Comparison of cardiac output estimates obtained from the Antares oscillometric pulse wave analysis algorithm and from Doppler transthoracic echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: In cardiology, cardiac output (CO) is an important parameter for assessing cardiac function. While invasive thermodilution procedures are the gold standard for CO assessment, transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTE) has become the established method for routine CO assessment in daily clinical practice. However, a demand persists for non-invasive approaches, including oscillometric pulse wave analysis (PWA), to enhance the accuracy of CO estimation, reduce complications associated with invasive procedures, and facilitate its application in non-intensive care settings. Here, we aimed to compare the TTE and oscillometric PWA algorithm Antares for a non-invasive estimation of CO. METHODS: Non-invasive CO data obtained by two-dimensional TTE were compared with those from an oscillometric blood pressure device (custo med GmbH, Ottobrunn, Germany) using the integrated algorithm Antares (Redwave Medical GmbH, Jena, Germany). In total, 59 patients undergoing elective cardiac catheterization for clinical reasons (71±10 years old, 76% males) were included. Agreement between both CO measures were assessed by Bland-Altman analysis, Student's t-test, and Pearson correlations. RESULTS: The mean difference in CO was 0.04 ± 1.03 l/min (95% confidence interval for the mean difference: -0.23 to 0.30 l/min) for the overall group, with lower and upper limits of agreement at -1.98 and 2.05 l/min, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in means between both CO measures (P = 0.785). Statistically significant correlations between TTE and Antares CO were observed in the entire cohort (r = 0.705, P<0.001) as well as in female (r = 0.802, P<0.001) and male patients (r = 0.669, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The oscillometric PWA algorithm Antares and established TTE for a non-invasive estimation of CO are highly correlated in male and female patients, with no statistically significant difference between both approaches. Future validation studies of the Antares CO are necessary before a clinical application can be considered.

Doppler-derived pulmonary pulse transit time measurements in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Reproducibility and cardiopulmonary function.

INTRODUCTION: Doppler-derived pulmonary pulse transit time (pPTT) is an auspicious hemodynamic marker in chronic pulmonary diseases. The aim is to compare four distinct pPTT measurements and its relation to right cardiac and pulmonary function. METHODS: Prospectively, 25 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients (four patients excluded) and 32 healthy subjects underwent repeated distinct pPTT measurements, standard echocardiography, and pulmonary function testing on the same day. pPTT was defined as the interval from the R or Q-wave in the electrocardiogram to the corresponding pulse wave Doppler peak late systolic (S) 2 or diastolic (D) pulmonary vein flow velocity (pPTT R-S, Q-S, R-D, Q-D). Reproducibility was assessed using Bland-Altman analysis, coefficient of variation (COV), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and power calculations. Associations with right ventricular RV tissue and pulse wave Doppler velocities (RV E', RV S', RV A', RV E, RV A, RV E/E', RV E/A), TAPSE, right ventricular fractional area change, left ventricular systolic and diastolic function (LV ejection fraction, E, A, E/A, E/E', septal E', lateral E'), LA diameters, as well as forced expiratory volume in 1 s, forced vital capacity (FVC) predicted (%), and in liters were analyzed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference and no bias between pPTT measures (p range: .1-.9). COV was in COPD 1.2%-2.3%, in healthy subjects 1.0%-3.1%. ICC ranged from .92 (COPD) to .96 (healthy subjects). In COPD significant correlations were found for pPTT R-S, Q-S and R-D with RV E`, (all > ρ: .49, < p = .0364), pPTT R-S, Q-S with RV E/E` (both > ρ: .49, < p = .0291), pPTT Q-S with RV S´ (ρ: .58, p = .0134), RV A (ρ: .59, p = .0339) and heart rate > ρ: -.39, < p = .0297). pPTT R-S, R-D showed significant correlations with FVC predicted (%) (ρ: .48 p = .0224) and FVC (l) (ρ:.47 p = .0347). CONCLUSIONS: All pPTT measures exhibited high reproducibility. In COPD patients pPTT measures correlate with diastolic right ventricular function. Defining Q as starting point seems clinically advantageous considering electromechanical desynchrony in patients with conduction disorders.

Speckle-Tracking: Incremental Role in Diastolic Assessment of Pediatric Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease. / Strain do Átrio Esquerdo pela Técnica de Speckle-Tracking: Contribuição para a Avaliação da Função Diastólica em Pacientes Pediátricos com Doença Renal Crônica.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular complications are the leading cause of mortality in pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Echocardiographic assessment of diastolic function in CKD has been limited to spectral and tissue Doppler imaging, known to be less reliable techniques in pediatrics. Two-dimensional Speckle tracking echocardiography (2DST) derived left atrial (LA) strain has recently been confirmed as a robust measure of diastolic function. OBJECTIVES: To investigate LA strain role in diastolic assessment of children at different stages of CKD. METHODS: From February 2019 to July 2022, 55 CKD patients without cardiovascular symptoms and 55 controls were evaluated by standard and 2DST echocardiograms. The level of significance was set at 5% (p<0.05). RESULTS: Patients and controls had similar age [9.78 (0.89 - 17.54) vs. 10.72 (1.03 -18,44) years; p = 0.41] and gender (36M:19F vs. 34M:21F; p=0.84). There were 25 non-dialysis patients and 30 dialysis patients. Left ventricular ejection fraction was ≥ 55% in all of them. Comparing CKD and controls, LA reservoir strain was lower (48.22±10.62% vs. 58.52±10.70%) and LA stiffness index was higher [0.14 (0.08-0.48)%-1 vs. 0.11 (0.06-0.23) %-1]; p<0.0001. LV hypertrophy was associated with lower LA reservoir strain (42.05±8.74% vs. 52.99±9.52%), higher LA stiffness [0.23(0.11 - 0.48)%-1 vs. 0.13 (0.08-0.23) %-1 and filling indexes (2.39±0.63 cm/s x %-1 vs. 1.74±0.47 cm/s x %-1; p<0.0001. Uncontrolled hypertension was associated with lower LA reservoir strain (41.9±10.6% vs. 50.6±9.7; p=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: LA strain proved to be a feasible tool in the assessment of pediatric CKD patients and was associated with known cardiovascular risk factors.

FUNDAMENTO: As complicações cardiovasculares são a principal causa de morte em pacientes pediátricos com doença renal crônica (DRC). A avaliação ecocardiográfica da função diastólica na DRC tem se limitado à avaliação espectral por Doppler espectral e por Doppler tecidual, técnicas sabidamente menos confiáveis na pediatria. O strain do átrio esquerdo (AE) pela técnica do speckle tracking bidimensional (2DST) foi recentemente confirmada como uma medida robusta da função diastólica. OBJETIVOS: Investigar o papel do strain do AE na avaliação da função diastólica de crianças em diferentes estágios da DRC. MÉTODOS: De fevereiro de 2019 a julho de 2022, 55 pacientes com DRC sem sintomas cardiovasculares e 55 controles foram avaliados por ecocardiografia convencional e por ecocardiografia com 2DST. O nível de significância adotado foi de 5% (p < 0,05). RESULTADOS: Pacientes e controles tinham idade similares [9,78 (0,89 ­ 17,54) vs. 10,72 (1,03 ­18,44) anos; p = 0,41] e sexo (36M:19F vs. 34M:21F; p = 0,84) similares. Havia 25 pacientes não dialíticos e 30 pacientes dialíticos. A fração de ejeção do ventrículo esquerdo foi ≥ 55% em todos. Em comparação aos controles, os pacientes com DRC apresentaram strain de reservatório mais baixo (48,22±10,62% vs. 58,52±10,70%) e índice de rigidez do AE mais alto [0,14 (0,08­0,48)%-1 vs. 0,11 (0,06­0,23) %-1]; p<0,0001. A hipertrofia ventricular esquerda associou-se com um strain de reservatório mais baixo (42,05±8,74% vs. 52,99±9,52%), e valores mais altos de índice de rigidez [0,23 (0,11 ­ 0,48)%-1 vs. 0,13 (0,08­0,23) %-1 e de índice de enchimento do AE (2,39±0,63 cm/s x %-1 vs. 1,74±0,47 cm/s x %-1; p<0,0001). Hipertensão não controlada associou-se com strain de reservatório do AE mais baixo (41,9±10,6% vs. 50,6±9,7; p=0,005). CONCLUSÃO: O strain do AE mostrou-se uma ferramenta útil na avaliação de pacientes pediátricos com DRC e associado com fatores de risco cardiovasculares conhecidos.

Glucose control during pregnancy in patients with type 1 diabetes correlates with fetal hemodynamics: a prospective longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal diabetes adversely affects fetal cardiovascular system development. Previous studies have reported that the fetuses of mothers with diabetes exhibit both structural and functional changes; nevertheless, prior studies have not examined the association between glucose control and fetal cardiac morphology and performance. Thus, the objective was to determine the association between fetal cardiac morphology and function and maternal glucose control in type 1 diabetes and to compare the differences in measured cardiac parameters between the fetuses of mothers with diabetes and healthy controls. METHODS: In this prospective, longitudinal case-control study - including 62 pregnant women with type 1 diabetes mellitus and 30 healthy pregnant women - fetal cardiac assessment using B-mode, M-mode, and spectral pulsed-wave Doppler was performed in the second and third trimesters. In women with T1DM, glycated hemoglobin and data obtained from glucose sensors - including the percentage of time in, below, and above the range (TIR, TBR, and TAR, respectively), and coefficient of variation (CV) - were analyzed across three time periods: the last menstrual period to 13 (V1), 14-22 (V2), and 23-32 weeks (V3) of gestation. Fetal cardiac indices were compared between groups, and the correlation between glucose control and fetal cardiac indices was assessed. RESULTS: At 28-32 weeks, the fetuses of women with T1DM exhibited increased left ventricular end-diastolic length, relative interventricular septum thickness, right ventricular cardiac output, and pulmonary valve peak systolic velocity compared with healthy controls. At 18-22 weeks, pulmonary and aortic valve diameters, left and right ventricular stroke volumes, and left cardiac output inversely correlated with the CV and glycated hemoglobin levels at V1 and V2. Furthermore, at 28-32 weeks, pulmonary and aortic valve diameters, left ventricular stroke volume, cardiac output, and right/left atrioventricular valve ratio inversely correlated with the TBR at V1, V2, and V3. Moreover, diastolic functional parameters correlated with the TAR and glycated hemoglobin levels, particularly after the first trimester. CONCLUSION: In women with T1DM, maternal hyperglycemia during pregnancy correlates with fetal diastolic function, whereas glucose variability and hypoglycemia inversely correlate with fetal left ventricular systolic function in the second and third trimesters.

How to use echocardiography to manage patients with shock? / ¿Cuál es la utilidad de la ecocardiografía en el shock?

Echocardiography enables the intensivist to assess the patient with circulatory failure. It allows the clinician to identify rapidly the type and the cause of shock in order to develop an effective management strategy. Important characteristics in the setting of shock are that it is non-invasive and can be rapidly applied. Early and repeated echocardiography is a valuable tool for the management of shock in the intensive care unit. Competency in basic critical care echocardiography is now regarded as a mandatory part of critical care training with clear guidelines available. The majority of pathologies found in shocked patients are readily identified using basic level 2D and M-mode echocardiography. The four core types of shock (cardiogenic, hypovolemic, obstructive, and septic) can readily be identified by echocardiography. Echocardiography can differentiate the different pathologies that may be the cause of each type of shock. More importantly, as a result of more complex and elderly patients, the shock may be multifactorial, such as a combination of cardiogenic and septic shock, which emphasises on the added value of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in such population of patients. In this review we aimed to provide to clinicians a bedside strategy of the use of TTE parameters to manage patients with shock. In the first part of this overview, we detailed the different TTE parameters and how to use them to identify the type of shock. And in the second part, we focused on the use of these parameters to evaluate the effect of treatments, in different types of shock. (AU)

La ecocardiografía permite al intensivista valorar al paciente con fallo circulatorio agudo. Esta técnica ayuda a identificar, rápidamente y de una manera no invasiva, el tipo y la causa del shock para instaurar una estrategia terapéutica. La realización de exámenes ecocardiográficos precoces y repetidos es una valiosa herramienta para el manejo del shock en la unidad de cuidados intensivos. La mayoría de patologías responsables del shock pueden ser identificadas con un nivel básico de ecocardiografía en 2D y modo M. En la actualidad, las competencias en ecocardiografía básica se consideran mandatorias en la formación de los profesionales de Medicina Intensiva. Los cuatro tipos básicos de shock (cardiogénico, hipovolémico, obstructivo y séptico) pueden ser adecuadamente identificados con la ecocardiografía. Además, la ecografía puede diferenciar las diferentes patologías que pueden ser la causa de cada uno de los tipos de shock. Es importante señalar que, dada la complejidad y la edad avanzada de muchos pacientes críticos, el shock puede ser multifactorial (p.ej.: combinación de shock séptico y cardiogénico), lo que enfatiza el valor añadido de la ecocardiografía transtorácica (ETT) en esta población de pacientes. En esta revisión, queremos proporcionar a los clínicos una estrategia, a pie de cama, del uso de los parámetros obtenidos con la ETT para manejo de los pacientes en shock. En la primera parte de este artículo, se detallan los diferentes parámetros ecocardiográficos y cómo pueden utilizarse para identificar los tipos de shock. En la segunda parte, se expone el uso de estos parámetros para evaluar el efecto de los tratamientos en los diferentes tipos de shock. (AU)

Adaptive higher-order singular value decomposition clutter filter for ultrafast Doppler imaging of coronary flow under non-negligible tissue motion.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: With the development of advanced clutter-filtering techniques by singular value decomposition (SVD) and leveraging favorable acquisition settings such as open-chest imaging by a linear high-frequency probe and plane waves, several studies have shown the feasibility of cardiac flow measurements during the entire cardiac cycle, ranging from coronary flow to myocardial perfusion. When applying these techniques in a routine clinical setting, using transthoracic ultrasound imaging, new challenges emerge. Firstly, a smaller aperture is needed that can fit between ribs. Consequently, diverging waves are employed instead of plane waves to achieve an adequate field of view. Secondly, to ensure imaging at a larger depth, the maximum pulse repetition frequency has to be reduced. Lastly, in comparison to the open-chest scenario, tissue motion induced by the heartbeat is significantly stronger. The latter complicates substantially the distinction between clutter and blood signals. METHODS: This study investigates a strategy to overcome these challenges by diverging wave imaging with an optimal number of tilt angles, in combination with dedicated clutter-filtering techniques. In particular, a novel, adaptive, higher-order SVD (HOSVD) clutter filter, which utilizes spatial, temporal, and angular information of the received ultrasound signals, is proposed to enhance clutter and blood separation. RESULTS: When non-negligible tissue motion is present, using fewer tilt angles not only reduces the decorrelation between the received waveforms but also allows for collecting more temporal samples at a given ensemble duration, contributing to improved Doppler performance. The addition of a third angular dimension enables the application of HOSVD, providing greater flexibility in selecting blood separation thresholds from a 3-D tensor. This differs from the conventional threshold selection method in a 2-D spatiotemporal space using SVD. Exhaustive threshold search has shown a significant improvement in Contrast and Contrast-to-Noise ratio for Power Doppler images filtered with HOSVD compared to the SVD-based clutter filter. CONCLUSION: With the improved settings, the obtained Power Doppler images show the feasibility of measuring coronary flow under the influence of non-negligible tissue motion in both in vitro and ex vivo.

Prevalence and Outcomes of Patients With Discordant High-Gradient Aortic Stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Conflicting prognostic results have been reported in patients with discordant high-gradient aortic stenosis ([DHG-AS] the combination of a mean pressure gradient ≥40 mm Hg and an aortic valve area [AVA] >1 cm2). Moreover, existing studies only included selected patients without concomitant aortic regurgitation. OBJECTIVES: The authors assessed the prevalence and survival of patients presenting with DHG-AS in an unselected group of consecutive patients presenting to the echocardiography laboratory of a tertiary referral center. METHODS: A total of 3,547 adult patients with AVA ≤1.5 cm2 and peak aortic jet velocity ≥2.5 m/s or mean gradient ≥25 mm Hg who presented between 2005 and 2015 were included. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic data, and, when available, aortic valve calcium (AVC) score were collected in an institutional database, with subsequent retrospective analysis. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality during follow-up. RESULTS: DHG-AS was observed in 163 patients (11.6% of patients with a high gradient). After adjustment for potential confounders, overall mortality rate of patients with DHG-AS was similar to that of patients with concordant severe aortic stenosis (HR: 0.98 [95% CI: 0.66-1.44]; P = 0.91), and patients with discordant low-gradient aortic stenosis (HR: 0.85 [95% CI: 0.58-1.26]; P = 0.42), and higher than concordant moderate aortic stenosis (HR: 0.54 [95% CI: 0.36-0.81]; P = 0.003). After adjustment for aortic velocities, aortic regurgitation had no significant impact on survival. AVC was higher than in patients with concordant moderate aortic stenosis and discordant low-gradient aortic stenosis, and not significantly different from that of concordant severe aortic stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: DHG-AS is not uncommon. Whereas AVA >1.0 cm2 is often seen as moderate aortic stenosis, a high-pressure gradient conveys a poor prognosis, whatever the AVA and the severity of concomitant aortic regurgitation.

Association of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction with inflammatory activity, renal dysfunction, and liver-related mortality in patients with cirrhosis and ascites.

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is the predominant cardiac abnormality in cirrhosis. We investigated the association of LVDD with systemic inflammation and its impact on renal function, occurrence of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) and survival in patients with cirrhosis and ascites. We prospectively enrolled 215 patients with cirrhosis and ascites. We evaluated the diagnosis and grading of LVDD by Doppler echocardiography, inflammatory markers, systemic hemodynamics, vasoactive factors, radioisotope-assessed renal function and blood flow, HRS development and liver-related mortality. LVDD was diagnosed in 142 (66%) patients [grade 2/3: n  = 61 (43%)]. Serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), plasma renin activity (PRA) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were independently associated with the presence of grade 2/3 LVDD and the severity of diastolic dysfunction. Serum tumor necrosis factor-α, cardiac output and plasma noradrenaline were also independently associated with the presence of grade 2/3 LVDD. The diastolic function marker E / e ' was strongly correlated with serum LBP ( r  = 0.731; P  < 0.001), PRA ( r  = 0.714; P  < 0.001) and GFR ( r  = -0.609; P  < 0.001) among patients with LVDD. The 5-year risk of HRS development and death was significantly higher in patients with grade 2/3 LVDD compared to those with grade 1 (35.5 vs. 14.4%; P  = 0.01 and 53.3 vs. 28.2%; P  = 0.03, respectively). The occurrence and severity of LVDD in patients with cirrhosis and ascites is closely related to inflammatory activity. Advanced LVDD is associated with baseline circulatory and renal dysfunction, favoring HRS development, and increased mortality.

Two-Dimensional and Doppler trans-thoracic echocardiographic patterns of suspected pediatric heart diseases at Tibebe--Ghion specialized Teaching Hospital and Adinas General Hospital, Bahir Dar, North-west Ethiopia:-An experience from an LMIC.

BACKGROUND: Transthoracic Echocardiography is the first-line, non-invasive, and accessible imaging modality to evaluate heart disease anatomy, physiology, and hemodynamics. We aim to describe the trans-thoracic echocardiography pattern of pediatric heart diseases and reasons for referral in children referred to Bahir Dar University Tibebe-Ghion Hospital and Adinas General Hospital. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional study of the archived Transthoracic, Two Dimensional, and Doppler Echocardiography assessments of children from birth to fifteen years of age performed between June 2019 to May 2023 was done. Data were collected retrospectively from February 01, 2023 -May 31, 2023. Categorical variables like gender, referral reasons for echocardiography, and patterns of pediatric heart lesions were analyzed in the form of proportions and presented in tables and figures. Discrete variables including age were summarized as means (SD) and medians(IQR). RESULTS: Out of 3,647 Children enrolled; 1,917 (52.6%) were males and 1,730 (47.4%) were females. The median (IQR) age of children enrolled was 24 months (5 to 96). Cardiac murmur (33%) was the most common reason for echocardiography followed by, Respiratory Distress (18%), Syndromic Child (15%), easy fatigability/ Diaphoresis (14.3%), congestive heart failure (14%), and rheumatic fever (13.2%). Congenital heart defect (CHD) accounts for 70% of all heart diseases, followed by rheumatic heart disease (21%). Isolated ventricular septal defect(VSD) was the most common CHD (21%) followed by isolated Patent ductus arteriosus (15%), isolated atrial septal defect (10%), Isolated atrioventricular septal defect (6%) and isolated pulmonary stenosis (5%). Cyanotic CHD accounts for 11.5% of all heart diseases. Tetralogy of Fallot (30%), d-TGA (20%), and double outlet right ventricle (19%) were the most common cyanotic CHDs. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, congenital heart lesions are the most common diagnosis and cardiac murmurs are the most common presenting reasons for echocardiography evaluation.

Automated mitral inflow Doppler peak velocity measurement using deep learning.

Doppler echocardiography is a widely utilised non-invasive imaging modality for assessing the functionality of heart valves, including the mitral valve. Manual assessments of Doppler traces by clinicians introduce variability, prompting the need for automated solutions. This study introduces an innovative deep learning model for automated detection of peak velocity measurements from mitral inflow Doppler images, independent from Electrocardiogram information. A dataset of Doppler images annotated by multiple expert cardiologists was established, serving as a robust benchmark. The model leverages heatmap regression networks, achieving 96% detection accuracy. The model discrepancy with the expert consensus falls comfortably within the range of inter- and intra-observer variability in measuring Doppler peak velocities. The dataset and models are open-source, fostering further research and clinical application.

Mitral E-wave to stroke volume ratio displays stronger diagnostic performance to identify elevated left ventricular filling pressures than mitral E/e' during passive leg lift: A cross-sectional study employing simultaneous echocardiography and catheterization.

BACKGROUND: Elevated filling pressure is a hallmark of heart failure (HF) and portends poor prognosis. Accurate diagnosis is challenging, given that patients with normal filling pressure at rest develop disproportionate elevation with sudden preload increase. We aimed to test the accuracy of the ratio between mitral inflow velocity (E) and left ventricular stroke volume (SV) to identify patients with elevated filling pressure with passive leg lifting (PLL) and compare this with other echocardiographic surrogates of filling pressure. METHODS: Doppler echocardiography and right heart catheterization (RHC) were simultaneously performed in 37 patients (11 males, mean age 67 ± 12 years) with exertional dyspnea. Twenty-six healthy controls (14 males, mean age 60 ± 12 years) were added as reference. SV, cardiac output (CO), tricuspid regurgitation peak gradient (TRG), mitral E-wave (E) and early myocardial velocity (e') were obtained at rest and with PLL. E/SV, E/CO and E/e' were calculated and correlated with invasive pulmonary capillary wedge pressures (PCWP) with PLL. RESULTS: During PLL, E/SV (AUC = 0.94) displayed stronger diagnostic ability to identify PCWP >15 mmHg than E/e' (AUC = 0.81), mitral E/A ratio (0.76) and resting invasive PCWP (0.84). An E/SV cutoff of >1.0 showed 88% sensitivity and 75% specificity to identify elevated PCWP. Further, 10 patients (27%) were reassigned during PLL from normal to postcapillary pulmonary hypertension (postCPH), and 6 patients (16%) switched diagnosis from precapillary PH (preCPH) to postCPH. CONCLUSION: The novel E/SV ratio identifies patients with elevated PCWP with PLL and displays stronger diagnostic performance than routinely utilized echocardiographic measures such as E/e' in addition to resting, catheterization derived PCWP.

Evaluation of cardiac electrophysiological features in patients with premature adrenarche.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to analyze the cardiac effects of hyperandrogenism in premature adrenarche (PA) and evaluate the risk of arrhythmia development. METHODS: Fifty patients with PA and 50 healthy children from a pediatric endocrinology outpatient clinic were included in the study. The patients underwent echocardiography and electrocardiographic evaluations. Conventional echocardiography, tissue Doppler echocardiography, repolarization time, and repolarization dispersion time were evaluated. RESULTS: The median age in the PA and control groups was 7.91 years (5.83-9.25), 8.08 years (5.75-9.33), respectively. Thirty percent of patients in the PA group were male. While mitral early diastolic velocity deceleration time (DT), isovolumetric relaxation time (IRT), and E/e' ratio were significantly higher in the PA group than in the control group, mitral lateral annulus tissue Doppler early diastolic velocity was significantly lower (p=0.0001, 0.0001, 0.003, 0.0001). While P wave dispersion (PWD), Tpe, and QT-dispersion (QT-d) values were significantly higher in the PA group than in the control group, the P minimum value was significantly lower in the PA group (p=0.0001, 0.02, 0.004, and 0.0001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Early subclinical diastolic dysfunction was observed in the PA group. There was an increased risk of atrial arrhythmia with PWD and an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmia with increased Tpe and QT-d. There was a correlation between testosterone levels and diastolic function parameters. The increased risk of atrial arrhythmia is closely related to diastolic function.

Guidelines for Performing a Comprehensive Pediatric Transthoracic Echocardiogram: Recommendations From the American Society of Echocardiography.

Echocardiography is a fundamental component of pediatric cardiology, and appropriate indications have been established for its use in the setting of suspected, congenital, or acquired heart disease in children. Since the publication of guidelines for pediatric transthoracic echocardiography in 2006 and 2010, advances in knowledge and technology have expanded the scope of practice beyond the use of traditional modalities such as two-dimensional, M-mode, and Doppler echocardiography to evaluate the cardiac segmental structures and their function. Adjunct modalities such as contrast, three-dimensional, and speckle-tracking echocardiography are now used routinely at many pediatric centers. Guidelines and recommendations for the use of traditional and newer adjunct modalities in children are described in detail in this document. In addition, suggested protocols related to standard operations, infection control, sedation, and quality assurance and improvement are included to provide an organizational structure for centers performing pediatric transthoracic echocardiograms.

Early impact of albuminuria on cardiac function in patients with chronic kidney disease: a prospective study.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of end-stage mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. However, CVD and CKD are inextricably linked, as microalbuminuria is an independent risk factor for CVD. Herein, we investigated changes in cardiac function and its risk factors in CKD patients who had different urine albumin-to-creatinine ratios (UACRs) and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs). We prospectively enrolled 182 CKD patients, classified into three groups based on UACRs and eGFRs. Fifty healthy volunteers were included as controls. Changes in clinical and echocardiographic parameters were assessed in each group, and factors independently associated with strain parameters were further analyzed. Compared with those in the control group, the albuminuria but unimpaired renal function (ALB-CKD G1-2), albuminuria and impaired renal function (ALB-CKD G3), and normoalbuminuric CKD (NACKD) groups had decreased left ventricular (LV), right ventricular (RV), and left atrial (LA) strains, the LA contractile strain being the only statistically comparable parameter. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis revealed varying factors independently correlating with the LV global longitudinal strain. The LA reservoir and conduit strains independently correlated with LV diastolic function in stage 3 CKD associated with comorbid albuminuria or normoalbuminuria. LV function was a partial determinant of LA and RV function in the ALB-CKD G3 group, whereas ventricular and atrial function were independent of each other in the ALB-CKD G1-2 and NACKD groups. Clinical intervention should focus on specific factors affecting cardiac function in patients to reduce the risk of CVD-related death.

Evaluating left atrial strain and left ventricular diastolic strain rate as markers for diastolic dysfunction in patients with mitral annular calcification.

BACKGROUND: Mitral annular calcification (MAC) poses many challenges to the evaluation of diastolic function using standard echocardiography. Left atrial (LA) strain and left ventricular early diastolic strain rate (DSr) measured by speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) are emerging techniques in the noninvasive evaluation of diastolic function. We aim to evaluate the utility of LA strain and early DSr in predicting elevated left ventricular filling pressures (LVFP) in patients with MAC and compare their effectiveness to ratio of mitral inflow velocity in early and late diastole (E/A). METHODS: We included adult patients with MAC who presented between January 1 and December 31, 2014 and received a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) and cardiac catheterization with measurement of LVFP within a 24-h period. We used Spearman's rank correlation coefficient to assess associations of LA reservoir strain and average early DSr with LVFP. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were computed to assess the effectiveness of LA strain and DSr in discriminating elevated LVFP as a dichotomized variable and to compare their effectiveness with E/A ratio categorized according to grade of diastolic dysfunction. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients were included. LA reservoir strain demonstrated poor correlation with LVFP (Spearman's rho = 0.03, p = 0.81) and poor discriminatory ability for detecting elevated LVFP (AUC = 0.54, 95% CI 0.38-0.69). Categorical E/A ratio alone also demonstrated poor discriminatory ability (AUC = 0.53, 95% CI 0.39-0.67), and addition of LA reservoir strain did not significantly improve effectiveness (AUC = 0.58, 95% CI 0.42-0.74, p = 0.56). Average early DSr also demonstrated poor correlation with LVFP (Spearman's rho = -0.19, p = 0.16) and poor discriminatory ability for detecting elevated LVFP (AUC = 0.59, 95% CI 0.44-0.75). Addition of average early DSr to categorical E/A ratio failed to improve effectiveness (AUC = 0.62, 95% CI 0.46-0.77 vs. AUC = 0.54, 95% CI 0.39-0.69, p = 0.38). CONCLUSIONS: In our sample, LA reservoir strain and DSr do not accurately predict diastolic filling pressure. Further research is required before LA strain and early DSr can be routinely used in clinical practice to assess filling pressure in patients with MAC.

The influence of maternal COVID-19 on cardiac functions: From fetal life to infancy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate both short and mid-term effects of maternal COVID-19 on cardiac functions of fetuses and children. METHODS: The present case-control study was conducted on 36 pregnant women who had COVID-19 infection in the second trimester of pregnancy and 30 pregnant women as healthy controls. Fetal, neonatal, and infant cardiac functions were compared between the groups. Assessment of fetal cardiac functions were performed in the last trimester of the pregnancy at least 6 weeks after the recovery of infection. The first postnatal echo was performed within the first 2 weeks and the follow-up (second) echo was performed in the 6-8 weeks of life. RESULTS: The demographic data were similar between groups. Interventricular septum and left ventricular posterior wall end-diastolic dimensions were significantly higher in the study group in both fetal, neonatal, and infant periods. Impaired diastolic functions of right and left ventricles were detected and myocardial performance indexes with tissue doppler imaging of both lateral walls and septum were significantly higher than controls at all periods. CONCLUSION: Maternal COVID-19 seems to have a global impact on the cardiac functions of babies in the short and mid-term periods after maternal recovery.