Cardiac involvement in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis: acute eosinophilic myocarditis and chronic inflammatory cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVES: Currently, cardiac involvement is used to describe all eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) cardiac problems. However, heterogeneity exists among them. We aimed to depict the disease spectrum of EGPA cardiac involvement and identify high-risk population. METHODS: We included EGPA patients hospitalized in our center from 2012 to 2023 and in public databases. Based on the cardiac enzymes, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and endomyocardial biopsy results, the patients were divided into 3 groups: eosinophilic myocarditis (EGPA-EM), chronic inflammatory cardiomyopathy (EGPA-ICM) and EGPA-Control. Their clinical, laboratory, imaging results and prognoses were collected and compared. RESULTS: A total of 193 EGPA patients were included, 118 with cardiac involvement (74 EGPA-EM, 44 EGPA-ICM) and 75 control. Among EGPA-control, EGPA-ICM and EGPA-EM, eosinophil increased (6.12/8.71/10.42 × 109/l, p< 0.01), ANCA positivity decreased (41.33/31.82/14.86%, p< 0.01), and lung involvement reduced (73.33/72.73/43.24%, p= 0.02). In EGPA-EM, cardiac troponin further elevated (0.27 vs 6.00 ng/ml, p< 0.01), ejection fractions decreased (57.79 vs 33.20%, p< 0.01), while more ST-T abnormality was observed (41.89 vs 20.45%, p= 0.02). The prognosis of EGPA-EM was significantly worse, with 14.86% death rate, and 2-year event-free survival rate below 50%. Further, we proposed a LATE-EAST diagnostic score (7 items, 9 points) to discriminate EGPA-EM from EGPA-ICM using 4 points as threshold [AUC 0.85 (95%CI 0.78-0.92), sensitivity 0.78, specificity 0.86]. CONCLUSIONS: We first proposed different subtypes of cardiac involvement in EGPA. Identification and treatment of EGPA-EM needs improvement. LATE-EAST score could recognize the high-risk EGPA-EM effectively. Multi-disciplinary treatment is warranted, immunosuppressive therapy should be given timely and anti-IL-5 antibodies be tested in trials.

Validation of E/e' Using the Index-Beat Method as an Estimate of Left Atrial Pressure in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

INTRODUCTION: Echocardiographic assessment of diastolic function during atrial fibrillation (AF) remains challenging due to the irregular cardiac cycle length. We sought to assess whether the index-beat method, the beat following two preceding cardiac cycles of equal duration, could provide a more reliable measurement of E/e' (mitral E wave/diastolic tissue Doppler velocity) than the conventional averaging of consecutive beats and hence facilitate the noninvasive estimation of elevated left atrial pressure (LAP) in patients with AF. METHODS: We prospectively studied 35 patients with persistent AF who had preserved left ventricular ejection fraction and underwent radiofrequency ablation. LAP was measured in conjunction with transseptal puncture during catheter ablation. Echocardiography was performed 24 h before ablation and E/e' was determined using the recommended averaging of 10 beats and the index-beat method, with the observers blinded to the clinical details and LAP measurements. RESULTS: Correlation analysis showed a strong positive correlation between two methods in terms of both septal E/e' (r = 0.841, p < 0.001) and lateral E/e' (r = 0.930, p < 0.001). Bland-Altman analysis also showed a good agreement between the two measurement methods in terms of E/e'. E/e' determined using both conventional averaging and the index-beat method was significantly correlated with LAP (p < 0.05). After Fisher Z transformation, we found that the index-beat septal E/e' had a better correlation with LAP than did the conventional averaging E/e' (r = 0.736 vs. r = 0.392, Zr = -2.110, p = 0.035). Furthermore, the index-beat method took significantly less time to measure E/e' (mean 33.6 s; 95% confidence intervals [CIs]: 32.1 s-36.2 s) than did conventional averaging method (mean 96.2 s; 95% CI: 90.2 s-102.3 s; p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the optimal cut-off for predicting mean LAP >12 mm Hg was 11 (sensitivity 100%; specificity 77.3%) for index-beat septal E/e' and 16 (sensitivity 61.5%; specificity 95.5%) for index-beat lateral E/e'. CONCLUSIONS: Good correlations were found between E/e' and LAP in patients with AF, particularly with the index-beat method. Moreover, the index-beat method can easily measure E/e' at an accuracy similar to that for the conventional averaging of consecutive beats, which can therefore be applied to assess the diastolic dysfunction and potentially improve the diagnosis of heart failure in patients with AF.

Interventricular systolic asynchrony predicts prognosis in patients with systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a serious complication of SSc with high mortality. Interventricular systolic asynchrony (IVSA) is observed in PAH patients, but the effect of IVSA and its association with long-term mortality and clinical events in SSc-associated PAH are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of IVSA on the prognosis of SSc-associated PAH. METHODS: Between March 2010 and July 2018, a total of 60 consecutive patients with SSc-associated PAH were enrolled. The end point was a composite of all-cause mortality and clinical worsening. Asynchrony was assessed by colour-coded tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) echocardiography. The myocardial sustained systole curves (Sm) of the basal portion of the right ventricular (RV) free wall and left ventricular (LV) lateral wall were obtained. IVSA was defined as the time difference from the onset of the QRS complex to the end of Sm between LV and RV. RESULTS: Patients with greater IVSA time differences presented with advanced pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). The IVSA time difference was an independent predictive factor (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 1.018, 95% CI: 1.005, 1.031, P =0.005) for the composite end point and was significantly associated with PVR (r = 0.399, R2=0.092, P =0.002). Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that patients with greater IVSA had worse prognoses (log-rank P =0.001). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, IVSA analysed by colour-coded TDI echocardiography provided added value as a noninvasive, easy-to-use approach for assessing the prognosis of patients with SSc-associated PAH. A significant IVSA time difference identifies the subgroup of patients at high risk of a poor prognosis.

Characterization of myocardial oxidative metabolism and myocardial external efficiency in high-risk alcohol cardiotoxicity and alcoholic cardiomyopathy via dynamic 11C-Acetate positron emission tomography.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate subjects with high-risk alcohol cardiotoxicity and patients with alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) via dynamic 11C-Acetate positron emission tomography (PET) imaging as a myocardial oxidative metabolic probe. METHODS AND RESULTS: We recruited 37 subjects with chronic alcohol consumption [18 with moderate consumption (MC), 19 with heavy consumption (HC)], 5 ACM patients, and 12 healthy controls to receive dynamic 11C-Acetate PET scans. PET imaging data were analyzed to calculate kinetic parameters (e.g., Kmono, K1 and k2) based on the mono-exponential and one-tissue compartmental models. Myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) and myocardial external efficiency (MEE) were then derived from these kinetic parameters. MVO2 was significantly lowered in the HC group and in ACM patients (0.121± 0.018 and 0.111 ± 0.017 mL·g-1·min-1, respectively) compared with those in healthy controls and MC subjects (0.144 ± 0.023 and 0.146 ± 0.027 mL·g-1·min-1, respectively; P < .01). MEE was significantly reduced in ACM patients (13.0% ± 4.3%) compared with those of healthy controls (22.4% ± 4.6%, P < .01), MC subjects (20.1% ± 4.5%, P < .05), and HC subjects (22.3% ± 4.5%, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Functional assessment via dynamic 11C-Acetate PET imaging may represent a clinically feasible probe for identifying cohorts with high-risk cardiotoxicity due to addictive alcohol consumption and ACM.

Prognostic value of left atrial mechanics in cardiac light-chain amyloidosis with preserved ejection fraction: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Light-chain amyloidosis is a plasma cell disorder associated with poor outcomes, especially when the heart is involved. The characteristics of left atrial (LA) function and its prognostic implications in cardiac amyloidosis (CA) have not been fully investigated. METHODS: Between April 2014 and June 2019, 93 patients with a diagnosis of CA, normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and sinus rhythm were included. Their clinical, baseline echocardiographic and follow-up data were investigated. LA function, including LA strain and strain rate, was assessed using 2D speckle tracking echocardiography in different LA functional phases. RESULTS: Among all patients, 38 (40.9%) died. Multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that LA mechanics regarding LA reservoir and booster pump functions were independent predictors for overall survival. Traditional echocardiographic parameters for LA structure like LA volume index and LA width were not associated with mortality. Moreover, LA strain and strain rate in reservoir and contractile phases improved the discrimination and goodness of fit of the conventional prognostic model, the Mayo criteria 2004 and 2012, in our study population. Decreased LA mechanics were associated with impaired left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function, and LA reservoir and contractile functions were associated with LA structure. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of LA reservoir and contractile functions via 2D speckle tracking echocardiographic LA mechanical indices provide clinical and prognostic insights into cardiac light-chain amyloidosis patients, especially those with preserved EF and sinus rhythm. Emphasizing the monitoring of LA function may be beneficial for the prognosis prediction of CA.

Electrophysiological, structural, and functional disorders in patients with inflammatory cardiomyopathy secondary to inflammatory myopathy.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory cardiomyopathy (IC) is a syndrome with chronic myocarditis and cardiac remodeling. This study aimed to explore predicting factors of adverse outcomes in patients with IC secondary to idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM-IC). METHODS: By means of a single-center retrospective study, 52 patients with IIM-IC at Peking Union Medical College Hospital were identified from January 1999 to June 2019. Electrocardiogram and echocardiography data were analyzed for the primary outcome (defined as all-cause death) and secondary outcomes (defined as re-hospitalization of heart failure and all-cause death), using regression and survival analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, Q-wave abnormality, left ventricular conduction abnormalities, and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (≤40%) were 65.4%, 67.3%, 67.3%, 61.6%, and 50.5%. After a median follow-up of 2 years (IQR 0.8-3.0), 26 cases were readmitted due to heart failure. Twenty-two deaths were recorded, including 20 cardiogenic deaths. Among the patients with adverse events, the incidence of poor R-wave progression, low-voltage of the limb leads, Q-wave abnormality, QRS duration >130 ms, left ventricular enlargement, and impaired systolic function were higher. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that Q-wave abnormality, limb leads low-voltage, LVEF ≤40%, and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension >60 mm were correlated with shorter survival. However, multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that only Q-wave abnormality (HR = 12.315) and LVEF ≤40% (HR = 5.616) were independent risk factors for all-cause death. CONCLUSION: Q-wave abnormality and reduced LVEF are predictive of poor prognosis in patients with IIM-IC.

Ventricular arrhythmia predicts poor outcome in polymyositis/dermatomyositis with myocardial involvement.

OBJECTIVE: Myocardial involvement (MCI) is known to increase morbidity and mortality in polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM). This study aims to investigate whether complicating with ventricular arrhythmia (VA) predicts poor outcomes in patients with PM/DM-related myocardial involvement (PM/DM-MCI). METHODS: We reviewed all PM/DM-MCI patients admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from October 1997 to April 2019. VA and the other possible risk factors for the composite endpoint, including death from any cause and rehospitalization for cardiac causes, were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 75 PM/DM-MCI patients (44 PM and 31 DM) were enrolled, of which 27 (36%) met the composite endpoint during a median follow-up of 24 months. Independent prognostic factors for the composite endpoint include VA [HR 4.215, 95% CI (1.737, 10.230)], NT-proBNP > 3415 pg/ml [HR 2.606, 95% CI (1.203, 5.646)], interstitial lung disease [HR 2.688, 95% CI (1.209, 5.978)], and anti-cardiac remodelling therapy [HR 0.302, 95% CI (0.115, 0.792)]. The 3-year event-free survival rate of patients without VA was significantly higher than that of patients with VA (63.3% vs 40.7%, P = 0.034). Skin lesions [OR 0.163, 95% CI (0.051, 0.523)] and positive antimitochondrial antibody [OR 3.484, 95% CI (1.192, 10.183)] were independent predictors of VA. CONCLUSION: VA provides prognostic insights for PM/DM-MCI patients and predicts poor outcome. Polymyositis and positive antimitochondrial antibody are closely associated with the presence of VA in PM/DM-MCI.

Myocardial tissue and metabolism characterization in men with alcohol consumption by cardiovascular magnetic resonance and 11C-acetate PET/CT.

BACKGROUND: Chronic alcohol consumption initially leads to asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction, but can result in myocardial impairment and heart failure if ongoing. This study sought to characterize myocardial tissues and oxidative metabolism in asymptomatic subjects with chronic alcohol consumption by quantitative cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and 11C-acetate positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT). METHODS: Thirty-four male subjects (48.8 ± 9.1 years) with alcohol consumption > 28 g/day for > 10 years and 35 age-matched healthy male subjects (49.5 ± 9.7 years) underwent CMR and 11C-acetate PET/CT. Native and post T1 values and extracellular volume (ECV) from CMR and Kmono and K1 from PET imaging were measured. Quantitative measurements by CMR and PET imaging were compared between subjects with moderate to heavy alcohol consumption and healthy controls, and their correlations were also analyzed. RESULTS: Compared to healthy controls, subjects with alcohol consumption showed significantly shorter native T1 (1133 ± 65 ms vs. 1186 ± 31 ms, p < 0.001) and post T1 (477 ± 42 ms vs. 501 ± 38 ms, p = 0.008) values, greater ECV (28.2 ± 2.2% vs. 26.9 ± 1.3%, p = 0.003), marginally lower Kmono (57.6 ± 12.1 min- 1 × 10- 3 vs. 63.0 ± 11.7 min- 1 × 10- 3, p = 0.055), and similar K1 (0.82 ± 0.13 min- 1 vs. 0.83 ± 0.15 min- 1, p = 0.548) after adjusting for confounding factors. There were no significant differences in CMR measurements and K1 between subjects with heavy and moderate alcohol consumption (all p > 0.05). In contrast, subjects with heavy alcohol consumption showed significantly lower Kmono values compared to those with moderate alcohol consumption (52.9 ± 12.1 min- 1 × 10- 3 vs. 63.7 ± 9.2 min- 1 × 10- 3, p = 0.012). Strong and moderate correlations were found between K1 and ECV in healthy controls (r = 0.689, p = 0.013) and subjects with moderate alcohol consumption (r = 0.518, p = 0.048), respectively. CONCLUSION: Asymptomatic men with heavy alcohol consumption have detectable structural and metabolic changes in myocardium on CMR and 11C-acetate PET/CT. Compared with quantitative CMR, 11C-acetate PET/CT imaging may be more sensitive for detecting differences in myocardial damage among subjects with moderate to heavy alcohol consumption.

Impact of coronary involvement on long-term outcomes in patients with Takayasu's arteritis.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the predictors of coronary involvement, and to determine the impact of coronary involvement on long-term outcomes in patients with Takayasu's arteritis (TAK). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study of TAK patients with coronary evaluation by angiography or computed tomography angiography was conducted in a tertiary center between 1990 and 2018. Risk factors for coronary involvement and predictors of overall survival, cardiovascular event-free survival, and relapse-free survival were investigated. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 4.3 years (IQR 2.8-7.1). Out of 130 consecutive TAK patients, 71 (54.6%) had coronary involvement. Multivariate analysis revealed that age (OR: 1.537 per 10-year increase, 95% CI: 1.176-2.009, p=0.002) and type V angiographic classification (OR: 3.449, 95% CI: 1.600-7.437, p=0.002) were independent predictors of coronary involvement. Coronary involvement (HR: 8.358, 95% CI: 1.887-37.033, p=0.015), left ventricular systolic dysfunction (HR: 3.889, 95% CI: 1.467-10.311, p=0.006), and aortic regurgitation (HR: 3.373, 95% CI: 1.209-9.408, p=0.020) were independent predictors of overall survival. Furthermore, coronary involvement and baseline active disease were independently associated with increased major cardiovascular events (HR: 10.333, 95% CI: 2.326-45.906, p=0.017; HR: 7.084, 95% CI: 1.677-29.914, p=0.008, respectively) and relapse (HR: 5.186, 95% CI: 2.381-11.295, p<0.001; HR: 5.694, 95% CI: 2.022-16.031, p=0.001, respectively). No immunosuppressive therapy was independently associated with increased cardiovascular events (HR: 2.560, 95% CI: 1.181-5.550, p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Coronary involvement is an important predictor of poor long-term outcomes in patients with TAK. Increasing age and type V angiographic classification can help to identify TAK patients with coronary involvement.

Pharmaceutical Treatment for Heart Failure.

Heart failure (HF) is defined as a clinical syndrome resulting from structural or functional impairment of ventricular fillings or ejections of blood. Currently, HF is divided into three groups which include HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and HF with midrange EF (HFmrEF). Even though major advances have been made in treating HFrEF during the past decades, heart failure is a fatal disease. In this review, we briefly summarize the current advances in pharmaceutical managements for heart failure, which includes drugs used in acute heart failure as well as those that prevent heart failure progression, in each category major clinical trials are also described. In addition, information about some of potential new drugs are also mentioned. Traditional Chinese medicine also shows its potential in treating HF, and we are still lack of medicine to treat HFpEF.

Clinical Characteristics, Treatment, and Outcomes in Patients with Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy Concomitant with Heart Failure.

This study sought to evaluate clinical features, treatment patterns, and outcomes of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) complicated by heart failure (HF). Thirty-two patients with IIM-HF admitted to the Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 1999 and January 2018 were retrospectively reviewed, including 14 patients with polymyositis, 11 with dermatomyositis, and 7 with overlap syndrome. Survivors and no-survivors were compared on clinical characteristics and treatment. Although systemic symptoms were variable, all patients presented with elevated troponin I. Rapid atrial arrhythmia was the most frequent arrhythmia. Systolic dysfunction and restrictive diastolic dysfunction were typical presentations in echocardiography. Twenty-nine patients were followed up for a median of 2.8 years (0.1 month to 11 years). We recorded 13 deaths of cardiogenic cause, 1 of serious IIM, and 3 of infective complications. The median survival time from diagnosis of IIM-HF to all-cause mortality was 8.4 months (range from 1 month to 5 years). Both all-cause deaths and cardiogenic deaths were more reported in the methotrexate-alone group than in the combination therapy group (6/7 versus 3/10, P = 0.050; 5/6 versus 2/9, P = 0.041). Combination therapy including methotrexate (HR = 0.188, 95%CI 0.040-0.871, P = 0.033) and taking ß-receptor blockers (HR = 0.249, 95%CI 0.086-0.719, P = 0.010) was associated with reduced risk of all-cause deaths. In conclusion, elevated troponin I, atrial arrhythmia, and systolic and restrictive diastolic dysfunction are typical characteristics of IIM-HF. Combined immunosuppression that includes methotrexate and ß-receptor blockers seems to be important to improve survival.

C-reactive protein for predicting cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetic patients: A meta-analysis.

AIMS: There is interest in using blood C-reactive protein (CRP) to predict adverse prognosis outcomes patients with type 2 diabetes. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association between elevated baseline CRP level and unfavorable outcomes in type 2 diabetes patients. MATERIALS/METHODS: PubMed and Embase databases were systematically searched for studies on the association of elevated baseline CRP level with cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality from their inception to July 2018. Pooled risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was calculated for the highest versus the lowest CRP level. RESULTS: Six prospective cohort studies and two post hoc analyses of randomized controlled trials involving 22,322 type 2 diabetes patients were included. Meta-analysis indicated that type 2 diabetes patients with the highest CRP level had a greater risk of all-cause mortality (RR 2.03; 95% CI 1.49-2.75) and cardiovascular mortality (RR 1.76; 95% CI 1.46-2.13). Subgroups analysis indicated that the increased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality risk was consistently found in different study design, follow-up duration or patients with or without cardiovascular risk/established cardiovascular disease subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis indicates that elevated baseline serum CRP level is independently associated with future cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetes patients.

Top 100 most-cited articles on echocardiography: A bibliometric analysis.

Echocardiography has been widely applied since 1970s, and has developed into a reliable approach to assess the heart in both cardiology and interdisciplinary settings. A bibliometric analysis can reveal its development history, major applications, and trending in the future. Two independent researchers conducted proper literature retrieval in Web of Science database and ranked search results by total citation. The abstracts of articles were carefully reviewed and top 100 most-cited articles were included. Most top-cited studies on echocardiography were performed in USA (66%) by cardiologists (62%) and published in high-impact cardiology specialized journals like Circulation (39%). Most top-cited articles were published in two 5-year intervals of 1995 ~ 1999 and 2000 ~ 2004 which witnessed the invention and promotion of new echocardiographic techniques including Doppler tissue imaging and speckle tracking imaging. Most commonly used technologies to investigate primary study endpoints were two-dimensional echocardiography, M-mode echocardiography, and Doppler flow imaging. Left ventricular structure (25%), function (19%), and valvular heart disease (13%) have remained vital subjects since the birth of echocardiography. Four of top 10 most-cited articles published after 2009 focused on the effectiveness of novel cardiovascular therapies and another four focused on cardiotoxicity of cancer chemotherapies. The majority of top-cited studies on echocardiography were performed in USA and published in cardiology specialized journals by cardiologists. The structure and function of left ventricle and valvular heart disease have remained vital subjects since the birth of echocardiography, which will probably be widely applied to evaluate the effect of various treatments on cardiovascular system.

Characterization of Compacted Myocardial Abnormalities by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance With Native T1 Mapping in Left Ventricular Non-Compaction Patients　- A Comparison With Late Gadolinium Enhancement.

BACKGROUND: Native T1 mapping is an emerging cardiac magnetic resonance technique for quantitative evaluation of cardiomyopathies. This study aimed to investigate the usefulness of native T1 mapping in characterizing myocardial abnormalities in left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) by comparing it with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). METHODS AND RESULTS: The study group of 31 LVNC patients and 8 normal controls underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance to acquire the native T1 maps and LGE images. Of the 31 LVNC patients, 14 had LGE. The mean native T1 value of the normal controls, LGE(-) and LGE(+) patients was 1,098.8±40.8 ms, 1140.6±32.8 ms, and 1181.4±53.7 ms, respectively. Significant differences were found in native T1 between any 2 groups (F=9.74, P<0.001). In discriminating the presence of LGE in LVNC patients, the odds ratio and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) of native T1 were, respectively, 2.966 (95% CI: 1.123-7.835, P=0.028) and 4.348 (95% CI: 1.155-16.363, P=0.030) before and after adjusting for confounding factors with an increment of 1 standard deviation. CONCLUSIONS: The finding that LGE(-) patients had elevated native T1 compared with normal controls suggested native T1 mapping can be used earlier than LGE imaging to detect myocardial fibrosis in LVNC patients. Furthermore, higher native T1 values in LGE(+) patients than in the LGE(-) group suggested native T1 mapping is more sensitive than LGE imaging for identifying myocardial fibrosis in LVNC patients. (Circ J 2016; 80: 1210-1216).

Increased Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor Expression on Circulating Monocytes Is Correlated with Clinical Instability and Long-Term Adverse Cardiac Events in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to investigate the clinical correlates and prognostic roles of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) on circulating monocytes in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: 263 angina patients were included in this study. The percentage of uPAR expressing monocytes (PUEM) and the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) index of uPAR were measured using flow cytometry. Patient follow-up was on average 604 days. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were defined as a composite of cardiac death, reinfarction, acute heart failure and hospitalization for revascularization. RESULTS: The PUEM and MFI index levels were significantly more elevated in acute coronary syndrome patients than in stable ones. uPAR expressions on circulating monocytes at admission were correlated to inflammatory biomarkers and myocardial necrosis. Logistic regression analysis revealed that PUEM ≥15% (OR 21.96, 95% CI 7.31-65.98, p < 0.001) and uPAR MFI index ≥3.00 (OR 3.54, 95% CI 1.18-10.59, p = 0.024) were independent determinants of clinical instability in patients with CAD. When followed up, a high PUEM level at admission was an independent prognostic parameter for long-term MACE (HR 3.99, 95% CI 1.31-12.11, p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: uPAR expression on circulating monocytes is associated with clinical instability and myocardial necrosis and independently predicts the risk of MACE in patients with CAD.

Correlation between severity of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and pulmonary artery systolic pressure: a study of 338 patients.

PURPOSE: Study of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. OBJECTIVE: To examine the correlation between pulmonary arterial pressure and coronal Cobb angle of idiopathic scoliosis. METHODS: A total of 338 patients (82.8 % female) with idiopathic scoliosis (average age 15.6 years; range 14-20 years) were included. Preoperatively, the coronal Cobb angle of curvature and the apex location and direction were determined from radiographic records. Tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) and inferior vena cava diameter were also measured using Doppler echocardiography. Pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (sPAP) was calculated from the TRV according to the modified Bernoulli equation and correlations between sPAP and the features of scoliosis were identified by statistical analysis. RESULTS: Among the 338 patients, there were 305 thoracic curves, 276 (90.5 %) of which were right curves, and 265 thoracolumbar/lumbar curves. sPAP varied from 5.0 to 37.6 mmHg. Pulmonary hypertension could not be excluded in the case of one patient. A mild correlation (Spearman test, correlation coefficient = 0.187, P = 0.001) between sPAP and coronal Cobb angle of the main thoracic (MT) curves was identified. Correlations between sPAP and the degree of other curves were not significant. Patients with sPAP >20 mmHg also had larger thoracic curve angles (mean MT 42.16° vs. 52.45°; U test, P = 0.002). There were no differences in sPAP levels between patients with right and left thoracic curves. CONCLUSIONS: A mild positive correlation was identified between sPAP and the coronal Cobb angle of the MT curves. There was no relationship between sPAP and the direction of the curvature.

[The clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical characteristics and risk factors in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). METHODS: A total of 35 patients admitted in Peking Union Medical College Hospital and diagnosed with PPCM between January 1995 and December 2014 was included and analyzed in this study. The subjects were divided into two groups: the early recovery and delayed recovery. Early recovery was defined as normalization of left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥50% before 6 months post-diagnosis. Delayed recovery was defined if the length of time required for recovery of LVEF was longer than 6 months or death was reported during follow-up. Risk factors for delayed recovery were assessed. RESULTS: The incidence of PPCM was 1 per 1 067 deliveries between the study periods. The age of the 35 patients was (28.9 ± 5.6) years old. Among them, 20 (57.1%) patients were not in the first pregnancy, 13 (37.1%) had delivered before, and 5 (14.3%) patients had twin pregnancies. The LVEF at diagnosis was (34.1 ± 8.0) %. 62.9% (22 cases) of the subjects were in the early recovery, while 37.1% (13 cases) of the subjects were in the delayed recovery group, 2 of whom suffered death. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that LVEF(OR=1.339, 95%CI 1.063-1.688, P=0.013)and left ventricle end-dilated diameter(OR 0.763, 95%CI 0.607-0.960, P=0.021)were independent risk factors for delayed recovery. CONCLUSIONS: PPCM is a rare but life-threatening complication of pregnancy. LVEF and left ventricle end-dilated diameter at diagnosis were two independent factors associated with the prognosis of PPCM.

[Case-control study of expansion of heart cavity and great vessel diameters in acromegaly].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate alternations of heart cavity and great vessel diameters and their risk factors in acromegalic patients. METHODS: Ninety-two cases, diagnosed as acromegaly, were selected as research subjects from January 2013 to December 2013 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. There were 37 males and 55 females with an average age of 41.2 years (SD, 12.5 years, range from 19 to 67 years old). Ninety-two sex and age matched healthy individuals were selected as controls. Disease history, echocardiography, endocrine hormone levels were collected to make contractive analysis. We analyzed the related risk factors of great vessel diameters expansion with binary logistic regression analysis and finally obtained the OR (odd ratio) and predictive formula. RESULTS: Left ventricle end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricle end-systolic diameter (LVESD), left atrium longitudinal dimension (LALD), right ventricle longitudinal dimension (RVLD), aortic root dimension (AORD), ascending aorta (AA), main pulmonary artery (MPA) were higher in patients with acromegaly than in healthy people, P<0.05. The comparison between expanded vessel diameters and normal vessel diameters in acromegalics showed that difference of disease duration was of statistical significance, OR= 1.011. We got the formula: logit (ADE)=-3.420+0.011 × duration of disease. CONCLUSION: Heart cavity and vessel diameters in acromegalic patients were higher than that in public. Expanding of great vessel diameters mainly depend on duration of disease instead of serum GH and IGF-1 level, and the duration of disease is the risk factor of the expansion of great vessel diameters.

[The clinical implication of left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical implications of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in patients with pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PH/PGL). METHODS: Seventy-eight PH/PGL patients receiving medical attention at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from October 2010 to April 2013 were included in the study.Forty-six healthy people who had no hypertension, pathoglycemia, dyslipidemia history, and with normal chest X-ray, electrocardiogram and echocardiography results served as control group. Clinical symptoms and signs, levels of 24-hour urinary catecholamine, electrocardiogram and echocardiography of participants were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: (1)Left ventricular ejection fraction, cardiac output index, left ventricular mass index (LVMI), left atrial volume index (LAVI) and mitral E/E' were all significantly higher while mitral annulus lateral E' velocity was significantly lower in PH/PGL group than in control group (all P < 0.05). (2) LVH was associated with more prevalent acute left-sided heart failure episodes (12% (3/25) vs. 0, P = 0.030), sustained LVEF depression (12% (3/25) vs. 0, P = 0.030) and ECG ST-T segment alterations (60% (15/25) vs. 21% (11/53) , P = 0.001) in PH/PGL patients. LAVI ((30.2 ± 8.8) ml/m(2) vs. (23.8 ± 4.7) ml/m(2), P = 0.007) and mitral E/E' (11.2 ± 6.0 vs. 7.2 ± 1.4, P = 0.003) were significantly higher in patients with LVH than in patients without LVH. Mitral annulus septal ((7.8 ± 2.6) cm/s vs. (10.4 ± 3.2) cm/s, P = 0.001) and lateral ((9.3 ± 3.3) cm/s vs. (12.9 ± 2.9) cm/s, P < 0.001) E' velocity, averaged S' velocity((7.9 ± 1.6) cm/s vs. (8.8 ± 1.7) cm/s, P = 0.036) were significantly lower in LVH patients comparing to patients without LVH. (3) According to multiple linear regression analysis, age (t = 3.491, P = 0.001), gender (t = 2.899, P = 0.005), heart rate (t = 2.255, P = 0.027), and 24-hour urinary norepinephrine level (t = 3.369, P = 0.001) were independent factors affecting LVMI of PH/PGL patients. CONCLUSION: Left ventricular hypertrophy is associated with acute left-sided heart failure, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and elevated left ventricular filling pressure in PH/PGL patients.

A fetal rat model of ventricular noncompaction caused by intrauterine hyperglycemia.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to develop a fetal rat model of ventricular noncompaction (NVM) using streptozotocin (STZ)-induced gestational hyperglycemia and compare it with a retinoic acid (RA) model. METHODS: Female SD rats were categorized into STZ, RA, and normal control (NC) groups. The STZ group was given a high-fat diet pre-pregnancy and 35 mg/kg of 2% STZ postpregnancy. The RA group received a 90 mg/kg dose of RA on day 13 postpregnancy. Embryonic myocardial morphology was analyzed through HE staining, and embryonic cardiomyocyte ultrastructures were studied using electron microscopy. Diagnoses of NVM were based on a ratio of noncompact myocardium (N) to compact myocardium (C) >1.4, accompanied by thick myocardial trabeculae and a thin myocardial compaction layer. Kruskal-Wallis test determined N/C ratio differences among groups. RESULTS: Both STZ and RA groups displayed significant NVM characteristics. The left ventricular (LV) N/C in the STZ, RA, and NC groups were 1.983 (1.423-3.527), 1.640 (1.197-2.895), and 0.927 (0.806-1.087), respectively, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). The right ventricular (RV) N/C in the STZ, RA, and NC groups were 2.097 (1.364-3.081), 1.897 (1.337-2.662), and 0.869 (0.732-1.022), respectively, with a significant difference (P<0.001). Electron microscopy highlighted marked endoplasmic reticulum swelling in embryonic cardiomyocytes from both STZ and RA groups. CONCLUSION: Our model underscores the pivotal role of an adverse intrauterine developmental environment in the onset of NVM. This insight holds significant implications for future studies exploring the pathogenesis of NVM.