Objective:To evaluate the right ventricular function in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) by four-dimensional automatic right ventricular quantitative analysis (4D Auto RVQ), and compare with the right ventricular ejection fraction measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR-RVEF), and to explore the clinical application value of 4D Auto RVQ technique in evaluating the right ventricular function of patients with DCM.Methods:A prospective study was conducted to select 52 patients with DCM who were treated in Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital of Zhengzhou University from March to October 2022 as DCM group, and 52 healthy volunteers were selected as the control group during the same period. The four-dimensional right ventricular ejection fraction (4D-RVEF), right ventricular stroke volume index (RVSVI), right ventricular end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVI), right ventricular end-systolic volume index (RVESVI), four-dimensional right ventricular basal diameter (4D-RVDd-base), four-dimensional right ventricular middle diameter (4D-RVDd-mid), four-dimensional right ventricular long axis diameter (4D-RVLd), four-dimensional tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (4D-TAPSE) and four-dimensional right ventricular fractional area change (4D-RVFAC) were obtained by 4D Auto RVQ technique. The differences of the above parameters between DCM group and control group were compared.Pearson linear correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between echocardiographic parameters and CMR-RVEF. The ROC curve was used to find the most sensitive parameters for evaluating right ventricular function, and the area under the ROC curve ( AUC ) was calculated and compared.Results:Compared with the control group, RVEDVI, RVESVI, 4D-RVDd-base and 4D-RVDd-mid in the DCM group were increased, and the absolute values of 4D-RVEF, 4D-TAPSE, 4D-RVFAC, right ventricular global longitudinal strain(RVGLS) and right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain(RVFWLS) were decreased (all P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that 4D-RVEF was positively correlated with CMR-RVEF ( r=0.711, P<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that 4D-RVEF was superior to other parameters in evaluating right ventricular function in DCM patients (AUC: 0.916). Conclusions:4D Auto RVQ technique can quantitatively evaluate right ventricular function in DCM patients. 4D-RVEF has a significant correlation with CMR-RVEF, and 4D-RVEF has the best efficacy in evaluating right ventricular function in DCM patients.

Objective:To evaluate left atrial(LA) function and its value in predicting left ventricular(LV) remodeling in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) by four dimensional automatic left atrial quantitation (4D Auto LAQ).Methods:A total of 176 patients with CHD were prospectively enrolled in Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital from October 2021 to September 2022. They were divided into two groups according to left ventricular mass index: LV remodeling group (female>95 g/m 2, male>115 g/m 2, n=88) and Non-LV remodeling group (female≤95 g/m 2, male≤115 g/m 2, n=88). The 3D dynamic image of LA was analyzed by 4D Auto LAQ on machine to obtain the LA parameters, including the minimum, maximum, pre-systolic and emptying volumes of LA (LAVmin, LAVmax, LAVpreA, LAEV), LA ejection fraction (LAEF), LA reservoir longitudinal and circumferential strains (LASr, LASr-c), LA conduit longitudinal and circumferential strains (LAScd, LAScd-c) and LA contraction longitudinal and circumferential strains (LASct, LASct-c). Logistic regression models were used to analyze the value of LA parameters in predicting LV remodeling in patients with CHD. ROC curve was used to evaluate LA parameters and left atrial volume index (LAVI) to predict the diagnostic efficiency of LV remodeling. Results:Compared with the Non-LV remodeling group, LAVmin, LAVmax, LAVpreA were significantly increased and LAEF, LASr, LAScd, LASct, LASr-c, LAScd-c, LASct-c were significantly decreased in the LV remodeling group ( P<0.05). Logistic regression model showed that LASct-c was an independent risk factor for LV remodeling in patients with CHD after adjustment( OR=2.018, 95% CI=1.214-3.355). ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of LASct-c for predicting LV remodeling in CHD patients was 0.844, the sensitivity was 0.784, and the specificity was 0.761. Conclusions:4D Auto LAQ can effectively evaluate LA function in patients with CHD.LASct-c can be used as a reference index to predict LV remodeling in patients with CHD, which provides a new evaluation method in prognosis evaluation of CHD patients.

Objective:To analyze the left atrial (LA) function and predict the value of diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in patients with heart failure (HF) by four-dimensional automatic left atrial quantitation (4D Auto LAQ) technology.Methods:A total of 90 patients with HF(LVDD group) and 30 healthy volunteers (control group)were enrolled from January 2021 to July 2021 in Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital. The patients with HF were divided into 3 groups according to the degree of LVDD: grade Ⅰ( n=30), grade Ⅱ( n=30), grade Ⅲ( n=30). Four-dimensional dynamic images of LA were collected by 4D Auto LAQ technology for on-machine analysis. LA volume and strain parameters were obtained, including LA maximum volume index (LAVImax), LA reservoir longitudinal and circumferential strains (LASr, LASr-c), LA conduit longitudinal and circumferential strains (LAScd, LAScd-c) and LA contraction longitudinal and circumferential strains (LASct, LASct-c). Pearson linear correlation was used to analyze the correlation between LA strain parameters and diastolic function parameters (LAVImax, E/A, E/e′) in HF patients. ROC curves were plotted to analyze the diagnostic performance of LA strain parameters and LAVImax for grade Ⅲ LVDD, the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated and pairwise comparisons were made. Results:①Compared with the control group, LAVmin, LAVpreA, LAScd, LASct, LAScd-c, and LASct-c were increased, and LASr, and LASr-c were decreased in the grade Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ LVDD groups (all P<0.05). LAVmin, LAVpreA, LAVmax, LAVImax, LAScd, LASct, LAScd-c and LASct-c were increased, and LASr and LASr-c were decreased in grade Ⅲ LVDD group compared with grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ LVDD groups (all P<0.05). ②Pearson correlation analysis showed that LASr, LASct, LASr-c and LASct-c were strongly correlated with diastolic function parameters (LAVImax, E/A, E/e′) (all P<0.01). ③ROC curve analysis showed that LASr-c had significantly better performance (AUC 0.868, sensitivity 96.7%, specificity 66.7%) than other parameters in the diagnosis of grade Ⅲ LVDD. Conclusions:4D Auto LAQ can effectively evaluate the LA volume and function in patients with HF. LASr-c is optimal in predicting grade Ⅲ LVDD, 4D Auto LAQ provides a new reference for evaluating diastolic function in patients with HF.

Objective:To evaluate the left atrial structure and function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) at different stages by four-dimensional automatic left atrial quantitation (4D-LAQ) and to explore the independent correlative factors affecting left atrial function of patients.Methods:Ninety-six patients who were diagnosed with T2DM in Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital endocrinology from December 2020 to October 2021 were selected as the case group, all cases were divided into two groups according to whether or not they have the microvascular complication: 48 patients with simple diabetes in DM1 group, 48 patients with microvascular complications in DM2 group. Forty-eight healthy volunteers during the same period were randomly recruited as the control group. Left atrial diameter (LAD), inter-ventricular septal thickness (IVST), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), peak value of early diastolic velocity of mitral inflow (E), peak value of late diastolic velocity of mitral inflow (A), peak value of early diastolic tissue Doppler velocity of septal and lateral walls of mitral annulus (septal e′, lateral e′) were routinely measured, E/A, mean e′ and mean E/e′ were calculated.4D-LAQ technique was used to obtain left atrial minimum volume (LAVmin), left atrial maximum volume (LAVmax), left atrial pre-systolic volume (LAVpreA), left atrial maximum volume index (LAVImax), left atrial total emptying fraction (LAEF), left atrial reservoir longitudinal strain (LASr), left atrial conduit longitudinal strain (LAScd) and left atrial contraction longitudinal strain (LASct). The differences of left atrial parameters among three groups were compared. The independent correlation factors affecting left atrial function were investigated by univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses.Results:Compared with the control group, LAEF, LASr and LAScd were decreased in the DM1 group (all P<0.05), there were no significant differences in LAVImax, LAVIpreA and LAVImin between the two groups (all P>0.05). Compared with the control group and DM1 group, LAEF, LASr and LAScd were decreased, LAVImax, LAVIpreA and LAVImin were increased in the DM2 group (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in LASct among the three groups (all P>0.05). Multivariate linear regression analyses showed duration of diabetes was independently and negatively correlated with LASr (β=-0.405, P<0.001); Body mass index(BMI) and E were independently and negatively correlated with LAScd(β=-0.159, P=0.049; β=-0.408, P<0.001), and duration of diabetes and E/e′ were independently and positively correlated with LAScd(β=0.399, P<0.001; β=0.253, P=0.004). Conclusions:Left atrial reservoir function and conduit function are impaired in T2DM patients, and deteriotated as the disease progresses. Duration of diabetes, BMI, E and E/e′ are the independent correlative factors affecting left atrial function.

Objective:To evaluate the distribution of diastolic left ventricular pressure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by relative pressure imaging (RPI) based on vector flow mapping (VFM), and to explore the clinical risk factors for the diastolic left ventricular pressure distribution.Methods:Thirty patients with T2DM and thirty normal controls were included from August 2020 to July 2021 in Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital. All selected subjects underwent conventional echocardiography.Left intraventricular pressure difference (IVPD) and left intraventricular pressure gradient (IVPG) were measured using RPI of VFM in isovolumic relaxation (IR), rapid filling (RF), atrial contraction (AC), isovolumic contraction (IC) and rapid ejection (RE) phases. The relationships between IVPD with other parameters were analyzed.Results:①Compared with the control group, E/A, e′, IVPD-IR, IVPG-IR, IVPD-RF, IVPG-RF, IVPD-AC, and IVPG-AC were significantly lower and E/e′ was significantly greater in the T2DM group ( P<0.05). ②IVPD-IR, IVPD-RF, and IVPD-AC were positively correlated with E/A ( r=0.309, P<0.05; r=0.274, P<0.05; r=0.273, P<0.05). IVPD-IR, IVPD-RF, and IVPD-AC were negatively correlated with E/e′ ( r=-0.587, P<0.05; r=-0.273, P<0.05; r=-0.415, P<0.05). IVPD-IR and IVPD-AC were positively correlated with e′ ( r=0.451, P<0.05; r=0.431, P<0.05). ③Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that hemoglobin A 1c (HbA 1c) was an independent risk factor affecting IVPD-IR, IVPD-RF, and IVPD-AC (β=-0.417, P<0.05; β=-0.451, P<0.05; β=-0.460, P<0.05). Conclusions:RPI of VFM can quantitatively evaluate diastolic left ventricular pressure distribution in patients with T2DM. HbA 1c is an independent risk factor affecting IVPD-IR, IVPD-RF, and IVPD-AC.

Objective:To explore the application of four-dimensional automatic left atrial quantitation (4D LAQ) in evaluating left atrial function in patients with essential hypertension (EH) and to find the independent correlative factors affecting left atrial function.Methods:Fifty patients with EH(EH group) and fifty healthy controls(control group) were selected from Fuwai Center China Cardiovascular Hospital from September 2020 to January 2021. Conventional two-dimensional echocardiography was performed, and 4D LAQ parameters, including left atrial minimum volume (LAVmin), left atrial maximum volume (LAVmax), left atrial pre-systolic volume (LAVpreA), left atrial maximum volume index (LAVImax), left atrial reservoir longitudinal strain (LASr), left atrial conduit longitudinal strain (LAScd) and left atrial contraction longitudinal strain (LASct) was analyzed. The independent sample t-test or rank sum test was used to compare the EH group with the normal control group, and ROC curves were used to find the most sensitive parameters for evaluating left atrial function and their correlations were investigated by univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses. Results:Compared with the control group, there was no difference in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ( P>0.05), LAVmin, LAVmax, LAVpreA and LAVImax increased significantly (all P<0.05), the absolute values of LASr, LAScd and LASct were decreased (all P<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that LASr had the best performance in evaluating left atrial function in EH patients (AUC: 0.929), systolic blood pressure (SBP), relative wall thickness (RWT) and E/e′ were negatively correlated with LASr (β=-0.308, P<0.05; β=-0.219, P<0.05; β=-0.359, P<0.05). Conclusions:4D LAQ can early identify the changes of left atrial function in EH patients, and the longitudinal strain in the left atrial reservoir period, left atrial conduit period and left atrial contraction period are all impaired in EH patients. LASr has the highest evaluation efficiency in evaluating the left atrial function, and SBP, RWT and E/e′ are independently correlated with LASr.

Objective:To explore the effects of video education based on multidisciplinary collaboration combined with popular science atlas in pregnant women with fetal congenital heart disease (CHD) .Methods:Taking the establishment time of multidisciplinary collaborative health education team in December 2019 as the boundary, the 60 cases of pregnant women with fetal CHD in the Outpatient Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Cardiac Surgery of Henan Provincial People's Hospital and Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital from February to November 2019 were included in the control group, and the 60 cases from December 2019 to October 2020 were included in the observation group, by convenience sampling method. The control group was given routine nursing, and the observation group was given video education based on multidisciplinary collaboration combined with popular science atlas. The scores of Exercise of Self-Care Agency Scale (ESCA) , State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Form Y (STAI-Y) , Trait Anxiety Inventory (T-AI) , Beck Depression Inventory (BID) and Disease-Related Knowledge Mastery Questionnaire were compared between the two groups before and after intervention. Apgar score and mode of delivery were compared between the two groups.Results:After the intervention, the scores of self-care skills, self-care responsibility, health knowledge and self-concept of the observation group were higher than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.01) . The scores of STAI-Y, T-AI and BID of the observation group were all lower than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.01) . After the intervention, the scores of each dimension and total score of the disease-related knowledge mastery questionnaire of the observation group were higher than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.01) . There was no statistically significant difference in the neonatal Apgar scores at 1 min and 5 min and delivery mode between the two groups ( P>0.05) . Conclusions:Video education based on multidisciplinary collaboration combined with popular science atlas can improve the psychological states of pregnant women with fetal CHD to some extent, and enhance the mastery of disease-related knowledge and self-care ability.

Objective: To explore the application value of pressure-strain loop (PSL) in evaluating left ventricular myocardial work (MW) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods: Seventy patients with CHF were selected as case group(CHF group) and were divided into 2 groups according to the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in ultrasonic cardiogram: LVEF preserve group (HFpEF group, LVEF≥50%, n=35) and LVEF reduced group (HFrEF group, LVEF<50%, n=35). Thirty-three healthy volunteers were selected as control group at the same period. Two-dimensional dynamic images in apical two chamber, three chamber and four chamber views were collected by two-dimensional speckle-tracking. Using the off-line EchoPAC software, a tracing analysis was conducted and the blood pressure was entered to obtain left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS), global MW index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW) and MW efficiency (GWE). The differences of GLS and MW parameters (GWI, GCW, GWW, GWE) were compared between each groups, and Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between MW parameters and LVEF. Results: Compared with the control group and HFpEF group, the left atrial dimension(LAD), left ventricular end-diastolic dimension(LVDd), left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV), left ventricular end-systolic volume(LVESV) in HFrEF group increased, while LVEF decreased significantly(P<0.05). Compared with the control group, LAD in HFpEF group increased, the vaules of GLS, GWI, GCW were obviously lower in HFpEF group and HFrEF group(all P<0.05), GWW was higher and GWE was lower in HFrEF group(all P<0.05). GLS, GWI, GCW, GWE decreased and GWW increased in HFrEF group than those in HFpEF group, and all the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05). In CHF group, GWW was negatively correlated with LVEF (r=-0.521, P<0.001) while positive correlations between GWI, GCW, GWE and LVEF were discovered (r=0.846, 0.807, 0.788; all P<0.001). Conclusions PSL can effectively evaluate the left ventricular MW in CHF patients. It has a certain correlation with LVEF and can reflect left ventricular systolic function. It provides a new reference index for the clinical diagnosis and evaluation of prognosis in CHF patients.

Objective:To quantitatively evaluate the global myocardial work of left ventricle in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) by left ventricular pressure-strain loops (PSL).Methods:Forty patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Henan Provincial People′s Hospital from February 2019 to October 2019 were chosen as case group.According to the decreased level of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), CKD patients were divided into CKD 2-3 stage group( n=20) and CKD 4-5 stage group( n=20), and 20 healthy volunteers were selected as control group.The working parameters of the global left ventricular myocardium including the global work index (GWI), the global constructive work (GCW), the global wasted work (GWW), the global work efficiency (GWE) were measured by the left ventricular PSL, and the differences of the parameters among the three groups were compared. Results:Compared with the control group, the GWI, GCW, GWW in the CKD 2-3 stage group and CKD 4-5 group were significantly higher and the GWE was lower than those in the control group differences were all (all P<0.05). Compared with the CKD 2-3 stage group, the GWI and GCW of the CKD 4-5 stage group were increased (all P<0.05), but there were no significant differences in GWW and GWE ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Left ventricular PSL provides a new method for evaluating the changes of left ventricular systolic function in patients with CKD.

Objective To investigate the clinical application value of longitudinal peak strain( LPS ) and peak strain dispersion ( PSD ) in evaluating left ventricular systolic function and synchrony in patients with essential hypertension . Methods Fifty‐five patients with essential hypertension were enrolled , including 30 patients with non‐left ventricular hypertrophy ( NLV H ) , 25 patients with left ventricular hypertrophy ( LV H ) , at the same time , 30 healthy volunteers were selected as the control group . Echocardiography was performed in all three groups ,and two‐dimensional dynamic images of the left ventricular apical four‐chamber ,three‐chamber ,and two‐chamber′s long‐axis view s were collected for three consecutive cardiac cycles . T he myocardial layer‐specific strain was used to measure the LPS of the left ventricular myocardium of subendocardium ,the middle layer ,the subepicardium ,and the myocardial strain and the PSD of the w hole myocardial layers . Correlation analysis and ROC curve analysis were performed . Results T he LPS in the control group ,NLV H group and LV H group were decreased in turn from inner to out myocardial layers . Compared with the control group , the LPS in the subendocardial , middle , subepicardial ,and w hole myocardial layer of NLV H group were decreased ( P ＜ 0 .05 ) , and the subepicardial myocardial LPS was slightly lower than that in the control group ,the difference was not statistically significant ( P ＞ 0 .05 ) . T he LPS in the subendocardial , middle , subepicardial ,and whole myocardial layer of LV H group were all reduced ( P＜0 .05) . Between the NLV H group and LV H group , the declines of the LPS in the subendocardial and middle layer in the LV H group were statistically significant ( P ＜0 .05) ,the LPS in the subepicardial layer and the w hole myocardial layer had no significant difference ( P ＞0 .05) . Compared with the control group ,the PSD of the NLVH group and the LVH group increased ( P ＜ 0 .05 ) . Compared with the NLV H group ,the PSD of the LV H group increased ( P ＜0 .05) . Inter‐ventricular septum thickness ( IVSd) and the LPS in the subendocardial ,middle ,subepicardial , and w hole myocardial layer were negatively correlated ( r ＝ －0 .537 ,－0 .518 ,－0 .266 ,－0 .471 ; all P ＜0 .05) , left ventricle posterior wall thickness ( LVPWd ) and the LPS in the subendocardial , middle , subepicardial ,and whole myocardial layer were negatively correlated ( r ＝ －0 .539 , －0 .524 , －0 .283 ,－0 .478 ;all P ＜0 .05) . T he area under the ROC curve ( AUC) of the LPS in the subendocardial ,middle , subepicardial ,and w hole myocardial layer and PSD for the diagnosis of hypertension were 0 .685 ,0 .652 , 0 .510 ,0 .623 ,0 .995 ,respectively . T he cut‐off values were －21 .70% ,－18 .90% ,－16 .95% ,－19 .45% , 46 .50 ms , and the sensitivities were 94 .4% , 83 .3% , 77 .8% , 94 .4% , 100% , respectively , and the specificities were 47 .8% ,52 .2% ,39 .1% ,39 .1% ,95 .7% ,respectively . Conclusions T he layer‐specific strain can quantitatively evaluate myocardial longitudinal strain in patients with essential hypertension , provide a non‐invasive test for early diagnosis of hypertensive heart disease ,and the evaluation of left ventricular myocardial stratification . PSD for evaluating primary synchronous changes in left ventricular myocardial contraction in patients with hypertension has certain advantages .