Abstract Early detection of right ventricular (RV) involvement in chronic pulmonary hypertension (PH) is essential due to prognostic implications. T1 mapping by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has ...emerged as a noninvasive technique for extracellular volume fraction (ECV) quantification. We assessed the association of myocardial native T1 time and equilibrium contrast ECV (Eq-ECV) at the RV insertion points with pulmonary hemodynamics and RV performance in an experimental model of chronic PH. Right heart catheterization followed by immediate CMR was performed on 38 pigs with chronic PH (generated by surgical pulmonary vein banding) and 6 sham-operated controls. Native T1 and Eq-ECV values at the RV insertion points were both significantly higher in banded animals than in controls and showed significant correlation with pulmonary hemodynamics, RV arterial coupling, and RV performance. Eq-ECV values also increased before overt RV systolic dysfunction, offering potential for the early detection of myocardial involvement in chronic PH.
Background Surgery for intervalvular fibrous body reconstruction in aortic and mitral valve replacement is a complex operation, although mandatory in some circumstances. The long-term result of this ...operation remains unknown. The objective of this study was to analyze the outcomes of this technique. Methods A descriptive and retrospective study was carried out to analyze operative morbidity and mortality in fibrous body reconstruction with the “David technique” and to evaluate the midterm and long-term results regarding durability and survival. Results A total of 40 consecutive patients underwent the David technique between 1997 and 2014. The mean age was 58 ± 15 years and 62.5% were male. The indications were active endocarditis with paravalvular and fibrous body abscesses in 26 patients (group A) and massive calcification of the intervalvular fibrous body in 14 patients (group B). Mean European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation I predicted risk of mortality was 36 ± 24 and 16 ± 15, respectively. The hospital mortality rate was 15.3% in group A and 7.1% in group B. Survival rate after 1, 5, and 10 years was 65.4%, 57.7%, and 50% for group A and 92.9%, 85.7%, and 78.6% for group B. Freedom from reoperation at 1, 5, and 10 years was 92.3%, 84.6%, and 76.9% for group A and 90.9%, 90.9%, and 90.9% for group B. Mean follow-up was 53 ± 8 months. Conclusions Although this complex operation is associated with high perioperative mortality, the long-term results are acceptable in patients where there are not suitable alternative procedures.
Abstract Objectives The goal of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of CMR features for the differential diagnosis of cardiac masses. Background Differentiation of cardiac tumors and ...thrombi and differentiation of benign from malignant cardiac neoplasms is often challenging but important in clinical practice. Studies assessing the value of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in this regard are scarce. Methods We reviewed the CMR scans of patients with a definite cardiac thrombus or tumor. Mass characteristics on cine, T1-weighted turbo spin echo (T1w-TSE) and T2-weighted turbo spin echo (T2w-TSE), contrast first-pass perfusion (FPP), post-contrast inversion time (TI) scout, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) sequences were analyzed. Results There were 84 thrombi, 17 benign tumors, and 25 malignant tumors in 116 patients. Morphologically, thrombi were smaller (median area 1.6 vs. 8.5 cm2 ; p < 0.0001), more homogeneous (99% vs. 46%; p < 0.0001), and less mobile (13% vs. 33%; p = 0.007) than tumors. Hyperintensity compared with normal myocardium on T2w-TSE, FPP, and LGE were more common in tumors than in thrombi (85% vs. 42%, 70% vs. 4%, and 71% vs. 5%, respectively; all p < 0.0001). A pattern of hyperintensity/isointensity (compared with normal myocardium) with short TI and hypointensity with long TI was very frequent in thrombi (94%), rare in tumors (2%), and had the highest accuracy (95%) for the differentiation of both entities. Regarding the characterization of neoplastic masses, malignant tumors were larger (median area 11.9 vs. 6.3 cm2 ; p = 0.006) and more frequently exhibited FPP (84% vs. 47%; p = 0.03) and LGE (92% vs. 41%; p = 0.001). The ability of CMR features to distinguish benign from malignant neoplasms was moderate, with LGE showing the highest accuracy (79%). Conclusions CMR features demonstrated excellent accuracy for the differentiation of cardiac thrombi from tumors and can be helpful for the distinction of benign versus malignant neoplasms.
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. With atherosclerosis as the underlying cause for many CVD events, prevention or reduction of subclinical ...atherosclerotic plaque burden (SAPB) through a healthier lifestyle may have substantial public health benefits. OBJECTIVE To describe the protocol of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating the effectiveness of a 30-month worksite-based lifestyle program aimed to promote cardiovascular health in participants having a high or a low degree of SAPB, compared to standard care. METHODS We will conduct a RCT including middle–aged bank employees from the ´Progression of Early Subclinical Atherosclerosis´ (PESA) cohort, stratified by SAPB (high SABP n = 260; low SABP n = 590). Within each stratum, participants will be randomized 1:1 to receive a lifestyle program or standard care. The program consists of three elements: (A) 12 personalized lifestyle counseling sessions using Motivational Interviewing over a 30-month period, (B) a wrist-worn physical activity tracker, and (C) a sit-stand workstation. Primary outcome measure is a composite score of blood pressure (BP), physical activity, sedentary time, body weight, diet and smoking (i.e. adapted FUSTER-BEWAT score) measured at baseline and at 1-, 2-, and 3-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS The study will provide insights into the effectiveness of a 30-month worksite-based lifestyle program to promote cardiovascular health compared to standard care in participants with a high or low degree of SAPB.
Objectives The goal of this trial was to study the long-term effects of intravenous (IV) metoprolol administration before reperfusion on left ventricular (LV) function and clinical events. Background ...Early IV metoprolol during ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has been shown to reduce infarct size when used in conjunction with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). Methods The METOCARD-CNIC (Effect of Metoprolol in Cardioprotection During an Acute Myocardial Infarction) trial recruited 270 patients with Killip class ≤II anterior STEMI presenting early after symptom onset (<6 h) and randomized them to pre-reperfusion IV metoprolol or control group. Long-term magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 202 patients (101 per group) 6 months after STEMI. Patients had a minimal 12-month clinical follow-up. Results Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at the 6 months MRI was higher after IV metoprolol (48.7 ± 9.9% vs. 45.0 ± 11.7% in control subjects; adjusted treatment effect 3.49%; 95% confidence interval CI: 0.44% to 6.55%; p = 0.025). The occurrence of severely depressed LVEF (≤35%) at 6 months was significantly lower in patients treated with IV metoprolol (11% vs. 27%, p = 0.006). The proportion of patients fulfilling Class I indications for an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) was significantly lower in the IV metoprolol group (7% vs. 20%, p = 0.012). At a median follow-up of 2 years, occurrence of the pre-specified composite of death, heart failure admission, reinfarction, and malignant arrhythmias was 10.8% in the IV metoprolol group versus 18.3% in the control group, adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 0.55; 95% CI: 0.26 to 1.04; p = 0.065. Heart failure admission was significantly lower in the IV metoprolol group (HR: 0.32; 95% CI: 0.015 to 0.95; p = 0.046). Conclusions In patients with anterior Killip class ≤II STEMI undergoing pPCI, early IV metoprolol before reperfusion resulted in higher long-term LVEF, reduced incidence of severe LV systolic dysfunction and ICD indications, and fewer heart failure admissions. (Effect of METOprolol in CARDioproteCtioN During an Acute Myocardial InfarCtion. The METOCARD-CNIC Trial; NCT01311700 )
Study objective We seek to examine the efficacy and safety of prereperfusion emergency medical services (EMS)–administered intravenous metoprolol in anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial ...infarction patients undergoing eventual primary angioplasty. Methods This is a prespecified subgroup analysis of the Effect of Metoprolol in Cardioprotection During an Acute Myocardial Infarction trial population, who all eventually received oral metoprolol within 12 to 24 hours. We studied patients receiving intravenous metoprolol by EMS and compared them with others treated by EMS but not receiving intravenous metoprolol. Outcomes included infarct size and left ventricular ejection fraction on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at 1 week, and safety by measuring the incidence of the predefined combined endpoint (composite of death, malignant ventricular arrhythmias, advanced atrioventricular block, cardiogenic shock, or reinfarction) within the first 24 hours. Results From the total population of the trial (N=270), 147 patients (54%) were recruited during out-of-hospital assistance and transferred to the primary angioplasty center (74 intravenous metoprolol and 73 controls). Infarct size was smaller in patients receiving intravenous metoprolol compared with controls (23.4 SD 15.0 versus 34.0 SD 23.7 g; adjusted difference –11.4; 95% confidence interval CI –18.6 to –4.3). Left ventricular ejection fraction was higher in the intravenous metoprolol group (48.1% SD 8.4% versus 43.1% SD 10.2%; adjusted difference 5.0; 95% CI 1.6 to 8.4). Metoprolol administration did not increase the incidence of the prespecified safety combined endpoint: 6.8% versus 17.8% in controls (risk difference –11.1; 95% CI –21.5 to –0.6). Conclusion Out-of-hospital administration of intravenous metoprolol by EMS within 4.5 hours of symptom onset in our subjects reduced infarct size and improved left ventricular ejection fraction with no excess of adverse events during the first 24 hours.
Acute cellular rejection (ACR) is still a relevant complication after orthotopic heart transplantation. The diagnosis of ACR is based on endomyocardial biopsy (EMB). Recent advances in ...two-dimensional strain imaging may allow early noninvasive detection of ACR. The objective of this study was to analyze the usefulness of conventional and new echocardiographic parameters to exclude ACR after orthotopic heart transplantation.
Thirty-four consecutive adult heart transplant recipients admitted to a single center between January 2010 and December 2012 for orthotopic heart transplantation were prospectively included. A total of 235 pairs of EMB and echocardiographic examination were performed. A median of seven studies per patient (interquartile range, six to eight studies per patient) were performed during the first year of follow-up. Classic echocardiographic parameters; speckle-tracking-derived left ventricular (LV) longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strain; and global and free wall right ventricular (RV) longitudinal strain were analyzed.
ACR was detected in 26.4% of EMB samples (n = 62); 5.1% (n = 12) required specific treatment (ACR degree ≥ 2R). Lower absolute values of global LV longitudinal strain and free wall RV longitudinal strain were present in patients with ACR degree ≥ 2R compared with those without ACR (13.7 ± 2.7% vs 17.8 ± 3.4% and 16.6 ± 3.6% vs 23.3 ± 5.2%, respectively). An average LV longitudinal strain < 15.5% had 85.7% sensitivity, 81.4% specificity, 98.8% negative predictive value, 25.0% positive predictive value, and 81.7% accuracy for the presence of ACR degree ≥ 2R. Free wall RV longitudinal strain < 17% had 85.7% sensitivity, 91.1% specificity, 98.8% negative predictive value, 42.9% positive predictive value, and 90.7% accuracy for ACR degree ≥ 2R. Both variables were normal in 106 echocardiograms (57.6%); none of these patients presented with ACR degree ≥ 2R.
The combination of two new echocardiographic measures, global LV and RV free wall longitudinal strain, may be able to identify a group of heart transplant patients who are unlikely to have ACR. If these findings are confirmed independently, it may be possible to use LV and RV strain measures as reliable tools to exclude ACR and to reduce the burden of repeated EMB.
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