Prognostic implications of left ventricular global longitudinal strain in heart failure patients with narrow QRS complex treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy: a subanalysis of the randomized EchoCRT trial

Estimation of left ventricular activation sequence in patients with heart failure using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography

Evaluation of longitudinal strain (LS) from two-dimensional echocardiography is useful for global and regional left ventricular (LV) dysfunction assessment. We determined whether the LS reflects contraction process in patients with asynchronous LV activation. We studied 144 patients with an ejection fraction ≤ 35%, who had left bundle branch block (LBBB, n = 42), right ventricular apical (RVA) pacing (n = 34), LV basal- or mid-lateral pacing (n = 23), and no conduction block (Narrow-QRS, n = 45). LS distribution maps were constructed using 3 standard apical views. The times from the QRS onset-to-early systolic positive peak (Q-EPpeak) and late systolic negative peak (Q-LNpeak) were measured to determine the beginning and end of contractions in each segment. Negative strain in LBBB initially appeared in the septum and basal-lateral contracted late. In RVA and LV pacing, the contracted area enlarged centrifugally from the pacing site. Narrow-QRS showed few regional differences in strain during the systolic period. The Q-EPpeak and Q-LNpeak exhibited similar sequences characterized by septum to basal-lateral via the apical regions in LBBB, apical to basal regions in RVA pacing, and lateral to a relatively large delayed contracted area between the apical- and basal-septum in LV pacing. Differences in Q-LNpeaks between the apical and basal segments in delayed contracted wall were 107 ± 30 ms in LBBB, 133 ± 46 ms in RVA pacing, and 37 ± 20 ms in LV pacing (p < 0.05, between QRS groups). Specific LV contraction processes were demonstrated by evaluating the LS distribution and time-to-peak strain. These evaluations may have potential to estimate the activation sequence in patients with asynchronous LV activation.

Correlation analysis between myocardial work indices and liver function classification in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis: A study with non-invasive left ventricular pressure-strain loop

Background

Liver cirrhosis is closely associated with cardiac dysfunction. The aims of this study were to evaluate left ventricular systolic function in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis by non-invasive left ventricular pressure-strain loop (LVPSL) technique, and to explore the correlation between myocardial work indices and liver function classification.

Methods

According to the Child-Pugh classification, 90 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis were further divided into three groups: Child-Pugh A group (n = 32), Child-Pugh B group (n = 31), and Child-Pugh C group (n = 27). During the same period, 30 healthy volunteers were recruited as the control (CON) group. Myocardial work parameters, which included global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW), and global work efficiency (GWE), were derived from the LVPSL and compared among the four groups. The correlation between myocardial work parameters and Child-Pugh liver function classification was evaluated, and the independent risk factors affecting left ventricular myocardial work in patients with cirrhosis were investigated by univariable and multivariable linear regression analysis.

Results

GWI, GCW and GWE of Child-Pugh B and C groups were lower than those of CON group, while GWW was higher than that of CON group, and the changes were more obvious in Child-Pugh C group (P &lt; 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that GWI, GCW, and GWE were negatively correlated with liver function classification to various degrees (r = −0.54, −0.57, and −0.83, respectively, all P &lt; 0.001), while GWW was positively correlated with liver function classification (r = 0.76, P &lt; 0.001). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that GWE was positively correlated with ALB (β = 0.17, P &lt; 0.001), and negatively correlated with GLS (β = −0.24, P &lt; 0.001).

Conclusions

The changes in the left ventricular systolic function in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis were identified using non-invasive LVPSL technology, and myocardial work parameters are significantly correlated with liver function classification. This technique may provide a new method for the evaluation of cardiac function in patients with cirrhosis.

Global longitudinal strain as a prognostic marker in cardiac resynchronisation therapy: A systematic review

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Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV GLS) is a sensitive parameter that correlates with myocardial scar burden and fibrosis with potential value in CRT candidates.

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First systematic review evaluating the existing evidence for the prognostic value of LV GLS in patients undergoing CRT implantation.

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Despite significantly abnormal baseline GLS at CRT implantation, there is still a significant association between incrementally worse LV GLS at CRT implantation and prognostic outcomes on long-term follow-up.

Purpose

Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) has proven mortality benefits for heart failure patients with moderate to severe systolic left ventricular dysfunction and evidence of a left bundle branch block. Determining responders to this therapy can be difficult due to the presence of myocardial fibrosis and scar. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV GLS) is a robust and sensitive measure of myocardial function and fibrosis that has significant prognostic value for a plethora of cardiac pathologies. Our aim was to perform a systematic review of the value of LV GLS for predicting outcomes in patients undergoing CRT.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol for reporting on systematic reviews and meta-analyses. An electronic search of all English, adult publications in EMBASE, MEDLINE/PubMed and the Cochrane Database of Systematic reviews was undertaken.

Results

The search yielded, 9 studies that included 3,981 patients with symptomatic heart failure, undergoing CRT implantation with LV GLS utilised as a predictor of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular death, rehospitalisation, LVAD implantation/ heart transplantation or left ventricular reverse remodelling. Significant heterogeneity was observed in study outcome measures, included populations, LV-GLS cut-offs and follow-up definitions, resulting in the inability to reliably conduct a meta-analyses. Overall, pre-CRT LV GLS was found to be a predictor of outcome post CRT insertion.

Conclusions

In conclusion, all studies implied that incrementally abnormal baseline LV GLS pre-CRT implantation was associated with a long term poorer outcome.

Interim Analysis of the Phase II Study: Noninferiority Study of Doxorubicin with Upfront Dexrazoxane plus Olaratumab for Advanced or Metastatic Soft-Tissue Sarcoma

PURPOSE

To report the interim analysis of the phase II single-arm noninferiority trial, testing the upfront use of dexrazoxane with doxorubicin on progression-free survival (PFS) and cardiac function in soft-tissue sarcoma (STS).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with metastatic or unresectable STS who were candidates for first-line treatment with doxorubicin were deemed eligible. An interim analysis was initiated after 33 of 65 patients were enrolled. Using the historical control of 4.6 months PFS for doxorubicin in the front-line setting, we tested whether the addition of dexrazoxane affected the efficacy of doxorubicin in STS. The study was powered so that a decrease of PFS to 3.7 months would be considered noninferior. Secondary aims included cardiac-related mortality, incidence of heart failure/cardiomyopathy, and expansion of cardiac monitoring parameters including three-dimensional echocardiography. Patients were allowed to continue on doxorubicin beyond 600 mg/m2 if they were deriving benefit and were not demonstrating evidence of symptomatic cardiac dysfunction.

RESULTS

At interim analysis, upfront use of dexrazoxane with doxorubicin demonstrated a PFS of 8.4 months (95% confidence interval: 5.1-11.2 months). Only 3 patients were removed from study for cardiotoxicity, all on > 600 mg/m2 doxorubicin. No patients required cardiac hospitalization or had new, persistent cardiac dysfunction with left ventricular ejection fraction remaining below 50%. The median administered doxorubicin dose was 450 mg/m2 (interquartile range, 300-750 mg/m2).

CONCLUSIONS

At interim analysis, dexrazoxane did not reduce PFS in patients with STS treated with doxorubicin. Involvement of cardio-oncologists is beneficial for the monitoring and safe use of high-dose anthracyclines in STS.See related commentary by Benjamin and Minotti, p. 3809.

Global longitudinal strain predicts responders after cardiac resynchronization therapy-a systematic review and meta-analysis

To evaluate the association between baseline global longitudinal strain (GLS) and ΔGLS (difference of baseline GLS and follow-up) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) response defined either with clinical or with echocardiographic characteristics. This meta-analysis was performed in accordance to both the Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology and Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Two independent investigators performed a comprehensive systematic search in MedLine, EMBASE and Cochrane databases through September 2019 without limitations. Data analysis was performed by using the Review Manager software (RevMan), version 5.3, and Stata 13 software. A p value of less than 0.05 (two-tailed) was considered statistically significant. Twelve studies (1004 patients, mean age 63.8 years old, males 69.4%) provided data on the association of baseline GLS with the response to CRT therapy. We found that CRT responders had significantly better resting GLS values compared with non-responders [GLS mean difference -2.13 (-3.03, -1.23), p < 0.001, I² 78%]. Furthermore, CRT responders had significantly greater improvement of GLS at follow-up compared with non-responders [ΔGLS mean difference -3.20 (-4.95, -1.45), p < 0.001, I² 66%]. These associations remained significant in a subgroup analysis including only studies with similar CRT response definition. In this meta-analysis, we found that CRT responders had a baseline and ΔGLS significantly higher than the non-responders strengthening the central role of GLS as a tool for selecting candidates for CRT. Furthermore, improved GLS values after CRT may be used to better define CRT responders.

Left ventricular global longitudinal strain in predicting CRT response: one more J-shaped curve in medicine

The aim of the study was: (1) to verify the hypothesis that left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) may be of additive prognostic value in prediction CRT response and (2) to obtain such a LVGLS value that in the best optimal way enables to characterize potential CRT responders. Forty-nine HF patients (age 66.5 ± 10 years, LVEF 24.9 ± 6.4%, LBBB 71.4%, 57.1% ischemic aetiology of HF) underwent CRT implantation. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed prior to and 15 ± 7 months after CRT implantation. Speckle-tracking echocardiography was performed to assess longitudinal left ventricular function as LVGLS. The response to CRT was defined as a ≥ 15% reduction in the left ventricular end-systolic volume (∆LVESV). Thirty-six (73.5%) patients responded to CRT. There was no linear correlation between baseline LVGLS and ∆LVESV (r = 0.09; p = 0.56). The patients were divided according to the percentile of baseline LVGLS: above 80th percentile; between 80 and 40th percentile; below 40th percentile. Two peripheral groups (above 80th and below 40th percentile) formed “peripheral LVGLS” and the middle group was called “mid-range LVGLS”. The absolute LVGLS cutoff values were − 6.07% (40th percentile) and − 8.67% (80th percentile). For the group of 20 (40.8%) “mid-range LVGLS” patients mean ΔLVESV was 33.3 ± 16.9% while for “peripheral LVGLS” ΔLVESV was 16.2 ± 18.8% (p < 0.001). Among non-ischemic HF etiology, all “mid-range LVGLS” patients (100%) responded positively to CRT (in “peripheral LVGLS”—55% responders; p = 0.015). Baseline LVGLS may have a potential prognostic value in prediction CRT response with relationship of inverted J-shaped pattern. “Mid-range LVGLS” values should help to select CRT responders, especially in non-ischemic HF etiology patients.

Computational Diagnostic Techniques for Electrocardiogram Signal Analysis

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including asymptomatic myocardial ischemia, angina, myocardial infarction, and ischemic heart failure, are the leading cause of death globally. Early detection and treatment of CVDs significantly contribute to the prevention or delay of cardiovascular death. Electrocardiogram (ECG) records the electrical impulses generated by heart muscles, which reflect regular or irregular beating activity. Computer-aided techniques provide fast and accurate tools to identify CVDs using a patient's ECG signal, which have achieved great success in recent years. Latest computational diagnostic techniques based on ECG signals for estimating CVDs conditions are summarized here. The procedure of ECG signals analysis is discussed in several subsections, including data preprocessing, feature engineering, classification, and application. In particular, the End-to-End models integrate feature extraction and classification into learning algorithms, which not only greatly simplifies the process of data analysis, but also shows excellent accuracy and robustness. Portable devices enable users to monitor their cardiovascular status at any time, bringing new scenarios as well as challenges to the application of ECG algorithms. Computational diagnostic techniques for ECG signal analysis show great potential for helping health care professionals, and their application in daily life benefits both patients and sub-healthy people.

Global Longitudinal Strain of the Systemic Ventricle Is Correlated with Plasma Galectin-3 and Predicts Major Cardiovascular Events in Adult Patients with Congenital Heart Disease

Backround and Objective: We sought to assess in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients the prognostic value of plasma galectin-3 (Gal-3) levels and systemic ventricular global longitudinal strain (SV GLS) as well as their association with NTproBNP and arrhythmogenesis. Materials and Methods: We studied 58 patients (26 men, mean age 37 ± 16.8 years) with various congenital heart diseases. Patients underwent echocardiogram, 24 h ambulatory ECG monitoring, while NTproBNP and Gal-3 were measured. They were followed up (median of 790.5 days -IQR 350.3 days) and major cardiovascular events (MACE) were recorded. Results. Mean Gal-3 levels were 17.07 ± 6.38 ng/m. Plasma Gal-3 was correlated with LogNTproBNP (r = 0.456, p = 0.001).Gal-3 levels associated with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) (p < 0.001) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) (p < 0.001), but was not associated with MACE (HR 1.018, 95% CI 0.944-1.098, p = 0.641).Mean SVGLS in patients with systemic left ventricle was -15.91% ± 4.09%, which was significantly lower compared to patients with systemic right ventricle and patients with single ventricle (-11.42% ± 3.37% and -11.9% ± 5.06%, respectively, p = 0.021).SV GLS correlated with plasma Gal-3 (r = 0.313, p = 0.027) and logNTproBNP (r = 0.479, p < 0.001). SVGLS correlated with VT arrhythmias (p = 0.004). NTproBNP predicted MACE (AUC 0.750, p = 0.03). SVGLS also predicted MACE (AUC 0.745, p = 0.03. In multivariate analysis, SVGLS and logNTproBNP maintained their predictive value (p = 0.004 and p = 0.009, respectively) Conclusion: In ACHD patients, SV GLS was found to predict MACE independently from NTproBNP and correlated with VT. Gal-3 correlated with NTproBNP and SVGLS as well as SVT and VT, but has not been shown to bear significant prognostic potential.

Speckle tracking echocardiography analyses of myocardial contraction efficiency predict response for cardiac resynchronization therapy

BACKGROUND

In patients with left ventricular (LV) dysssynchrony, contraction that doesn't fall into ejection period (LVEj) results in a waste of energy due to inappropriate contraction timing, which was now widely treated by cardiac resynchronization therapy(CRT). Myocardial Contraction Efficiency was defined as the ratio of Efficient Contraction Time (ECTR) and amplitude of efficient contraction (ECR) during LVEj against that in the entire cardiac cycle. This study prospectively investigated whether efficiency indexes could predict CRT outcome.

METHODS

Our prospective pilot study including 70 CRT candidates, parameters of myocardial contraction timing and contractility were measured by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) and efficiency indexes were calculated accordingly at baseline and at 6-month follow-up. Primary outcome events were predefined as death or HF hospitalization, and secondary outcome events were defined as all-cause death during the follow-up. 16-segement Standard deviation of time to onset strain (TTO-16SD) and time to peak strain (TTP-16SD) were included as the dyssynchrony indexes.

RESULTS

According to LV end systolic volume (LVESV) and LV eject fraction(LVEF) values at 6-month follow-up, subjects were classified into responder and non-responder groups, ECR (OR 0.87, 95%CI 0.78-0.97, P < 0.05) and maximum longitudinal strain (MLS) (OR 2.22, 95%CI 1.36-3.61, P < 0.01) were the two independent predictors for CRT response, Both TTO-16SD and TTP-16SD failed to predict outcome. Patients with poorer myocardial contraction efficiency and better contractility are more likely to benefit from CRT.

CONCLUSIONS

STE can evaluate left ventricular contraction efficiency and contractility to predict CRT response. When analyzing myocardial strain by STE, contraction during LVEj should be highlighted.

Impact of transducer frequency setting on speckle tracking measures

Speckle tracking echocardiography is an emerging technique, which is currently being included in clinical guidelines. We sought to investigate the impact of transducer frequency settings on speckle tracking derived measures. The study comprised of 22 subjects prospectively enrolled for a randomized controlled trial (LOOP-study, Clinicaltrials.gov:NCT02036450). Patients were above 70 years of age with increased risk of stroke, and had an echocardiogram performed, which included focused images of the left ventricle. Focused images were obtained with the transducer frequency set at both 1.7/3.3 and 1.5/3.0 MHz. The images were obtained immediately after each other at the exact same position for the two settings. Speckle tracking was performed in three apical projections, allowing for acquisition of layered global longitudinal strain (GLS) and strain rate measures. Concordance between the frequency settings was tested for endo-, mid-, and epicardial GLS and strain rates by coefficients of variation, bias coefficients and visually displayed by Bland-Altman plots. Bland-Altman plots did not reveal any significant over- or underestimation of any speckle tracking measure. Bias coefficients showed that none of the measurements differed significantly between the two settings (bias for GLS_endo = - 0.07 ± 2.94, p = 0.91; GLS_mid = 0.02 ± 2.70, p = 0.98, GLS_epi = 0.07 ± 2.53, p = 0.90). Coefficients of variation were as follows: GLS_endo = 15.11%, GLS_mid = 15.28%, GLS_epi = 17.26%, systolic strain rate = 15.66%, early diastolic strain rate = 38.46%, late diastolic strain rate = 11%. Changing between transducer frequency settings does not systematically derange speckle tracking measures. One can safely reduce the transducer frequency without compromising the validity of speckle tracking derived measures.