OBJECTIVETo study the value of detecting fetal congenital heart disease (CHD) using the five transverse planes technique of fetal echocardiography.

METHODSNine hundred and eighty-two high-risk pregnancies for fetal CHD were included in this study, the fetal heart was scanned with the five transverse planes technique of fetal echocardiography described by Yagel, autopsy was conducted when pregnancy was terminated. Blood from fetal heart was collected for fetal chromosome analysis. A close follow-up was given for normal fetal heart pregnancies and neonatal echocardiography was performed to check the accuracy of prenatal diagnosis.

RESULTS(1) Forty-six cases (4.68%) were found to have fetal heart abnormalities in this study, 69.56% of them were diagnosed by single four-chamber view, another 30.43% fetal CHD were found by combining other views; (2) Forty-one parents of prenatal fetuses with CHD chose to terminate pregnancy, thirty-two of them gave consent to conduct autopsy, 93.75% of which yielded unanimous conclusion between prenatal fetal echocardiography and autopsy; (3) Thirty-two of 46 cases underwent fetal chromosome analysis, 8 cases (25%) were found to have abnormal chromosome; (4) Five cases were found to have right ventricle and atrium a little bigger than those on the left side, with the unequal condition being the same after birth, but there were no clinical manifestations and they are healthy for the time being; (5) Nine hundred and thirty-six cases were not found with abnormality in this study, but one case was diagnosed with ventricular septal defect after birth, one case was diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus, one case had atrial septal defect after birth.

CONCLUSIONS(1) The detected CHD rate was 4.68% by screening fetal heart with five transverse planes according to Yagel's description of high risk population basis for CHD. The coinciding rate of prenatal diagnosis and autopsy was 93.75%; (2) The sensitivity of detecting fetal heart abnormality is 92%, the specificity is 99.6% using the five transverse planes technique of fetal echocardiography; (3) Fetuses with mild or moderate disproportion of right and left side in the heart are potentially healthy babies.

Adult ; China ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Echocardiography ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; diagnostic imaging ; genetics ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal ; methods ; statistics & numerical data

BACKGROUND: Long-term survival after surgical correction of mitral regurgitation is associated with preservation of left ventricular systolic function after operation. And mitral valve repair has been suggested to provide a better postoperative left ventricular systolic function. Accordingly, we intended to compare the operative results of mitral valve repair with those of mitral valve replacement and search for preoperative predictors of postoperative left ventricular systolic function. METHOD: The clinical features, echocardiographic measurements, and cardiac catheterization results of 75 patients operated between January 1984 and December 1994 for acquired pure mitral regurgitation were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 75 patients, 39 patients had mitral valve repair, and 36 patients had mitral valve replacement. When the outcomes of mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement were compared, left ventricular ejection fraction decreased significantly after surgery inboth groups but postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction was greater in valve repair group than in valve replacement group. Data analysis of preoperative variables showed that echocardiographic left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(p<.05), but not other clinical and echocardiographic variables, were predictors of postoperative left ventricular systolic function. CONCLUSION: After surgical correction of chronic organic mitral regurgitation, left ventricular dysfunction is frequent and valve repair decreases the severity of left ventricular dysfunction. And the most powerful predictor of postoperative left ventricular systolic function is preoperative left ventricular end-diastolic diameter measured by echocardiography.
Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency* ; Mitral Valve* ; Statistics as Topic ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

BACKGROUNDSeptic cardiomyopathy is a common finding in septic shock patients. The accepted definition of septic cardiomyopathy is often based on the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The aim of this study was to determine whether the left ventricular longitudinal systolic function was more sensitive than the LVEF in heart function appraisal of septic shock patients.

METHODSThis was a case-control study conducted at a 40-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Septic shock patients admitted to the ICU were consecutively enrolled in the study group from March 1, 2016 to September 1, 2016. The control group was selected from nonsepsis patients who were admitted to the ICU and were comparable to the study group. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed to obtain the LVEF measurement, mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE), tissue Doppler velocity measurement of mitral annulus (Sa), and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion.

RESULTSThe study group consisted of 45 septic shock patients. Another 45 nonsepsis patients were selected as the control group. There was no difference in the LVEF between the two groups (64.6% vs. 67.2%, t= -1.426, P= 0.161). MAPSE in the study group was much lower than in the control group (1.2 cm vs. 1.5 cm, t= -4.945, P< 0.001). Sa in the study group was also lower than in the control group (10.2 cm/s vs. 11.8 cm/s, t = -2.796, P= 0.014).

CONCLUSIONSCompared to the LVEF, longitudinal systolic function might be more sensitive in the detection of cardiac depression in septic shock patients. In the heart function appraisal of septic shock patients with a normal ejection fraction, more attention should be given to longitudinal function parameters such as MAPSE and Sa.

Aged ; Cardiomyopathies ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; physiology ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Shock, Septic ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Ventricular Function, Left ; physiology

To determine normal values for Doppler parameters of left ventricular function, ascending aortic blood flow velocity was measured by pulsed wave Doppler echocardiography in 63 healthy children with body surface area (BSA) <1 m(2) (age <10 yr). Peak velocity was independent of sex, but increased with body size. Mean acceleration was related to peak velocity (r=0.75, p<0.0001). Both stroke distance and ejection time had strong negative correlations with heart rate and positive correlations with BSA, suggesting that these parameters should be evaluated in relation to heart rate and body size. Mean intra- and interobserver variability for peak velocity, ejection time, stroke and minute distance ranged from 3 to 7%, whereas variability for acceleration time was 9 to 13%. These data may be used as reference values for the assessment of hemodynamic states in young children with cardiac disease.
Age Factors ; Aorta/*physiology ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Body Constitution ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Echocardiography, Doppler/*standards/statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Human ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Observer Variation ; Reference Values ; Stroke Volume

BACKGROUND: During clinical practice we found that left ventricular systolic function(LVSF) has been normalized in some patients with cardiomyopathy. We investigated the echocardiographic and clinical factors affecting normalization of LVSF in these patients. METHOD: The patients with LV systolic dysfunction(EF<40%) were evaluated with echocardiography, coronary angiography and/or 201-Thallium SPECT and follow-up echocardiography(FUE) one year later. They had no coronary, valvular, congenital heart diseases. Consecutive 50 patients with improved LVSF(EF> or =55%) in FUE were defined to Group 1(mean age 57+/-16, male 21, female 29, mean follow-up 18+/-6 month) and another consecutive 50 patients with sustained decreased LVSF(EF<40%) and no increment of EF over 10% in FUE were defined to Group 2(mean age 56+/-14, male 32, female 18, mean follow-up 20+/-6 month). RESULTS: By univariate analysis, significant factors affecting normalization of LVSF were female sex, non-smoker, first experience of dyspnea, absence of bundle branch block in ECG, end-diastolic dimension of LV(LVEDD), end-diastolic volume of LV(LVEDV), LA size, less sphericity, presence of pericardial effusion, peak and end systolic wall stress. By multivariate analysis, LVEDD(Group 1: 61+/-7, Group 2: 71+/-7mm, p<0.001), LVEDV(Group 1: 139+/-59, Group 2: 190+/-51ml, p<0.01), absence of bundle branch block in ECG and 1st attack of symptom were significant. By Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis, area under curve of LVEDD and LVEDV were 0.859(95%CI: 0.775-0.920) and 0.805(95%CI: 0.681-0.896), respectively. LVEDD< or =64mm predicted normalization of LVSF with a sensitivity 76% and a specificity 86%. CONCLUSION: Determination of cardiac dimension and volume by echocardiography is very important to predicting normalization of LV systolic function in primary myocardial disease. And this results suggest that myocardial structural integrity may be important for recovery of LV function in clinical setting.
Bundle-Branch Block ; Cardiomyopathies* ; Coronary Angiography ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography* ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pericardial Effusion ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Statistics as Topic ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

INTRODUCTIONHaemodynamic monitoring is an essential element in the management of critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, there have been increasing concerns about the clinical utility and safety profile of the invasive pulmonary artery catheter (PAC). Oesophageal Doppler (ED) monitoring has emerged recently as a safer and less invasive tool which can be used by the intensivist to estimate cardiac output in the critically ill patient. Validation studies have thus far only been performed in surgical patients perioperatively and in mixed surgical/medical ICU patients. Currently, minimal data are available in any sizeable Asian population or in patients with severe sepsis. The assumption that these normograms and data hold true for our local medical ICU patients may not be valid due to differences in body habitus.

MATERIALS AND METHODSOur primary aim is to validate the oesophageal Doppler as a reliable measure of cardiac index, systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and preload in our local Asian population of patients with severe sepsis and septic shock in the medical ICU. This was a prospective pilot study on 12 consecutive mechanically ventilated patients in our medical ICU with the diagnosis of septic shock as defined by SCCM/ESICM/ACCP/ATS/SIS International Sepsis definitions Conference-Critical Care Medicine 2003 and required PAC haemodynamic monitoring as indicated by Medical Intensive Care Unit attending.

RESULTSNinety-seven paired cardiac output measurements were made. Cardiac output ranged from 2.87 to 11.0 L/ min (calculated cardiac index ranging from 1.73 to 6.36 L/min/m2) when measured using the PAC with thermodilution technique and from 2.0 to 12.1 L/min (calculated cardiac index of 1.2 to 7.2 L/min/m2) using the trans-oesophageal Doppler. There was moderately good correlation between CIpac and CIed (correlation coefficient, r = 0.762 with PCA = 58%). The mean bias was 0.26 L/min/m2 (P <0.07), while the limit of agreement was +/- 1.44 L/min/m2.

CONCLUSIONED has good correlation with PAC in measuring cardiac index in Asians with septic shock but is an unreliable measure of both pre-load and SVR.

Cardiac Output ; Critical Care ; Critical Illness ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Esophagus ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pilot Projects ; Prospective Studies ; Pulmonary Artery ; Reproducibility of Results ; Shock, Septic ; diagnostic imaging ; Statistics as Topic ; Ultrasonography, Doppler

INTRODUCTIONElectrocardiographic (ECG) criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), such as the Cornell and Sokolow-Lyon voltage criteria were derived from Western populations. However, their utility and accuracy for diagnosing echocardiographic LVH in Asian populations is unclear. The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy of ECG criteria for LVH in Asians and to determine if alternative gender-specific ECG cut-offs may improve its diagnostic accuracy.

MATERIALS AND METHODSECG and echocardiographic assessments were performed on 668 community-dwelling Asian adults (50.9% women; 57 ± 10 years) in Singapore. The accuracy of ECG voltage criteria was compared to echocardiographic LVH criteria based on the American Society of Echocardiography guidelines, and Asian ethnicity and gender-specific partition values.

RESULTSEchocardiographic LVH was present in 93 (13.6%) adults. Cornell criteria had low sensitivity (5.5%) and high specificity (98.9%) for diagnosing LVH. Modified gender specific cut-offs (18 mm in women, 22 mm in men) improved sensitivity (8.8% to 17.5%, 0% to 14.7%, respectively) whilst preserving specificity (98.2% to 94.2%, 100% to 95.8%). Similarly, Sokolow-Lyon criteria had poor sensitivity (7.7%) and high specificity (96.1%) for diagnosing LVH. Lowering the cut-off value from 35 mm to 31 mm improved the sensitivity in women from 3.5% to 14% while preserving specificity at 94.2%. A cut-off of 36 mm was optimal in men (sensitivity of 14.7%, specificity of 95.5%).

CONCLUSIONCurrent ECG criteria for LVH derived in Western cohorts have limited sensitivity in Asian populations. Our data suggests that ethnicity- and gender-specific ECG criteria may be needed.

Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; statistics & numerical data ; Dimensional Measurement Accuracy ; Echocardiography ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; diagnosis ; ethnology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sex Factors ; Singapore ; epidemiology

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia worldwide and a potent independent risk factor for stroke. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of AF in a population-based sample of adults in a rural region of Korea. Between January 2005 and December 2009, 4,067 individuals (60.2 +/- 11.2 yr old, M: F = 1,582:2,485) over 21 who were residents of the county of Yangpyeong, Korea, participated in the study. AF was assessed on a resting 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) in 4,053 of the participants. Blood tests and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) were also performed to investigate the relationship between left ventricular mass and AF in the study group. Fifty-four cases (32 men) were diagnosed as AF among the 4,053 subjects. The crude prevalence of AF was 1.3%. It was highest (2.3%) among sixty- and seventy- year olds, and higher in men than women in all age groups over 50. The prevalence in men was 2.0%, and in women 0.9%. In univariate analysis, age, male gender, body mass index, total serum cholesterol, alanine transaminase, serum creatinine, adiponectin level, and ischemic heart disease were associated with AF. Among the TTE parameters, systolic and diastolic left ventricular systolic internal dimension (LVID), and LV ejection fraction were associated with AF. In this relatively healthy population in a rural area of Korea, the prevalence of AF is 1.3%, and increases with age. Of the TTE parameters, systolic and diastolic LVID and left atrial diameter are related to prevalence of AF.
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asymptomatic Diseases/*epidemiology ; Atrial Fibrillation/*epidemiology/*ultrasonography ; Causality ; Comorbidity ; Echocardiography/*statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Reproducibility of Results ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Rural Population/*statistics & numerical data ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sex Distribution ; Stroke/*epidemiology/ultrasonography ; Stroke Volume

Adenosine Monophosphate ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Aged ; Alanine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; therapeutic use ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Coronavirus Infections ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Pandemics ; statistics & numerical data ; Pneumonia, Viral ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; Sampling Studies ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Singapore ; Treatment Outcome

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cardiac Catheterization ; economics ; methods ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; economics ; methods ; Cardiac Valve Annuloplasty ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; epidemiology ; Septal Occluder Device ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Young Adult