Viability and Congestive Heart Failure.

Management of ischemic cardiomyopathy is challenging, especially when treatment benefits do not clearly exceed the estimated risk of procedures. Myocardial viability assessment provides additional data in this setting to anticipate potential functional recovery and possibly prognostic improvement following revascularization. This evidence comes from the positive signals received from posthoc analyses of some clinical trials.

Changes in Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity and the Predictors of Improvement in Arterial Stiffness Following Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: The interaction between valvular aortic stenosis (AS) and arterial stiffness, as well as the impact of aortic valve replacement (AVR) on arterial stiffness, remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the degree of AS severity on non-invasive pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements. We also searched whether the AVR procedure favorably affects PWV.

Prediction of infarct size using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in acute myocardial infarction.

Background: This study aimed to determine the myocardial damage (infarct size provided by cardiac single-photon emission tomography) in early stages of the infarction using longitudinal strain and rotational parameters of the left ventricle.

Methods: The study included 66 patients with anterior myocardial infarction (AMI) and 62 patients with inferior myocardial infarction (IMI) who underwent primary percutaneous intervention as well as a control group consisting of 50 healthy subjects. LV rotational parameters based on parasternal short-axis views in basal and apical planes and global longitudinal strain were measured with apical four-chamber, apical two-chamber, and apical long-axis views.

Percutaneous Retrieval of an Embolized Catheter Tip With the Balloon Dilatation Technique.

Introduction: Increasing numbers of complex percutaneous coronary interventions have been accompanied by various intra-procedural complications. The fracture and embolization of devices or their fragments are potentially life-threatening situations, depending on the site of embolization. Different non-surgical methods to handle embolic complications have been proposed for different clinical situations.

QRS prolongation after cardiac resynchronization therapy is a predictor of persistent mechanical dyssynchrony.

Purpose: Prolonged QRS duration is the main selection criterion for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) which ameliorates left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony (MD). However, consequences of post-CRT QRS prolongation and residual MD have been poorly evaluated. We aimed to define the predictors of persistent MD and hypothesized that CRT-induced QRS change (ΔQRS) might have an impact on residual MD after CRT.

Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy following catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy is characterized by reversible left ventricular dysfunction following emotional or surgical stress. Unlike the well-known complications of catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF), Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy has been rarely reported so far. We report a case of acute reversible left heart failure following successful CA of paroxysmal AF in a patient with a history of panic disorder.

Atrial longitudinal strain parameters predict left atrial reverse remodeling after mitral valve surgery: a speckle tracking echocardiography study.

Volume overload in chronic severe mitral regurgitation (MR) causes left atrial (LA) remodeling. Volume overload generally diminishes after mitral valve surgery and LA size and shape are expected to recover. The recovery of LA functions named as reverse remodeling is said to be related with prognosis and mortality.

[Relationship between D-dimer and systemic embolism in patients with infective endocarditis].

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the value of plasma D-dimer (DD) levels for predicting systemic embolism in patients with infective endocarditis (IE).

Study Design: A total of 42 patients (mean age: 46±16 years; 78% males) with IE were included. Clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic findings of the patients were evaluated.

Left atrial longitudinal strain parameters predict postoperative persistent atrial fibrillation following mitral valve surgery: a speckle tracking echocardiography study.

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is common after cardiac surgery and is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and prolonged hospital stay. Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) has been applied recently for evaluation of LA function. The purpose of this study was to examine whether left atrial longitudinal strain measured by STE is a predictor for the development of POAF following mitral valve surgery for severe mitral regurgitation.

Assessment of ST-elevation myocardial infarction-related diastolic dysfunction with compensatory rise in left atrial ejection force.

Background: It is well known that patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) show both systolic and diastolic left ventricular dysfunction. The aim of this study was to assess post-myocardial infarction diastolic dysfunction using left atrial ejection force (LAEF) in patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods And Results: We enrolled 58 patients presenting with STEMI who were treated with primary PCI and 23 healthy subjects as a control group.