1
|
Mortality in Covid-19 patients hospitalized in a teaching hospital in Italy during the first 3 waves. Eur J Public Health 2022. [PMCID: PMC9593931 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckac131.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction In Italy a Covid-19 pandemic pattern was observed, characterized by several waves, with an excess total mortality of 178000 deaths. Alessandria, Italy is the Piedmont province with the highest proportion of mortality from Covid-19 in the first 4 months of 2020, compared to the rest of the region. Objectives To analyze mortality in patients hospitalized for Covid-19 in the Alessandria Hospital (AO AL), considering the first 3 waves. Materials and methods Subjects aged ≥18 with a diagnosis of Covid-19 admitted to the AO AL in the first 50 days of the first 3 waves were included. The first wave started on 24 February 2020 (first day of available data by the Ministry of Health), the second wave on 14 September 2020 (first day of the 2020/21 school year), the third wave on 15 February 2021 (peak of cases detected by the Italian College of Health). The causes of death were obtained from the National Institute of Statistics death cards and codified according to the International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, classification. Results We included 825 subjects (median age: 73 years; male prevalence: 60.7%). The subjects hospitalized in the first wave were 464, in the second wave 255, in the third wave 106. A total of 309 subjects died (37.5%), of which 218 in the first wave (70.6%), 69 in the second wave (22.3%), 22 in the third wave (7.1%). The most frequent causes of death were “Covid-19 pneumonia” (61.5%) and “respiratory distress syndrome” (19.4%). Death occurred after hospital discharge in 40% of cases. 6 months after admission, the survival rate was 53% among patients of the first wave, 73% and 78% for those of the second and third wave. Patients hospitalized in the first and second waves showed a greater risk of death compared to patients of the third wave (HR = 2.8; 95% CI 1.8-4.4 and HR = 1.4; 95% CI 0.8-2.2). Conclusions Data showed a difference in mortality between the 3 waves with a statistically significant variation between the first and third waves. Key messages • Data showed a difference in mortality between the 3 waves. • Data showed a statistically significant variation in mortality between the first and third waves.
Collapse
|
2
|
HCM-AF South Italy score for prediction of new-onset atrial fibrillation in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: data from a derivation and validation italian cohorts. Eur Heart J 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac544.1710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Only one score for prediction of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) has been developed in North America (HCM-AF North America score).
Purpose
To develop a new score (HCM-AF South Italy score) in an Italian derivation cohort and to test the new score with that from North America, in an Italian validation cohort.
Methods
A cohort of 228 patients with HCM and without history of AF, followed at referral center 1 for HCM, was used for model development. A cohort of 226 patients without history of AF, followed at referral center 2, was used for external validation. During follow-up (IQR 3–13 years, median 8 years), 59 (26%) patients developed new-onset AF. Data in the development cohort generated the HCM-AF South Italy score, a point score to predict AF probability: left atrial dimension >49 mm (+5 points), age at clinical evaluation <55 years (+2 points), the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) or inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) at initial evaluation (+2 points), low left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (<50%) (+2 points), LV outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) >25 mmHg (+2 points), NYHA class >1 (+1 point).
Results
Patients from the validation cohort were older, had lower prevalence of HCM family history, lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure, taken fewer drugs like beta-blockers, ACE or ARB, calcium-channel blockers, and antiarrhythmic drugs and had lower LVOTO than patients from the derivation cohort, (overall p<0.05). During follow-up (IQR 1–10 years, median 5 years), 25 (11%) patients developed AF. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that HCM-AF South Italy score was superior to HCM-AF North America score (Figure). A HCM- AF South Italy score >4 identified patients at risk of AF with a sensitivity of 48%, specificity of 76%, PPV of 20% and NPV of 92%.
Conclusion
Although derived and tested in little and quite different populations, the performance of the HCM-AF South Italy score was superior to that of the score developed in North America.
Funding Acknowledgement
Type of funding sources: None.
Collapse
|
3
|
Association between common cardiovascular risk factors and clinical phenotype in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) EurObservational Research Programme (EORP) Cardiomyopathy/Myocarditis registry. EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL. QUALITY OF CARE & CLINICAL OUTCOMES 2022; 9:42-53. [PMID: 35138368 PMCID: PMC9745665 DOI: 10.1093/ehjqcco/qcac006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The interaction between common cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is poorly studied. We sought to explore the relation between CVRF and the clinical characteristics of patients with HCM enrolled in the EURObservational Research Programme (EORP) Cardiomyopathy registry. METHODS AND RESULTS 1739 patients with HCM were studied. The relation between hypertension (HT), diabetes (DM), body mass index (BMI), and clinical traits was analysed. Analyses were stratified according to the presence or absence of a pathogenic variant in a sarcomere gene. The prevalence of HT, DM, and obesity (Ob) was 37, 10, and 21%, respectively. HT, DM, and Ob were associated with older age (P<0.001), less family history of HCM (HT and DM P<0.001), higher New York Heart Association (NYHA) class (P<0.001), atrial fibrillation (HT and DM P<0.001; Ob p = 0.03) and LV (left ventricular) diastolic dysfunction (HT and Ob P<0.001; DM P = 0.003). Stroke was more frequent in HT (P<0.001) and mutation-positive patients with DM (P = 0.02). HT and Ob were associated with higher provocable LV outflow tract gradients (HT P<0.001, Ob P = 0.036). LV hypertrophy was more severe in Ob (P = 0.018). HT and Ob were independently associated with NYHA class (OR 1.419, P = 0.017 and OR 1.584, P = 0.004, respectively). Other associations, including a higher proportion of females in HT and of systolic dysfunction in HT and Ob, were observed only in mutation-positive patients. CONCLUSION Common CVRF are associated with a more severe HCM phenotype, suggesting a proactive management of CVRF should be promoted. An interaction between genotype and CVRF was observed for some traits.
Collapse
|
4
|
Intermittent outpatient administration of levosimendan improves right ventricular-pulmonary arterial coupling in ambulatory patients with advanced heart failure. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/ehjci/jeaa356.374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Funding Acknowledgements
Type of funding sources: None.
Background
Intermittent infusions of levosimendan in an outpatient setting have been associated with improved symptoms and reduced hospitalizations in patients with advanced heart failure (HF). Little is known on the potential effect of intermittent levosimendan infusions on right ventricle (RV)-pulmonary arterial (PA) coupling in ambulatory patients with advanced HF.
Purpose Aim of the present study was to explore the effects of intermittent levosimendan infusions on the ratio between tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PAPs), an echocardiographic measure of RV/PA coupling, in ambulatory patients with advanced HF, and on left ventricular arterial coupling (VAC), expressed as the relationship between arterial elastance (Ea) and ventricular elastance (Ees).
Methods 17 ambulatory patients with advanced HF treated with intermittent levosimendan (6-hour intravenous infusion, 0.2 ug/kg/min without bolus) received baseline clinical, biochemical and echocardiographic evaluation and changes in TAPSE/PAPs ratio were assessed from baseline to 48 hours after the infusion, based on the pharmacokinetic profile of levosimendan. VAC, expressed as Ea/Ees ratio, was obtained by a calculator (iElastance) designed for non-invasive single beat measure of end-systolic Ees and Ea according to Chen"s method.
Results After 48 hours from levosimendan infusion, there was a significant improvement of TAPSE/PAPs ratio (p = 0.04), stroke voume (SV) (p = 0.05) and cardiac output (CO)(p = 0.04). We observed a significant reduction of Ea (p = 0.007) and of Ees (p = 0.01) and a non significant improvement of VAC (p = 0.4)(Tab.1).
Conclusion. Our results show that an intermittent 6-hour levosimendan infusion at 0.2 ug/kg/min improves after 48 hours RV-PA coupling, SV, CO, Ea and Ees in ambulatory patients with advanced HF. Further studies including more patients are necessary to confirm these preliminary findings.
Tab.1 Baseline 48h afterlevosimendan infusion p value NT-proBNP (pg/mL) 5607 ± 4300 3868 ± 3856 <0.001 LVEF (%) 24.1 ± 7.7 25.7 ± 7.3 0.5 SV (mL) 36.8 ± 12.4 46.1 ± 14.8 0.05 CO (L/min)36.8 ± 12.4 2.6 ± 0.7 3.2 ± 0.9 0.05 TAPSE/PAPs (mm/mmHg) 0.38 ± 0.13 0.49 ± 0.16 0.04 Ea (mmHg/mL/m2) 2.9 ± 0.9 2.1 ± 0.6 0.007 Ees (mmHg/mL/m2) 1.3 ± 0.4 1.0 ± 0.2 0.01 VAC 2.2 ± 0.6 2.0 ± 0.4 0.4
Collapse
|
5
|
Myocardial constructive work is impaired in cardiac amyloidosis, eases the differential diagnosis and predicts the prognosis among patients with left ventricular hypertrophy. Eur Heart J 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/ehjci/ehaa946.2147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Myocardial Work (MW) is a novel non-invasive echocardiographic method for myocardial performance assessment. MW is abnormal in patients with many forms of left ventricular hypertrophy [hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), hypertensive cardiomyopathy (HypCM), aortic stenosis (AS)] while little is known about cardiac amyloidosis (CA).
Purpose
We aimed to evaluate the role of MW in myocardial performance assessment, diagnostic significance and prognostic relevance in CA patients.
Methods
25 patients with CA (10 AL pts and 15 ATTRwt pts) and 75 patients with LVH (25 HCM pts, 25 HypCMP pts, 25 pts mild AS pts) were enrolled. Beside routine measurements, deformation parameters [GLS (Global Longitudinal Strain), EFSR (Ejection Fraction on Strain Ratio), RRSR (Relative Regional Strain Ratio)], and MW parameters [MWI (Myocardial Work Index), GCW (Global Constructive Work), GWW (Global Wasted Work), GWE (Global Work Efficiency)] for LV function evaluation were analysed.
Results
LV and RV function evaluated with classical and novel parameters were significantly impaired in CA group (see table). Among all these parameters, GCW showed the best performance to discriminate CA from other forms of LVH (AUC 0.90; 95% CI: 0.80–0.99; P<0,0001), with a cut-off value <1141 mmHg% showing good sensitivity and specificity (90% and 82%, respectively). At Kaplan-Meier estimation of cardiovascular mortality there were 9 deaths in the CA group and none in LVH group, showed significantly higher mortality at follow-up (p=0,0001). At multivariate analysis GCW (β=1,006; 95% CI: 1,003–1,009; P<0,0001) was the only prognostic parameter associated with cardiovascular mortality.
Discussion
Myocardial performance was reduced in CA group. GCW was able to discriminate CA from other forms of LVH and showed to be an independent prognostic factor. In our pilot study GCW seems a promising novel diagnostic and prognostic factor in CA.
Kaplan-Meier curve
Funding Acknowledgement
Type of funding source: None
Collapse
|
6
|
P383They didn"t get it at the time, but it was a "hot phase". Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/ehjci/jez109.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
|
7
|
1178Percutaneous treatment of mitral insufficiency and pseudo-aneurism: a case report. Eur Heart J 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehx495.1178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
8
|
Clinical Case Poster session 1P501The incremental value of advanced cardiovascular multi-modality imaging in the investigation of a cardiac massP502Metastatic adenocarsinoma involving the right ventricle and pulmonary artery leading right heart failureP503A malignant cause of angina in hypertrophic cardiomyopathyP504Dyspnea in a severe mitral stenotic gentleman with hypereosinophiliaP505After transcatheter aortic valve implantation be aware of infections, a case of fistulization from left ventricular outflow track to left atriumP506Myocardial infarction masking infective endocarditisP507Subendocardial abscess by contiguity of a valvular vegetationP508Real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography as compared to in vivo anatomy in a case of Candida parapsilosis native mitral valve endocarditisP509TAVI in prosthetic heart valve failure : echocardiography guided transcatether percuntaneous valve in valve implantation (VIV) for failed TAVI corevalve bioprosthesisP510Functional-anatomic matching between longitudinal strain pattern and late gadolinium enhancement of cardiac amyloidosis at presentationP511Heart failure due to masked systolic atrial contraction detected by pulmonary venous flow in a patient with ventricular pacingP512The detection of early left ventricular dysfunction by global longitudinal strain is helpful to keep in adjuvant therapy breast cancer patients till completionP513Forgotten cause of known disease: pulmonary hypertension caused by schistosomiasisP515Single coronary origin delineation by echocardiography alone in a patient with tetralogy of fallot changing the surgical planP516A rare complication after multiple valve repairP517Unusual cause of cyanosis in a young adult with cavopulmonary connectionsP518Abnormal flow in the main pulmonary artery in adult patients: a tale of 2 shuntsP519Unexpected TEE finding: mediastinal lipomatosis can fake an aortic intramural haematoma. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/ehjci/jew247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
|
9
|
Poster session 3The imaging examinationP646Simulator-based testing of skill in transthoracic echoP647Clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of isolated left ventricular non-compactionP648Appropriate use criteria of transthoracic echocardiography and its clinical impact in an aged populationAnatomy and physiology of the heart and great vesselsP649Prevalence and determinants of exercise oscillatory ventilation in the EUROEX trial populationAssessment of diameters, volumes and massP650Left atrial remodeling after percutaneous left atrial appendage closureP651Global atrial performance with tyrosine kinase inhibitors in metastatic renal cell carcinomaP652Early right ventricular response to cardiac resynchronization therapy: impact on clinical outcomesP653Parameters of speckle-tracking echocardiography and biomechanical values of a dilative ascending aortaAssessments of haemodynamicsP654Right atrial hemodynamics in infants and children: observations from 3-dimensional echocardiography derived right atrial volumesAssessment of systolic functionP655One-point carotid wave intensity predicts cardiac mortality in patients with congestive heart failure and reduced ejection fractionP656Persistence of cardiac remodeling in adolescents with previous fetal growth restrictionP6572D speckle tracking-derived left ventricle global longitudinal strain and left ventricular dysfunction stages: a useful discriminator in moderate-to-severe aortic regurgitationP658Global longitudinal strain and strain rate in type two diabetes patients with chronic heart failure: relevance to circulating osteoprotegerinP659Analysis of left ventricular function in patients before and after surgical and interventional mitral valve therapyP660Left ventricular end-diastolic volume is complementary with global longitudinal strain for the prediction of left ventricular ejection fraction in echocardiographic daily practiceP661Left ventricular assist device, right ventricle function, and selection bias: the light side of the moonP662Assessment of right ventricular function in patients with anterior ST elevation myocardial infarction; a 2-d speckle tracking studyP663Right ventricular systolic function assessment in sickle cell anaemia using echocardiographyAssessment of diastolic functionP664Prognostic value of transthoracic cardiopulmonary ultrasound in cardiac surgery intensive care unitP665Comparative efficacy of renin-angiotensin system modulators on prognosis, right heart and left atrial parameters in patients with chronic heart failure and preserved left ventricular systolic functionP666Left atrial volume index is the most significant diastolic functional parameter of hemodynamic burden as measured by NT-proBNP in acute myocardial infarctionP667Preventive echocardiographic screening. preliminary dataP668Assessment of the atrial electromechanical delay and the mechanical functions of the left atrium in patients with diabetes mellitus type IIschemic heart diseaseP669Coronary flow velocity reserve by echocardiography as a measure of microvascular function: feasibility, reproducibility and agreement with PET in overweight patients with coronary artery diseaseP670Influence of cardiovascular risk in the occurrence of events in patients with negative stress echocardiographyP671Prevalence of transmural myocardial infarction and viable myocardium in chronic total occlusion (CTO) patientsP672The impact of the interleukin 6 receptor antagonist tocilizumab on mircovascular dysfunction after non st elevation myocardial infarction assessed by coronary flow reserve from a randomized studyP673Impact of manual thrombus aspiration on left ventricular remodeling: the echocardiographic substudy of the randomized Physiologic Assessment of Thrombus Aspirtion in patients with ST-segment ElevatioP674Acute heart failure in STEMI patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention is related to transmural circumferential myocardial strainP675Long-term prognostic value of infarct size as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging after a first st-segment elevation myocardial infarctionHeart valve DiseasesP676Prognostic value of LV global longitudinal strain in aortic stenosis with preserved LV ejection fractionP677Importance of longitudinal dyssynchrony in low flow low gradient severe aortic stenosis patients undergoing dobutamine stress echocardiography. a multicenter study (on behalf of the HAVEC group)P678Predictive value of left ventricular longitudinal strain by 2D Speckle Tracking echocardiography, in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis and preserved ejection fractionP679Clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of the flow-gradient patterns in patients with severe aortic stenosis and preserved left ventricular ejection fractionP6802D and 3D speckle tracking assessment of left ventricular function in severe aortic stenosis, a step further from biplane ejection fractionP681Functional evaluation in aortic stenosis: determinant of exercise capacityP682Left ventricular mechanics: novel tools to evaluate left ventricular function in patients with primary mitral regurgitationP683Plasma B-type natriuretic peptide level in patients with isolated rheumatic mitral stenosisP684Quantitative assessment of severity in aortic regurgitation and the influence of elastic proprieties of thoracic aortaP685Characterization of chronic aortic and mitral regurgitation using cardiovascular magnetic resonanceP686Functional mitral regurgitation: a warning sign of underlying left ventricular systolic dysfunction in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.P687Secondary mitral valve tenting in primary degenerative prolapse quantified by three-dimensional echocardiography predicts regurgitation recurrence after mitral valve repairP688Advanced heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and severe mitral insufficiency compensate with a higher oxygen peripheral extraction to a reduced cardiac output vs oxygen uptake response to maxP689Predictors of acute procedural success after percutaneous mitraclip implantation in patients with moderate-to-severe or severe mitral regurgitation and reduced ejection fractionP690The value of transvalvular gradients obtained by transthoracic echocardiography in estimation of severe paravalvular leakage in patients with mitral prosthetic valvesP691Characteristics of infective endocarditis in a non tertiary hospitalP692Infective endocarditis: predictors of severity in a 3-year retrospective analysisP693New echocardiographic predictors of early recurrent mitral functional regurgitation after mitraclip implantationP694Transesophageal echocardiography can be reliably used for the allocation of patients with severe aortic stenosis for tras-catheter aortic valve implantationP695Annular sizing for transcatheter aortic valve selection. A comparison between computed tomography and 3D echocardiographyP696Association between aortic dilatation, mitral valve prolapse and atrial septal aneurysm: first descriptive study.CardiomyopathiesP698Cardiac resynchronization therapy by multipoint pacing improves the acute response of left ventricular mechanics and fluid dynamics: a three-dimensional and particle image velocimetry echo studyP699Long-term natural history of right ventricular function in dilated cardiomyopathy: innocent bystander or leading actor?P700Right to left ventricular interdependence at rest and during exercise assessed by the ratio between pulmonary systolic to diastolic time in heart failure reduced ejection fractionP701Exercise strain imaging demonstrates impaired right ventricular contractile reserve in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathyP702Prevalence of overt left ventricular dysfunction (burn-out phase) in a portuguese population of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a multicentre studyP703Systolic and diastolic myocardial mechanics in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and their link to the extent of hypertrophy, replacement fibrosis and interstitial fibrosisP704Multimodality imaging and genotype-phenotype associations in a cohort of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy studied by next generation sequencing and cardiac magnetic resonanceP705Sudden cardiac death risk assessment in apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: do we need to add MRI to the equation?P706Prognostic value of left ventricular ejection fraction, proBNP, exercise capacity, and NYHA functional class in patients with left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathyP707The anti-hypertrophic microRNAs miR-1, miR-133a and miR-26b and their relationship to left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with essential hypertensionP708Prevalence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction in a portuguese population of left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy, a multicentre studyP709Assessment of systolic and diastolic features in light chain amyloidosis: an echocardiographic and cardiac magnetic resonance studyP710Morbid obesity-associated hypertension identifies bariatric surgery best responders: Clinical and echocardiographic follow up studyP711Echocardiographic markera for overhydration in patients under haemodialysisP712Gender aspects of right ventricular size and function in clinically stable heart transplant patientsP713Evidence of cardiac stem cells from the left ventricular apical tip in patients undergone LVAD implant: a comparative strain-ultrastructural studySystemic diseases and other conditionsP714Speckle tracking assessment of right ventricular function is superior for differentiation of pressure versus volume overloaded right ventricleP715Prognostic value of pulmonary arterial pressure: analysis in a large dataset of timely matched non-invasive and invasive assessmentsP716Effect of the glucagon-like peptide-1 analogue liraglutide on left ventricular diastolic and systolic function in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomised, single-blinded, crossover pilot studyP717Tissue doppler evaluation of left ventricular functions, left atrial mechanical functions and atrial electromechanical delay in juvenile idiopathic arthritisP718Echocardiographic detection of subclinical left ventricular dysfunction in patients with rheumatoid arthritisP719Left ventricular strain values are unaffected by intense training: a longitudinal, speckle-tracking studyP720Diastolic left ventricular function in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: a matched-cohort, speckle-tracking echocardiographic studyP721Relationship between adiponectin level and left ventricular mass and functionP722Left atrial function is impaired in patients with multiple sclerosisMasses, tumors and sources of embolismP723Paradoxical embolization to the brain in patients with acute pulmonary embolism and confirmed patent foramen ovale with bidirectional shunt, results of prospective monitoringP724Following the European Society of Cardiology proposed echocardiographic algorithm in elective patients with clinical suspicion of infective endocarditis: diagnostic yield and prognostic implicationsP725Metastatic cardiac18F-FDG uptake in patients with malignancy: comparison with echocardiographic findingsDiseases of the aortaP726Echocardiographic measurements of aortic pulse wave velocity correlate well with invasive methodP727Assessment of increase in aortic and carotid intimal medial thickness in adolescent type 1 diabetic patientsStress echocardiographyP728Determinants and prognostic significance of heart rate variability in renal transplant candidates undergoing dobutamine stress echocardiographyP729Pattern of cardiac output vs O2 uptake ratio during maximal exercise in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: pathophysiological insightsP730Prognostic value and predictive factors of cardiac events in patients with normal exercise echocardiographyP731Right ventricular mechanics during exercise echocardiography: normal values, feasibility and reproducibility of conventional and new right ventricular function parametersP732The added value of exercise-echo in heart failure patients: assessing dynamic changes in extravascular lung waterP733Applicability of appropriate use criteria of exercise stress echocardiography in real-life practice: what have we improved with new documents?Transesophageal echocardiographyP7343D-TEE guidance in percutaneous mitral valve interventions correcting mitral regurgitationContrast echocardiographyP735Pulmonary transit time by contrast enhanced ultrasound as parameter for cardiac performance: a comparison with magnetic resonance imaging and NT-ProBNPReal-time three-dimensional TEEP736Optimal parameter selection for anisotropic diffusion denoising filters applied to aortic valve 4d echocardiographsP737Left ventricle systolic function in non-alcoholic cirrhotic candidates for liver transplantation: a three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography studyTissue Doppler and speckle trackingP738Optimizing speckle tracking echocardiography strain measurements in infants: an in-vitro phantom studyP739Usefulness of vascular mechanics in aortic degenerative valve disease to estimate prognosis: a two dimensional speckle tracking studyP740Vascular mechanics in aortic degenerative valve disease: a two dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography studyP741Statins and vascular load in aortic valve disease patients, a speckle tracking echocardiography studyP742Is Left Bundle Branch Block only an electrocardiographic abnormality? Study of LV function by 2D speckle tracking in patients with normal ejection fractionP743Dominant inheritance of global longitudinal strain in a population of healthy and hypertensive twinsP744Mechanical differences of left atria in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: A speckle-tracking study.P745Different distribution of myocardial deformation between hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and aortic stenosisP746Left atrial mechanics in patients with chronic renal failure. Incremental value for atrial fibrillation predictionP747Subclinical myocardial dysfunction in cancer patients: is there a direct effect of tumour growth?P748The abnormal global longitudinal strain predicts significant circumflex artery disease in low risk acute coronary syndromeP7493D-Speckle tracking echocardiography for assessing ventricular funcion and infarct size in young patients after acute coronary syndromeP750Evaluation of left ventricular dyssynchrony by echocardiograhy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus without clinically evident cardiac diseaseP751Differences in myocardial function between peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis patients: insights from speckle tracking echoP752Appraisal of left atrium changes in hypertensive heart disease: insights from a speckle tracking studyP753Left ventricular rotational behavior in hypertensive patients: Two dimensional speckle tracking imaging studyComputed Tomography & Nuclear CardiologyP754Effectiveness of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction of 64-slice dual-energy ct pulmonary angiography in the patients with reduced iodine load: comparison with standard ct pulmonary angiograP755Clinical prediction model to inconclusive result assessed by coronary computed tomography angiography. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/ehjci/jev277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
|
10
|
Management of Immunosuppression and Antiviral Treatment before and after Heart Transplant for HIV-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 2014; 27:113-20. [PMID: 24674686 DOI: 10.1177/039463201402700115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
|
11
|
|
12
|
Poster session Thursday 6 December - AM: Other myocardial diseases. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2012. [DOI: 10.1093/ehjci/jes255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
|
13
|
Heart failure: molecular, genetic and epigenetic features of the disease. Minerva Cardioangiol 2012; 60:593-609. [PMID: 23147437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Factors that compete to establish heart failure (HF) are not completely known. In the last years the several technological improvements allowed us to deeply study the molecular and genetic aspects of this complex syndrome. This new approach to HF based on molecular biology new discoveries shows us more clearly the pathophysiological bases of this disease, and a future scenery where the genetics may be useful in the clinical practice, as screening of high risk populations, as well as in the diagnosis and therapy of underlying myocardial diseases. The purpose of this review was to analyse the molecular, genetic and epigenetic factors of HF. We described the molecular anatomy of the sarcomere and the pathogenesis of the heart muscle diseases, abandoning the previous monogenic theory for the concept of a polygenic disease. Different actors play a role to cause the illness by themselves, modifying the expression of the disease and, eventually, the prognosis of the patient.
Collapse
|
14
|
Normal left ventricular twist in patients with non-compaction cardiomyopathy, or in normal subjects with hypertrabeculation? Reply. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2012. [DOI: 10.1093/ehjci/jes066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
|
15
|
Poster Session 5: Saturday 10 December 2011, 08:30-12:30 * Location: Poster Area. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/ejechocard/jer218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
|
16
|
Poster Session 3: Friday 9 December 2011, 08:30-12:30 * Location: Poster Area. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/ejechocard/jer214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
|
17
|
3638 POSTER Integrated Care Pathways for Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Patients: Avoidable Costs Analysis in a Quality Improvement Project. Eur J Cancer 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(11)71235-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
18
|
Prolonged left ventricular twist in cardiomyopathies: a potential link between systolic and diastolic dysfunction. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2011; 12:841-9. [DOI: 10.1093/ejechocard/jer148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
|
19
|
Masked hypertension in young patients after successful aortic coarctation repair: impact on left ventricular geometry and function. J Hum Hypertens 2011; 25:739-45. [DOI: 10.1038/jhh.2010.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
20
|
Poster session III * Friday 10 December 2010, 08:30-12:30. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2010. [DOI: 10.1093/ejechocard/jeq144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
|
21
|
Poster session I * Thursday 9 December 2010, 08:30-12:30. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2010. [DOI: 10.1093/ejechocard/jeq136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
|
22
|
Right ventricular myocardial involvement in either physiological or pathological left ventricular hypertrophy: an ultrasound speckle-tracking two-dimensional strain analysis. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2010; 11:492-500. [DOI: 10.1093/ejechocard/jeq007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
|
23
|
Abstract
Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a major acute-phase protein in humans, and elevated plasma levels represent a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. SAA was thought to be produced by hepatocytes only in response to inflammatory stimuli; moreover, recent studies have shown that adipose tissue can secrete several proinflammatory factors. Therefore, we investigated whether cells in adipose tissue can synthesize SAA in response to inflammatory stimuli. Adipocytes and preadipocytes isolated from abdominal adipose tissue were incubated with IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, LPS, or resistin at different concentrations. After 48 hours, the supernatants were analyzed by ELISAs for human SAA. Preadipocytes did not show any production in SAA. In contrast, in adipocytes, incubation with TNF-α led to a significant increase in SAA production, peaking after LPS or resistin (∼3 times greater vs unstimulated adipocytes). The greatest increase in SAA occurred with all stimuli combined (∼5 times greater vs control cells). Subsequently, we investigated whether treatment with some drugs could modulate SAA production in adipocytes, and observed that fluvastatin led to a significant inhibition of SAA release, whereas a larger modulation of SAA release was observed after treatment with troglitazone or aspirin. These results show for the first time that human adipocytes, and not preadipocytes, can produce SAA in response to inflammatory cytokines and that this process can be modulated.
Collapse
|
24
|
A child cohort study from southern Italy enlarges the genetic spectrum of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Clin Genet 2009; 76:91-101. [PMID: 19659763 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0004.2009.01190.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most frequent genetic cardiovascular disorder worldwide. It is the leading cause of sudden cardiac-related death in young people and a major cause of cardiac failure and death in elderly people. However, HCM frequently goes undiagnosed until the appearance of overt signs and symptoms, thereby delaying prophylactic and therapeutic measures. We screened patients for sarcomeric genes associated with HCM to obtain information that could be useful for an early diagnosis and so limit the severe consequences of silent HCM. We recruited 39 families with HCM from southern Italy and found mutations in 41% of families (12 with familial HCM and 4 with sporadic HCM). The remaining 23 families (59%) were negative for myofilament gene mutations. Of the 12 mutations identified, 8 were novel. Screening of the other family members available revealed that 27 had mutations; 11 of these individuals had no signs or symptoms suggestive of HCM. This study, besides characterizing the spectrum of mutations in another childhood population, and revealing an even greater genetic heterogeneity than formerly recognized, may increase genotype-phenotype correlations, and thus may help to identify asymptomatic candidates for early preventive or therapeutic measures.
Collapse
|
25
|
Two-dimensional strain and atrial function: a study on patients after percutaneous closure of atrial septal defect. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2008; 10:256-9. [DOI: 10.1093/ejechocard/jen218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
|
26
|
Two-dimensional strain to assess regional left and right ventricular longitudinal function in 100 normal foetuses. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2008; 9:754-6. [DOI: 10.1093/ejechocard/jen134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
|
27
|
[The role of natriuretic peptides in heart failure]. Minerva Med 2007; 98:591-602. [PMID: 18043566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decades, there has been a significant increase in incidence and prevalence of heart failure, a major cause of cardiac morbidity and mortality. Measurements of neurohormones, in particular B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), can significantly improve diagnostic accuracy, and also correlate with long-term morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic heart failure presenting to the emergency department. BNP is secreted by cardiac ventricles mainly in response to wall stress and neurohormonal factors like the sympathetic nervous system, endothelins, and the rennin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. BNP increases myocardial relaxation and oppose the vasoconstrictive, sodium retaining, and natriuretic effects caused by vasoconstrictive factors. BNP is the first biomarker to prove its clinical value for the diagnosis of left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction but also for the right ventricular dysfunction, guiding prognosis and therapy management. Emerging clinical data will help further refine biomarker-guided therapeutic and monitoring strategies involving BNP.
Collapse
|
28
|
|
29
|
Abnormal myocardial deformation properties in obese, non-hypertensive children: an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, standard echocardiographic, and strain rate imaging study: reply. Eur Heart J 2007. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehm134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
|
30
|
Evaluation of outcomes in SPA-treated osteoarthrosic patients. JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AND HYGIENE 2007; 48:1-4. [PMID: 17506230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Osteoarthrosis is the most prevalent joints disorder and it is also the most frequent cause of physical disability in the elderly. When surgery is not indicated, symptomatic drugs are generally used. These treatments are frequently associated to balneotherapy. In fact, balneotherapy or spa therapy has been widely used in classical medicine as a cure for such diseases. The aim and significance of this study is to evaluate the impact of thermalism in subjects suffering from osteoarthrosis. METHODS We randomly selected 220 osteoarthrosic subjects (STs = spa treatment subjects), aged from 40 to 90, that usually undergone mud pack therapy and balneotherapy at least once a year. They were enrolled in thermal establishments in the Euganean Basin. We also recruited, as control group, 172 osteoarthrosic subjects (NCs = normal care subjects) that never underwent any spa therapy. A questionnaire, comprehensive of a disability score, was administered by physicians to each subject. RESULTS STs reported to suffer from osteoarthrosis for more years than NCs. Furthermore STs significantly suffered more than NCs from pain in several joints, and they also showed a more elevated average number of painful joints. In spite of that, STs used less drugs than NCs, and showed a higher degree of disability due to osteoarthrosis (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION The regular use of mudpack and balneotherapy seem to improve the wellness, and the spa treatment seems to help the achievement of this goal. In this regard it might be important to encourage new investigations in order to assess in which measure thermal therapy contribute to the wellness improvement.
Collapse
|
31
|
Heart rate variability is a weak predictor of sudden death in children and young patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Heart 2007; 93:117-8. [PMID: 17170350 PMCID: PMC1861350 DOI: 10.1136/hrt.2005.087338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
|
32
|
Strain rate imaging: data acquisition and postrocessing. Minerva Cardioangiol 2006; 54:451-9. [PMID: 17016416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Several studies already demonstrated the clinical relevance of strain rate imaging. Unfortunately, so far only few echolaboratories are using this technique in their clinical practice. This is mainly due to the lack of information on how to perform a standard strain rate imaging study. Thus, the aim of the present review is to provide the bases and methodology to perform a correct strain rate study.
Collapse
|
33
|
|
34
|
Abstract
BACKGROUND The management of subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) is still controversial, as the benefit to risk ratio of prolonged L-thyroxine therapy is not clear cut. Some authors have shown abnormalities of myocardial function and structure in adults with SH, which could be reversed by L-thyroxine therapy. As SH frequently affects children with Down's syndrome (DS), and almost one half of these are affected by congenital heart disease, a concomitant SH related impairment of cardiac function might further compromise their clinical condition. AIMS To establish whether SH influences myocardial structure and function in children with DS. METHODS Sixteen children with DS and untreated SH and 25 matched euthyroid controls with DS underwent echocardiographic analysis of left ventricular mechanics and tissue characterisation. RESULTS None of the 16 patients had myocardial impairment. CONCLUSION Results suggest that children with DS who have SH are not at risk of cardiac disease. Clinicians should consider these data in the management of SH, as the benefit to risk ratio of prolonged L-thyroxine therapy is not clear cut.
Collapse
|
35
|
Pulmonary stenosis and atresia with intact ventricular septum during prenatal life. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2003; 21:228-233. [PMID: 12666215 DOI: 10.1002/uog.63] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
AIM To identify fetal echocardiographic characteristics predictive of perinatal outcome in cases with a prenatal diagnosis of pulmonary stenosis or pulmonary atresia. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the records and the videotapes of all the cases of pulmonary stenosis and pulmonary atresia diagnosed at our institutions between 1990 and 1999. The following measurements were obtained: diameters of right and left atria and ventricles and ventricular wall thickness; main pulmonary artery and aortic root diameter; direction of flow through the atrioventricular, aortic and pulmonary valves and through the ductus arteriosus. Perinatal outcome and follow-up of the survivors were available in each case. RESULTS There were 21 cases of pulmonary atresia. Eleven were diagnosed before 24 weeks and nine of them (82%) underwent termination of pregnancy. The survival rate was 50% among the 12 fetuses born at term. None of the fetuses that survived had a large right ventricle, while this was a finding in 50% of those that died. Among the fetuses that died, 83% had a hypertrophic right ventricular wall compared to 33% of the survivors. There were 12 cases of pulmonary stenosis. Three cases were diagnosed before 24 weeks but none underwent termination of pregnancy. All the fetuses with pulmonary stenosis were born at term and four died in the perinatal period. The survival rate was thus 66.6% (8/12). Three (75%) of the fetuses that died had reversed flow in the ductus arteriosus compared with one of the fetuses that survived. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that a grossly enlarged right ventricle and/or a hypertrophied right ventricular wall in cases of pulmonary atresia and reversed flow in the arterial duct in cases of pulmonary stenosis are likely indicators of a poor prognosis.
Collapse
|
36
|
|
37
|
Ultrasound evaluation of aortic valve anatomy in the fetus. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2002; 20:30-34. [PMID: 12100414 DOI: 10.1046/j.1469-0705.2002.00723.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the feasibility of ultrasound identification of aortic valve anatomy in the fetus, with particular emphasis on the detection of bicuspid aortic valve. METHODS This study was a prospective analysis of 21 fetuses with prenatally diagnosed congenital left heart obstructive lesions and 45 normal fetuses undergoing routine ultrasound evaluated at a tertiary referral center. These fetuses underwent detailed echocardiography, including the study of the aortic valve on a targeted short-axis view of the right ventricle. Necropsies or postnatal echocardiograms were available for confirmation of the diagnosis in all cases. RESULTS Aortic cusps and commissures were satisfactorily visualized in 38/45 (84%) normal fetuses and in 18/21 (86%) fetuses with congenital heart disease. The aortic valve was correctly defined as bicuspid in one normal fetus and in six fetuses with congenital heart disease. In two fetuses with a positive family history, the bicuspid aortic valve was isolated. There was one incorrect diagnosis (a unicuspid unicommissural valve diagnosed prenatally as a bicuspid aortic valve in a fetus with severe aortic stenosis) and one false-positive diagnosis in a fetus diagnosed with a coarctation and a bicuspid aortic valve late in the third trimester of pregnancy and in which both anomalies were not confirmed at neonatal echocardiography. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that aortic valve anatomy can be satisfactorily assessed in fetuses with and without left heart obstructive lesions. We believe that a detailed search for a bicuspid aortic valve should be attempted in all patients referred for a positive family history of congenital heart disease, in general, and of left ventricle outflow tract obstruction or bicuspid aortic valve, in particular. In fact, the presence of an asymptomatic bicuspid aortic valve has been demonstrated to represent an important factor predisposing to the development of bacterial endocarditis and dissecting aortic aneurysm late in adult life. Therefore, an early detection of such an anomaly may contribute to ensure a longer symptom-free lifespan of individuals with the most common cardiac anomaly at birth.
Collapse
|
38
|
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transposition of the great arteries (TGA) is considered to be associated only rarely with genetic syndromes and to have a low risk of precurrence among relatives of affected patients. Because most family studies have involved a relatively small number of patients and evaluated all types of TGA as a single group, we performed a large, prospective study investigating the precurrence of congenital heart disease in families of children with complete, nonsyndromic TGA. METHODS AND RESULTS From January 1997 through December 2000, 370 patients with nonsyndromic, complete TGA were consecutively evaluated and enrolled in the study. The occurrence of cardiac and noncardiac anomalies among relatives of the probands was investigated. Relatives with congenital heart disease were found in 37 of 370 families (10%), including 5 of 37 families (13.5%) with more than one affected relative. TGA itself was the most common precurrent malformation: complete TGA occurred in 6 families and congenitally corrected TGA occurred in 5 families. Precurrence risks for congenital heart disease were calculated at 1.8% (8 of 436) for siblings, 0.5% (4 of 740) for parents, 0.5% (16 of 3261) for first cousins, 0.2% (4 of 2101) for uncles/aunts, and 0.06% (1 of 1480) for grandparents. CONCLUSIONS The present study shows that TGA is not always sporadic in families. Precurrence of concordant cardiac defects within affected family members supports monogenic or oligogenic inheritance of TGA in certain kindreds. Moreover, the occurrence of complete TGA and congenitally corrected TGA among first-degree relatives in several different families strongly suggests an underlying pathogenetic link between these 2 malformations that has been previously unrecognized.
Collapse
|
39
|
|
40
|
Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in the transposition of great arteries defined by transthoracic three-dimensional echocardiography. Echocardiography 2001; 18:695-700. [PMID: 11801213 DOI: 10.1046/j.1540-8175.2001.00695.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We assessed the feasibility of transthoracic three-dimensional reconstruction of the pulmonary valve and subpulmonary left ventricular outflow tract in two patients with transposition of great arteries, ventricular septal defect, and obstruction to the left ventricular outflow tract. Three-dimensional reconstruction of the pulmonary valve could be displayed as "en face" through a three-dimensional generated "pulmotomy view," allowing an overview of the pulmonary aspect of the valve from a surgeon's perspective. In similar fashion, reconstruction of the subpulmonary outflow tract could be displayed along its longitudinal axis as seen through a left ventriculotomy. Unique views could be obtained equivalent to surgical or autopsy dissections, allowing more complete understanding of the morphology and severity of left-sided obstructive lesions.
Collapse
|
41
|
Abstract
Forty normotensive patients (mean age 12.3 +/- 6.5 years) followed up after a successful repair of aortic coarctation (mean age at coarctectomy 5.1 +/- 4.8 yrs) were studied by echo-Doppler to (1) evaluate left ventricular (LV) remodeling and endocardial and midwall mechanics, and (2) identify factors that might predispose to persistent abnormalities. Sex- and age-specific cutoff levels for LV mass/height2.7 and relative wall thickness were defined to assess LV geometry. To adjust for age-and growth-related changes in ventricular mechanics, all echocardiographic variables were expressed as a Z-score relative to the normal distribution. In addition, the smallest diameter of the aorta was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging and calculated as percent narrowing compared with the diameter of the aorta at the diaphragmatic level. In the study group, 24 of 40 patients (60%) had normal LV geometry. Among the 16 patients (40%) with abnormal LV geometry, 5 (12.5%) had a pattern of concentric remodeling and 11 (27.5%) an eccentric hypertrophy. LV hypertrophy was marked (LV mass index >51 g/m2.7) in 5 of these patients. No patient had a pattern of concentric hypertrophy. LV contractility was increased (Z-score >95th percentile) in 28 patients (70%) as assessed using the endocardial stress-velocity index. In contrast, LV contractility assessed using midwall stress-velocity index remained elevated (Z-score >95th percentile) in 15 patients (37.5%). The stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis was not able to detect any significant independent predictor of abnormal LV remodeling, including sex, age at surgical repair, length of postoperative follow-up, heart rate, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and smallest diameter of the aorta, as well as indexes of LV geometry (shape, mass, volume, mass/ volume ratio) and function (preload, afterload, pump function, and myocardial contractility). Thus, normotensive patients after surgical repair of aortic coarctation may be in an LV hyperdynamic cardiovascular state (more frequent in those who have undergone late repair) and have multiple patterns of LV geometry.
Collapse
|
42
|
New insights in the pathophysiology of mitral and aortic regurgitation in pediatric age: role of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy. ITALIAN HEART JOURNAL : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE ITALIAN FEDERATION OF CARDIOLOGY 2001; 2:100-6. [PMID: 11256536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
This review has been focused on the new insights in the pathophysiology of mitral and aortic regurgitation and on the role of ACE-inhibitor therapy in children with chronic volume overload due to left-sided valvular lesions. Recent clinical studies show that these drugs have favorable effects when administered orally in chronic mitral and aortic regurgitation. Interestingly, the beneficial effects of ACE-inhibition regard the basic anatomic, hemodynamic and adaptive pathologic conditions related to volume overload, namely, the regurgitant orifice area and volume and ventricular remodeling. The heart is a plastic structure, constantly being altered in size, shape and composition in response to chronic volume overload. Thus, modulation of cardiac plasticity by ACE-inhibition raises the possibility of using new therapeutic strategies specifically designed to prevent and/or antagonize the mechanical disadvantages secondary to volume overload-induced cardiac remodeling. The beneficial effects of ACE-inhibition have also been observed in growing children with asymptomatic valvular regurgitation; thus, it appears that the unloading therapy has the potential of influencing the natural history of both mitral and aortic regurgitation and possibly delays surgical valve repair or replacement. These data justify early inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system in children with left ventricular volume overload due to mitral and aortic regurgitation.
Collapse
|
43
|
Multiple cardiac rhabdomyomas. ITALIAN HEART JOURNAL : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE ITALIAN FEDERATION OF CARDIOLOGY 2000; 1:770. [PMID: 11110523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
|
44
|
Echocardiographic assessment of ventricular filling pressure during the second and third trimesters of gestation. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2000; 16:128-132. [PMID: 11117081 DOI: 10.1046/j.1469-0705.2000.00204.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
AIMS To confirm changes in the atrioventricular diastolic flow velocities (peak E, peak A, E/A ratio) with gestational age and to define whether these changes genuinely reflect variations in filling pressure in the fetal heart. METHODS Fifty normal pregnancies were studied between the 13th and the 37th weeks of gestation. The fetal flow velocity patterns were evaluated by pulsed-wave (PW) Doppler and the annular velocities of the atrioventricular valves by PW-Doppler tissue imaging (DTI). RESULTS All indexes evaluated (atrioventricular peak flow and annular velocities) correlated significantly with gestational age. This correlation was stronger for the early diastolic indexes (tricuspid E and EA, 0.69 and 0.78; mitral E and EA, 0.61 and 0.77, respectively) and weaker for the end-diastolic indexes (tricuspid A and AA, 0.46 and 0.37; mitral A and AA, 0.45 and 0.39, respectively). Neither mitral nor tricuspid E/Ea ratio changed significantly with gestational age. CONCLUSIONS The lack of correlation between the Doppler-assessed ventricular filling pressures and gestational age suggests absence of significant changes of ventricular compliance during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, and a progressive enhancement of active relaxation and/or changes in loading conditions.
Collapse
|
45
|
[Epidemiologic surveillance of ischemic heart disease in the population of Pavia in 1986-1995]. ITALIAN HEART JOURNAL. SUPPLEMENT : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE ITALIAN FEDERATION OF CARDIOLOGY 2000; 1:919-25. [PMID: 10935737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Italy mortality for coronary heart disease is continuously decreasing in males and females. However, it is not yet clear how much of this decline is attributable to a longer survival of coronary heart disease patients or to a real decreased incidence in the population. The aim of this paper was to analyze coronary heart disease mortality trends in the population of Pavia, case-fatality rates and acute myocardial infarction attack rates. METHODS Mortality surveillance was carried out by the Epidemiological Unit of the ASL of Pavia; acute myocardial infarction attack rates were estimated from regional admission data for the Pavia population. The target population (1991 Census) was represented by two groups: the first was equal to 49,326 residents (23,627 males and 25,699 females) 45-64 years of age, the second was equal to 17,208 residents (7236 males and 9972 females) 65-74 years of age. RESULTS The decline in mortality was mainly observed in males aged 45-64. Acute myocardial infarction attack rates showed a decline in 45-64 men and an increase in the oldest age group. CONCLUSIONS The surveillance of coronary heart disease epidemiological data from 1986 to 1995 in this population showed a decreased mortality mainly attributable to the decline of attack rates in the youngest and only to case-fatality rates in the oldest age group.
Collapse
|
46
|
Abstract
Tetralogy of Fallot is the most common form of cyanotic congenital heart disease. Measurement of physical activity is usually performed as a routine part of the patient's cardiac evaluation. The aim of this study was to examine the exercise performance of young patients operated on for tetralogy of Fallot, assessing the possible influence of known negative prognostic factors related to the surgical repair. The study group comprised 41 consecutive patients (29 male and 12 female, ages 11.2 +/- 3.9 years, range 6-16 years) operated on for tetralogy of Fallot. Patients in the study group were divided in subgroups in relation to the age of surgical intervention (before or after 2 years of life), the surgical approach (combined transatrial/transpulmonary approach or right ventriculotomy), and the presence of aortopulmonary shunts prior to performing total correction. Their data were compared with those of 33 aged-matched asymptomatic control subjects (19 male and 14 female, ages 11.9 +/- 1.3 years, range 11-16 years). Blood pressure and heart rate measured at rest were similar between control and Fallot groups. A normal increase in systolic blood pressure was observed in response to exercise intensity for all subgroups. No significant difference between control and Fallot groups was found under conditions of mild or moderate exercise or for diastolic blood pressure at rest and in response to exercise. Lower maximal heart rate and systolic blood pressure values were recorded in all patients when compared with the control subjects. Significant differences in peak workload were detected between control and Fallot groups and between the control and each subgroup; however, no difference was found between subgroups. In conclusion, despite their very satisfactory clinical status, all patients showed a reduced peak workload, irrespective of the surgical approach, age at surgery, and aortopulmonary shunts prior to performing total correction.
Collapse
|
47
|
Abstract
Left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction due to anomalous tissue tag arising from the mitral valve is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly. It generally becomes symptomatic during the first decade of life as exercise intolerance, chest pain, or syncope at effort. To date, only a few cases of critical systemic obstruction due to isolated mitral valve anomaly in neonates have been reported. We report the case of a neonate who was a few hours old and was referred in severe clinical condition due to critical left ventricular outflow obstruction resulting from an anomalous tissue tag of mitral valve origin.
Collapse
|
48
|
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in pediatric patients: effect of verapamil on regional and global left ventricular diastolic function. Can J Cardiol 2000; 16:146-52. [PMID: 10694584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the effects of treatment with verapamil on regional and global left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in paediatric patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). DESIGN Twelve patients (age range 5.1 to 12.3 years, median 8.6) with HCM were evaluated during ongoing chronic oral treatment with verapamil (4 mg/kg/day) and four days after withdrawal of therapy. Twelve age- and body surface area-matched normal children served as controls. In an echocardiographic study, global LV diastolic function was evaluated by assessing isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) and mitral flow indexes, including peak filling rate normalized to mitral stroke volume (PFR/SV). In addition, regional LV diastolic function was assessed by pulsed-wave Doppler tissue imaging at the subendocardial portion of the middle region of the anterior and posterior interventricular septum, and anterolateral and inferior walls to measure the peak velocities and the velocity-time integrals of myocardial excursion in both early diastole and atrial systole. In addition, as an index of diastolic asynchrony (AsyI), the variation in time to peak filling rate, measured as the time from the peak of the R wave on the electrocardiogram to the peak of the regional E wave, among the four myocardial regions was defined by subtracting the smallest value from the greatest and expressing the difference as a percentage of the smallest value. RESULTS Compared with the controls, patients with HCM without therapy showed a longer IVRT (P<0.01) and a decrease in PFR/SV (P<0.01) without a compensatory increase in filling during atrial systole. Oral administration of verapamil induced a significant shortening of the IVRT (P=0.003) and an increase in PFR/SV (P=0.02). Furthermore, patients with HCM without therapy showed a significantly longer time to peak filling rate (P<0.01) associated with a decreased peak velocity in early diastole without a concomitant increase in peak velocity during atrial systole in each of the myocardial regions. Furthermore, the AsyI was higher in the HCM group than in controls (19% versus 6%, respectively), and this index was inversely correlated with the PFR/SV (r=-0.86, P<0.001). The regional diastolic velocity of the myocardium at each of the four analyzed regions was not significantly different with verapamil, but the AsyI was significantly lower (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Children with HCM show abnormalities of both global and regional LV diastolic function. In these patients, chronic administration of verapamil plays a crucial role in the improvement in global LV filling and, as a consequence, in clinical manifestations. The beneficial effects of verapamil seem to be related to a reduction in diastolic asynchrony more than to significant changes in diastolic velocities of the myocardial fibres.
Collapse
|
49
|
Coronary artery-right atrium fistula. Tex Heart Inst J 2000; 27:220-1. [PMID: 10928515 PMCID: PMC101062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
|
50
|
Arrhythmogenic substrate in young patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot: role of an abnormal ventricular repolarization. Int J Cardiol 1999; 72:73-82. [PMID: 10636635 DOI: 10.1016/s0167-5273(99)00166-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Ventricular repolarization analysis has been shown to be effective in the identification of electrical myocardial instability leading to ventricular arrhythmias. The aim of the present study was to examine ventricular repolarization time indexes, in terms of both absolute measures and dispersion across the myocardium, in young patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (41 pts; 28M/13F, age 11.7+/-3.6 years), assessing, furthermore, the possible influence of known negative prognostic factors relative to the surgical operation and residual haemodynamic abnormalities. The data of the study group were compared with those of 33 aged-matched asymptomatic control subjects (22M/11F, age 11.7+/-2.3 years). Ventricular depolarisation, as expressed by QRS duration, resulted significantly longer in total Fallot group than in the Control group (P<0.0001). Particularly, patients operated through a right ventricular approach showed higher values of QRS interval (P<0.0001) than those operated through a combined transatrial-transpulmonary approach. All the patients operated on for tetralogy of Fallot exhibit, with respect to control subjects, an inhomogeneous prolongation of ventricular repolarization across the myocardium, as showed by the significant increase in the absolute indexes of ventricular repolarization, JTc (P<0.001), QT (P<0.0001) and QTc (P<0.0001) with a concomitant prolongation of the indexes of dispersion of ventricular recovery time, QTcD (P<0.0001), JTcD (P<0.0001), 'adjusted' QTcD (P<0.001) and Tp-Te interval (P<0.0001). A temporal and regional variation in the ventricular repolarization across the myocardium in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot, could create the pathophysiological substrate for an increased cardiac electrical instability. The presence of negative prognostic factors, relative to the surgical intervention or residual haemodynamic abnormalities, even if not influencing the arrhythmic substrate, invariably present, could determine 'trigger' conditions essential for the development of ventricular arrhythmias.
Collapse
|