Incremental value of diastolic wall strain in predicting heart failure events in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Diastolic wall strain (DWS), an echocardiographic index based on linear elasticity theory, has been identified as a predictor of heart failure (HF) in patients with sinus rhythm. However, its effectiveness in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients remains uncertain. This study aims to assess DWS as a predictor of HF in AF patients with preserved ejection fraction. We analysed a prospective database of AF patients undergoing transthoracic echocardiography. AF patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (< 50%), posterior wall motion abnormality, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, pericardial disease, congenital heart disease, or history of pacemaker/implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation or cardiac surgery were excluded. The study followed patients until HF development, death, or last visit. Follow-up for patients who underwent catheter ablation was censored on the date of their procedure. HF was ascertained based on the Framingham criteria. DWS was calculated using a validated formula: DWS = (PWs -PWd)/PWs, where PWs is the posterior wall thickness at end-systole and PWd is the posterior wall thickness at end-diastole. Among 411 study patients (mean age 69.6 years, 66% men), 20 (5%) was underwent catheter ablation and 57 (14%) developed HF during a mean follow-up of 82 months. Cox-proportional hazards demonstrated that low DWS (≤ 0.33) significantly predicted HF events (hazard ratio [HR] 3.28, 95% confidence interval [CI]) 1.81-5.94, P < 0.0001), independent of age (per 10 years; HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.35-2.93, P < 0.001), indexed left ventricular mass (per 10 g/m2; HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.05-1.27, P < 0.01), and indexed left atrial volume (per 10 mL/m2; HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.04-1.24, P < 0.01). Additionally, global log-likelihood ratio chi-square statistics indicated that DWS incrementally predicts HF development beyond age, indexed left ventricular mass, and left atrial volume (P < 0.001).

H2ARDD score as a feasible predictor of heart failure events in patients with atrial fibrillation: a validation study.

It was reported that the H2ARDD score (organic heart diseases = 2 points, anemia = 1 point, renal dysfunction = 1 point, diabetes = 1 point, and diuretic use = 1point; range 0 to 6 points) may help identify patients with AF at high risk for HF events. However, this score has not been externally validated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of H2ARDD score in predicting HF events in patients with AF. We used a prospective database of patients with AF, and Cox-proportional hazards models were used to assess the risk of HF events. The outcome of interest was defined as HF events including new-onset HF and death from HF. Of 562 AF patients, 518 (mean 69.7 ± 9.7 years-old, 64.9% men) met study criteria, and 84 (16.2%) developed HF events during a mean follow-up of 54 ± 42 months. In multivariable analyses, H2ARDD score was shown as a significant predictor for HF events [hazard ratio (HR): 1.56, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.36-1.79], independent of age (per 10 years, HR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.03-1.78). In the Kaplan-Meier analyses stratified by H2ARDD score categories (0-2, 3-4, 5-6), the patients with higher H2ARDD scores had significantly worse HF event-free survival (log-rank P < 0.0001). The area under the ROC curve was 0.71 (95% CI: 0.65-0.77, P < 0.0001). The sensitivity and specificity at a cut-off score of ≥ 3 were 60% and 71%, respectively. In conclusion, the H2ARDD score may be feasible for HF risk stratification in patients with AF.

Survey results: status report on problems caused by sexual mismatch between sonographer and patient during echocardiography-a 2020 report of the Japanese Society of Echocardiography.

OBJECTIVES: Ultrasonography is an essential examination performed in various clinical fields. The number of clinical sonographers has been increasing. However, the working environments and conditions at each facility are different, leading to diverse problems. Among them, the emerging issue is the sexual disagreement between the sonographer and patient at the time of echocardiography. Since the patient must expose their breast during echocardiography, female patients may refuse to undergo the examination when conducted by a male sonographer. This study aimed to conduct a questionnaire survey to understand the measures for sonographer-patient gender mismatch at different facilities. METHODS: A questionnaire on the implementation of echocardiography by male sonographers for female patients was answered by representatives and specialist technicians of the Japanese Society of Echocardiography. RESULTS: Questionnaire responses were obtained from 50 facilities (59 participants). A total of 70% of the facilities restricted male sonographers from conducting echocardiography examinations for female patients. Among them, 81% of the facilities serviced female patients aged 60 years or younger. CONCLUSIONS: It has become clear that the gender selection of echocardiographic examiners varies from facility to facility, and providing a sufficient explanation before echocardiographic examination is necessary to avoid causing uncomfortable situations for female patients.

Socioeconomic variations determine the clinical presentation, aetiology, and outcome of infective endocarditis: a prospective cohort study from the ESC-EORP EURO-ENDO (European Infective Endocarditis) registry.

AIMS: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening disease associated with high mortality and morbidity worldwide. We sought to determine how socioeconomic factors might influence its epidemiology, clinical presentation, investigation and management, and outcome, in a large international multicentre registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: The EurObservational Programme (EORP) of the European Society of Cardiology EURO-ENDO (European Infective Endocarditis) registry comprises a prospective cohort of 3113 adult patients admitted for IE in 156 hospitals in 40 countries between January 2016 and March 2018. Patients were separated in three groups, according to World Bank economic stratification [group 1: high income (75.6%); group 2: upper-middle income (15.4%); group 3: lower-middle income (9.1%)]. Group 3 patients were younger [median age (interquartile range, IQR): group 1, 66 (53-75) years; group 2, 57 (41-68) years; group 3, 33 (26-43) years; P < 0.001] with a higher frequency of smokers, intravenous drug use, and human immunodeficiency virus infection (all P < 0.001) and presented later [median (IQR) days since symptom onset: group 1, 12 (3-35); group 2, 19 (6-54); group 3, 31 (12-62); P < 0.001] with a higher likelihood of developing congestive heart failure (13.6%, 11.1%, and 22.6%, respectively; P < 0.001) and persistent fever (9.8%, 14.2%, and 27.9%, respectively; P < 0.001). Among 2157 (69.3%) patients with theoretical indication for cardiac surgery, surgery was performed less frequently in group 3 patients (75.5%, 76.8%, and 51.3%, respectively; P < 0.001), who also demonstrated the highest mortality (15.0%, 23.0%, and 23.7%, respectively; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic factors influence the clinical profile of patients presenting with IE across the world. Despite younger age, patients from the poorest countries presented with more frequent complications and higher mortality associated with delayed diagnosis and lower use of surgery.

Atrial fibrillation and stroke: importance of left atrium as assessed by echocardiography.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, which has been increasing dramatically. AF has unfavorable consequences, such as stroke, heart failure, and cardiovascular death. Of these, stroke has been considered to be the serious complication. Recently, direct oral anticoagulation or new technologies, such as the WATCHMAN left atrium (LA) appendage closure device, have emerged to prevent stroke. Therefore, the accurate estimation of thromboembolic risk and appropriate prevention are essential for high-risk patients with AF. Although CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores has been widely used to predict the risk of stroke in patients with AF, some researchers showed that there was no relationship between CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores and LA appendage thrombus formation. Recent studies have reported that combination of echocardiographic parameters to CHADS2 or CHA2DS2-VASc scores can stratify high risk groups for LA appendage thrombus formation and onset of stroke. In this review, we focus on the epidemiological, pathophysiological, and prognostic associations between AF and stroke, and review the clinical and echocardiographic predictors for stroke in patients with AF.

Predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients with infective endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis is a serious septic disease, and the epidemiological profile has changed over the last decade. However, there is a paucity of data regarding the current outcome and predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients with infective endocarditis. METHODS: Consecutive patients diagnosed as infective endocarditis based on the modified Duke criteria at Kansai Medical University hospital from January 2006 to June 2019 were prospectively included. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Cox proportional hazards modelling was used to assess risk factors of in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Of 137 consecutive patients with infective endocarditis (age 60 ± 17 years-old, 62% men, 65% underlying cardiac disease, 11% chronic haemodialysis), 18 (13%) died during hospitalisation. Age and sex were not associated with in-hospital mortality. Patients on chronic haemodialysis exhibited significantly higher in-hospital mortality rate than those without (47 vs. 9%). After adjusting for comorbidities in a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, chronic haemodialysis was a significant predictor of in-hospital mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 4.22, 95% confidential interval (CI): 1.49-12.0, p < 0.01], independently of C-reactive protein (per 1 mg/dl; HR 1.07, 95%CI: 1.02-1.12, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Infective endocarditis in patients on chronic haemodialysis is a serious life-threatening condition that requires early diagnosis and an effective therapeutic approach.

Optimal timing of echocardiography for heart failure inpatients in Japanese institutions: OPTIMAL Study.

AIMS: Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure (HF) provided by the European Society of Cardiology state that echocardiography is recommended for the assessment of the myocardial structure and function of subjects with suspected HF including HF with reduced (HFrEF), mid-range (HFmrEF), and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) as class I of recommendation and level C of evidence. However, the impact of timing of echocardiography on survival for hospitalized HF patients or the prevalence of echocardiography during their stay has not yet been fully investigated. Therefore, we designed and conducted a prospective multicentre study, Optimal Timing of Echocardiography for Heart Failure Inpatients in Japanese Institutions (OPTIMAL) study, to investigate and evaluate the prevalence of echocardiography during the in-hospital stay of HF patients, and the impact of timing of echocardiography on their survival. METHODS AND RESULTS: OPTIMAL was based on a nationwide, prospective, multicentre registry at 10 institutions in Japan endorsed by the Japanese Society of Echocardiography. A total of 601 patients hospitalized with HF were enrolled between August 2016 and July 2018 at the participating centres. Their mean age was 73.9 ± 13.0 years, left ventricular ejection fraction was 37.0% (26.0-50.0), and 256 patients (42.6%) were female. Admission echocardiography (admission echo) was categorized as either standard or point-of-care echocardiography performed within 3 days of admission, as was pre-discharge echocardiography (pre-discharge echo) within 3 days of discharge. The primary endpoint was defined as cardiovascular death over a median follow-up period of 18.9 months (9.3-26.5 months). Admission echo was performed for 476 patients (79.2%) and pre-discharge echo for 216 patients (35.9%). The primary endpoint of cardiovascular death occurred in 65 patients (10.8%). Kaplan-Meier curve findings indicated that survival of patients with pre-discharge echo was significantly better than that of patients without it (log-rank P < 0.001), and the same findings were obtained for patients with HFrEF, HFmrEF, and HFpEF. However, survival of patients with and without admission echo was similar (log-rank P = 0.33). CONCLUSIONS: This OPTIMAL study prospectively showed the importance of pre-discharge echo for hospitalized HF patients. Careful attention is needed regarding the haemodynamic status of HF patients by administering pre-discharge echo to avoid HF re-hospitalization after discharge, and pre-discharge echo may provide additional information for deciding the appropriate discharge time. Our findings may thus offer a new insight into the management of hospitalized HF patients.

Heart Failure in Atrial Fibrillation　- An Update on Clinical and Echocardiographic Implications.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia in adults and has unfavorable consequences such as stroke, heart failure (HF), and death. HF is the most common adverse event following AF and the leading cause of death. Therefore, identifying the association between AF and HF is important to establish risk stratification for HF in AF. Recent studies suggested that left atrial and ventricular fibrosis is an important link between AF and HF, and the prognostic impact may differ with respect to HF subtype, stratified with left ventricular ejection fraction (EF). Mortality risk in patients with concurrent AF and HF with reduced EF (HFrEF) appears slightly higher compared with those with concurrent AF and HF with preserved EF (HFpEF). On the other hand, the prognostic impact of HF in AF is similar between HFrEF and HFpEF. Further, left atrial size, as well as left atrial and left ventricular functional assessment, are reported to be useful for the prediction of HF in AF, incremental to the conventional risk factors. In this review, we focus on the epidemiological, pathophysiological, and prognostic associations between AF and HF, and review the clinical and echocardiographic predictors for HF in AF.

Usefulness of Left Atrial Volume as an Independent Predictor of Development of Heart Failure in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Left atrial (LA) volume is known as a robust predictor of heart failure (HF) development in patients with sinus rhythm. However, among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), the utility of LA volume for prediction of HF development has not been determined. The objective of this study was to investigate the utility of LA volume for prediction of HF development in patients with AF. Among adult patients who were referred for transthoracic echocardiography, those with AF at the baseline echocardiography were included and prospectively followed up to new-onset HF events. Patients who had significant valvular heart disease, congenital heart disease, or reduced left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction were excluded. Cox-proportional hazards models were used to assess the risk of HF development. Of a total of 562 patients, 422 (mean age 69.6 ± 9.7 years, 66.1% men) met study criteria, and 52 (12.3%) developed HF during a mean follow-up of 55 ± 43 months. Patients with HF events had larger indexed LA volume, compared with those without HF events (69 ± 46 vs 50 ± 23 ml/m2, p <0.0001). In a multivariable analysis adjusted for other co-morbidities, LA volume was a significant predictor for HF development [per 10 ml/m2; hazard ratio (HR) 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06 to 1.22, p <0.001], independently of age (per 10 years; HR 1.71, 95% CI 1.16 to 2.52, p <0.01), LV ejection fraction (per 10%; HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.86, p <0.01), and indexed LV mass (per 10 g/m2; HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.24, p <0.05). Also, LA volume had an incremental effect for prediction of HF development to these conventional risk factors (p <0.0001). In conclusion, LA volume provides prognostic information for the prediction of future HF events in patients with AF.

Diastolic wall strain as a predictor of age-related cardiovascular events in patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

Diastolic wall strain (DWS) was reported as a simple and feasible echocardiographic index in assessing left ventricular (LV) diastolic stiffness. We sought to evaluate whether DWS predicts age-related cardiovascular events. Patients referred for transthoracic echocardiogram, those with preserved LV ejection fraction and no clinical heart failure were studied. Cardiovascular events were ascertained using Framingham criteria (myocardial infarction, coronary insufficiency, stroke, transient ischemic attack, congestive heart failure, or cardiovascular death). DWS was calculated with a validated formula. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to assess the risk of cardiovascular events. Of a total number of 962 patients (mean age 60.9 ± 14.9 years, 48.0% men), 69 (7.2%) developed at least 1 cardiovascular event during a mean follow-up of 43 ± 32 months. After adjusting for cardiovascular comorbidities in a multivariable model, low DWS (≦ 0.33) was a significant independent predictor of cardiovascular events [hazard ratio (HR): 1.87, 95% confidential interval (CI) 1.04-3.36, P = 0.04]. Echocardiographic assessment of DWS may help in identifying the patients at increased risk for future age-related cardiovascular events.

Effect of eicosapentaenoic acid on regional arterial stiffness: Assessment by tissue Doppler imaging.

AIM: To evaluate the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on regional arterial stiffness assessed by strain rate using tissue Doppler imaging. METHODS: Nineteen eligible patients were prospectively studied (mean age 62 ± 8 years, 68% men). Subjects with large vessel complications and/or diabetes mellitus were excluded. The strain rate of the ascending aorta was measured by tissue Doppler imaging as an index of regional arterial stiffness, and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured as an index of degree of systemic arteriosclerosis. These indices were compared before and after administration of EPA at 1800 mg/d for one year. RESULTS: The plasma concentration of EPA increased significantly after EPA administration (3.0% ± 1.1% to 8.5% ± 2.9%, P < 0.001). There were no significant changes in baPWV (1765 ± 335 cm/s to 1745 ± 374 cm/s), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (114 ± 29 mg/dL to 108 ± 28 mg/dL), or systolic blood pressure (131 ± 16 mmHg to 130 ± 13 mmHg) before and after EPA administration. In contrast, the strain rate was significantly increased by administration of EPA (19.2 ± 5.6 s(-1), 23.0 ± 6.6 s(-1), P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: One year of administration of EPA resulted in an improvement in regional arterial stiffness which was independent of blood pressure or serum cholesterol levels.

Effect of pioglitazone on arterial baroreflex sensitivity and sympathetic nerve activity in patients with acute myocardial infarction and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Pioglitazone has been shown to reduce the occurrence of fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the mechanisms of such favorable effects remain speculative. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pioglitazone on arterial baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) in 30 DM patients with recent MI. Patients were randomly assigned to those taking pioglitazone (n = 15) and those not taking pioglitazone (n = 15) at 4 weeks after the onset of MI. BRS, MSNA, calculated homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), and plasma adiponectin were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks. Pioglitazone increased plasma adiponectin (from 6.9 ± 3.3 µg/dL to 12.2 ± 7.1 µg/dL) and reduced HOMA-IR (from 4.0 ± 2.2 to 2.1 ± 0.9). In the pioglitazone group, MSNA decreased significantly (from 37 ± 7 bursts/min to 25 ± 8 bursts/min) and BRS increased significantly (from 6.7 ± 3.0 to 9.9 ± 3.2 ms/mm Hg) after 12 weeks. Furthermore, a significant relationship was found between the change in MSNA and HOMA-IR (r = 0.6, P = 0.042). Thus, pioglitazone decreased the sympathetic nerve traffic through the improvement of insulin resistance in DM patients with recent MI, which indicate that the sympathoinhibitory effects of pioglitazone may, at least in part, have contributed to the beneficial effects of pioglitazone.

Pseudoaneurysm with left-to-right shunt in a patient with myocardial infarction: evaluation by three-dimensional echocardiography.

It is often difficult to noninvasively differentiate a post-infarction left ventricular (LV) pseudoaneurysm from a post-infarction true aneurysm. A 66-year-old woman with a past history of inferior acute myocardial infarction was admitted to our hospital because of acute decompensated heart failure. Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography showed an aneurysm with a narrow orifice in the inferoposterior basal area. The pulmonary to systemic flow ratio (Q p/Q s) was 2.2:1, which corresponded to moderate left-right shunting. Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE) showed the orifice in the perforated right ventricular basal area with a color jet through the orifice from the LV to the right ventricle. Collectively, based on the 3D-TEE findings, we diagnosed the case as inferoposterior pseudoaneurysm with a left-to-right shunt caused by myocardial infarction.

Left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome in a patient with infundibular stenosis of the right ventricle: A case report.

A 73-year-old female patient with a past history of right ventricular infundibular stenosis was admitted to our intensive care unit because of right ventricular dysfunction. On the fifth day of hospitalization, she suddenly experienced dyspnea without chest pain despite the improvement of her condition by initial medical treatment. Although electrocardiography revealed no ST-segment elevation, echocardiography and myocardial perfusion using 99mTc-MIBI revealed new development of severe symmetrical akinesia and reduced perfusion of the left ventricular (LV) apex and mid-ventricle. LV apical ballooning syndrome was diagnosed based on the minimal elevation of cardiac enzymes (peak cardiac troponin I 0.18 ng/ml) despite the presence of large regions of focal myocardial damage in the myocardium and the absence of positive ECG diagnosis and urgent coronary angiography. Previous coronary angiography revealed normal coronary arteries and the left anterior descending artery without full irrigation around the apex making apical ballooning. On the 12th day of hospitalization, despite the use of positive inotropic treatment, it was impossible to maintain hemodynamic stability, and the patient died prior to the functional recovery of the left ventricle.

Atypical morphology and myocardial perfusion of mid-ventricular ballooning: A case report.

Although some atypical types of transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome have been reported, only a few atypical types of transient mid-ventricular ballooning have been reported. A 70-year-old female underwent surgery for urothelial carcinoma. At day 5 after the surgery, she was admitted to our department without cardiac symptoms because of ST elevation in leads I, II, III, aVF and V1-V6 indicating acute coronary syndrome. She was diagnosed with stress induced cardiomyopathy based on an angiographically normal coronary artery, newly developed extensive wall motion abnormality (hyperbasal contraction and akinesis from the mid-left ventricle to the apex without hypercontraction of the small area adjacent to the apex) based on left ventriculography, and a small elevation of myocardial enzymes incongruous with the area of contraction abnormality. Myocardial scintigraphy with 99mTc-tetrofosmin showed a severely reduced myocardial perfusion in an extensive mid-ventricular area without a left ventricular base and top of apex, in accord with a wall motion abnormality different from typical apical ballooning or typical mid-ventricular ballooning previously diagnosed in our hospital. This is the first report presenting an atypical mid-ventricular ballooning based on the myocardial atypical perfusion findings.

Obesity as an independent risk for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in 692 Japanese patients.

BACKGROUND: Both obesity and left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. There is a paucity of data as to whether obesity is independently associated with LV diastolic dysfunction. METHODS: Adult patients with sinus rhythm referred for a transthoracic echocardiography between July, 2007, and December, 2007, were prospectively included. Exclusion criteria were patient who had a history of congenital or valvular heart disease, treatment with pacemaker implantation or implantable cardioverter defibrillator, myocardial infarction, or impaired LV systolic function. Diastolic function was classified by an algorithm incorporating data from mitral and pulmonary venous flow indices, and Doppler tissue imaging. Body mass index (BMI) was evaluated as a categorical variable (normal weight <25.0 kg/m(2); overweight 25.0 to <30.0 kg/m(2); and obese ≥30 kg/m(2)). Logistic models were used to assess the risk of abnormal LV diastolic function associated with BMI categories. RESULTS: Of a total number of 692 patients who met all study criteria (mean 59 ± 15 year-old; 50% women, 48% hypertension, 16% diabetes, 26% overweight, 8% obese), 538 (78%) had abnormal LV diastolic function. In multivariate analyses adjusting for age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors, obesity was independently associated with LV diastolic dysfunction (odds ratio [OR]: 2.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-7.88; P = 0.03) compared to normal weight. LV mass did not weaken this association (OR: 2.88, 95% CI: 1.08-7.68; P = 0.04). Overweight was not independently associated with LV diastolic dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Obesity was associated with LV diastolic dysfunction independent of cardiovascular risk factors and LV mass.