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- Gustafsson, Ulf, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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The effect of acute myocardial ischemia on the rotation axis of the left ventricle
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Introduction: We have developed a method to assess the axis around which the left ventricle (LV) rotates. The aim was to assess the effect of acute regional ischemia on the otation axis. Method: Mid‐LAD occlusion was induced in six anesthetised pigs and echocardiographic images were recorded at baseline and after LAD occlusion. The rotation axis was calculated at three different levels of the LV throughout the cardiac cycle. Results: The direction of the rotation axis was significantly changed (p<0.01) after LAD occlusion, being directed towards the ischemic area. AV‐plane displacement was significantly reduced (p<0.05) during ischemia. No significant difference in twist or otation amplitudes was found. Conclusion: This new method of assessing rotational function seems as sensitive as AV‐plane displacement and superior to traditional rotation and twist parameters in detecting dysfunction in acute ischemic myocardium. The rotation axis method has the advantage of potentially identifying areas with dysfunction.
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| 2. |
- Gustafsson, Ulf, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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The rotation axis of the left ventricle : a new concept derived from ultrasound data in healthy individuals
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Introduction: The axis around which the left ventricle (LV) rotates has never previously been described. The aim was to develop a method to calculate the spatial motion of the rotation axis throughout the cardiac cycle. Method: By constructing a model of the LV, based on dimensions and rotation values at the basal, mid ventricular and apical levels, a rotation axis could be calculated at each level in 39 healthy subjects. The transition plane, defined as the level without rotation, where basal and apical rotation meet was also calculated. Results: The rotation axis was not congruent to the longitudinal axis of the LV at any time point. A significant and specific mean direction for each of the rotation axes for the majority of the tested time points displayed a physiological pattern. Conclusion: This new method introduces a new concept in cardiac function and provides further insight into the complexity of LV mechanics.
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| 3. |
- Gustafsson, Ulf, 1976-
(författare)
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Ventricular rotation and the rotation axis : a new concept in cardiac function
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: The twisting motion of the left ventricle (LV), with clockwise rotation at the base and counter clockwise rotation at the apex during systole, is a vital part of LV function. Even though LV rotation has been studied for decades, the rotation pattern has not been described in detail. By the introduction of speckle tracking echocardiography measuring rotation has become easy of access. However, the axis around which the LV rotates has never before been assessed. The aims of this thesis were to describe the rotation pattern of the LV in detail (study I), to assess RV apical rotation (study II), develop a method to assess the rotation axis (study III) and finally to study the effect of regional ischemia to the rotation pattern of the LV (study IV). Methods: Healthy humans were examined in study I-III and the final study populations were 40 (60±14 years), 14 (62±11 years) and 39 (57±16 years) subjects, respectively. In study IV six young pigs (32-40kg) were studied. Standard echocardiographic examinations were performed. In study IV the images were recorded before and 4 minutes after occlusion of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). Rotation was measured in short axis images by using a speckle tracking software. By development of custom software, the rotation axis of the LV was calculated at different levels in every image frame throughout the cardiac cycle. Results: Study I showed significant difference in rotation between basal and apical rotations, as well as significant differences between segments at basal and mid ventricular levels. The rotation pattern of the LV was associated with different phases of the cardiac cycle. Study II found significant difference in rotation between the LV and the RV. RV rotation was heterogeneous and bi-directional, creating a ´tightening belt action´ to reduce it circumference. Study III indicated that the new method could assess the rotation axis of the LV. The motion of the rotation axes in healthy humans displayed a physiological and consistent pattern. Study IV found a significant difference in the rotation pattern, between baseline and after LAD occlusion, by measuring the rotation axes, but not by conventional measurements of rotation. AV-plane displacement and wall motion score (WMS) were also significantly changed after inducing regional ischemia. Conclusion: There are normally large regional differences in LV rotation, which can be associated anatomy, activation pattern and cardiac phases, indicating its importance to LV function. In difference to the LV, the RV did not show any functional rotation. However, its heterogeneous circumferential motion could still be of importance to RV function and may in part be the result of ventricular interaction. The rotation axis of the LV can now be assessed by development of a new method, which gives a unique view of the rotation pattern. The quality measurements and results in healthy humans indicate that it has a potential clinical implication in identifying pathological rotation. This was supported by the experimental study showing that the rotation axis was more sensitive than traditional measurements of rotation and as sensitive as AV-plane displacement and WMS in detecting regional myocardial dysfunction.
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| 4. |
- Lindqvist, Per, 1960-
(författare)
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Right heart function in health and disease : a doppler echocardiography and doppler tissue imaging study
- 2005
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: It is well known that performance of the right ventricle (RV) determines exercise capacity and may confer prognostic information in different cardiopulmonary diseases. To allow optimal patient management, ideal methods to assess right heart function are therefore important. Echocardiography is an attractive investigation for that purpose, although limited by the anatomical and functional complexities of the RV. The aim of the present thesis was to present applicable methods useful in clinical practice by traditional 2D/Doppler echocardiography and Doppler tissue imaging (DTI) in the assessment of global and regional RV function in both health and disease. Methods: The studies were performed on 4 different groups; (1) 255 healthy subjects (125 females), (2) 92 consecutive patients with different cardiac diseases (36 females), (3) 26 patients with systemic sclerosis, (SSc) (21 females) and (4) 26 consecutive patients with heart failure (8 females) undergoing cardiac catheterisation. Results: RV outflow tract fractional shortening (RVOT fs), which is a new method in the assessment of RV function, correlated significantly with RV systolic long axis motion (r= 0.66, p< 0.001), pulmonary artery acceleration time (r= 0.80, p< 0.001) and RV-right atrial peak systolic pressure drop gradient (r= -0.53, p< 0.001). Furthermore, RVOT fs was reduced in patients with pulmonary hypertension whereas RV systolic long axis motion was not in difference. This finding was confirmed after comparing RV function with invasive pressures. In healthy subjects, while the systolic myocardial velocities were preserved over age, the peak isovolumic contraction velocity (IVCv) was weakly increased with advanced age (r= 0.34, p< 0.01). Furthermore, both global and regional E/A ratios were reduced (r= -0.57, r= -0.67, p< 0.001 for both) with age whereas no alteration was found in the myocardial isovolumic relaxation time (IVRt). In patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) both global (64± 23 vs. 39± 12 ms, p< 0.001) as well as regional (83± 40 vs. 46± 24 ms, p< 0.001) IVRt were prolonged. After evaluating echocardiographic parameters with invasive pressures we found a significant correlation between DTI derived IVRt and pulmonary artery systolic pressures (r= 0.83, p< 0.01) while the IVCv was related to the state of contractility (r= 0.77, p< 0.001). Furthermore, an IVCv below 6 cm/s was shown to be an accurate marker of increased right atrial pressure (>6 mm Hg). In conclusion, RVOT fs can be used as a complementary measurement of RV systolic function, being more sensitive to elevated pulmonary artery systolic pressures than the systolic longitudinal RV motion. Right heart function, mainly the diastolic function, is relatively weakly influenced by age compared to the left heart function. In patients with SSc, we found diastolic disturbances, including a prolonged IVRt and proposed the findings to be early markers related to intermittent pulmonary hypertension. This observation was strengthened after evaluating IVRt against invasive pulmonary artery systolic pressures. IVCv can be used to determine the state of RV contractility and also be used to identify patients with elevated filling pressures. The presented methods can be used to detect early signs of RV dysfunction which might prohibit right heart failure. All presented methods are non-invasive, reproducible, easy obtainable, and thus useful in clinical practice.
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