Exercise Stress Echocardiography of the Right Ventricle and Pulmonary Circulation.

BACKGROUND: Exercise echocardiography is used for assessment of pulmonary circulation and right ventricular function, but limits of normal and disease-specific changes remain insufficiently established. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to explore the physiological vs pathologic response of the right ventricle and pulmonary circulation to exercise. METHODS: A total of 2,228 subjects were enrolled: 375 healthy controls, 40 athletes, 516 patients with cardiovascular risk factors, 17 with pulmonary arterial hypertension, 872 with connective tissue diseases without overt pulmonary hypertension, 113 with left-sided heart disease, 30 with lung disease, and 265 with chronic exposure to high altitude. All subjects underwent resting and exercise echocardiography on a semirecumbent cycle ergometer. All-cause mortality was recorded at follow-up. RESULTS: The 5th and 95th percentile of the mean pulmonary artery pressure-cardiac output relationships were 0.2 to 3.5 mm Hg.min/L in healthy subjects without cardiovascular risk factors, and were increased in all patient categories and in high altitude residents. The 5th and 95th percentile of the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion to systolic pulmonary artery pressure ratio at rest were 0.7 to 2.0 mm/mm Hg at rest and 0.5 to 1.5 mm/mm Hg at peak exercise, and were decreased at rest and exercise in all disease categories and in high-altitude residents. An increased all-cause mortality was predicted by a resting tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion to systolic pulmonary artery pressure <0.7 mm/mm Hg and mean pulmonary artery pressure-cardiac output >5 mm Hg.min/L. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise echocardiography of the pulmonary circulation and the right ventricle discloses prognostically relevant differences between healthy subjects, athletes, high-altitude residents, and patients with various cardio-respiratory conditions. (Right Heart International NETwork During Exercise in Different Clinical Conditions; NCT03041337).

Dobutamine-induced Takotsubo syndrome in a paediatric heart transplant patient.

Takotsubo syndrome is a potentially reversible cause of acute systolic dysfunction. Takotsubo syndrome is rare in children, with no reported dobutamine-induced cases to date. We present a 14-year-old male with prior history of heart transplantation, who developed Takotsubo syndrome during dobutamine stress echocardiography. We highlight the importance of its early recognition to ensure supportive measures with avoidance of inotropic medications.

The effect of atropine used in dobutamine stress echocardiography on pupil diameter.

BACKGROUND: The use of atropine during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is contraindicated in persons with narrow angle glaucoma though there is limited evidence that low doses of intravenous atropine do not cause pupillary dilation. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate whether atropine when administered in persons without glaucoma during dobutamine stress echocardiography causes pupillary dilation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Out of 144 patients without a history of glaucoma referred for DSE for clinical indications, 105 patients received intravenous atropine doses ranging from 0.1 mg to 1.25 mg (most patients received 0.25-0.75 mg). Pupil diameter of both eyes was measured under the same light conditions before and after the DSE using a CP-30 Optical Digital PD Ruler. For the total of 210 examined eyes pupil diameter remained unaltered after each DSE test (3.65 ± 0.799 mm before vs 3.63 ± 0.766 mm after, p = .737). Similarly, pupil diameter remained unchanged when left and right eyes were assessed separately (right eye: 3.770 ± 0.812 before vs 3.752 ± 0.745 mm after, p = .821 and left eye: 3.521 ± 0.770 before vs 3.499 ± 0.770 mm after, p = .806). Diameter of right and left pupil were also unaltered after grouping patients by sex and iris pigmentation. Age, weight, atropine dose and propranolol dose were not correlated with changes in pupil diameter. CONCLUSION: Intravenous atropine in usual doses administered in DSE does not cause mydriasis in adults without glaucoma. Future studies need to confirm our findings and expand the investigation regarding safety of atropine use during DSE in patients with narrow angle glaucoma.

Análise da Segurança e Exequibilidade do Ecocardiograma sob Estresse com Dobutamina em Dez Mil e Seis Exames de uma População Geral / Analysis of the Safety and Feasibility of Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography in Ten Thousand and Six Tests of a General Population

Fundamento: Durante o ecocardiograma sob estresse com dobutamina, podem ocorrer efeitos adversos e exames inconclusivos. Objetivo: Avaliar em uma grande população geral a segurança e a exequibilidade do ecocardiograma sob estresse com dobutamina. Métodos: Estudo de 10.006 ecocardiogramas sob estresse com dobutamina realizados no período de julho de 1996 a setembro de 2007. A dobutamina foi administrada em quatro estágios (10, 20, 30 e 40 µcg.kg-1.min-1) para pesquisa de isquemia miocárdica e iniciada com 5 µcg.kg- ¹.min-1 apenas na análise de viabilidade miocárdica. A atropina foi iniciada conforme os protocolos vigentes. Foram verificados dados clínicos, hemodinâmicos e efeitos adversos associados ao ecocardiograma sob estresse com dobutamina. Resultados: Durante os ecocardiogramas sob estresse com dobutamina, ocorreu angina típica (8,9%), pico hipertensivo (1,7%), ectopias ventriculares isoladas (31%), taquiarritmia supraventricular (1,89%), fibrilação atrial (0,76%) e taquicardia ventricular não sustentada (0,6%). Os efeitos adversos citados foram mais frequentes nos pacientes com ecocardiogramas sob estresse com dobutamina positivos para isquemia. A desaceleração sinusal paradoxal (0,16%) não ocorreu em ecocardiogramas sob estresse com dobutamina positivo. As três complicações graves ocorreram em ecocardiogramas sob estresse com dobutamina positivos para isquemia. Foram dois casos (0,02%) com fibrilação ventricular e um caso de síndrome coronariana aguda (0,01%). Não houve caso de taquicardia ventricular sustentada, ruptura cardíaca, assistolia ou óbito. Comparados aos exames concluídos, nos inconclusivos, os pacientes usaram menos atropina (81,5% versus 49,9%; p< 0,001) e mais betabloqueador (4,7% versus 19%; p< 0,001), apresentando mais pico hipertensivo (1,1% versus 14,2%; p = 0,0001) e taquicardia ventricular não sustentada (0,5% versus 2,2%; p< 0,001). Conclusão: O ecocardiograma sob estresse com dobutamina realizado de forma apropriada é seguro e apresenta elevada exequibilidade.

Background: Adverse effects and inconclusive results may occur on dobutamine stress echocardiography. Objective: To assess the safety and feasibility of dobutamine stress echocardiography in a large general population. Methods: A total of 10,006 dobutamine stress echocardiographies were performed between July 1996 and September 2007. Dobutamine was administered in four stages (10, 20, 30, and 40 µcg·kg-1·min-1) to research myocardial ischemia starting with 5 µcg·kg- ¹·min-1 to analyze myocardial viability. Atropine administration was initiated according to current protocols. Clinical, hemodynamic, and adverse effect data associated with dobutamine stress echocardiography findings were verified. Results: Typical angina (8.9%), hypertensive peak (1.7%), isolated ventricular ectopias (31%), supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (1.89%), atrial

Exercise-Induced Abnormalities of Regional Myocardial Deformation in Anomalous Aortic Origin of the Right Coronary Artery.

AIMS: Congenital coronary artery anomalies are uncommon and may result in sudden death. Management of asymptomatic patients with anomalous aortic origin of the right coronary artery (AAORCA) remains controversial with a lack of evidence to guide decision-making. We hypothesized that patients with AAORCA may have exercise-inducible ischemia detectable as abnormalities in regional myocardial deformation on exercise stress echocardiography (ESE). METHODS: We reviewed clinical data, computed tomography angiography, and treadmill ESE from 33 AAORCA patients (21 unoperated, 12 operated) and 11 controls. Regional wall motion on ESE was visually assessed. Doppler tissue imaging was done pre and post exercise to evaluate regional myocardial wall deformation. The post- to pre-exercise time to peak systolic strain corrected for heart rate ratio (TPScR) for the left ventricular inferior and anterior walls of AAORCA patients was compared to controls. RESULTS: No regional wall motion abnormalities were noted. The TPScR of the inferior wall was higher in unoperated (0.96 ± 0.41) but not operated (0.84 ± 0.28) AAORCA patients compared to controls (0.76 ± 0.18, P = .03 vs .23, respectively). There was no significant difference in TPScR of the anterior wall between unoperated patients and controls (P = .08). CONCLUSION: In some AAORCA patients undergoing ESE, TPScR of the left ventricular inferior wall is elevated, suggestive of ischemia induced by exercise in myocardium supplied by the right coronary artery. Further work is needed to understand the potential role of this finding in risk assessment.

Prospective multicenter Polish Stress Echocardiography Registry (PolStress-Echopro) - the role in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: Stress echocardiography (SE) is becoming an increasingly frequently performed diagnostic examination in Poland. After the published retrospective PolSTRESS Registry, this prospective study is the first one available so far. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to analyze SE tests, taking into account the clinical characteristics of the patients, indications, applied protocols, and diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Reference cardiological centers in Poland were asked for a 1-month prospective analysis of the data obtained. The study included 189 SE examinations. To evaluate coronary artery disease (CAD) (178 tests), all 17 centers performed dobutamine SE (DSE) (100%), 3 centers (17%) performed pacing, while cycle ergometer and treadmill SE were performed by 1 (5%) and 2 (11%) centers, respectively. In patients with valvular heart disease (VHD) (11 tests), 3 centers (16%) performed SE to evaluate low-flow/low-gradient aortic stenosis (AS), 4 (22%) in asymptomatic AS and 1 (5%) to evaluate mitral regurgitation. RESULTS: For CAD assessment, a positive result was found in 37 (20%) patients, negative in 109 (61%) and nondiagnostic in 32 (19%). In the CAD group, coronarography was performed in 41 (23%) people. The analysis of the significance of the SE results for decision-making on interventional measures revealed that 30 patients (from the total study population of 189) were referred for the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The most commonly used SE is the DSE. Negative test results allowed in almost half of the patients to resign from invasive coronarography. Stress echocardiography should be more frequently used in patients with VHD in the qualification for invasive treatment.

Predictors of exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension in patients with connective tissue disease.

Screening and early detection of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in connective tissue disease (CTD) are currently recommended for early treatment. Exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (EIPH) is thought to be a potential risk of developing resting pulmonary hypertension. However, accurate diagnosis of EIPH is needed hemodynamics by right heart catheterization during exercise. Therefore, we compared various parameters of EIPH group with non-EIPH group in patients with CTD. This study aimed to investigate noninvasive predictors of EIPH. A total of 162 consecutive patients with CTD who received screening of PAH was studied. Thirty-four patients with suspected PAH received right heart catheterization (RHC) at rest. Twenty-four patients without PAH underwent RHC during exercise, and they were divided into the EIPH group (n = 7) and the non-EIPH group (n = 17). Exercise tolerance such as 6-min walk distance and peak VO2/kg in the EIPH group was lower than that in the non-EIPH group. For hemodynamics, pulmonary artery pressure, right atrial pressure, and vascular resistance in the EIPH group were significantly higher than those in the non-EIPH group. In echocardiography, RV Tei index in the EIPH group was significantly higher than that in the non-EIPH group (EIPH vs non-EIPH = 0.42 [0.41, 0.47] vs 0.25 [0.20, 0.32], P = 0.007). The receiver operating characteristics curve showed a cutoff value of RV Tei index (0.41) with a sensitivity of 0.857 and specificity of 0.882. In conclusion, RV Tei index might be a feasible predictor of EIPH in patients with CTD.

Occurrence of Atrial Fibrillation During Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography.

Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is a widely used examination for assessment of coronary ischemia, but several complications have been reported. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) during DSE, and a systematic review and meta-analysis were also performed to determine an accurate estimate of the AF incidence. Over a 16-year period, we reviewed all patients referred for DSE. We systematically analyzed all ECG performed during DSE to detect AF during the examination. DSE was completely performed in 4,818 patients (mean age: 62.1 ± 11.7 years). AF was observed in 40 patients (31 men, mean age: 79.7 ± 8.9 years). Incidence of AF during DSE was 0.83%. Regarding the meta-analysis, the combined AF incidence was 0.86%. In our study, patients with AF occurrence had more frequent previous history of paroxysmal AF (p = 0.02) were also older (p < 0.0001) and incidence of AF during DSE increased with age: 0% below 60 years, 0.45% in patients 60 to 69 years, 1.3% in patients 70 to 79 years, and 4% in patients >80 years (p < 0.0001). In multivariate analysis, the factors significantly associated with an increased risk of AF were age (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.4, 95% confidence interval: 1.5 to 3.3, p = 0.003) and previous history of paroxysmal AF (aOR = 1.5, 95% confidence interval: 1.1 to 1.9; p = 0.04). In conclusion, AF is uncommon during DSE, and elderly patients and patients with previous history of paroxysmal AF are at risk of AF during DSE.

Dobutamine stress echocardiogram-related in-stent thrombosis with acute myocardial infarction.

Dobutamine stress echocardiogram (DSE) is considered a safe and reliable method for screening for underlying myocardial ischaemia. We report a case of a 60-year-old man who developed inferior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction within 30 minutes of a normal DSE. The patient was found to have a 99% in-stent restenosis in the mid-right coronary artery with significant thrombosis for which successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed. Acute coronary syndrome after a normal DSE has been rarely reported in the literature. The reported cases were found to have obstructive or non-obstructive coronary plaques with overlying thrombus, which suggests plaque destabilisation and rupture as the possible underlying mechanism behind coronary occlusion.

Prevalence, determinants, and prognostic significance of exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (EIPH) is associated with worse outcomes in patients with heart failure or valvular heart disease. However, little is known regarding the implications of EIPH in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients. We retrospectively reviewed data of consecutive HCM patients who underwent clinically indicated exercise echocardiography using a semi-supine bicycle ergometer at our hospital. EIPH was defined as pulmonary artery systolic pressure ≥ 60 mmHg during exercise. The incidences of HCM-related mortality and HCM-related morbidity during follow-up period were evaluated. Of 42 patients (mean age 59 ± 21 years; 4 with resting obstruction, 19 with provoked obstruction, and 19 without obstruction), 16 (38%) developed EIPH. Patients with EIPH had significantly longer resting E wave deceleration time (271 ± 116 vs. 213 ± 66 ms; P = 0.04), higher resting pulmonary artery systolic pressure (35 ± 6 vs. 31 ± 5 mmHg; P = 0.04), and higher B-type natriuretic peptide level (283 [222, 465] vs. 142 [54, 423] pg/ml; P = 0.04) than those without EIPH. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis demonstrated that EIPH was significantly associated with HCM-related morbidity (log-rank; P = 0.01). In Cox regression analysis, EIPH was a significant predictor of HCM-related morbidity (hazard ratio: 5.98, 95% confidence interval 1.36-41.07; P = 0.02). In conclusion, EIPH was documented in about one-third of HCM patients. EIPH was a significant predictor of HCM-related morbidity in patients with HCM.

Persistent but reversible advanced atrio-ventricular block in a heart transplant man induced by dobutamine stress echocardiography.

Dobutamine when used for stress echocardiography (DSE), it rarely causes transient atrio-ventricular (AV) block. We report a heart transplant patient with high cardiovascular risk who developed symptomatic advanced AV block during DSE which persisted after termination of dobutamine administration, necessitating pacemaker implantation. To our knowledge, this is the first published case of persistent high grade AV block in a heart transplant patient induced by DSE.

Análise da segurança e dos preditores de arritmias durante o ecocardiograma sob estresse com Dobutamina em um ambiente não hospitalar / Analyzing the safety and predictors of arrhythmias during dobutamine-atropine estress echocardiography in a non-hospital setting

Fundamento: O ecocardiograma sob estresse com dobutamina-atropina (EEDA) é um exame acessível e importante, principalmente em pacientes sob investigação de doença coronariana. Contudo, faz-se necessário a avaliação de sua segurança, devido ao seu emprego em pacientes com patologias cada vez mais complexas, graves e idosos.Objetivo: Confirmar segurança do EEDA e avaliar os preditores de arritmias em ambiente não hospitalar.Métodos: EEDA foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar isquemia utilizando o protocolo padrão de infusão de dobutamina de 5 a 40 mcg/kg/min associado a atropina.Resultados: Foram avaliados de forma prospectiva 2227 pacientes no período de setembro a novembro de 2010. Idade média foi de 60,7 +/- 12,5 anos e 60,8% eram mulheres. A fração de ejeção média foi de 67,9% +/- 9. Dentre dos eventos adversos, 12 pacientes apresentaram resposta hipertensiva, 466 arritmias, 58 cefaleias e 57 dores precordial. Nenhum paciente apresentou infarto agudo do miocárdio, fibrilação ventricular, ruptura cardíaca, assistolia ou morte. Quanto ao surgimento das arritmias significativas, 3 pacientes apresentaram fibrilação atrial,16 taquicardias supraventricular sustentada, 19 taquicardias ventricular não sustentada e 2 taquicardias ventricular sustentada. Nestes pacientes, idade (OR = 1,0559, p = 0,0002) e o índice de escore de contração segmentar (IECS) em repouso > 1 (OR 2,5039, p = 0,0354) foram preditores independentes para o surgimento de arritmias significativas durante o exame.Conclusão: O EEDA mostrou-se seguro nesse grupo de pacientes em ambiente não hospitalar. Idade e IECS em repouso > 1 foram preditores independentes para o surgimento de arritmias significativas durante o exame

Background: Dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography (DASE) is an accessible and important test, especially in patients under investigation for coronary artery disease. However, it is necessary to evaluate its safety, as it is used in patients with increasingly complex and serious conditions and in seniors.Objective: To confirm the safety of DASE and evaluate the predictors of arrhythmias in a non-hospital setting. Methods: DASE was performed to evaluate ischemia using the standard protocol of dobutamine infusion of 5 to 40 mcg/kg/min associated with atropine. Results: From September to November 2010, 227 patients were evaluated prospectively. The mean age was 60.7 +/- 12.5 years old and 60.8% were females. Mean ejection fraction was 67.9 +/- 9. Among the adverse events, 12 patients presented hypertensive response, 466 had arrhythmia, 58 had headaches and 57 had precordial pain. No patient had acute myocardial infarction, ventricular fibrillation, cardiac rupture, asystole or death. As for the onset of significant arrhythmia, three patients had atrial fibrillation, 16 had sustained supraventricular tachycardia, 19 had non-sustained ventricular tachycardia and 2 had sustained ventricular tachycardia. In these patients, age (OR = 1.0559, p = 0.0002) and segmental contractility index at rest (SCIr) > 1 (OR 2.5039, p = 0.0354) were independent predictors for the onset significant arrhythmia during the test. Conclusion: DASE was proven safe in this group of patients in a non-hospital setting. Age and SCIr > 1 were independent predictors for the onset of significant arrhythmia during the test

Myocardial bridging is associated with exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmia and increases in QT dispersion.

BACKGROUND: A myocardial bridge (MB) has been associated with ventricular arrhythmia and sudden death during exercise. QT dispersion (QTd) is a measure of abnormal repolarization and may predict ventricular arrhythmia. We investigated the frequency of ventricular arrhythmias during exercise and the QTd at rest and after exercise, in patients with an MB compared to a normal cohort. METHODS: We studied the rest and stress ECG tracings of patients with an MB suspected by focal septal buckling on exercise echocardiography (EE) (Echo-MB group, N = 510), those with an MB confirmed by another examination (MB group, N = 110), and healthy controls (Control group, N = 198). RESULTS: The frequency of exercise-induced premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) was significantly higher in the Echo-MB and MB groups compared with the Control group (both p < .001). In all, 25 patients (4.9%) in the Echo-MB group, seven patients (6.4%) in the MB group and no patients in the Control group had exercise-induced non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT). There was no difference in the baseline QTd between the groups. In the Echo-MB and MB groups, QTd postexercise increased significantly when compared with baseline (both p < .001). Patients with NSVT had a higher frequency of male gender and an even greater increase in QTd with exercise compared with the non-NSVT group. DISCUSSION: There is an increased frequency of exercise-induced PVCs and NSVT in patients with MBs. Exercise significantly increases QTd in MB patients, with an even greater increase in QTd in MB patients with NSVT. Exercise in MB patients results in ventricular arrhythmias and abnormalities in repolarization.

Safety of coronary CT angiography and functional testing for stable chest pain in the PROMISE trial: A randomized comparison of test complications, incidental findings, and radiation dose.

BACKGROUND: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and functional testing strategies for stable chest pain yield similar outcomes; one aspect that may guide test choice is safety. METHODS: We compared test safety (test complications, incidental findings, and effective radiation dose) between CTA and functional testing as-tested in PROMISE (PROspective Multicenter Imaging Study for Evaluation of Chest Pain). In the subgroup whose physicians intended nuclear stress over other functional tests if randomized to the functional arm, we compared radiation dose of CTA versus nuclear stress and identified characteristics associated with dose. RESULTS: Of 9470 patients, none had major and <1% had minor complications (CTA: 0.8% [37/4633] vs. functional: 0.6% [27/4837]). CTA identified more incidental findings (11.6% [539/4633] vs. 0.7% [34/4837], p < 0.001), most commonly pulmonary nodules (9.4%, 437/4633). CTA had similar 90-day cumulative radiation dose to functional testing. However, in the subgroup whose physicians intended nuclear stress (CTA 3147; nuclear 3203), CTA had lower median index test (8.8 vs. 12.6 mSv, p < 0.001) and 90-day cumulative (11.6 vs. 13.1 mSv, p < 0.001) dose, independent of patient characteristics. The lowest nuclear doses employed 1-day Tc-99m protocols (12.2 mSv). The lowest CTA doses were at sites performing ≥500 CTAs/year (6.9 mSv) and with advanced (latest available) CT scanners (5.5 mSv). CONCLUSION: Complications were negligibly rare for both CTA and functional testing. CTA detects more incidental findings. Compared to nuclear stress testing, CTA's lower radiation dose, independent of patient characteristics, makes it an attractive test choice. Radiation dose varies with imaging protocol, indicating opportunities to further reduce dose. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01174550).

Polish Stress Echocardiography Registry (Pol-STRESS registry) - a multicentre study. Stress echocardiography in Poland: numbers, settings, results, and complications.

BACKGROUND: Stress echocardiography (SE) is widely used in Europe. No collective data have been available on the use of SE in Poland until now. AIM: To evaluate the number of SE investigations performed in Poland, their settings, complications, and results. METHODS: In this retrospective survey, referral cardiology centres in Poland were asked to fill in a questionnaire regarding SE examinations performed from May 1, 2014 to May 1, 2015. RESULTS: The study included data from 17 university hospitals and large community hospitals, which performed 4611 SE exa-minations, including 4408 tests in patients investigated for coronary artery disease (CAD) and 203 tests to evaluate valvular heart disease (VHD). To evaluate CAD, all centres performed dobutamine SE (100%), 10 centres performed pacing SE (58.8%), while cycle ergometer SE and treadmill SE were performed by six (35.3%) and five (29.4%) centres, respectively. Dipyridamole SE was performed in one centre. All evaluated centres (100%) performed SE to evaluate low-flow/low-gradient aortic stenosis, eight (47%) performed SE to evaluate asymptomatic aortic stenosis, and also eight (47%) performed SE to evaluate mitral regurgitation. The mean number of examinations per year was 271 per centre. Most centres performed more than 100 examinations per year (11 centres, 64.7%). We did not identify any cardiac death during SE examination in any of the centres. Myocardial infarction occurred in three (0.07%) patients. Non-sustained ventricular tachycardia occurred in 52 (1.1%) SE examinations. The rates of minor complications were low. SE to evaluate CAD was more commonly performed in the hospital settings using cycle ergometer (72.6%), treadmill (87.6%), and low-dose dobutamine (68.0%), while a dipyridamole test was more frequently employed in ambulatory patients (77.6%). No significant differences between the rates of examina-tions performed in the ambulatory and hospital settings were found for high-dose dobutamine and pacing SE. Examinations to evaluate VHD were significantly more frequently performed in the hospital settings. SE examinations accounted for more than one third of all stress tests performed in the surveyed centres over the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Stress echocardiography is a safe diagnostic method, and major complications are very rare. Despite European recommendations, SE examinations to evaluate CAD are performed less frequently than electrocardiographic exercise tests, although they already comprise a significant proportion of all stress tests. It seems reasonable to promote SE further for the evaluation of both CAD and VHD.

Effect of gender on the prognostic value of dobutamine stress myocardial contrast echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: Dobutamine stress contrast echo (DSCE) has a well-established prognostic value in the context of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, data regarding its prognostic capability separately in men and women are scarce. The aim of the current study was to assess gender-related differences in the prognostic performance of DSCE. METHODS: DSCE was performed in 2645 consecutive patients, who were classified into two groups depending on gender. Follow-up lasted 57.1±10.1 months. End points included all-cause mortality, cardiac death, late revascularization, and hospitalizations. Survival analysis was performed comparing men and women. RESULTS: Of the 2645 patients (59.3±8.7 years), 69.1% were men. DSCE was positive in 23.4% of male patients, while in females, the respective percentage was 14.3%. There was statistically significant difference between the two groups with regard to end point occurrence (11.6% vs. 6.1%, p<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the DSCE response was the strongest predictor of adverse outcomes (Exp(B)=51.9, p<0.05) in both groups. The predictive model including DSCE results along with clinical data performed well without significant differences between males and females (C-index 0.93 vs. 0.87 respectively, p=NS). CONCLUSION: DSCE has a strong prognostic value for patients with known or suspected CAD, regardless of patient gender. This makes DSCE an attractive screening option for women in whom CAD assessment can be challenging.

Global longitudinal strain from resting echocardiogram is associated with long-term adverse cardiac outcomes in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.

PURPOSE: Measuring myocardial strain using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography has emerged as a new tool to identify subclinical ventricular dysfunction. Abnormal strain has been shown to have superior sensitivity compared with dobutamine stress echocardiography for viability assessment; however, there is a paucity of data regarding the prediction of long-term major adverse cardiac events. We compared the prognostic ability of both global longitudinal strain (GLS) from resting echocardiograms to regional wall motion score index (WMSI) from stress echocardiograms in their ability to predict long-term major adverse cardiac events. METHODS: Patients referred for stress echocardiography, who also underwent coronary angiography within 3 months of stress echo (n=122), were enrolled. Patients with reduced ejection fractions (<40%) were excluded. Patients were followed for a median of 3.4 years for major adverse cardiac events, readmissions and repeat cardiac testing. RESULTS: Patients with abnormal GLS (GLS <16.8%) from the resting echocardiogram obtained as part of the exercise echocardiogram experienced a significantly shorter time to major adverse cardiac events (p=0.026), first cardiovascular hospitalization and repeat cardiac testing (p=0.0011) compared to those with normal GLS. Abnormal GLS appears to be a better predictor than abnormal WMSI in predicting major adverse cardiac events (p=0.174) and time to first cardiovascular hospitalization or repeat cardiac testing (p=0.0093). CONCLUSION: GLS may be a better predictor of long-term major adverse cardiac events, readmissions and repeat cardiac testing than WMSI in patients undergoing stress echocardiography.