Left atrial dysfunction in bicuspid aortic valve patients with severe aortic stenosis is associated with post-operative atrial fibrillation following aortic valve replacement.

Aims: To investigate (i) the association between pre-operative left atrial (LA) reservoir strain and post-operative atrial fibrillation (AF) and (ii) the incidence of post-operative ischaemic stroke events separately in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) patients after surgical aortic valve replacement for isolated severe aortic stenosis (AS). Methods and results: We prospectively enrolled 227 patients (n = 133 BAV and n = 94 TAV) with isolated severe AS scheduled for aortic valve replacement. A comprehensive intra- and inter-observer validated pre-operative echocardiogram with an analysis of LA reservoir strain was performed. Post-operative AF was defined as a sustained (>30 s) episode of AF or atrial flutter. The timing of neurological events was defined in accordance with the Valve Academic Research Consortium-3 criteria for stroke. Post-operative AF occurred in 114 of 227 patients (50.2%), with no difference between BAV and TAV patients (48.1 vs. 53.1%, P = 0.452). Persisting post-operative AF at discharge was more frequent in BAV patients (29.7 vs. 8.0%, P = 0.005). Pre-operative LA reservoir strain was independently associated with post-operative AF (odds ratio = 1.064, 95% confidence interval 1.032-1.095, P < 0.001), with a significant interaction between LA reservoir strain and aortic valve morphology (Pinteraction = 0.002). The cumulative transient ischemic attack (TIA)/stroke incidence during follow-up was significantly higher in BAV patients (19.1 vs. 5.8% at 5 years). Conclusion: Pre-operative LA function was associated with post-operative AF after aortic valve replacement in BAV AS patients, while post-operative AF in TAV AS patients likely depends on transient post-operative alterations and traditional cardiovascular risk factors. TIA/stroke during follow-up was more common in BAV AS patients.

Morphological and functional types of tricuspid regurgitation: prognostic value in patients undergoing tricuspid annuloplasty during left-sided valvular surgery.

BACKGROUND: The nonuniform benefit of tricuspid annuloplasty may be explained by the proportionality of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) severity to right ventricular (RV) area. The purpose of this study was to delineate distinct morphological phenotypes of functional TR and investigate their prognostic implications in patients undergoing tricuspid annuloplasty during left-sided valvular surgery. METHODS: The ratios of pre-procedural effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA) with right ventricular end-diastolic area (RVDA) were retrospectively assessed in 290 patients undergoing tricuspid annuloplasty. Based on optimal thresholds derived from penalized splines and maximally selected rank statistics, patients were stratified into proportionate (EROA/RVDA ratio ≤ 1.74) and disproportionate TR (EROA/RVDA ratio > 1.74). RESULTS: Overall, 59 (20%) and 231 (80%) patients had proportionate and disproportionate TR, respectively. Compared to those with proportionate TR, patients with disproportionate TR were older, had a higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation, lower pulmonary pressures, more impaired RV function, and larger tricuspid leaflet tenting area. Over a median follow-up of 4.1 years, 79 adverse events (47 heart failure hospitalizations and 32 deaths) occurred. Patients with disproportionate TR had higher rates of adverse events than those with proportionate TR (32% vs 10%; P = 0.001) and were independently associated with poor outcomes on multivariate analysis. TR proportionality outperformed guideline-based classification of TR severity in outcome prediction and provided incremental prognostic value to both the EuroSCORE II and STS score (incremental χ2 = 6.757 and 9.094 respectively; both P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Disproportionate TR is strongly associated with adverse prognosis and may aid patient selection and risk stratification for tricuspid annuloplasty with left-sided valvular surgery.

The role of imaging in the selection of patients for HFpEF therapy.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) traditionally has been characterized as a form of heart failure without therapeutic options, in particular with a lack of response to the established therapies of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, this is no longer true. Besides physical exercise, risk factor modification, aldosterone blocking agents, and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, specific therapies are emerging for specific HFpEF etiologies, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or cardiac amyloidosis. This development justifies increased efforts to arrive at specific diagnoses within the umbrella of HFpEF. Cardiac imaging plays by far the largest role in this effort and is discussed in the following review.

Three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography: how to use and when to use-a clinical consensus statement from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging of the European Society of Cardiology.

Three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography (3D TOE) has been rapidly developed in the last 15 years. Currently, 3D TOE is particularly useful as an additional imaging modality for the cardiac echocardiographers in the echo-lab, for cardiac interventionalists as a tool to guide complex catheter-based procedures cardiac, for surgeons to plan surgical strategies, and for cardiac anaesthesiologists and/or cardiologists, to assess intra-operative results. The authors of this document believe that acquiring 3D data set should become a 'standard part' of the TOE examination. This document provides (i) a basic understanding of the physic of 3D TOE technology which enables the echocardiographer to obtain new skills necessary to acquire, manipulate, and interpret 3D data sets, (ii) a description of valvular pathologies, and (iii) a description of non-valvular pathologies in which 3D TOE has shown to be a diagnostic tool particularly valuable. This document has a new format: instead of figures randomly positioned through the text, it has been organized in tables which include figures. We believe that this arrangement makes easier the lecture by clinical cardiologists and practising echocardiographers.

Myocardial External Efficiency in Asymptomatic Severe Primary Mitral Regurgitation Using 11C-Acetate PET.

Subjects with asymptomatic moderate-to-severe or severe primary mitral regurgitation are closely observed for signs of progression or symptoms requiring surgical intervention. The role of myocardial metabolic function in progression of mitral regurgitation is poorly understood. We used 11C-acetate PET to noninvasively measure myocardial mechanical external efficiency (MEE), which is the energetic ratio of external cardiac work and left ventricular (LV) oxygen consumption. Methods: Forty-seven patients in surveillance with mitral regurgitation and no or minimal symptoms prospectively underwent PET, echocardiography, and cardiac MRI on the same day. PET was used to simultaneously measure cardiac output, LV mass, and oxygen consumption to establish MEE. PET findings were compared between patients and healthy volunteers (n = 9). MEE and standard imaging indicators of regurgitation severity, LV volumes, and function were studied as predictors of time to surgical intervention. Patients were followed a median of 3.0 y (interquartile range, 2.0-3.8 y), and the endpoint was reached in 22 subjects (47%). Results: MEE in patients reaching the endpoint (23.8% ± 5.0%) was lower than in censored patients (28.5% ± 4.5%, P = 0.002) or healthy volunteers (30.1% ± 4.9%, P = 0.001). MEE with a cutoff lower than 25.7% was significantly associated with the outcome (hazard ratio, 7.5; 95% CI, 2.7-20.6; P < 0.0001) and retained independent significance when compared with standard imaging parameters. Conclusion: MEE independently predicted time to progression requiring valve surgery in patients with asymptomatic moderate-to-severe or severe primary mitral regurgitation. The study suggests that inefficient myocardial oxidative metabolism precedes clinically observed progression in mitral regurgitation.

Atrial functional mitral regurgitation: Insufficiently understood and recognized.

Atrial functional mitral regurgitation (AFMR) is a form of functional mitral regurgitation that is still insufficiently recognized and characterized. The driving cause of AFMR is atrial, not ventricular dilatation, usually due to long-standing atrial fibrillation, and often in association with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). An increase in mitral annular area leads to a loss of central coaptation of the leaflets, often resulting in an "override" configuration and flattening of the annulus, as well as a loss of annular contraction. The left ventricle (LV) has a normal size; thus, there is usually only minor tenting of the leaflets. The regurgitant jet is mostly central, although posterior jet direction also occurs, frequently in a subform with posterior leaflet tethering and a marked localized dilatation of the posterior annulus. Because of the normal-sized and normally or nearly normally contracting LV, the amount of regurgitation is typically not more than moderate (or moderate-to-severe). Over time, functional mitral regurgitation may become mixed atrial and ventricular, with remodeling of the LV. However, the time course and the relation to symptoms have yet to be elucidated. This review presents current concepts and published insights into this form of mitral regurgitation.

The Role of Novel Cardiac Imaging for Contemporary Management of Heart Failure.

Heart failure is becoming the central problem in cardiology. Its recognition, differential diagnosis, and the monitoring of therapy are intimately coupled with cardiac imaging. Cardiac imaging has witnessed an explosive growth and differentiation, with echocardiography continuing as the first diagnostic step; the echocardiographic exam itself has become considerably more complex than in the last century, with the assessment of diastolic left ventricular function and strain imaging contributing important information, especially in heart failure. Very often, however, echocardiography can only describe the fact of functional impairment and morphologic remodeling, whereas further clarification of the underlying disease, such as cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, storage diseases, sarcoidosis, and others, remains elusive. Here, cardiovascular magnetic resonance and perfusion imaging should be used judiciously to arrive as often as possible at a clear diagnosis which ideally enables specific therapy.

Impact of common rhythm disturbances on echocardiographic measurements and interpretation.

Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) remains the workhorse of noninvasive cardiac imaging, allowing to easily obtain precise information on cardiac structure and function. Over time, Doppler interrogation of blood flow velocities, direction, and timing in several locations within the heart became the primary method for haemodynamic assessment, replacing cardiac catheterization in most clinical settings and providing valuable diagnostic and prognostic information on a wide spectrum of cardiac pathological processes. Abnormalities in heart rate, rhythm, and intracardiac electrical conduction are commonly encountered during the performance of echocardiographic studies. Up to now, only a modest attention has been given to the impact of these abnormalities on the reading and interpretation of echocardiographic examination and this assessment has not yet been carried out in a global and systematic way. Tachyarrhythmias, bradyarrhythmias and atrioventricular conduction disturbances influence cardiac structure and mechanics as well as Doppler flow patterns. For this reason, and to be able to avoid misinterpretation, echocardiographers must be aware of the consequences of these common rhythm disturbances on echocardiographic findings. This narrative review aims to describe the current knowledge on this topic, focusing on the expected mechanical effects and Doppler patterns observed on transthoracic echocardiography in patients with common rhythm (tachycardia and bradycardia, atrial flutter and fibrillation and ectopic beats) and conduction disturbances (namely, atrioventricular block).

Patients With Bicuspid Aortic Stenosis Demonstrate Adverse Left Ventricular Remodeling and Impaired Cardiac Function Before Surgery With Increased Risk of Postoperative Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Differences in adverse cardiac remodeling between patients who have bicuspid (BAV) and tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) with severe isolated aortic stenosis (AS) and its prognostic impact after surgical aortic valve replacement remains unclear. We sought to investigate differences in preoperative diastolic and systolic function in patients with BAV and TAV who have severe isolated AS and the incidence of postoperative heart failure hospitalization and mortality. METHODS: Two hundred seventy-one patients with BAV (n=152) or TAV (n=119) and severe isolated AS without coronary artery disease or other valvular heart disease, scheduled for surgical aortic valve replacement, were prospectively included. Comprehensive preoperative echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular (LV) diastolic and systolic function was performed. The heart failure events were registered during a mean prospective follow-up of 1260 days versus 1441 days for patients with BAV or TAV, respectively. RESULTS: Patients with BAV had a more pronounced LV hypertrophy with significantly higher indexed LV mass ([LVMi] 134 g/m2 versus 104 g/m2, P<0.001), higher prevalence of LV diastolic dysfunction (72% versus 44%, P<0.001), reduced LV ejection fraction (55% versus 60%, P<0.001), significantly impaired global longitudinal strain (P<0.001), significantly higher NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide) levels (P=0.007), and a higher prevalence of preoperative levosimendan treatment (P<0.001) than patients with TAV. LVMi was associated with diastolic dysfunction in both patients with BAV and TAV. There was a significant interaction between aortic valve morphology and LVMi on LV ejection fraction, which indicated a pronounced association between LVMi and LV ejection fraction for patients with BAV and lack of association between LVMi and LV ejection fraction for patients with TAV. Postoperatively, the patients with BAV required significantly more inotropic support (P<0.001). The patients with BAV had a higher cumulative incidence of postoperative heart failure admissions compared with patients with TAV (28.2% versus 10.6% at 6 years after aortic valve replacement, log-rank P=0.004). Survival was not different between patients with BAV and TAV (log-rank P=0.165). CONCLUSIONS: Although they were significantly younger, patients with BAV who had isolated severe AS had worse preoperative LV function and an increased risk of postoperative heart failure hospitalization compared with patients who had TAV. Our findings suggest that patients who have BAV with AS might benefit from closer surveillance and possibly earlier intervention.

Diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy using non-ECG-gated 15O-water PET.

AIM: To develop a method for diagnosing left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy from cardiac perfusion 15O-water positron emission tomography (PET). METHODS: We retrospectively pooled data from 139 subjects in four research cohorts. LV remodeling patterns ranged from normal to severe eccentric and concentric hypertrophy. 15O-water PET scans (n = 197) were performed with three different PET devices. A low-end scanner (66 scans) was used for method development, and remaining scans with newer devices for a blinded evaluation. Dynamic data were converted into parametric images of perfusable tissue fraction for semi-automatic delineation of the LV wall and calculation of LV mass (LVM) and septal wall thickness (WT). LVM and WT from PET were compared to cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR, n = 47) and WT to 2D-echocardiography (2DE, n = 36). PET accuracy was tested using linear regression, Bland-Altman plots, and ROC curves. Observer reproducibility were evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients. RESULTS: High correlations were found in the blinded analyses (r ≥ 0.87, P < 0.0001 for all). AUC for detecting increased LVM and WT (> 12 mm and > 15 mm) was ≥ 0.95 (P < 0.0001 for all). Reproducibility was excellent (ICC ≥ 0.93, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: 15O-water PET might detect LV hypertrophy with high accuracy and precision.

Multimodality imaging in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction: an expert consensus document of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging.

Nearly half of all patients with heart failure (HF) have a normal left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) and the condition is termed heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). It is assumed that in these patients HF is due primarily to LV diastolic dysfunction. The prognosis in HFpEF is almost as severe as in HF with reduced EF (HFrEF). In contrast to HFrEF where drugs and devices are proven to reduce mortality, in HFpEF there has been limited therapy available with documented effects on prognosis. This may reflect that HFpEF encompasses a wide range of different pathological processes, which multimodality imaging is well placed to differentiate. Progress in developing therapies for HFpEF has been hampered by a lack of uniform diagnostic criteria. The present expert consensus document from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) provides recommendations regarding how to determine elevated LV filling pressure in the setting of suspected HFpEF and how to use multimodality imaging to determine specific aetiologies in patients with HFpEF.

A 33-year follow-up after valvular surgery for carcinoid heart disease.

AIMS: Valvular surgery has improved long-term prognosis in severe carcinoid heart disease (CaHD). Experience is limited and uncertainty remains about predictors for survival and strategy regarding single vs. double-valve surgery. The aim was to review survival and echocardiographic findings after valvular surgery for CaHD at our institution. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between 1986 and 2019, 60 consecutive patients, median age 64 years, underwent valve surgery for severe CaHD. Operations involved combined tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) and pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) in 42 cases, and TVR-only or TVR with pulmonary valvotomy (no PVR) in 18 patients. All implanted valves were bioprosthetic. Preoperative echocardiography, creatinine, NT-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP), and 24-h urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were obtained. 30-Day mortality was 12% (n=7), and 8% for the most recent decade 2010-2019. Median survival was 2.2 years and maximum survival 21 years. Patients undergoing combined TVR and PVR had significantly higher survival compared with operations without PVR (median 3.0 vs. 0.9 years, P = 0.02). Preoperative levels of NT-pro-BNP and 5-HIAA in the top quartile predicted poor survival. On preoperative echocardiograms, pulmonary regurgitation was severe in 51% and indeterminate in 17%. Postoperative echocardiography confirmed relatively good durability of bioprostheses, relative to the patients' limited oncological life expectancy. CONCLUSION: Valvular surgery in CaHD has an acceptable perioperative risk. Survival for combined TVR and PVR was significantly higher compared with operations without PVR. Bioprosthetic valve replacement appears to have adequate durability. Preoperative echocardiography may underestimate pulmonary pathology. Combined TVR and PVR should be considered in most patients.

Clinical Value of Stress Transaortic Flow Rate During Dobutamine Echocardiography in Reduced Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction, Low-Gradient Aortic Stenosis: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: Low rest transaortic flow rate (FR) has been shown previously to predict mortality in low-gradient aortic stenosis. However limited prognostic data exists on stress FR during low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography. We aimed to assess the value of stress FR for the detection of aortic valve stenosis (AS) severity and the prediction of mortality. METHODS: This is a multicenter cohort study of patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and low-gradient aortic stenosis (aortic valve area <1 cm2 and mean gradient <40 mm Hg) who underwent low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography to identify the AS severity and presence of flow reserve. The outcome assessed was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Of the 287 patients (mean age, 75±10 years; males, 71%; left ventricular ejection fraction, 31±10%) over a mean follow-up of 24±30 months there were 127 (44.3%) deaths and 147 (51.2%) patients underwent aortic valve intervention. Higher stress FR was independently associated with reduced risk of mortality (hazard ratio, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.94-0.99]; P=0.01) after adjusting for age, chronic kidney disease, heart failure symptoms, aortic valve intervention, and rest left ventricular ejection fraction. The minimum cutoff for prediction of mortality was stress FR 210 mL/s. Following adjustment to the same important clinical and echocardiographic parameters, among the three criteria of AS severity during stress, ie, the guideline definition of aortic valve area <1cm2 and aortic valve mean gradient ≥40 mm Hg, or aortic valve mean gradient ≥40 mm Hg, or the novel definition of aortic valve area <1 cm2 at stress FR ≥210 mL/s, only the latter was independently associated with mortality (hazard ratio, 1.72 [95% CI, 1.05-2.82]; P=0.03). Furthermore aortic valve area <1cm2 at stress FR ≥210 mL/s was the only severe aortic stenosis criterion that was associated with improved outcome following aortic valve intervention (P<0.001). Guideline-defined stroke volume flow reserve did not predict mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Stress FR during low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography was useful for the detection of both AS severity and flow reserve and was associated with improved prediction of outcome following aortic valve intervention.

Imaging of the left atrium: pathophysiology insights and clinical utility.

Left atrial imaging and detailed knowledge of its pathophysiology, especially in the context of heart failure, have become an increasingly important clinical and research focus. This development has been accelerated by the growth of non-invasive imaging modalities, advanced image processing techniques, such as strain imaging, and the parallel emergence of catheter-based left atrial interventions like pulmonary vein ablation, left atrial appendage occlusion, and others. In this review, we focus on novel imaging methods for the left atrium, their pathophysiological background, and their clinical relevance for various cardiac conditions and diseases.