Deformation Imaging by Strain in Chronic Heart Failure Over Sacubitril-Valsartan: A Multicenter Echocardiographic Registry.

AIMS: Sacubitril/valsartan has changed the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), due to the positive effects on morbidity and mortality, partly mediated by left ventricular (LV) reverse remodelling (LVRR). The aim of this multicenter study was to identify echocardiographic predictors of LVRR after sacubitril/valsartan administration. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with HFrEF requiring therapy with sacubitril/valsartan from 13 Italian centres were included. Echocardiographic parameters including LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) and global peak atrial longitudinal strain by speckle tracking echocardiography were measured to find the predictors of LVRR [= LV end-systolic volume reduction ≥10% and ejection fraction (LVEF) improvement ≥10% at follow-up] at 6 month follow-up as the primary endpoint. Changes in symptoms [New York Heart Association (NYHA) class] and neurohormonal activations [N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)] were also evaluated as secondary endpoints; 341 patients (excluding patients with poor acoustic windows and missing data) were analysed (mean age: 65 ± 10 years; 18% female, median LVEF 30% [inter-quartile range: 25-34]). At 6 month follow-up, 82 (24%) patients showed early complete response (LVRR and LVEF ≥ 35%), 55 (16%) early incomplete response (LVRR and LVEF < 35%), and 204 (60%) no response (no LVRR and LVEF < 35%). Non-ischaemic aetiology, a lower left atrial volume index, and a higher GLS were all independent predictors of LVRR at multivariable logistic analysis (all P < 0.01). A baseline GLS < -9.3% was significantly associated with early response (area under the curve 0.75, P < 0.0001). Left atrial strain was the best predictor of positive changes in NYHA class and NT-proBNP (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Speckle tracking echocardiography parameters at baseline could be useful to predict LVRR and clinical response to sacubitril-valsartan and could be used as a guide for treatment in patients with HFrEF.

Sacubitril/valsartan reduces indications for arrhythmic primary prevention in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: insights from DISCOVER-ARNI, a multicenter Italian register.

Aims: This sub-study deriving from a multicentre Italian register [Deformation Imaging by Strain in Chronic Heart Failure Over Sacubitril-Valsartan: A Multicenter Echocardiographic Registry (DISCOVER)-ARNI] investigated whether sacubitril/valsartan in addition to optimal medical therapy (OMT) could reduce the rate of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) indications for primary prevention in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) according to European guidelines indications, and its potential predictors. Methods and results: In this observational study, consecutive patients with HFrEF eligible for sacubitril/valsartan from 13 Italian centres were included. Lack of follow-up or speckle tracking data represented exclusion criteria. Demographic, clinical, biochemical, and echocardiographic data were collected at baseline and after 6 months from sacubitril/valsartan initiation. Of 351 patients, 225 (64%) were ICD carriers and 126 (36%) were not ICD carriers (of whom 13 had no indication) at baseline. After 6 months of sacubitril/valsartan, among 113 non-ICD carriers despite having baseline left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) ≤ 35% and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class = II-III, 69 (60%) did not show ICD indications; 44 (40%) still fulfilled ICD criteria. Age, atrial fibrillation, mitral regurgitation > moderate, left atrial volume index (LAVi), and LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) significantly varied between the groups. With receiver operating characteristic curves, age ≥ 75 years, LAVi ≥ 42 mL/m2 and LV GLS ≥-8.3% were associated with ICD indications persistence (area under the curve = 0.65, 0.68, 0.68, respectively). With univariate and multivariate analysis, only LV GLS emerged as significant predictor of ICD indications at follow-up in different predictive models. Conclusions: Sacubitril/valsartan may provide early improvement of NYHA class and LVEF, reducing the possible number of implanted ICD for primary prevention in HFrEF. Baseline reduced LV GLS was a strong marker of ICD indication despite OMT. Early therapy with sacubitril/valsartan may save infective/haemorrhagic risks and unnecessary costs deriving from ICDs.

2019 novel-coronavirus: Cardiovascular insights about risk factors, myocardial injury, therapy and clinical implications.

From December 31st, 2019, a novel highly pathogenic coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread worldwide, reaching at present the dimension of a pandemic. In addition to damaging the lungs, SARS-CoV-2 may also damage the heart and this is corroborated by the evidence that cardiovascular comorbidities are associated with a higher mortality and poor clinical outcomes in patient infected by the virus. During the infection myocardial injury, myocarditis and arrhythmias have also been reported, but the pathophysiological mechanisms of these complications are yet to be understood. Great attention is also being posed on the potential beneficial/harmful role of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, as far as the virus binds to ACE2 to infect cells, but evidences lack. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 can also affect the aspect of acute coronary syndromes, not only because these two distinct pathological entities share pathogenic aspects (such as the systemic inflammatory state and cytokine release), but also and above all for the consequences that the need to contain the infection has on the management of cardiological urgencies. The aim of this review was therefore to summarize the relationship between the virus and the cardiovascular system.

Left Ventricular Noncompaction: Cause or Consequence of Myocardial Disease? A Case Report and Literature Review.

A 57-year-old woman presented to the Emergency Department with symptoms of worsening heart failure (HF). She had a past medical history of breast cancer treated with surgery and chemotherapy with anthracyclines and no family history of cardiomyopathy (CMP). In the last year, she received a diagnosis of HF with normal coronary arteries, during hospitalization for acute onset of dyspnea and was treated with medical therapy. After several months, few days before admission to our hospital, an echocardiography (ECHO) showed features of left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC), not described in previous ECHO and further confirmed by cardiac magnetic resonance. This case highlights the current uncertainties regarding the pathogenesis of LVNC and the clinical challenge of cardiologists facing LVNC morphology to decide if they are observing a genetic CMP, a phenotype overlapping with dilated or hypertrophic CMP, or a variant of the left ventricular (LV) wall anatomy. No consensus exists among scientific communities regarding diagnostic criteria of LVNC and in most cases; the key element in the diagnostic decision is not the LVNC by itself, but the associated LV dilation and/or dysfunction, hypertrophy, arrhythmias, and embolic events.

Concordance of angiographic and electrocardiographic indexes of microvascular obstruction: myocardial haemorrhage role.

BACKGROUND: Angiographic and electrocardiographic (ECG) indexes of microvascular obstruction (MVO) have been described. We aimed at assessing by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) anatomical features underlying concordance between them. METHODS: Forty-one patients were enrolled. Patients presented with neither angiographic nor ECG indexes of MVO (without MVO) (44%), with either angiographic or ECG indexes of MVO (discordant with MVO) (22%) or with both angiographic and ECG indexes of MVO (concordant with MVO) (34%). All patients underwent in-hospital CMR. Echocardiographic data obtained after 6 months were compared with those obtained in hospital. RESULTS: Concordant patients with MVO had larger infarct size, lower myocardial salvage index and higher rate of myocardial haemorrhage (all assessed by CMR) [33% (25-41%), 15% (10-29%) and 88%, respectively] as compared with patients without MVO [12% (9-16%), 66% (52-79%) and 0%; Bonferroni-adjusted P < 0.001, Bonferroni-adjusted P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively], or with discordant ones [25% (21-39%), 35% (20-48%) and 7%; Bonferroni-adjusted P = 0.03, Bonferroni-adjusted P = 0.002 and P = 0.04, respectively]. After 6 months, ejection fraction significantly decreased in concordant patients with MVO (P < 0.001) without significant changes in the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Concordance of angiographic and ECG indexes of MVO reflects more severe myocardial damage translating into unfavourable left ventricular remodelling.

Myeloperoxidase: a new biomarker of inflammation in ischemic heart disease and acute coronary syndromes.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an enzyme stored in azurophilic granules of polymorphonuclear neutrophils and macrophages and released into extracellular fluid in the setting of inflammatory process. The observation that myeloperoxidase is involved in oxidative stress and inflammation has been a leading factor to study myeloperoxidase as a possible marker of plaque instability and a useful clinical tool in the evaluation of patients with coronary heart disease. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the pathophysiological, analytical, and clinical characteristics of MPO and to summarize the state of art about the possible clinical use of MPO as a marker for diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Biomarkers in Acute Coronary Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of patients who present to the hospital with acute undifferentiated chest pain or other symptoms and signs suggestive of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) is often a clinical challenge. The initial assessment, requiring a focused history (including risk factors analysis), a physical examination, an electrocardiogram (EKG) and serum cardiac marker determination, is time-consuming and troublesome. Recent investigations have indicated that increases in biomarkers of necrosis, inflammation, ischemia and myocardial stretch may provide earlier assessment of overall patient risk, help in identifying the adequate diagnostic and therapeutic management for each patient and allow for prevention of substantial numbers of new events. APPROACH AND CONTENT: The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the characteristics of several biomarkers that may have potential clinical utility to identify ACS patients. Patho-physiology, analytical and clinical characteristics have been evaluated for each marker, underlying the properties for potential routine clinical use. SUMMARY: The biomarkers discussed in this review are promising and might lead to improved diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with ACS, however their clinical application requires further studies. It is important to define their clinical role as diagnostic markers, their predictive value and the specificity, standardization and detection limits of the assays.