Myocardial mechanical and QTc dispersion for the detection of significant coronary artery disease.

AIMS: Ischaemic but viable myocardium may exhibit prolongation of contraction and QT interval duration, but it is largely unknown whether non-invasive assessment of regional heterogeneities of myocardial deformation and QT interval duration could identify patients with significant coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively studied 205 patients with suspected CAD who underwent coronary angiography. QTc dispersion was assessed from a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) as the difference between the longest and shortest QTc intervals. Contraction duration was assessed as time from the ECG R-(Q-)wave to peak longitudinal strain in each of 18 left ventricular segments. Mechanical dispersion was defined as either the standard deviation of 18 time intervals (dispersionSD18) or as the difference between the longest and shortest time intervals (dispersiondelta). Longitudinal strain was measured by speckle tracking echocardiography. Mean contraction duration was longer in patients with significant CAD compared with control subjects (428 ± 51 vs. 410 ± 40 ms; P = 0.032), and it was correlated to QTc interval duration (r = 0.47; P < 0.001). In contrast to QTc interval duration and dispersion, both parameters of mechanical dispersion were independently associated with CAD (P < 0.001) and had incremental value over traditional risk factors, wall motion abnormalities, and global longitudinal strain (GLS) for the detection of significant CAD. CONCLUSION: The QTc interval and myocardial contraction duration are related to the presence of significant CAD in patients without a history of previous myocardial infarction. Myocardial mechanical dispersion has an incremental value to GLS for identifying patients with significant CAD.

Visual assessment vs. strain imaging for the detection of critical stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery in patients without a history of myocardial infarction.

AIMS: We sought to determine the prevalence of overt and subclinical LV dysfunction in patients with critical left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) stenosis but without a history of myocardial infarction and to compare diagnostic value of routine echocardiographic parameters with myocardial strain analysis for detection of critical LAD stenosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively studied 269 patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD)-209 consecutive patients with critical LAD stenosis and 60 consecutive patients with atypical chest pain and without CAD. Conventional visual assessment of LV asynergy in the LAD territory was compared with global, regional, and segmental peak systolic longitudinal strain (PSLS) parameters derived by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D STE). Wall motion abnormalities in the LAD territory were found in 41% of patients with critical LAD stenosis, whereas, depending on the cut-off value, global longitudinal strain (GLS) was impaired in 42-69% of patients. GLS with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.85 showed better discriminative power for detecting critical LAD stenosis than conventional wall motion score index (AUC 0.73, P < 0.05, for the difference between the AUCs). PSLS values were significantly lower in basal and midventricular segments supplied by critically narrowed LAD, particularly if they also appeared dysfunctional on visual assessment. CONCLUSIONS: Detection of subclinical LV dysfunction by 2D STE might improve identification of patients with critical LAD stenosis, although visually apparent regional LV dysfunction in the LAD territory is not uncommon finding in this subset of patients.

Two-dimensional speckle tracking-derived strain to distinguish acute coronary syndrome from a marked early repolarization in a patient with chest pain: a fancy gadget or a useful tool?

BACKGROUND: With a potential of detecting subtle myocardial injury, two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking-derived strain could help to distinguish between ischemic and nonischemic ST-segment elevation. Little is known if limitations of strain imaging could prevent its applicability in acute cardiac care settings. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a 56-year-old male with persistent ST-segment elevation in the inferolateral leads and suspected hypokinesia of the inferior wall. Semiautomated 2D speckle tracking strain analysis showed normal longitudinal peak systolic strain (LPSS) in all segments of the inferior wall, ruling out wall-motion abnormalities in this region. Stationary reverberations and spuriously low values of LPSS in the posterolateral wall required operator's expertise to distinguish pathological myocardial deformation from artifacts. Additional workup revealed that early repolarization pattern was mistaken for the inferior wall acute myocardial infarction in our patient. CONCLUSIONS: Semiautomated quantification of regional left ventricular function by 2D speckle tracking echocardiography could facilitate decision making even in the emergency settings. Due to intrinsic limitations of this novel method, its actual clinical value in acute cardiac care settings may depend on the expertise of the operator and is yet to be determined.

Establishing the diagnosis of inverted stress cardiomyopathy in a patient with cardiac arrest during general anesthesia: a potential role of myocardial strain?

In cardiac arrest survivors, postresuscitation myocardial stunning usually presents as either global left ventricular dysfunction or regional dyssynergy including the various forms of stress cardiomyopathy, in which rare variants may be difficult to diagnose. We present a patient with cardiac arrest during general anesthesia, in whom speckle tracking-derived myocardial strain helped to distinguish between the inverted variant of stress cardiomyopathy and global postresuscitation myocardial stunning.

Relationship of reduced cerebral blood flow and heart failure severity in elderly males.

INTRODUCTION: Brain detrimental effects are under-recognised complication of chronic heart failure (CHF). One of the major causes may be cerebral hypoperfusion. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between cerebral blood flow (CBF) and severity of CHF as well as to evaluate its determinants among different parameters of cardiac dysfunction. METHODS: Seventy-one CHF males with NYHA class II and III and 20 control subjects age ≥ 55 years were recruited. CBF was evaluated by colour duplex sonography of extracranial arteries. Echocardiography, 6-min walk test, quality of life and endothelial function were also assessed. Serum NT-pro-BNP and adipokines levels (adiponectin and leptin) were measured. RESULTS: CBF was significantly reduced in elderly patients with CHF compared to healthy controls (677 +/- 170 vs 783 +/- 128 ml/min, p=0.011). Reduced CBF was associated with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (r=0.271, p=0.022), lower 6-min walk distance (r=0.339, p=0.004), deteriorated quality of life (r= -0.327, p=0.005), increased serum adiponectin (r= -0.359, p=0.002), and NT-pro-BNP levels (r= -0.375, p=0.001). In multivariate regression analysis, LVEF and adiponectin were independently associated with reduced CBF in CHF patients (R(2)=0.289). CONCLUSION: CBF was reduced in elderly males with mild-to-moderate CHF, and was associated with factors that represent the severity of CHF including high serum adiponectin and NT-pro-BNP levels, decreased LVEF, impaired physical performance, and deteriorated quality of life.

Relationship between RANKL and neuroendocrine activation in elderly males with heart failure.

The main cytokines regulating bone remodeling are the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and its decoy receptor, osteoprotegerin (OPG). Recent data have linked RANKL and OPG to cardiovascular disease as well. NT-pro-BNP and adiponectin are well-established biomarkers of heart failure reflecting neuroendocrine activation in this multi-complex disorder. The objective of this article was to investigate whether RANKL is associated with neuroendocrine activation in 75 elderly males with mild to moderate congestive heart failure (CHF) and left ventricular ejection fraction <40%. The control group consisted of 20 healthy male volunteers with matching age and body mass index (BMI). Serum RANKL (sRANKL), OPG, NT-pro-BNP, adiponectin, leptin, clinical, and echocardiography parameters were evaluated. In comparison to the control group, the CHF patients showed significantly increased sRANKL levels [126.8 (122.6) vs. 47.8 (44.4) pg/ml, P < 0.0001]. There was a significant relative risk of systolic CHF in elderly males associated with increased sRANKL above the calculated cut-off of 83 pg/ml [OR = 10.286 (95%CI 3.079-34.356), P < 0.0001; RR = 3.600 (95%CI = 1.482-8.747)]. In the CHF patients, the log-transformed values of sRANKL levels correlated positively with the log-transformed values of the serum NT-pro-BNP and adiponectin levels (P = 0.004, r = 0.326 and P = 0.037, r = 0. 241, respectively), while inversely correlated with the BMI and creatinine clearance (P = 0.015, r = -0.281 and P = 0.042, r = -0.236, respectively). In multivariate regression model, sRANKL was a significant determinant of NT-pro-BNP independent of age, BMI and creatinine clearance (P = 0.002, R (2) = 0.546). In conclusion, our study suggests that in elderly males with systolic heart failure sRANKL was significantly associated with parameters of neuroendocrine activation such as NT-pro-BNP and adiponectin. Further studies are needed to elucidate the potential role of sRANKL in the complex pathogenesis of heart failure.

[Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: report of the first case series in Serbia and review of the literature].

INTRODUCTION: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a relatively novel cardiac syndrome that is characterized by transient left ventricular asynergy involving apical and mid-ventricular segments. EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY: It occurs predominantly in elderly women in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease and is usually associated with severe emotional or physical stress. This syndrome is manifested with chest pain, electrocardiographic changes that mimic acute myocardial infarction, and minimal myocardial enzymatic release. Several different mechanisms have been proposed: coronary artery spasm, dynamic left ventricular outflow/ intracavitary obstruction, coronary microvascular dysfunction and direct catecholamine-mediated cardiomyocite injury. THERAPY AND PROGNOSIS: Complete recovery usually occurs after dramatic presentation, frequently complicated with acute heart failure. Therapy is empiric and directed towards supportive measures against cardiogenic shock, acute heart failure, dysrhythmias. In-hospital mortality rate is less than 1%, but long-term prognosis is still unknown. In addition to the review of the literature on takotsubo cardiomyopathy, we present the first series of patients with this syndrome detected in Clinical Hospital Center Zemun.

Relationship between high circulating adiponectin with bone mineral density and bone metabolism in elderly males with chronic heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to investigate the associations of adiponectin and leptin to bone mass and bone specific surrogates in elderly males with chronic heart failure (CHF). METHODS AND RESULTS: Seventy-three males (mean age 68 +/- 7 years) with stable mild to moderate CHF and 20 healthy individuals age- and body mass index-matching underwent dual energy x-ray absorptiometry measurements (bone mineral density (BMD) at hip and lumbar spine, total bone mineral content, and body composition); echocardiography; 6-minute walk test; grip strength; and biochemical assessment including adiponectin, leptin, bone specific surrogates (osteocalcin, beta-CrossLaps, osteoprotegerin [OPG], receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand [RANKL]), parathyroid hormone, 25-hydroxy vitamin D, testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, and NT-pro-BNP. Serum adiponectin, osteocalcin, beta-CrossLaps, OPG, RANKL, and parathyroid hormone were significantly increased in CHF patients, whereas 25-hydroxy vitamin D was significantly lower compared to healthy controls. The significant positive association was found between adiponectin level with osteocalcin, beta-CrossLaps, OPG, and RANKL among CHF patients. In multivariate regression analysis, adiponectin was a significant determinant of total hip BMD, although the variance was small (r(2) = 0.239), whereas leptin was determinant for total bone mineral content (r(2) = 0.469) in patients with CHF. CONCLUSIONS: Serum adiponectin is an independent predictor of BMD in elderly males with mild to moderate CHF, and showed a positive correlation to bone specific surrogates. Adiponectin, as cardioprotective hormone, seems to be able to exert a negative effect on bone mass in chronic heart failure. Further research is needed to confirm the potential for adipokines in the crosstalk between bone and energy metabolism in CHF patients.

Prognostic significance of contractile reserve assessed by dobutamine-induced changes of Tei index in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

AIMS: To determine prognostic significance of global left ventricular (LV) contractile reserve, defined by dobutamine-induced changes of Tei index (Delta Tei), in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients with idiopathic DCM underwent high-dose (up to 40 microg/kg/min) dobutamine stress echocardiography. Prognostic value of different indices of LV contractile reserve, including Delta Tei, as well as changes of ejection fraction (Delta EF) and wall motion score index (Delta WMSi), was analysed. Patients were followed up for 5 years for cardiac mortality. Patients with preserved contractile reserve, defined by Delta Tei > -0.35, had significantly lower cardiac mortality when compared with those without it (38 vs. 77%, P = 0.02). Also, the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that patients with contractile reserve had better 5-year survival when compared with those without contractile reserve (log-rank = 6.01, P = 0.014). However, of all examined indices of contractile reserve, Cox's regression analysis identified Delta WMSi as the only independent predictor of 5-year mortality. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that the presence of contractile reserve assessed by Delta Tei may identify patients with favourable long-term prognosis. Prognostic value of Delta Tei appears to be similar to Delta EF, but less powerful than Delta WMSi.

Detection of Helicobacter pylori in nasal polyps: preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE: Investigation of Helicobacter pylori (HP) colonization in the nasal polyp specimens of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). DESIGN: A prospective clinical trial. SETTING: The study was performed in 23 adult patients with sinonasal polyposis and 15 controls with concha bullosa (CB) who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery. METHODS: In all patients, gastroesophageal reflux (GER) symptoms were evaluated, and in 30 of them, the HP status of the stomach was also studied. Nasal polyps, mucosa of the middle concha, and gastric specimens were analyzed using a urease test and by Giemsa staining. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We found HP in nasal polyp specimens in six CRS patients by the urease test and by histochemical analysis with Giemsa staining. RESULTS: All of them had HP in gastric specimens and GER symptoms. HP was not detected in any patient with CB. CONCLUSIONS: These results may have implications for a possible role of HP in CRS with polyposis. If a patient has HP in his gastric mucosa and is positive for GER symptoms, HP may be found in polyps as well. Whether HP is one of the causative agents of CRS or is a result of CRS is not known. Further studies are needed to find an answer to these questions.