The international journal of cardiovascular imaging
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Dec 2016
Multilayer longitudinal strain at rest may help to predict significant stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery in patients with suspected non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome.
Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) multilayer analysis of myocardial deformation is a non-invasive method that enables discrimination of transmural differences owing to myocardial ischemia or necrosis. We wished to ascertain if multilayer longitudinal strains at rest are associated with significant (≥70 %) stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) in patients with suspected non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). Our cohort comprised 113 consecutive patients with suspected NSTE-ACS and preserved ejection fraction (EF). ⋯ RLSLAD and global longitudinal strain in the endocardium showed higher accuracy than that in the mid-myocardium and epicardium, wall motion score index (WMSI), WMSI in LAD territory, and EF for detection of significant LAD stenosis (all P < 0.05), with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.87 and 0.91, respectively. An endocardial RLSLAD cutoff of -23.52 % showed optimal sensitivity and specificity (88.9/80.0 %). In patients with suspected NSTE-ACS, multilayer longitudinal strain analysis at rest might enable prediction of significant LAD stenosis, and could help to identify patients requiring reperfusion.
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Oct 2016
Comparative Study Observational StudySpeckle tracking determination of mitral tissue annular displacement: comparison with strain and ejection fraction, and association with outcomes in haemodialysis patients.
Abnormal Global longitudinal strain (GLS) and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) are established poor prognostic risk factors in haemodialysis patients. Tissue motion annular displacement of mitral valve annulus (TMAD), determined by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE), can be performed rapidly and is an indicator of systolic dysfunction, but has been less well explored. This study aims to compare TMAD with GLS and LVEF and its association with outcomes in haemodialysis patients. 198 haemodialysis patients (median age 64.2 years, 69 % men) had 2D echocardiography, with STE determined GLS and TMAD. ⋯ There was strong negative correlation of TMAD with GLS (r = -0.614, p < 0.001). In a multivariable Cox regression analysis, TMAD was not associated with mortality (HR 1.04, 95 % CI 0.91-1.19), cardiac death (HR 1.03, 95 % CI 0.80-1.32) or cardiac events (HR 0.91, 95 % CI 0.80-1.02). TMAD is a quick and reproducible alternative to GLS which may be very useful in cardiovascular risk assessment, but does not have the same prognostic value in HD patients as GLS.
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Sep 2016
Comparative StudyAdiposity assessed by anthropometric measures has a similar or greater predictive ability than dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measures for abdominal aortic calcification in community-dwelling older adults.
To determine whether adiposity assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) compared to simple anthropometric assessments, are more predictive of abdominal aortic calcification (AAC), a risk factor for atherosclerosis. A cross-sectional study of 312 participants (60.3 % female) aged 70.6 ± 5.6 years was conducted in 2010-2011. AAC was assessed by radiography. ⋯ Indices of total body composition, BMI and % body fat mass were not associated with AAC severity in either men or women. Simple anthropometric measures, WHR and WC were the best predictors of AAC severity in men and women respectively, although higher android to gynoid fat ratio and central fat, assessed by DXA, were also predictive of higher risks of AAC severity in men and women respectively. Our findings add to existing evidence that relatively inexpensive and easily obtained anthropometric measures can be clinically useful indicators of atherosclerosis risk.
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Aug 2016
Prevalence of previously undiagnosed abdominal aortic aneurysms in the area of Como: the ComoCuore "looking for AAA" ultrasonography screening.
The prognosis for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture is poor. Long-term follow-up of population-based randomized trials has demonstrated that ultrasound (US) screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) measuring 3 cm or greater decreases AAA-related mortality rates and is cost-effective. We though to prospectively perform during a 26-month period a limited US examination of the infrarenal aorta in volunteers of both gender aged 60-85 years without history of AAA living in the area of Como, Italy. ⋯ Our study confirms the feasibility of one time US screening for AAA in a large cohort of asymptomatic people. Independent predictors of AAA were male sex, older age and a history of smoking. Accordingly to recent data the prevalence of AAA seems to be declining, maybe due to a reduction of smoking in Italy.
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Aug 2016
Bilateral symmetry of human carotid artery atherosclerosis: a multi-contrast weighted MR study.
The systemic nature of atherosclerotic disease may entail an association in disease severity between left and right carotid arteries. However, the etiology of plaque features in high-risk lesions is presumably attributed to local risk factors. We explored the symmetry of plaque morphology and composition across a broad range of atherosclerotic disease severities. ⋯ Only 16 of 47 participants with CAS = 4 on at least one side had the same CAS on the contralateral side. Plaque morphology, calcification, and LRNC may develop symmetrically, but there is a relatively poor correlation for lipid content between sides. The weak symmetry of IPH and CAS indicates that the development of atherosclerosis into high-risk lesions may be regulated by local rather than systemic factors.