Circulation. Cardiovascular imaging
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Circ Cardiovasc Imaging · Mar 2014
Quantitative Doppler-echocardiographic imaging and clinical outcomes with left ventricular systolic dysfunction: independent effect of pulmonary hypertension.
Doppler-echocardiography provides quantitative imaging of systolic and diastolic left ventricular (LV) function, functional mitral regurgitation (FMR), and pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with LV systolic dysfunction. Whether PH is linked to survival independently of LV features and FMR in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients is unknown. ⋯ In this large cohort of patients with LV systolic dysfunction, in whom FMR and LV characteristics were quantified and matched between those with and without PH, the presence of PH was an independent factor for excess mortality and not a surrogate for the severity of LV systolic dysfunction or FMR. In asymptomatic or symptomatic patients with or without FMR, PH is a critical marker for poor outcomes.
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Circ Cardiovasc Imaging · Mar 2014
Review Meta AnalysisLate gadolinium enhancement on cardiac magnetic resonance predicts adverse cardiovascular outcomes in nonischemic cardiomyopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) by cardiac MR (CMR) is a predictor of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). However, these findings are limited by single-center studies, small sample sizes, and low event rates. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic role of LGE by CMR (LGE-CMR) imaging in patients with NICM. ⋯ LGE in patients with NICM is associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality, heart failure hospitalization, and SCD. Detection of LGE by CMR has excellent prognostic characteristics and may help guide risk stratification and management in patients with NICM.
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Circ Cardiovasc Imaging · Mar 2014
Prognostic value of nonobstructive and obstructive coronary artery disease detected by coronary computed tomography angiography to identify cardiovascular events.
The contribution of plaque extent to predict cardiovascular events among patients with nonobstructive and obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is not well defined. Our objective was to evaluate the prognostic value of plaque extent detected by coronary computed tomography angiography. ⋯ Among patients with nonobstructive CAD, those with extensive plaque experienced a higher rate of cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction, comparable with those who have nonextensive disease. Even among patients with obstructive CAD, greater extent of nonobstructive plaque was associated with higher event rate. Our findings suggest that regardless of whether obstructive or nonobstructive disease is present, the extent of plaque detected by coronary computed tomography angiography enhances risk assessment.
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Patients with Fontan circulation have reduced exercise capacity. The absence of a presystemic pump may limit flow through the pulmonary circulation, restricting ventricular filling and cardiac output. We evaluated exercise hemodynamics and the effect of sildenafil on exercise hemodynamics in Fontan patients. ⋯ In Fontan patients, sildenafil improved cardiac index during exercise with a decrease in total pulmonary resistance index and an increase in stroke volume index. This implies that pulmonary vasculature represents a physiological limitation, which can be attenuated by sildenafil, the clinical significance of which warrants further study.
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Circ Cardiovasc Imaging · Mar 2014
Effect of transcatheter aortic valve replacement on the mitral valve apparatus and mitral regurgitation: real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography study.
The effect of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) on the mitral valve apparatus and factors influencing the reduction of mitral regurgitation with or without mitral leaflet tethering after TAVR are poorly understood. The present 3-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography study aimed to elucidate early changes further in the structure and function of the mitral valve apparatus after TAVR. ⋯ Mitral leaflet tethering was improved immediately by TAVR in patients with mitral leaflet tenting regardless of mitral annular geometry. Acute improvement in mitral regurgitation after TAVR is predominantly related to global left ventricular hemodynamics and mitral leaflet tethering change.