First-Phase Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction as an Early Sign of Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease.

Left ventricular (LV) systolic function is often measured with echocardiography using LV ejection fraction (LVEF) or global longitudinal peak systolic strain (GLPSS). Global wasted work (GWW), global work efficiency (GWE), and first-phase ejection fraction (LVEF-1) are newer LV systolic function indices. We examined these parameters in 45 healthy individuals and 50 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD), normal LV contractility, and LVEF > 50%. Compared to healthy individuals, CAD patients had similar LVEF but increased GLPSS and GWW and reduced GWE and LVEF-1. The highest area under the receiver operating characteristic for detecting CAD was found for LVEF-1 (0.84; 95% CI 0.75-0.91; p < 0.0001), and it was significantly larger than for GLPSS (+0.166, p = 0.0082) and LVEF (+0.283, p = 00001). For LVEF-1 < 30%, the odds ratio for the presence of CAD was 22.67 (95% CI 6.47-79.44, p < 0.0001) in the logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index. Finding LVEF-1 < 30% in an individual with normal LV myocardial contraction and preserved LVEF strongly suggests the presence of CAD.

Association of muscular strength with pulsatile and steady hemodynamics in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

INTRODUCTION: Grip strength and blood pressure are strongly interrelated. Blood pressure is an essential component of arterial load, which modulates cardiac output. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to asses the correlation between grip strength and both steady and pulsatile components of arterial load in patients with acute myocardial infarction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included 295 participants (mean age, 63 years) with acute myocardial infarction. The following data were assessed: grip strength, echocardiography, local arterial stiffness, arterial tonometry, continuous arterial pulse, and beat­to­beat wave. RESULTS: In univariable analyses, grip strength correlated with arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity), ventricular-arterial coupling, and measures of pulsatile arterial load: aortic characteristic impedance (Zao), total arterial compliance (TAC), and central fractional arterial pulse pressure (cFPP). In a multivariable model including age, grip strength, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, sex, and descriptors of pulsatile load, the following remained associated with grip strength: Zao (R2 for the model = 0.58; P <0.001), TAC (R2 = 0.23 for the model; P <0.001), and cFPP (R2 for the model = 0.2; P <0.001). In the second model that included sex, only Zao remained associated with grip strength (R2 for the model = 0.67). Comparisons between men and women of the adjusted mean value demonstrated that Zao and cFPP were considerably higher (P <0.001 and P = 0.02, respectively) and TAC was lower in women (P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of patients with acute myocardial infarction, grip strength correlated independently and significantly with descriptors of the pulsatile arterial load. The role of sex in these interrelations needs further study.

Grip strength is associated with markers of central hemodynamics.

Objectives. Reduced muscular strength (measured by grip strength) has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications. Further research is needed to identify how muscular strength is associated with various markers of cardiovascular function to provide at least some mechanistic explanation for observed interrelations. We, therefore, addressed the question of whether handgrip (HG) strength is associated with descriptors of peripheral and central hemodynamics in the population of healthy individuals. Design. Two hundred thirty-one healthy volunteers (90 men and 141 women, mean age 54 years) were studied. Patients were asked to perform the maximum handgrip trial in the standing position with the dominant arm, using hydraulic hand dynamometer. Applanation tonometry was used to execute the non-invasive assessment of the pressure waveform. Results. HG strength was associated with various markers of hemodynamics and clinical characteristics, e.g. correlated significantly and positively with BMI [body mass index, r = 0.21, p = .001], PPA [pulse pressure amplification, r = 0.43, p < .0001], Tr [time to return of pressure wave, r = 0.43, p < .0001] and significantly and negatively with AP [augmentation pressure, r = -0.45, p < .0001]. Multiple linear regression showed that sex, handgrip and mean blood pressure were independently associated with AP (R2 = 0.38), PPA (R2 = 0.21) and Tr (R2 = 0.29). Conclusions. Our study demonstrated the association between handgrip strength and central hemodynamic metrics. These interactions may add a mechanistic explanation for the role of muscle strength as a risk marker for incident cardiovascular complications.

Noninvasively assessed pulsatility of ascending aortic pressure waveform is associated with the presence of coronary artery narrowing.

Several hemodynamic indices, measured invasively in the ascending aorta during routine angiography, are related to the presence and severity of coronary atherosclerosis. Radial artery tonometry, when combined with a validated transfer function, offers the possibility of noninvasive assessment of central arterial pressure. We aim to evaluate the association between noninvasive indices of aortic or radial pressure waveforms and the presence of a significant coronary stenosis. Patients who underwent elective coronary angiography were studied (110 men, 91 women, mean age 53 +/- 0.9 years). Noninvasive measurement of their central hemodynamics was performed by analysis of the aortic pressure waveform derived from the radial artery. An increase in aortic fractional pulse pressure was associated with coronary artery narrowing or previous myocardial infarction. After multivariate adjustment, the odds ratio and confidence intervals (CI) of having a significant coronary aortic stenosis was 1.72 (95% CI, 1.1-2.7) and of previous myocardial infarction 1.6 (95% CI, 1.1-2.2). An increase in noninvasively assessed aortic fractional pulse pressure, but not of the peripheral index is significantly associated with the presence of coronary artery disease.

Comparison of the exercise treadmill test and 24-hour ECG Holter monitoring in patients with syndrome X or coronary atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Typical chest pain and ECG changes suggest the presence of myocardial ischaemia in cardiac syndrome X (SX) patients and resemble the symptoms observed in subjects with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD). AIM: To compare the results of exercise treadmill tests (ETT), 24-hour ECG recordings and echocardiography in SX and CAD patients without previous myocardial infarction with the presence of significant lumen stenosis in one (CA1), two (CA2) or three (CA3) coronary arteries. METHODS: Two hundred six patients were included in the study: 43 SX (28 female), 49 CA1 (11 female), 51 CA2 (7 female) and 63 CA3 patients (8 female) all of whom underwent ETT according to the Bruce protocol, 24-hour ECG recordings and echocardiography. RESULTS: SX patients had median ST-segment depression during ETT comparable to that in CA1 and CA2 patients but significantly less than the CA3 subjects (p=0.024). Median time to ST depression of at least 1 mm, as well as median time of exercise, was significantly longer in SX individuals than in all CAD patients. The post-exercise recovery time of ST-segment changes was significantly longer in SX patients than in the CA1 group (p=0.006), comparable to that in CA2 subjects and shorter than that in CA3 individuals (p=0.003). Both the maximal ST-segment depression and the duration of significant ST-segment depression in Holter ECG recordings were significantly higher in SX patients than in CA1 subjects, were comparable to the values observed in the CA2 group and significantly lower than in CA3 individuals. The heart rate variability parameters (SDNN and pNN50) were significantly higher in SX patients than in CAD subjects. Patients with SX had a significantly thinner interventricular septum and smaller left ventricular end-diastolic cavity dimension than individuals from the CA1, CA2 and CA3 groups. There were no significant differences in the left ventricular ejection fraction or the thickness of the left ventricular posterior wall between SX patients and CAD patients. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the ST segment in SX patients suggests the presence of advanced CAD. However, SX patients have better heart rate variability and exercise performance than patients with CAD.