Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis is prevalent in cardiorenal patients but not associated with left ventricular function and myocardial fibrosis as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) is common in cardiovascular diseases and associated with hypertension, renal dysfunction and/or heart failure. There is a paucity of data about the prevalence and the role of ARAS in the pathophysiology of combined chronic heart failure (CHF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). We investigated the prevalence in patients with combined CHF/CKD and its association with renal function, cardiac dysfunction and the presence and extent of myocardial fibrosis. METHODS: The EPOCARES study (ClinTrialsNCT00356733) investigates the role of erythropoietin in anaemic patients with combined CHF/CKD. Eligible subjects underwent combined cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI), including late gadolinium enhancement, with magnetic resonance angiography of the renal arteries (MRA). RESULTS: MR study was performed in 37 patients (median age 74 years, eGFR 37.4 ± 15.6 ml/min, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 43.3 ± 11.2%), of which 21 (56.8%) had ARAS (defined as stenosis >50%). Of these 21 subjects, 8 (21.6%) had more severe ARAS >70% and 8 (21.6%) had a bilateral ARAS >50% (or previous bilateral PTA). There were no differences in age, NT-proBNP levels and medication profile between patients with ARAS versus those without. Renal function declined with the severity of ARAS (p = 0.03), although this was not significantly different between patients with ARAS versus those without. Diabetes mellitus was more prevalent in patients without ARAS (56.3%) against those with ARAS (23.8%) (p = 0.04). The presence and extent of late gadolinium enhancement, depicting myocardial fibrosis, did not differ (p = 0.80), nor did end diastolic volume (p = 0.60), left ventricular mass index (p = 0.11) or LVEF (p = 0.15). Neither was there a difference in the presence of an ischemic pattern of late enhancement in patients with ARAS versus those without. CONCLUSIONS: ARAS is prevalent in combined CHF/CKD and its severity is associated with a decline in renal function. However, its presence does not correlate with a worse LVEF, a higher left ventricular mass or with the presence and extent of myocardial fibrosis. Further research is required for the role of ARAS in the pathophysiology of combined chronic heart and renal failure.

Preoperative cardiac screening using NT-proBNP in obese patients 50 years and older undergoing bariatric surgery: a study of 310 consecutive patients.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and diseases. Because bariatric surgery is increasingly performed in relatively elderly patients, a risk for pre- and postoperative CV complications exists. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the value of plasma N-terminal-probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) as a CV screening tool. SETTING: High-volume bariatric center. METHODS: Between June 2019 and January 2020, all consecutive bariatric patients 50 years and older underwent preoperative NT-proBNP assessment in this cohort study to screen for CV disease. Patients with elevated NT-proBNP (≥125 pg/mL) were referred for further cardiac evaluation, including electrocardiography and echocardiography. RESULTS: We included 310 consecutive patients (median age, 56 years; 79% female; body mass index = 43±6.5 kg/m2). A history of CV disease was present in 21% of patients, mainly atrial fibrillation (7%) and coronary artery disease (10%). A total of 72 patients (23%) had elevated NT-proBNP levels, and 67 of them underwent further cardiac workup. Of these 67 patients, electrocardiography (ECG) showed atrial fibrillation in 7 patients (10%). On echocardiography, 3 patients had left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40%, 9 patients had LVEF 40%-49%, and 13 patients had LVEF ≥50% with structural and/or functional remodeling. In 2 patients, elevated NT-proBNP prompted workup leading to a diagnosis of coronary artery disease and consequent percutaneous coronary intervention in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated NT-proBNP levels are present in 23% of patients 50 years and older undergoing bariatric surgery. In 37% of them, there was echocardiographic evidence for structural and/or functional remodeling. Further studies are needed to assess if these preliminary results warrant routine application of NT-proBNP to identify patients at risk for CV complications after bariatric surgery.

The additive prognostic value of perfusion and functional data assessed by quantitative gated SPECT in women.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of technetium-99m tetrofosmin gated SPECT imaging in women using quantitative gated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. METHODS: We followed 453 consecutive female patients. Average follow-up was 1.33 years (max. 2.55). Hard endpoints were cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction, or documented ventricular fibrillation. Event-free survival curves were obtained. Optimal cutoff values for left ventricular (LV) volumes, LV ejection fraction (LVEF), and perfusion data to predict outcome were determined by ROC curve analysis. RESULTS: A total of 236 patients had an abnormal study, of whom 27 patients experienced hard events (16 deaths) and 47 patients soft events. For hard events summed stress score (SSS) and LVEF, and for any cardiac event SSS showed independent incremental prognostic value. The survival curves were maximally separated when using cutoff values for SSS of > or = 22 and LVEF < 52% (P < 0.001, HR 4.61 and P < 0.001 HR 5.24 for SSS and LVEF resp.), and SSS > or = 14 (P < 0.001 HR 3.76) for any cardiac event. CONCLUSION: In women, perfusion and functional parameters derived from quantitative gated technetium-99m tetrofosmin SPECT imaging can adequately be used for cardiac risk assessment. Using quantitative gated SPECT, female patients with an LVEF < 52% or an SSS > or = 22 are at increased risk for subsequent hard events. Furthermore, patients with an SSS > or = 14 are at increased risk for any cardiac events.

Prognostic value of gated SPECT in patients with left bundle branch block.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of quantitative gated technetium 99m tetrofosmin single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB). METHODS AND RESULTS: We followed up 101 consecutive patients with LBBB using Tc-99m tetrofosmin gated SPECT imaging. The mean follow-up was 1.24 years (maximum, 2.48 years). Hard endpoints were all-cause death and acute myocardial infarction. Event-free survival curves were obtained. Optimal cutoff points for left ventricular (LV) volumes and LV ejection fraction (EF) to predict outcome were determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Of the patients, 94 had an abnormal study. Fifteen hard events occurred (thirteen deaths). Perfusion abnormalities were similar for patients with or without events. For LV function parameters, the survival curves were maximally separated when we used cutoff values of 160 mL or greater for end-diastolic volume (P = .019 and hazard ratio [HR] of 1.04 for hard events, P = .024 and HR of 1.04 for all-cause death), 100 mL or greater for end-systolic volume (P = .043 and HR of 1.04 for hard events, P = .062 and HR of 1.04 for all-cause death), and lower than 35% for LVEF (P = .013 and HR of 0.81 for hard events, P = .047 and HR of 0.81 for all-cause death). CONCLUSION: By use of quantitative gated SPECT imaging, LBBB patients with an end-diastolic volume of 160 mL or greater, end-systolic volume of 100 mL or greater, or LVEF lower than 35% are at increased risk for subsequent cardiac events.

Staphylococcus aureus pericardial abscess presenting as a localized bulge of the heart contour.

Purulent pericarditis usually presents as an acute illness with diffuse involvement of the whole pericardium, but can rarely present as a localized effusion. Here, we present a patient with a pericardial abscess caused by Staphylococcus aureus. After surgical drainage of the abscess, the patient made a good recovery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of a pericardial abscess presenting as a localized bulge of the heart contour on the chest X-ray.

Evaluation of the Quantitative Gated SPECT (QGS) software program in the presence of large perfusion defects.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the reproducibility and operator dependence for the quantitative regional left ventricular functional parameters (LVFP) assessed by Cedars-Sinai's Quantitative automated gated SPECT (QGS) software. METHODS: The QGS algorithm was reviewed in detail and potential operator dependencies were defined. Series of prototypes were selected, consisting of (a) normal perfusion, (b) perfusion defects in all perfusion regions, (c) perfusion studies of patients with angiographic confirmed normal coronary arteries, proximal (>or=70% stenoses) single and multiple vessel disease, and (d) spurious activity in close proximity. While defining and re-orienting the volume containing the left ventricle, the operator adjusted 8 variables/degrees of freedom (DF). The software was used without further operator interventions. Results were expressed as a coefficient of variation (COV). Separate COV were calculated per distinct DF. A segment was considered not robust when the COV did exceed 20% in a single DF, 15% in at least 2 DF, or 10% in at least 3 DF. RESULTS: Regional left ventricular EF and volumes showed excellent reproducibility. Normal perfusion and the vessel disease prototypes showed an excellent COV (for all re-orientation steps [33/prototype]) mostly below 5% for LVFP. However, regional wall motion and thickening became less reliable in the presence of large perfusion defects or artifacts. CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative estimates for regional left ventricular functional data show excellent reproducibility using automated gated SPECT. However, there may be substantial operator dependency in the presence of large defects or spurious activity in close proximity.