Left atrial remodelling early after mitral valve repair for degenerative mitral regurgitation.

OBJECTIVE: Left atrial (LA) size is an important predictor of outcome after mitral valve replacement in patients with symptomatic chronic mitral regurgitation (MR). Data on LA remodelling after mitral valve repair (MVr) for chronic non-ischaemic MR are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess changes in LA size early after MVr for chronic severe degenerative MR and to identify clinical and echocardiographic correlates of those changes. METHODS: The study analysed 225 consecutive patients who underwent MVr and were echocardiographically evaluated in our hospital within 1 month before and 1-6 months after surgery. Patients with MR aetiology other than degenerative, associated aortic valve replacement, or congenital heart disease were excluded. The remaining 79 patients (aged 60 (SD 12) years, 55 men) with isolated chronic severe degenerative MR formed the study group. LA reverse remodelling was defined as a decrease in LA volume index (LAVi) > or = 15%. RESULTS: LA dimensions significantly decreased after MVr (p<0.001). Mean LAVi reduction was 29% (SD 18%). LA reverse remodelling was observed in 63 patients (80%). Correlates of LAVi reduction were preoperative LAVi (p = 0.008), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.032, p = 0.009), postoperative transmitral mean pressure gradient (p = 0.001) and residual MR (p = 0.043). LAVi reduction was lower in patients > 45 years (p = 0.008) and in hypertensive patients (p = 0.031). CONCLUSION: LA reverse remodelling is common early after MVr for chronic severe degenerative MR. Preoperative LAVi, blood pressure, postoperative transmitral mean pressure gradient, residual MR and age > 45 are related to LAVi reduction. The prognostic value of LA reduction in this setting needs further study.

Right ventricular functional recovery after acute myocardial infarction: relation with left ventricular function and interventricular septum motion. GISSI-3 echo substudy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pattern of right ventricular (RV) functional recovery and its relation with left ventricular (LV) function and interventricular septal (IVS) motion in low risk patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). DESIGN AND SETTING: Multicentre clinical trial carried out in 47 Italian coronary care units. PATIENTS: 500 patients from the GISSI (Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell'Infarto Miocardico) -3 echo substudy, who underwent serial echocardiograms 24-48 hours after symptom onset and at discharge, six weeks, and six months after AMI. RESULTS: Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) increased significantly during follow up (mean (SD) 1.79 (0.46) cm at 24-48 hours to 1.92 (0.46) cm at six months, p < 0.001) and the increase was already significant at discharge (1.88 (0.47) cm, p < 0.001). LV ejection fraction (LVEF) was the best correlate of TAPSE at 24-48 hours (r = 0.15, p = 0.001). TAPSE increased significantly in patients both with reduced (< 45%) and with preserved (> or = 45%) LVEF, but the magnitude of increase was higher in patients with lower initial LVEF (p = 0.001). Improvement in IVS wall motion score index (IVS-WMSI) was the only independent predictor of TAPSE changes during follow up (r = -0.12, p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: In low risk patients after AMI, RV function recovered throughout six months of follow up and was already significant at discharge. TAPSE was significantly related to LVEF at 24-48 hours. The magnitude of RV functional recovery was higher in patients with lower initial LVEF. RV functional recovery is best related to IVS-WMSI improvement, suggesting that IVS motion has an important role in RV functional improvement in this setting.

Relation between early mitral regurgitation and left ventricular thrombus formation after acute myocardial infarction: results of the GISSI-3 echo substudy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence and correlates of left ventricular thrombosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction, and whether the occurrence of early mitral regurgitation has a protective effect against the formation of left ventricular thrombus. DESIGN AND SETTING: Multicentre clinical trial carried out in 47 Italian coronary care units. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 757 patients from the GISSI-3 echo substudy population with their first acute myocardial infarct were studied by echocardiography at 24-48 hours from symptom onset (S1), at discharge (S2), at six weeks (S3), and at six months (S4). The diagnosis of left ventricular thrombosis was based on the detection of an echo dense mass with defined margins visible throughout the cardiac cycle in at least two orthogonal views. RESULTS: In 64 patients (8%), left ventricular thrombosis was detected in one or more examinations. Compared with the remaining 693 patients, subjects with left ventricular thrombosis were older (mean (SD) age: 64.6 (13.0) v 59.8 (11.7) years, p < 0.005), and had larger infarcts (extent of wall motion asynergy: 40.9 (11.5)% v 24.9 (14)%, p < 0.001), greater depression of left ventricular ejection fraction at S1 (43.3 (6.9)% v 48.1 (6.8)%, p < 0.001), and greater left ventricular volumes at S1 (end diastolic volume: 87 (22) v 78 (18) ml/m(2), p < 0.001; end systolic volume: 50 (17) v 41 (14) ml/m(2), p < 0.001). The prevalence of moderate to severe mitral regurgitation on colour Doppler at S1 was greater in patients who had left ventricular thrombosis at any time (10.2% v 4.2%, p < 0.05). On stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis the only independent variables related to the presence of left ventricular thrombosis were the extent of wall motion asynergy and anterior site of infarction. CONCLUSIONS: Left ventricular thrombosis is not reduced, and may even be increased, by early moderate to severe mitral regurgitation after acute myocardial infarction. The only independent determinant of left ventricular thrombosis is the extent of the akinetic-dyskinetic area detected on echocardiography between 24-48 hours from symptom onset.

Can short-term verapamil therapy reduce the recurrence of atrial fibrillation after successful low energy intracardiac cardioversion?

BACKGROUND: Calcium-lowering drugs seem to be able to reduce the recurrences of atrial fibrillation (AF) after cardioversion by preventing electrical remodeling of atrial cells. The aim of our study was to prospectively evaluate the efficacy of short-term verapamil therapy associated with propafenone or amiodarone in reducing recurrences of AF after low energy intracardiac cardioversion. METHODS: Eighty-two patients with chronic AF (mean duration 6.1 months, range 1-96 months) underwent low energy intracardiac cardioversion. Forty-one patients (Group A) were instructed to suspend antiarrhythmic therapy 48 hours before the procedure (only chronic amiodarone was allowed). The subsequent 41 patients (Group B), in addition to previous prescriptions, had to take verapamil (120 mg twice daily) for 3 days before low energy intracardiac cardioversion and for 7 days after cardioversion. A right atrium-coronary sinus or right atrium-left pulmonary artery electrode configuration was indifferently utilized. Propafenone (450-900 mg daily) or amiodarone (200 mg daily) was prescribed to all patients after cardioversion. RESULTS: Sinus rhythm was acutely restored in 80 patients (97.6%): the mean number of shocks delivered was 2.3 (range 1-5); the mean energy required was 10.5 J (range 7.2-19.8 J). No statistically significant differences were found between the right atrium-coronary sinus vs right atrium-left pulmonary artery electrode configuration regarding the energy required and the number of shocks delivered. Group A and Group B showed the same number of AF recurrences at the first month of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, short-term verapamil treatment associated with propafenone or amiodarone seems to be useless for the prevention of recurrent AF after low energy intracardiac cardioversion.

[Digital signature: new prospects for the information of the cardiologic clinical card]. / Firma digitale: nuove prospettive per l'informatizzazione della cartella clinica cardiologica.

In the last few years, remarkable improvements have been made in computerized database systems used in cardiology. However, they will not easily lead to further relevant improvements unless the weaknesses and the gaps deriving from the obligation of forming and storing case sheets, according to law, are faced and resolved in an original way. This article covers the topic of the digital signature and how it could form the basis for a new powerful impulse to the process of informatization of cardiology records. The proposal of elaborating a totally computerized case sheet involves the need of rationalizing the flow of clinical information and of implementing a management system integrated with the hospital information system. The elimination of paper support will probably lead to an advantageous cycle that will involve the entire hospital, both clinically as well as administratively.

[Open access echocardiography in patients with suspected or confirmed heart failure]. / Open access echocardiography per i pazienti con scompenso cardiaco sospetto o accertato.

Cardiac failure is a disease still characterized by high morbidity and mortality. The use of clinical criteria is not yet considered sufficient for the diagnosis of this disease by main scientific associations. Echocardiography can give important information not only for diagnosis, but also for prognosis and management of the disease. As a growing demand for echocardiography is expected in the near future scientific community should be ready to face this difficult challenge. In fact it will be necessary to implement and organize structures in which this technique will be readily and easily available, in order to facilitate the diagnosis and allow "personalized" management and follow-up in these patients.

[Echocardiographic evaluation of the volumes and global systolic function of the left ventricle]. / Valutazione ecocardiografica dei volumi e della funzione sistolica globale del ventricolo sinistro.

The qualitative and quantitative evaluation of left ventricular systolic function is one of the most important applications of echocardiography in clinical practice. In this review the most commonly employed echocardiographic Doppler indexes of left ventricular systolic function are described, with particular emphasis on the practical clinical relevance of each index. Linear measurements, volumes and derived M-mode and two-dimensional indexes are discussed, i.e. endocardial and midwall fractional shortening, ejection fraction, velocity of circumferential fiber shortening, sphericity indexes, relative wall thickness, mitral-septal separation). Furthermore, other less load-dependent indexes are analyzed such as wall stress, end-systolic stress-shortening relations, and left ventricular dP/dt. Finally the clinical application of new interesting echocardiographic techniques is described: harmonic imaging, contrast echocardiography, acoustic quantification, three-dimensional echocardiography and intracardiac echocardiography.

Pulmonary artery hypertension in adult patients with symptomatic valvular aortic stenosis.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) has been reported in patients with valvular aortic stenosis (AS) and has been found to be associated with a more severe clinical picture and a poor prognosis after aortic valve replacement. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of PH in adult patients with symptomatic AS undergoing cardiac catheterization, and to evaluate the relation between pulmonary artery (PA) systolic pressure and hemodynamic and clinical variables to further clarify the pathogenetic mechanisms. We assessed right-sided heart hemodynamics during cardiac catheterization in 388 patients with symptomatic isolated or predominant AS. PA systolic pressure between 31 and 50 mm Hg was used to define mild to moderate PH, whereas PA systolic pressure >50 mm Hg was used to define severe PH. PA systolic pressure showed no significant difference according to age and sex, although it was significantly higher in patients in New York Heart Association functional classes III and IV and in patients with coexistent systemic hypertension than in the others. PH was absent in 136 patients (35%, group 1), mild to moderate in 196 patients (50%, group 2), and severe in 58 patients (15%, group 3). Only the prevalence of overt heart failure was significantly higher in group 3 patients. AS severity was similar among the 3 groups, and PA systolic pressure showed no relation to aortic valve area in the entire population. Also, a poor correlation was found between PA pressure and left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (r = -0.28), with several patients having moderate or severe PH despite a preserved LV systolic function. PA systolic pressure significantly correlated with LV end-diastolic pressure (r = 0.50) and with PA wedge pressure (r = 0.84). Furthermore, transpulmonary pressure gradient, an index of resistance across the pulmonary vascular bed (obtained as the difference between PA mean and PA wedge pressure), was significantly higher in patients with PH, especially in those with a marked increase in PA systolic pressure, suggesting a reactive component of PH.

Validation of the ejection fraction-velocity ratio: a new simplified "function-corrected" index for assessing aortic stenosis severity.

A new echocardiographic method for the evaluation of aortic stenosis (AS) severity has recently been introduced: the fractional shortening-velocity ratio (FSVR = fractional shortening/4 Vmax(2)). An important advantage of the method is the possibility of avoiding the difficulties related to the measurement of left ventricular outflow tract in calcific AS for assessing the continuity equation. FSVR, however, also shows some significant limitations especially in patients with regional wall motion abnormalities and conduction defects. To overcome this problem, we developed a new index: the ejection fraction-velocity ratio (EFVR = ejection fraction/4 Vmax(2)), where percent ejection fraction and Vmax have been obtained with an apical echocardiographic approach. In 343 consecutive patients with AS, aortic valve area was measured by cardiac catheterization (Gorlin), whereas FSVR and EFVR were calculated by echo-Doppler examination performed within 24 hours. Mean valve area was 0.70 +/- 0.30 cm(2), mean EFVR was 0.78 +/- 0.41, and mean FSVR was 0.45 +/- 0.26. The linear correlation area-EFVR was highly significant (r = 0.88). Correlation valve area-FSVR was also significant (r = 0.82). EFVR allowed identification of patients with severe AS (area

[Right ventricular thrombosis in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. A case report]. / Trombosi ventricolare destra nella cardiomiopatia aritmogena. Descrizione di un caso clinico.

Echocardiographic demonstration of right ventricular thrombosis is relatively common in pulmonary embolism. There are also reports of right ventricular thrombi in patients affected by right myocardial infarction or dilated cardiomyopathy. In arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy single or multiple aneurysms are often present in the right ventricular free wall. These hypoakinetic areas represent a site for potential development of thrombi especially in advanced disease states. In the literature a single case of a patient affected by arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy with right heart failure and atrial and ventricular thrombi is reported. We report a case of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy with a right ventricular thrombus located inside a single apical aneurysm in the presence of normal right ventricular systolic function.

Low energy intracardiac cardioversion of chronic atrial fibrillation by single femoral approach: safety and effectiveness of the procedure.

BACKGROUND: Low energy intracardiac cardioversion has recently been introduced into clinical practice to treat both acute and chronic atrial fibrillation. It has also been suggested that low energy intracardiac cardioversion has a higher efficacy rate in restoring sinus rhythm than conventional external cardioversion. METHODS: A prospective study was started in 41 patients (mean age 64.5 years) with chronic atrial fibrillation (mean duration 6.5 months), in order to obtain more data on low energy intracardiac cardioversion concerning: 1) time required to perform low energy intracardiac cardioversion by single venous femoral approach; 2) acute efficacy; 3) incidence of complications; 4) persistence of sinus rhythm after 1 month. RESULTS: Twenty patients had right atrium-coronary sinus (Group A) and 20 right atrium-left pulmonary artery (Group B) electrode configuration for defibrillation. In 1 patient the configuration was not available. In all patients (100%) sinus rhythm was acutely restored. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups concerning mean energy and impedance required to obtain cardioversion. With mild sedation the discomfort induced by the electrical shock was minimal or mild. Only 44% of patients were in sinus rhythm 1 month after low energy intracardiac cardioversion, in spite of adequate pharmacological therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Low energy intracardiac cardioversion by single venous femoral approach may be considered a very effective and not time consuming procedure in acutely restoring sinus rhythm, with low complication rate; in addition the procedure was well accepted by all patients.

[Is a more efficient operative strategy feasible for the emergency management of the patient with acute chest pain?]. / E realizzabile una strategia operativa più efficace per la gestione in urgenza del paziente con dolore toracico acuto?

Patients with acute chest pain are a common problem and a difficult challenge for clinicians. In the United States more than 5 million patients are examined in the emergency department on a yearly basis, at a cost of 6 billion dollars. In the CHEPER registry the prevalence of patients with chest pain in the Emergency Department was 5.3%. Similarly, in 1997 at our institution the prevalence was 4.8%. Only 50% of the patients are subsequently found to have cardiac ischemia as the cause of their symptoms and 50-60% of them showed a non-diagnostic electrocardiogram (ECG). Twenty-five-50% of chest pain patients are not appropriately admitted to the hospital and despite this conservative approach, acute myocardial infarction is misdiagnosed up to 8% of patients with acute chest pain who are released from the emergency department without further evaluation, accounting for approximately 20% of emergency department malpractice in the United States. Important diagnostic information is covered by the patient's medical history, physical examination, and ECG, but often this approach is inadequate for a definitive diagnosis. Creatine kinase (CK) and CK isoenzyme--cardiac muscle subunit (CK-MB)--are traditionally obtained in the emergency department in patients admitted for suspected acute coronary syndrome. Mass measurements of CK-MB have improved sensitivity and specificity, and to date this is the gold standard test for diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. CK-MB, however, is not a perfect marker because it is not totally cardiac specific and does not identify patients with unstable angina and minimal myocardial damage. There are no controlled clinical impact trials showing that these tests are effective in deciding whether to discharge or to appropriately admit the patient with suspected acute coronary syndrome. Relevant investigative interest has recently been focused on new markers for myocardial injury, including myoglobin, cardiac troponins T and I. Myoglobin, a sensitive but not specific marker for cardiac damage, increases earlier than CK-MB and cardiac troponins. It should be used early after symptom onset and in conjunction with a more specific marker of myocardial damage. Cardiac troponins T and I are highly specific markers for cardiac damage, rise parallel to CK-MB and remain elevated longer, up to 5 to 9 days. They are useful for detection of less severe degrees of myocardial injury, which may occur in several patients with unstable angina who are at higher risk of cardiac events. Recent studies suggest that cardiac troponins have good diagnostic performance and prognostic value in the heterogeneous population of patients seen in the Emergency Department with acute chest pain. Despite these promising data, several analytical and interpretative problems in the routine use of cardiac troponins must be solved. Incremental value of echocardiography in acute chest pain patients is still uncertain. Echocardiography can be recommended as an adjunctive test if readily available during acute chest pain or prolonged pain, especially in patients without previous myocardial infarction. Rest myocardial radionuclide imaging has been studied in the emergency department setting and although the overall diagnostic performance and prognostic value of sestamibi has been found to be promising, it is not suitable, in our country, for extensive clinical use. ECG exercise stress test in the emergency department population has been shown to be safe and it has a good negative predictive value for cardiac events. It should be recommended that any institution identify specific and shared protocol and strategies for management of patients with chest pain. These should include basal clinical evaluation, serial ECG and the use of specific and sensitive myocardial markers. Adjunctive tests, such as echocardiography, nuclear studies and stress tests should be employed when indicated taking into account local facilities.

Doppler echocardiographic assessment of hemodynamic progression of valvular aortic stenosis over time: comparison between aortic valve resistance and valve area.

BACKGROUND: Doppler-derived aortic valve resistance (AVR), i.e. the ratio between pressure gradient and flow rate, has been proposed as an alternative parameter to valve area (AVA) for assessing the hemodynamic severity of aortic stenosis (AS). There are no data on the evaluation of hemodynamic progression of AS using AVR. METHODS: Forty-five adult patients (24 women and 21 men, mean age 72 +/- 10 years) with AS were followed up for 18 months (range 6 to 45 months) with serial Doppler-derived AVR (Isaaz, JACC 1991; 18: 1661) and AVA (continuity equation). Rates of change of AVR and AVA over time were indexed for year of follow-up; furthermore, variations of these parameters during follow-up were expressed as percent change from baseline. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, AVA decreased from 0.74 +/- 0.28 to 0.6 +/- 0.17 cm2 (p < 0.05), with a rate of change of -0.1 +/- 0.13 cm2/year; AVR increased from 349 +/- 187 to 462 +/- 180 dyne/s/cm-5 (p < 0.05), with a rate of change of 79 +/- 69 dyne/s/cm-5/year. Variations observed in AVR, expressed as percent change from baseline, were larger than those observed in AVA (51 +/- 62% versus -16.5 +/- 15%). AVR percent change from baseline significantly correlated with AVA percent change from baseline (r = 0.83, p < 0.05). During follow-up, 6 patients showed no change in AVA: AVR was unchanged in 3 and increased in the remaining 3 patients (6, 11 and 58%, respectively), indicating a progression of AS severity that could not be appreciated from AVA alone. CONCLUSIONS: Serial changes in AVR, as assessed by Doppler echocardiography, significantly correlate with changes in AVA. Thus, the noninvasive assessment of AVR may be utilized in the evaluation of hemodynamic progression of AS and, in conjunction with AVA, may also provide complementary information for the management of these patients.

Echocardiography in pulmonary embolism disease.

Pulmonary embolism is a very common disease often misdiagnosed, because of variable and nonspecific clinical manifestations. Therefore it has a burden of high mortality, particularly in nonrecognized cases. Pulmonary angiography, which is usually considered the gold standard, and ventilation/perfusion pulmonary scan have shown good results in this field, but the first is costly and invasive, and both are not easily and rapidly available in all centers. Echocardiography can be helpful in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism; transthoracic echo in particular is able to recognize indirect signs of the disease, due to acute pressure right overload; it is also possible to evaluate pulmonary artery systolic pressure by continuous wave Doppler. Transthoracic echocardiography can be negative in cases of small pulmonary embolism, in which the pressure overload and therefore haemodynamic impairment is trivial. The sensitivity and specificity of transthoracic echo is low, but its role in the diagnosis and management of pulmonary embolism may be important, because it can easily and rapidly show the presence and degree of right ventricular pressure overload and therefore it can help in addressing therapy and prognosis. Transesophageal echo may directly demonstrate thrombotic masses in the main pulmonary arteries or, less often, floating intracavitary thrombi. In this field it is showing promising results.

Direct demonstration of an air-fluid interface by two-dimensional echocardiography: a new diagnostic sign of hydropneumopericardium.

Hydropneumopericardium is an uncommon condition that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment if hemodynamic compromise is present. Chest roentgenography, computerized tomography, and echocardiography provide important information for the diagnosis. In this article a new distinctive echocardiographic sign of hydropneumopericardium is described: the direct demonstration of the air-fluid interface in the long-axis precordial view.