Subclinical effects of botulinum toxin A and microwave thermolysis for axillary hyperhidrosis: A descriptive study with line-field confocal optical coherence tomography and histology.

Botulinum toxin A (BTX) and microwave thermolysis (MWT) are standard axillary hyperhidrosis treatments, but comparison of their subclinical effects is lacking. Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) is a promising non-invasive imaging tool for visualizing tissue-interactions. This study aimed to describe subclinical effects of BTX and MWT for axillary hyperhidrosis with LC-OCT-imaging compared to histology. This study derived from an intra-individual, randomized, controlled trial, treating axillary hyperhidrosis with BTX versus MWT. Subclinical effects based on LC-OCT images from baseline and 6-month follow-up (n = 8 patients) were evaluated and compared to corresponding histological samples. At baseline, LC-OCT visualized eccrine pores at the skin surface and ducts in the upper dermis (500 µm), but not deeper-lying sweat glands. Histology identified entire sweat glands. Six months post-treatment, LC-OCT revealed no detectable morphology changes in any BTX-treated axillae (100%), while recognizing obstructed eccrine pores and atrophy of eccrine ducts in most MWT-treated axillae (75%). Histology corroborated LC-OCT findings, while also showing substantial changes to entire sweat glands. LC-OCT enabled visualization of subclinical alterations of superficial eccrine ducts after MWT and unchanged morphology after BTX. LC-OCT is a promising tool for non-invasive assessment of treatment-specific tissue-interactions that can be complementary to histology.

Botulinum toxin A versus microwave thermolysis for primary axillary hyperhidrosis: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Botulinum toxin A (BTX) and microwave thermolysis (MWT) represent 2 treatment modalities for axillary hyperhidrosis with different procedural and efficacy profiles. Objective: To compare long-term outcomes following BTX vs MWT treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis. Methods: A prospective, randomized, within-patient, controlled trial, treating axillary hyperhidrosis with contralateral BTX and MWT. Objective sweat measurement and patient-reported outcome measures for sweat and odor were collected at baseline, 6-month and 1-year follow-up (6M/1YFU). Hair reduction and patient treatment preference was also assessed. Results: Sweat reduction was significant (all P <.01) for both interventions throughout the study. Objectively, sweat reduction was equal at 1-year FU (ΔP =.4282), but greater for BTX than MWT at 6-month FU (ΔP =.0053). Subjective sweat assessment presented comparable efficacy (6MFU: ΔP =.4142, 1YFU: ΔP =.1025). Odor reduction was significant (all P <.01) following both interventions, whereas only sustaining for MWT (6MFU: ΔP =.6826, 1YFU: ΔP =.0098). Long-term, hair reduction was visible after MWT, but not BTX (ΔP ≤.0001), and MWT was preferred by the majority of patients (76%). Limitations: The intrinsic challenges in efficacy assessment. Conclusion: This study exhibited BTX and MWT with similar sweat reduction, but distinguishable odor and hair reduction at 1-year FU. These findings support individualized treatment approaches for axillary hyperhidrosis based on patient-specific symptoms and preferences.

Predictive value of left atrial strain in relation to atrial fibrillation following acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrythmia following ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and can lead to stroke and other heart-related diseases. This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of left atrial (LA) strain, obtained by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE), in predicting incident AF outcomes following STEMI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). METHODS AND RESULTS: This prospective study comprised of 392 STEMI patients treated with pPCI. The patients had an echocardiography performed at a median of two days after their STEMI. Along with conventional measures, LA strain was obtained by speckle tracking from two apical projections. The outcome was new-onset atrial fibrillation. LA reservoir, contractile and conduit strain were measurable from echocardiograms of 303 included patients. At a median follow-up time of 5.6 years (IQR: 5.0-6.1 years), 18 patients (6,3%) developed incident AF. Mean age was 62.0 years ±11.5 and follow-up was 100%. Significantly lower LA strain values were observed in patients who experienced AF during follow-up as compared to patients who didn't. Both reservoir, contractile and conduit strain were significant univariable predictors. In the multivariable model, only LA reservoir strain remained a significant independent predictor of AF. CONCLUSION: Left atrial reservoir strain obtained by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography is an independent predictor of incident AF following STEMI.

Longitudinal change in cardiac structure and function following acute coronary syndrome according to culprit coronary artery lesion.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) may lead to adverse remodelling and impaired cardiac function. Limited data exists on the effect of culprit coronary artery lesion site and impact on longitudinal cardiac remodelling. The present study included a total of 299 patients suffering from ACS treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). All patients had two echocardiographic examinations. The first echocardiography was median 2(IQR: 1;3) days following PCI, while the follow-up echocardiography (FUE) was median 257(IQR: 96;942) days following the first. Patients were grouped based on coronary artery PCI location; left anterior descending artery (LAD), right coronary artery (RCA) or circumflex artery (Cx). Patients with multiple lesions were excluded. Mean age was 63 ± 11 years and 77% were male. At FUE, mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 42 ± 9% and global longitudinal strain (GLS) was - 13 ± 4%. PCI treatment was allocated as 168 LAD lesions, 95 RCA lesions, and 36 Cx lesions. Linear regression analysis showed that patients with a LAD lesion displayed worsening in E/A (mean ∆ = 0.05, ß = - 0.196, p = 0.001) and a larger increase in LVEDV (mean ∆ = 33.18 mL, ß = 0.135, p = 0.012). Meanwhile patients with Cx lesion were significantly associated with a larger decrease in E/e' (mean ∆ = 2.6, ß = - 0.120, p = 0.028). Patients with Cx lesion were observed to have elevated E/e' at baseline, which normalized at FUE. The present study suggests that culprit coronary artery lesion has a differential impact on myocardial remodelling. This information may potentially aid in understanding the pathophysiological differences in cardiac structure and function amongst patients with ACS.

Change in global longitudinal strain following acute coronary syndrome and subsequent risk of heart failure.

Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS) is a well-established predictor of heart failure (HF) following acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We aim to investigate the prognostic value of GLS obtained at a follow-up consultation, as well as the change in GLS for long-term risk of incident HF. A total of 235 ACS patients had an echocardiogram performed immediately after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and a follow-up echocardiogram (FUE) median 215 (IQR: 71; 878) days after the first echocardiogram. Endpoint was incident HF. Follow-up time after FUE was median 4.8 (IQR: 3.7; 5.6) years. Patients diagnosed with HF before FUE were excluded. Mean age was 63 ± 11 years and 77% were male. Baseline GLS was on average 12.7 ± 3.9%, FUE GLS was on average 13.5 ± 3.9% and mean improvement in GLS was 0.73 ± 3.68% between the 2 echocardiograms. A total of 57 (24%) patients suffered incident HF following the FUE. FUE GLS provided significantly higher prognostic information for risk of incident HF than ∆GLS when assessed by the C-statistics (C-statistics: 0.71 vs. 0.61, P = 0.021). Furthermore, after multivariable adjustments only FUE GLS [HR = 1.15, 95% CI (1.02; 1.29), P = 0.018, per 1% decrease] remained an independent predictor of incident HF. In patients with ACS, who do not develop HF before FUE, FUE GLS was an independent predictor of long-term risk of incident HF while ∆GLS was not.

Layer-specific global longitudinal strain obtained by speckle tracking echocardiography for predicting heart failure and cardiovascular death following STEMI treated with primary PCI.

The aim of this study was to evaluate layer-specific global longitudinal strain (GLS), obtained by speckle tracking, in predicting outcomes following ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). Echocardiography, including layer-specific GLS, was performed at median two days after the STEMI in a prospective study of STEMI patients treated with pPCI between September 2006 and December 2008. The outcome was the composite of heart failure hospitalization and/or cardiovascular death (HF/CVD). A total of 349 patients were included. Mean age was 62.2 ± 11.5 years, 76% were male, and mean ejection fraction (LVEF) was 46 ± 9. Seventy-seven (22%) patients developed HF/CVD during median follow-up 5.4 years. Patients with HF/CVD had lower absolute values for all GLS-layers: endocardial (GLSEndo) 11.4%vs 14.5% (p < 0.001), midmyocardial (GLSMid) 9.8% vs 12.5% (p < 0.001) and epicardial (GLSEpi) 8.5% vs 10.9% (p < 0.001). In unadjusted analysis, all layers were significant predictors of HF/CVD; hazard ratio (HR) per 1% decrease for GLSEndo: HR 1.18 (95%CI 1.11-1.25), GLSMid: HR 1.22 (95%CI 1.14-1.30) and GLSEpi: HR 1.26 (95%CI 1.16-1.36), p < 0.0001 for all. The risk of HF/CVD increased incrementally with increasing tertiles for all layers, being more than three times higher in 3rd tertile compared to 1st tertile. In multivariable models, including baseline clinical and echocardiographic parameters, only GLSMid and GLSEpi remained independent predictors of HF/CVD. Global longitudinal strain obtained from all myocardial layers were significant predictors of incident HF and CVD following STEMI, however, only GLSMid and GLSEpi remained independent predictors after multivariable adjustment.

Association between layer-specific global longitudinal strain and adverse outcomes following acute coronary syndrome.

Aims: To investigate the prognostic value of layer-specific global longitudinal strain (GLS) in predicting heart failure (HF) and cardiovascular death (CD) following acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods and results: In this retrospective study, 465 ACS patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The primary endpoint was the composite of HF and/or CD with a median follow-up time of 4.6 (0.2-6.3) years. During follow-up 199 patients (42.7%) suffered HF and/or CD (176 developed HF and 38 suffered CD). Absolute endomyocardial global longitudinal strain (GLSendo) (12% vs. 17%, P < 0.001), GLS (11% vs. 14%, P < 0.001), and epimyocardial global longitudinal strain (GLSepi) (9% vs. 13%, P < 0.001) were all reduced in patients with an adverse outcome. In multivariable Cox regressions, which included clinical baseline characteristics and conventional echocardiographic measurements, GLS obtained from all layers remained independently associated with the composite outcome; GLSendo [hazard ratio: 1.19 (1.10-1.28), P < 0.001, per 1% decrease], GLS [hazard ratio 1.24 (1.14-1.35), P < 0.001, per 1% decrease], and GLSepi [hazard ratio 1.26 (1.15-1.39), P < 0.001, per 1% decrease]. No other echocardiographic measures remained independently associated with the composite outcome in these models. Finally, GLS and GLSepi provided incremental prognostic information on the risk of developing the composite endpoint, when added to all other clinical and echocardiographic measures [adding GLS (c-statistics: 0.76 vs. 0.74, P = 0.048) or adding GLSepi (c-statistics: 0.76 vs. 0.74, P = 0.039)]. Conclusion: In ACS patients, layer-specific strain provides independent prognostic information regarding risk of developing HF and/or CD. Furthermore, only GLS and GLSepi provided incremental prognostic information when added to all other significant predictors.