Cardiovascular Structural and Functional Parameters in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis at Disease Diagnosis

INTRODUCTION

Prevalence of cardiac and vascular fibrosis in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) has not been extensively evaluated.

AIM

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the heart and vessels functional and structural properties in patients with IPF compared to healthy controls. An exploratory analysis regarding disease severity in IPF patients has been done.

METHODS

We enrolled 50 patients with IPF (at disease diagnosis before antifibrotic therapy initiation) and 50 controls matched for age and gender. Heart was evaluated through echocardiography and plasmatic NT-pro-brain natriuretic peptide that, together with patients' symptoms, allow to define the presence of Heart Failure (HF) and diastolic dysfunction. Vessels were evaluated through Flow Mediated Dilation (FMD - endothelial function) and Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV-arterial stiffness) RESULTS: Patients with IPF had a prevalence of diastolic disfunction of 83.8%, HF of 37.8% and vascular fibrosis of 76.6%. No statistically significant difference was observed in comparison to the control group who showed prevalence of diastolic disfunction, HF and vascular fibrosis of 67.3%, 24.5% and 84.8%, respectively. Disease severity seems not to affect PWV, FMD, diastolic dysfunction and HF.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with IPF early in the disease course do not present a significant CV fibrotic involvement when compared with age- and sex-matched controls. Bigger and adequately powered studies are needed to confirm our preliminary data and longitudinal studies are required in order to understand the time of appearance and progression rate of heart and vascular involvement in IPF subjects.

Secondary Prevention and Extreme Cardiovascular Risk Evaluation (SEVERE-1), Focus on Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors: The Study Protocol

INTRODUCTION

Despite significant improvement in secondary CardioVascular (CV) preventive strategies, some acute and chronic coronary syndrome (ACS and CCS) patients will suffer recurrent events (also called "extreme CV risk"). Recently new biochemical markers, such as uric acid (UA), lipoprotein A [Lp(a)] and several markers of inflammation, have been described to be associated with CV events recurrence. The SEcondary preVention and Extreme cardiovascular Risk Evaluation (SEVERE-1) study will accurately characterize extreme CV risk patients enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs.

AIM

 Our aims will be to describe the prevalence of extreme CV risk and its association with newly described biochemical CV risk factors.

AIM

Our aims will be to describe the prevalence of extreme CV risk and its association with newly described biochemical CV risk factors.

METHODS

We will prospectively enrol 730 ACS/CCS patients at the beginning of a CR program. Extreme CV risk will be retrospectively defined as the presence of a previous (within 2 years) CV events in the patients' clinical history. UA, Lp(a) and inflammatory markers (interleukin-6 and -18, tumor necrosis factor alpha, C-reactive protein, calprotectin and osteoprotegerin) will be assessed in ACS/CCS patients with extreme CV risk and compared with those without extreme CV risk but also with two control groups: 1180 hypertensives and 765 healthy subjects. The association between these biomarkers and extreme CV risk will be assessed with a multivariable model and two scoring systems will be created for an accurate identification of extreme CV risk patients. The first one will use only clinical variables while the second one will introduce the biochemical markers. Finally, by exome sequencing we will both evaluate polygenic risk score ability to predict recurrent events and perform mendellian randomization analysis on CV biomarkers.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study proposal was granted by the European Union PNRR M6/C2 call. With this study we will give definitive data on extreme CV risk prevalence rising attention on this condition and leading cardiologist to do a better diagnosis and to carry out a more intensive treatment optimization that will finally leads to a reduction of future ACS recurrence. This will be even more important for cardiologists working in CR that is a very important place for CV risk definition and therapies refinement.

Chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction: the usefulness of myocardial work indices

AIMS

The role of left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) in the diagnosis of subclinical cardiac damage induced by anticancer drugs is now consolidated. Considering some strain disadvantages such as the dependence on the haemodynamic loading conditions, the aim of our study was to investigate the usefulness of non-invasive myocardial work indices (MWI) derived from pressure-strain analysis, in the early diagnosis of cardiotoxicity.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We enrolled 61 consecutive patients with breast cancer undergoing adjuvant treatment with anthracycline-containing chemotherapy followed by taxane + trastuzumab. Patients underwent a cardiological evaluation with 2D echocardiography including measurement of the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and other conventional parameters of systolic and diastolic function, GLS and MWI at baseline (T0), 3 months (T1) and 6 months (T2) after starting chemotherapy. At T1 and T2, we did not find a significant reduction in LVEF but we found a significant reduction in GLS and MWI (p value < 0.05). In addition, at T2, 31% of patients developed subclinical cardiac dysfunction defined as a relative decrease ≥ 12% of GLS from baseline. Global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW) and global work efficiency (GWE) decreased significantly in both patients with subclinical dysfunction and in those without subclinical dysfunction (p value < 0.05). Patients with subclinical dysfunction at T2 showed lower values of GCW at T0.

CONCLUSION

MWI changed significantly during chemotherapy and appeared to alter precociously compared to GLS. Therefore, a multiparametric approach including left ventricular GLS and MWI measurements should be used in the evaluation of patients undergoing cardiotoxic antineoplastic treatment.

ANMCO position paper on vericiguat use in heart failure: from evidence to place in therapy

In the growing therapeutic armamentarium for heart failure (HF) management, vericiguat represents an innovative therapeutic option. The biological target of this drug is different from that of other drugs for HF. Indeed, vericiguat does not inhibit neuro-hormonal systems overactivated in HF or sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 but stimulates the biological pathway of nitric oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate, which is impaired in patients with HF. Vericiguat has recently been approved by international and national regulatory authorities for the treatment of patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction who are symptomatic despite optimal medical therapy and have worsening HF. This ANMCO position paper summarises key aspects of vericiguat mechanism of action and provides a review of available clinical evidence. Furthermore, this document reports use indications based on international guideline recommendations and local regulatory authority approval at the time of writing.

[ANMCO Position paper: Vericiguat use in heart failure: from evidence to place in therapy]

In the growing therapeutic armamentarium for heart failure management, vericiguat represents an innovative therapeutic option. The biological target of this drug is different from that of other drugs for heart failure. Indeed, vericiguat does not inhibit neurohormonal systems overactivated in heart failure or sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 but stimulates the biological pathway of nitric oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate, which is impaired in patients with heart failure. Vericiguat has recently been approved by international and national regulatory authorities for the treatment of patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction who are symptomatic despite optimal medical therapy and have worsening heart failure. This ANMCO position paper summarizes key aspects of vericiguat mechanism of action and provides a review of available clinical evidence. Furthermore, this document reports use indications based on international guideline recommendations and local regulatory authority approval at the time of writing.

174 EVALUATION OF SUBCLINICAL RIGHT VENTRICULAR CARDIOTOXICITY BY ADVANCED ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER TREATED WITH ANTHRACYCLINES

Background

Chemotherapeutic drugs may cause many complications affecting the cardiovascular system. There is a strong evidence suggesting the impact of this drugs on the left ventricle (LV), whereas less data regarding cardiotoxicity on the right ventricle (RV) exist.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to intercept early subclinical RV changes in patients treated with anthracyclines, using advanced echocardiography, with the hope that these could potentially be used to predict ventricular dysfunction.

Methods

In our single-center study, 20 female patients with breast cancer treated with anthracyclines were enrolled from 2019 to 2021. Cardiological evaluation and echocardiogram were performed at baseline (T0), 3 months (T1) and 6 months (T2) after initiation of chemotherapy. RV systolic function was calculated by estimation of conventional 2D echocardiographic and Doppler parameters (TAPSE, S’RV, FAC). Advanced echocardiography evaluation of right ventricular function was performed to quantify the following parameters: 3D right ventricular end-diastolic volume (RVEDV), 3D end-systolic volume (RVESV), 3D stroke volume (RVSV), 3D ejection fraction (RVEF), global longitudinal strain of the RV (RVGLS) and longitudinal free wall strain of the RV (RVLFS).

Results

Only 2 patients developed cardiotoxicity according to the criteria of the 2022 ESC Guidelines. Regarding the impact of chemotherapy on RV function, no statistically significant changes were found in conventional echocardiographic parameters (TAPSE, S’RV, FAC). In contrast, speckle tracking analysis of the RV showed a statistically significant reduction in both global strain [global RVGLS -23.3 ± 2.2% at T0 vs -19.5 ± 10.9% at T1 (p&lt;0.0001); global RVGLS -23.3 ± 2.2% at T0 vs -19.8 ± 3.2% at T2 (p&lt;0.0001)] and free wall strain [RVLFS -30.02 ± 3.3% at T0 vs -18.2 ± 21.2% at T1 (p=0.0001); RVLFS -30.02 ± 3.3% at T0 vs -23.7 ± 4.6% at T2 (p=0.0006)]. We observed a statistically significant increase in RVEDV at T1 compared to baseline [3D RVEDV 81.3 ± 16,9 ml al T0 vs 82.6 ± 19.2 ml at T1 (p=0,04)], whereas there were no significant changes at T2. Estimation of RVESV revealed the same trend, with a statistically significant increase in this parameter at T1 compared to baseline [3D RVESV 34.4 ± 10.4 ml at T0 vs 37.8 ± 10.8 ml at T1 (p=0.01)]. In relation to the RVEF, a minimal statistically significant reduction was observed at both T1 and T2 compared to T0 [3D RVEF 63.7 ± 4.3% at T0 vs 62.7 ± 4% at T1 (p= 0.01); 3D RVEF 63.7 ± 4.3% at T0 vs 58.7 ± 6% at T2 (p= 0.02)].

Conclusions

RV speckle tracking and 3D echocardiography seemed to intercept subclinical damage due to anthracyclines earlier than conventional parameters. Further studies are needed to confirm our results and to evaluate their prognostic impact.

60 Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma: how to manage it during pregnancy

A 33 years old patient came to our attention, pregnant in her 26th week. She had dyspnoea, cough and weight loss (up to 45 kg of weight) in the previous two weeks. During urgent gynecological check-up she was found in poor general conditions, tachypnoic (respiratory rate &gt;30 acts/minutes) with pale skin and bilateral jugular turgor. There was nothing relevant in her past medical history except for a thrombocytopenia appeared 2 months before. She consulted a haematologist who recommended to look for JAK2 mutation that was excluded. Echocardiography revealed a voluminous hypoechoic mass extrinsically imprinting the roof and the anterior wall of the right atrium that also involved inferior vena cava as a sleeve; a flow acceleration with an average gradient of 6 mmHg was documented at the level of right lower pulmonary vein and a possible infiltration of atrial wall was seen. Left ventricle was normal in size and kinesis; right ventricle also showed preserved contractility of the free wall with reduction in the distal outflow portion due to diffuse soft thickening that surrounded this portion and that extended cranially towards the trunk of pulmonary artery and ascending aorta. There also was a layer of circumferential pericardial effusion, apparently organized, with irregular profile of visceral pericardial sheet adjacent to diaphragmatic wall of right ventricle. On chest contrast computed tomography (CT) a voluminous mediastinal solid mass (13 × 16 × 18 cm) was confirmed with inhomogeneous enhancement for central necrotic components determining complete atelectasis of middle and upper right lung lobes and compression of superior vena cava, of some branches of pulmonary artery and ipsilateral pulmonary veins too; supra-aortic trunks and aorta were surrounded by the mass but open; the mass enveloped the right posterolateral area of the heart, displacing it to the left and compressing right atrium with apparent pericardial infiltration. Moreover there were approximately 16 mm of pericardial effusion and multiple mediastinal adenopathies. A chest and abdomen magnetic resonance confirmed the presence of the known voluminous heteroplastic formation occupying almost all right hemithorax, indissociable from the pericardium, with compression of right heart chambers and cavae veins. A thoracic biopsy of mediastinal mass was urgently performed under ultrasound guidance and followed by systemic steroid therapy. Histological examination showed off the diagnosis of primary large B cell lymphoma of the mediastinum (PMBCL, according to WHO classification 2016). A steroid therapy and chemotherapy cycles were started (Cyclophosphamide-Hydroxydaunorubicin-Oncovin-Prednisone—CHOP scheme). On the second day after chemotherapy, we saw a sudden worsening of clinical conditions: the patient had severe respiratory distress and signs of low cardiac output such as hypotension, elevated heart rate, increased blood lactates, low venous oxygen saturation (SVO2 45%), and elevation N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP); she was therefore admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) where a gradual optimization of haemodynamic parameters. Then she underwent a second cycle of chemotherapy: dose-adjusted etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and rituximab (EPOCH-R) and was then successfully discharged. In such cases a careful evaluation and balancing of both haematological and gynecological–obstetric aspects is needed and it requires a multidisciplinary team approach in order to identify the best diagnostic and therapeutic pathway and, most of all, the best timing for delivery depending on gestational age.

57 Undifferentiated heart sarcoma in young adult: from differential diagnosis to management

A 34-year-old patient arrived in Emergency Department (ED) with a history of haemoptysis, fever, and night sweats. Echocardiographic examination revealed a large isoechoic thickening that totally encompassed posterior mitral leaflet and which extended contiguously, both inferiorly with subvalvular apparatus with chordal fusion, and superiorly up to left atrial wall. This alteration caused a moderate mitral stenosis with an estimated average gradient of 10–15 mmHg (with possible overestimation due to temporary state of hyperdynamic circulation secondary to anaemization). There also was an anteriorly directed, eccentric jet of mitral regurgitation (2 +/4 + grade).Differential diagnosis of the aforementioned mitral formation included infectious etiology (endocarditic vegetation), pure phlogistic (inflammatory/rheumatic valvulitis), aseptic vegetation, and thrombosis. Transesophageal echocardiographic evaluation showed the extension of the mass into posterior leaflet, the latter completely englobed from commissure to commissure, and cranially adhered to posterior wall of left atrium with estimated dimensions of 1.9 × 12 mm; inferiorly, contiguity with diffusely thickened subvalvular apparatus and chordal fusion, was appreciated. Resulting stenosis was about 13–14 mmHg. Planimetric mitral valve area was estimated to be about 1 cm with associated mild-moderate regurgitation. Global systolic function was preserved with normal segmental kinesis and without significant anomalies affecting other valves. On cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) with contrast medium, known sleeve thickening of left atrium (maximum thickness 12 mm in lateral area and 7.5 mm at the level of atrial septum) was extended caudocranially for 2.5 cm in lateral area and for 3.2 cm in the side of the atrial septum and with subocclusion of left inferior pulmonary vein. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS) was performed with biopsy examination and subsequent histological typing. It concluded for ‘undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma’ according to the WHO classification of thoracic tumours. In the stomach there was a diffuse infiltration of lamina propria by atypical, pleomorphic, and large cellular elements. Following cancer evaluation, first-line chemotherapy with ifosfamide and doxorubicin was undertaken. Two days later, due to finding of hyperpyrexia, with a feverish peak of up to 39°, infusion of chemotherapy was interrupted and empiric antibiotic therapy (piperacillin tazobactam) was started. Blood and urine cultures were carried out with search for antigens of legionella and pneumococcus, (MRSA), fungi, and respiratory viruses but all of them were negative for active infection. The following day, an episode of acute respiratory failure occurred, so we performed an urgent chest CT with finding of pneumonia with bilateral pleural effusion and linezolid was started. Because of sudden worsening of clinical conditions, patient was transferred to ICCU (Intensive Cardiac Care Unit) with gradual resolution of desaturation. Cardiac ultrasound imaging, from the very first performed in ED, has been fundamental in documenting the presence of a mass in mitral valve. The timeliness in identifying first and then characterizing it certainly had a positive impact on cancer management, especially in such an aggressive neoplasm in a young patient. Furthermore diagnostic process, corroborated by instrumental data provided by ecocardiography, CT, MRI, PET, and scintigraphy, allowed a better staging of the disease and highlighted other organ involvement in order to manage optimal therapeutic approach.