Inter-center reproducibility of standard and advanced echocardiographic parameters in the EACVI-AFib echo registry.

AIM: we sought to test the inter-center reproducibility of 16 echo laboratories involved in the EACVI-Afib Echo Europe. METHODS: This was done on a dedicated setting of 10 patients with sinus rhythm (SR) and 10 with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF), collected by the Principal Investigator. Images and loops of echo-exams were stored and made available for labs. The tested measurements included main echo-Doppler parameters, global longitudinal strain (GLS) and peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS). RESULTS: Single measures interclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of left ventricular mass and ejection fraction were suboptimal in both patients with SR and AF. Among diastolic parameters, ICCs of deceleration time were poor, in particular in AF (=.50). ICCs of left atrial size and function, besides optimal in AF, showed an acceptable despite moderate concordance in SR. ICC of GLS was .81 and .78 in SR and AF respectively. ICCs of PALS were suitable but lower in 4-chamber than in 2-chamber view. By depicting the boxplot of the 16 laboratories, GLS distribution was completely homogeneous in SR, whereas GLS of AF and PALS of both SR and AF presented a limited number of outliers. GLS mean ± SE of the 16 labs was 19.7 ± .36 (95% CI: 18.8-20.4) in SR and 16.5 ± .29 (95% CI: 15.9-17.1) in AF, whereas PALS mean ± SE was 43.8 ± .70 (95% CI: 42.3-45.3) and 10.2 ± .32 (95% CI: 9.5-10.9) respectively. CONCLUSION: While the utilization of some standard-echo variables should be discouraged in registries, the application of GLS and PALS could be largely promoted because their superior reproducibility, even in AF.

Clinical outcomes and predictors in patients with previous cardiac surgery undergoing mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair.

BACKGROUND: Mitral-valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (MV-TEER) is recommended in patients with severe functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) and in those with degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) not eligible to traditional surgery. Patients with a history of previous cardiac surgery are considered at high risk for surgical reintervention, but data are lacking regarding procedural and clinical outcomes. OBJECTIVE: aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and clinical results of MV-TEER in patients with previous cardiac surgery enrolled in the "multicentre Italian Society of Interventional Cardiology registry of transcatheter treatment of mitral valve regurgitation" (GIOTTO). METHODS: Patients with previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR), or mitral valve repair (MVR) were included. Those with multiple or combined previous cardiac surgeries were excluded. Clinical follow-up was performed at 30 days, 1 year, and 2 years. The primary endpoint was a composite of death or rehospitalization at 1- and 2-year follow-ups. RESULTS: A total of 330 patients enrolled in the GIOTTO registry were considered (CABG 77.9%, AVR 14.2%, and MVR 7.9%). Most patients showed FMR (66.9%), moderate reduction of left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, and signs of LV dilation. Procedural and device successes were 94.8% and 97%. At 1 and 2 years, the composite endpoint occurred are 29.1% and 52.4%, respectively. The composite outcome rates were similar across the three subgroups of previous cardiac surgery (p = 0.928) and between the FMR and DMR subgroups (p = 0.850) at 2 years. In a multivariate analysis, residual mitral regurgitation (rMR) ≥2+ was the main predictor of adverse events at 1 year (hazard ratio: 1.54 [95% confidence interval, CI: 1.00-2.38]; p = 0.050). This association was confirmed at 2 years of Kaplan-Meier analysis (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: MV-TEER is effective in these patients, regardless of the subtype of previous cardiac surgery and the MR etiology. An rMR ≥2+ is independently associated with adverse outcomes at 1-year follow-up.

Predictors of optimal procedural result after transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair in secondary mitral regurgitation.

BACKGROUND: Procedural success after transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TEER) is defined as a reduction of mitral regurgitation (MR) degree to

The Role of Stress Echocardiography in Valvular Heart Disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Stress echocardiography is recommended in valvular heart disease when there is a mismatch between resting transthoracic echocardiography findings and symptoms during activities of daily living. We describe the current methodology and the evidence supporting these applications. RECENT FINDINGS: The comprehensive stress echo assessment includes valve function (gradients and regurgitation), left ventricular global systolic and diastolic function, left atrial volume, pulmonary congestion, pulmonary arterial pressure, and right ventricular function, integrated with blood pressure response with cuff sphygmomanometer, chronotropic reserve with heart rate, and symptoms. Recent guidelines recommend the evaluation of asymptomatic severe or symptomatic non-severe mitral regurgitation or stenosis with exercise stress and suspected low-flow, low-gradient severe aortic stenosis with reduced ejection fraction with low dose (up to 20 mcg, without atropine) dobutamine stress. Prospective, large-scale studies based on a comprehensive protocol (ABCDE +) capturing the multiplicity of clinical phenotypes are needed to support stress echo-driven treatment strategies.

Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, and Clinical Course of Takotsubo Syndrome.

Takotsubo syndrome is an acute reversible heart failure syndrome, most frequently seen in postmenopausal women and precipitated generally by significant emotional stress or physical illness. A sudden sympathetic activation seems to play a key role in the pathophysiology, but growing evidence is emerging about the role of inflammation in the subacute and chronic phases. An incidence of life-threatening complications occurring in the acute phase and at long-term follow-up has been demonstrated, comparable with the acute coronary syndrome. Multimodality imaging could be useful to stratify in-hospital and long-term prognosis. The efficacy of specific medical treatments in long-term follow-up should be investigated.

Clinical conditions and echocardiographic parameters associated with mortality in COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a recently recognized viral infective disease which can be complicated by acute respiratory stress syndrome (ARDS) and cardiovascular complications including severe arrhythmias, acute coronary syndromes, myocarditis and pulmonary embolism. The aim of the present study was to identify the clinical conditions and echocardiographic parameters associated with in-hospital mortality in COVID-19. METHODS: This is a multicentre retrospective observational study including seven Italian centres. Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 from 1 March to 22 April 2020 were included into study population. The association between baseline variables and risk of in-hospital mortality was assessed through multivariable logistic regression and competing risk analyses. RESULTS: Out of 1401 patients admitted at the participating centres with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, 226 (16.1%) underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and were included in the present analysis. In-hospital death occurred in 68 patients (30.1%). At multivariable analysis, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, P < .001), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE, P < .001) and ARDS (P < .001) were independently associated with in-hospital mortality. At competing risk analysis, we found a significantly higher risk of mortality in patients with ARDS vs those without ARDS (HR: 7.66; CI: 3.95-14.8), in patients with TAPSE ≤17 mm vs those with TAPSE >17 mm (HR: 5.08; CI: 3.15-8.19) and in patients with LVEF ≤50% vs those with LVEF >50% (HR: 4.06; CI: 2.50-6.59). CONCLUSIONS: TTE might be a useful tool in risk stratification of patients with COVID-19. In particular, reduced LVEF and reduced TAPSE may help to identify patients at higher risk of death during hospitalization.

Use of edge-to-edge percutaneous mitral valve repair for severe mitral regurgitation in cardiogenic shock: A multicenter observational experience (MITRA-SHOCK study).

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of edge-to-edge PMVR on short and mid-term clinical outcomes in patients with CS and severe MR. BACKGROUND: Severe mitral regurgitation (MR) in the setting of cardiogenic shock (CS) is associated with three times higher risk of 1-year mortality. In refractory CS, edge-to-edge percutaneous mitral valve repair (PMVR) can be a potential therapeutic option. METHODS: We retrospectively included consecutive patients with refractory CS and concomitant severe MR treated with MitraClip® system. CS was defined according to the criteria used in the SHOCK trial and procedural success according to Mitral Valve Academic Research Consortium (MVARC) criteria. The 30-day and 6-month mortality were the primary and secondary endpoints respectively. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients (median age 73 years [interquartile range, IQR 66-78], 25.8% female), STS mortality score 37.9 [IQR 30.4-42.4]), with CS and concomitant severe MR treated with edge-to-edge PMVR were retrospectively enrolled. Procedural success was 87.1%. Thirty-day and 6-month survival rates were 78.4 and 45.2% respectively. Univariate Cox Regression Model analysis showed that procedural success was a predictor of both 30-day (HR = 0.12, 95% CI 0.03-0.55, p < .01) and 6-month survival (HR = 0.22, 95% CI 0.06-0.84, p = .027). CONCLUSIONS: Edge-to-edge PMVR in patients with CS and concomitant severe MR was associated with good procedural safety and success with acceptable short and mid-term survival rates. It could be considered a bailout option in this setting of patients.

Intraventricular Thrombus Formation and Embolism in Takotsubo Syndrome: Insights From the International Takotsubo Registry.

OBJECTIVE: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is characterized by acute left ventricular dysfunction, which can contribute to intraventricular thrombus and embolism. Still, prevalence and clinical impact of thrombus formation and embolic events on outcome of TTS patients remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate clinical features and outcomes of patients with and without intraventricular thrombus or embolism. Additionally, factors associated with thrombus formation or embolism, as well as predictors for mortality, were identified. Approach and Results: TTS patients enrolled in the International Takotsubo Registry at 28 centers in Australia, Europe, and the United States were dichotomized according to the occurrence/absence of intraventricular thrombus or embolism. Patients with intraventricular thrombus or embolism were defined as the ThrombEmb group. Of 1676 TTS patients, 56 (3.3%) patients developed intraventricular thrombus and/or embolism following TTS diagnosis (median time interval, 2.0 days [range, 0-38 days]). Patients in the ThrombEmb group had a different clinical profile including lower left ventricular ejection fraction, higher prevalence of the apical type, elevated levels of troponin and inflammatory markers, and higher prevalence of vascular disease. In a Firth bias-reduced penalized-likelihood logistic regression model apical type, left ventricular ejection fraction ≤30%, previous vascular disease, and a white blood cell count on admission >10×103 cells/µL emerged as independent predictors for thrombus formation or embolism. CONCLUSIONS: Intraventricular thrombus or embolism occur in 3.3% of patients in the acute phase of TTS. A simple risk score including clinical parameters associated with intraventricular thrombus formation or embolism identifies patients at increased risk. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01947621.

Predictors of outcome in patients with de novo diagnosis of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: Role of combined myocardial and lung Iodine-123 Meta-Iodobenzylguanidine imaging.

BACKGROUND: The predictors of outcome in patients with de novo diagnosis of heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) are poorly known. METHODS AND RESULTS: All consecutive HFrEF patients admitted between October 2012 and November 2017 with their first episode of HF were scheduled for an outpatient follow-up. After 3 months, patients with confirmed HFrEF underwent Iodine-123 Meta-Iodobenzylguanidine imaging. We defined three study endpoints: HF rehospitalization, cardiac death and all-cause death. Eighty-four patients were enrolled. During follow-up (39.9 ± 18.6 months) HF rehospitalization occurred in 33 cases, cardiac death in 18 and all-cause death in 24. At multivariate analysis, systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP; HR: 1.047; p = .027) and Late lung to heart ratio (L/H; HR: 1.341; p < .001) independently predict HF rehospitalization; left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV; HR: 1.016; p = .017), sPAP (HR: 1.064; p = .034) and Late L/H (HR: 1.323; p = .009) were predictors of cardiac death; LVESV (HR: 1.013; p = .018) and Late L/H (HR: 1.245; p = .012) were independent predictors of all-cause death. Kaplan-Meier analysis of the individual predictors confirmed their prognostic ability during follow-up; of note, the Late L/H cut-off of 1.1 improved the risk stratification capability of echocardiographic parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Late L/H independently predicts HF rehospitalization, cardiac death and all-cause death in patients with de novo diagnosis of HFrEF and improves the prognostic stratification capability of conventional echocardiographic parameters.

Cardiovascular risk factors and mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: systematic review and meta-analysis of 45 studies and 18,300 patients.

BACKGROUND: A high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors including age, male sex, hypertension, diabetes, and tobacco use, has been reported in patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who experienced adverse outcome. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: MEDLINE, Cochrane, Web of Sciences, and SCOPUS were searched for retrospective or prospective observational studies reporting data on cardiovascular risk factors and in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19. Univariable and multivariable age-adjusted analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between cardiovascular risk factors and the occurrence of in-hospital death. RESULTS: The analysis included 45 studies enrolling 18,300 patients. The pooled estimate of in-hospital mortality was 12% (95% CI 9-15%). The univariable meta-regression analysis showed a significant association between age (coefficient: 1.06; 95% CI 1.04-1.09; p < 0.001), diabetes (coefficient: 1.04; 95% CI 1.02-1.07; p < 0.001) and hypertension (coefficient: 1.01; 95% CI 1.01-1.03; p = 0.013) with in-hospital death. Male sex and smoking did not significantly affect mortality. At multivariable age-adjusted meta-regression analysis, diabetes was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (coefficient: 1.02; 95% CI 1.01-1.05; p = 0.043); conversely, hypertension was no longer significant after adjustment for age (coefficient: 1.00; 95% CI 0.99-1.01; p = 0.820). A significant association between age and in-hospital mortality was confirmed in all multivariable models. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggests that older age and diabetes are associated with higher risk of in-hospital mortality in patients infected by SARS-CoV-2. Conversely, male sex, hypertension, and smoking did not independently correlate with fatal outcome.

A multicentric quality-control study of exercise Doppler echocardiography of the right heart and the pulmonary circulation. The RIGHT Heart International NETwork (RIGHT-NET).

PURPOSE: This study was a quality-control study of resting and exercise Doppler echocardiography (EDE) variables measured by 19 echocardiography laboratories with proven experience participating in the RIGHT Heart International NETwork. METHODS: All participating investigators reported the requested variables from ten randomly selected exercise stress tests. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated to evaluate the inter-observer agreement with the core laboratory. Inter-observer variability of resting and peak exercise tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV), right ventricular outflow tract acceleration time (RVOT Act), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), tissue Doppler tricuspid lateral annular systolic velocity (S'), right ventricular fractional area change (RV FAC), left ventricular outflow tract velocity time integral (LVOT VTI), mitral inflow pulsed wave Doppler velocity (E), diastolic mitral annular velocity by TDI (e') and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured. RESULTS: The accuracy of 19 investigators for all variables ranged from 99.7 to 100%. ICC was > 0.90 for all observers. Inter-observer variability for resting and exercise variables was for TRV = 3.8 to 2.4%, E = 5.7 to 8.3%, e' = 6 to 6.5%, RVOT Act = 9.7 to 12, LVOT VTI = 7.4 to 9.6%, S' = 2.9 to 2.9% and TAPSE = 5.3 to 8%. Moderate inter-observer variability was found for resting and peak exercise RV FAC (15 to 16%). LVEF revealed lower resting and peak exercise variability of 7.6 and 9%. CONCLUSIONS: When performed in expert centers EDE is a reproducible tool for the assessment of the right heart and the pulmonary circulation.

Impact of Regular Physical Activity on Aortic Diameter Progression in Paediatric Patients with Bicuspid Aortic Valve.

Patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) have an increased risk of aortic dilation and aortic dissection or rupture. The impact of physical training on the natural course of aortopathy in BAV patients remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of regular physical activity on aortic diameters in a consecutive cohort of paediatric patients with BAV. Consecutive paediatric BAV patients were evaluated and categorized into two groups: physically active and sedentary subjects. Only the subjects with a complete 2-year follow-up were included in the study. To evaluate the potential impact of physical activity on aortic size, aortic diameters were measured at the sinus of Valsalva and mid-ascending aorta using echocardiography. We defined aortic diameter progression the increase of aortic diameter ≥ 10% from baseline. Among 90 BAV patients (11.5 ± 3.4 years of age, 77% males), 53 (59%) were physically active subjects. Compared to sedentary, physically active subjects were not significantly more likely to have > 10% increase in sinus of Valsalva (13% vs. 8%, p-value = 0.45) or mid-ascending aorta diameter (9% vs. 13%, p-value = 0.55) at 2 years follow-up, both in subjects with sinus of Valsalva diameter progression (3.7 ± 1.0 mm vs. 3.5 ± 0.8 mm, p-value = 0.67) and in those with ascending aorta diameter progression (3.0 ± 0.8 mm vs. 3.2 ± 1.3 mm, p-value = 0.83). In our paediatric cohort of BAV patients, the prevalence and the degree of aortic diameter progression was not significantly different between physically active and sedentary subjects, suggesting that aortic dilation is unrelated to regular physical activity over a 2-year period.

Coexistence and outcome of coronary artery disease in Takotsubo syndrome.

AIMS: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is an acute heart failure syndrome, which shares many features with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Although TTS was initially described with angiographically normal coronary arteries, smaller studies recently indicated a potential coexistence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in TTS patients. This study aimed to determine the coexistence, features, and prognostic role of CAD in a large cohort of patients with TTS. METHODS AND RESULTS: Coronary anatomy and CAD were studied in patients diagnosed with TTS. Inclusion criteria were compliance with the International Takotsubo Diagnostic Criteria for TTS, and availability of original coronary angiographies with ventriculography performed during the acute phase. Exclusion criteria were missing views, poor quality of angiography loops, and angiography without ventriculography. A total of 1016 TTS patients were studied. Of those, 23.0% had obstructive CAD, 41.2% had non-obstructive CAD, and 35.7% had angiographically normal coronary arteries. A total of 47 patients (4.6%) underwent percutaneous coronary intervention, and 3 patients had acute and 8 had chronic coronary artery occlusion concomitant with TTS, respectively. The presence of CAD was associated with increased incidence of shock, ventilation, and death from any cause. After adjusting for confounders, the presence of obstructive CAD was associated with mortality at 30 days. Takotsubo syndrome patients with obstructive CAD were at comparable risk for shock and death and nearly at twice the risk for ventilation compared to an age- and sex-matched ACS cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Coronary artery disease frequently coexists in TTS patients, presents with the whole spectrum of coronary pathology including acute coronary occlusion, and is associated with adverse outcome. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT01947621.

Stress Echocardiography and Strain in Aortic Regurgitation (SESAR protocol): Left ventricular contractile reserve and myocardial work in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic regurgitation.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze left ventricular (LV) myocardial deformation and contractile reserve (CR) in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic regurgitation (AR) at rest and during exercise, and their correlation with functional capacity. BACKGROUND: The natural history of chronic AR is characterized by a prolonged silent phase before onset of symptoms and overt LV dysfunction. Assessment of LV systolic function and contractile reserve has an important role in the decision-making of AR asymptomatic patients. METHODS: Standard echo, lung ultrasound, and LV 2D speckle tracking strain were performed at rest and during exercise in asymptomatic patients with severe AR and in age- and sex-comparable healthy controls. RESULTS: 115 AR patients (male sex 58.2%; 52.3 ± 18.3 years) and 55 controls were enrolled. Baseline LV ejection fraction was comparable between the groups. Resting LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) and myocardial work efficiency (MWE) were significantly reduced in AR (GLS-15.8 ± 2.8 vs -21.4 ± 4.4; P < .001). Patients with AR and CR- showed reduced resting LV GLS and MWE and increased B-lines. MWE was closely related to peak effort watts, VO2 , LV E/e', and B-lines, at a multivariable analysis. Both GLS and MWE were strong independent predictors of CR. A resting LV GLS cutoff of -12% differentiated CR+ and CR- (78% sensitivity and 84% specificity). CONCLUSIONS: The lower resting values of LV GLS and MWE in severe AR asymptomatic patients suggest an early subclinical myocardial damage that seems to be closely associated with lower exercise capacity, greater pulmonary congestion, and blunted LV contractile reserve during stress.

Cardiac arrest in takotsubo syndrome: results from the InterTAK Registry.

AIMS: We aimed to evaluate the frequency, clinical features, and prognostic implications of cardiac arrest (CA) in takotsubo syndrome (TTS). METHODS AND RESULTS: We reviewed the records of patients with CA and known heart rhythm from the International Takotsubo Registry. The main outcomes were 60-day and 5-year mortality. In addition, predictors of mortality and predictors of CA during the acute TTS phase were assessed. Of 2098 patients, 103 patients with CA and known heart rhythm during CA were included. Compared with patients without CA, CA patients were more likely to be younger, male, and have apical TTS, atrial fibrillation (AF), neurologic comorbidities, physical triggers, and longer corrected QT-interval and lower left ventricular ejection fraction on admission. In all, 57.1% of patients with CA at admission had ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia, while 73.7% of patients with CA in the acute phase had asystole/pulseless electrical activity. Patients with CA showed higher 60-day (40.3% vs. 4.0%, P < 0.001) and 5-year mortality (68.9% vs. 16.7%, P < 0.001) than patients without CA. T-wave inversion and intracranial haemorrhage were independently associated with higher 60-day mortality after CA, whereas female gender was associated with lower 60-day mortality. In the acute phase, CA occurred less frequently in females and more frequently in patients with AF, ST-segment elevation, and higher C-reactive protein on admission. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac arrest is relatively frequent in TTS and is associated with higher short- and long-term mortality. Clinical and electrocardiographic parameters independently predicted mortality after CA.

Imaging Cardiovascular Emergencies: Real World Clinical Cases.

Cardiovascular emergencies represent life-threatening conditions requiring a high index of clinical suspicion. In an emergency scenario, a simple stepwise biomarker/imaging diagnostic algorithm may help prompt diagnosis and timely treatment along with related improved outcomes. This article describes several clinical cases of cardiovascular emergencies, such as coronary stent thrombosis-restenosis, takotsubo syndrome, acute myocarditis, massive pulmonary embolism, type A acute aortic dissection, cardiac tamponade, and endocarditis.

Layer-specific longitudinal strain in Anderson-Fabry disease at diagnosis: A speckle tracking echocardiography analysis.

BACKGROUND: Speckle tracking advancements make now available the analysis of layer-specific myocardial deformation. This study investigated multilayer longitudinal strain in Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD) patients at diagnosis. METHODS: In a case-control study, 33 newly diagnosed, untreated AFD patients and 33 healthy age- and sex-matched healthy controls underwent a complete echocardiogram, including assessment of left ventricular (LV) transmural global longitudinal strain (GLS), subendocardial longitudinal strain (LSsubendo), subepicardial longitudinal strain (LSsubepi), and strain gradient (LSsubendo-LSsubpepi). RESULTS: Anderson-Fabry disease patients had similar blood pressure, heart rate, and ejection fraction but higher body mass index in comparison with controls. LV mass index, maximal, and relative wall thickness were significantly greater in AFD patients. LSsubendo was significantly higher than LSsubepi in both groups, but GLS (P < 0.0001), LSsubendo (P = 0.003), and particularly LSsubepi (21.4 ± 1.7 vs 18.8 ± 1.4%, P < 0.0001) were lower in AFD patients than in controls. Accordingly, LS gradient was higher in AFD patients (P = 0.003). Three patients symptomatic for dyspnoea presented a combination of LV hypertrophy and reduced LSsubepi. After adjusting for confounders by multivariate analyses, LV mass index or maximal wall thickness were independently and inversely associated with transmural GLS and LSsubepi, but not with LSsubendo in the AFD group. At receiver operating curve curves, LSsubepi best discriminated AFD and normals. CONCLUSIONS: In newly diagnosed, untreated AFD patients, layer-specific strain imaging highlights an impairment of LV longitudinal deformation, mainly involving subepicardial strain and causing increase in longitudinal strain myocardial gradient. These findings could be useful for identifying the mechanisms underlying early LV dysfunction in AFD patients.

International Expert Consensus Document on Takotsubo Syndrome (Part II): Diagnostic Workup, Outcome, and Management.

The clinical expert consensus statement on takotsubo syndrome (TTS) part II focuses on the diagnostic workup, outcome, and management. The recommendations are based on interpretation of the limited clinical trial data currently available and experience of international TTS experts. It summarizes the diagnostic approach, which may facilitate correct and timely diagnosis. Furthermore, the document covers areas where controversies still exist in risk stratification and management of TTS. Based on available data the document provides recommendations on optimal care of such patients for practising physicians.

International Expert Consensus Document on Takotsubo Syndrome (Part I): Clinical Characteristics, Diagnostic Criteria, and Pathophysiology.

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a poorly recognized heart disease that was initially regarded as a benign condition. Recently, it has been shown that TTS may be associated with severe clinical complications including death and that its prevalence is probably underestimated. Since current guidelines on TTS are lacking, it appears timely and important to provide an expert consensus statement on TTS. The clinical expert consensus document part I summarizes the current state of knowledge on clinical presentation and characteristics of TTS and agrees on controversies surrounding TTS such as nomenclature, different TTS types, role of coronary artery disease, and etiology. This consensus also proposes new diagnostic criteria based on current knowledge to improve diagnostic accuracy.