carries an unfavorable prognosis, with median survival of about 6 months. We are reporting a case of cardiac amyloidosis with an initial presentation of CHF in which the patient survived for more than 9 years. The prognosis most likely depends on the period of disease remission (i.e., negative serum and urine immunoelectrophoresis), which, in turn, depends on response to chemotherapy.

Usefulness of echocardiography and doppler echocardiography in endomyocardial fibrosis

OBJECTIVE

Our goal was to demonstrate the usefulness of echocardiography and cardiac Doppler echocardiography (echo-Doppler) in the diagnosis of endomyocardial fibrosis, an unusual restrictive cardiomyopathy in Argentina.

METHODS

Between 1980 and 1998, we studied 10 women (aged 27 to 58 years) with endomyocardial fibrosis confirmed by surgery and/or endomyocardial biopsy. Of the 10 cases of endomyocardial fibrothrombosis, 8 were biventricular and 2 were left ventricular. Six patients had only an echocardiographic study, and the last 4 patients (after 1987) had an echo-Doppler study also; 3 had a transesophageal echocardiography examination as well. Seven patients had grade III-IV dyspnea, 2 had an edematous-ascitic syndrome, and 1 had right heart failure at the first examination. Four patients died of heart failure and 1 of overimposed sepsis. Surgery was successful in 2 patients with the biventricular form of the disease. In one of them, fibrotic decortication was performed in both ventricles together with tricuspid and mitral replacement. In the other, the right side was not surgically treated because of its mild engagement. One patient was lost to follow-up, and 3 patients are awaiting surgery at this writing.

RESULTS

In all 10 patients, echocardiography was the first diagnostic tool used. In M-mode echocardiography, the typical image showed the "square root" sign in the septum and posterior wall in addition to the "merlon" sign, characterized by a hypercontractile basal ventricle opposing an obliterated apex. In 2-dimensional echocardiography, inversion of the normal sized heart with obliterated ventricles and dilated atria were seen in the whole group. In 1 patient, the fibrous thrombus was limited to the apex of the right ventricle (Shaper's type 1) in a biventricular form, whereas in the left side of this patient and in the other 9 patients, the fibrous thrombus that initially occupied the apex engaged the posterior papillary muscle, pulling the posterior valve downward (Shaper's type 2) and generating tricuspid and/or mitral regurgitation that was always mild or moderate. The fibrous thrombus never altered the movement of the underlying myocardium. There were hypoechoic and hyperdense echoes inside the fibrotic material (the latter compatible with calcium), and in all 10 patients, different grades of pericardial effusion were found. Echo-Doppler showed the same minimal percentage of change in mitral and tricuspid velocities as found in healthy patients, which clearly differentiates endomyocardial fibrosis from constrictive pericarditis. Furthermore, a restrictive pattern was observed on both atrioventricular valves when both sides were engaged with a markedly short tricuspid deceleration time. Pulmonary veins showed a markedly diastolic D wave and a broad reversal A wave (the latter presented a low velocity when the wall of the left atrium was diseased) caused by an increased end-diastolic left ventricular pressure to the same extent throughout the respiratory cycle. Hepatic veins showed a markedly deep diastolic forward wave throughout the respiratory cycle and a marked reversal with inspiration.

CONCLUSIONS

We showed (1) echocardiographic studies of a significant number of patients with this unusual disease, (2) the characteristic diagnostic signs in M-mode and 2-dimensional echocardiography, and (3) the common echo-Doppler patterns shared by all subjects studied with this technique.

[The clinical practice guidelines of the Sociedad Española de Cardiología on cardiomyopathies and myocarditis]

Myocardial diseases are a extraordinarily heterogeneous group of processes that only have in common the fact that they involve heart muscle and that they cause a wide spectrum of myocardial dysfunction. The approach of the management and treatment of the cardiomyopathies is a continuous matter of discussion because the vast majority of alternatives in this field have not been based on the best scientific possible evidence and, since except for the case of heart failure associated with dilated cardiomyopathy. The majority of different options have not been studied by means of large (or even small) randomized trials. Nevertheless, this chapter has tried to provide the reader with different approaches on how to deal with important clinical problems in dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathies, and in myocarditis as well. For this, we have utilized the most relevant information found coupled with our best clinical judgment, although we admit that many of the clinical recommendations can be controversial.

Surgical Treatment of Primary Cardiac Tumors—Experience with 45 Patients

Primary cardiac tumors are very rare and the majority of them are histologically benign and surgically curable. During a 30-year period from 1963 to January 1993, 45 cases of primary cardiac tumors were surgically excised at the National Taiwan University Hospital, representing 0.52% of 8,695 open heart surgical cases during the same period.

In this series, 42 cases (94%) were benign tumors; 39 (88%) were myxoma (30 female, 9 male), and 32 (82%) originated in the left atrium. None were discovered in the left ventricle. In all but the first 6 cases, tumors in patients with myxoma in the left atrium were successfully excised by the transseptal approach. There were 3 patients with rare benign tumors: intracardiac goiter, rhabdomyoma, and hemangioma respectively. The intracardiac goiter was completely excised with no ectopic thyroid tissue after operation and the other 2 received palliative resection. The latter 2 patients suffered no recurrence. Rhabdomyosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma and malignant lymphoma were noted in one patient each, all of whom died of low cardiac output in the early postoperative course. In our experience, the majority of primary cardiac tumors were benign and located in the left atrium. The long-term result of surgical treatment of benign cardiac tumors is excellent, even incases of incomplete resection, while the results from surgical treatment of malignant tumors is poor.

Differentiation of restrictive cardiomyopathy from pericardial constriction: assessment of diastolic function by radionuclide angiography

Diastolic filling variables were studied in 12 patients with the hemodynamic features of constriction, of whom 5 had restrictive cardiomyopathy, 5 had pericardial constriction and 2 had combined pericardial constriction and restrictive cardiomyopathy. The values were compared with those in 10 normal subjects of comparable age. The filling fractions between 10% and 70% of the diastolic time interval were greater in patients with pericardial constriction than in those with restrictive cardiomyopathy (p less than 0.01 between 20% and 50%, p less than 0.05 at 10%, 60% and 70%), with no overlap. The filling fractions in patients with pericardial constriction were also greater than those in normal subjects between 10% and 60% of the diastolic time interval. The filling fraction was lower in patients with restrictive cardiomyopathy than in normal subjects at 40% of the diastolic time interval (p less than 0.05). The time to peak filling rate in patients with pericardial constriction was shorter (110 +/- 14 ms) than in those with restrictive cardiomyopathy (195 +/- 45 ms, p less than 0.01) or in normal subjects (173 +/- 32 ms, p less than 0.01). The percent of atrial contribution to left ventricular filling was higher in those with restrictive cardiomyopathy (45 +/- 17%) than in those with pericardial constriction (21 +/- 6%, p less than 0.05) or in normal subjects (24 +/- 9%, p less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Impaired left ventricular diastolic filling in patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy: a pulsed Doppler echocardiographic study

To assess left ventricular diastolic filling in patients with amyloid heart disease 12 patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy and 15 normal subjects were studied by pulsed Doppler echocardiography. None of the patients had clinical evidence of overt heart disease or restrictive cardiomyopathy and only two of them showed ventricular wall thickening. The peak flow velocity of rapid diastolic filling and the acceleration rate of early diastolic inflow were significantly lower in patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy than in controls. The pressure half time was significantly longer in patients than in controls. In addition, the peak flow velocity during atrial contraction and the ratio of atrial peak flow velocity to rapid diastolic peak flow velocity were significantly greater in patients than in controls. Although there were no significant correlations between measurements of diastolic filling and clinical findings in patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy, the ratio of atrial peak flow velocity to rapid diastolic peak flow velocity was significantly related to left ventricular posterior wall thickness. These findings suggest that in patients with cardiac amyloidosis without restrictive cardiomyopathy, abnormal left ventricular diastolic filling, manifested by a reduction in the rate and volume of rapid diastolic filling with enhanced atrial contraction, can be seen even in the early stage of the disease.

Endomyocardial biopsy in hemochromatosis: clinicopathologic correlates in six cases

Clinical and pathologic features of cardiac hemochromatosis diagnosed by endomyocardial biopsy in six men, aged 32 to 75 years (mean 52), are described. Echocardiography demonstrated left ventricular enlargement and marked global systolic dysfunction in five. Cardiac catheterization demonstrated normal coronary arteries, increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and decreased left ventricular systolic function in all five so studied. Stainable iron was present in all endomyocardial biopsy specimens from the five patients with decreased left ventricular systolic function. Histologically, iron was detected only within the sarcoplasm, and its extent varied inversely with ventricular function. Thus, cardiac hemochromatosis represents a storage rather than an infiltrative disease. These results indicate that stainable iron is consistently observed in endomyocardial biopsy specimens from patients with impaired left ventricular systolic function. Iron staining is recommended for endomyocardial biopsy specimens from patients with idiopathic cardiac dysfunction.

Radionuclide angiographic assessment of left ventricular diastolic filling in amyloid heart disease: a study of patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy

To assess left ventricular diastolic filling in amyloid heart disease, 17 patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy and 20 normal subjects were examined by radionuclide angiography. None of the patients showed clinical evidence of restrictive cardiomyopathy. All but two patients had normal left ventricular ejection fraction. Peak filling rate was significantly lower and time to peak filling rate was significantly greater in patients than in normal subjects (2.60 +/- 0.52 versus 3.10 +/- 0.44 EDV/s, p less than 0.001, and 215 +/- 53 versus 147 +/- 18 ms, p less than 0.001, respectively). The mean left ventricular filling volume during rapid diastolic filling and atrial systole in patients was 54.5 +/- 19.5% and 44.2 +/- 21.6% of the stroke volume, respectively, compared with 83.8 +/- 6.6% (p less than 0.001) and 20.0 +/- 6.0% (p less than 0.001), respectively, in normal subjects. Although 10 of the 14 patients without clinical evidence of overt heart disease had normal ventricular wall thickness as well as normal ejection fraction, 8 of the 10 showed abnormal diastolic filling. In patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy, indexes of diastolic filling were significantly related to ventricular wall thickness alone. The incidence and magnitude of abnormalities in time to peak filling rate and contribution of rapid filling as well as atrial systole to ventricular filling increased with age and duration of illness. Thus, abnormal diastolic filling can be seen even in the early stage of familial amyloid polyneuropathy and may be related to myocardial amyloid deposition as well as to fibrosis. Careful consideration should be given to age and duration of illness when diastolic filling is assessed in this disorder.

Restrictive cardiomyopathy and constrictive pericarditis: non-invasive distinction by digitised M mode echocardiography

It is difficult to distinguish between restrictive cardiomyopathy and constrictive pericarditis on the basis of clinical findings and simple investigation. Cardiac catheterisation has been the reference standard for diagnosis but even this does not always permit an accurate distinction. A Summagraphics digitiser and Prime 750 computer system were used to digitise the echocardiograms of 15 patients with restrictive cardiomyopathy, 10 with constrictive pericarditis and a group of 20 age and sex matched normal subjects of similar age and sex distribution. Compared with controls, patients with restrictive cardiomyopathy showed a significant reduction in the following variables (a) decreased fractional shortening, (b) decreased peak left ventricular filling and emptying rates, (c) decreased percentage posterior wall thickening, and (d) decreased peak left ventricular posterior wall thickening and thinning rates. Whereas patients with constrictive pericarditis only had significantly reduced peak left ventricular filling and posterior wall thinning rates and significantly increased posterior wall thinning rate. When patients with restrictive cardiomyopathy were compared with those with constrictive pericarditis the significant differences were: (a) decreased peak left ventricular emptying rate, (b) decreased percentage posterior wall thickening, and (c) decreased peak left ventricular posterior wall thickening and thinning rates. Digitisation of M mode echocardiograms, with particular attention to posterior wall function, may be a useful adjunct to cardiac catheterisation in distinguishing restrictive cardiomyopathy from constrictive pericarditis.

Echocardiography

Imaging echocardiography is an important extension of the clinical examination and will answer most questions in an emergency-for example, whether an enlarged cardiac shadow on the chest radiograph represents ventricular dilatation or an effusion. Doppler ultrasonography is essential for hospitals with an interest in cardiology because it provides direct haemodynamic data that are complementary to imaging. It requires more skill than imaging and may also be time consuming. Colour flow Doppler mapping is speedy and simple to use and aids the interpretation of continuous wave Doppler. It is therefore a natural companion to conventional Doppler, but there would have to be a high clinical load to justify its purchase.

Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic assessment of infiltrative cardiomyopathy

Infiltrative cardiomyopathies can be divided by disease into infiltrative and storage disorders that show an increase in ventricular wall thickness caused by infiltration of pathologic substances between cells, as with amyloid and sarcoid, or deposition within cells, as with iron, glycogen, and lipid. Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography are powerful noninvasive tools in the assessment of the anatomic and functional characteristics of these disorders. With cardiac amyloidosis as the prototype, the constellation of findings of a small or normal left ventricular cavity size; markedly increased thickness of the ventricular walls, associated with a highly abnormal texture; and biatrial enlargement make up its characteristic appearance. However, there is a wide spectrum of abnormalities in this disorder, depending on the stage and duration of heart involvement. Doppler assessment of diastolic function is frequently abnormal in cardiac amyloidosis. Cardiac sarcoidosis usually is evident by a dilated segmental cardiomyopathy with regional wall abnormalities. Similarly, hemochromatosis appears as a dilated cardiomyopathy with normal wall thickness. The echocardiographic appearance of glycogen and glycolipid storage diseases is similar to cardiac amyloidosis, and biochemical analysis may be necessary for differentiation. Thus echocardiography is an important tool in the characterization of infiltrative cardiomyopathies.

Echocardiographic features of idiopathic hemochromatosis

To characterize cardiac involvement in idiopathic hemochromatosis, clinical records and 2-dimensional (2-D) echocardiograms of 24 patients with idiopathic hemochromatosis were reviewed. The 17 men and 7 women were 24 to 80 years old (mean 48). Of 19 patients without valvular, ischemic, hypertensive or other known heart disease, 7 (37%) had structural and functional echocardiographic abnormalities attributed to idiopathic hemochromatosis (group 1) and 12 had normal echocardiographic findings (group 2). Age, gender and laboratory markers of iron overload did not differentiate patients with cardiac dysfunction (group 1) from those without cardiac dysfunction (group 2). In group 1, echocardiographic abnormalities included chamber dilatation and global systolic dysfunction. Increased wall thickness was not a feature of idiopathic hemochromatosis. All group 1 patients had abnormal electrocardiographic findings and cardiomegaly on radiography. Despite therapeutic phlebotomy, 4 patients in this group died, between 0.5 and 30 months after echocardiography, because of congestive heart failure. In conclusion, there is a spectrum of cardiac dysfunction in idiopathic hemochromatosis. In patients with idiopathic hemochromatosis and left ventricular dysfunction, absolute wall thickness is normal. Survival is poor in patients with idiopathic hemochromatosis and severe left ventricular dysfunction.

A review of pericarditis. 2. Specific pericardial disorders

Pericardial disease encompasses a wide range of etiologies and manifestations, the most common of which have been described. Treatments include use of drug therapy, surgical drainage, pericardiectomy, and pericardiotomy. In most cases, treatment is effective.

Mitral regurgitation after cardiac transplantation

The contribution of the left atrium to mitral valve competence was assessed using the model of altered atrial size and geometry created by atrial anastomosis during cardiac transplantation. Sixteen patients underwent Doppler and 2-dimensional echocardiography after orthotopic transplantation. Mitral regurgitation was present in 14 of 16 patients. Left atrial geometry was uniformly abnormal, in a "snowman" configuration. Compared with 16 normal control subjects, the transplanted left atria were dilated (23 +/- 6 vs 13 +/- 3 cm2 during ventricular systole, p less than 0.001). Mitral valve anular diameter indexes, anular systolic reduction and ventricular function were normal in both groups. Ventricular volumes were small in the transplanted heart relative to donor body size (15 +/- 5 vs 20 +/- 8 cm3/m2 in systole, p less than 0.05). The ratio between ventricular length and anular diameter was smaller in the transplant patients (0.87 +/- 0.1 vs 1.0 +/- 0.2, p less than 0.05). In the presence of abnormal left atria, mitral regurgitation may occur without other structural abnormalities of the mitral apparatus. This study suggests that the left atrium plays an important role in mitral valve competence for primary cardiac disease associated with left atrial enlargement, even in the absence of intrinsic mitral valve disease or left ventricular dysfunction.

Hypothyroid cardiomyopathy: echocardiographic documentation of reversibility

The concept of hypothyroid heart disease remains controversial. Although hemodynamic abnormalities have been described, the presence of underlying abnormal cardiac structures has not been confirmed. The authors studied 20 hypothyroid patients using M-mode echocardiography before and after l-thyroxine therapy. Fifteen additional hypothyroid patients were studied using two-dimensional echocardiography to confirm the data of the first study. The findings were the same in both studies: during hypothyroidism, the interventricular septum is thickened, the ratio of septal thickness to left ventricular posterior wall thickening is increased, the right ventricular wall is thickened, regional wall motion of interventricular septum and right ventricular wall is decreased, and global function of the left ventricle is decreased. These findings are reversed with l-thyroxine therapy; they occur within 6 months of the development of hypothyroidism, but appear unrelated to elevated TSH levels. Whether the thickened interventricular septum and right ventricular wall represent true muscular hypertrophy requires further elucidation. Nevertheless, these data demonstrate the existence of a hypothyroid cardiomyopathy.

Early identification of amyloid heart disease by technetium-99m-pyrophosphate scintigraphy: a study with familial amyloid polyneuropathy

To determine whether technetium-99m-pyrophosphate (Tc-99m-PYP) scanning or two-dimensional echocardiography can detect amyloid heart disease in an earlier stage of familial amyloid polyneuropathy, 15 patients were examined. Although 10 of the 15 patients had no clinical evidence of congestive heart failure, as well as normal ventricular wall thickness and normal values for left ventricular systolic function, five (50%) of them showed mild or moderate myocardial uptake. On the other hand, none had characteristic highly refractile myocardial echoes on the two-dimensional echocardiographic images (p less than 0.01), and values for diastolic function were reduced in four of the five and normal in the remaining one. In 85 control subjects, diffuse positive pyrophosphate scans of the heart were found in four (5%) of them (three with dilated cardiomyopathy and one with sarcoidosis), and highly refractile granular sparkling echoes were observed in nine (11%) (five with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, three with aortic stenosis, and one with hypereosinophilic syndrome). We conclude that Tc-99m-PYP scanning is a more sensitive and specific method and may have the potential ability to detect amyloid heart disease in the earlier stage of familial amyloid polyneuropathy than two-dimensional echocardiography.

Yield of endomyocardial biopsy in patients with biventricular failure. Comparison of patients with normal vs reduced left ventricular ejection fraction

Twenty five patients with biventricular failure underwent endomyocardial biopsy procedures. Twelve of these 25 patients had normal left ventricular ejection fraction. Endomyocardial biopsy sampling was useful in eight of 12 patients (67 percent) with biventricular failure and normal left ventricular ejection fraction. Biopsy specimens in five of these 12 patients demonstrated endocardial or infiltrative heart disease and excluded these diseases in three other patients with constrictive pericarditis. This study suggests that the clinical presentation of biventricular failure, combined with the noninvasive determination of a normal left ventricular ejection fraction, is helpful in selecting patients for endomyocardial biopsy study. Patients with biventricular failure and normal left ventricular ejection fractions have a high probability of having pericardial or infiltrative heart disease, conditions that often can be differentiated only by analysis of myocardial tissue. Hemodynamic assessment of patients without infiltrative processes further allows one to eliminate those patients with a high likelihood of having constrictive pericardial disease.

Eosinophils in eosinophilic endomyocardial disease

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Echocardiographic assessment of the evolution of amyloid heart disease: a study with familial amyloid polyneuropathy

To determine the evolution of amyloid heart disease, 28 patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) were studied by echocardiography. The incidence and degree of the abnormalities were correlated with the neurologic disabilities, duration of the illness, and age in cross-sectional studies. Serial studies were performed in 12 patients, who were followed for a mean of 27.7 months. At the initial examinations, left ventricular diastolic function was reduced in six patients, while systolic function was preserved in eight. On follow-up there occurred significant increases in ventricular septal wall thickness (from 10.7 +/- 3.1 to 13.1 +/- 3.2 mm; p less than .01) and posterior wall thickness (from 11.8 +/- 2.5 to 13.5 +/- 2.3 mm; p less than .01), and reductions in the E-F slope of the mitral valve (from 64.4 +/- 18.8 to 43.9 +/- 11.0 mm/sec; p less than .01), percent fractional shortening (from 36.5 +/- 9.4% to 28.8 +/- 8.2%; p less than .02), and left ventricular internal diastolic dimension (from 46.2 +/- 6.1 to 42.4 +/- 6.2 mm; p less than .001). At the final examinations, marked ventricular hypertrophy was found in three patients, reduced left ventricular diastolic function in all, impaired systolic function in nine, and decreased left ventricular internal dimension in three. In addition, highly refractile myocardial echoes had appeared in two patients, pericardial effusion in three, and valve thickening in two. We conclude that amyloid heart disease in patients with FAP develops slowly but progressively.

Cardiac amyloidosis: combined use of two-dimensional echocardiography and electrocardiography in noninvasive screening before biopsy

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) presenting with intractable congestive heart failure, electrocardiographic (ECG) normal or low voltage, and conduction or rhythm disturbances, is rapidly fatal. During life, CA often mimics other cardiomyopathies so that definitive diagnosis depends on demonstration of amyloid on myocardial biopsy. On two-dimensional echocardiography (2-D echo), nonspecific features, such as increased ventricular wall thicknesses, predominant diastolic dysfunction, and diffuse myocardial "sparkling," are consistently found in CA. The combined presence of these 2-D echo features and normal or low voltage on ECG is highly suggestive of CA, allows differentiation from other cardiomyopathies, and might be useful in noninvasive screening before myocardial biopsy.

Echocardiographic findings in systemic amyloidosis: spectrum of cardiac involvement and relation to survival

One hundred thirty-two patients with biopsy-proven systemic amyloidosis underwent echocardiographic examination to define the spectrum of cardiac involvement. Echocardiographic abnormalities were then correlated with clinical variables and survival at follow-up. Patients were subgrouped by left ventricular wall thickness: Group I, mean wall thickness 12 mm or less; Group II, mean wall thickness greater than 12 mm but less than 15 mm; Group III, mean wall thickness 15 mm or greater; or Group IV, atypical features such as wall motion abnormalities or left ventricular dilation. Patients with greater wall thickness had a higher frequency of associated echocardiographic abnormalities such as left atrial enlargement or granular sparkling appearance on two-dimensional examination and, more commonly, reduced systolic function. The occurrence of clinical congestive heart failure was strongly correlated with greater wall thickness and multiple other echocardiographic abnormalities. Survival was negatively influenced both by greater wall thickness and reduced systolic function. The median survival of the entire group was 1.1 years. Echocardiographic examination is an important tool for establishing the presence of cardiac amyloid involvement and may be useful in estimating prognosis in such patients.

Serial echocardiographic observations in patients with primary systemic amyloidosis: an introduction to the concept of early (asymptomatic) amyloid infiltration of the heart

Echocardiography was used for the serial assessment of 27 patients with primary systemic amyloidosis. Thirteen patients had no clinical cardiac deterioration between the two echocardiographic studies (group 1), whereas in 14 patients (group 2), congestive heart failure or arrhythmias (or both) appeared or worsened during a mean observation period of 19 months. The only echocardiographic changes in group 1 were a mild increase in left ventricular mass and a mild decrease in left ventricular wall systolic thickening. Patients in group 2 had significant changes in left ventricular wall thickness (mean increase, 34%), in left ventricular mass (mean increase, 42%), in right ventricular wall thickness (mean increase, 78%), in left atrial size (mean increase, 19%), in left ventricular mass/voltage ratio (mean increase, 68%), in left ventricular radius/thickness ratio (mean decrease, 29%), and in left ventricular fractional shortening (mean decrease, 13%). Significant correlations were found in group 2 between changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and changes in ventricular wall thickness and mass. Changes in left ventricular systolic function did not correlate significantly with changes in other clinical, electrocardiographic, or echocardiographic measurements. In six cases (two in group 1), in which amyloid infiltration of the heart was proved by myocardial biopsy or autopsy, the only echocardiographic abnormality when the patients were asymptomatic was a moderate increase in left or right ventricular wall thickness. We found that M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiographic examinations can substantiate progressive amyloid infiltration of the heart and are useful tools for the noninvasive serial assessment of patients with primary systemic amyloidosis.

Prospective identification of patients with amyloid heart disease by two-dimensional echocardiography

The purpose of this study was to determine whether changes in myocardial wall echogenicity that suggest amyloid disease could be prospectively identified by a qualitative analysis of two-dimensional echocardiographic images. Two thousand seventy-eight consecutive echocardiograms obtained over a 14 month period were prospectively analyzed. The myocardial walls of 30 patients showed multiple, discrete, small highly refractive echoes; amyloid disease was not known or suspected in any of them. It was recommended that all 30 patients undergo gingival biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and biopsy was performed in 15 patients. The recommendation for biopsy was made only on the basis of two-dimensional echocardiographic images and was independent of findings regarding thickness of the walls or the dimensions of the cardiac chambers. Results of biopsy were positive in 11 patients and negative in four. We conclude that qualitative evaluation of two-dimensional echocardiographic images can identify changes in myocardial wall echogenicity that correlate with a result of gingival biopsy positive for amyloidosis. In patients who have a typical myocardial texture by two-dimensional echocardiography and a positive gingival biopsy result, cardiac amyloidosis should be strongly suspected.

Primary hemochromatosis: anatomic and physiologic characteristics of the cardiac ventricles and their response to phlebotomy

M-mode and 2-dimensional echocardiography and gated equilibrium blood pool imaging (rest and exercise) were used in 10 patients with primary hemochromatosis to characterize the spectrum of pathophysiologic abnormalities of the cardiac ventricles and to determine the response to chronic therapeutic phlebotomy. Dilated and restrictive cardiomyopathic patterns were identified in 1 patient each, but our data do not permit conclusions on when in the natural history a given pattern becomes overt. On entry into study, 3 patients had normal ventricles and 7 had ventricular abnormalities on echocardiography and blood pool angiography. In 2 of the latter patients, biventricular dysfunction and increased left ventricular (LV) mass normalized after phlebotomy; 1 patient achieved a normal LV response to exercise. Of the 4 patients with isolated abnormal LV ejection fraction responses to exercise, the EF normalized in 2 after phlebotomy. In 1 patient, isolated right ventricular enlargement and dysfunction (echocardiographic and radionuclide imaging) normalized after phlebotomy. Thus, primary hemochromatosis can effect LV and RV size and function; clinically occult cardiac involvement can be identified by echocardiography and equilibrium blood pool imaging; therapeutic phlebotomy can ameliorate or reverse the deleterious effects of excess cardiac iron deposition which appears to exert its harm, at least in part, by a mechanism other than irreversible connective tissue replacement.

Computed tomographic appearances of cardiac amyloidosis

Computed tomography was used to identify the characteristic appearances of histologically confirmed cardiac amyloidosis in two patients. Mean myocardial density and 95% confidence limits in one of these patients (30.6 +/- 3.4 Hounsfield units (HU) ) were significantly lower than in patients with diffuse hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (range from 38.8 +/- 5.7 HU to 45.9 +/- 4.4 HU) and normal myocardium (range from 41.9 +/- 4.3 HU to 44.8 +/- 4.4 HU) on pre-contrast computed tomograms. Although only an approximate myocardial density was obtained in the second patient with amyloidosis, a similar result (30 HU) was noted on pre-contrast tomograms. Diffuse thickening of the interventricular septum and left ventricular free wall was found in both patients. Myocardial density on post-contrast computed tomograms was 102.8 +/- 5.2 HU in one patient and approximately 100 HU in the other. A pericardial effusion was noted in the first patient. A low myocardial density on pre-contrast tomograms and diffuse myocardial thickening on post-contrast tomograms are considered to be important features of cardiac amyloidosis.

M-mode echocardiographic findings in children with idiopathic restrictive cardiomyopathy

The M-mode echocardiographic findings in five pediatric patients, ages 4-15 years, with primary idiopathic restrictive cardiomyopathy, diagnosed by cardiac catheterization, and of 12 normal children (control group) are presented. The M-mode echocardiographic findings in patients with restrictive cardiomyopathy were (1) normal left and right ventricular end-diastolic dimension, (2) normal left ventricular posterior wall and interventricular septal thickness (three patients) or mild concentric hypertrophy (two patients), (3) normal opening and closing velocity of the mitral valve, (4) consistently enlarged left atrium (more than 40 mm) in all, and (5) right ventricular systolic time intervals compatible with pulmonary artery hypertension. The left ventricular ejection phase parameters (systolic time intervals, shortening fraction, and mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening) were normal. Left ventricular relaxation phase parameters (diastolic function) were abnormal. The isovolumic relaxation time index was prolonged, 68 +/- 40 ms (+/- SD), in the study group as compared with 11 +/- 6 ms (+/- SD) in the control group (P less than 0.001). Percent relaxation of left ventricular posterior wall endocardium at 50% of diastole was decreased, 58 +/- 4% (+/- SD), in the study group as compared with 85 +/- 6% (+/- SD) in the control group (P less than 0.005). We conclude that M-mode echocardiography provides a relatively useful and specific noninvasive method for the diagnosis of primary restrictive cardiomyopathy in pediatric patients.

Cardiac hemochromatosis: beneficial effects of iron removal therapy. An echocardiographic study

The echocardiographic (echo) features of idiopathic hemochromatosis (IH) were studied in 22 patients. Results were compared with a control group of 22 patients without heart disease. Statistically significant increases in left ventricular (LV) mass, end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters of the left ventricle and in left atrial dimension were observed in patients with IH; significant changes of systolic function indexes (decrease in fractional shortening and ejection fraction and increase in distance of the E point to the septum) were seen as well. These echo abnormalities were mainly seen in patients with abnormal electrocardiograms. In 11 patients with IH, iron removal therapy was carried out by means of periodic phlebotomies. In patients with impaired LV function at the beginning of therapy, comparison between measurements of the initial echo and posttreatment echo showed significant improvement in LV diameters, fractional shortening, ejection fraction, distance from the E point to the septum, LV mass and left atrial dimension.