Right ventricular systolic function in organic mitral regurgitation: impact of biventricular impairment.

BACKGROUND: To assess the prevalence, determinants, and prognosis value of right ventricular (RV) ejection fraction (EF) impairment in organic mitral regurgitation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Two hundred eight patients (62±12 years, 138 males) with chronic organic mitral regurgitation referred to surgery underwent an echocardiography and biventricular radionuclide angiography with regional function assessment. Mean RV EF was 40.4±10.2%, ranging from 10% to 65%. RV EF was severely impaired (≤35%) in 63 patients (30%), and biventricular impairment (left ventricular EF<60% and RV EF≤35%) was found in 34 patients (16%). Pathophysiologic correlates of RV EF were left ventricular septal function (ß=0.42, P<0.0001), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter index (ß=-0.22, P=0.002), and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (ß=-0.14, P=0.047). Mitral effective regurgitant orifice size (n=84) influenced RV EF (ß=-0.28, P=0.012). In 68 patients examined after surgery, RV EF increased strongly (27.5±4.3-37.9±7.3, P<0.0001) in patients with depressed RV EF, whereas it did not change in others (P=0.91). RV EF ≤35% impaired 10-year cardiovascular survival (71.6±8.4% versus 89.8±3.7%, P=0.037). Biventricular impairment dramatically reduced 10-year cardiovascular survival (51.9±15.3% versus 90.3±3.2%, P<0.0001; hazard ratio, 5.2; P<0.0001) even after adjustment for known predictors (hazard ratio, 4.6; P=0.004). Biventricular impairment reduced also 10-year overall survival (34.8±13.0% versus 72.6±4.5%, P=0.003; hazard ratio, 2.5; P=0.005) even after adjustment for known predictors (P=0.048). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with organic mitral regurgitation referred to surgery, RV function impairment is frequent (30%) and depends weakly on pulmonary artery systolic pressure but mainly on left ventricular remodeling and septal function. RV function is a predictor of postoperative cardiovascular survival, whereas biventricular impairment is a powerful predictor of both cardiovascular and overall survival.

Solitary atrial myocardial metastasis revealing ileal neuroendocrine carcinoma.

A previously healthy 56-year-old man presented with chest pain. Echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed minimal pericardial effusion associated with an isolated myocardial mass, protruding into the left atrium. The tumor was surgically removed. Cardiac valve morphology was strictly normal. Histology revealed a well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma. Positron emission tomography scan and thin-slice abdominal computed tomography demonstrated ileal tumor, without evidence of liver metastasis. Histological study of the removed ileal tumor confirmed a neuroendocrine carcinoma, and histology of liver biopsy was negative. Somatostatin analogue treatment was started. No tumoral recurrence was observed after 1 year of follow-up. In conclusion, we report an unusual presentation of neuroendocrine carcinoma, revealed by a large solitary atrial metastasis, in the absence of liver involvement or carcinoid syndrome.

Longitudinal right ventricular function as a predictor of functional capacity in patients with mitral stenosis: an exercise echocardiographic study.

BACKGROUND: The influence of right ventricular (RV) function on exercise capacity has been poorly explored in mitral stenosis (MS). The objective of this study was to assess the determinants of functional status with exercise echocardiography in MS. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients (55 +/- 12 years, 29 female) with MS (1.3 +/- 0.5 cm(2)) underwent an exercise echocardiography (14 patients had previous balloon valvuloplasty). RV function was assessed by tricuspid annulus S-wave velocity (Tric-S) and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE). RESULTS: Tric-S correlated with TAPSE (P = .03), cardiac output (P = .006), and mitral valve area (P = .009). With exercise, Tric-S and TAPSE increased significantly (11.3 +/- 3.1 cm/s to 15.5 +/- 3.4 cm/s and 21.2 +/- 5.2 mm to 24.0 +/- 5.8 mm, respectively, both P < .05). TAPSE was lower in patients in New York Heart Association class 3 or 4. In multivariate analysis, Tric-S at rest (beta = 0.34, P = .006) and mitral Delta mean diastolic gradient (beta = 0.34, P = .006) were the independent determinants of maximum workload. CONCLUSION: Resting RV longitudinal function assessed through Tric-S is an important determinant of functional capacity in MS.

Comparison of four right ventricular systolic echocardiographic parameters to predict adverse outcomes in chronic heart failure.

AIMS: Heart failure (HF) has a poor prognosis. Several right ventricular (RV) echocardiographic parameters have been proposed as sensitive markers to detect patients at risk. Our objective was to compare the predictive value of four RV systolic echocardiographic parameters for outcomes in patients with HF. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-six patients with stable HF and a left ventricular ejection fraction <35% were assessed for the following: (i) RV fractional area (RVFA), (ii) tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), (iii) integral of the systolic wave (ISW(tdi)), and (iv) peak systolic velocity (PSV(tdi)). ISW(tdi) and PSV(tdi) were measured using tissue Doppler imaging at the tricuspid annulus. The primary endpoint was death, urgent transplantation, urgent ventricular assist device implantation, or an acute HF episode. During a mean follow-up of 295 days, 33 patients reached the primary endpoint. The cut-off thresholds for RVFA, TAPSE, PSV(tdi), and ISW(tdi) defined using receiver-operating characteristic curves were 36.8%, 13.5 mm, 9.5 cm s(-1), and 1.75 cm, respectively. On Cox multivariate analysis, NYHA, log BNP, and only PSV(tdi) from the RV systolic parameters were found to be independent predictors of outcome. CONCLUSION: PSV(tdi) is a strong independent predictor of outcome in HF at a threshold value of 9.5 cm s(-1) and appears to be superior to other RV systolic echocardiographic parameters.

Prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in a 316-patient French cohort of stable congestive heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure with systolic dysfunction occurs frequently. Studies in North America and Germany have shown a high prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in patients with heart failure. AIMS: To assess the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing and its associated risk factors in French patients with heart failure. METHODS: A total of 316patients with stable heart failure and a left ventricular ejection fraction less or equal to 45% underwent polygraphy prospectively to diagnose sleep apnoea syndrome, defined as an apnoea-hypopnoea index greater or equal to 10events/h. RESULTS: Mean age, left ventricular ejection fraction, and body mass index were 59+/-13years, 30+/-11% and 28+/-6kg/m(2), respectively. The prevalence of sleep breathing disorder was 81% (n=256); 30% of syndromes were classified as central and 70% as obstructive. The mean apnoea-hypopnoea index was high (30+/-3events/h) and a large proportion (41%) of syndromes had an apnoea-hypopnoea index greater or equal to 30events/h. A central sleep apnoea syndrome pattern was associated with more severe heart failure and a more elevated apnoea-hypopnoea index than an obstructive pattern. The prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing was lower in women than in men (64% versus 85%; chi(2)=0.0003) as was its severity (mean apnoea-hypopnoea index 15+/-13events/h versus 27+/-19events/h, p=0.0001). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing was high in a French heart failure population, with most syndromes having an obstructive pattern. Prevalence and severity were higher in men than in women.