Time-dependence of appropriate implantable defibrillator therapy in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the risk of appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy outside the context of controlled clinical trials where routine practice patients are followed for longer durations and questions of device replacement frequently arise. We assessed the incidence and time-dependence of appropriate ICD therapy in a routine clinical practice primary prevention population with prior myocardial infarction (MI) and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with prior MI and LVEF

Effect of the magnitude of lipid lowering on risk of elevated liver enzymes, rhabdomyolysis, and cancer: insights from large randomized statin trials.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess the relationship between the magnitude of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering and rates of elevated liver enzymes, rhabdomyolysis, and cancer. BACKGROUND: Although it is often assumed that statin-associated adverse events are proportional to LDL-C reduction, that assumption has not been validated. METHODS: Adverse events reported in large prospective randomized statin trials were evaluated. The relationship between LDL-C reduction and rates of elevated liver enzymes, rhabdomyolysis, and cancer per 100,000 person-years was assessed using weighted univariate regression. RESULTS: In 23 statin treatment arms with 309,506 person-years of follow-up, there was no significant relationship between percent LDL-C lowering and rates of elevated liver enzymes (R2 <0.001, p = 0.91) or rhabdomyolysis (R2 = 0.05, p = 0.16). Similar results were obtained when absolute LDL-C reduction or achieved LDL-C levels were considered. In contrast, for any 10% LDL-C reduction, rates of elevated liver enzymes increased significantly with higher statin doses. Additional analyses demonstrated a significant inverse association between cancer incidence and achieved LDL-C levels (R2 = 0.43, p = 0.009), whereas no such association was demonstrated with percent LDL-C reduction (R2 = 0.09, p = 0.92) or absolute LDL-C reduction (R2 = 0.05, p = 0.23). CONCLUSIONS: Risk of statin-associated elevated liver enzymes or rhabdomyolysis is not related to the magnitude of LDL-C lowering. However, the risk of cancer is significantly associated with lower achieved LDL-C levels. These findings suggest that drug- and dose-specific effects are more important determinants of liver and muscle toxicity than magnitude of LDL-C lowering. Furthermore, the cardiovascular benefits of low achieved levels of LDL-C may in part be offset by an increased risk of cancer.

Quantification of right ventricular volumes and function by real time three-dimensional echocardiographic longitudinal axial plane method: validation in the clinical setting.

BACKGROUND: Measurement of right ventricular (RV) volumes and right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) by three-dimensional echocardiographic (3DE) short-axis disc summation method has been validated in multiple studies. However, in some patients, short-axis images are of insufficient quality for accurate tracing of the RV endocardial border. This study examined the accuracy of long-axis analysis in multiple planes (longitudinal axial plane method) for assessment of RV volumes and RVEF. METHODS: 3DE images were analyzed in 40 subjects with a broad range of RV function. RV end-diastolic (RVEDV) and end-systolic volumes (RVESV) and RVEF were calculated by both short-axis disc summation method and longitudinal axial plane method. RESULTS: Excellent correlation was obtained between the two methods for RVEDV, RVESV, and RVEF (r = 0.99, 0.99, 0.94, respectively; P < 0.0001 for all comparisons). CONCLUSION: 3DE longitudinal-axis analysis is a promising technique for the evaluation of RV function, and may provide an alternative method of assessment in patients with suboptimal short-axis images.

Avaliação do tamanho do átrio esquerdo pelo ecocardiografia tridimensional em indivíduos com anatomia cardíaca normal, em pacientes com cardiopatia dilatada ou cardiomiopatia hipertrófica: comparação com medidas do ecocardiograma bidimensional / Evaluation of the left atrium by tridimensional echocardiography in normal volunteers, in patients with dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: comparison with bidimensional echocardiography

Introdução: A análise do átrio esquerdo (AE) é importante para o entendimento da fisiopatologia de diferentes doenças cardíacas. Objetivo: Comparar as medidas do AE pelo ecocardiografia bidimensional (eco 2D) com as realizadas ao ecocardiograma tridimensional (eco 3D). Método: estudo prospectivo de medidas do AE ao eco 2D e 3D em 110 indivíduos: 47 com anatomia cardíaca normal (N),44 com cardiomiopatia dilatada (CMD), 19 com cardiomiopatia hipertrofica (HOCM), 62 eram homens, e a média de idade de 42 mais ou menos 16 anos). As medidas do AE pelo eco 2D foram: diâmetro ântero-posterior (AP), diâmetro inferior-superior(IS), médio-lateral (ML), área (2DAr), volume (2DV). Pelo eco 3D foi medido o volume do AE (3DV).Para a análise estatística foram aplicados: coeficiente de correlação de Spearman(r), 95 por cento IC, teste de Bland & Altman e regressão linear. Resultados: Os valores do volume do AE (ml) ao eco 3D e eco 2D, foram, respectivamente, no grupo N de 38 mais ou menos e 32,2 mais ou menos 78, no grupo CMD de 81,2 mais ou menos 30 e 63,6 mais ou menos 24 e no grupo HOCM de 75 mais ou menos 26 e 62,8 mais ou menos 21. No grupo N o coeficiente de correlação entre o 3DV com o...

What is the best approach for the assessment of left atrial size? Comparison of various unidimensional and two-dimensional parameters with three-dimensional echocardiographically determined left atrial volume.

BACKGROUND: Left atrial (LA) size has prognostic importance in a variety of cardiac conditions. Diameters, area, or volume derived from 2-dimensional (2D) echocardiography (2DE) are commonly used to measure LA size, but involve numerous assumptions. This study examined the accuracy of these 2DE parameters compared to 3-dimensional echocardiographic LA volume (3DV). METHODS: LA diameters, area, and volume measured from 2DE were correlated with 3DV in 118 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or without structural heart disease. RESULTS: Diameter (anterior-posterior, superior-inferior, and medial-lateral) and 2DE area measurements had statistically significant, but modest, correlations with 3DV, and exhibited a large degree of scatter in comparison with 3DV. The 2DE-derived volume had an excellent correlation with 3DV, but consistently underestimated LA volume. CONCLUSION: The 2DE LA volume correlates better than other parameters with 3DV, but often results in underestimation. Thus, caution should be exercised when using unidimensional and 2D measurements of LA size.

[Mechanism of cardiac resynchronization therapy by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography in patients with heart failure]. / Demonstração do mecanismo da terapia de ressincronização ventricular com ecocardiografia tridimensional em tempo real em paciente com insuficiência cardíaca.

We report the case of a 66-year-old man with heart failure NYHA class IV treated with biventricular pacing for cardiac resynchronization. The patient was evaluated by real-time three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography before and 48 hours after pacemaker implantation. The use of three-dimensional echocardiography contributed to understanding the underlying mechanism involved in cardiac resynchronization therapy by demonstrating enhanced synchrony of myocardial segments, which resulted in the patient's clinical improvement.

Demonstracão do mecanismo da terapia de ressincronizacão ventricular com ecocardiografia tridimensional em tempo real em paciente com insuficiência cardíaca / Mechanism of cardiac resynchronization therapy by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography in patients with heart failure

Relatamos caso de homem de 66 anos de idade portador de insuficiência cardíaca classe funcional (NYHA) IV que foi submetido a terapia de ressincronizacão cardíaca por implante de marcapasso biventricular. O paciente foi avaliado antes e 48 horas após o implante do marcapasso com o emprego da ecocardiografia tridimensional transtorácica em tempo real. A utilizacão da ecocardiografia tridimensional contribuiu para o entendimento do mecanismo envolvido na ressincronizacão cardíaca através da demonstracão da melhor sincronizacão dos segmentos cardíacos, o que resultou em melhora clínica do paciente.