BACKGROUND: Aortic banding and debanding models have provided useful information on the development and regression of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). In this animal study, we aimed to evaluate left ventricular (LV) deformation related to the development and regression of LVH. METHODS: Minimally invasive ascending aorta banding was performed in rats (10 Sprague Dawley rats, 7 weeks). Ten rats underwent a sham operation. Thirty-five days later, the band was removed. Echocardiographic and histopathologic analysis was assessed at pre-banding, 35 days of banding and 14 days of debanding. RESULTS: Banding of the ascending aorta created an expected increase in the aortic velocity and gradient, which normalized with the debanding procedure. Pressure overload resulted in a robust hypertrophic response as assessed by gross and microscopic histology, transthoracic echocardiography [heart weight/tibia length (g/m); 21.0 +/- 0.8 vs. 33.2 +/- 2.0 vs. 26.6 +/- 2.8, p < 0.001]. The circumferential (CS) and radial strains were not different between the groups. However, there were significant differences in the degree of fibrosis according to the banding status (fibrosis; 0.10 +/- 0.20% vs. 5.26 +/- 3.12% vs. 4.03 +/- 3.93%, p = 0.003), and global CS showed a significant correlation with the degree of myocardial fibrosis in this animal model (r = 0.688, p = 0.028). CONCLUSION: In this animal study, simulating a severe LV pressure overload state, a significant increase in the LV mass index did not result in a significant reduction in the LV mechanical parameters. The degree of LV fibrosis, which developed with pressure overload, was significantly related to the magnitude of left ventricular mechanics.
Animals ; Aorta* ; Echocardiography ; Fibrosis ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Mechanics* ; Models, Animal* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

BACKGROUND: The aim of study is to identify the dependence of right ventricular (RV) free wall longitudinal deformation on ventricular loading through segmental approach in relatively large number of patients with atrial septal defect (ASD). METHODS: Patients with ASD (n = 114) and age matched healthy children (n = 60) were echocardiographically examined the day before percutaneous device closure and within 24 hours afterwards. RV free wall deformation parameters, strain (small je, Ukrainian) and strain rate (SR), were analyzed in the apical (small je, Ukrainian(A), SR(A)) and basal (small je, Ukrainian(B), SR(B)) segments. Measured deformation parameters were adjusted for RV size (small je, Ukrainian(AL), SR(AL), small je, Ukrainian(BL), SR(BL)) by multiplying by body surface area indexed RV longitudinal dimension. Regression analyses determined the relationships of these deformation parameters with RV loading parameters that were measured by catheterization. RESULTS: small je, Ukrainian(BL) and SR(BL) were not different between pre-closure patients and controls (p = 0.245, p = 0.866), and were decreased post-closure (p = 0.001, p = 0.018). Post-closure small je, Ukrainian(BL) was lower than in controls (p = 0.001). Pre-closure small je, Ukrainian(AL) and SR(AL) were higher than in controls (p = 0.001, p < 0.001), but decreased after closure (all p < 0.001). The pulmonary to systemic flow ratio was related to procedural differences of small je, Ukrainian(BL) (p = 0.017) and of SR(BL) (p = 0.019). RV end diastolic pressure was negatively related to post-closure small je, Ukrainian(BL) (p = 0.020) and post-closure SR(BL) (p = 0.012), and the procedural SR(BL) difference (p = 0.027). CONCLUSION: The longitudinal deformation of the RV basal segment is dependent and its remodeling is also dependent on volume loading in children with ASD.
Blood Pressure ; Body Surface Area ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Child* ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial* ; Humans ; Ventricular Function, Right

No abstract available.
Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular*

The widespread use of echocardiography has contributed to the early recognition of several distinct cardiac diseases in women. During pregnancy, safe monitoring of the disease process, as well as a better understanding of hemodynamics, is possible. During the use of potentially cardiotoxic drugs for breast cancer chemotherapy, echocardiographic patient monitoring is vital. Compared to men, the addition of an imaging modality to routine electrocardiogram monitoring during stress testing is more informative for diagnosing coronary disease in women. This review briefly discusses the role of echocardiography in the management of several women-specific cardiac diseases where echocardiography plays a pivotal role in disease management.
Breast Neoplasms ; Coronary Disease ; Disease Management ; Drug Therapy ; Echocardiography* ; Electrocardiography ; Exercise Test ; Female ; Heart Diseases* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; Pregnancy

Ventricular myocardial non-compaction has been recognized and defined as a genetic cardiomyopathy by American Heart Association since 2006. The argument on the nomenclature and pathogenesis of this kind of ventricular myocardial non-compaction characterized by regional ventricular wall thickening and deep trabecular recesses often complicated with chronic heart failure, arrhythmia and thromboembolism and usually overlap the genetics and phenotypes of other kind of genetic or mixed cardiomyopathy still exist. The proper classification and correct nomenclature of the non-compact ventricles will contribute to the precisely and completely understanding of etiology and its related patho-physiological mechanism for a better risk stratification and more personalized therapy of the disease individually. All of the genetic heterogeneity and phenotypical overlap and the variety in histopathological, electromechanical and clinical presentation indicates that some of the cardiomyopathies might just be the different consequence of myocardial development variations related to gene mutation and phenotype of one or group genes induced by the interacted and disturbed process of gene modulation at different links of gene function expression and some other etiologies. This review aims to establish a new concept of "ventricular non-compaction syndrome" based on the demonstration of the current findings of etiology, epidemiology, histopathology and echocardiography related to the disorder of ventricular myocardial compaction and myocardial electromechanical function development.
American Heart Association ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cardiomyopathies* ; Classification ; Echocardiography ; Epidemiology ; Genetic Heterogeneity ; Genetics ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Phenotype ; Thromboembolism

No abstract available.
Chest Pain ; Echocardiography ; Esophageal Achalasia ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Thorax

No abstract available.
Endocarditis ; Sinus of Valsalva

Although cardiac papillary fibroelastoma is rare, it is the most common primary tumor of cardiac valves. The clinical presentation of these tumors varies from asymptomatic to embolic complications. We report an asymptomatic case of papillary fibroelastoma of mitral valve which was diagnosed by transthoracic echocardiography. The tumor was successfully resected by surgery.
Echocardiography ; Heart Valves ; Mitral Valve

A 53-year-old man complained of orthostatic, non-rotating dizziness, and chronic watery diarrhea of several years duration. His nerve-conduction velocity test revealed peripheral sensory-motor polyneuropathy and he showed an autonomic function abnormality. Echocardiographic examination showed ventricular and atrial wall thickening with a granular "sparkling" appearance. Left ventricular systolic function was preserved but pseudonormal diastolic dysfunction was present. Coronary angiography showed normal coronary arteries and an endomyocardial biopsy revealed lesions consistent with cardiac amyloidosis. Colonoscopic biopsy also revealed the deposition of amyloid fibrils. Gene analysis found the transthyretin variant Asp38Ala. His son had same mutation, but three daughters did not. In conclusion, we report a case of familial transthyretin amyloidosis with Asp38Ala.
Amyloid ; Amyloid Neuropathies, Familial ; Amyloidosis ; Biopsy ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels ; Diarrhea ; Dizziness ; Hypotension, Orthostatic ; Nuclear Family ; Polyneuropathies ; Prealbumin

Carbon monoxide is a nonirritant, odorless, colorless gas. Its effects are prominent in organs most sensitive to oxygen deprivation, such as the heart, brain, and kidney. Although less frequently, an association between thromboembolic events and carbon monoxide poisoning has been shown in the literatures. In this case, we report a case of atrial thrombus associated with carbon monoxide poisoning.
Brain ; Carbon ; Carbon Monoxide ; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ; Heart ; Heart Atria ; Kidney ; Oxygen ; Thrombosis