Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: Addressing the Subsequent Risk of Permanent Pacemaker Implantation.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is now a commonly used therapy in patients with severe aortic stenosis, even in those patients at low surgical risk. The indications for TAVI have broadened as the therapy has proven to be safe and effective. Most challenges associated with TAVI after its initial introduction have been impressively reduced; however, the possible need for post-TAVI permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) secondary to conduction disturbances continues to be on the radar. Conduction abnormalities post-TAVI are always of concern given that the aortic valve lies in close proximity to critical components of the cardiac conduction system. This review will present a summary of noteworthy pre-and post-procedural conduction blocks, the best use of telemetry and ambulatory device monitoring to avoid unnecessary PPI or to recognize the need for late PPI due to delayed high-grade conduction blocks, predictors to identify those patients at greatest risk of requiring PPI, important CT measurements and considerations to optimize TAVI planning, and the utility of the MInimizing Depth According to the membranous Septum (MIDAS) technique and the cusp-overlap technique. It is stressed that careful membranous septal (MS) length measurement by MDCT during pre-TAVI planning is necessary to establish the optimal implantation depth before the procedure to reduce the risk of compression of the MS and consequent damage to the cardiac conduction system.

Identification of cardiovascular and molecular prognostic factors for the medium-term and long-term outcomes of sepsis (ICROS): protocol for a prospective monocentric cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Sepsis is one of the most prevalent life-threatening conditions in the intensive care unit. Patients suffer from impaired organ function, reduced physical functional capacity and decreased quality of life even after surviving sepsis. The identification of prognostic factors for the medium-term and long-term outcomes of this condition is necessary to develop personalised theragnostic approaches. Sepsis can cause cardiac impairment. The impact of this septic cardiomyopathy on patient's long-term outcome remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate cardiovascular risk factors, particularly the occurrence of septic cardiomyopathy, regarding their suitability as prognostic factors for the short-term and long-term outcomes of septic patients. Additionally, the study seeks to validate preclinical pathophysiological findings of septic cardiomyopathy in the clinical setting. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In this prospective monocentric cohort study, patients will be clinically assessed during the acute and postacute phase of sepsis and two follow-ups after 6 and 12 months. To determine the effect of septic cardiomyopathy and concomitant cellular and molecular changes on patient mortality and morbidity, a comprehensive cardiovascular and molecular deep phenotyping of patients will be performed. This includes an echocardiographic and electrocardiographic assessment, and the evaluation of heart rate variability, body composition, mitochondrial oxygen metabolism, macrocirculation and microcirculation, and endothelial barrier function. These analyses are complemented by routine immunological, haematological and biochemical laboratory tests and analyses of the serum metabolome and lipidome, microbiome and epigenetic modifications of immune cells. The reversibility of patients' organ dysfunction, their quality of life and physical functional capacity will be investigated in the follow-ups. Patients with cardiomyopathy without infection and healthy subjects will serve as control groups. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (5276-09/17). The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at appropriate conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS: DRKS00013347; NCT03620409.

Aortic annulus measurement with computed tomography angiography reduces aortic regurgitation after transfemoral aortic valve replacement compared to 3-D echocardiography: a single-centre experience.

BACKGROUND: Accurate assessment of the aortic annulus is crucial for successful transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), in particular to prevent paravalvular regurgitation (PVR). We compared aortic annular sizing using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography (3-D TEE) to determine the predictive value of MDCT. METHODS AND RESULTS: All patients admitted for transfemoral TAVR [n = 227; 48.9% balloon expandable (Edwards Sapien 3); 51.1% self-expandable (Core Valve, Evolut R)] at our institution from January 2015 until December 2016 were analysed retrospectively. Aortic annular parameters were obtained either by MDCT or 3-D TEE. Additionally, we included a cohort of patients (n = 27) assessed by both MDCT and 3D TEE between October 2017 and April 2018 to enable intra-individual comparison of the two methods. Indications for TAVR were severe degenerative aortic stenosis (AS; 94.7%) or re-stenosis after surgical AVR (5.3%). 74.4% were classified as high-gradient AS. The mean age was 80 (37-94) years and 75.8% presented with NYHA III/IV. STS risk of mortality was intermediate (3.5 ± 2.3). MDCT and 3-D TEE were performed in 116 and 111 patients for aortic annulus sizing, respectively. Significantly larger implants were chosen in the CT group irrespective of prosthesis type or post-dilatation. Follow-up (median at 79 days) revealed significantly less PVR in the MDCT compared to 3-D TEE group (absence of PVR in 59.3% and 40.7%, p = 0.016), without differences in mortality. Patients without PVR or mild PVR had a better clinical performance according to NYHA class (p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: MDCT is superior to 3-D TEE in terms of sizing accuracy and clinical outcomes. Reduction of PVR after TAVR with MDCT is likely due to valve annulus undersizing by TEE.

Vena contracta area for severity grading in functional and degenerative mitral regurgitation: a transoesophageal 3D colour Doppler analysis in 500 patients.

Aims: Vena contracta area (VCA3D), derived by 3D colour Doppler echocardiography, has already been validated against cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, but the number of clinical studies to define cut-off values for grading of mitral regurgitation (MR) is limited. Aim of the study was to assess VCA3D in a large population of patients with functional (FMR) and degenerative MR (DMR). Methods and results: Transoesophageal echocardiography was performed in 500 patients with MR. The following 2D parameters were assessed for grading of MR: vena contracta width, effective regurgitant orifice area (EROAPISA), and regurgitation volume (RVPISA). VCA3D and the corresponding regurgitation volume (RVVCA) were quantified using 3D colour Doppler loop and CW Doppler tracing of the regurgitant jet. In 104 patients a 3D dataset of the left ventricle (LV) and the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) was acquired. As a reference method, regurgitation volume (RV3D) was calculated as difference between LV overall and LVOT stroke volumes. For prediction of severe MR, VCA3D yielded higher values of area under the ROC curve compared to EROAPISA (overall patient group 0.98 for VCA3D vs. 0.90 for EROAPISA, P < 0.001; FMR group 0.97 for VCA3D vs. 0.92 for EROAPISA, P = 0.002). RVVCA correlated closer with RV3D compared to RVPISA (r = 0.96 for RVPISA, r = 0.79 for RVPISA). Conclusion: This study delivers cut-off values for VCA3D in patients with different types of MR. VCA3D is a robust parameter for quantification of MR, showing a good correlation with the reference method using 3D datasets of LV.

Quantification of mitral regurgitation during percutaneous mitral valve repair: added value of simultaneous hemodynamic and 3D echocardiographic assessment.

The objective of this study was to investigate the usefulness of intraprocedural hemodynamic monitoring for MR evaluation during pMRV. Assessment of mitral regurgitation (MR) during percutaneous mitral valve repair (pMVR) procedure is challenging. 3D color Doppler allows exact quantification of MR, but is technically demanding. Sixty patients with moderate to severe MR (14 with structural and 46 functional MR) were included in the study. Intraprocedural pressure curves were continuously obtained in the left atrium (LA) and left ventricle (LV). Transesophageal echocardiography was performed using 3D color Doppler derived mean vena contracta area (VCAmean) and mitral regurgitation volume (RegVol) to quantify MR severity before and after each clip implantation. In the entire patient group, strongest correlations were observed firstly between VCA and the raise of the ascending limb of the left atrial V pressure wave (Vascend; r = 0.58, p < 0.001) and secondly between the difference of peak V wave pressure and mean LA pressure divided by systolic LV pressure [(Vpeak - LAmean) - LVsystole; r = 0.53, p < 0.001]. In patients with structural MR, the highest area under the ROC curve for prediction of mild MR (VCAmean < 0.2 cm² and RegVol < 30 ml) after clip implantation was found for Vascend (AUC 0.89, p < 0.001) whereas in functional MR calculation of (Vpeak - LAmean) - LVsystole showed the highest predictive value (AUC 0.69, p = 0.003). Invasive pressure monitoring can give a direct feedback with regard to the success of clip placement during pMVR.

Endothelial progenitor cells and plaque burden in stented coronary artery segments: an optical coherence tomography study six months after elective PCI.

BACKGROUND: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) are involved in neovascularization and endothelial integrity. They might be protective in atherosclerosis. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a precise intracoronary imaging modality that allows assessment of subintimal plaque development. We evaluated the influence of EPC on coronary plaque burden in stable disease and implemented a novel computational plaque analysis algorithm using OCT. METHODS: Forty-three patients (69.8% males, 69.6 ± 7.7 years) were investigated by OCT during re-angiography 6 months after elective stent implantation. Different subpopulations of EPCs were identified by flow cytometry according to their co-expression of antigens (CD34+, CD133+, kinase domain receptor, KDR+). An algorithm was applied to calculate the underlying total plaque burden of the stented segments from OCT images. Plaque morphology was assessed according to international consensus in OCT imaging. RESULTS: A cumulative sub-strut plaque volume of 10.87 ± 12.7 mm3 and a sub-stent plaque area of 16.23 ± 17.0 mm2 were found within the stented vessel segments with no significant differences between different stent types. All EPC subpopulations (mean of EPC levels: CD34+/CD133+: 2.66 ± 2.0%; CD34+/KDR+: 7.50 ± 5.0%; CD34+/CD133+/KDR+: 1.12 ± 1.0%) inversely correlated with the identified underlying total plaque volume and plaque area (p ≤ 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: This novel analysis algorithm allows for the first time comprehensive quantification of coronary plaque burden by OCT and illustration as spread out vessel charts. Increased EPC levels are associated with less sub-stent coronary plaque burden which adds to previous findings of their protective role in atherosclerosis.

Metastatic obliterating mass of right ventricular cavity: A report of case and echocardiographic features.

We present the case of a 63-year-old man with a history of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and systemic chemotherapy who suffered from progressive shortness of breath and peripheral edema. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a huge non-homogenous mass nearly completely filling the dilated right ventricle. The border of mass was not differentiable from the right ventricular myocardium. The findings of echocardiographic study were highly suggestive for cardiac metastasis. Computed tomography and positron emission computed tomography confirmed the presumed diagnosis. Lung cancer is one of the most common primary tumors of cardiac metastasis and NSCLC accounts for about 85% of all lung cancers. Lymphatic spread or direct invasion usually involves the pericardium or epicardium. However, metastasis to the myocardium and endocardium is extremely rare. The huge size, location, direct invasion to myocardium and echocardiographic features of this cardiac mass have made it a unique case for presentation. .

Fractional flow reserve-guided coronary angioplasty using paclitaxel-coated balloons without stent implantation: feasibility, safety and 6-month results by angiography and optical coherence tomography.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with drug-coated balloons (DCB) might be a promising trade-off between balloon angioplasty and drug-eluting stents, since DCB inhibit neointimal proliferation and limit duration of dual antiplatelet therapy. We investigated the safety, feasibility, and 6-month results of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided use of the paclitaxel-coated SeQuent Please® balloon without stenting for elective PCI of de novo lesions. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 46 patients (54 lesions) with stable symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD), a FFR-guided POBA (plain old balloon angioplasty) was performed. In case of a sufficient POBA result with residual stenosis < 40 %, FFR > 0.8 and no severe dissection, the target lesion was finally dilated using the DCB. Quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) was performed before and after the index procedure and at 6-month follow-up (f/u) to calculate late lumen loss (LLL) and net luminal gain (NLG). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed at f/u to assess vascular remodeling. DCB-only treatment was applied to 43 patients (51 lesions), while 3 patients (3 lesions) needed provisional stenting. Invasive f/u was completed in 39 patients (47 lesions). At the stenotic site, the lumen diameter showed a trend toward progressive increase at f/u (LLL: -0.13 ± 0.44 mm, n.s.; NLG: 1.10 ± 0.53 mm, p < 0.001) without aneurysm formation or restenosis after DCB-only treatment. CONCLUSIONS: FFR-guided DCB-only PCI of de novo lesions appeared feasible and safe in stable CAD with clopidogrel discontinuation after 4 weeks, showing a trend toward positive vessel remodeling without lumen loss at 6 months. Clinical trial registration http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT02120859.

Interventional left atrial appendage occlusion: added value of 3D transesophageal echocardiography for device sizing.

Aim of this study was the assessment of left atrial appendage (LAA) dimensions comparing 2D- to 3D-TEE measurements in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation undergoing percutaneous LAA occlusion. Patients underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) before, during and 45 days after intervention. The maximal LAA orifice diameters in 2D-TEE (LODmax 2D) were obtained from multiple views. Test-retest reliability (screening vs. implantation), inter- and intra-observer variability for echocardiographic parameters were assessed by two independent examiners. Overall, 74 patients underwent percutaneous LAA occlusion. 2D-TEE significantly underestimated the maximal LAA orifice diameter compared with 3D-TEE (screening LODmax 2D 21.11 ± 2.75 mm vs. 22.52 ± 3.45 mm for LODmax 3D, p < 0.001; during implantation LODmax 2D 21.56 ± 3.48 mm vs. 22.99 ± 3.24 mm for LODmax 3D, p < 0.001). The intraobserver and interobserver variability calculated as coefficient of variation (CV) were both lower for the 3D-TEE quantification of the maximal orifice diameter (intraobserver CV for 3D-TEE 6.07 % vs. 9.31 % for 2D-TEE; interobserver CV for 3D-TEE 6.73 % vs. 9.69 % for 2D-TEE). Compared to 3D-TEE the test-retest reliability of 2D-TEE showed a lower intraclass correlation coefficient calculated as average of raters (0.92 for 3D-TEE vs. for 2D-TEE 0.78). Firstly, 2D-TEE significantly underestimates the maximal LAA orifice diameter compared to 3D-TEE. Secondly, 3D-TEE measurements are associated with a lower observer variability and higher reliability than 2D-TEE.

Time course of vascular response after an a priori strategy of bare metal stent implantation post-dilated with a paclitaxel-coated balloon: Implementation of a three-dimensional analysis algorithm with optical coherence tomography.

BACKGROUND: An a priori combined therapy of a bare metal stent post-dilated with a paclitaxel- -coated balloon (PCB) was investigated with optical coherence tomography (OCT) at 2 and 6 months regarding vessel response. Previous studies have shown inconsistent results and the time course of vessel healing after such an interventional strategy is unknown. METHODS: Thirty-three de novo lesions in 32 patients were electively treated. Six-month OCT analysis was available in 24 lesions. Two-month OCT follow-up was obtained in 16 lesions. Sequential OCT at 2 and 6 months was available in 7 patients. A novel 3-dimensional picture of vessel segments as spread outs was implemented. RESULTS: Severe incomplete stent apposition (ISA) accompanied by significantly lower strut coverage were found at 2-month compared with 6-month follow-up (ISA struts: 11.4 ± 11.8% vs. 1.8 ± 4.8%, p = 0.001; uncovered struts: 14.5 ± 14.8% vs. 2.0 ± 5.3%, p = 0.001). ISA size diminished over time and the possibly observed phenomenon of positive vessel remodeling (remodeling volume: 4.9 ± 5.9 mm3 at 2-months vs. 2.0 ± 2.6 mm3 at 6-months; p = 0.042) was largely reversible in most lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Bare metal stenting with adjunctive application of paclitaxel by a coated bal-loon shows transient severe incomplete strut apposition, most likely due to focal positive ves-sel remodeling. Thus, caution is needed in bailout situations following a PCB angioplasty. A novel illustration of OCT parameters as "carpet views" enables a comprehensive analysis of investigated stents.

Decrease in circulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells during short-term systemic normobaric hypoxia.

BACKGROUND: During exposure to high altitude, the immune system is altered. During hypoxia, an increase in interleukin (IL)-6 and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and an increase in natural killer cells and decrease in T cells in blood was shown. However, the impact of hypoxia on dendritic cells has not been investigated yet. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve healthy volunteers were subjected to a transient normobaric hypoxia for 6·5 h simulating an oxygen concentration at 5500 m. During exposure to hypoxia, blood samples were collected and analysed by flow cytometrical cell sorting (FACS) for circulating myeloid (mDCs) and plasmacytoid (pDCs) DCs. Serum levels of IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α were analysed. In a cell culture hypoxia chamber, blood samples were subjected to the same hypoxia and analysed regarding DCs. RESULTS: Exposure to normobaric hypoxia induced a significant decrease in circulating pDCs about 45% (P = 0·001) but not of mDC compared to baseline normoxia. Furthermore, we observed a significant increase of TNF-α about 340% (P = 0·03) and of IL-6 about 286% (P = 0·002). In cell culture experiments exposure of blood to hypoxia led to no significant changes in DCs, so that a direct cytotoxic effect was excluded. During hypoxia, we observed a transient increase in stromal-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) which is important for pDC tissue recruitment. CONCLUSIONS: We show a significant decrease in circulating pDCs during hypoxia in parallel to a pro-inflammatory response. Further studies are necessary to evaluate whether the decrease in circulating pDCs might be the result of an enhanced tissue recruitment.

Determinants of neointimal proliferation and stent coverage after intracoronary therapy with drug-eluting devices in stable coronary artery disease: role of endothelial progenitor cells and interleukin-1 family cytokines.

BACKGROUND: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and cytokines seem to play a pivotal role in arterial healing after stent implantation. Using optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a high-resolution imaging technique, we aimed to assess the influence of circulating EPCs and levels of Il-1 cytokines on stent coverage and in-stent proliferation. METHODS: Eighty-nine patients were randomly treated with either Xience V drug-eluting stent (DES; n = 48) or bare-metal stent (BMS) postdilated with the SeQuent Please drug-eluting balloon (DEB; n = 41). EPC populations (CD34+/CD133+ and CD34+/CD133+/KDR+ EPC) and cytokines (Il-1ra, Il-18, and Il-1α) were measured before percutaneous coronary intervention using flow cytometry or immunoassay. Vessel remodeling was analyzed using coronary angiography and OCT at 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: Indexed neointimal volume and maximal proliferation thickness correlated inversely with EPC levels in the entire study population (r = -0.220; P=.04 and r = -0.253; P=.02) and the BMS + DEB subgroup (r = -0.344; P=.03 and r = -0.374; P=.02). Late lumen loss (LLL) was associated with the proatherogenic Il-18 concentration in the main population (r = 0.342; P=.01) and the BMS + DEB group (r = 0.471; P=.01). In the DES subgroup, associations with proliferation and LLL were lacking. Associations for stent strut coverage were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: A high EPC count seems to be a favorable individual patient factor, since it was associated with less instent proliferation. Contrarily, high Il-18 levels lead to more LLL, which emphasizes its proatherogenic properties.

Stent coverage and neointimal proliferation in bare metal stents postdilated with a Paclitaxel-eluting balloon versus everolimus-eluting stents: prospective randomized study using optical coherence tomography at 6-month follow-up.

BACKGROUND: In this randomized trial, strut coverage and neointimal proliferation of a therapy of bare metal stents (BMSs) postdilated with the paclitaxel drug-eluting balloon (DEB) was compared with everolimus drug-eluting stents (DESs) at 6-month follow-up using optical coherence tomography. We hypothesized sufficient stent coverage at follow-up. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 105 lesions in 90 patients were treated with either XIENCE V DES (n=51) or BMS postdilated with the SeQuent Please DEB (n=54). At follow-up, comparable results on the primary optical coherence tomography end point (percentage uncovered struts 5.64±9.65% in BMS+DEB versus 4.93±9.29% in DES; P=0.366) were found. Thus, BMS+DEB achieved the prespecified noninferiority margin of 5% uncovered struts versus DES (difference between treatment means, 0.71%; one-sided upper 95% confidence interval, 4.14%; noninferiority P=0.04). Optical coherence tomography analysis showed significantly more global neointimal proliferation in the BMS+DEB group (15.7±7.8 versus 11.0±5.2 mm(3) proliferation volume/cm stent length; P=0.002). No significant focal in-stent stenosis analyzed with angiography (percentage diameter stenosis at follow-up, 22.8±11.9 versus 16.9±10.4; P=0.014) and optical coherence tomography (peak local area stenosis, 39.5±13.8% versus 36.8±15.6%; P=0.409) was found. CONCLUSIONS: Good stent strut coverage of >94% was found in both therapy groups. Despite greater suppression of global neointimal growth in DES, both DES and BMS+DEB effectively prevented clinically relevant focal restenosis at 6-month follow-up. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01056744.

Effect of a weight loss program in obese adolescents; a long-term follow-up.

OBJECTIVES: Obesity during adolescence is an increasing health problem in industrial countries. The co-morbidities associated with obesity include important metabolic diseases. METHODS: To analyze the effect of a weight-loss program, we recruited 12 obese, male adolescents before entering this program. We determined body weight measures at baseline, 6-week and 36-month follow-up. Also, the long-term changes of blood pressure, HbA1c, and CRP were evaluated. Twenty healthy age-matched adolescents served as controls. RESULTS: Within the intervention group ((body mass index [BMI, kg/m2] > 95th percentile for age and sex, age 13-17 years) the BMI and BMI-standard deviation score [SDS] were significantly reduced in the 6-week follow-up after completing the weight loss program. However, the significant weight-reduction effect was not persistent until the 36-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: The 6-week weight-loss program had beneficial short-term effects on body weight, BMI, and BMI-SDS in obese adolescents, but these effects could not be maintained until the 36-month follow-up.

Objetivos: La obesidad durante la adolescencia es un problema de salud creciente en los países industriales. Las co-morbilidades asociadas a la obesidad conllevan importantes enfermedades metabólicas. Métodos: Para analizar el efecto de un programa de pérdida de peso, seleccionamos a 12 adolescentes varones obesos antes de entrar en este programa. Determinamos las mediciones de peso corporal al inicio del programa y en los seguimientos a las 6 semanas y a los 36 meses. También se evaluaron los cambios a largo plazo de tensión arterial, HbA1c y PCR. Igualmente se seleccionó a veinte adolescentes sanos de la misma edad que sirvieron como grupo de control. Resultados: Dentro del grupo de intervención ((índice de masa corporal [IMC, kg/m2] > percentil 95 para edad y sexo, 13-17 años) el IMC y la puntuación de la desviación estándar sobre el IMC [SDS] se vieron significativamente reducidos en el seguimiento de 6 semanas tras completar el programa de pérdida de peso. Sin embargo, el efecto de reducción de peso significativa no fue persistente hasta el seguimiento a los 36 meses. Conclusión: El programa de pérdida de peso de 6 semanas tuvo efectos beneficiosos a corto plazo en el peso corporal, IMC y en el IMC-SDS en adolescentes obesos, pero estos efectos no se pudieron mantener hasta el seguimiento a los 36 meses.

Effect of a weight loss program in obese adolescents; a long-term follow-up / Efecto de un programa de pérdida de peso en adolescentes obesos; seguimiento a largo plazo

Objectives: Obesity during adolescence is an increasing health problem in industrial countries. The co-morbidities associated with obesity include important metabolic diseases. Methods: To analyze the effect of a weight-loss program, we recruited 12 obese, male adolescents before entering this program. We determined body weight measures at baseline, 6-week and 36-month follow-up. Also, the long-term changes of blood pressure, HbA1c, and CRP were evaluated. Twenty healthy age-matched adolescents served as controls. Results: Within the intervention group ((body mass index [BMI, kg/m2] > 95th percentile for age and sex, age 13-17 years) the BMI and BMI-standard deviation score [SDS] were significantly reduced in the 6-week follow-up after completing the weight loss program. However, the significant weight-reduction effect was not persistent until the 36-month follow-up. Conclusion: The 6-week weight-loss program had beneficial short-term effects on body weight, BMI, and BMI-SDS in obese adolescents, but these effects could not be maintained until the 36-month follow-up (AU)

Objetivos: La obesidad durante la adolescencia es un problema de salud creciente en los países industriales. Las co-morbilidades asociadas a la obesidad conllevan importantes enfermedades metabólicas. Métodos: Para analizar el efecto de un programa de pérdida de peso, seleccionamos a 12 adolescentes varones obesos antes de entrar en este programa. Determinamos las mediciones de peso corporal al inicio del programa y en los seguimientos a las 6 semanas y a los 36 meses. También se evaluaron los cambios a largo plazo de tensión arterial, HbA1c y PCR. Igualmente se seleccionó a veinte adolescentes sanos de la misma edad que sirvieron como grupo de control. Resultados: Dentro del grupo de intervención ((índice de masa corporal [IMC, kg/m2] > percentil 95 para edad y sexo, 13-17 años) el IMC y la puntuación de la desviación estándar sobre el IMC [SDS] se vieron significativamente reducidos en el seguimiento de 6 semanas tras completar el programa de pérdida de peso. Sin embargo, el efecto de reducción de peso significativa no fue persistente hasta el seguimiento a los 36 meses. Conclusión: El programa de pérdida de peso de 6 semanas tuvo efectos beneficiosos a corto plazo en el peso corporal, IMC y en el IMC-SDS en adolescentes obesos, pero estos efectos no se pudieron mantener hasta el seguimiento a los 36 meses (AU)

Early diastolic strain rate predicts response to heart failure therapy in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the value of speckle tracking echocardiographic (2D-STE) parameters to predict response to heart failure therapy in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Eighty-seven patients (mean age 51 ± 13 years) with DCM, defined as ejection fraction (EF) <45 %, left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic diameter >112 % of normal range derived from age and body surface area. Based on 2D-STE following parameters were extracted from three apical views of the LV: global longitudinal strain, systolic and diastolic strain rate (SRE). Mechanical dispersion was calculated as standard deviation of time-to-peak strain values including all LV segments. After receiving heart failure therapy (mean 39 ± 11 months, range 3-60 months) 50 patients reached combined endpoint defined as following: death, heart transplantation, rehospitalization due to heart failure, and absence of improvement in EF. On stepwise multivariate regression analysis, SRE was independently of EF and LV volumes predictive for combined endpoint (OR 0.44, 95 %CI 0.27-0.70, p = 0.001) with an area under the ROC-curve (AUC) of 0.91. In patients with cQRS duration ≤120 ms mechanical dispersion was predictive for combined endpoint with the highest AUC (OR 1.53, 95 %CI 1.08-2.16, p = 0.002; AUC = 0.94). In this study, SRE, a surrogate parameter of myocardial relaxation, was able to predict a response to heart failure therapy in patients with DCM. In patients with narrow QRS complex, mechanical dispersion yielded the highest predictive value. Parameters of 2D-STE may contribute to risk stratification in this patient population.

Impact of acute normobaric hypoxia on regional and global myocardial function: a speckle tracking echocardiography study.

Aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of normobaric hypoxia on myocardial function in healthy humans. Fourteen subjects underwent two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) examination during normoxia and in a normobaric hypoxia chamber. Examinations were performed at rest and during bicycle exercise test. The following parameters were quantified in both atria and ventricles by 2D-STE: Global Strain (S), systolic strain rate (SRS), early (SRE) and late (SRA) diastolic strain rate. During hypoxia SRS and SRE increased significantly in both ventricles compared to baseline. The increase of LV SRS and SRE during normoxic exercise was significantly higher when compared with exercise under hypoxia (for SRS -0.55 ± 0.22 vs. -0.34 ± 0.24 1/s, p = 0.024; for SRE 0.56 ± 0.29 vs. 0.23 ± 0.29 1/s, p = 0.005). For the right ventricle (RV) no significant difference of exercise induced increase of systolic contractility was found (SRS -1.07 ± 0.53 under normoxia vs. -1.28 ± 0.24 1/s under hypoxic conditions, p = 0.47). A shift from passive conduit (SRE) to active contraction (SRA) phase during hypoxia was noted for the right atrium (RA) (SRE/SRA 0.72 ± 0.13 under hypoxia vs. 1.17 ± 0.17 under normoxia). The ratio SRE/SRA of RA was closely related to pulmonary systolic pressure (r = -0.78, p < 0.001). Exposure to normobaric hypoxia leads to an increase of regional myocardial deformation in both ventricles. The contractile reserve during hypoxic exercise is reduced in LV, whereas RV systolic deformation rate is maintained. In addition, hypoxia had an impact on the ratio of passive conduit to active contraction phase in right atrium.

Risk assessment of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy by strain echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: Indications for prophylactic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are based on left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF), although LVEF has limited ability to predict arrhythmias. It has recently been shown that strain echocardiography can predict ventricular arrhythmias in patients after myocardial infarction. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether strain echocardiography may help in the risk stratification of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with DCM. METHODS: Ninety-four patients with nonischemic DCM were prospectively included. By speckle-tracking strain echocardiography, global longitudinal strain was calculated as the average of peak longitudinal strain from a 16-segment LV model. The time interval from electrocardiographic peak R to peak negative strain was assessed in each LV segment. Mechanical dispersion was defined as the standard deviation of time to peak negative strain from 16 LV segments. RESULTS: After a median of 22 months of follow-up (range, 1-46 months), 12 patients (13%) had experienced arrhythmic events, defined as sustained ventricular tachycardia or cardiac arrest. LVEF and global longitudinal strain were reduced in patients with DCM with arrhythmic events compared with those without (28 ± 10% vs 38 ± 13%, P = .01, and -6.4 ± 3.3% vs -12.3 ± 5.2%, P < .001, respectively). Global longitudinal strain showed greater area under the curve than LVEF to identify arrhythmic events in receiver operating characteristic curve analyses (P = .05). Patients with arrhythmic events had increased mechanical dispersion (98 ± 43 vs 56 ± 18 ms, P < .001). Mechanical dispersion predicted arrhythmias independently of LVEF (hazard ratio, 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.49; P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Global longitudinal strain is a promising marker of arrhythmias. Mechanical dispersion predicted arrhythmic events in patients with DCM independently of LVEF. Strain echocardiography may help in the risk stratification of patients with DCM not fulfilling current implantable cardioverter-defibrillator indications.

Detection of irregular patterns of myocardial contraction in patients with hypertensive heart disease: a two-dimensional ultrasound speckle tracking study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of myocardial hypertrophy in patients with arterial hypertension on regional myocardial function and left ventricular twist. METHODS: Eighty patients with normal coronary angiograms and ejection fraction higher than 55% were divided according to left ventricular mass indexed to body height (LVMH) into a group with and without left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). The absolute values and time-to-peak values of overall strain (S), systolic (SRS) and early diastolic strain rate (SRE) were measured in longitudinal, circumferential and radial directions using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. Left ventricular twist and twist rate curves were calculated from rotation curves obtained from apical and basal parasternal short-axis planes. RESULTS: In the patient group with LVH, SRS and SRE, quantified in longitudinal and circumferential direction, were lower compared with the group without LVH. In addition, systolic twist rate and diastolic untwist rate were significantly lower in this patient group, too. No differences between patients groups were found for peak overall S measured in any direction or left ventricular twist. LVMH correlated significantly with longitudinal SRS (r = 0.48, P < 0.001), longitudinal SRE (r =  -0.48, P < 0.001), systolic twist rate (r = 0.37, P = 0.006) and diastolic untwist rate (r =  -0.27, P = 0.046). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, LVH in patients with arterial hypertension predominantly affected longitudinal and circumferential deformation rate. Moreover, LVH resulted in a significant reduction of systolic twist rate and diastolic untwist rate, whereas overall left ventricular twist angle was not influenced by LVMH.

Echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular filling pressures validated against an implantable left ventricular pressure monitoring system.

BACKGROUND: Aim of this study was to assess the ability of different echocardiographic indices to evaluate left ventricular (LV) filling pressures in patients with reduced LV function. METHODS: In 5 patients scheduled for aortocoronary bypass surgery, a telemetric intraventricular pressure sensor was implanted. Over 6 months, these patients underwent a total of 21 echocardiographic examinations with a simultaneous recording of left ventricular mean (LVMDP) and end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP). The following echocardiographic parameters were extracted from the transmitral flow profile: early (E) and late (A) diastolic flow velocity, deceleration time of the E-wave (DT) and the isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT). Early diastolic velocity of the mitral ring (E') was recorded using pulsed-wave tissue Doppler echocardiography. RESULTS: All patients were in NYHA class III and mean ejection fraction was 30%. E correlated only moderately with LVMDP (r =-0.60, P = 0.003), but revealed the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the prediction of an elevated LVMDP > 12 mmHg (AUC = 0.94, sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 86%, cut-off value 7.5 cm/s). E/A > 1 predicted LVEDP > 15 mmHg with a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 80%. E/E' was not correlated with LVMDP or LVEDP. CONCLUSION: Although linear correlation between echocardiographic parameters and diastolic LV pressures reached statistical significance, the correlation coefficients were low. However, in these patients with severely reduced LV function due to ischemic heart disease conventional echocardiographic parameters of transmitral flow showed higher predictive values for elevated LV filling pressures than E/E'.