Objective:To evaluate left ventricular function and myocardial ischemia in patients with different degrees of left anterior descending（LAD）coronary artery stenosis by using post-stress regional myocardial work（MW）and coronary flow reserve（CFR），and to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of each parameter for different degrees of stenosis in the LAD.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 76 patients with suspected coronary artery disease who underwent coronary angiography and attended the Fourth Affliiated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from January 2023 to June 2024. According to the degree of LAD stenosis，30 cases were categorized into the mild stenosis group（stenosis < 50%），25 cases in the moderate stenosis group（50%≤stenosis < 70%），and 21 cases in the severe stenosis group（70% ≤ stenosis ≤ 90%）. Transthoracic Doppler echocardiography was applied to obtain CFR LAD. Longitudinal strain in the left anterior descending region（LS LAD），peak strain dispersion（PSD），left anterior descending region work index（WI LAD）and left anterior descending region work efficiency（WE LAD）were obtained at rest and under stress，respectively. The LAD regional MW indexes were compared between the groups in two pairs. The correlation between CFR LAD and the degree of LAD stenosis was analyzed. ROC curves were plotted to compare the diagnostic efficacy of LAD regional MW parameters and CFR LAD for moderate and severe LAD stenosis. Results:①At rest：compared with the mild stenosis group，the absolute value of LS LAD，WI LAD，and WE LAD were reduced in the severe stenosis group，and the differences were statistically significant（all P < 0.05）. Compared with the moderate stenosis group，WE LAD was reduced in the severe stenosis group，and the difference was statistically significant（ P < 0.05）. Differences in two-by-two comparisons between groups in the resting state for the remaining parameters were not statistically significant（all P > 0.05）. Under stress：compared with the mild stenosis group，the absolute values of LS LAD，WI LAD，and WE LAD were reduced in the moderate and severe stenosis groups，and the PSD was increased in the severe stenosis group，and the differences were statistically significant（all P < 0.05）. Compared with the moderate stenosis group，the absolute values of LS LAD，WI LAD，and WE LAD were reduced in the severe stenosis group，and the differences were statistically significant（all P < 0.05）. Differences between two-by-two comparisons between groups in the remaining parameters at loading state were not statistically significant（all P > 0.05）. ②CFR LAD was negatively correlated with the degree of LAD stenosis（ r = -0.809， P < 0.05）. ③The ROC curves showed that the peak WE LAD of the regional MW parameters predicated the largest area under the ROC curve（AUC）for moderate and severe stenosis in LAD，0.803 and 0.897，respectively，with cutoff values of 92.5% and 91.5%. The cutoffs of CFR LAD ≤ 2.5 and CFR LAD ≤ 2.0 predicted the greatest AUC for moderate and severe stenosis in LAD at 0.743 and 0.901，respectively. Peak WE LAD combined with CFR LAD predicted the greatest AUC for moderate and severe stenosis in LAD at 0.826 and 0.967，respectively. Conclusions:Regional MW parameters and CFR LAD can sensitively detect left ventricular hypo-function in patients with different degrees of stenosis in LAD. Peak WE LAD and CFR LAD are reliable predictors of moderate and severe stenosis in LAD. A combination of the two techniques can significantly improve diagnostic efficacy.

Purpose To explore the clinical value of real-time three-dimensional automatic left atrial quantification technology in evaluating left atrial volume and function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF).Materials and Methods A total of 65 patients diagnosed as HFpEF at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from December 2021 to October 2023 were prospectively enrolled.The control group included 65 healthy subjects who underwent ultrasound examination during the same period and were matched with the HFpEF group in terms of age and gender.According to the New York Heart Association(NYHA)cardiac function classification,patients with NYHA grade Ⅰ+Ⅱ were classified into the HFpEF group A,and those with grade Ⅲ+Ⅳ into the HFpEF group B.Relevant clinical data,conventional ultrasound parameters and three-dimensional ultrasound parameters were recorded in both the HFpEF group and the control group.Left atrial volume parameters,longitudinal strain parameters and circumferential strain parameters were analyzed.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to compare the diagnostic efficacy of left atrial functional parameters for HFpEF.Results Compared with the control group,the HFpEF group exhibited significant abnormalities in cardiac structure and function.Specifically,left ventricular posterior wall thickness,interventricular septal thickness at end-diastole,and mean E/e′ were significantly increased(t=-5.127,-5.886,-16.670,all P<0.05),while the absolute value of left ventricular global longitudinal strain(LVGLS)and septal and lateral mitral annular e′ were significantly decreased(t=-17.092,40.279,45.412,all P<0.05).All left atrial volume parameters were significantly increased,whereas left atrial functional and strain parameters were significantly decreased(t=-13.632-6.912,all P<0.05).Compared with HFpEF group A,HFpEF group B showed lower left atrial total emptying fraction,left atrial expansion index,left atrial contraction strain and absolute value of LVGLS(t=2.062,3.545,-2.189,-2.586),as well as a higher left atrial minimum volume(t=-2.187),respectively(all P<0.05).Left atrial reservoir strain was negatively correlated with N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and mean E/e′(r=-0.395,-0.626,both P<0.05),and positively correlated with the absolute value of LVGLS(r=0.602,P<0.05).The LASr and LAEI had high predictive value for HFpEF,with area under the curve of 0.898 and 0.817,cut-off values of 20.5%and 112%,sensitivities of 96.9%and 83.1%,specificities of 75.4%and 78.5%,and Youden indices of 0.723 and 0.616,respectively.Conclusion Real-time three-dimensional automatic left atrial quantification technology enables early and sensitive detection of left atrial dysfunction in HFpEF.Among the parameters derived,LASr(a strain parameter)and LAEI(a functional parameter)exhibit high diagnostic efficacy for HFpEF.

Purpose To explore the clinical value of real-time three-dimensional automatic left atrial quantification technology in evaluating left atrial volume and function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF).Materials and Methods A total of 65 patients diagnosed as HFpEF at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from December 2021 to October 2023 were prospectively enrolled.The control group included 65 healthy subjects who underwent ultrasound examination during the same period and were matched with the HFpEF group in terms of age and gender.According to the New York Heart Association(NYHA)cardiac function classification,patients with NYHA grade Ⅰ+Ⅱ were classified into the HFpEF group A,and those with grade Ⅲ+Ⅳ into the HFpEF group B.Relevant clinical data,conventional ultrasound parameters and three-dimensional ultrasound parameters were recorded in both the HFpEF group and the control group.Left atrial volume parameters,longitudinal strain parameters and circumferential strain parameters were analyzed.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to compare the diagnostic efficacy of left atrial functional parameters for HFpEF.Results Compared with the control group,the HFpEF group exhibited significant abnormalities in cardiac structure and function.Specifically,left ventricular posterior wall thickness,interventricular septal thickness at end-diastole,and mean E/e′ were significantly increased(t=-5.127,-5.886,-16.670,all P<0.05),while the absolute value of left ventricular global longitudinal strain(LVGLS)and septal and lateral mitral annular e′ were significantly decreased(t=-17.092,40.279,45.412,all P<0.05).All left atrial volume parameters were significantly increased,whereas left atrial functional and strain parameters were significantly decreased(t=-13.632-6.912,all P<0.05).Compared with HFpEF group A,HFpEF group B showed lower left atrial total emptying fraction,left atrial expansion index,left atrial contraction strain and absolute value of LVGLS(t=2.062,3.545,-2.189,-2.586),as well as a higher left atrial minimum volume(t=-2.187),respectively(all P<0.05).Left atrial reservoir strain was negatively correlated with N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and mean E/e′(r=-0.395,-0.626,both P<0.05),and positively correlated with the absolute value of LVGLS(r=0.602,P<0.05).The LASr and LAEI had high predictive value for HFpEF,with area under the curve of 0.898 and 0.817,cut-off values of 20.5%and 112%,sensitivities of 96.9%and 83.1%,specificities of 75.4%and 78.5%,and Youden indices of 0.723 and 0.616,respectively.Conclusion Real-time three-dimensional automatic left atrial quantification technology enables early and sensitive detection of left atrial dysfunction in HFpEF.Among the parameters derived,LASr(a strain parameter)and LAEI(a functional parameter)exhibit high diagnostic efficacy for HFpEF.

Objective:To evaluate left ventricular function and myocardial ischemia in patients with different degrees of left anterior descending（LAD）coronary artery stenosis by using post-stress regional myocardial work（MW）and coronary flow reserve（CFR），and to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of each parameter for different degrees of stenosis in the LAD.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 76 patients with suspected coronary artery disease who underwent coronary angiography and attended the Fourth Affliiated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from January 2023 to June 2024. According to the degree of LAD stenosis，30 cases were categorized into the mild stenosis group（stenosis < 50%），25 cases in the moderate stenosis group（50%≤stenosis < 70%），and 21 cases in the severe stenosis group（70% ≤ stenosis ≤ 90%）. Transthoracic Doppler echocardiography was applied to obtain CFR LAD. Longitudinal strain in the left anterior descending region（LS LAD），peak strain dispersion（PSD），left anterior descending region work index（WI LAD）and left anterior descending region work efficiency（WE LAD）were obtained at rest and under stress，respectively. The LAD regional MW indexes were compared between the groups in two pairs. The correlation between CFR LAD and the degree of LAD stenosis was analyzed. ROC curves were plotted to compare the diagnostic efficacy of LAD regional MW parameters and CFR LAD for moderate and severe LAD stenosis. Results:①At rest：compared with the mild stenosis group，the absolute value of LS LAD，WI LAD，and WE LAD were reduced in the severe stenosis group，and the differences were statistically significant（all P < 0.05）. Compared with the moderate stenosis group，WE LAD was reduced in the severe stenosis group，and the difference was statistically significant（ P < 0.05）. Differences in two-by-two comparisons between groups in the resting state for the remaining parameters were not statistically significant（all P > 0.05）. Under stress：compared with the mild stenosis group，the absolute values of LS LAD，WI LAD，and WE LAD were reduced in the moderate and severe stenosis groups，and the PSD was increased in the severe stenosis group，and the differences were statistically significant（all P < 0.05）. Compared with the moderate stenosis group，the absolute values of LS LAD，WI LAD，and WE LAD were reduced in the severe stenosis group，and the differences were statistically significant（all P < 0.05）. Differences between two-by-two comparisons between groups in the remaining parameters at loading state were not statistically significant（all P > 0.05）. ②CFR LAD was negatively correlated with the degree of LAD stenosis（ r = -0.809， P < 0.05）. ③The ROC curves showed that the peak WE LAD of the regional MW parameters predicated the largest area under the ROC curve（AUC）for moderate and severe stenosis in LAD，0.803 and 0.897，respectively，with cutoff values of 92.5% and 91.5%. The cutoffs of CFR LAD ≤ 2.5 and CFR LAD ≤ 2.0 predicted the greatest AUC for moderate and severe stenosis in LAD at 0.743 and 0.901，respectively. Peak WE LAD combined with CFR LAD predicted the greatest AUC for moderate and severe stenosis in LAD at 0.826 and 0.967，respectively. Conclusions:Regional MW parameters and CFR LAD can sensitively detect left ventricular hypo-function in patients with different degrees of stenosis in LAD. Peak WE LAD and CFR LAD are reliable predictors of moderate and severe stenosis in LAD. A combination of the two techniques can significantly improve diagnostic efficacy.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) in rapid prenatal diagnosis of aneuploidies. Methods Twenty-two short tandem repeats (STR) and AMXY located on chromosome 13,18,21,X and Y were used as markers to examine 1740 samples from high risk pregnant women in Down syndrome screening and advanced maternal age(≥35 yrs) by QF-PCR.Samples were also tested by karyotype analysis and the results of the two methods were compared. Results Karyotype analysis and QF-PCR results were successfully obtained from 1690 samples. All QF-PCR reports were obtained within 48 hours after sample collection.For 1639 samples,normal results were obtained by both karyotype analysis and QF-PCR.Among 51 samples that were found abnormal by karyotype analysis,41 were abnormal in QF-PCR.The rapid tests found all numerical abnormalities involving chromosome 21,18,13,X and Y in prenatal diagnosis,including trisomy 21 (n =30),trisomy 18 (n =6),45,XO (n =1 ),47,XYY (n=1),47,XXX (n=1),69,XXX (n=1) and mosaic 47,XXY[94]/46,XX[6] (n=1)(47,XXY in QF-PCR).No false positive results were found.The results obtained by QF-PCR were consistent with those of cytogenetic studies in 99.4％ of the samples (1680/1690).Only ten cases of mosain and structural abnormality could not be found (0.6％,10/1690) by QF-PCR. Conclusions Rapid QF-PCR test might diagnose all aneuploidies involving chromosome 21,18,13,X and Y.It could provide rapid and accurate diagnosis for 99.4％ pregnant women with positive Down syndrome screening and advanced maternal age.