We sought to assess the prevalence of secondary right-to-left circulatory shunt (RLS) in patients undergoing transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) as detected by power M-mode transcranial Doppler (TCD) and intracardiac echocardiography. Prevalence of residual RLS in late follow-up after PFO closure may be as high as 34%. Other ...

BACKGROUND: Abnormal microvolt T-wave alternans (MTWA) and low peak oxygen consumption (VO2) both predict poor outcome in heart failure. However, their independent predictive properties have not been assessed in large-scale cohorts. METHODS: This was an observational prospective cohort study of 303 consecutive patients referred for metabolic stress testing. All had ...

AIMS: To determine the prevalence of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in patients with preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) heart failure (HF) and to compare RV function between patients with preserved EF HF and those with reduced EF HF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Hundred patients (72 +/- 14 years, 59% ...

BACKGROUND: The clinical manifestations of resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) are highly variable, and the impact of RTH on the cardiovascular system has been poorly investigated. AIM: The objective of the study was to evaluate the cardiovascular characteristics of 16 untreated and asymptomatic patients with RTH compared with 16 euthyroid ...

AIM: Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death in diabetic patients undergoing haemodialysis. Dialysis and hypertension increase left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), a strong predictor of cardiovascular events. This study evaluated left ventricular structure and function in three groups of hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients with different renal function, and ...

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is the strongest predictor of survival in patients with chronic stable angina (CSA). Inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and an enhanced inflammatory status has a negative impact on patient outcome. It is not known whether a relationship exists between ...

OBJECTIVE: The evidence of structural and functional cardiac abnormalities has been demonstrated by echocardiography in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study investigated whether left ventricular (LV) asynchrony is present in patients with CKD and normal QRS duration. METHODS: Tissue synchronization imaging (TSI) was performed in 25 (56 +/- ...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate atrial conduction abnormalities obtained by Doppler tissue imaging (DTI) and electrocardiogram analysis in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. METHODS: A total of 40 patients with AS (22 males /18 females, 37.82 +/- 10.22 years), and 42 controls (22 males/20 females, 35.74 +/- ...

Re-expansion pulmonary oedema (REPO) is an uncommon complication which may be encountered following drainage of pneumothorax, pleural effusion or haemopneumothorax. Treatment is usually supportive and some patients may require positive pressure ventilation. We provide a novel description of the mechanism of a fatal REPO in a patient with a small ...

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have described the potential benefit of using echocardiographic rather than ECG techniques to help select the subgroup of heart failure patients that are most likely to benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Currently, the most commonly used echocardiographic techniques to assess dyssynchrony include discrepancies in radial motion ...

Although myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with pharmacologic stress is the standard method for screening coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB), controversies remain about its correct interpretation. We sought the best interpretation approach in these patients to achieve higher accuracy. Forty-two patients with LBBB underwent ...

AIMS: This study was designed to assess cardiac autonomic regulation in congenital generalized lipodystrophy (CGL) patients using 24 h heart rate variability (HRV). METHODS AND RESULTS: A cross-sectional study was carried out to evaluate 18 patients with CGL and 19 healthy controls matched by sex and age. We measured blood ...

Acromegaly is associated with myocardial hypertrophy and it can progress to diastolic and systolic dysfunction. PURPOSE: To evaluate diastolic function in acromegalic patients through conventional echocardiography (CD) and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). METHODS: Seventeen acromegalic patients were submitted to CD and TDI, and early (E) and atriogenic (A) transmitral flow ...

Thalassaemia represent one of the most common single gene disorder causing a major public health problem in Pakistan. Nearly 100,000 people are born worldwide with this severe blood disorder every year. Over the last 3 decades, the development of regular transfusion therapy and iron chelation has dramatically improved the quality ...

Subdural haematomas (SDHs), and in particular chronic subdural haematomas (CSDHs), are commonly encountered in a neurosurgical practice. The aetiology, presentation, management and prognosis of these are well documented but there are few publications that report on their side prevalence (laterality). We report an analysis of all patients (both operated on ...

Left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) was known as a conventional predictor of heart failure (HF). However, early transmitral flow velocity (E)/early diastolic velocity of mitral annulus (E') correlated well with LV end-diastolic pressure, and E/E' ratio >15 was an excellent predictor of adverse outcomes in patients with HF. This ...

BACKGROUND: Left bundle branch block (LBB) is frequently found in left ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction (LVHT). OBJECTIVES: To compare LVHT patients with and without LBB regarding LVHT location and extension, left ventricular function, symptoms, electrocardiographic findings, prevalence of neuromuscular disorders (NMDs) and mortality during follow-up. METHODS: The charts of patients who underwent ...

Conventional echocardiography is not a reliable method for characterizing tissue patterns of intracardiac masses. To assess the ability of contrast echocardiography to characterize intracardiac masses. Thirty-one consecutive patients with an intracardiac mass were included in this prospective study. All patients underwent conventional and contrast echocardiographic examinations. Analysis of characteristics by ...

AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in patients with chronic systolic heart failure (HF) with or without restrictive mitral flow (RMF). METHODS AND RESULTS: Echocardiograms were obtained in 378 patients with chronic systolic HF [ejection fraction (EF) < or ...

BACKGROUND: Progression of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) to left ventricular dilatation and systolic dysfunction sometimes occurs. However, the mechanism of the transition from hypertrophy to dysfunction has not been elucidated. It has been reported that circulating levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), which is a major factor promoting the accumulation of ...

The aim was to establish a registry of patients with a diagnosis of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) to help learn more about the characteristics, treatment strategies, and natural history of this disease. Data for patients with TC diagnosed from July 2004 to April 2008 at 2 major hospitals in Rhode Island ...

Ejection fraction (EF) was not considered a reliable parameter of left ventricular (LV) function and was normal in most patients with chronic mitral regurgitation (MR), whereas LV dysfunction expressed as decreased EF was often shown after mitral valve surgery. This study sought the ability of the Tei index to detect ...

The aim of this study was to characterize left ventricular (LV) systolic function using 2-dimensional strain in Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC). Forty-two women were prospectively studied using 2-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography, divided into 3 groups: 14 patients with TTC (group 1), 14 patients with coronary artery disease (group 2), and 14 healthy ...

Benefits of cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) in patients with heart failure (HF) and left bundle branch block (LBBB) have been well established. The presence of asynchronism and viability predicts response to CRT with good accuracy. Viability in the region of the pacing lead as predictor of response to CRT in ...

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of valve prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) on late survival after aortic valve replacement (AVR) and to determine if this effect is modulated by patient age, body mass index (BMI), and pre-operative left ventricular (LV) function. BACKGROUND: We recently reported that PPM is ...

The aim of this study was to assess the different stages of diastolic dysfunction (DD) in elderly, asymptomatic, hypertensive patients with preserved systolic function, and to investigate the role of Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and Pulmonary venous (PV) flow added to the routine echocardiographic assessment. Patients. 322 patients (age: 70.8+/-9.1 ...

The authors measured long-term outcomes of patients who initiated carvedilol between 1990 and 1992 to test the hypothesis that carvedilol produces sustained benefits in heart failure patients. The study population consisted of 57 patients who completed a carvedilol placebo-controlled phase II trial. Patients were given open-label carvedilol and were titrated ...

Severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) syndrome is a heterogeneous group of disorders with severe physical disabilities and mental retardation. Higher incidence of sudden death is also known in these patients. However, little is known about the cardiovascular features of patients with SMID. We examine the patients with severe motor ...

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an independent risk factor for morbidity/mortality in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). Our study aimed to identify prevalence as well as independent risk factors that contribute to the development of LV geometric remodeling in our HD patients. METHODS: The left ventricles of ...

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence and patterns of cardiac abnormalities as detected by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: Fifty-two consecutive patients with SSc underwent cardiac MRI to determine morphological, functional, perfusion at rest and delayed enhancement abnormalities. RESULTS: At least one abnormality on cardiac MRI ...

BACKGROUND: Implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is an established treatment for end-stage heart failure. Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction develops in 20% to 50% of patients after LVAD implantation, leading to prolonged ICU stay and elevated mortality. However, the prediction of RV failure remains difficult. METHODS: The pre-operative ...

BACKGROUND: Clinical and epidemiological findings indicate that symptomatic heart disease in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) predicts poor prognosis, but cardiac involvement may occur years before clinical manifestation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiac function in patients with SSc and to correlate the echocardiographic parameters with ...

AIMS: Surgically (SC) or congenitally corrected (CC) transposition of the great arteries (TGA), associated with a systemic right ventricle (RV), is often complicated by heart failure. This retrospective study assessed the functional and mechanical effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients presenting with TGA. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seven patients ...

BACKGROUND: Determination of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in patients with suspected or known pulmonary hypertension (PH) requires right heart catheterization. Our purpose was to use Doppler echocardiography to estimate PVR in patients with PH. METHODS: Patient population consisted of 52 patients (53 +/- 12 years; 35 females) who underwent Doppler ...

The authors analyzed 704 transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) examinations, performed routinely to all admitted patients to a general 16-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) during an 18-month period. Data acquisition and prevalence of abnormalities of cardiac structures and function were assessed, as well as the new, previously unknown severe diagnoses. A TTE ...

AIM: To date, most published echocardiographic methods have assessed left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony (DYS) alone as a predictor for response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). We hypothesized that the response is instead dictated by multiple correctable factors. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 161 patients (66 +/- 10 years, EF ...

OBJECTIVE: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever with a high mortality rate. Despite increasing knowledge about viral hemorrhagic fevers, the pathogenesis of CCHF and causes of death have not been well described. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the cardiac functions of CCHF patients. METHODS: ...

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Left ventricular (LV) twist has an important role in LV function. The influence of the pattern of LV hypertrophy on LV twist in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients is unknown. This study sought to assess LV twist in a large group of HCM patients according to the pattern of LV ...

BACKGROUND: Sickle-cell anemia (SCA) is associated with elevated cardiac output and cardiomegaly, as demonstrated in many studies. Recently, diastolic dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension have been shown to have poor prognoses in patients with SCA. New indexes of systolic and diastolic evaluation should be used to give more information on both ...

Although left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction assessed by echocardiography are established risk markers of cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients, relationships between these echocardiographic findings and atherosclerosis have not been fully elucidated. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between atherosclerosis of the retinal arteries and ...

BACKGROUND: Right ventricular (RV) premature contractions, although generally benign, may represent the first manifestation of arrhythmogenic RV cardiomyopathy. The diagnostic and prognostic value of RV functional abnormalities evidenced by equilibrium radionuclide angiocardiography (ERNA) with multiharmonic Fourier analysis has been validated in patients with severe RV arrhythmias suspected of being affected ...

PURPOSE: Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle and represents a challenge for diagnosis and treatment. On account of the lack of sensitivity and specificity of routine cardiac tests, there is a need for accurate diagnostic imaging. The aim of this study is to review the role of gated ...

PURPOSE: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is frequently accompanied by the presence of cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the echocardiographic profiles of patients with PCOS with those of healthy subjects by using conventional echocardiographic methods and tissue Doppler imaging. METHODS: The study population ...

BACKGROUND: The presence of small areas of necrosis has been occasionally reported immediately following apical ballooning syndrome (ABS). However, their persistence at later stages and impact on long-term prognosis are currently unknown. METHODS: Twenty consecutive patients admitted for ABS between 2004 and 2007 were prospectively evaluated. Demographic, clinical, angiographic, and ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although sudden death (SD) accounts for numerous cases of premature mortality in patients with cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), the risk factors responsible for this dramatic event remain unclear. We sought possible differences in the QT variability index (QTVI) -- a well-known ...

BACKGROUND: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an effective treatment in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). However, it has been demonstrated that mechanical dyssynchrony is not related to electrical dyssynchrony. We hypothesized that a new QRS width cutoff could be easier to use as a first step in the selection of patients with ...

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of splenectomy in patients with thalassemia major on the cardiovascular system through echocardiographic study. METHODS: A prospective, cross sectional study was carried out from December 2006 to December 2007. Patients from the Thalassemia Center in the Maternity and Children's Hospital, Madina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...

BACKGROUND: Secondary tricuspid regurgitation (TR) as a result of pulmonary hypertension and/or left-sided heart disease is caused by tricuspid valve (TV) annular dilatation and tethering of the tricuspid leaflet after right ventricular (RV) dilatation. However, the mechanism of isolated TR without significant pulmonary hypertension remains unknown. The present study investigated ...

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to assess the distribution and clinical significance of left ventricular (LV) mass in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is defined echocardiographically by unexplained left ventricular wall thickening. Left ventricular mass, quantifiable by modern cardiovascular magnetic resonance techniques, has not been systematically assessed in ...

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular complications are common in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We aimed to investigate left ventricular (LV) function and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in children and adolescents with ESRD. METHODS: This study included 38 ESRD patients (15 hemodialysis and 23 peritoneal dialysis) and 17 age- and sex-matched healthy ...