Objective:To investigate the incidence and high-risk pathogenic factors of cardiovascular disease（CVD）in patients with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases，and to construct and validate a predictive model for the risk of CVD occurrence in these patients.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 239 patients with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases who underwent treatment and echocardiography at the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University between June 2020 and June 2023. General patient data，laboratory test results，and echocardiographic findings were collected. Follow-up was performed via electronic medical records or telephone surveys until December 2024 to determine the incidence of CVD，starting from the date of the first echocardiographic examination. Predictive factors were screened using univariate analysis and Lasso regression，and a Logistic regression model was constructed. Internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap method. The model's accuracy and clinical utility were assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test，calibration curve，and decision curve analysis.Results:Among the 239 patients，111 developed CVD. Logistic regression analysis identified age，diastolic blood pressure，use of immunosuppressants，lymphocyte count（LYM），α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase（α-HBDH）level，serum cystatin C（CysC），and right ventricular fractional area change（RVFAC）as independent predictive factors for CVD in these patients（all P<0.05）. The area under the ROC curve（AUC）for the prediction model was 0.895（95% CI = 0.856 - 0.935），and after Bootstrap validation，it was 0.894（95% CI = 0.861-0.925）. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test，calibration curve，and decision curve analysis all indicated that the model had good accuracy and clinical utility. Conclusions:Age，diastolic blood pressure，use of immunosuppressants，LYM，α-HBDH，CysC，and RVFAC may serve as independent risk factors for CVD in patients with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases. The prediction model based on echocardiography combined with laboratory indicators can，to some extent，predict the risk of CVD occurrence in these patients.

Purpose To assess the utility of echocardiographic parameters in predicting adverse cardiovascular in patients with connective tissue disease.Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical and echocardiographic records of patients with connective tissue disease from the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University(June 1st,2020 to June 1st,2023)who had complete medical data and at least twelve months of follow-up.Variables were screened based on univariate analysis,combined with clinical expertise and XGBoost feature weight analysis;this information was used to construct a Cox proportional hazards regression model designed to predict composite endpoint events of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.Internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap resampling method,and the model's performance was evaluated.Results The study included 123 participants.The incidence of positive events reached 39.02%(48/123).Mitral valve early diastolic annular velocity(reflecting left heart function)(HR=0.79,P=0.041)and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion(reflecting right heart function)(HR=0.92,P=0.044)emerged as significant predictors for adverse cardiovascular outcomes.Compared with the clinical model,the model combined with left heart function parameters showed significant improvements in both risk classification and absolute accuracy for short-term and medium-term adverse prognosis(NRI365=0.054,IDI365=0.060,NRI730=0.064,IDI730=0.079,all P<0.05)and optimized risk classification for long-term adverse prognosis(NRI1 095=0.256,P<0.05).In contrast,the model combined with right heart function parameters improved risk classification at all time points(NRI365=0.054,NRI730=0.000,NRI1 095=0.135,all P<0.05).Conclusion Mitral valve early diastolic annular velocity and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion,which reflect cardiac function,are factors for predicting adverse cardiovascular outcomes among individuals diagnosed with connective tissue disease.Multi-parameter combined models incorporating echocardiographic variables can provide incremental predictive value compared with clinical models.

Objective:To investigate the incidence and high-risk pathogenic factors of cardiovascular disease（CVD）in patients with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases，and to construct and validate a predictive model for the risk of CVD occurrence in these patients.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 239 patients with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases who underwent treatment and echocardiography at the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University between June 2020 and June 2023. General patient data，laboratory test results，and echocardiographic findings were collected. Follow-up was performed via electronic medical records or telephone surveys until December 2024 to determine the incidence of CVD，starting from the date of the first echocardiographic examination. Predictive factors were screened using univariate analysis and Lasso regression，and a Logistic regression model was constructed. Internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap method. The model's accuracy and clinical utility were assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test，calibration curve，and decision curve analysis.Results:Among the 239 patients，111 developed CVD. Logistic regression analysis identified age，diastolic blood pressure，use of immunosuppressants，lymphocyte count（LYM），α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase（α-HBDH）level，serum cystatin C（CysC），and right ventricular fractional area change（RVFAC）as independent predictive factors for CVD in these patients（all P<0.05）. The area under the ROC curve（AUC）for the prediction model was 0.895（95% CI = 0.856 - 0.935），and after Bootstrap validation，it was 0.894（95% CI = 0.861-0.925）. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test，calibration curve，and decision curve analysis all indicated that the model had good accuracy and clinical utility. Conclusions:Age，diastolic blood pressure，use of immunosuppressants，LYM，α-HBDH，CysC，and RVFAC may serve as independent risk factors for CVD in patients with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases. The prediction model based on echocardiography combined with laboratory indicators can，to some extent，predict the risk of CVD occurrence in these patients.

Purpose To assess the utility of echocardiographic parameters in predicting adverse cardiovascular in patients with connective tissue disease.Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical and echocardiographic records of patients with connective tissue disease from the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University(June 1st,2020 to June 1st,2023)who had complete medical data and at least twelve months of follow-up.Variables were screened based on univariate analysis,combined with clinical expertise and XGBoost feature weight analysis;this information was used to construct a Cox proportional hazards regression model designed to predict composite endpoint events of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.Internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap resampling method,and the model's performance was evaluated.Results The study included 123 participants.The incidence of positive events reached 39.02%(48/123).Mitral valve early diastolic annular velocity(reflecting left heart function)(HR=0.79,P=0.041)and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion(reflecting right heart function)(HR=0.92,P=0.044)emerged as significant predictors for adverse cardiovascular outcomes.Compared with the clinical model,the model combined with left heart function parameters showed significant improvements in both risk classification and absolute accuracy for short-term and medium-term adverse prognosis(NRI365=0.054,IDI365=0.060,NRI730=0.064,IDI730=0.079,all P<0.05)and optimized risk classification for long-term adverse prognosis(NRI1 095=0.256,P<0.05).In contrast,the model combined with right heart function parameters improved risk classification at all time points(NRI365=0.054,NRI730=0.000,NRI1 095=0.135,all P<0.05).Conclusion Mitral valve early diastolic annular velocity and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion,which reflect cardiac function,are factors for predicting adverse cardiovascular outcomes among individuals diagnosed with connective tissue disease.Multi-parameter combined models incorporating echocardiographic variables can provide incremental predictive value compared with clinical models.

Lymphoedema of lower extremities,chronic and progressive,will severely deteriorate the quality of life of patients as it progresses.Thus,early diagnosis and treatment to delay the progress of the disease is conducive to improving the prognosis of patients.At present,common techniques for the diagnosis of lower limb lymphedema,whose advantages and disadvantages vary,cannot be applied to individual case comprehensively.CEUS has the advantages of non-invasion,convenience,real-time,and good repeatability for this disease.CEUS can enhance the image of lymph in lymphatics,and has a high sensitivity to superficial lymphatics,gradually applied in lymphedema of lower limbs.This article reviews the application of CEUS in lower limb lymphedema.

Chronic aortic stenosis and regurgitation can cause left ventricular remodeling.Whether these changes are reversible and their reversibility after valve replacement are the main determinants affecting the timing and prognosis of surgery.Imaging techniques are commonly used to evaluate myocardial structure and function,in which echocardiography and enhanced CT are helpful to evaluate artificial flap function and monitor left ventricular deformation,while cardiac MR and PET/CT are helpful to identify the progression and regression of postoperative cardiac fibrosis.The combined application of these new techniques can improve clinical outcomes by early diagnosis and non-invasive detection of postoperative left ventricular reverse remodeling.This paper reviews the evaluation and application of multi-modal imaging techniques for left ventricular reverse remodeling after aortic valve replacement.

Nowadays,the application of ultrasound is not only used in clinical imaging,but also extended in the study of drug delivery.Diagnostic ultrasound combined with microbubbles can effectively open the biological barriers,which can enhance the targeted delivery of drugs and be beneficial to the combination of ultrasound and disease treatment.This review summarizes the biological effects of ultrasound,the characteristics of ultrasound microbubbles and the potential ability that solving the biological barrier problems in cancer therapy by using ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction,hoping to provide some reference for the further development of therapeutic ultrasound as a safe and effective drug targeted delivery strategy.

Autoantibody-related congenital heart block (ACHB) is a passively acquired autoimmune disease developing in fetuses after exposuring to maternal anti-Ro/Sj?gren's syndrome type A (SSA) antibody and/or anti-La/SSB antibody transported across the placenta, which contributes to fetal heart conduction system damage and signal conduction block at the atrioventricular node. However, fetal atrioventricular block does not necessarily occur with the presence of maternal autoantibodies, indicating its complex pathogenesis. This review focuses on the theories of calcium channels and apoptosis, the influence of other maternal factors and environmental changes on ACHB and the roles of natural killer cells and human leukocyte antigen in ACHB, aiming to provide reference for further study on the pathogenesis.

Objective:To evaluate the application value of left ventricular pressure-strain loop (PSL) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by the PSL.Methods:From April 2020 to June 2021, 75 RA patients(case group) and 35 healthy physical examination person(control group) were selected from the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University.According to the disease activity scores 28(DAS28) joint disease range of activity score, the patients were divided into low range of activity group (16 cases), medium range of activity group (35 cases) and high range of activity group (24 cases). Echocardiographic examinations were performed on all patients, conventional ultrasound data were collected and the left ventricular PSL technology was used to analyze the myocardial work parameters, including global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global waste work (GWW) and global work efficiency (GWE). The mean values of myocardial work index (MWI), constructive work (CW), waste work (WW) and work efficiency (WE) were calculated. The differences of myocardial work parameters between the case groups and the control group were compared, and the correlation analysis of myocardial work parameters with global longitudinal strain of left ventricle(LVGLS), left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) and DAS28 scores were conducted.Results:①There were no statistically significant differences of clinical data between each case group and the control group (all P>0.05). ②Compared with the control group and low disease activity group, the LVGLS of medium and high disease activity groups decreased obviously (all P<0.05). ③The GWI and GCW of the medium and high disease activity groups were significantly lower than those of the control group (all P<0.05), and there were no statistically significant differences of GWW and GWE between the case groups and the control group (all P>0.05). The mid-segment MWI, apical MWI and CW of the medium and high disease activity case groups, and the mid-segment CW of the medium disease activity case group were lower than those of the control group (all P<0.05). ④In the case group, GWI, GCW and LVEF were significantly and positively correlated ( rs1=0.253, P=0.008; rs2=0.261, P=0.024), and were significantly negatively correlated with LVGLS ( rs1=-0.525, P<0.001; rs2=0.455, P<0.001). There were no significant correlations between myocardial work parameters and DAS28 score (all P>0.05). Conclusions:PSL can early reflect to the impaired cardiac function of RA patients with moderate and high disease activity, and provide a new imaging method for clinical evaluation of the cardiac function of patients.

Objective:To evaluate the cardiac function and systolic dyssynchrony of fetuses exposed to maternal autoimmune antibodies (anti-SSA/Ro60, anti-SSA/Ro52 and anti-SSB/La) by using two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D-STI).Methods:A total of 52 pregnant women with singleton pregnancy in the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University from July 2018 to November 2020 were selected. Eighteen fetuses of mothers with autoimmune antibodies were enrolled as autoimmune disease (AD) group and 34 fetuses of healthy mothers without antibodies were included as control group. Maternal baseline characteristics, fetoplacental Doppler parameters, and conventional echocardiographic data of two groups were prospectively collected. The systolic global and regional longitudinal strain of left and right ventricles (LV and RV) and the time to peak strain of regional myocardium were measured using 2D-STI. The differences in time to peak strain between the LV free wall and RV free wall (two-chamber dyssynchrony, 2C-DYS) and between the septum and LV free wall (one-chamber dyssynchrony, 1C-DYS) were also calculated.Results:There were no significant differences between the two groups in conventional systolic and diastolic functional parameters for the LV and RV(all P>0.05). The myocardial deformation parameters and 2C-DYS obtained by 2D-STI showed no statistical differences between two groups(all P>0.05). However, 1C-DYS was significantly more prolonged in the AD group than control group[28.50(13.50, 39.25)ms vs 19.50(8.00, 29.25)ms, P=0.042]. Conclusions:LV systolic mechanical dyssynchrony in fetuses of mothers with autoimmune antibodies suggests in-utero subclinical damage of the cardiac conduction system.