The echocardiographic characteristics and risk stratification of patients with above grade 3+ mitral regurgitation: Based on the preliminary findings of echo core-lab / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To analyze the echocardiographic characteristics of above grade 3+ mitral regurgitation (MR) patients by 3D transesophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE) in transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) and compare the intervention rate of TEER treatment in patients with different risk stratification. Methods     We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 91 patients with above grade 3+ MR in Anzhen Hospital between June 2021 and April 2022. There were 45 males and 46 females aged 66.5±15.9 years. According to pathogenesis, the patients were divided into different anatomical groups and risk stratification groups. There were 34 patients in a simple degenerative group (simple DMR group), 28 patietns in a complex disease group (Complex group), 14 patients in a simple ventricular  functional reflux group (simple VFMR group), 9 patients in a simple atrial functional reflux group (simple AFMR group), and 6 patients in a mixed functional reflux group (mixed FMR group). All patients were examined with a unified standard of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and 3D-TEE to compare the characteristic three-dimensional structural changes of the mitral valve in each group. According to the three partition strategy of preoperative anatomical evaluation of TEER, the risk stratification was conducted for the enrolled patients, which was divided into three regions from light to heavy: green area, yellow area, and red area. TEER treatment intervention rate of patients with different risk stratification was calculated. Results     Ant leaf angle and post leaf angle were negative in the simple DMR and Complex groups, and non-planar angle, prolapse height and prolapse volume were higher than those of the other groups (P=0.000). Ant leaf angle and post leaf angle were positive in the VFMR group and the mixed FMR group. Anterior and posterior (AP) diameter of valve ring (P=0.036), tenting height and tenting volume were higher than those of other groups (P=0.000).  AP diameter, tenting height and tenting volume were changed mildly in patients with simple AFMR. MR patients in red and yellow zone achieved a 28.1% TEER intervention rate. Conclusion     Standardized TTE and TEE examinations are crucial for the qualitative and quantitative diagnosis of MR in the echo core-lab. 3D-TEE mitral valve parameter can help determine the exact pathogenesis of MR and to improve the interventional rate of challenging MR patients.

Cardiac rehabilitation for patients with aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most common primary valve lesion requiring surgery or transcatheter intervention in modern era. Its prevalence is rising rapidly as a consequence of the aging population. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) as a therapy option for older high-risk symptomatic severe AS patients has emerged and is currently extending its indications towards surgery intermediate- and low-risk subjects. Considering the common characteristics of frailty and high comorbidity among AS patients, cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has been proven to improve not only survival but also quality of life in previous reports. CR as a classⅠ recommendation in guidelines for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease has been widely used in clinical practice. The purpose of this article is to sort out the current CR programs for TAVR patients in global medical management, and explore the CR optimization program fit for China medical model in post COVID-19 pandemic era.

Clinical efficacy and safety of thrombolytic treatment with reteplase in patients with intermediate-risk acute pulmonary embolism / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective@#To assess the efficacy and safety of thrombolytic treatment with reteplase in patients with intermediate-risk acute pulmonary embolism.@*Methods@#Ten consecutive patients with intermediate-risk acute pulmonary embolism who received thrombolytic treatment with reteplase at Thrombosis and Vascular Medicine Center, Fuwai Hospital from March to November in 2016 were included.Vital signs, right ventricular diameter, systolic pulmonary artery pressure, and biochemical markers were assessed before and after thrombolytic therapy with reteplase, and bleeding complications were also observed during 3 months follow up.@*Results@#(1) For the efficacy outcomes: at 48 hours after thrombolytic treatment with reteplase, echocardiography-derived diameter of right ventricular was significant reduced from (27.9±3.8) mm to (24.8±2.6) mm (P=0.03), systolic pulmonary artery pressure decreased from (63.9±21.6) mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) to (34.4±19.8) mmHg (P=0.02). Heart rate and breathing rate were also decreased significantly (both P<0.05), blood pressure remained unchanged post therapy.Hypoxemia was quickly corrected with an significant elevation of PaO2 and SaO2 ((65.2±14.3) mmHg vs. (80.0±9.6) mmHg, P=0.006; (90.8±3.5)% vs. (95.2 ±1.6)%, P=0.002 respectively). PaCO2 was also increased significantly (P<0.05). Serum NT-proBNP and cTnI were decreased significantly (both P<0.05). There was no recurrent pulmonary embolism or deep-vein thrombosis during the 3 months follow-up. (2) For the safety outcomes: a thrombolytic relevant hemoptysis (about 70 ml) occurred in 1 patient, and was controlled by PCC therapy.No other clinically relevant events were observed during thrombolytic treatment. Eight patients were followed more than 3 months, there was no major bleeding complication or death during the follow up period.@*Conclusion@#Treatment of intermediate-risk acute pulmonary embolism with reteplase is effective and safe and there are no obvious side effects.

Peak oxygen consumption, NT-proBNP and echocardiographic changes in patients with chronic heart failure / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess peak oxygen consumption (peak VO₂) derived from cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), concentrations of NT-proBNP and echocardiographic changes in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, <40%).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy patients were included and divided into two groups according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification: NYHA II group (17 cases) and NYHA III-IV group (53 cases). The basic clinical information, plasma concentration of NT-proBNP at rest, echocardiographic parameters and peak VO₂from CPET were compared between two groups. Correlation among peak VO₂, NT-proBNP and echocardiographic parameters in this patient cohort was assessed and their abilities to discriminate the NYHA III-IV grade were analyzed through c-Statistic.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Left atrial diameter ((51.3 ± 7.2) mm vs. (44.0±7.4) mm, P<0.001) was larger, plasma concentration of NT-proBNP (1 379-4 399 pmol/L vs. 1 109-2 356 pmol/L, P<0.01) was higher and peak VO₂((13.4 ± 3.5) ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ vs. (18.2 ± 3.7) ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, P<0.001) were significantly lower in NYHA III-IV group than those in NYHA II group. However, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) and LVEF were similar between two groups. Peak VO₂correlated significantly with NT-proBNP (r=-0.311, P<0.01), but neither peak VO₂nor NT-proBNP correlated with echocardiographic parameters (LA, LVEDD and LVEF). ROC analysis showed that peak VO₂had the strongest discriminatory power for detecting NYHA III-IV grade patients (AUC=0.835, P<0.001), followed by the NT-proBNP (AUC=0.723, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Peak VO₂is a more sensitive parameter to detect the disease aggravation (NYHA III-IV grade) of the CHF patients with reduced LVEF compared to plasma NT-proBNP and echocardiographic parameters (LA, LVEDD, LVEF).</p>

Clinical value of cardiopulmonary exercise testing derived oxygen uptake efficiency parameters in patients with end-stage chronic heart failure / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) derived performance of oxygen uptake and ventilation efficiency parameters, including oxygen uptake efficiency plateau (OUEP) , oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES), V·E/V·CO2 slope and lowest V·E/V·CO2, in patients with end-stage chronic heart failure (CHF) and evaluate their clinical value on monitoring cardiac function and hemodynamic status.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 26 end-stage CHF patients considered for heart transplantation were enrolled in this study. CPET, echocardiography and invasive hemodynamic examinations with Swan-Ganz flowing balloon catheter were performed. Correlation analysis was made between oxygen uptake and ventilation efficiency parameters from CPET and echocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>OUEP and OUES showed good correlation with peak oxygen consumption (peak V·O2) (r = 0.535, P < 0.01;r = 0.840, P < 0.001). In end-stage CHF patients, the slope of OUEP with respect to peak V·O2 is about 32, but the slope of OUES with respect to peak V·O2 is only about 2. The difference was 16 times. The change of OUEP was more sensitive and significant than those of OUES and peak V·O2 (P < 0.05). OUEP, peak V·O2 (%pred), V·E/V·CO2 slope and lowest V·E/V·CO2 were all correlated well with non-invasive hemodynamic parameters peak cardiac output (r = 0.535, P < 0.01; r = 0.652, P < 0.001; r = -0.640, P < 0.001; r = -0.606, P = 0.001 respectively) and peak cardiac index (r = 0.556, P < 0.01;r = 0.772, P < 0.001; r = -0.641, P < 0.001; r = -0.620, P < 0.001 respectively) derived from CPET, but not correlated with invasive hemodynamic parameters cardiac output and cardiac index at rest (P > 0.05). Both peak V·O2 (%pred) and V·E/V·CO2 slope were significantly correlated with invasive hemodynamic parameters systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (r = -0.424, P < 0.05; r = 0.509, P < 0.01) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure (r = -0.479, P < 0.05; r = 0.405, P < 0.05). Peak V·O2 (%pred) was also significantly correlated with pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (r = -0.415, P < 0.05), and V·E/V·CO2 slope was significantly correlated with pulmonary vascular resistance (r = 0.429, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The oxygen uptake and ventilation efficiency parameters derived from CPET, including peak V·O2, OUEP, lowest V·E/V·CO2 and V·E/V·CO2 slope etc, are objectively monitoring and evaluating cardiac function and hemodynamic status. And they are useful for optimizing clinical management of patients with end-stage CHF.</p>