Characteristics of abnormal coronary aorta origin in adults and cause analysis of missed diagnosis by transthoracic echocardiography / 医疗卫生装备

Objective To analyze the characteristics of adult anomalous aortic origin of coronary artery(AAOCA)and the causes of missed diagnosis by transthoracic echocardiography(TTE)so as to facilitate TTE in diagnosing adult AAOCA.Methods A total of 37 adult patients with AAOCA diagnosed by non-invasive coronary CT angiography(CCTA)and/or invasive coronary angiography(ICA)were selected as research samples at some hospital from January 2019 to December 2022,and their clinical symptoms and the findings of 12-lead electrocardiogram,cardiac enzymes and TTE were summarized;the patients were typed according to the site of origin of coronary artery anomalies,and the causes for the missed diagnosis of TTE were eplored.Chi-square test was used to compare the differences in TTE missed diagnoses.Results Of the 37 patients,31 ones had no or only mild symptoms;most ones had negative results in terms of 12-lead electrocardiography,cardiac enzymes,changes in the size of the cardiac chambers,segmental ventricular wall motion abnormalities and left ventricular systolic function.The patients with anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from left sinus(ARCA-L)gained the largest proportion of 59.45％(22/37);21 patients were diagnosed with anomalous origin of coronary artery arising from the opposite sinus(ACAOS)in the two examinations of TTE,of whom there were 19 cases of ARCA-L,and the detection rate of ACAOS by TTE was 87.5％;all the 13 patients origins in branches and high-grade openings were missed by TTE.The detection rate of ACAOS by TTE was significantly higher than that of coronary artery anomalies originating in branches and in high openings,and the difference was statistically significant(21/24 vs 0/13,P＜0.001).Conclusion Most adult AAOCA patients lack specificity in symptoms and related examination results.TTE has a high detection rate of ACAOS,while it is easy to miss the diagnosis of coronary artery anomalies originating from branches and high openings.Ultrasonographers have to identify false negative AAOCA by multi-section and multi-angle scanning and color Doppler flow imaging in order to reduce the rate of missed diagnosis.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(1):71-75]

Clinical efficacy of closure operation guided by transthoracic echocardiography with simply delivery sheath for patent foramen ovale / 局解手术学杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of percutaneous closure of foramen ovale guided by transthoracic echocardio-graphy with simply delivery sheath.Methods The clinical data of patients with patent foramen ovale underwent interventional closure and percutaneous closure guided by transthoracic echocardiography with simply delivery sheath in our hospital from January 2020 to December 2022 were analyzed retrospectively,the patients were divided into interventional closure group(40 cases)and simply delivery sheath group(39 cases).The operation time,incidence of surgical complications,and surgical success rates of patients in the two groups were compared.The closure effect were evaluated by ultrasound immediately after surgery.All the patients were followed up for 6 months after surgery to evaluate remission of the symptoms.Results The surgical success rate of simply delivery sheath group(100%)was higher than that of interventional closure group(90.0%),with statistically significant difference(P<0.05).The operation time of simply delivery sheath group was longer than that of interventional closure group,with statistically significant difference(P<0.05).One patient in the interventional closure group had small amount of pericardial effusion during the operation.Two patients had decreased blood pressure and slowed heart rate in simply delivery sheath group,and symptoms disappeared after treatment.There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups(P>0.05).After 6-month follow-up,all occluders were in good position and no residual leakage was found.The symptoms of headache or dizziness disappeared in 28 patients in interventional closure group,significantly relieved in 8 patients;the symptoms of headache or dizziness disappeared in 30 patients in simply delivery sheath group,and significantly relieved in 9 patients.Conclusion Percutaneous closure for patent foramen ovale under the guidence of transthoracic echocardiography with simply delivery sheath is safe and feasible with satisfactory efficacy and higher successful rate without radiation hazard.It is worthy of clinical promotion.

Analysis of the correlation between the anatomical features of patent foramen ovale and right to left shunt / 中国现代医生

@#Objective To investigate the correlation between the anatomical structure of patent foramen ovale(PFO)observed by transesophageal echocardiography(TEE)and the right to left shunt(RLS)grade of contrast-enhanced transthoracic echocardiography(c-TTE).Methods Ninety cases in which the presence of PFO was suggested by TEE examination as a diagnostic criterion from November 2021 to December 2022 in the First Hospital of Nanchang were retrospectively analysed.According to the c-TTE results of patients,the RLS was divided into 4 levels,and the correlation between PFO structural characteristics and RLS grading was analyzed.Results There was a positive correlation between PFO diameter size and RLS grading in resting state(r=0.381,P<0.05);The PFO diameter of patients with hypermobile interatrial septum(HIS)was larger and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);The PFO diameter of patients with persistent RLS was larger than that of excited phase patients,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);There was no significant difference in RLS shunt degree between patients with long tunnel and those without long tunnel;There was no significant difference in RLS grade and PFO diameter size under Valsalva state.Conclusion Research has shown that certain anatomical structures of PFO interact with RLS grading,and PFO anatomical structures can also interact with each other(the opening diameter of the foramen ovale with HIS is larger);At the same time,TEE can clearly show the morphological characteristics of PFO and predict the degree of RLS,so as to further evaluate the possibility of ischemic stroke in patients with PFO,and provide more evidence for the indications for foramen ovale closure.

Origen aórtico anómalo de las arterias coronarias / Abnormal aortic origin of coronary arteries

Resumen Introducción: El origen aórtico anómalo de las arterias coronarias tiene una prevalencia estimada del 0.02-5.7% y están potencialmente involucradas con complicaciones en su evolución natural o aquellos que requieran procedimientos intervencionistas hemodinámico y/o quirúrgicos. Puede asociarse a muerte súbita o dañarse durante intervenciones sobre el anillo mitral, aórtico, pulmonar o el cierre percutáneo de un defecto septal interauricular. Objetivo: identificar estos pacientes por diferentes técnicas de imágenes como el ecocardiograma Doppler color transtorácico (ETT), angiotomografía o angiografía coronaria. Métodos: Las técnicas de imágenes utilizadas para la detección de anomalías coronarias fueron el ETT, angiotomografía coronaria multicorte o angiografía coronaria convencional de acuerdo con lo universalmente aceptado. Resultados: Estudio prospectivo realizado desde enero del 2020 a junio del 2021. Se identificaron 15 pacientes y en 12/15 la sospecha fue por ETT y en los tres restantes por angiotomografía coronaria. La arteria circunfleja fue la más involucrada en forma aislada o asociada a otra anomalía coronaria (12/15 pacientes) y en los tres casos restantes la coronaria anómala tuvo un trayecto interarterial, siendo las arterias coronarias derecha y la descendente anterior las afectadas. Conclusiones: El subdiagnóstico por ETT de las anomalías de las arterias coronarias puede deberse a la dificultad para su visualización, sobre todo en la población adulta. Su detección es crucial, ya que puede generar muerte súbita asociada a isquemia miocárdica y arritmias graves o complicar procedimientos intervencionistas sobre el septum interauricular o sobre los anillos mitral, pulmonar y/o aórtico.

Abstract Introduction: The anomalous aortic origin of the coronary arteries has an estimated prevalence of 0.02-5.7%. It can be associated with sudden death when it has an interarterial or intramural pathway or be damaged during interventions on the mitral, pulmonary and/or aortic annulus or percutaneous closure of an interatrial septal defect. Objective: To identify these patients by imaging techniques such as transthoracic color Doppler echocardiography (TTE), computed tomography (CT) multislice angiography or coronary angiography. Methods: The imaging techniques used for the detection of coronary anomalies were TTE, multislice coronary angiography or coronary angiography according to what is generally accepted. Results: Fifteen patients were identified; in 12 of them the suspicion was due to TTE and in the remaining 3, CT multislice angiography was diagnostic. The circumflex artery was the coronary artery most involved, associated or not with another coronary anomaly (12/15 patients) and in the other three cases, the anomalous coronary artery had an interarterial course, with the right coronary arteries and the anterior descending coronary arteries being involved. Conclusions: The under diagnosis by TTE of coronary artery abnormalities may be due to the difficulty of visualization that is accentuated with age. Their detection is crucial because they can both, lead to sudden death associated with an intramural and/or interarterial pathway and complicate an interventional procedure on the interatrial septum or within the mitral, pulmonary and/or aortic rings.

Comparision of Cardiac Output Measured by Transthoracic Echocardiography with Continuous Cardiac Output Measured by Pressure Recording Analytical Method

Background: Low cardiac output is a common complication following cardiac surgery and it is associated with higher mortality in the pediatric population. A gold standard method for cardiac output (CO) monitoring in the pediatric population is lacking. The present study was conducted to validate cardiac output and cardiac index measured by transthoracic echocardiography and Pressure recording analytical method, a continuous pulse contour method, MostCare Up in postoperative pediatric cardiac surgical patients. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective observational clinical study conducted at a tertiary care hospital. A total of 23 pediatric patients weighed between 2 and 20 kg who had undergone elective cardiac surgery were included in the study. Results: Spearman抯 correlation coefficient of CO between transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and Pressure Recording Analytical Method (PRAM) showed of positive correlation (r = 0.69, 95% Confidence interval 0.59?0.77, P < 0.0001) Linear regression equations for CO between TTE and PRAM were y = 0.55 + 0.88x (R2 = 0.46, P < 0.0001). (y = PRAM, x = TTE), respectively. Bland? Altman plot for CO between TTE and PRAM showed a bias of ?0.397 with limits of the agreement being ?2.01 to 1.22. Polar plot analysis showed an angular bias of 6.55� with radial limits of the agreement being ?21.46 to 34.58 for CO and angular bias of 6.22� with radial limits of the agreement being ?22.4 to 34.84 for CI. Conclusion: PRAM has shown good trending ability for cardiac output. However, values measured by PRAM are not interchangeable with the values measured by transthoracic echocardiography.

Echocardiographic and Etiopathogenic Features of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Casablanca University Hospital Experience

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common non-ischemic cardiomyopathy with a prevalence of 1:500 in the general population, based on the recognition of the phenotype. HCM is defined by the presence of increased left ventricular (LV) wall thickness that is not solely explained by abnormal loading conditions and the phenotype also includes disorganized myocyte arrangement, fibrosis, small-vessel disease, and abnormalities of the mitral valve apparatus. In particular to this pathology, we have conducted a one-year prospective study to determine clinical, echocardiographic features and etiopathogenic aspects of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the Casablanca university hospital. The results concluded that 50% of the causes was due to amyloidosis 35%, sarcomeric HCM and 15% Fabry disease in which 2 cases were related with pregnancy. Transthoracic echocardiography and cardia MRI plays an important role in HCM diagnosis and prognosis.

Prevalence and Predictors of Coronary Artery Ectasia among Delta Population

Background: Localized or widespread non-obstructive lesions of the epicardial coronary arteries, with a luminal dilatation 1.5 times that of the neighbouring normal segments or vessel diameter, have been identified as CAE. This research was performed to determine prevalence and predictors of CAE among Delta population in Egypt. Methods: This cross-sectional research was conducted on 2850 cases over the age of 18 who came for coronary angiography with positive non-invasive diagnostic tests, acute coronary syndrome and stable CAD. Cases were divided into two groups Group I: CAE cases (n =108) and Group II Non-ectasia cases (n =2742). All cases were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, laboratory investigations, standard 12-leads ECG, resting transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and coronary angiography. Results: CAE occurred in 108 (3.79%) of the studied cases. Total cholesterol level, serum creatinine, were insignificantly different between both groups. CRP, NLR, MPV, and PLR, were significantly higher in CAE cases versus non-Ectasia cases CRP, NLR, PLR, and MPV is a good predicator for CAE, LVESD and LVEDD, were significantly higher in CAE group. Conclusions: The RCA was the most often affected coronary artery. The existence of CAE can be predicted using easily accessible clinical laboratory values such as CRP, Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, mean platelet volume, and platelet to lymphocyte ratio.

The effect of levosimendan on the right ventricular function in patients with right ventricular dysfunction undergoing mitral valve surgery

Background: Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is an important predictor of both immediate and long-term outcomes in valve surgeries. Levosimendan has proven beneficial in improving RV function. Aims: The objective was to study the effect of the addition of levosimendan to the conventional treatment on RV function in patients with RV dysfunction undergoing mitral valve (MV) surgeries. Setting and Design: Prospective randomized double-blinded controlled study at a tertiary care institution. Materials and Methods: Sixty adult patients aged 15� years, with preoperative transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) findings of RV dysfunction posted for elective MV surgery, were randomized into levosimendan (L) group and placebo (P) group. Patients in the L group were administered levosimendan at a rate of 0.1 mcg/kg/min after induction for 24 hrs, whereas patients in the P group were given multivitamin infusion at the same rate. Both the groups received standard inotropic therapy. The hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters of RV function (RV size, Inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter, RV fractional area change (RVFAC) Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), and Systolic Pulmonary Artery Pressure (SPAP) were compared between the groups at 6 hrs, 24 hrs, and 7th day postoperatively. Results: All hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters of RV function like RV size, IVC diameter, RVFAC, TAPSE, and SPAP improved from baseline to 24 hrs in both groups. Levosimendan caused a significant improvement in RV function compared to the P group at 24 hrs and 7th day postoperatively. Conclusions: The present study concludes that levosimendan is a promising option in patients with RV dysfunction undergoing MV surgeries.

Role of Resting Electrocardiography and Transthoracic Echocardiography in the Diagnosis of Cardiac Impairments in Type 2 Diabetics

Background: The cardiac changes associated with diabetes are thought to comprise thickening of the myocardium and is characterized by predominantly diastolic dysfunction (DD), the diabetic cardiomyopathy. So, this study aimed to evaluate cardiac impairments in patients in delta region with type 2 diabetes mellitus using resting electrocardiogram (ECG) and resting transthoracic echocardiography. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out on 50 diabetic patients to evaluate of cardiac impairments in patients in delta region with type 2 diabetes mellitus using resting ECG and resting transthoracic echocardiography at the Department of Cardiology, Tanta University Hospitals in a period of six months starting from January 2020 till June 2020. Results: There were significant negative correlations between abnormal echocardiography with (body mass index) BMI, duration of diabetes and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (P<0.05). The sensitivity of ejection fraction (EF), early trans-mitral flow velocity (E), atrial trans-mitral flow velocity (A) and E/A in detecting cardiac changes in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) was 68%, 52%, 76%, 72% and specificity was 52%, 68%, 36%, 30% at cut-off value 65, 75, 65, 77.5 and AUC 0.619, 0.606, 0.538, 0.534, respectively (P> 0.05). Conclusions: The effect of DM on the left ventricular (LV) diastolic function is still controversial. Therefore, they need to be further substantiated, preferably with evidence from extensive longitudinal studies in people with type 2 diabetes representative of type 2 diabetes healthcare populations. Echocardiographic and ECG abnormalities are very common in outpatients with type 2 diabetes. DD is the main cardiac impairment caused by DM.

Learning curve and feasibility study of percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale guided solely by transthoracic echocardiography / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective:To study the learning curve of percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) occlusion guided solely by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), as well as the success rate and safety of the learning curve.Methods:To retrospectively analyze these patients with indications for PFO occlusion admitted in our department from April 2021 to April 2022, and obtained 100 samples the author's initial cases guided solely by TTE, including 25 men and 75 women, with a mean age of (48.22±10.44) years old.Analyze preoperative baseline data: gender, age, height, weight, body mass index, the tunnel length and size of the PFO measured by transesophageal echocardiography, the grade of contrast-transcranial doppler test, combined atrial septal aneurysm, etc.Operation time, success rate, and complications were analyzed in all patients.Results:With the accumulation of cases, the operation time gradually shortened, accumulated to about 50 cases, the operation time has significantly shortened ( P<0.05), and the learning curve was leveled off after 50 cases ( P<0.05), there was statistical difference.The comparison of the success rate and complication of cases within the learning curve and those after completing the learning curve was no statistical significance( P>0.05). Conclusion:The learning curve of percutaneousc closure of patent foramen ovale guided solely by TTE is long, requiring about 50 cases to complete the learning curve. The success rate and safety of the learning curve are high. This procedure is worth popularizing.

Transcatheter management of post-surgical superior vena cava obstruction

Obstruction of the superior vena cava (SVC) is a rare complication after cardiac surgery in infants and children. We present the case of a 2-year-old male child who underwent surgery to repair a mixed total anomalous pulmonary venous connection. After 18 months of surgery, the child developed SVC syndrome. Transcatheter stenting was performed to relieve the SVC obstruction detected with transthoracic echocardiography. The patient was discharged after 5 days of hospitalization. The patient was doing well at follow-up appointments, with good laminar flow through the stent. In conclusion, transcatheter management of post-surgical complications of SVC obstruction was successful in this patient.

Utility of E Point Septal Separation as Screening Tool for Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction in Perioperative Settings by Anesthetists

Background and Aims:Left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction is a common cause of hemodynamic disturbance perioperatively and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular systolic function (LVSF) has great clinical utility. This study was aimed to test the hypothesis that LVSF assessed by an anesthetist using mitral valve E Point Septal Separation (EPSS) has a significant correlation with that assessed using modified Simpson’s method perioperatively. Methods: This prospective observational study included 100 patients scheduled for elective surgeries. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) was performed preoperatively within 24 hours of surgery by an anesthetist as per American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) guidelines.EPSS measurements were obtained in parasternal long?axis view while volumetric assessment of LV ejection fraction (EF) used apical four?chamber view.Bivariate analysis of EPSS and LV EF was done by testing Pearson correlation coefficient.Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve constructed to obtain area under curve (AUC) and Youden’s Index. Results: The mean value of mitral valve EPSS was 7.18 ± 3.95 mm. The calculated mean LV EF value using volumetric analysis was 56.31 ± 11.92%. LV dysfunction as per ASE guidelines is present in 28% of patients. EPSS was statistically significantly related to LV EF negatively with a Pearson coefficient of ?0.74 (P < 0.0001).AUC of ROC curve 0.950 (P < 0.0001) suggesting a statistically significant correlation between EPSS and LV EF.Youden’s index of EPSS value 7 mm was obtained to predict LV systolic dysfunction. Conclusion: Mitral valve EPSS shows a significant negative correlation with gold standard LVEF measurement for LVSF estimation. It can very well be used to assess LVSF perioperatively by anesthetists with brief training.

Mitral Annular Calcification Detected by Transthoracic Echocardiography is a Marker for High Prevalence and Severity of Angiographically Proven Coronary Artery Disease

Background: MAC was defined as a dense, localized, highly reflective area at the base of the posterior mitral leaflet detected by TTE. Obstructive CAD was defined as either 50% reduction of the internal diameter of the left main coronary artery or 70% reduction of the internal diameter of the left anterior descending, right coronary, or left circumflex artery distribution. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of echocardiographically detected MAC as a predictor of coronary artery disease (CAD).Material & Methods:In this prospective, observational, case-control study, coronary angiography was done in 50 patients with MAC and equal number of patients without MAC, detected with transthoracic echocardiography. Analysis was done to observe the association and correlation of MAC with angiographic findings.Results:Mean age of the case control was 55.16 � 10.73 years and control was 49.80 � 8.84 years. In this study 34% of patients with MAC and 32% patients without MAC had single vessel disease, 16% of patients with MAC and 24% patients without MAC had double vessel disease, 42% of patients with MAC and 22% patients without MAC had triple vessel disease (TVD), 16% of patients with MAC and 4% patients without MAC had Left main coronary artery disease and 8% of patients with MAC and 22% patients without MAC had no significant CAD.Multivariate analysis shows MAC (p=0.049) as an independent predictor for coronary artery disease (CAD).Conclusions:Transthoracic echocardiographically detected MAC is an independent predictor of coronary artery disease. The low cost, portable and radiation free nature of the ultrasound approach make MAC an attractive parameter in the ongoing search for the ideal marker of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Clinical characteristics and imaging analysis of cTTE positive cryptogenic stroke patients / 中风与神经疾病杂志

@#To analyze the clinicial features magnetic resonance imaging manifestations of contrast transthoracic echocardiography（cTTE）on patients cryptogenic stroke，in order to discover the specific clinical characteristics of patients with cTTE+ and contribute to the etiological diagnosis of CS.Methods The clinical and imaging data of 108 patients who were diagnosed with CS in Ningbo Huamei Hospital from August 2020 to May 2022 were retrospectively collected. According to the cTTE results，they were classified intotwo groups：cTTE+ group and cTTEgroup. Then the age of onset，gender，risk factors of cerebrovascular disease（hypertension，diabetes，heart disease，smoking history，drinking history，etc. ），symptoms，NIHSS score，mRS score，left atrium size，infarct types（number，location，size）of cerebral infarction on diffusion weighted imaging（DWI）of the two groups were compared and analyzed.The differences of infarct lesions on DWI with different grades of right-to-left shunt were analyzed.Results（1）The cTTE+ positive rate among 108 ptients with CS was 39.8%，including 30 males（69.8%）and 13 females（30.2%），aged（52.8±17.5）years. Right-to-left shunt was found in 21 patients with grade 1，12 with grade 2，and 10 with grade 3.In the positive group，4 cases of extracardiac shunt were found，and 2 cases of pulmonary arteriovenous fistula were confirmed by operation.（2）Among the two groups of patients，the cTTE+ group had a higher ratio of young adults（P=0.021）and a higher incidence of non-specific symptoms at onset（P=0.008），while the negative group had a higher ratio of core symptoms and personal history of smoking（P=0.012），with statistically significant differences.（3）The proportion of multi-vessel area involved in the cTTE+ group was significantly higher than that in the cTTE-group（P=0.004），Meanwhile，more cerebral infarction lesions were distributed in the vertebrobasilar artery system（P=0.021），Less in the right internal carotid artery system（P=0.045）；and the maximum diameter of stroke infarct lesions in the cTTE-group was more distributed in ［1cm，3cm］，with statistical significance（P<0.05）.With the increase of right to left shunt grade，the proportion of lesions<1 cm showed an increasing trend，but there was no significant statistical difference.Conclusion（1）Non-specific symptom onset of CS mainly occurs in multi-vessel distribution areas under 50 years old，and the pathogenesis should be considered to be related to right-to-left shunt.（2）The detection of right-to-left shunt by cTTE is of supplementary value to the etiological diagnosis of CS，which can detect some hidden and undetectable extracardial shunt，suggesting that CS patients should actively undergo cTTE screening，which is helpful to define the etiology and guide the selection of stroke prevention and treatment plan.

Infección por SARS-CoV-2 y miocarditis / SARS-CoV-2 infection and myocarditis

COVID-19 es una enfermedad infecciosa respiratoria aguda, causada por el SARS-CoV-2, un nuevo coronavirus, que se extendió rápidamente por todo el mundo, dando como resultado una pandemia. Los pacientes presentan un amplio espectro de manifestaciones clínicas, entre ellas, la miocarditis, y de manera alterna, algunos pacientes sin síntomas de enfermedad cardíaca, tienen anomalías en las pruebas, como elevación de la troponina y arritmias cardíacas en el electrocardiograma, o anomalías en las imágenes cardíacas. La patogenia del compromiso miocárdico no es clara, pero las dos principales teorías prevén un papel directo de la enzima convertidora de angiotensina 2, que funciona como el receptor viral, y una respuesta hiperinmune, que también puede conducir a una presentación aislada. El estándar de oro del diagnóstico es la biopsia endomiocárdica, la cual no está disponible en la mayoría de los escenarios. En esta revisión, se pretende brindar al lector pautas para identificar las manifestaciones clínicas, ayudas diagnósticas y manejo de los pacientes con sospecha de miocarditis por COVID-19

COVID-19 is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 virus, that spread rapidly around the world, resulting in a pandemic. Patients present with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, including myocarditis, and alternately, some patients without symptoms of heart disease have abnormalities in tests, such as elevated troponin, arrhythmias in the ECG orabnormalities in cardiac imaging testing. The pathogenesis of myocardial involvement is not completely clear, but the two main theories suggest a direct role of the angiotensin-converting enzyme, which functions as the virus receptor, and a hyperimmune response, which can also lead to an isolated presentation. The gold standard for the diagnosis is the endomyocardial biopsy, which is not available in most settings. In this review, we intend to provide the reader with guidelines to identify the clinical manifestations, diagnostic tools, and management of patients with suspected COVID-19 myocarditis

Utilidad de la tomografía computarizada multicorte para la estimación de la composición del derrame pericárdico / Usefulness of computed tomography densities to estimate the composition of pericardial effusion

Resumen El derrame pericárdico (DP) es una entidad frecuente en la práctica diaria, que puede ocurrir por un amplio rango de patologías. Los métodos por imágenes constituyen una herramienta diagnóstica clave en la evaluación del pericardio. El ecocardiograma transtorácico (ETT) se considera de primera línea por su costo-efectividad. La tomografía computarizada multicorte (TCMC), por su parte, representa un valioso complemento ante limitaciones del ETT y en la evaluación de urgencia del paciente con sospecha de DP. El objetivo del trabajo es mostrar la utilidad y rol de la TCMC, mediante la medición de densidades, para estimar la etiología del DP, ilustrado con casos de nuestra institución.

Abstract Pericardial effusion (PE) is a common entity in daily practice, which can occur due to a wide range of conditions. Imaging methods are a key diagnostic tool in the evaluation of the pericardium. Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) is the first line imaging method because of its cost-effectiveness. Multi-slice Computed Tomography (MSCT), on the other hand, represents a valuable complement to the limitations of TTE and in emergency evaluation of the patient with suspected PE. The objective of this review is to show the usefulness and role of the MSCT —through the measurement of densities— to estimate the etiology of PE, illustrated with cases of our Institution.

Value of transthoracic echocardiography to monitor and evaluate aortic insufficiency after implantation of left ventricular assist device / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To explore the value of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) to monitor and evaluate aortic insufficiency (AI) within one year after the implantation of the left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Methods    We retrospectively collected and analyzed the TTE data of 12 patients who received LVAD implantation from 2018 to 2020 in our hospital. All patients were males, with an average age of 43.3±8.6 years. We analyzed temporal changes in the aortic annulus (AA), aortic sinus (AoS), ascending aorta (AAo), the severity of AI and the opening of aortic valve before operation and 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after LVAD implantation. Results    All 12 patients survived within 1 year after LVAD implantation. One patient was bridged to heart transplantation 6 months after implantation, and two patients did not receive TTE after 3 and 6 months. Compared to pre-implantation, AoS increased at 1 month after implantation (31.58±5.09 mm vs. 33.83±4.69 mm). The inner diameters of AA, AoS and AAo increased at 3, 6 and 12 months after LVAD implantation compared to pre-implantation (P<0.05), but all were within the normal range except for one patient whose AoS slightly increased before operation. After LVAD pump speed was adjusted, the opening of aortic  valve improved. The severity of AI increased at 6 and 12 months after LVAD implantation compared to pre-implantation, and increased at 12 months compared to 6 months after LVAD implantation (P<0.05). Conclusion    TTE can evaluate aortic regurgitation before and after LVAD implantation and monitor the optimization and adjustment of LVAD pump function, which has a positive impact on the prognosis after LVAD implantation.

Feasibility in the echocardiographic estimation of parameters of the right ventricle in prone position / Factibilidad en la estimación ecocardiográfica de parámetros del ventrículo derecho en posición prono

Abstract Background: Echocardiographic cardiac parameters in the prone position are usually obtained with an esophageal probe. The feasibility of obtaining them by means of a transthoracic approach is unknown. Objective: Estimating the feasibility to obtain parameters of the right ventricle by transthoracic echocardiography in prone position on the subject. Methods: Pilot design of consecutive case series without cardiopulmonary disease. Demographic, vital signs and echocardiographic variables were defined in the ventral initial, prone and ventral final decubitus positions. The data are shown with averages and standard deviations, and frequencies and percentages according to the variable. The differences between the positions were calculated with ANOVA of repeated samples and adjustment of Bonferroni test. Intra-subject variability was obtained by the Bland-Altman procedure and its 95% confidence interval. Results: We studied 50 subjects, 44 (88%) males, age 30 ± 6 years and body mass index 25.65 ± 2.71 kg/m2. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and S'-wave were measured 100% of the time. The vital signs and echocardiographic variables according to the position had differences in: heart rate (74 ± 9 vs. 77 ± 9 vs. 75 ± 8 beats/min), partial oxygen saturation (94.40 ± 1.70 vs. 96.64 ± 1.79 vs. 95.32 ± 1.36%) and mean systemic blood pressure (65.33 ± 5.38 vs. 67.69 ± 6.31 vs. 65.29 ± 5.62 mmHg); TAPSE (19.74 ± 3.24 vs. 21.60 ± 2.97 vs. 19.44 ± 2.84 mm), mean difference (bias) 0 (2, -2.0) and S'-wave (13.52 ± 1.87 vs. 15.02 ± 2.09 vs. 13.46 ± 1.55 cm/s), mean difference (bias) -0.46 (1.21, -2.14) respectively. Conclusions: Obtaining right ventricle parameters by transthoracic ecocardiopraphy is feasible in the prone position.

Resumen Introducción: Los parámetros cardiacos ecocardiográficos en posición de decúbito prono usualmente se obtienen con sonda esofágica. Se desconoce la factibilidad de obtenerlos mediante aproximación transtorácica. Objetivo: Estimar la factibilidad para obtener parámetros del ventrículo derecho mediante ecocardiografía transtorácica en el sujeto en posición de decúbito prono. Métodos: Diseño piloto de serie de casos consecutivos sin enfermedad cardiopulmonar. Se acotaron variables demográficas, signos vitales y ecocardiográficas en posición decúbito ventral inicial, prono y ventral final. Los datos se muestran con promedios y desviaciones estándar, y frecuencias y porcentajes de acuerdo con la variable. La diferencia entre las posiciones se calculó con ANOVA de muestras repetidas y ajuste de Bonferroni. Se obtuvo la variabilidad intrasujetos mediante el procedimiento de Bland-Altman y su intervalo de confianza al 95%. Resultados: Se estudiaron 50 sujetos, 44 (88%) masculinos, edad 30 ± 6 años e índice de masa corporal 25.65 ± 2.71 kg/m2. El TAPSE (excursión sistólica del plano del anillo tricuspídeo) y la onda S' se midieron en el 100% de las veces. Los signos vitales y variables ecocardiográficas de acuerdo con la posición tuvieron diferencias en: frecuencia cardiaca (74 ± 9 vs. 77 ± 9 vs. 75 ± 8 lpm), saturación parcial de oxígeno (94.40 ± 1.70 vs. 96.64 ± 1.79 vs. 95.32 ± 1.36%) y la presión arterial sistémica media (65.33 ± 5.38 vs. 67.69 ± 6.31 vs. 65.29 ± 5.62 mmHg); TAPSE (19.74 ± 3.24 vs. 21.60 ± 2.97 vs. 19.44 vs. 2.84 mm), diferencia media (sesgo) 0 (2, -2.0) y onda S' (13.52 ± 1.87 vs. 15.02 ± 2.09 vs. 13.46 ± 1.55 cm/s), diferencia media (sesgo) -0.46 (1.21, -2.14) respectivamente. Conclusión: En posición de decúbito prono es factible obtener parámetros del ventrículo derecho por ecocardiografía transtorácica.

Transthoracic echocardiography-guided percutaneous intervention for treatment of atrial septal defect complicated with pulmonary valvular stenosis in children / 中华全科医师杂志

Clinical data of 23 children with atrial septal defect and pulmonary valvular stenosis admitted in Dalian Children′s Hospital during March 2015 to March 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Twenty patients were treated with percutaneous closure of atrial septal defect through femoral vein first, then transthoracic echocardiography-guided balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty was performed; while 3 patients had no balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty after percutaneous closure of atrial septal defect. Patients were followed up by transthoracic echocardiography and all were doing well. The transvalvular pressure fell under 35 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) [(19.5±1.9)mmHg] in all patients, which was significantly lower than that before treatment [(62.0±7.8 mmHg)] (t=28.92, P<0.01). During follow-up, no residual shunt of atrial septal defect was found; and mild pulmonary regurgitation occurred in 3 cases. The study indicates that combined percutaneous treatment with transthoracic echocardiography guidance is effective and safe for children with atrial septal defect and pulmonary valvular stenosis. The pulmonary artery stenosis of some patients can be alleviated, after closuring of the atrial septal defect.