Association between C-Reactive Protein Velocity and Left Ventricular Function in Patients with ST-Elevated Myocardial Infarction

C-reactive protein velocity (CRPv), defined as the change in wide-range CRP concentration divided by time, is an inflammatory biomarker associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous intervention (PCI). However, data regarding CRPv association with echocardiographic parameters assessing left ventricular systolic and diastolic function is lacking. Echocardiographic parameters and CRPv values were analyzed using a cohort of 1059 patients admitted with STEMI and treated with primary PCI. Patients were stratified into tertiles according to their CRPv. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate CRPv optimal cut-off values for the prediction of severe systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Patients with high CRPv tertiles had lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (49% vs. 46% vs. 41%, respectively; p < 0.001). CRPv was found to independently predict LVEF ≤ 35% (HR 1.3 CI 95% 1.21–1.4; p < 0.001) and grade III diastolic dysfunction (HR 1.16 CI 95% 11.02–1.31; p = 0.02). CRPv exhibited a better diagnostic profile for severe systolic dysfunction as compared to CRP (area under the curve 0.734 ± 0.02 vs. 0.608 ± 0.02). In conclusion, For STEMI patients treated with primary PCI, CRPv is a marker of both systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Further larger studies are needed to support this finding.

Longitudinal strain by speckle tracking and echocardiographic parameters as predictors of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy

To analyze the prognostic value of left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) and other echocardiographic parameters to predict adverse outcomes in chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCM). Prospective cohort study conducted in 177 consecutive patients with different CCM stages. Transthoracic echocardiography measurements were obtained following the American Society of Echocardiography recommendations. By speckle-tracking echocardiography, LV-GLS was obtained from the apical three-chamber, apical two-chamber, and apical four-chamber views. The primary composite outcome (CO) was all-cause mortality, cardiac transplantation, and a left ventricular assist device implantation. After a median follow-up of 42.3 months (Q1 = 38.6; Q3 = 52.1), the CO incidence was 22.6% (95% CI 16.7–29.5%, n = 40). The median LV-GLS value was − 13.6% (Q1 = − 18.6%; Q3 = − 8.5%). LVEF, LV-GLS, and E/e′ ratio with cut-off points of 40%, − 9, and 8.1, respectively, were the best independent CO predictors. We combined these three echocardiographic markers and evaluated the risk of CO according to the number of altered parameters, finding a significant increase in the risk across the groups. While in the group of patients in which all these three parameters were normal, only 3.2% had the CO; those with all three abnormal parameters had an incidence of 60%. We observed a potential incremental prognostic value of LV-GLS in the multivariate model of LVEF and E/e′ ratio, as the AUC increased slightly from 0.76 to 0.79, nevertheless, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.066). LV-GLS is an important predictor of adverse cardiovascular events in CCM, providing a potential incremental prognostic value to LVEF and E/e′ ratio when analyzed using optimal cut-off points, highlighting the potential utility of multimodal echocardiographic tools for predicting adverse outcomes in CCM.

Predictive Value of Left Atrial Appendage Functional Parameters on Left Atrial Thrombus or Spontaneous Echo Contrast in Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation

Background: Left atrial appendage (LAA) spontaneous echocardiographic contrast (SEC), sludge and thrombus were associated with a high incidence of thrombus formation and thromboembolic events in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). We aim to identify the main echocardiographic parameters associated with LAA SEC or LAA sludge/thrombus in nonvalvular AF patients.Methods and results: 298 patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were included in the current study between September 2019 and January 2021. Transthoracic echocardiography and transesophageal echocardiography were performed before scheduled electrical cardioversion. LA diameter and maximum left atrial appendage area were increased in the LAA SEC group than control group, and were further increased in patients with LAA sludge or thrombus. LAA-EV, LAA-FV, anterior mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE) and LAA FAC were lower in the group with LAA SEC than control group, and were further reduced in LAA sludge or thrombus group. Lower LAA FAC and anterior MAPSE were associated with an increased risk of LAA SEC or LAA sludge/thrombus, and LAA FAC and anterior MAPSE showed high accuracy on predicting LAA SEC or LAA sludge/thrombus.Conclusion: Left atrial appendage FAC and anterior MAPSE improves left atrial appendage stasis in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

Assessment of Biventricular Myocardial Function with 2-Dimensional Strain and Conventional Echocardiographic Parameters: A Comparative Analysis in Healthy Infants and Patients with Severe and Critical Pulmonary Stenosis

Our aim was to compare the global longitudinal and regional biventricular strain between infants with severe and critical pulmonary stenosis (PS), and controls; to compare pre- and post-procedural strain values in infants with severe and critical PS; and to assess the correlations between echocardiographic strain and conventional parameters. We conducted a retrospective single-center study. The comparisons of echocardiographic variables were performed using separate linear mixed models. The overall mean right ventricle (RV) regional strains measured before intervention in PS patients was significantly different when compared to the control group (p = 0.0324). We found a significant change in the left ventricle, RV, and inter-ventricular septum strain (IVS) values from basal to apical location (p < 0.05). IVS strain values showed a higher decrease in mean strain values from basal to apical in PS patients. There was no significant difference in means of baseline and post-interventional strain values in PS patients (p > 0.05). Following the strain analysis in patients with PS, we obtained statistically significant changes in the RV global-4-chamber longitudinal strain (RV4C). The RV4C, which quantifies the longitudinal strain to the entire RV, can be used in current clinical practice for the evaluation of RV function in infants with severe and critical PS. The longitudinal and segmental strain capture the pathological changes in the IVS, modifications that cannot be highlighted through a classical echocardiographic evaluation.

GENDER FEATURES OF STRUCTURAL-GEOMETRIC REMODELING OF THE LEFT VENTRICLE IN PATIENTS WITH MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION WITHOUT ELEVATION OF ST SEGMENT

Recently, there has been a tendency to increase the incidence of myocardial infarction without elevation of the ST segment, which, according to some data, accounts for about half of all registered MI. The main problem with this type of infarction is that the long-term prognosis in these patients remains unsatisfactory, and mortality one year after the catastrophe is equal to or even higher than mortality from ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, which encourages continued predictors of unfavorable prognosis. Objective: to determine the gender characteristics of the structural and geometric remodeling of the left ventricle in patients with myocardial infarction without ST segment elevation. Materials and methods. We conducted a comprehensive study of 200 patients with acute myocardial infarction without ST-segment elevation (NSTEMI) aged 38 to 80 (mean 62.0 ± 0.71, median 62 and interquartile range 55 and 70). The structural and functional state of the myocardium and types of left ventricular remodeling according to transthoracic echocardiography were studied. Results. Analysis of the obtained data shows that echocardiographic parameters in patients with NSTEMI depending on gender did not reveal significant differences between different groups. The exception was the size of the right atrium, which was significantly higher in the group of men compared to women with comparable values of the size of the right ventricle and the ratio of the size of the left to the right atrium. Analysis of the nature of structural and geometric remodeling of the left ventricle in general by groups showed that almost half of the subjects registered concentric hypertrophy of the left ventricle. Concentric left ventricle remodeling was observed in one third of patients and in other patients - normal geometry and eccentric left ventricle hypertrophy. Thus, it was found that concentric models of left ventricle – concentric hypertrophy and concentric remodeling – were registered in the vast majority of patients with NSTEMI. The latter can be explained by a significant proportion of hypertension which was identified by us in most patients and, of course, contributed to the development of concentric models of left ventricle. Analysis of the nature of structural and geometric remodeling of the left ventricle depending on gender showed that in the group of men, compared with women, there was a significant increase in the incidence of concentric remodeling. At the same time, in women, compared with men, there was a significant increase in cases of more severe types of structural remodeling - concentric and eccentric hypertrophy. Thus, we found that gender differences in echocardiographic parameters in patients with NSTEMI relate exclusively to indicators of structural and geometric remodeling of the left ventricle. Signs of concentric and eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy predominate in women, and indicators of normal geometry and concentric left ventricular remodeling in men. This distribution of types of remodeling indicates a more severe course and unfavorable prognosis of NSTEMI in women.

CURATIVE BENEFIT OF SUBMUCOPERICHONDRIAL RESECTION OPERATION ON PULMONARY AR

Objective: We aimed at establishing a correlation between deviated nasal septum and pulmonary artery hypertension in patients reporting in Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) clinic at Combined Military Hospital Quetta, and evaluating the beneficial impact of sub mucoperichondrial resection (SMR) operation on right heart myocardial function, primarily related to Pulmonary Arterial Pressures of these patients of longstanding nasal septal deviation. Study Design: Descriptive; hospital-based cross-sectional survey. Place and Duration of Study: Departments of Otorhinolaryngology & Cardiology, Combined Military Hospital, Quetta, from Sep 2019 to Apr 2021. Methodology: Electrocardiographic and 2-Dimensional Echocardiographic parameters of 87 randomized patients suffering from symptomatic longstanding deviated nasal septum (DNS) who had consented to undergo sub mucoperichondrial resection (SMR) operation were compared and studied for any change in status of probability of pulmonary arterial hypertension before and two months after their surgery. Probability of pulmonary hypertension was estimated using probability criteria from updated European Society of Cardiology Pulmonary Hypertension Guidelines 2019. Patients were classified into low, intermediate and high probability depending upon the number of criteria fulfilled by echocardiographic parameters. Results: Two (2.3%) patients suffering from deviated nasal septum presented with p-pulmonale. Twelve (13.8%) reported with right bundle branch block, and 7 (8%) patients demonstrated right axis deviation on electrocardiography. Overall high probability to develop pulmonary hypertension was discovered in 2 (2.3%) patients. We observed a significant improvement in pulmonary artery pressures in patients suffering from long term upper airway obstruction, two months following sub mucoperichondrial resection operation, in terms of maximum velocity and peak tricuspid regurgitation, right ventricle/left..........

Subclinical Myocardial Dysfunction in Patients with Persistent Dyspnea One Year after COVID-19

Long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was described in patients recovering from COVID-19, with dyspnea being a frequent symptom. Data regarding the potential mechanisms of long COVID remain scarce. We investigated the presence of subclinical cardiac dysfunction, assessed by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), in recovered COVID-19 patients with or without dyspnea, after exclusion of previous cardiopulmonary diseases. A total of 310 consecutive COVID-19 patients were prospectively included. Of those, 66 patients (mean age 51.3 ± 11.1 years, almost 60% males) without known cardiopulmonary diseases underwent one-year follow-up consisting of clinical evaluation, spirometry, chest computed tomography, and TTE. From there, 23 (34.8%) patients reported dyspnea. Left ventricle (LV) ejection fraction was not significantly different between patients with or without dyspnea (55.7 ± 4.6 versus (vs.) 57.6 ± 4.5, p = 0.131). Patients with dyspnea presented lower LV global longitudinal strain, global constructive work (GCW), and global work index (GWI) compared to asymptomatic patients (−19.9 ± 2.1 vs. −21.3 ± 2.3 p = 0.039; 2183.7 ± 487.9 vs. 2483.1 ± 422.4, p = 0.024; 1960.0 ± 396.2 vs. 2221.1 ± 407.9, p = 0.030). GCW and GWI were inversely and independently associated with dyspnea (p = 0.035, OR 0.998, 95% CI 0.997–1.000; p = 0.040, OR 0.998, 95% CI 0.997–1.000). Persistent dyspnea one-year after COVID-19 was present in more than a third of the recovered patients. GCW and GWI were the only echocardiographic parameters independently associated with symptoms, suggesting a decrease in myocardial performance and subclinical cardiac dysfunction.