Circulation. Cardiovascular imaging
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Circ Cardiovasc Imaging · Nov 2013
Comparative StudyAssessment of mitral valve area during percutaneous mitral valve repair using the MitraClip system: comparison of different echocardiographic methods.
Quantification of the mitral valve area (MVA) is important to guide percutaneous mitral valve repair using the MitraClip system. However, little is known about how to best assess MVA in this specific situation. ⋯ Transmitral gradients by continuous-wave Doppler are quick, feasible in all patients, and superior to direct peri-interventional assessment of MVA. A postinterventional transmitral gradient by continuous-wave Doppler of ≥5 mm Hg best predicted elevated transmitral gradients at discharge.
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Circ Cardiovasc Imaging · Nov 2013
Comparative StudyOccult cardiotoxicity in childhood cancer survivors exposed to anthracycline therapy.
More than 50% of >270 000 childhood cancer survivors in the United States have been treated with anthracyclines and are therefore at risk of developing cardiotoxicity. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has demonstrated utility to detect diffuse interstitial fibrosis and changes in regional myocardial function. We hypothesized that CMR would identify occult cardiotoxicity characterized by structural and functional myocardial abnormalities in a cohort of asymptomatic pediatric cancer survivors with normal global systolic function. ⋯ Asymptomatic postchemotherapy pediatric patients have abnormal myocardial characteristics and strain parameters by CMR despite normal global cardiac function by standard transthoracic echocardiography and CMR measures.