Hemodynamics and Prognostic Impact of Concomitant Mitral Stenosis in Patients Undergoing Surgical or Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Aortic Stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Mitral stenosis frequently coexists in patients with severe aortic stenosis. Mitral stenosis severity evaluation is challenging in the setting of combined aortic stenosis and mitral stenosis because of hemodynamic interactions between the 2 valve lesions. The impact of aortic valve replacement (AVR) for severe aortic stenosis on mitral stenosis is unknown. This study aimed to assess the effect of AVR on mitral stenosis hemodynamics and the clinical outcomes of patients with severe aortic stenosis with and without mitral stenosis. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated patients who underwent surgical AVR or transcatheter AVR for severe aortic stenosis from 2008 to 2015. Mean transmitral gradient by Doppler echocardiography ≥4 mm Hg was identified as mitral stenosis; patients were then stratified according to mitral valve area (MVA, by continuity equation) as >2.0 cm2 or ≤2.0 cm2. MVA before and after AVR in patients with mitral stenosis were evaluated. Clinical outcomes of patients with and without mitral stenosis were compared using 1:2 matching for age, sex, left ventricular ejection fraction, method of AVR (surgical AVR versus transcatheter AVR) and year of AVR. RESULTS: Of 190 patients with severe aortic stenosis and mitral stenosis (age 76±9 years, 42% men), 184 were matched with 362 with severe aortic stenosis without mitral stenosis. Among all mitral stenosis patients, the mean MVA increased after AVR by 0.26±0.59 cm2 (from 2.00±0.50 to 2.26±0.62 cm2, P<0.01). MVA increased in 105 (55%) and remained unchanged in 34 (18%). Indexed stroke volume ≤45 mL/m2 (odds ratio [OR] 2.40; 95% CI, 1.15-5.01; P=0.020) and transcatheter AVR (OR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.17-4.77; P=0.017) were independently associated with increase in MVA. Of 107 with significant mitral stenosis (MVA ≤2.0 cm2), MVA increased to >2.0 cm2 after AVR in 52 (49%, pseudo mitral stenosis) and remained ≤2.0 cm2 in 55 (51%, true mitral stenosis). During follow-up of median 2.9 (0.7-4.9) years, true mitral stenosis was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.20-2.94; P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: MVA improved after AVR in nearly half of patients with severe aortic stenosis and mitral stenosis. MVA remained ≤2.0 cm2 (true mitral stenosis) in nearly half of patients with severe aortic stenosis and significant mitral stenosis; this was associated with worse survival among patients undergoing AVR for severe aortic stenosis.

Prognostic significance of the echocardiographic estimate of pulmonary hypertension and of right ventricular dysfunction in acute decompensated heart failure. A pilot study in HFrEF patients.

BACKGROUND: Mortality following an admission for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is high and risk stratification in this context remains a challenge. The objective of the present study was to assess whether a simple echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and/or of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is associated with cardiovascular events in a 1-year follow-up after hospital discharge. METHODS AND RESULTS: The present prospective longitudinal study included 214 patients admitted to hospital with a cardiologist-adjudicated diagnosis of ADHF and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at echocardiography < 40%. Echocardiography was performed at admission and at discharge and included pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) and RV function as defined by the tricuspid annular plane systolic displacement (TAPSE). The primary end-point was the combination of all-cause mortality and re-hospitalization for worsening heart failure at 1 year after hospital discharge. During an average follow-up period of 230 ±â€¯130 days, 40 patients died and 41 patients underwent re-hospitalization due to ADHF. At multivariate analysis the independent predictors were LVEF, PASP at discharge and creatinine plasma levels (all p < 0.001). At ROC analysis the best threshold of PASP to discriminate low-risk from high-risk patients was 40 mm Hg. CONCLUSIONS: In ADHF patients with reduced LVEF, PH at discharge is a pivotal prognostic feature to predict morbidity/mortality within the first year after the acute episode.

Invasive and noninvasive hemodynamic assessment in adults with Fontan palliation.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Although echocardiographic-Doppler cardiac index (CI) assessment is widely used to guide heart failure management in patients with biventricular circulation, this application has not been studied in the Fontan population. The objective of this study was to: (1) determine the correlation between Doppler and cardiac catheterization CI calculation; (2) determine the association between Doppler CI and the occurrence of Fontan failure. METHODS: Retrospective review of adult Fontan patients followed at Mayo Clinic Adult Congenital Heart Disease program, 1994-2015. Inclusion criteria were: systemic left ventricle and echocardiogram and cardiac catheterization performed within the same week. Fontan failure was defined as a composite of all-cause mortality, heart transplantation listing, and palliative care. RESULTS: 59 patients (age 29±6years; men 32[54%]) underwent 97 studies. Of the 59, 41[69%] had atriopulmonary Fontan and 12 (20%) had cirrhosis. Compared to patients without cirrhosis, patients with cirrhosis had higher Doppler CI (3.6±0.6 vs 2.8±0.4L/min∗m2, p=0.039); Fick CI (3.3 [2.5-3.7] vs 2.4 [1.6-3.1] L/min/m2, p=0.028); lower systemic vascular resistance (20±3 vs 25±4 WU∗m2, p=0.04). There was a positive correlation between Doppler and Fick CI (r=0.52; p<0.0001). Fontan failure occurred in 13 patients (22%) within 7.5±2.1years. In patients without cirrhosis, Fick CI and Doppler CI <2.5L/min/m2 were associated with Fontan failure (odds ratio [OR] 1.58, p=0.046) and (OR 1.43, p=0.051) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Doppler CI assessment in feasible in a selected group of Fontan patients and it is predictive of clinical outcomes. The application of this concept in systemic right ventricles deserves further research.

Echocardiography in the use of noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring.

Invasive pulmonary artery catheter measurements are the standard method for assessment of hemodynamic evaluation at the present time. However, this invasive approach is associated with an increase in patient morbidity and without evidence of a reduction in mortality. Doppler echocardiography is a noninvasive method that provides robust data regarding patients' hemodynamic indices. Several parameters are available for noninvasive hemodynamic evaluation using Doppler echocardiography. Most of these measurements are easily obtained and provide a safe alternative to invasive hemodynamic assessment. As Doppler echocardiography is able to provide additional valuable information, such as cardiac systolic and diastolic function, and the presence of pericardial and pleural effusions, which can play a significant role in the patients' hemodynamic status, using this noninvasive modality in the daily practice for hemodynamic assessment can prove an alternative to invasive measures in selected patients as well as a complementary tool for those still in need of invasive monitoring.

Evaluation of a novel index by tissue Doppler imaging in patients with advanced heart failure: relation to functional class and prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Despite the ability of tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) to detect left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic myocardial functions in patients with heart failure, the added value of TDI to clinical variables and conventional echocardiography in predicting the symptoms and outcome of advanced heart failure has not been clearly defined. METHODS AND RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty adult patients diagnosed with congestive heart failure were assigned to study groups based on the New York Heart Association functional classes. Pulsed-wave TDI (PWTDI), including average of peak systolic (Sm), early (Em) and late diastolic (Am) velocities from six mitral annular sites was evaluated. PWTDI was also calculated to create a combined index (EAS index) of diastolic and systolic performances. All patients were followed up for cardiac-related death and hospitalisation as a result of heart failure. Patients with functional class III-IV had a significantly higher EAS index (0.21 ± 0.19 vs. 0.13 ± 0.08, p < 0.05) than those with class I-II and the control (0.10 ± 0.04, p < 0.05). Except for Sm and Em, all conventional echocardiographic Doppler parameters and TDI variables significantly correlated with functional class. Moreover, according to multiple stepwise analysis, EAS index and percentage of chronic renal insufficiency (CRF) were the only two independent predictors of functional class (EAS index, p = 0.006; CRF, p = 0.019). During follow-up (median, 30 months), 93 participants had cardiac events. EAS index, LV mass index and CRF were significant predictors of cardiac mortality and hospitalisation [EAS index, hazard ratio (HR) 4.962, p = 0.006; LV mass index, HR 1.007, p = 0.003; CRF, HR 1.616, p = 0.040]. CONCLUSIONS: The EAS index, which reflects systolic and diastolic performances, is a highly effective means of differentiating between patients with functional class I-II and those with III-IV. The index also correlates with cardiac mortality and hospitalisation for worsening heart failure, thus providing additional value to conventional echocardiographic measures.