Spectrum of bowel wall thickening on ultrasound with pathological correlation in children.

Applications for bowel US in children have been well described; however, less focus has been placed on patterns of bowel wall architectural change in specific disease states. This pictorial essay reviews normal bowel wall architecture and covers a variety of inflammatory, infectious, vascular and neoplastic disorders outside the neonatal period as seen on US, with illustrative pathological correlation. A thorough understanding of normal and abnormal bowel wall architecture can enrich sonographic interpretation and provide a valuable adjunct to appropriate clinical investigation.

The electrocardiogram as a predictor of successful pharmacological cardioversion and progression of atrial fibrillation.

Aims: Non-invasive characterization of atrial fibrillation (AF) substrate complexity based on the electrocardiogram (ECG) may improve outcome prediction in patients receiving rhythm control therapies for AF. Multiple parameters to assess AF complexity and predict treatment outcome have been suggested. A comparative study of the predictive performance of complexity parameters on response to therapy and progression of AF in a large patient population is needed to standardize non-invasive analysis of AF. Methods and results: A large variety of ECG complexity parameters were systematically compared in patients with recent onset AF undergoing pharmacological cardioversion (PCV) with flecainide. Parameters were computed on 10-s 12-lead ECGs of 221 patients before drug administration. The ability of ECG parameters to predict successful PCV and progression to persistent AF (mean follow-up 49 months) was evaluated and compared with common clinical predictors. Optimal prediction performance of successful PCV using only one ECG parameter was low, using dominant atrial frequency [lead II, receiver operating area under curve (AUC) 0.66, 95% confidence interval [0.64-0.67]], but the optimal combination of several ECG parameters strongly improved predictive performance (AUC 0.78 [0.76-0.79]). While predictive value of the optimal combination of clinical predictors was low (AUC 0.68 [0.66-0.70], using right atrial volume and weight), adding ECG parameters strongly increased performance (AUC 0.81 [0.79-0.82], P < 0.001). Interestingly, higher dominant frequency and higher f-wave amplitude were associated with increased risk of progression to persistent AF during follow-up. Conclusion: Assessment of AF complexity from 12-lead ECGs significantly improves prediction of successful PCV and progression to persistent AF compared with common clinical and echocardiographic predictors.

Clinical correlates of echocardiographic tissue velocity imaging abnormalities of the left atrial wall during atrial fibrillation.

AIMS: In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), echocardiographic tissue velocity imaging (TVI) enables assessment of electrical and structural remodelling by measuring, respectively, the AF cycle length (AFCL-TVI) and the atrial fibrillatory wall motion velocity (AFV-TVI). We investigated the clinical and echocardiographic correlates of atrial remodelling assessed by TVI. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 215 patients presenting with AF. In all patients, we measured the AFCL-TVI and the AFV-TVI in the left atrium. Standard baseline characteristics were recorded. We divided patients by median value of AFV-TVI and AFCL-TVI to evaluate the determinants of atrial remodelling. A low AFV-TVI was related with a longer median duration of the current AF episode, a higher prevalence of significant mitral regurgitation and a thicker left ventricle (LV). Multivariate analysis revealed that a low AFV-TVI was independently associated with a longer median duration of the current AF episode [OR 0.09 (95% CI 0.03-0.027); P < 0.001]. Univariately, a short AFCL-TVI was associated with a long median duration of the current AF episode, the use of anti-arrhythmic drugs, a lower LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and a smaller left atrial volume index (LAVI). Multivariate analysis revealed that LVEF [OR 1.48 (95% CI 1.09-2.01); P = 0.013] and LAVI [OR 1.37 (95% CI 1.08-1.74); P = 0.010] were independently associated with AFCL-TVI. CONCLUSION: This study investigated the clinical and echocardiographic correlates of atrial remodelling assessed by TVI. The AFV-TVI is reduced in patients with a long AF duration and who have mitral regurgitation. In addition, the AFCL is long if LAVI is high and LVEF preserved. Tissue velocity imaging parameters measured during AF may be helpful to characterize the degree of atrial remodelling and optimize treatment.

Myositis Ossificans: A Mimicker of an Intramuscular Tumour.

Teaching point: Myositis ossificans is a do not touch lesion of which the radiological findings can be misleading in the early stages due to possible features mimicking a malignant process.

Idiopathic atrial fibrillation revisited in a large longitudinal clinical cohort.

AIMS: An age of 60 years is often used as cut-off for the diagnosis of idiopathic atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated the importance of age and atrial size in patients with idiopathic AF and AF patients with isolated hypertension. METHODS AND RESULTS: Out of 3978 AF patients in the Euro Heart Survey on AF with known follow-up, 119 (3%) patients had idiopathic AF. We disregarded age and atrial size when selecting idiopathic AF patients since the atria may enlarge by AF itself. For comparison, we selected 152 patients with isolated hypertension from the database. A total of 57 (48%) of the patients were older than 60 years. Persistent or permanent AF was more prevalent in the older idiopathic AF patients (34% in the age <60 vs. 66% in the age >60 years group, P= 0.002) but mean duration of known AF did not differ between these groups [310 days (inter-quartile range, IQR) 60-1827) vs. 430 days (IQR 88-1669), P= 0.824]. Left atrial size did not differ significantly in relation to age (1.50 ± 0.29 mm/kg/m² in the age <60 vs. 1.56 ± 0.31 mm/kg/m² in the age >60 years group, P= 0.742). Only two paroxysmal AF patients progressed to permanent AF. No cardiovascular events occurred during the 1-year follow-up. In contrast, strokes occurred in five patients (6%) with isolated hypertension despite similar clinical profile and comparable atrial size as idiopathic AF patients. CONCLUSION: Idiopathic AF may present at advanced age and is even then not associated with significant atrial enlargement, AF progression, or an adverse short-term prognosis. In contrast, elevated blood pressure even when found in the absence of significant atrial remodelling, seems of prognostic importance.

Laparoscopic liver resection in the Netherlands: how far are we?

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to provide a systematic review on the introduction of laparoscopic liver surgery in the Netherlands, to investigate the initial experience with laparoscopic liver resections and to report on the current status of laparoscopic liver surgery in the Netherlands. METHODS: A systematic literature search of laparoscopic liver resections in the Netherlands was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE. Analysis of initial experience with laparoscopic liver surgery was performed by case-control comparison of patients undergoing laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy matched with patients undergoing the open procedure in the Netherlands between the years 2000 and 2008. Furthermore, a nationwide survey was conducted in 2011 on the current status of laparoscopic liver surgery. RESULTS: The systematic review revealed only 6 Dutch reports on actual laparoscopic liver surgery. Matched case-control comparison showed significant differences in the length of hospital stay, blood loss and operation time. Complications did not differ significantly between the two groups (26 vs. 21%). The 2011 survey showed that 21 centers in the Netherlands performed formal liver resections and that 49 (5% of total) laparoscopic liver resections were performed in 2010. CONCLUSION: The systematic review revealed that very few laparoscopic liver resections were performed in the Netherlands in the previous millennium. The matched case-control comparison of laparoscopic and open left lateral resection showed a reduction in hospital length of stay with comparable morbidity. The laparoscopic technique has been slowly adopted in the Netherlands, but its popularity seems to increase in recent years.

Cardioversion of persistent atrial fibrillation is associated with a 24-hour relapse gap: Observations from prolonged postcardioversion rhythm monitoring.

BACKGROUND: Many recurrences occur after electrical cardioversion (ECV) of atrial fibrillation (AF). Assessment of extent of remodeling and continuous prolonged rhythm monitoring might reveal actionable recurrence mechanisms. HYPOTHESIS: After ECV of AF specific patterns of arrhythmia recurrence can be distinguished. METHODS: All patients who underwent successful ECV due to persistent AF were included. Tissue velocity echocardiography during AF was performed before ECV to study atrial fibrillatory cycle length and fibrillatory velocity. After ECV, the heart rhythm of all patients was monitored 3 times daily during 4 weeks, and timing of recurrence was noted. RESULTS: In total, 50 patients (68% male) were included; mean age was 68 ± 9 years. Median duration of the current AF episode was 102 (range, 74-152) days. Twenty-one (42%) patients showed recurrence of persistent AF. No recurrences occurred during the first 24 hours. There were no differences in clinical characteristics between patients with or without recurrence of AF. However, patients with early recurrence of AF had significantly higher precardioversion wall-motion velocity compared with patients who remained in sinus rhythm (2.8 [1.6-3.6] vs 1.4 [0.9-3.3] cm/s; P = 0.017), whereas atrial fibrillatory cycle length did not differ. CONCLUSIONS: In this study on 50 patients successfully cardioverted for persistent AF, there was a relapse gap of ≥24 hours. This phenomenon has not been well appreciated before and offers an AF-free window of opportunity for electrocardiographically triggered cardiac imaging or complex electrophysiological procedures. Echocardiographic tissue velocity imaging may visualize atrial remodeling relevant to AF recurrence.

Systematic analysis of ECG predictors of sinus rhythm maintenance after electrical cardioversion for persistent atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Electrical cardioversion (ECV) is one of the rhythm control strategies in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). Unfortunately, recurrences of AF are common after ECV, which significantly limits the practical benefit of this treatment in patients with AF. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to identify noninvasive complexity or frequency parameters obtained from the surface electrocardiogram (ECG) to predict sinus rhythm (SR) maintenance after ECV and to compare these ECG parameters with clinical predictors. METHODS: We studied a wide variety of ECG-derived time- and frequency-domain AF complexity parameters in a prospective cohort of 502 patients with persistent AF referred for ECV. RESULTS: During 1-year follow-up, 161 patients (32%) maintained SR. The best clinical predictor of SR maintenance was antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) treatment. A model including clinical parameters predicted SR maintenance with a mean cross-validated area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.62 ± 0.05. The best single ECG parameter was the dominant frequency (DF) on lead V6. Combining several ECG parameters predicted SR maintenance with a mean AUC of 0.64 ± 0.06. Combining clinical and ECG parameters improved prediction to a mean AUC of 0.67 ± 0.05. Although the DF was affected by AAD treatment, excluding patients taking AADs did not significantly lower the predictive performance captured by the ECG. CONCLUSION: ECG-derived parameters predict SR maintenance during 1-year follow-up after ECV at least as good as known clinical predictors of rhythm outcome. The DF proved to be the most powerful ECG-derived predictor.

Poor anticoagulation relates to extended access times for cardioversion and is associated with long-term major cardiac and cerebrovascular events.

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing elective electrical cardioversion (ECV) for atrial fibrillation have a temporarily increased risk of thromboembolism. Current guidelines recommend adequate anticoagulation for ≥3 consecutive weeks precardioversion, i.e. consecutive INR values 2.0-3.0 in patients with vitamin K antagonists (VKA). We aimed to evaluate the occurrence and impact of subtherapeutic INRs precardioversion and to study factors associated with these unwanted fluctuations. METHODS: We recruited 346 consecutive patients undergoing elective ECV in the Maastricht University Medical Centre between 2008 and 2013. Predictors of subtherapeutic INR values were identified and incorporated into a logistic regression model. RESULTS: A subtherapeutic INR precardioversion occurred in 55.2% of patients. The only statistically significant predictor was VKA-naivety (Odds Ratio (OR) 4.78, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 2.67-8.58, p<0.001). In patients with ≥1 subtherapeutic INR precardioversion, time from referral until cardioversion was 91.1±42.8days, compared to 41.7±26.6days (p<0.001) in patients without subtherapeutic INRs. No thromboembolic events occurred <30days after the ECV. Independent predictors for the combined endpoint of cardiovascular death, ischemic stroke and the need of blood transfusion (n=30, median follow-up of 374days) were coronary artery disease in the history (OR 3.35, 95%CI 1.54-7.25, p=0.002) and subtherapeutic INR precardioversion (OR 3.64, 95%CI 1.43-9.24, p=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: The use of VKA often results in subtherapeutic INRs precardioversion and is associated with a significant delay until cardioversion, especially in patients with recent initiation of VKA therapy. Furthermore, subtherapeutic INR levels prior to ECV are associated with the combined endpoint of cardiovascular death, ischemic stroke and the need of blood transfusion.

The mechanical fibrillation pattern of the atrial myocardium is associated with acute and long-term success of electrical cardioversion in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Electrophysiological studies demonstrate that a short atrial fibrillation cycle length (AFCL) is related with poor outcome of electrical cardioversion (ECV) of atrial fibrillation (AF). We found previously that the mechanical AFCL (AFCL-tvi) and atrial fibrillatory velocity (AFV-tvi) may be determined noninvasively using color tissue velocity imaging (TVI) and closely relates to the electrophysiological AFCL. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relation between AFCL-tvi, AFV-tvi, and success of ECV in patients with AF. METHODS: We prospectively studied 133 patients with persistent AF by performing echocardiography before ECV and measured the AFCL-tvi and AFV-tvi in the right atrium and left atrium. Recurrent AF was monitored. RESULTS: Nineteen (14%) patients had failure of ECV, 42 (32%) remained in sinus rhythm after 1-year follow-up, and 72 (54%) had a recurrence of persistent AF. Patients with immediate ECV failure had a lower median AFV-tvi measured in the right atrium than did patients with a successful ECV: 0.7 cm/s (0.2-1.0 cm/s) vs. 1.7 cm/s (0.9-2.8 cm/s) (P = .008). Patients with maintenance of sinus rhythm after 1 year had a longer AFCL-tvi measured in the left atrium than did patients with recurrence of AF (150 ms vs 137 ms; P = .017) and had a higher AFV-tvi in both atria (1.4 vs. 0.9 cm/s in the left atrium; P = .013 and 2.2 vs 1.4 cm/s in the right atrium; P = .011). Multivariate analyses showed that all atrial TVI parameters were independently associated with the maintenance of sinus rhythm after 1 year. CONCLUSION: Higher atrial fibrillatory wall velocities and longer AFCLs determined by echocardiography are associated with acute and long-term success of ECV.

Tissue velocity imaging of the left atrium predicts response to flecainide in patients with acute atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Acute atrial fibrillation (AF) is often treated with the administration of intravenous flecainide; however, this treatment may not always be successful and is potentially hazardous. Previous studies suggest that electro-echocardiographic tissue velocity imaging (TVI) of the atrial wall may reflect atrial remodeling. OBJECTIVE: To study whether atrial TVI can be used to identify nonresponders of flecainide administered intravenously in patients with acute AF. METHODS: We used atrial TVI to measure atrial fibrillatory cycle length determined by using tissue velocity imaging (AFCL-TVI) and atrial fibrillatory wall motion velocity determined by using tissue velocity imaging (AFV-TVI) in the left atrium in 52 (55%) patients presenting with acute AF in the emergency department. These 2 parameters reflect electrical and structural remodeling, respectively. Standard baseline characteristics were recorded. RESULTS: Patients were predominantly men (76%) and 64 ± 11 years old. Thirty-six (69%) patients had successful cardioversion after flecainide infusion. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between responders and nonresponders. Patients with a successful cardioversion had a longer mean AFCL-TVI and higher median (interquartile range) AFV-TVI compared with patients with failed cardioversion: 172 ± 29 ms vs 137 ± 35 ms (P < .001) and 4.2 (3.3-6.2) cm/s vs 2.3 (1.9-3.5) cm/s (P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Electro-echocardiographic atrial TVI measurement is a promising noninvasive tool for predicting outcome of pharmacological cardioversion. A short AFCL-TVI and a low AFV-TVI are related to failure of cardioversion of AF using flecainide.