Abstract 999: Gated Micro Computed Tomography Scanning: An Emerging Tool for Longitudinal Assessment of Murine Cardiac Remodeling.

Background: Recent advances in high energy X-ray source computed tomography (CT) technology have made it possible to accurately image murine cardiac structure and function. We describe the use of a gated Micro CT system to assess cardiac remodeling in a murine model of myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: Adult FVB mice (n = 10) were randomized to surgically induced MI by left coronary artery ligation or sham procedure. Dual gated cardiac and respiratory Micro CT scans were performed pre-operatively and at weeks 4, 8 and 12 post-procedure. End-diastolic and end-systolic images were acquired by gating on the ECG P-and S’-waves, respectively. Post-acquisition analysis was performed using image analysis software and the following parameters were quantified: left ventricular (LV) volume and mass, right ventricular volume and mass, right and left atrial volumes, and ventricular ejection fraction (EF). Results: Images were successfully acquired with a resolution of 100 microns allowing for identification and quantification of key cardiac structures (Fig 1A ). Following MI, animals exhibited left ventricular failure with significantly increased* end systolic and diastolic volumes by week 4. Ventricular dilation continued through week 8, plateauing by week 12. Left ventricular mass increased steadily over 12 weeks*, with a significantly decreased* LVEF of 28.0 ± .05% by week 12 (pre-MI: 66.7 ± .06%,*p < 0.01). Post-MI left ventricular change is detailed in Fig 1B . Conclusions: MicroCT scanning can be successfully used to characterize murine myocardial structure and function, making it a useful tool to assess cardiac phenotypes and models of cardiovascular disease.

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Time-related changes in indices of myocardial structure and function during the rosuvastatin treatment in patients with chronic heart failure with preserved and impaired left ventricular ejection fraction

Russian Heart Failure Journal ◽

10.18087/rhfj.2016.3.2224 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 181-188

Author(s):

V. V. Skibitsky ◽

◽

S. A. Prasolova ◽

A. V. Fendrikova ◽

E. A. Kudryashov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Chronic Heart Failure ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction ◽

Ejection Fraction ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Ventricular Ejection Fraction ◽

Myocardial Structure ◽

And Function

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Calpain inhibition preserves myocardial structure and function following myocardial infarction

AJP Heart and Circulatory Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpheart.00338.2009 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 297 (5) ◽

pp. H1744-H1751 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Santhosh K. Mani ◽

Sundaravadivel Balasubramanian ◽

Juozas A. Zavadzkas ◽

Laura B. Jeffords ◽

William T. Rivers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Myocardial Infarction ◽

Cell Death ◽

Programmed Cell Death ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Tunel Staining ◽

Ventricular Ejection Fraction ◽

Myocardial Structure ◽

And Function

Cardiac pathology, such as myocardial infarction (MI), activates intracellular proteases that often trigger programmed cell death and contribute to maladaptive changes in myocardial structure and function. To test whether inhibition of calpain, a Ca2+-dependent cysteine protease, would prevent these changes, we used a mouse MI model. Calpeptin, an aldehydic inhibitor of calpain, was intravenously administered at 0.5 mg/kg body wt before MI induction and then at the same dose subcutaneously once per day. Both calpeptin-treated ( n = 6) and untreated ( n = 6) MI mice were used to study changes in myocardial structure and function after 4 days of MI, where end-diastolic volume (EDV) and left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) were measured by echocardiography. Calpain activation and programmed cell death were measured by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL). In MI mice, calpeptin treatment resulted in a significant improvement in EF [EF decreased from 67 ± 2% pre-MI to 30 ± 4% with MI only vs. 41 ± 2% with MI + calpeptin] and attenuated the increase in EDV [EDV increased from 42 ± 2 μl pre-MI to 73 ± 4 μl with MI only vs. 55 ± 4 μl with MI + calpeptin]. Furthermore, calpeptin treatment resulted in marked reduction in calpain- and caspase-3-associated changes and TUNEL staining. These studies indicate that calpain contributes to MI-induced alterations in myocardial structure and function and that it could be a potential therapeutic target in treating MI patients.

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Cardiac MRI structural and functional predictors of left ventricular ejection fraction recovery following PVC catheter ablation

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-87754-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jessica Mao ◽

Eric Xie ◽

Ela Chamera ◽

Joao A. C. Lima ◽

Jonathan Chrispin

Keyword(s):

Catheter Ablation ◽

Recovery Of Function ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Cardiac Structure ◽

Premature Ventricular Contractions ◽

Ventricular Ejection Fraction ◽

Cardiac Structure And Function ◽

And Function

AbstractFrequent premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) can induce cardiomyopathy (PVC CM). We sought to use cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) to quantify changes in cardiac structure and function of cardiomyopathy patients following catheter ablation for PVCs. Patients undergoing PVC ablation at the Johns Hopkins Hospital with pre-procedural CMR from 2010 to 2018 were included in this study. CMR Images were analyzed to collect information on cardiac structure and function as well as to quantify scar. Of the total 51 included patients, PVC CM (LVEF < 45%) was observed in 51% (n = 29). Of these, 19 had post-ablation ejection fractions quantified, with 78.9% (n = 15) recovering function. Global longitudinal strain was significantly correlated with LVEF (OR 1.831, p < 0.01) but did not predict recovery of function. RV origin of PVCs was more common in the preserved LVEF group but was also significantly correlated with persistently reduced EF post-ablation in the PVC CM group. Scar burden was not correlated with either cardiac function or post-ablation recovery of function. In this cohort, there were no significant CMR findings to predict subsequent recovery of EF after ablation among those with PVC CM. PVC origin in the RV was associated with persistently reduced LVEF after ablation.

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Positive Effects of Perindopril on Microvascular Vessels in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

Kardiologiia ◽

10.18087/cardio.2020.8.n1216 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 60 (8) ◽

pp. 65-70

Author(s):

J. I. Safonova ◽

M. V. Kozhevnikova ◽

Yu. A. Danilogorskaya ◽

E. A. Zheleznykh ◽

V. Y. Zektser ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Chronic Heart Failure ◽

Endothelial Function ◽

Reactive Hyperemia ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Ventricular Ejection Fraction ◽

Positive Effects ◽

And Function

Aim To evaluate the effect of 12-month perindopril treatment on structure and function of microvasculature (MV) in patients with chronic heart failure with preserved (HFpEF) and intermediate (HFiEF) left ventricular ejection fraction.Material and methods 30 patients with HFpEF and HFiEF were evaluated. Perindopril at a maximum tolerated dose was administered to all patients for 12 months. Changes in MV structure and function were assessed with photoplethysmography and capillaroscopy prior to the treatment onset and at 12 months, i.e., after completion of the perindopril treatment.Results The 12-month perindopril treatment was associated with improvement of the endothelial function evident as increases in the occlusion index (OI) and the phase shift (PS). OI increased from 1.45 [1.3; 1.6] to 1.8 [1.6; 2.2] (p=0.00004). PS increased from 7.1 ms [4.8; 10.2] to 9.2 ms [6.7; 13.2] (p=0.0003). Stiffness of muscular large blood vessels was decreased. Arterial stiffness index (aSI) decreased from 8.8 [6.6; 11.0] to 7.45 [6.5; 9.4] m /s (р=0.01). The perindopril treatment was associated with increased density of the capillary network at rest (р=0.008) and in tests with venous occlusion (р=0.003) and reactive hyperemia (р=0.0003).Conclusion The study showed an improvement of endothelial function associated with the 12-month perindopril therapy in patients with HFpEF and HFiEF.

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Heavy alcohol drinking and subclinical echocardiographic abnormalities of structure and function

Open Heart ◽

10.1136/openhrt-2020-001457 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. e001457

Author(s):

Olena Iakunchykova ◽

Henrik Schirmer ◽

Darryl Leong ◽

Sofia Malyutina ◽

Andrew Ryabikov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Use ◽

Population Based ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Alcohol Problems ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Drinking Patterns ◽

Ventricular Ejection Fraction ◽

Heavy Alcohol ◽

And Function

ObjectiveThe aim of the study is to assess changes in heart structure and function associated with heavy alcohol use by comparing echocardiographic indices in a population-based sample to those in patients admitted to an inpatient facility with severe alcohol problems.Methods and resultsWe used data from the Know Your Heart study (2015–2017) which is a cross-sectional study that recruited 2479 participants aged 35–69 years from the general population of the city of Arkhangelsk in Northwest Russia and 278 patients from the Arkhangelsk Regional Psychiatric Hospital with a primary diagnosis related to chronic alcohol use (narcology clinic subsample). The drinking patterns of the population-based sample were characterised in detail. We used regression models controlling for age, sex, smoking, education and waist to hip ratio to evaluate the differences in echocardiographic indices in participants with different drinking patterns. The means of left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and indexed left atrial systolic diameter were increased among heavy drinkers (narcology clinic subsample), while mean left ventricular ejection fraction was decreased in this group compared with the population-based sample. In contrast, the harmful and hazardous drinkers in the population-based sample did not differ from non-problem drinkers with respect to echocardiographic indices of systolic and diastolic function.ConclusionsExtremely heavy drinking is associated with a specific set of structural and functional abnormalities of the heart that may be regarded as precursors of alcohol-related dilated cardiomyopathy.

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Determinants of exercise intolerance symptoms considered non-specific for heart failure in patients with stage A and B: role of the left atrium in the transition phase to overt heart failure

The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging ◽

10.1007/s10554-021-02375-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Caterina Maffeis ◽

Riccardo M. Inciardi ◽

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan ◽

Elvin Tafciu ◽

Corinna Bergamini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Roc Curves ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Exercise Intolerance ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Ventricular Ejection Fraction ◽

Incremental Value ◽

Adjusted Logistic Regression ◽

And Function

AbstractTo assess to what extent left atrial (LA) structure and function are associated with non-specific heart failure symptoms, so that patients were classified as HF stage A and B. Mechanisms underlying the transition to overt HF in patients with stage A and B HF are unclear. Consecutive outpatients undergoing echocardiography and clinical evaluation and classified as HF stage A and B with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were included. The association between LA measures [volume (LAVi), peak longitudinal-(PALS), contraction-(PACS) and conduit-strain] and non-specific HF symptoms was assessed using adjusted logistic regression analyses. The incremental value of atrial myopathy in symptoms prediction on top of clinical or echocardiographic confounders was assessed through ROC curves analyses. The cohort comprehended 185 patients (63 ± 16 years, 47% women) of whom 133 (72%) were asymptomatic, and 52 (28%) reported non-specific HF symptoms. After adjustment for clinical and echocardiographic confounders for HF symptoms, LAVi, PALS and PACS were associated with symptoms (p < 0.05). Among echocardiographic variables, only LA parameters were significantly associated with symptoms on top of clinical confounders (for LAVi OR [95% CI] 1.56 [1.21–2.00], p < 0.0001; for PALS 1.45 (1.10–1.91), p = 0.0009; for PACS 2.10 [1.33–3.30], p = 0.002). After adjustment for age, hypertension and COPD or E/E′, LV mass-i and mitral ERO, atrial myopathy added predictive value for symptoms presence compared to the clinical variables or echocardiographic parameters described (AUC increase 0.80 to 0.88, p = 0.004, and 0.79 to 0.84, p = 0.06, respectively). In patients with HF stages A–B and preserved LVEF, measures of LA structure and function were associated with non-specific HF symptoms. A comprehensive LA remodeling evaluation may help clinicians in the appropriate identification of overt HF.

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