Early detection of left ventricular systolic dysfunction using two-dimensional speckle tracking strain evaluation in healthy subjects after acute alcohol intoxication.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the ability of two-dimensional speckle tracking strain echocardiography to detect left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction as compared with LV ejection fraction (EF) in healthy subjects following acute alcohol intoxication. METHODS AND RESULTS: In total, 25 healthy subjects were investigated using echocardiography 4-6 hours after the onset of alcohol intoxication at a regional festive gathering, and then compared to 23 healthy control subjects without alcohol consumption. Heart rate, blood pressure, blood alcohol level, LV volumes, EF, shortening fraction, E/A ratio, as well as global longitudinal strain (LS) were recorded. Mean blood alcohol level was 1.3 ± 0.3 g.L(-1) . Mean systolic blood pressure and heart rate were slightly increased in the alcohol group compared to controls (147.5 ± 21.8 mmHg vs 127.0 ± 9.9 mmHg, P = 0.003, and 79.7 ± 10.7 bpm vs 70.6 ± 7.6 bpm, P < 0.001, respectively). While there was no significant difference in terms of LVEF (62.9 ± 4.4% vs 64.8 ± 5.9%, P = 0.18) or shortening fraction (34.7 ± 5.9% vs 36.0 ± 4.3%, P = 0.54), global LS was significantly impaired (-17.8 ± 2.0% vs -21.2 ± 1.8%, P < 0.001). In addition, subjects who consumed alcohol had increased LV end-diastolic (108.3 ± 20.1 mL vs 95.5 ± 14.6 mL, P = 0.037) and end-systolic volumes (41.6 ± 11.4 mL vs 33.7 ± 6.9 mL, P = 0.024), along with depressed aortic time-velocity integral (19.9 ± 3.2 mL vs 21.9 ± 2.5 mL, P = 0.034). According to multivariate linear regression analyses, blood alcohol level was the only factor significantly associated with global LS (ß=-3.6 ± 1.0, P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Alcohol intoxication around festive days induces acute LV contraction abnormalities, which may be detected using global LS by speckle tracking at an earlier stage and more accurately than LVEF decreases.

Effect of ivabradine on left ventricular remodelling after reperfused myocardial infarction: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Heart rate is a major determinant of myocardial oxygen demand; in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), patients treated with primary percutaneous intervention (PPCI), heart rate at discharge correlates with mortality. Ivabradine is a pure heart rate-reducing agent that has no effect on blood pressure and contractility, and can reverse left ventricular (LV) remodelling in patients with heart failure. AIMS: To evaluate whether ivabradine, when added to current guideline-based therapy, improves LV remodelling in STEMI patients treated with PPCI. METHODS: This paired-cohort study included 124 patients between June 2011 and July 2012. Ivabradine (5mg twice daily) was given promptly after PPCI, along with beta-blockers, to obtain a heart rate<60 beats per minute (ivabradine group). This group was matched with STEMI patients treated in line with current guidelines, including beta-blockers (bisoprolol), according to age, sex, infarct-related coronary artery, ischaemia time and infarct size determined by initial cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) (control group). Statistical analyses were performed according to an intention-to-continue treatment principle. CMR data at 3 months were available for 122 patients. RESULTS: Heart rate was lower in the ivabradine group than in the control group during the initial CMR (P=0.02) and the follow-up CMR (P=0.006). At the follow-up CMR, there was a smaller increase in LV end-diastolic volume index in the ivabradine group than in the control group (P=0.04). LV end-systolic volume index remained unchanged in the ivabradine group, but increased in the control group (P=0.01). There was a significant improvement in LV ejection fraction in the ivabradine group compared with in the control group (P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: In successfully reperfused STEMI patients, ivabradine may improve LV remodelling when added to current guideline-based therapy.