Incremental Value of Pocket-Sized Echocardiography in Addition to Physical Examination during Inpatient Cardiology Evaluation: A Multicenter Italian Study (SIEC).

BACKGROUND: We prospectively assessed the incremental value of a pocket-sized echocardiography (PSE) device during cardiology consultations, in addition to physical examination, ECG reading, and chest x-ray. METHODS: A total of 443 consecutive patients (53% men), referred for bedside consultations, underwent physical examination, ECG, and CXR, followed by PSE examination. The physician completed a detailed questionnaire (clinical and echocardiographic data, scanning time, abnormal results). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was generated to test the predictive discrimination value of the different methods. The incremental value of PSE examination compared to clinical visit alone or combined with ECG results was expressed as a global chi-square value. RESULTS: The PSE examination did not influence the definitive diagnosis in only 23.5% of cases, while 25.3% of the diagnoses were confirmed and verified by PSE. The clinical diagnosis was enriched by PSE in 21.9% of cases, and the diagnosis was changed in 26.2%. The area under curve (AUC) of physical examination + ECG results (sensitivity: 80%; specificity: 67%) was significantly higher than physical examination alone (sensitivity: 75%; specificity: 62%) (P < 0.0002), and the AUC of PSE results (sensitivity: 88%; specificity: 86%) was significantly higher than physical examination + ECG results (P < 0.0001). The PSE results, combined with clinical and ECG results, had a significant incremental diagnostic value during cardiology consultation when compared to the clinical visit alone or with ECG results (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: PSE had an incremental diagnostic value during bedside cardiology consultation, increasing the number of appropriate diagnoses and reducing the routine use of echocardiography.

Thrombotic Risk in Cancer Patients: Diagnosis and Management of Venous Thromboembolism.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) represents a major health problem, especially in cancer patients, who experience a significantly higher incidence of both deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism compared to the general population. Indeed, patients with cancer have a prothrombotic state resulting in both increased expression of procoagulants and suppression of fibrinolytic activity. In addition, VTE increases the morbidity and mortality of these patients. For all these reasons, the prevention and treatment of VTE in cancer setting represent major challenges in daily practice. In general, low-molecular-weight heparin monotherapy is the standard of care for the management of cancer-associated VTE, as Vitamin K antagonists are less effective in this setting. Direct oral anticoagulants offer a potentially promising treatment option for cancer patients with VTE, since recent studies demonstrated their efficacy and safety also in this peculiar setting.

Relationship between B-type natriuretic peptide levels and echocardiographic indices of left ventricular filling pressures in post-cardiac surgery patients.

BACKGROUND: B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is increased in post-cardiac surgery patients, however the mechanisms underlying BNP release are still unclear. In the current study, we aimed to assess the relationship between postoperative BNP levels and left ventricular filling pressures in post-cardiac surgery patients. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 134 consecutive patients referred to our Center 8 +/- 5 days after cardiac surgery. BNP was sampled at hospital admission and related to the following echocardiographic parameters: left ventricular (LV) diastolic volume (DV), LV systolic volume (SV), LV ejection fraction (EF), LV mass, relative wall thickness (RWT), indexed left atrial volume (iLAV), mitral inflow E/A ratio, mitral E wave deceleration time (DT), ratio of the transmitral E wave to the Doppler tissue early mitral annulus velocity (E/E'). RESULTS: A total of 124 patients had both BNP and echocardiographic data. The BNP values were significantly elevated (mean 353 +/- 356 pg/ml), with normal value in only 17 patients (13.7%). Mean LVEF was 59 +/- 10% (LVEF >or=50% in 108 pts). There was no relationship between BNP and LVEF (p = 0.11), LVDV (p = 0.88), LVSV (p = 0.50), E/A (p = 0.77), DT (p = 0.33) or RWT (p = 0.50). In contrast, BNP was directly related to E/E' (p < 0.001), LV mass (p = 0.006) and iLAV (p = 0.026). At multivariable regression analysis, age and E/E' were the only independent predictors of BNP levels. CONCLUSION: In post-cardiac surgery patients with overall preserved LV systolic function, the significant increase in BNP levels is related to E/E', an echocardiographic parameter of elevated LV filling pressures which indicates left atrial pressure as a major determinant in BNP release in this clinical setting.

Update on the Organizational Aspects of Echocardiography in Italy (From Operator Training to the Report: 2007-2019): A Consensus Document by the "Società Italiana di Ecocardiografia e CardioVascular Imaging" Accreditation Area and Board 2017-2019.

In 2007, Società Italiana di Ecocardiografia e CardioVascular Imaging (SIECVI) already SIEC, published the document on the organization of echocardiography in Italy. In the years following the technological evolution, cultural and health factors have changed "the way, we do echo" as a tool for the different clinical pathways. The SIECVI Accreditation Area and Board 2017-2019 considered necessary to review and update the document in the light of innovation in the application of ultrasound for the heart disease assessment. In the document, we have considered the role of SIECVI in multimodal imaging, the need of training and certification of operators, the quality of echo machines, the accreditation of laboratories, the compilation of the report and its responsibility, and the presence of the sonographers in the EchoLab.

Acute heart failure related to a large left atrial myxoma.

An association between atrial myxoma and left ventricular failure is rarely described, is not completely understood, and may have multiple etiologies. We present a 49-year-old man with no history of cardiovascular disease who was admitted to our hospital with pulmonary edema. He was in atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response. Echocardiography showed a 10.5-cm left atrial myxoma, which had been asymptomatic until the onset of congestive heart failure in the presence of severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Left ventricular inflow obstruction associated with the giant atrial mass could not be the only cause for acute heart failure.

Bicuspid Aortic Valve Registry of the Italian Society of Echocardiography and Cardiovascular Imaging (REgistro della valvola aortica bicuspide della società italiana di ECocardiografia e CArdiovascular imaging): Rationale and Study Design.

BACKGROUND: Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital heart disease, affecting 0.5%-2% of the general population. It is associated not only with notable valvular risk (aortic stenosis and/or regurgitation, endocarditis) but also with aortopathy with a wide spectrum of unpredictable clinical presentations, including aneurysmal dilation of the aortic root and/or ascending thoracic aorta, isthmic coarctation, aortic dissection, or wall rupture. METHODS: The REgistro della Valvola Aortica Bicuspide della Società Italiana di ECocardiografia e CArdiovascular Imaging is a retrospective (from January 1, 2010)/prospective, multicenter, observational registry, expected to enroll 3000 patients with definitive diagnosis of BAV made by transthoracic and/or transesophageal echocardiography, computed tomography, cardiovascular magnetic resonance, or at surgery. Inclusion criteria were definitive diagnosis of BAV. Patients will be enrolled regardless of the presence and severity of aortic valve dysfunction or aortic vessel disease and the coexistence of other congenital cardiovascular malformations. Exclusion criteria were uncertain BAV diagnosis, impossibility of obtaining informed consent, inability to carry out the follow-up. Anamnestic, demographic, clinical, and instrumental data collected both at first evaluation and during follow-up will be integrated into dedicated software. The aim is to derive a data set of unselected BAV patients with the main purpose of assessing the current clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of BAV. CONCLUSIONS: A multicenter registry covering a large population of BAV patients could have a profound impact on the understanding of the natural history of this disease and could influence its management.

Bedside diagnosis and follow-up of patients with pleural effusion by a hand-carried ultrasound device early after cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the potential value of hand-carried ultrasound (HCU) devices in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with pleural effusion (PE) after cardiac surgery. METHODS: Seventy consecutive patients were evaluated at bedside early after cardiac surgery, in the upright sitting position, using an HCU device on hospital admission and every 3 days until hospital discharge. The posterior chest wall was scanned along the paravertebral, scapular, and posterior axillary lines. For each hemithorax, an effusion index was derived as the sum of the intercostal spaces between the lower and upper limits of the PE along the lines of scanning, divided by 3. A standard chest radiograph was performed in all patients on hospital admission and at hospital discharge, and was qualitatively scored (0, absent; 1, small; 2, large PE). The findings of the HCU device and radiograph were compared using kappa statistics and the Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: A chest ultrasound was feasible in all patients (mean [+/- SD] time, 5 +/- 2 min). Compared with the chest ultrasound, a physical examination showed a sensitivity of 69% and a specificity of 77%. On hospital admission, the HCU device detected a PE in 72 of 140 hemithoraxes. Agreement with the finding of the radiograph was 76% (kappa = 0.52). In 15 hemithoraxes, the HCU device revealed a PE that had not been diagnosed using the radiograph. Conversely, in 18 hemithoraxes a PE that had been diagnosed with a radiograph was not confirmed by the HCU device. The correlation between ultrasound and radiographic scores was statistically significant (p < 0.001). At hospital discharge, a PE was present in 31 of 140 hemithoraxes according to the findings of the HCU device, and in 38 of 140 hemithoraxes according to the findings of the radiograph (agreement, 78%; kappa = 0.44). CONCLUSIONS: In patients early after cardiac surgery, HCU devices allow rapid PE detection and improve the clinical diagnosis. Compared to a radiograph, this method offers the unique advantage of the bedside evaluation of patients without the need for radiation exposure.

[Digital echocardiography laboratory]. / L'acquisizione e la gestione delle immagini nel laboratorio digitale di ecocardiografia.

The implementation of a digital echocardiography laboratory exists today using the DICOM (Digital Imaging Communication in Medicine) standard to acquire, store and transfer echocardiographic digital images. The components of a laboratory include: 1) digital echocardiography machines with DICOM output, 2) a switched high-speed local area network, 3) a DICOM server with abundant local storage, and 4) a software to manage image and measurement information. The aim of this article was to describe the critical components of a digital echocardiography laboratory, discuss strategies for implementation, and describe some of the pitfalls that we encountered in our own implementation of the digital third level echocardiography laboratory.

[Information and Communication Technology in medicine in Italy: problems and perspectives. A document by the "e-cardio" area of the Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists (ANMCO)]. / Il problema della corretta implementazione dell'Information and Communication Technology in medicina nel nostro Paese: documento dell'Area "e-cardio" dell'Associazione Nazionale Medici Cardiologi Ospedalieri (ANMCO).

In Italy, health protection is an individual right protected by the article 32 of the Constitution, granted to everyone since 1978 by the foundation of the National Health Service. However, regionalization of the healthcare system has caused noticeable discrepancies among the different areas of the country. The use of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) may be useful to solve them. The purpose of this document is to analyze the implementation of ICT in Italy, on the basis of the suggestions given by the Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists (ANMCO). In 2010, the Italian government introduced the electronic health record (EHR), which includes a minimum core of essential documents that should be created and updated by general practitioners. The obvious limitations of this methodology become clear in the urgency-emergency clinical setting, where the availability of particular clinical data may influence both patient prognosis and cost reduction. Also the privacy rules, currently very restrictive, cause a drawback in reliability of the data reported in the EHR, thus arising the need for a balance shift from privacy to health rights at the level of both the individual and the community. A minimum core of mandatory clinical data to be included in the EHR should be defined. No formal indications for filling out the medical records are available and most few experiences concern "bureaucratic documents" on the diagnostic and therapeutic process. Conversely, we believe that medical records should become a diagnostic and therapeutic tool that makes health rights uniform across the country. Each medical record form should include the following features: a simple interface, a mandatory association of clinical findings and reports, data portability and accessibility, and adherence of the information to a minimal dataset. Additionally, medical records data should merge into a modified EHR available at any time and place through network access points with adequate connection speed. In this respect, inhomogeneous availability of broadband in Italy is at present a major challenging issue. Finally, current training programs in medicine do not allow for widespread application of ICT among young physicians. Some essential topics should be covered by university formative credits. It is crucial to address different needs: the patient needs, making data on "biological heritage" always available; the physician needs, providing them with professional tools able to improve their daily quality of work; the managers' and public decision makers' needs, helping to optimize costs of the healthcare system.

'Lone' increase in C-reactive protein after cardiac surgery: prevalence, clinical characteristics, in-hospital course, and prognostic value.

BACKGROUND: Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) is involved in the acute phase reaction after surgery, even though its clinical significance remains a matter of debate. We evaluated CRP levels in cardiac surgery patients without clinical or laboratory signs of infection. METHODS: We screened 737 consecutive patients referred to our center 8+/-5 days after cardiac surgery. Patients with fever (>37.2 degrees C), elevated white blood cell count (>11,000/ml), neutrophilia (>70%), or any inflammatory, infective or malignant disease were excluded. CRP levels were measured on admission and at discharge and the values were related to the following variables: age, sex, diabetes mellitus, renal failure, type of surgery, postoperative atrial fibrillation, pericardial or pleural effusion, and length of hospital stay. Follow-up (mean: 23+/-8.5 months) was available for 175 patients (94%). RESULTS: In the 187 patients enrolled in the study, the CRP values were significantly elevated (median: 4.23 mg/dl, interquartiles range: 2.68-6.64) independent of any variable analyzed. At discharge, CRP levels were significantly reduced compared with values on admission (median: 1.55 mg/dl, interquartiles range: 0.84-2.37, P<0.001). At follow-up, 19 events (10.8%) occurred (two noncardiac deaths, 17 hospital readmissions for cardiac reasons); nonetheless, no correlation was found with CRP values either on admission or at discharge. CONCLUSION: Early after cardiac surgery, in patients without clinical or laboratory signs of acute infection, CRP levels are significantly elevated, do not correlate with clinical variables, and decrease at discharge. These findings suggest a systemic inflammatory response to surgery-related stress, which carries a favorable prognosis at follow-up.

Echocardiographic estimation of pulmonary pressures.

Cardiac ultrasound plays a pivotal role in assessing pulmonary artery pressures. Estimation of right atrial pressure can be derived from the dimensions and respiratory variation of the inferior vena cava and Doppler modalities provide an accurate and comprehensive evaluation of right ventricular and pulmonary artery pressures. Peak pulmonary artery pressure can be calculated from continuous wave Doppler sampling of the tricuspid regurgitant jet, while pulsed wave Doppler sampling of the pulmonary regurgitant jet allows evaluation of mean and diastolic pulmonary artery pressures. In patients with tricuspid regurgitation that is either absent or not adequately detectable by Doppler method, Doppler right ventricular outflow tract investigation can be helpful. Recent data indicate that analysis of right ventricular function using myocardial Doppler echocardiography may also provide new insights for the non-invasive estimation of pulmonary artery pressures. In particular, right ventricular isovolumic relaxation time measured by myocardial Doppler echocardiography at the tricuspid annulus may provide an alternative method for estimating pulmonary artery pressure, especially in patients with tricuspid regurgitation not detectable or spectral Doppler not properly interpretable.

[Mitral valve prolapse]. / Il prolasso valvolare mitralico.

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is still a clinical challenging problem. In this report, we review the main characteristics of this entity. Epidemiology of MVP, which relies on the diagnostic criteria adopted, and the incidence of complications, both arrhythmic and structural, are influenced by the characteristics of the population studied, which may lead to bias in data interpretation. Even the definition of MVP may differ according to the cardiologist's or cardiac surgeon's point of view. Usually, cardiologists define MVP as the protrusion of all or part of the mitral leaflets into the left atrium, independent of maintenance of coaptation. Therefore, using this definition, mitral regurgitation is considered as a complication rather than a diagnostic criterion. Arrhythmias, either supraventricular or ventricular, are other possible complications, mostly not life-threatening and associated with myxomatous degeneration of the valve. Diagnosis of MVP is based on echocardiography, which provides detailed anatomic and functional evaluation of the affected valve. Leaflet thickness and motion as well as presence and severity of mitral regurgitation can be assessed, with important diagnostic and prognostic implications. Echocardiographic evaluation of the mitral valve requires a systematic approach in order to define the leaflet/scallop involved and the mechanisms of mitral regurgitation. To this aim, three-dimensional reconstruction may add further insights into objective rendering of mitral valve pathology. Finally, surgical timing in mitral regurgitation due to MVP is an evolving issue and the likelihood of surgical repair is a crucial factor in the optimal timing of surgical intervention, especially in asymptomatic patients with severe mitral regurgitation.