BACKGROUND: Right ventricular (RV)-arterial uncoupling is a powerful independent predictor of prognosis in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Coronary artery disease (CAD) can contribute to the pathophysiological characteristics of HFpEF. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of RV-arterial uncoupling in acute HFpEF patients with CAD. METHODS: This prospective study included 250 consecutive acute HFpEF patients with CAD. Patients were divided into RV-arterial uncoupling and coupling groups by the optimal cutoff value, based on a receiver operating characteristic curve of tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion to pulmonary artery systolic pressure (TAPSE/PASP). The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death, recurrent ischemic events, and HF hospitalizations. RESULTS: TAPSE/PASP ≤0.43 provided good accuracy in identifying patients with RV-arterial uncoupling (area under the curve, 0.731; sensitivity, 61.4%; and specificity, 76.6%). Of the 250 patients, 150 and 100 patients could be grouped into the RV-arterial coupling (TAPSE/PASP >0.43) and uncoupling (TAPSE/PASP ≤0.43) groups, respectively. Revascularization strategies were slightly different between groups; the RV-arterial uncoupling group had a lower rate of complete revascularization (37.0% [37/100] vs . 52.7% [79/150], P <0.001) and a higher rate of no revascularization (18.0% [18/100] vs . 4.7% [7/150], P <0.001) compared to the RV-arterial coupling group. The cohort with TAPSE/PASP ≤0.43 had a significantly worse prognosis than the cohort with TAPSE/PASP >0.43. Multivariate Cox analysis showed TAPSE/PASP ≤0.43 as an independent associated factor for the primary endpoint, all-cause death, and recurrent HF hospitalization (hazard ratios [HR]: 2.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.44-3.39, P <0.001; HR: 3.32, 95% CI: 1.30-8.47, P = 0.012; and HR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.10-3.37, P = 0.021, respectively), but not for recurrent ischemic events (HR: 1.48, 95% CI: 0.75-2.90, P = 0.257). CONCLUSION RV-arterial uncoupling, based on TAPSE/PASP, is independently associated with adverse outcomes in acute HFpEF patients with CAD.
Humans ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Stroke Volume/physiology* ; Echocardiography, Doppler/adverse effects* ; Coronary Artery Disease/complications* ; Heart Failure ; Pulmonary Artery/diagnostic imaging* ; Ventricular Function, Right/physiology* ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right

PURPOSE: Details on the hemodynamic differences among Fontan operations remain unclear according to respiratory and cardiac cycles. This study was undertaken to investigate hemodynamic characteristics in different types of Fontan circulation by quantification of blood flow with the combined influence of cardiac and respiratory cycles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five patients [10 atriopulmonary connections (APC), 13 lateral tunnels (LT), and 12 extracardiac conduits (ECC)] were evaluated, and parameters were measured in the superior vena cava, inferior vena cava (IVC), hepatic vein (HV), baffles, conduits, and left and right pulmonary artery. Pulsatility index (PIx), respiratory variability index (RVI), net antegrade flow integral (NAFI), and inspiratory/expiratory blood flow (IQ/EQ) were measured by intravascular Doppler echocardiography. RESULTS: The PIx between APC and total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC; LT and ECC) showed significant differences at all interrogation points regardless of respiratory cycles. The PIxs of HVs and IVCs in APC significantly increased, compared with that in LT and ECC, and the RVI between APC and TCPC showed significant differences at all interrogation points (p < 0.05). The NAFI and IQ/EQ between APC and TCPC showed significant differences at some interrogation points (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with different types of Fontan circulation show different hemodynamic characteristics in various areas of the Fontan tract, which may lead to different risks causing long-term complications. We believe the novel parameters developed in this study may be used to determine flow characteristics and may serve as a clinical basis of management in patients after Fontan operations.
Circulatory and Respiratory Physiological Phenomena ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Fontan Procedure ; Hemodynamics ; Hepatic Veins ; Humans ; Pulmonary Artery ; Vena Cava, Inferior ; Vena Cava, Superior

Background: Pressure overload-induced myocardial hypertrophy is a key step leading to heart failure. Previous cellular and animal studies demonstrated that deteriorated excitation-contraction coupling occurs as early as the compensated stage of hypertrophy before the global decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). This study was to evaluate the cardiac electromechanical coupling time in evaluating cardiac systolic function in the early stage of heart failure. Methods: Twenty-six patients with Stage B heart failure (SBHF) and 31 healthy controls (CONs) were enrolled in this study. M-mode echocardiography was performed to measure LVEF. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) combined with electrocardiography (ECG) was used to measure cardiac electromechanical coupling time. Results: There was no significant difference in LVEF between SBHF patients and CONs (64.23 ± 8.91% vs. 64.52 ± 5.90%; P = 0.886). However, all four electromechanical coupling time courses (Qsb: onset of Q wave on ECG to beginning of S wave on TDI, Qst: onset of Q wave on ECG to top of S wave on TDI, Rsb: top of R wave on ECG to beginning of S wave on TDI, and Rst: top of R wave on ECG to top of S wave on TDI) of SBHF patients were significantly longer than those of CONs (Qsb: 119.19 ± 35.68 ms vs. 80.30 ± 14.81 ms, P < 0.001; Qst: 165.42 ± 60.93 ms vs. 129.04 ± 16.97 ms, P = 0.006; Rsb: 82.43 ± 33.66 ms vs. 48.30 ± 15.18 ms, P < 0.001; and Rst: 122.37 ± 36.66 ms vs. 93.25 ± 16.72 ms, P = 0.001), and the Qsb, Rsb, and Rst time showed a significantly higher sensitivity than LVEF (Rst: P =0.032; Rsb: P = 0.003; and Qsb: P = 0.004). Conclusions The cardiac electromechanical coupling time is more sensitive than LVEF in evaluating cardiac systolic function.
Adult ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Systole ; Ventricular Function, Left

PURPOSE: Children with mitochondrial disease (MD) have clinical phenotypes that are more severe than those found in adults. In this study, we assessed cardiac function in children with MD using conventional and advanced echocardiographic measurements, explored any unique patterns present, and investigated the development of early cardiomyopathy (CMP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 33 children with MD. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography with conventional and advanced myocardial analysis. We compared all data between patients and an age-matched healthy control group. RESULTS: Conventional echocardiographic diastolic measurements of mitral E, E/A, and tissue Doppler E′ were significantly lower and E/E′ was significantly higher in children with MD, compared with the measurements from the control group. There was no significant difference in longitudinal and radial strain between the groups. Circumferential strain in the endocardium (p=0.161), middle myocardium (p=0.008), and epicardium (p=0.042) were lower in patients, compared to the values in controls. Circumferential strain was correlated with E′ (p < 0.01, r>0.60). CONCLUSION: In children with MD, myocardial circumferential strain may develop early in all three layers, even with normally preserved longitudinal and radial strain. This may be an early diagnostic indicator with which to predict CMP in this patient population.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Child ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mitochondrial Diseases/diagnostic imaging ; Mitochondrial Diseases/pathology ; Mitochondrial Diseases/physiopathology ; Myocardium/pathology

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The clinical characteristics of patients with diastolic dysfunction characterized by a relaxation abnormality with possible elevated filling pressure is remain to be determined. We sought to test whether diastolic stress echocardiography (DSE) is useful for characterization of these patients. METHODS: A total of 120 patients (58 men, mean age of 64±7 years) with E/A ratio < 1.0 (mean±SD, 0.7±0.1) and 10≤ E/e' < 15 at rest echocardiography was enrolled prospectively for supine bicycle exercise up to 50 W. RESULTS: During exercise, 47 patients (39%) showed high left ventricular filling pressure (E/e' > 15, hLVFP) and 40 (30%) developed exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (systolic pulomary arterial pressure > 50 mmHg, EiPH) without hLVFP. The remaining 33 patients did not show hLVFP or EiPH. The incidence of EiPH with hLVFP was 21% (25/120). By multivariate analysis, age (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00–1.13; p=0.039) and systolic pulmonary artery pressure at rest (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.02–1.27; p=0.02) were associated with EiPH, whereas late diastolic transmitral velocity (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00–1.08; p=0.03) and diastolic blood pressure (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.90–0.99; p=0.02) were associated with hLVFP during exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with relaxation abnormality and possibly hLVFP showed markedly heterogeneous hemodynamic changes during low-level exercise and DSE was useful to characterize these patients.
Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Diastole ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Echocardiography, Stress ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Incidence ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prospective Studies ; Pulmonary Artery ; Relaxation

PURPOSE: Adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH) that causes upper airway obstruction might lead to chronic hypoxemic pulmonary vasoconstriction and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. We aimed to evaluate whether adenotonsillectomy (T&A) in children suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to severe ATH could improve RV function. METHODS: Thirty-seven children (boy:girl=21:16; mean age, 9.52±2.20 years), who underwent T&A forsleep apnea due to ATH, were included. We analyzedthe mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), the presence and the maximal velocity of tricuspid regurgitation (TR), the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), and the right ventricular myocardial performance index (RVMPI) with tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) by transthoracic echocardiography pre- and post-T&A. The follow-up period was 1.78±0.27 years. RESULTS: Only the RVMPI using TDE improved after T&A (42.18±2.03 vs. 40±1.86, P=0.001). The absolute value of TAPSE increased (21.45±0.90 mm vs. 22.30±1.10 mm, P=0.001) but there was no change in the z score of TAPSE pre- and post-T&A (1.19±0.34 vs. 1.24±0.30, P=0.194). The mPAP was within normal range in children with ATH, and there was no significant difference between pre- and post-T&A (19.6±3.40 vs. 18.7±2.68, P=0.052). There was no difference in the presence and the maximal velocity of TR (P=0.058). CONCLUSION: RVMPI using TDE could be an early parameter of RV function in children with OSA due to ATH.
Airway Obstruction ; Apnea ; Child* ; Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Pulmonary Artery ; Reference Values ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive* ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency ; Vasoconstriction ; Ventricular Function, Right*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate atrial conduction times and left atrial mechanical functions, the noninvasive predictors of atrial fibrillation, in prediabetic patients with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). METHODS: Study included 59 patients (23 males, 36 females; mean age 52.5 ± 10.6 years) diagnosed with IFG or IGT by the American Diabetes Association criteria, and 43 healthy adults (22 males, 21 females; mean age 48.5 ± 12.1 years). Conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography were performed. The electromechanical delay parameters were measured from the onset of the P wave on the surface electrocardiogram to the onset of the atrial systolic wave on tissue Doppler imaging from septum, lateral, and right ventricular annuli. The left atrial volumes were calculated by the disk method. Left atrial mechanical functions were calculated. RESULTS: The mitral E/A and E′/A′ ratios measured from the lateral and septal annuli were significantly lower in the prediabetics compared to the controls. The interatrial and left atrial electromechanical delay were significantly longer in prediabetic group compared to the controls. Left atrial active emptying volume (LAAEV) and fraction (LAAEF) were significantly higher in the prediabetics than the controls. LAAEV and LAAEF were significantly correlated with E/A, lateral and septal E′/A′. CONCLUSIONS: In the prediabetic patients, the atrial conduction times and P wave dispersion on surface electrocardiographic were longer before the development of overt diabetes. In addition, the left atrial mechanical functions were impaired secondary to a deterioration in the diastolic functions in the prediabetic patients.
Adult ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Electrocardiography ; Fasting ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Male ; Methods ; Prediabetic State

This study was performed to identify the relationships between hepatic vein (HV) measurements, including flow velocity and waveform, using pulsed-wave (PW) Doppler ultrasonography, and the severity of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) in dogs. The study included 22 dogs with TR and 7 healthy dogs. The TR group was subdivided into 3 groups according to TR jet profile obtained by echocardiography. The hepatic venous waveform was obtained and classified into 3 types. A variety of HV measurements, including the maximal velocities of the atrial systolic, systolic (S), end ventricular systolic, and diastolic (D) waves and the ratio of the S- and D- wave velocities (S/D ratio), were acquired. TR severity was significantly correlated with the S- (r = −0.380, p = 0.042) and D- (r = 0.468, p = 0.011) wave velocities and the S/D ratio (r = −0.747, p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed the highest sensitivity and specificity for the S/D ratio (89% and 75%, respectively) at a threshold of 0.97 with excellent accuracy (AUC = 0.911, p < 0.001). In conclusion, PW Doppler ultrasonography of the HV can be used to identify the presence of significant TR and to classify TR severity in dogs.
Animals ; Dogs* ; Echocardiography ; Hepatic Veins* ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency* ; Ultrasonography, Doppler

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

BACKGROUND: Cardiac dysfunction in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) represents one of the serious complications. To evaluate the cardiac function in children with T1D by conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). METHODS: The study included 40 T1D patients (age between 6 and 16 years) with > 5 years duration of diabetes and 42 healthy control children. The patients were subjected to clinical evaluation and laboratory investigations [glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), serum lipids and lipoproteins]. Conventional echocardiography and TDI were performed to patients and controls. RESULTS: The patients had lower early diastolic filling velocity (E wave) of the tricuspid valve and mitral valves with a p value of (0.000 and 0.006, respectively). TDI revealed that patients had lower S′velocity of the T1D, shorter isovolumic contraction time, longer isovolumic relaxation time and lower E/E′ of the right ventricle than controls (p value 0.002, 0.001, 0.004, 0.003, and 0.016, respectively). The left ventricle (LV)-T1D of the patients was significantly higher (p value 0.02). Twenty eight patients had poor glycemic control without significant differences between them and those with good glycemic control regarding echocardiographic data. Patients with dyslipidemia (13 patients) had higher late diastolic filling velocity of the mitral valve (A) and the lower LV late tissue velocity (A′) (p wave 0.047 and 0.015). No correlation existed between the duration of illness or the level of HbA1c and the echocardiographic parameters. CONCLUSION: Diabetic children have evidence of echocardiographic diastolic dysfunctions. Periodic cardiac evaluation with both conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography is recommended for early detection of this dysfunction.
Adolescent* ; Child* ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies ; Dyslipidemias ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Relaxation ; Tricuspid Valve