The Emerging Clinical Utility of Neurosonology During COVID-19 Pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Over the last 2 years the virus has spread worldwide with enormous implications on the healthcare systems. COVID-19 patients suffer from mild upper-airway manifestations to pneumonia and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome and their hospitalizations are often prolonged. Neurological manifestations of the disease are common. Neurosonology (transcranial Doppler & cervical duplex ultrasound) is an easily repeatable diagnostic imaging modality that can be simply applied at the bedside of COVID-19 patients with cerebrovascular diseases or in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit. Neurosonology may provide hemodynamic assessment of cerebral circulation, quantitative evaluation of increased intracranial pressure and detection of micro-embolic signals in real-time. Consequently, it may assist substantially in the diagnosis, risk stratification and therapeutic approach of COVID-19 patients with or without cerebrovascular complications. In the present narrative review, we discuss the emerging clinical utility of neurosonology during COVID-19 pandemic and highlight the upgraded role of neurosonology resulting from the combination of the established applications coupled with the reduced risk of virus spreading during ultrasound evaluation compared to other imaging modalities including computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Periprocedural hemodynamic assessment of percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty

Besides the standart echcardiografic parameters for mitral stenosis assessment it is necessary to inquire the hemodynamic characteristics as well. The following article describes and illustrates step-by-step the invasive parameters and their significance in the assessment of mitral stenosis in patients who underwent percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty.

Invasive hemodynamic assessment of patients with cardiomyopathies

Invasive hemodynamic assessment of cardiac diseases has become an important diagnostic tool in recent decades. Non-invasive methods are the main techniques used to assess cardiac function, due to their wider availability. Cardiac catheterization is useful when there are diagnostic problems that cannot be solved with routine methods. Cardiac catheterization should be individualized according to the specific problems of the patient and based on the results from non-invasive methods. Invasive diagnostics is used in the assessment of patients with various cardiovascular diseases, including cardiomyopathies. In this review, we consider the role of cardiac catheterization, its advantages and disadvantages as part of the overall assessment of patients with cardiomyopathies.  

Toe Pressure Measurements in Patients Suspected of Critical Limb Ischemia

An objective hemodynamic assessment is mandatory to confirm Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI). Toe pressure measurement is recommended. We compared toe measurements obtained using the Laser Doppler method (LD) (PERIMED PeriFlux, Sweden) considered as the reference test, with those obtained with a portable device using photoplethysmography (PPG) (Sys Toe Atys Medical, France). A total of 93 (123 legs) patients from 3 French hospitals with a clinical suspicion of CLI were included and had measurements with each device carried out by skilled operators. PPG was unable to provide a measurement in 10 patients. Lin’s Coefficient correlation concordance (CCC) and Bland and Altman’s scatter plot were analyzed for the 83 remaining patients, CCC was .84 95%CI (.77–.89). For detection of CLI, Cohen’s kappa was .67 95%CI (.53–.81). The PPG device is fairly reliable for toe pressure measurement in patients suspected of CLI and could be useful when LD is not available. However, it fails to deliver a measurement in approximately 10% of cases. No conclusion should be made about CLI for these patients when no measurement is obtainable and other methods should be used (LD, transcutaneous oxygen pressure) to assess perfusion of the limbs.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: anticoagulation and beyond

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a rare complication in pulmonary embolism (PE) survivors, characterized by chronic vascular occlusion and pulmonary hypertension. The identification and diagnosis of CTEPH requires a stepwise approach, starting with symptom evaluation, functional evaluation, screening imaging, and progressing to interventional hemodynamic assessment. On the backbone of anticoagulation, CTEPH management necessitates a multidisciplinary approach. Surgical pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) is the only potentially curative option. In nonoperable disease or residual disease after PTE, interventional balloon pulmonary angioplasty and/or pulmonary-vasodilator therapies can be offered, in collaboration with interventional and vascular pulmonary colleagues. As it is a disease that can cause high morbidity and mortality, CTEPH requires a high index of suspicion to diagnose and treat in patients following PE.

Algorithms for the diagnosis and treatment of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension

Background. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a hemodynamic and pathophysiological condition characteri-zed by an increase in the average pressure in the pulmonary artery > 20 mm Hg and is evaluated according to the data of the right heart catheterization (RHC). In most cases, PH is not an independent disease but is a manifestation of other diseases. Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is a diagnosis that it is established by excluding all other causes of PH (damage to the left heart, connective tissue diseases, HIV infection, lung diseases, portal hypertension, congenital heart defects, a history of pulmonary thromboembolism, etc.). In IPAH, the etiology of the disease is unknown. Pathogenesis and symptoms of PH. Vasoconstriction, microthrombosis, and vascular remodeling are the three main pathophysiological elements in PH. Symptoms of PH are non-specific: shortness of breath, rapid fatigue, chest pain during physical exertion, and sometimes syncopal states are observed. Decompensated patients have signs of right-sided heart failure (edemas, ascites, bloating, pulsation of the jugular veins). Diagnosis. The diagnostic algorithm for РH consists of two stages. The first one is located outside the expert сenter, and the second one is located directly in the PH expert center. When this disease is suspected and there are typical symptoms and signs, all patients undergo an echocardiographic examination. Then, under certain conditions (for example, the absence of the underlying cause of PH), the patient is referred to the PH expert center, where it is possible to conduct RHC. Evaluating the prognosis. Evaluation of patients with IPAH is necessary to improve disease control and transition from a higher risk to a lower one. Prognosis assessment is comprehensive and is determined based on clinical status, symptom progression, syncope, results of a 6-minute walk test and NT-proBNP, results of examination methods (cardiopulmonary exercise test, echocardiography or MRI of the heart, hemodynamic assessment). Treatment. The main objectives of IPAH treatment are reducing the severity of symptoms, slowing the progression of the disease, improving the quality and increasing the life expectancy of patients. First of all, these are general measures (physical activity, prevention and management of pregnancy), prevention of infectious diseases, social and psychological assistance, monitoring compliance with the regime, recommendations for travel/journey, maintenance therapy (oral anticoagulants, diuretics, digoxin, oxygen therapy). Patients with a positive vasoreactive test are prescribed with calcium channel blockers. In all other patients, specific PH therapy may include prostaglandins (inhaled, intravenous, and subcutaneous forms), prostacyclin receptor antagonists, endothelin receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, and soluble guanylate cyclase stimulants. Surgical treatment. One of the options for surgical treatment of IPAH is atrial septostomy — the creation of a perforation in the atrial septum. This leads to decompression of the right chambers of the heart and increases the preload on the left ventricle, which leads to an increase in cardiac output. In case of ineffectiveness of all the above methods of treatment and significant progression of the disease, patients are indicated for lung transplantation or heart — lung complex.

The impact of neonatologist performed echocardiography in an Italian neonatal unit

BACKGROUND: The main goal of neonatologist performed echocardiography is to timely assess hemodynamic changes in order to properly manage unsteady neonates. Detailed structural heart assessment remains the domain of pediatric cardiologists. Nonetheless, many neonatologists take on an additional role in diagnosis of congenital heart defects, mostly compelled by the lack of in-house pediatric cardiology services. The experience of neonatologist performed echocardiography in an Italian neonatal unit was reported and the risk benefit profile of this practice was discussed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the echocardiograms undertaken by the neonatologist on infants admitted to the neonatal unit and postnatal ward of the Hospital San Pio in Benevento, over a 2-year period. Details of scans and concordance between neonatologist and cardiologist were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 160 echocardiographic studies were done by the neonatologist on 136 infants. The ECG was requested in a minority of infants. The most common reason for performing the echocardiogram was admission to the neonatal care unit. Around half of the echocardiograms were normal. The remaining scans resulted in functional and structural abnormalities, transitional changes, and doubtful findings. Cardiac anomalies were significantly more likely found in cases of echocardiograms performed for fetal indications. Only 28 patients were eventually referred to the cardiology services. The inter-rater agreement was satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: The hemodynamic assessment of sick infants, as well as triaging and referral of neonates with structural heart diseases are valuable advantages of the echocardiography run by neonatologists. Collaboration with pediatric cardiologists and robust training and accreditation programs are essential to ensure safety and quality service.

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in the assessment of pericardial abnormalities: a case series

Background Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) has a unique role in evaluating pericardial disease, permitting non-invasive tissue analysis and hemodynamic assessment. Case Summary In Case 1 of recurrent pericarditis, CMR confirmed reactivation of inflammation with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and native T1/T2 mapping techniques, prompting therapeutic changes. In constrictive pericarditis, CMR is the only modality capable of differentiating a subacute potentially reversible form (Case 2), from a chronic, burnt out irreversible phase characterized by constrictive physiology (Case 3). Discussion CMR is an effective tool to tailor individual therapy, particularly in cases of recurrent and constrictive pericarditis. LGE provides diagnostic and prognostic information, and multiparametric mapping has emerged as a promising tool with incremental diagnostic value.