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- Hultkvist, Henrik, et al.
(author)
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Evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function in patients operated for aortic stenosis
- 2022
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In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 17:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction is common in patients with aortic valve stenosis (AS) and reportedly affects prognosis after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Here we investigated whether and how diastolic function (assessed following the most recent guidelines) was affected by SAVR, and whether preoperative diastolic function affected postoperative outcome. We also examined whether long-term mortality was associated with preoperative NT-proBNP and postoperative heart failure (PHF). Methods We performed a prospective observational study of 273 patients with AS who underwent AVR with or without concomitant coronary artery bypass surgery. Of these patients, 247 were eligible for assessment of left ventricular (LV) filling pressure. Preoperatively and at the 6-month postoperative follow-up, we measured N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in serum and assessed diastolic function with Doppler echocardiography. PHF was diagnosed using prespecified criteria. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to explore variables associated with high LV filling pressure. Cox regression was performed to explore variables associated with mortality, accounting for timeto-event. Results At the time of surgery, 22% (n = 54) of patients had diastolic dysfunction expressed as high LV filling pressure. Of these 54 patients, 27 (50%) showed postoperative diastolic function improvement. Among the 193 patients with preoperative low LV filling pressure, 24 (12%) showed postoperative diastolic function deterioration. Increased long-term mortality was associated with PHF and high preoperative NT-proBNP, but not with preoperative or postoperative diastolic dysfunction. Cox regression revealed the following independent risk factors for long-term mortality: diabetes, renal dysfunction, preoperative NT-proBNP>960 ng/L, age, and male gender. Conclusions Surgery for aortic stenosis improved diastolic function in patients with high LV filling pressure in 50% of the patients. Our results could not confirm the previously suggested role of diastolic dysfunction as a marker for poor long-term survival after SAVR. Our findings showed that both PHF and high preoperative NT-proBNP were associated with long-term mortality.
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- Maret, Eva, 1961-, et al.
(author)
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Feature tracking of cine-MRI identifies left ventricular segments with myocardial scar
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Background: The aim of the study was to apply a new feature tracking software (Diogenes MRI, Tomtec GmbH, Unterschliessheim, Germany) on cine-MR images to evaluate its utility and ability to detect infarcted myocardium and to assess the transmural extent of scar without the need for administering intravenous gadolinium-based contrast agents. Methods: Thirty patients (3 women and 27 men) were selected based on the presence or absence of extensive myocardial scar in the perfusion area of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) but not in remote areas. Seventeen had a scar transmurality >75% in at least one segment belonging to the LAD area (scar patients) and thirteen had scar <1% in this area or in other parts of the myocardium (non-scar patients). The software tracked the motion of the wall through the entire cardiac cycle using two different techniques. Velocity, displacement and strain were calculated in 48 points in the longitudinal direction, tangential to the endocardial outline, and in the radial direction, perpendicular to the tangent. Results: In the scar patients, LAD segments showed lower functional measures than remote segments. The remote segments in the scar group showed, in turn, lower functional measures than the remote segments in the non-scar group. Receiver-operatorcharacteristic (ROC) curves were constructed for all measurements. Best area-undercurve was for radial strain, 0.89, where a cut-off value of 38.8% had 80% sensitivity and 86% specificity for the detection of a segment with scar transmurality >50% in the LAD distribution. As a percentage of the mean, intraobserver variability was for radial measures 16-14-26% for displacement-velocity-strain and for the corresponding interobserver measurements 13-12-18%. Conclusions: With the presented method, we show for the first time its ability to detect scar segments with various transmurality already from an analysis of cine-MRI, without the need for the administration of gadolinium-based contrast. The accuracy and repeatability of the radial functional measurements is satisfactory and global measures agree with other aspects of global left ventricular function.
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- Maret, Eva, et al.
(author)
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Functional measurements based on feature tracking of cine magnetic resonance images identify left ventricular segments with myocardial scar.
- 2009
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In: Cardiovascular Ultrasound. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-7120. ; 7:53, s. 1-14
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundThe aim of the study was to perform a feature tracking analysis on cine magnetic resonance (MR) images to elucidate if functional measurements of the motion of the left ventricular wall may detect scar defined with gadolinium enhanced MR.Myocardial contraction can be measured in terms of the velocity, displacement and local deformation (strain) of a particular myocardial segment. Contraction of the myocardial wall will be reduced in the presence of scar and as a consequence of reduced myocardial blood flow.MethodsThirty patients (3 women and 27 men) were selected based on the presence or absence of extensive scar in the anteroseptal area of the left ventricle. The patients were investigated in stable clinical condition, 4-8 weeks post ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. Seventeen had a scar area >75% in at least one anteroseptal segment (scar) and thirteen had scar area <1% (non-scar). Velocity, displacement and strain were calculated in the longitudinal direction, tangential to the endocardial outline, and in the radial direction, perpendicular to the tangent.ResultsIn the scar patients, segments with scar showed lower functional measurements than remote segments. Radial measurements of velocity, displacement and strain performed better in terms of receiver-operator-characteristic curves (ROC) than the corresponding longitudinal measurements. The best area-under-curve was for radial strain, 0.89, where a cut-off value of 38.8% had 80% sensitivity and 86% specificity for the detection of a segment with scar area >50%. As a percentage of the mean, intraobserver variability was 16-14-26% for radial measurements of displacement-velocity-strain and corresponding interobserver variability was 13-12-18%.ConclusionFeature tracking analysis of cine-MR displays velocity, displacement and strain in the radial and longitudinal direction and may be used for the detection of transmural scar. The accuracy and repeatability of the radial functional measurements is satisfactory and global measures agree.
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- Tamás, Éva, et al.
(author)
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Exercise radionuclide ventriculography for predicting postoperative left ventricular function in chronic aortic regurgitation
- 2009
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In: JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging. - : Elsevier. - 1936-878X. ; 2:1, s. 48-55
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: Ejection fraction (EF) reaction upon exercise by radionuclide ventriculography and standard echocardiographic parameters was evaluated as predictors for post-operative left ventricular (LV) function in chronic aortic regurgitation (AR). Background: The optimal timing of surgery for chronic AR is when the left ventricle is still compensating for the volume and pressure overload without irreversible dysfunction. For asymptomatic patients when EF is normal and LV diameters are borderline, exercise testing is recommended by present guidelines. However, only a limited number of studies have been performed, and data are scarce on this subject. Methods: Radionuclide ventriculography with multiple gated acquisition at rest and during exercise was performed in 29 consecutive patients with severe chronic aortic regurgitation pre-operatively and 6 months post-operatively. Patient subgroups were formed based on pre-operative EF exercise response (ΔEF) and were categorized as decreasing (ΔEF <−5%), unaltered (−5% ≤ ΔEF ≤ 5%), and increasing (ΔEF > 5%). A 5% or higher increase was considered normal. The LV diameters and mass were measured by echocardiography. Results: Pre-operative LV diameters were markedly elevated before surgery and diminished significantly after surgery. Left ventricular diameters, LV mass, EF at rest (EFrest), and EF change from rest to exercise (ΔEF) were independent of New York Heart Association functional class. Pre-operative end-diastolic diameter proved to be a predictor for pre- and post-operative ΔEF (p = 0.003; p = 0.04) but not for the nature of the exercise response post-operatively. Patients with decreasing and unaltered EF pre-operatively presented a significantly higher but still abnormal ΔEF post-operatively. Those with increasing EF pre-operatively had a similar response and a normal ΔEF post-operatively. Pre-operative ΔEF was not only a predictor for post-operative ΔEF (p = 0.02) but also classified patients into post-operative subgroups (EF decreasing, p = 0.03; unaltered, p = 0.02; increasing, p = 0.0008). Conclusions: An abnormal EF response to exercise may also occur in patients who do not fulfill criteria for surgery based on LV dimensions or EF. A follow-up of exercise LV function and adjusting the timing of surgery according to the nature of exercise response could, therefore, be beneficial.
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- Engvall, Jan, et al.
(author)
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Moderately trained male football players, compared to sedentary male adults, exhibit anatomical but not functional cardiac remodelling, a cross-sectional study
- 2021
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In: Cardiovascular Ultrasound. - : BMC. - 1476-7120. ; 19
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Elite athletes have been the subject of great interest, but athletes at an intermediate level of physical activity have received less attention in respect to the presence of cardiac enlargement and/or hypertrophy. We hypothesized that playing football, often defined as demanding less endurance components than running or cycling, would still induce remodelling similar to sports with a dominating endurance component. Methods 23 male football players, age 25+/- 3.9 yrs. underwent exercise testing, 2D- and 3D- echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). The results were compared with a control group of engineering students of similar age. The athletes exercised 12 h/week and the control subjects 1 h/week, p < 0.001. Results The football players achieved a significantly higher maximal load at the exercise test (380 W vs 300 W, p < 0.001) as well as higher calculated maximal oxygen consumption, (49.7 vs 37.4 mL x kg(- 1) x min(- 1), p < 0.001) compared to the sedentary group. All left ventricular (LV) volumes assessed by 3DEcho and CMR, as well as CMR left atrial (LA) volume were significantly higher in the athletes (3D-LVEDV 200 vs 154 mL, CMR-LVEDV 229 vs 185 mL, CMR-LA volume 100 vs 89 mL, p < 0.001, p = 0.002 and p = 0.009 respectively). LVEF and RVEF, LV strain by CMR or by echo did not differentiate athletes from sedentary participants. Right ventricular (RV) longitudinal strain, LA and right atrial (RA) strain by CMR all showed similar results in the two groups. Conclusion Moderately trained intermediate level football players showed anatomical but not functional cardiac remodelling compared to sedentary males.
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