Value of speckle-tracking echocardiography changes in monitoring myocardial dysfunction during treatment of sepsis: potential prognostic implications.

Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) has been increasingly used for detection of sepsis-related myocardial dysfunction. However, the impact of strain changes during sepsis treatment has not been defined. This study assessed STE at admission and during the treatment of patients with sepsis to evaluate its changes as a potential factor for predicting in-hospital outcome. This study included 26 patients with sepsis who underwent STE echocardiography on day 1 and 7 during treatment. Myocardial deformation of both ventricles was assessed using global longitudinal strain. The endpoint was in-hospital mortality. The mean age was 51.4 ± 18.3 years, and 54% were female. The average SOFA score at T0 was 8.6 ± 3.8 points and at day 7 was 4.9 ± 4.7 points. The left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction at baseline was 65.6 ± 9.1%, without changes in echocardiographic parameters during treatment. LV and RV longitudinal strain increased significantly in the patients who survived (- 18.8 ± 3.6 at D1 vs - 20.8 ± 2.5 at D7; p = 0.003; and - 21.3 ± 4.9 at D1 vs - 24.3 ± 5.8 at D7; p = 0.035, respectively), whereas strain values remained unchanged in those who died. After adjustment for the SOFA score, RV longitudinal strain at admission was associated with in-hospital mortality [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.760; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.591-0.977; p - 0.033]. STE improved significantly after the first week of treatment in patients with sepsis who survived compared with those patients who died during hospitalization. RV strain at admission predicted in-hospital mortality. An improvement in STE during sepsis treatment appears to be a useful tool for predicting in-hospital outcome.

Left Ventricular Regional Wall Motion Abnormality is a Strong Predictor of Cardiotoxicity in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapeutic agents of anthracyclines class and humanized monoclonal antibodies are effective treatments for breast cancer, however, they present a potential risk of cardiotoxicity. Several predictors have been recognized as predictors in the development of cardiac toxicity, and the evaluation of left ventricular segmental wall motion abnormalities (LVSWMA) has not been studied. OBJECTIVE: To analyze prospectively the role of LVSWMA among echocardiographic parameters in the prediction of development of cardiotoxicity in breast cancer patients undergoing treatment with chemotherapy. METHODS: Prospective cohort of patients diagnosed with breast cancer and in chemotherapy treatment with potential cardiotoxicity medications including doxorubicin and trastuzumab. Transthoracic echocardiograms including speckle tracking strain echocardiography were performed at standard times before, during and after the treatment to assess the presence (or lack thereof) of cardiotoxicity. Cardiotoxicity was defined by a 10% decrease in the left ventricular ejection fraction, on at least one echocardiogram. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to verify the predictors related to the occurrence of cardiotoxicity over time. RESULTS: Of the 112 patients selected (mean age 51,3 ± 12,9 years), 18 participants (16.1%) had cardiotoxicity. In the multivariate analysis using the logistic regression model, those with LVWMA (OR = 6.25 [CI 95%: 1.03; 37.95], p < 0,05), LV systolic dimension (1.34 [CI 95%: 1.01; 1.79], p < 0,05) and global longitudinal strain by speckle tracking (1.48 [CI 95%: 1.02; 2.12], p < 0,05) were strongly associated with cardiotoxicity. CONCLUSION: In the present study, we showed that LVWMA, in addition to global longitudinal strains, were strong predictors of cardiotoxicity and could be useful in the risk stratification of these patients.

Functional capacity and right ventricular function in patients with Chagas heart disease.

AIMS: Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is an important factor on effort tolerance in cardiopulmonary diseases. Nevertheless, the role of RV function in predicting exercise capacity in patients with Chagas disease has not been reported. This study aims to evaluate whether RV function assessed by tissue Doppler can predict functional capacity in patients with Chagas heart disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: We evaluated 65 patients (48.6 +/- 9.1 years, 60% men) with Chagas heart disease. Standard and tissue Doppler echocardiography were performed before maximal exercise testing. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) was used to measure RV peak annular systolic and diastolic velocities. Exercise testing was performed using a standard Bruce protocol. Linear regression analysis was used to determine multivariate peak oxygen consumption (VO(2)) predictors. All patients were in NYHA functional class I or II. Mean peak VO(2) was 32.4 +/- 10.2 mL/kg/min and mean LV ejection fraction was 43 +/- 11%. There was correlation between TDI RV peak systolic velocity and LV ejection fraction (r = 0.5; P < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, after adjustment for age and gender, RV function emerged as an independent predictor of functional capacity, as demonstrated in the model: peak VO(2) (r = 0.71) was: 42.22-(9.77 x female gender)-(0.29 x age) + (1.54 x RV systolic velocity). CONCLUSION: In this cross-sectional study, RV function was an important, independent determinant of exercise capacity in patients with Chagas heart disease. TDI RV systolic annular velocity was most closely associated with peak VO(2), regardless of the influence of age, gender, and other echocardiographic parameters.