Advantages of real time three-dimensional echocardiography in the assessment of right ventricular volumes and function in patients with pulmonary hypertension compared with conventional two-dimensional echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, right ventricular (RV) function has acquired greater relevance as a clinical and prognostic marker in many physiopathological conditions. The study aims to point out the value of real time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in the evaluation of patients affected by pulmonary hypertension (PH), compared with conventional two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography. METHODS: We enrolled 44 subjects affected by PH who underwent 2D and Doppler echocardiography, RT 3D Echocardiography and TDI evaluation of the RV, and a healthy control group. PH itself can induce severe functional and structural abnormalities of the RV, such as RV hypertrophy, RV dilation, and RV systolic and diastolic dysfunction. RESULTS: In this study, RV FAC, and TAPSE showed marked alterations in patients with PH compared to the control group (C): (RVFAC: [PH] 0.29 ± 0.07 vs. [C] 0.49 ± 0.05%, P < 0.0001; TAPSE: [PH] 15.3 ± 3.2 vs. [C] 21.1 ± 2.6 mm, P > 0.0001). The 3D RV end-diastolic volume was significantly higher in PH than in C (PH) (138.7 ± 25.3 vs. [C] 82.8 ± 12.5 mL, P < 0.0001] as well as 3D RV end-systolic volume (PH) (97.6 ± 21.5 vs. [C] 39.3 ± 9.5 mL, P < 0.0001). The 3D RV ejection fraction (EF) was significantly lower in the pulmonary hypertension group than in healthy subjects (31.8 ± 6.8 vs. [C] 52.5 ± 4.7%, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with PH, evaluation of the RV diastolic and systolic volume and EF by RT3DE has shown a higher discriminating power in comparison, respectively, with 2DRV diastolic area and the relative fractional area changes.

An arrhythmic storm: a potential complication on opening the umbrella for percutaneous closure of interatrial communications.

Interatrial communications (ICs) have been linked to paradoxic embolism, which may be prevented using both surgical and percutaneous interventions. The case of a 61-year-old woman with a history of transient cerebral ischemic attack who developed repetitive ventricular arrhythmias and an intermittent left branch bundle block immediately after percutaneous closure of an IC is described. Transthoracic echocardiography showed that the device had migrated into the left ventricular outflow tract, and the patient consequently underwent emergency cardiac surgery to retrieve the device and repair the IC. In conclusion, percutaneous transcatheter closure of ICs is more rapid and less invasive compared with surgery, but nevertheless may be associated with significant short-term morbidity.

Left ventricular function in normotensive young adults with well-controlled type 1 diabetes mellitus.

The aim of this study was to determine whether early myocardial structural and functional systolic and diastolic alterations in asymptomatic and uncomplicated patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) could be detected using the new highly sensitive echocardiographic techniques of integrated backscatter and color Doppler myocardial imaging. Forty asymptomatic and uncomplicated patients with type 1 DM and 40 gender- and age-matched normal controls were studied. All patients were analyzed by conventional and new echocardiographic techniques (integrated backscatter and color Doppler myocardial imaging). Patients with DM showed reduced systolic function compared with controls, evidenced by significantly lower peak strain, strain rates, and cyclic variation indexes at the septum (p <0.0001, <0.01, and <0.001, respectively) and at the posterior wall level (p <0.0001, <0.0001, and <0.001, respectively). On receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, systolic strain and the cyclic variation index showed the highest discriminating power for separating patients with DM and control subjects. Neither structural or ultrastructural nor diastolic functional abnormalities were detected. On univariate regression analysis, a significant inverse correlation was found for DM duration with conventional (E/A ratio) and unconventional (tissue Doppler imaging E/A ratio) indexes of diastolic function, in the absence of any correlation for systolic function. In conclusion, highly sensitive ultrasonic techniques demonstrate evidence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction in the early stage of type 1 DM, in the absence of ultrastructural and left ventricular diastolic functional abnormalities.

Early textural and functional alterations of left ventricular myocardium in mild hypothyroidism.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate cardiac function and texture in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (sHT) both by conventional and new ultrasonic intramyocardial tissue techniques. sHT was characterized by normal serum free tetraiodotironine and free triiodotironine levels and slightly increased serum TSH level. Twenty-four patients affected by sHT and 24 sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers were studied. All subjects were submitted to conventional two-dimensional (2D)-color Doppler echocardiography, pulsed wave tissue Doppler imaging (PWTDI) for the analysis of the diastolic function, color Doppler myocardial imaging (CDMI) for the analysis of regional strain and strain-rate and integrated backscatter (IBS) for the evaluation of intrinsic contractility and tissue characterization. The results of the present study were: (a) the detection in sHT subjects of a lower cyclic variation index (CVI) indicating an altered myocardial intrinsic contractility; (b) a higher ultrasonic myocardial reflectivity indicating an altered myocardial texture; (c) the detection of lower systolic strain and strain-rate indicating an alteration of myocardial regional deformability; (d) an initial impairment of left ventricular diastolic function indicated by a decrease of peak E mitral flow velocity and an increase of peak A mitral flow velocity. All parameters studied with conventional 2D-echo in sHT patients were comparable with controls, except for a mild alteration in diastolic function. A significant correlation among systo-diastolic modifications detected by CDMI and IBS and serum TSH levels were found. The CVI at septum, the PWDTI S-peak wave and the systolic strain at septum were inversely related to the serum TSH levels. In conclusion, the new intramyocardial ultrasonic techniques confirm and extend the previous knowledge on the effect of the sHT on the heart, allowing the detection of early ultrastructural and regional functional systolic and diastolic abnormalities.

Severe aortic stenosis and myocardial function: diagnostic and prognostic usefulness of ultrasonic integrated backscatter analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the myocardial reflectivity pattern in severe aortic valve stenosis through the use of integrated backscatter (IBS) analysis. Patients with aortic stenosis (AS) were carefully selected in the Department of Cardiology. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-five subjects (AS: valve orifice < or =1 cm2; 12 female; mean age, 71.8+/-6.2 years) and 25 healthy subjects were studied. All subjects of the study had conventional 2D-Doppler echocardiography and IBS. Backscatter signal was sampled at the septum and posterior wall levels. Patients with AS were divided into 2 groups: 16 patients with initial signs of congestive heart failure and a depressed left ventricular systolic function (DSF) (ejection fraction [EF] range, 35% to 50%) and 19 asymptomatic patients with normal left ventricular systolic function (NSF) (EF >50%). Myocardial echo intensity (pericardium related) was significantly higher at the septum and posterior wall levels in DSF than in NSF and in control subjects. IBS variation, as an expression of variation of the signal, appeared to be significantly lower in AS with DSF than in NSF and in control subjects, at both the septum and posterior wall levels. Patients with DSF underwent aortic valve replacement, and, during surgical intervention, a septal myocardial biopsy was made for evaluation of myocardium/fibrosis ratio. Abnormally increased echo intensity was detected in left ventricular pressure overload by severe aortic stenosis and correlated with increase of myocardial collagen content (operating biopsy). CONCLUSIONS: One year after aortic valve replacement, we observed a significant reduction of left ventricular mass, and, only if pericardial indexed IBS value (reduction of interstitial fibrosis) decreased, it was possible to observe an improvement of EF and of IBS variation.

Myocardial function in severe aortic stenosis before and after aortic valve replacement: a Doppler tissue imaging study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to assess the value of Pulsed-wave Doppler tissue imaging (DTI) in assessing diastolic and systolic function in patients with severe aortic value stenosis. METHODS: Thirty-five patients with aortic stenosis (AS) (valve orifice < or = 1 cm 2 , mean age 71.8 +/- 6.2) and 35 comparable healthy subjects were studied. All subjects performed conventional 2-dimensional Doppler echocardiography and DTI at mitral annulus level. Patients with AS were divided into 2 groups: 16 patients who presented initial signs of HF and a depressed left ventricular systolic function (AS I) (EF: 35%-50%) and 19 patients were asymptomatic and had normal left ventricular systolic function (EF > 50%) (ASII). The 16 symptomatic AS patients underwent surgical aortic valve replacement and were examined after 1 year. RESULTS: DTI was able to detect abnormalities of systolic and diastolic function in AS: the significantly lower peak S velocity in AS I than in AS II and in controls, both at septum and lateral wall level; the significantly lower peak E velocity in AS I than in AS II and in controls both at septum and lateral wall level; the significantly higher peak A velocity in AS I than in AS II and in controls both at septum and lateral wall level; the significant lower E/A ratio in AS I than in AS II and in controls both at septum and lateral wall level. CONCLUSION: We found a significant inverse correlation between DTI lateral S velocity, DTI peak E velocity, lateral DTI E/A ratio, and AS peak and mean gradient. According to the results of this study we can affirm that DTI parameters surely had an important physiopathological impact in the knowledge of myocardial function in patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Abciximab improves 6-month clinical outcome after rescue coronary angioplasty.

BACKGROUND: Few data are available concerning the effects on clinical outcome and left ventricular function of abciximab administration in patients undergoing rescue percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) after failed thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction. The aim of the study was to investigate such effects. METHODS: Eighty-nine consecutive patients referred to our laboratory from other hospitals for rescue PTCA within 24 hours from the onset of chest pain were prospectively randomized before the procedure to abciximab treatment (44 patients) or placebo (45 patients). No significant differences in baseline characteristics were observed between the 2 groups. Study end points were the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) such as death, reinfarction, congestive heart failure, target lesion revascularization, or recurrent ischemia at 30-day and 6-month follow-up and the occurrence of periprocedural bleeding. RESULTS: Mean time from symptom onset to reperfusion was 8.5 +/-5.4 hours; rescue PTCA was successful in 96% of patients. The incidence of major, moderate, and minor bleeding was similar in the 2 groups. At 30-day follow-up, the echocardiographic left ventricular wall motion score index showed a significantly higher improvement in the abciximab group versus the placebo group (P <.001). At 6-month follow-up, the incidence of MACE was 11% in the abciximab group versus 38% in the placebo group (P =.004). Abciximab administration (P =.003) and cardiogenic shock (P =.005) were the only independent predictors of the occurrence of MACE at multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: Treatment with abciximab during rescue PTCA positively affects clinical outcome at 6-month follow-up without increasing periprocedural bleeding.

Serial Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of small-sized sorin bicarbon prostheses.

OBJECTIVE: The Sorin Bicarbon prosthesis (Sorin Biomedica, Saluggia, Italy) is a bileaflet valve with curved-profile leaflets, a rolling hinge mechanism, and a pyrolytic carbon-coated titanium alloy housing and sewing ring. Although the Sorin Bicarbon prosthesis has been implanted in greater than 80,000 patients, and reference values on the hemodynamic performance of valve prostheses are needed to avoid patient-prosthesis mismatch, few Doppler echocardiographic data are available on the prosthesis in the aortic position. The aim of this study is to provide a detailed echocardiographic evaluation of the hemodynamic performance and regression of left ventricular hypertrophy after aortic valve replacement with the Sorin Bicarbon prosthesis. METHODS: The study included 182 patients who received a 21-mm (n = 61) or 23-mm (n = 121) Sorin Bicarbon prosthesis for pure or prevalent aortic stenosis who underwent serial echocardiograms at 3, 6, and 12 months after aortic valve replacement. RESULTS: Mean and peak gradients significantly decreased (P <.001) during follow-up to values of 12 +/- 3 and 22 +/- 6 mm Hg for the 21-mm prosthesis and values of 11 +/- 4 and 19 +/- 6 mm Hg for the 23-mm prosthesis at 1 year. Left ventricular mass index showed a 17% decrease to 120 +/- 27 g/m(2) in recipients of the 21-mm prosthesis (P <.001) and a 21% decrease to 123 +/- 29 g/m(2) in recipients of the 23-mm prosthesis (P <.001). A larger prosthesis size was the only predictor of a higher left ventricular mass index regression. Among recipients of the 21-mm prosthesis, body surface area of greater than 1.85 m(2) was associated with a lower regression of left ventricular mass index. The effective orifice area index was 1.00 +/- 0.11 and 1.08 +/- 0.14 cm(2)/m(2) in recipients of the 21-mm and 23-mm prostheses, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Size 21 mm and 23 mm Sorin Bicarbon prostheses show low transprosthetic gradients, with significant reduction of left ventricular mass index during the first postoperative year. The reported effective orifice areas might be useful for aortic valve replacement in patients with a small aortic annulus to avoid patient-prosthesis mismatch.

Intravascular hemolysis in patients with new-generation prosthetic heart valves: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: A prospective clinical study was designed to assess the frequency and severity of intravascular hemolysis in patients with new-generation, normally functioning prosthetic heart valves. METHODS: Hemolysis was evaluated in 172 patients with a mechanical prosthesis (53 CarboMedics and 119 Sorin Bicarbon) and in 106 patients with a bioprosthesis (15 St Jude Medical Toronto, 19 Baxter Perimount, and 72 Medtronic Mosaic) in the aortic position, mitral position, or both. Aortic valve replacement was performed in 206 patients, mitral valve replacement in 59 patients, and double valve replacement in 13 patients. The presence of hemolysis was assessed on the basis of the level of serum lactic dehydrogenase and serum haptoglobin and the presence and amount of reticulocytes and schistocytes in the peripheral blood. Severity of intravascular hemolysis was estimated on the basis of serum lactic dehydrogenase. Clinical, echocardiographic, and hematologic evaluations were performed 1, 6, and 12 months after discharge. RESULTS: None of the 278 patients experienced decompensated anemia, whereas at 12 months, mild subclinical hemolysis was identified in 49 patients, 44 (26%) with a mechanical prosthesis and 5 (5%) with a bioprosthesis (P <.001). At multivariate analysis, independent predictors of the presence of subclinical hemolysis were mitral valve replacement (P <.001), use of a mechanical prosthesis (P =.002), and double valve replacement (P =.02). Frequency of hemolysis in patients with stented aortic bioprostheses was 3%, whereas it was absent in those with stentless valves. Among mechanical valve recipients, double versus single valve replacement (P =.04) and mitral versus aortic valve replacement (P =.05) were correlated with the presence of hemolysis; double valve recipients also showed a more severe degree of hemolysis (P =.03). In patients with a Sorin Bicarbon prosthesis, hemolysis was less frequent (22% vs 34%, P =.09) and severe (P <.001) than in those with a CarboMedics prosthesis. CONCLUSIONS: In normally functioning prosthetic heart valves, subclinical hemolysis is a frequent finding. A low incidence of hemolysis is found in stented biologic prostheses, and it is absent in stentless aortic valves. Modifications of valve design may contribute to minimize the occurrence of hemolysis in mechanical prostheses.

Clinical outcome in patients with 19-mm and 21-mm St. Jude aortic prostheses: comparison at long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Small-sized prostheses for aortic valve replacement may result in residual left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. Aim of the study was to verify whether implantation of 19-mm versus 21-mm St. Jude Medical standard prostheses (St. Jude Medical, Inc, St. Paul, MN) influences long-term clinical outcome. METHODS: Two hundred twenty-nine patients who underwent aortic valve replacement with 19 mm (group 1, 53 patients) or 21-mm St. Jude Medical standard prostheses (group 2, 176 patients) were included in the study. Mean follow-up of current survivors was 10+/-4 years. RESULTS: Operative mortality was 7.5% in group 1 and 8.5% in group 2. At discharge, an important patient-prosthesis mismatch (effective orifice area index < or = 0.60 cm2/m2) was present in 18% of group 1 versus 5% in group 2 (p = 0.004). Among patients with body surface area less than 1.70 m2, such mismatch was present in 15% of group 1 versus 2% of group 2 (p = 0.008). At last follow-up New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class (p < 0.001), left ventricular mass reduction (p = 0.02), mean (p = 0.002) and peak transprosthetic gradients (p < 0.001), and effective orifice area index (p = 0.005) were significantly better in group 2. Freedom from sudden death (92%+/-5% vs 99%+/-1%, p = 0.01), valve-related death (84%+/-6% vs 90%+/-5%, p = 0.02), and cardiac events (56%+/-13% vs 86%+/-4%, p = 0.008), were significantly lower in group 1. Effective orifice area index was an independent predictor of late cardiac events. CONCLUSIONS: Although long-term results after aortic valve replacement with small-sized St. Jude Medical standard prostheses are satisfactory, 19-mm valve recipients show a high prevalence of important patient-prosthesis mismatch with less evident functional improvement and higher rate of cardiac events, suggesting a very cautious use of this prosthesis.

The role of quantitative myocardial contrast echocardiography in the study of coronary microcirculation in athlete's heart.

Quantitative myocardial contrast echocardiography was performed with harmonic power Doppler analysis using the background subtraction and Levovist (Schering AG, Berlin, Germany) as contrast agent in a triggered modality. Quantitative analysis of echocontrast was performed offline with PC software, obtaining the transit curves of microbubbles through the coronary capillary system. Coronary microcirculation in athletes showed a behavior substantially comparable with control participants, although at a higher level. Training determines a physiologic left ventricular hypertrophy that counterbalances the dilatation in the left ventricular chambers because of the higher blood volume in athletes compared with control participants. Angiogenesis and several functional adaptations (relaxation of small coronary arteries, increased production of nitric oxide by the coronary endothelium, or both), represent the potential mechanisms that allow an optimal distribution of oxygen and of substrates to the hypertrophied myocardium of the athletes.

Left ventricular free wall rupture: off-pump sutureless patch and glue technique.

Left ventricular free wall rupture is a well-recognized complication of myocardial infarction and is a frequent cause of death. Immediate surgical repair is the treatment of choice and many different surgical approaches have been reported. We describe an off-pump sutureless technique with the use of a glutaraldehyde-treated bovine pericardial patch and biological glue (N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate) in a 60-year-old male patient with echocardiographic evidence of cardiac tamponade and a free wall rupture site on the lateral wall. The recovery was uneventful and the patient was discharged from the hospital on the eleventh postoperative day. At 3 months, he remained well and without any symptoms.

Aortic dissection: diagnosis, state-of-the-art of imaging and new management acquisitions.

A prompt diagnosis is the cornerstone of effective treatment of aortic dissection and it is the single most important determinant of survival in this patient population. New imaging modalities such as transesophageal echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging, helical computed tomography and electron-beam computed tomography have been introduced during the last decade. These new imaging techniques allow for a better and earlier diagnosis of aortic diseases even in emergency situations. Bearing in mind the high overall mortality of aortic dissection, the role of prevention cannot be overstressed. The main risk factor for aortic dissection/rupture is the aortic diameter; therefore we would like to stress the role of aortic replacement as an effective preventive method for aortic dissection/rupture. Determining the right time for elective surgery, when the operative risk is lower than the risk of dilation-related complications, could contribute to a decrease in urgent surgical procedures on the ascending aorta.

Aortic homograft improves hemodynamic performance and clinical outcome at mid-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Cryopreserved homograft is currently considered an excellent choice for the replacement of a diseased aortic valve in adults and it is the first choice for 1 with aortic endocarditis. The aim of this study was to analyze our single institution experience with the cryopreserved aortic homograft by a mid-term follow-up. METHODS: Between December 1996 and September 2003, 46 consecutive patients underwent aortic valve replacement using either aortic or pulmonary homograft. The risk profile was moderate-to-high, with a mean log EuroSCORE of 6.33+/-5.12. All patients were periodically evaluated at discharge, at 6 and 12 months, and yearly thereafter, to assess their clinical status and hemodynamic performance by comparing the ejection fraction, left ventricular mass index, mean gradient, effective orifice area index, and diastolic and systolic eccentricity indexes. RESULTS: The overall 30-day mortality was 4.3%. At univariate analysis, the significant determinants of in-hospital mortality were: aortic dissection (p < 0.001), urgent operation (p = 0.05) and a log EuroSCORE > 10 (p = 0.05). At multivariate analysis no independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were found. At 5 years of follow-up, the survival was 91.3+/-5.0%, the freedom from reoperation was 95.8+/-4.1%, the freedom from sudden death was 96.1+/-3.9%, and the freedom from readmission for congestive heart failure was 94.1+/-3.1%. In patients with either prevalent aortic valve stenosis or prevalent aortic valve insufficiency, a significant improvement in the preoperative ejection fraction during follow-up (49+/-4 vs 51+/-7%; F = 5.1, p = 0.04 and 50+/-10 vs 53+/-10%; F = 7.1, p = 0.01 respectively) and a significant reduction in the preoperative left ventricular mass index during follow-up (202+/-55 vs 143+/-28 g/m2; F = 7.5, p = 0.008 and 177+/-49 vs 138+/-24 g/m2; F = 8.8, p < 0.001) were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Replacement of the diseased aortic valve with a cryopreserved homograft offers clear advantages in terms of excellent hemodynamics, resistance to infection, and a negligible incidence of postoperative regurgitation.

[Type-A aortic dissection without chest pain in a patient with Clostridium fallax infection]. / Dissezione aortica tipo A in un paziente con setticemia da Clostridium fallax asintomatico per dolore toracico.

We describe the case of a 64-year-old patient admitted to our hospital because of syncope and suspicion of cardiac tamponade. At admission he had temporary alteration of conscience with clinical evidence of sepsis without chest pain. There was a mild pericardial effusion in absence of clinical and echocardiographic signs of cardiac tamponade. About 36 hours later we found evidence of an aortic dissection and in the blood culture an isolation of Clostridium fallax that we consider the probable cause of this lesion.

Stability of aortic annulus enlargement during aortic valve replacement using a bovine pericardial patch: an 18-year clinical, echocardiographic, and angio-computed tomographic follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: Enlargement of the aortic annulus may be required during aortic valve replacement to avoid patient-prosthesis mismatch. We reviewed patients with enlargement of the aortic annulus with the aim of assessing the stability of the procedure by means of echocardiographic and angio-computed tomography studies. METHODS: A series of 53 consecutive patients underwent aortic valve replacement and enlargement of the aortic annulus from 1994 to 2012. The mean age was 68 ± 11 years (range, 29-84 years), and 85% (45 patients) were female. The predominant valvular lesion was aortic stenosis. The mean logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation was 11.2 ± 13.0. Enlargement of the aortic annulus was performed by extending the aortotomy incision to separate the commissure between the left and noncoronary sinuses into the anterior mitral leaflet and closing the resulting defect with an adequately tailored patch of bovine pericardium. RESULTS: Hospital mortality was 2%, with 20 late deaths mostly due to noncardiac causes. At a maximum follow-up of 18 years (mean, 8.9 ± 5.0 years), actuarial survival is 37% ± 9%. No cases of severe patient-prosthesis mismatch were observed, and only 2 patients had moderate patient-prosthesis mismatch. At discharge, the mean aortic root diameter was 30.0 ± 2.3 mm and the mean diameter at the sinotubular junction was 31.5 ± 5.0 mm. At follow-up, the mean aortic root diameter was 31.0 ± 3.4 mm and the mean diameter at the sinotubular junction was 31.7 ± 4.5 mm (P = not significant) with no cases of late aneurysm formation on angio-computed tomography. CONCLUSIONS: Enlargement of the aortic annulus is a safe and effective procedure and should be indicated in patients with a small aortic annulus; particularly, it should be considered to prevent patient-prosthesis mismatch and its potential deleterious long-term effects.

Aortic valve replacement with the Medtronic Mosaic bioprosthesis: a 13-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the long-term clinical performance of the Mosaic bioprosthesis (Medtronic Inc, Minneapolis, MN) after aortic valve replacement. METHODS: From 1995 to 2008, 178 patients (48 women; mean age, 74±6 years) had aortic valve replacement. Mean functional class was 2.3±0.5, and 157 patients (88%) were in sinus rhythm. Prosthetic sizes were 23 mm in 98 patients and 25 mm in 66. Follow-up was completed in December 2009 with a cumulative duration of 1,015 patient/years (mean, 5.7±3.5 years, maximum, 13.7 years). RESULTS: Early mortality was 4%, none being valve-related; of 38 late deaths 7 were valve-related. Actuarial survival at 13 years was 48%±8%. Mean functional class of current survivors was 1.2±0.6. Six embolic episodes occurred and four cases of endocarditis, with respective actuarial freedom of 92%±5% for embolism and 97%±2% for endocarditis at 13 years. Four patients required reoperations for endocarditis and 2 for structural deterioration. Actuarial freedom from structural deterioration and from reoperation for all causes was 89%±7% and 86%±7% at 13 years, with an actuarial freedom from prosthesis-related deaths of 86%±5%. Results of echocardiographic evaluation at 1 year were mean peak gradient, 20±6 mm Hg and mean effective orifice area index, 1.07±0.21 cm2/m2 for size 23 mm and 22±6 mm Hg and 1.11±0.26 cm2/m2 for size 25 mm; at 10 years, mean peak gradient and mean effective orifice area index were 28±13 mm Hg and 1.01±0.19 cm2/m2 for size 23 mm and 26±8 mm Hg and 1.08±0.18 cm2/m2 for size 25 mm. CONCLUSIONS: The Mosaic bioprosthesis showed good overall performance, with low incidence of structural valve deterioration and hemodynamic stability in the long-term. Expected increased durability of this device should be verified at longer follow-up intervals.

Acute improvement in arterial-ventricular coupling after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (CoreValve) in patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis.

The recent development of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) to treat severe aortic stenosis (AS) offers a viable option for high-risk patients categories. Our aim is to evaluate the early effects of implantation of CoreValve aortic valve prosthesis on arterial-ventricular coupling by two dimensional echocardiography. Sixty five patients with severe AS performed 2D conventional echocardiography before, immediately after TAVI, at discharge (mean age: 82.6 ± 5.9 years; female: 60%). The current third generation (18-F) CoreValve Revalving system (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) was used in all cases. Vascular access was obtained by percutaneous approach through the common femoral artery; the procedure was performed with the patient under local anesthesia. We calculated, apart the conventional parameters regarding left ventricular geometry and the Doppler parameters of aortic flow (valvular load), the vascular load and the global left ventricular hemodynamic load. After TAVI we showed, by echocardiography, an improvement of valvular load. In particular we observed an immediate reduction of transaortic peak pressure gradient (P < 0.0001), of mean pressure gradient (P < 0.0001) and a concomitant increase in aortic valve area (AVA) (0.97 ± 0.3 cm(2)). Left ventricular ejection fraction improved early after TAVI (before: 47 ± 11, after: 54 ± 11; P < .0001). Vascular load, expressed by systemic arterial compliance, showed a low but significant improvement after procedure (P < 0.01), while systemic vascular resistances showed a significant reduction after procedure (P < 0.001). As a global effect of the integrated changes of these hemodynamic parameters, we observed a significant improvement of global left ventricular hemodynamic load, in particular through a significant reduction of end-systolic meridional stress (before: 80 ± 34 and after: 55 ± 29, P < 0.0001). The arterial-valvular impedance showed a significant reduction (before: 7.6 ± 2 vs after: 5.8 ± 2; P < 0.0001. Furthermore we observed a significant reduction with a normalization of arterial-ventricular coupling (P < 0.005). With regard to left ventricular (LV) efficiency, we observed, after the procedure, a significant reduction of stroke work (P < 0.001) and potential energy (P < 0.001), with a significant increase of work efficiency early after the procedure (P < 0.001). Our results showed that the TAVI procedure was able to determine an early improvement of the global left ventricular hemodynamic load, allowing a better global LV performance. Further follow-up investigations are needed to evaluate these results in a more prolonged time observation.

Early and late improvement of global and regional left ventricular function after transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with severe aortic stenosis: an echocardiographic study.

The recent development of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for severe aortic stenosis (AS) treatment offers a viable option for high-risk patient categories. Our aim is to evaluate whether 2D strain and strain rate can detect subtle improvement in global and regional LV systolic function immediately after TAVI. 2D conventional and 2D strain (speckle analysis) echocardiography was performed before, at discharge and after three months in thirty three patients with severe AS. After TAVI, we assessed by conventional echocardiography an immediate reduction of transaortic peak pressure gradient (p<0.0001), of mean pressure gradient (p<0.0001) and a concomitant increase in aortic valve area (AVA: 1.08±0.31 cm(2)/m(2); p<0.0001). 2D longitudinal systolic strain showed a significant improvement in all patients, both at septal and lateral level, as early as 72 h after procedure (septal: -14.2±5.1 vs -16.7±3.7%, p<0.001; lateral: -9.4±3.9 vs -13.1±4.5%, p<0.001; respectively) and continued at 3 months follow-up (septal: -18.1±4.6%, p<0.0001; lateral: -14.8±4.4%, p<0.0001; respectively). Conventional echocardiography after TAVI proved a significant reduction of LV end-systolic volume and of LV mass with a mild improvement of LV ejection fraction (EF) (51.2±11.8 vs 52.9±6.4%; p<0.02) only after three months. 2D strain seems to be able to detect subtle changes in LV systolic function occurring early and late after TAVI in severe AS, while all conventional echo parameters seem to be less effective for this purpose. Further investigations are needed to prove the real prognostic impact of these echocardiographic findings.

Left ventricular reverse remodeling in percutaneous and surgical aortic bioprostheses: an echocardiographic study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is the definitive proven therapy for patients with severe aortic stenosis who have symptoms or decreased left ventricular (LV) function. The development of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) offers a viable and "less invasive" option for the treatment of patients with critical aortic stenosis at high risk with conventional approaches. The main objective of this study was the comparison of LV hemodynamic and structural modifications (reverse remodeling) between percutaneous and surgical approaches in the treatment of severe aortic stenosis. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients who underwent TAVI with the CoreValve bioprosthetic valve were compared with 58 patients with similar characteristics who underwent SAVR. Doppler echocardiographic data were obtained before the intervention, at discharge, and after 6-month to 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: Mean transprosthetic gradient at discharge was lower (P<.003) in the TAVI group (10±5 mm Hg) compared with the SAVR group (14±5 mm Hg) and was confirmed at follow-up (10±4 vs 13±4 mm Hg, respectively, P<.001). Paravalvular leaks were more frequent in the TAVI group (trivial to mild, 69%; moderate, 14%) than in the SAVR group (trivial to mild, 30%; moderate, 0%) (P<.0001). The incidence of severe prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) was significantly lower (P<.004) in the TAVI group (12%) compared with the SAVR group (36%). At follow-up, LV mass and LV mass indexed to height and to body surface area improved in both groups, with no significant difference. In patients with severe PPM, only the TAVI subgroup showed significant reductions in LV mass. LV ejection fraction improved at follow-up significantly only in TAVI patients compared with baseline values (from 50.2±9.6% to 54.8±7.3%, P<.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Hemodynamic performance after TAVI was shown to be superior to that after SAVR in terms of transprosthetic gradient, LV ejection fraction, and the prevention of severe PPM, but with a higher incidence of aortic regurgitation. Furthermore, LV reverse remodeling was observed in all patients in the absence of PPM, while the same remodeling occurred only in the TAVI subgroup when severe PPM was present.