Assessment of mitral regurgitation and mitral complex geometry in patients after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

INTRODUCTION: Mitral regurgitation (MR) of varying degrees and mechanisms is a common finding in patients with aortic stenosis with different improvement after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). AIM: To evaluate the impact of TAVI on mitral complex geometry and the degree of MR. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 31 patients (29.0% males) with severe aortic stenosis and moderate or severe MR at the baseline who underwent TAVI were included in this study. Clinical and echocardiographic characteristics were determined at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. RESULTS: After TAVI, decrease of MR vena contracta width (p = 0.00002, p = 0.00004), aorto-mural mitral annulus diameter (p = 0.00008, p = 0.02), increase of mitral annular plane systolic excursion (p = 0.0004, p = 0.0003), left ventricular stroke volume (p = 0.0003, p = 0.0004), ejection fraction (p = 0.0004, p = 0.01) and decrease of major dimension of left ventricle in three chamber view (p = 0.05, p = 0.002) were observed in patients at both time points. Additionally, we observed a decrease of distance between the head of the papillary muscles (p = 0.003) at 6 months and a decrease of left atrium volume index (p = 0.01) and systolic pulmonary artery pressure (p = 0.01) at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with moderate or severe MR undergoing TAVI achieved significant improvement of mitral valve complex function resulting in the reduction of MR degree.

Angiogenesis and pro-angiogenic factors in uterine fibroids - facts and myths.

Uterine leiomyomata present major problem for females. Although they are benign tumors their frequency is associated with many symptoms like infertility, abdominal pain, menorrhagia. Authors based on their own morphological studies and review of the literature try to indicate main factors causing angiogenesis within leiomyomata and its influence on tumor growth. The strongest proangiogenic factor seems to be hypoxia, which stimulates up- and down-regulation of numerous genetically determined substances. Also mechanical pressure acting upon newly growing vessels is one of the factors which may determine formation of so called "vascular pseudocapsule" around the lesion.

Vascular density, angiogenesis and pro-angiogenic factors in uterine fibroids.

Angiogenesis is a process of development of new vessels from the preexisting vascular network of a host. This is process which is seen in many physiological situations but it accompanies also a development of different lesions, i.e. neoplasms. Uterine fibroids are one of the most frequent lesions which affect human internal female genital tracts. Authors briefly review most important pro-angiogenic factors, based on their own observation as well as reviewing current literature. They pay much attention to vascular density which is significantly changed in the uterine tumors.