BACKGROUND: Incidence of diastolic dyssynchrony (DD) and its impact on functional recovery of left ventricle (LV) after ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is not known. METHODS: Consecutive patients with STEMI who underwent successful revascularization were prospectively enrolled. Echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging was performed within 48 hours of admission and at 6 months. LV end-diastolic volume index (EDVI), end-systolic volume index (ESVI), ejection fraction (EF), and left atrial volume index (LAVI) were calculated. Diastolic delay was calculated from onset of QRS complex to peak of E wave in tissue Doppler image and presented as maximal temporal difference between peak early diastolic velocity of 6 basal segments of LV (TeDiff). Study patients were compared with demographically matched control group. RESULTS: Forty eight consecutive patients (55 ± 10 years, 88% male) and 24 controls (56 ± 6 years, 88% male) were included. TeDiff was higher in STEMI than in controls (35.9 ± 19.9 ms vs. 26.3 ± 6.8 ms, p = 0.025). Presence of DD was higher in STEMI than controls (58% vs. 33%, p = 0.046) according to calculated cut-off value (≥ 29 ms). There was no correlation between TeDiff and change in EDVI, ESVI, and LAVI at 6 months, however TeDiff and change in EF at 6 months was positively correlated (r = 0.328, p = 0.023). Patients with baseline DD experienced remodeling less frequently compared to patients without baseline DD (11% vs. 38%, p = 0.040) during follow-up. CONCLUSION: STEMI disrupts diastolic synchronicity of LV. However, DD during acute phase of STEMI is associated with better recovery of LV thereafter. This suggests that DD is associated with peri-infarct stunned myocardium that is salvaged with primary intervention as well as infarct size.
Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Ventricles* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Myocardial Stunning ; Prospective Studies

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the leading causes of death. Safflower attracts great attention owing to its anti-ischemia/reperfusion injury effect. Ninety-three patients with CAD were included and randomized into safflower treatment group, PCI group and control group. Low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) was performed to measure end-systolic volume (ESV), end-diastolic volume (EDV), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and wall motion score index (WMSI) to determine the recovery of hibernating myocardium and cardiac function in all patients before treatment and after 3-month follow-up. The study was to investigate the effects of safflower on hibernating myocardial revascularization and cardiac function. It was found that LVEF was significantly improved, while the ESV and WMSI were significantly reduced after 2-week treatment in safflower and PCI treatment groups. No significant differences were found between safflower and PCI treatment groups in ESV, EDV, WMSI and LVEF after treatment Safflower injection effectively improved hibernating myocardial function.
Aged ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Coronary Artery Disease ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Heart ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Revascularization ; Myocardial Stunning ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Recovery of Function

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether performing an assessment of myocardial deformation using speckle tracking imaging during the recovery period after dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) allows detection of significant coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with chest discomfort. METHODS: DSE and coronary angiography were performed in 44 patients with chest discomfort. The mean global longitudinal peak systolic strain (GLS) was measured at rest, at low stress (dobutamine infusion rate of 10 microg/kg/min) and at recovery (5 min after cessation of dobutamine infusion) of DSE using automated function imaging with apical views. Fractional flow reserve (FFR) was also performed in patients with intermediate coronary stenosis. CAD was defined as having a > or = 70% diameter stenosis on coronary angiography or as having a FFR < 0.8. Patients were divided two groups based on the absence or presence of CAD [CAD (-) group vs. CAD (+) group]. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the clinical characteristics and results of conventional echocardiography between the two groups. GLS at recovery was lower in the CAD (+) group than in the CAD (-) group (-18.0 +/- 3.4% vs. -21.0 +/- 1.9%, p = 0.003). The optimal cutoff of GLS at recovery for detection of CAD was -19% (sensitivity of 70.6%, specificity of 83.3%). CONCLUSION: Assessment of GLS at recovery of DSE is a reliable and objective method for detection of CAD. This finding may suggest that systolic myocardial stunning remains even after recovery of wall motion abnormalities in patients with CAD.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Stenosis ; Dobutamine ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Stress* ; Humans ; Myocardial Stunning ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thorax

OBJECTIVETo investigate cardiac function and myocardial perfusion during 48 h after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), further to test myocardial stunning and seek indicators for long-term survival after CPR.

METHODSAfter 4 min of untreated ventricular fibrillation, fifteen anesthetized pigs were studied at baseline and 2 h, 4 h, 24 h, and 48 h after restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Hemodynamic data, echocardiography and gated-single photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion images were carried out.

RESULTSMean arterial pressure (MAP), coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) and cardiac troponin I (CTNI) showed significant differences between eventual survival animals and non-survival animals at 4 h after ROSC (109.2 ± 10.7 mmHg vs. 94.8 ± 12.3 mmHg, P=0.048; 100.8 ± 6.9 mmHg vs. 84.4±12.6 mmHg, P=0.011; 1.60 ± 0.13 ug/L vs. 1.75 ± 0.10 ug/L, P=0.046). Mitral valve early-to-late diastolic peak velocity ratio, mitral valve deceleration time recovered 24 h; ejection faction and the summed rest score recovered 48 h after ROSC.

CONCLUSIONCardiac systolic and early active relaxation dysfunctions were reversible within survival animals; cardiac stunning might be potentially adaptive and protective after CPR. The recovery of MAP, CPP, and CTNI could be the indicators for long-term survival after CPR.

Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Coronary Circulation ; Heart Arrest ; Hemodynamics ; Male ; Myocardial Contraction ; physiology ; Myocardial Stunning ; Swine ; Time Factors ; Ventricular Fibrillation

BACKGROUND: It was reported that N,N,N'N'-tetrakis-[2-pyridylmethyl]-ethylenediamine (TPEN), a transition metal chelator, confers cardioprotection against myocardial ischemic injury. In this study, we investigated the effect of TPEN targeting reperfusion period in isolated rat hearts. METHODS: Langendorff perfused rat hearts were subjected to 30 min of regional ischemia and 2 h of reperfusion. Hearts were randomly assigned to either control (n = 9) or 10 micrometer of TPEN (n = 8) groups. TPEN was perfused for a period of 5 min before and 30 min after reperfusion. RESULTS: The ratio of infarct area/ischemic area (AN/AR) was significantly reduced in TPEN treated hearts (6.9 +/- 1.7%, P < 0.001) compared to control hearts (29.5 +/- 3.2%). Recovery of left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), rate-pressure product (RPP), +dP/dt(max), and -dP/dt(min) in the control group after reperfusion were 53.8 +/- 6.2%, 51.0 +/- 6.3%, 51.9 +/- 5.7%, and 51.4 +/- 5.7%, respectively, of the baseline levels. In the TPEN group, LVDP, RPP, +dP/dt(max), and -dP/dt(min) returned to 58.5 +/- 4.6%, 54.8 +/- 6.4%, 61.7 +/- 4.9%, and 53.4 +/- 3.9%, respectively, of the baseline levels. There were no significant differences in the cardiodynamic variables between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacological postconditioning with TPEN reduces myocardial infarction however, TPEN does not modify post-ischemic systolic dysfunction in isolated rat hearts.
Animals ; Ethylenediamines ; Heart ; Ischemia ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Stunning ; Rats ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury

We report a case of neurogenic cardiopulmonary instability with pulmonary edema occurring after an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. The patient's pre-operative Glasgow coma scale score was 6 and the PA chest radiograph showed increased diffuse haziness in the right lung field. The patient presented with severe hypotension and low oxygen saturation during surgery. Cardiac damage was documented by increased CK-MB troponin-T levels, and ischemic ECG findings. Reversible cardiac failure associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage may be due to a neurogenic-stunned myocardium. The patient underwent clipping of the aneurysm and recovered with minimal neurologic impairment and normal cardiac function.
Aneurysm ; Electrocardiography ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Lung ; Myocardial Stunning ; Myocardium ; Oxygen ; Pneumonia, Aspiration ; Pulmonary Edema ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Thorax ; Troponin T

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Doppler myocardial imaging (DMI) has been suggested as a method of quantifying inducible ischemia during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE). Post-systolic motion (PSM) detected by DMI is related to peri-infarct ischemia during DSE. We hypothesized that PSM during DSE would predict recovery of dysfunctional myocardium after successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with dysfunctional myocardium in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) territory were divided into two groups according to improvement of wall motion score index (WMSI) in the LAD territory at 6 months after successful PCI of the LAD. DMI was evaluated in the LAD territory during DSE. Fifteen patients showed improved WMSI (1.42+/-0.39) while the other 15 had unchanged WMSI (1.75+/-0.46) 1 month after PCI. Myocardial velocity was measured in the mid-septal, apico-septal, and basal anterior segments of the LAD artery territory. PSM was defined as a positive wave appearing after the curve of systolic ejection had reached the zero line. RESULTS: Although there was no difference between resting PSMs in both groups, PSM during DSE was significantly higher in the improved WMSI group than in the WMSI group where it was unchanged. CONCLUSION: PSM during DSE predicts recovery of dysfunctional myocardium after successful PCI.
Arteries ; Coronary Vessels ; Dobutamine ; Echocardiography, Stress ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Myocardial Stunning ; Myocardium ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND: The experiment was performed to determine the role of kappa-opioid receptor (OR) agonist U50488H given at early reperfusion. METHODS: Isolated hearts were subjected to 30 minutes of regional ischemia and 120 minutes of reperfusion.Hearts were assigned randomly to one of the three groups:1) Control (n = 9), 2) U50-1 (n = 8); 10micrometer of U50488H, and 3) U50-10 (n = 8); 10micrometer of U50488H.U50488 was perfused for a period of 5 min before and 30 min after reperfusion. RESULTS: U50488H significantly reduced infarct size as a percentage of ischemic area (12.2 +/- 1.9% in U50-1 and 7.2 +/- 1.7% in U50-10, P < 0.001) compared to the control hearts (27.2 +/- 1.2%). After 2 hrs of reperfusion, left ventricular developed pressure was significantly recovered by U50488H (62.6 +/- 5.7% in U50-1 and 68.6 +/- 4.7% in U50-10, P = 0.018 and 0.002, respectively) compared to the control (46.3 +/- 4.4%).Rate-pressure product was improved by 100micrometer U50488H (62.3 +/- 5.5%, P = 0.007) but not by 1micrometer U50488H (50.0 +/- 4.1%) compared to the control (44.7 +/- 4.5%).U50488H significantly increased the + dP/dt(max) (77.9 +/- 5.5% in U50-1 and 78.0 +/- 4.3 in U50-10, P = 0.005 and 0.001 vs. control, respectively).The -dP/dt(min) also improved by 10micrometer U50488H (64.7 +/- 4.8%, P = 0.003) compared to control (47.0 +/- 2.7%). CONCLUSIONS: U50488H given at early reperfusion phase reduces both infarct size and myocardial stunning in isolated rat hearts.
3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer ; Animals ; Heart ; Ischemia ; Myocardial Stunning ; Myocardium ; Rats ; Receptors, Opioid ; Reperfusion

BACKGROUND: The administration of magnesium provides cellular protection during ischemia, improves the contractile response of the stunned myocardium, increases the threshold for the electrical excitation of myocardial cells, presents arrhythmia, and reduces the level of reperfusion injury. It also causes a decrease in peripheral vascular resistance in association with a secondary increase in the cardiac index and improves the left ventricular stroke work index. The aim of this study was to verify characteristic effects of magnesium infusion during off pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB). METHODS: In a prospective double-lind trial, 17 patients undergoing OPCAB were randomly assigned to receive intravenous magnesium sulfate (n = 9) or a placebo (n = 8). The mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), heart rate (HR), cardiac index (CI), left ventricular stroke work index (LVSWI), right ventricular stroke work index (RVSWI), systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) were measured. RESULTS: MAP, PCWP, HR, CI, LWSWI, RVSWI, SVR, and PVR using the thermodilution method were not significantly different in both groups. Post operative arrhythmia occurred in 1 out of 9 patients after the administration of magnesium and in 1 out of 8 patients after infusing the placebo. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of magnesium does not affect the increase in LVSWI during OPCAB and does not decrease the incidence of post operative arrhythmia in the operating room period.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Arterial Pressure ; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump* ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ischemia ; Magnesium Sulfate ; Magnesium* ; Myocardial Stunning ; Operating Rooms ; Prospective Studies ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Reperfusion Injury ; Stroke* ; Thermodilution ; Transplants* ; Vascular Resistance

Brief ischemic episodes that induce myocardial and coronary endothelial dysfunction may alter the responses to inotropic drugs. To determine the effects of inotropic drugs in stunned myocardium, the coronary blood flow (CBF), myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2), and regional mechanical function in response to intracoronary dobutamine, epinephrine, amrinone, and calcium chloride (CaCl2) were measured before (normal) and 30 min after a 15-min-period occlusion of the left anterior descending artery (stunned) in an open-chest canine model. Percent segment shortening (%SS) and post-systolic shortening (%PSS) were determined. Myocardial extraction of oxygen (EO2) and lactate (E(lac)) was calculated. The inotropic drugs increased %SS, CBF, and MVO2 in normal myocardium. Epinephrine and amrinone decreased, while dobutamine and CaCl2 did not affect EO2. The ischemia and reperfusion itself significantly reduced %SS and E(lac), and increased %PSS. In stunned myocardium, the responses to inotropic drugs were not significantly altered, except that they progressively reduced %PSS and epinephrine did not affect EO2. These findings indicate that a brief episode of ischemia does not affect the mechanical and metabolic coronary flow responses to inotropic drugs, although it abolishes direct vasodilator responses to epinephrine.
Amrinone/administration and dosage ; Animals ; Calcium Chloride/administration and dosage ; Cardiotonic Agents/*administration and dosage ; Comparative Study ; Dobutamine/administration and dosage ; Dogs ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Epinephrine/administration and dosage ; Female ; Male ; Myocardial Contraction/*drug effects ; Myocardial Stunning/*drug therapy/etiology/*physiopathology ; Oxidation-Reduction/drug effects ; Oxygen Consumption/*drug effects ; Reperfusion Injury/complications/*drug therapy/*physiopathology ; Treatment Outcome