Echocardiographic Results Research Articles

1-Year Outcomes of Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair in Anatomically Complex Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation Patients

BackgroundFavorable 6-month outcomes from the CLASP IID Registry (Edwards PASCAL transcatheter valve repair system pivotal clinical trial) demonstrated that mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair with the PASCAL transcatheter valve repair system is safe and beneficial for treating prohibitive surgical risk degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) patients with complex mitral valve anatomy. ObjectivesThe authors sought to assess 1-year safety, echocardiographic and clinical outcomes from the CLASP IID Registry. MethodsPatients with 3+ or 4+ DMR who were at prohibitive surgical risk, had complex mitral valve anatomy based on the MitraClip Instructions for Use, and deemed suitable for treatment with the PASCAL system were enrolled prospectively. Safety, clinical, echocardiographic, functional, and quality-of-life outcomes were assessed at 1 year. Study oversight included a central screening committee, echocardiographic core laboratory, and clinical events committee. ResultsNinety-eight patients were enrolled. One-year Kaplan-Meier (KM) estimates of freedom from composite major adverse events, all-cause mortality, and heart failure hospitalization were 83.5%, 89.3%, and 91.5%, respectively. Significant mitral regurgitation (MR) reduction was achieved at 1 year (P < 0.001 vs baseline) including 93.2% at MR ≤2+ and 57.6% at MR ≤1+ with improvements in related echocardiographic measures. NYHA functional class and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score also improved significantly (P < 0.001 vs baseline). ConclusionsAt 1 year, treatment with the PASCAL system demonstrated safety and significant MR reduction, with continued improvement in clinical, echocardiographic, functional, and quality-of-life outcomes, illustrating the value of the PASCAL system in the treatment of prohibitive surgical risk patients with 3+ or 4+ DMR and complex mitral valve anatomy.

Echocardiographic and Clinical Outcomes in Symptomatic Patients With Less Than Severe Aortic Stenosis After Supra-Annular Self-Expanding Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Optimal timing for aortic valve replacement in symptomatic patients with less than severe aortic stenosis (AS) is not well defined. There is limited information on the benefit of valve replacement in these patients. Symptomatic patients with less than severe AS, defined as a mean aortic gradient ≥20 and <40mm Hg, peak aortic velocity >3 and <4m/s, and aortic valve area >1.0 and <1.5cm2, enrolled in the Society for Thoracic Surgery/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry and who underwent attempted supra-annular, self-expanding transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) were reviewed. Site-reported valve hemodynamics, clinical events, and quality of life metrics were analyzed at 30days and 1year after the procedure. A total of 1,067 patients with attempted TAVR (mean age 78.4 ± 8.4years; Society for Thoracic Surgery score 4.7 ± 3.4%) were found to have symptoms but less than severe AS. From baseline to postprocedure, mean gradient decreased (29.9 ± 4.9 vs 8.4 ± 4.8mm Hg, p <0.001), and aortic valve area increased (1.2 ± 0.1 vs 2.2 ± 0.7cm2, p <0.001). Clinical events included 30-day and 1-year all-cause mortality (1.5% and 9.6%), stroke (2.2% and 3.3%), and new pacemaker implantation (18.1% and 20.9%). There were statistically significant improvements in the New York Heart Association functional class and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire at 30days and 1year. In conclusion, patients with symptomatic but less than severe AS who underwent supra-annular, self-expanding TAVR experienced improved valve hemodynamics and quality of life measures 1year after the procedure. Randomized studies of TAVR versus a control arm in symptomatic patients with less than severe AS are ongoing.

A 20-year population study of peripartum cardiomyopathy.

The epidemiology of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) in Europe is poorly understood and data on long-term outcomes are lacking. A retrospective, observational, population-level study of validated cases of PPCM in Scotland from 1998 to 2017 was conducted. Women hospitalized with presumed de novo left ventricular systolic dysfunction around the time of pregnancy and no clear alternative cause were included. Each case was matched to 10 controls. Incidence and risk factors were identified. Morbidity and mortality were examined in mothers and children. The incidence of PPCM was 1 in 4950 deliveries. Among 225 women with PPCM, obesity, gestational hypertensive disorders, and multi-gestation were found to be associated with having the condition. Over a median of 8.3 years (9.7 years for echocardiographic outcomes), 8% of women with PPCM died and 75% were rehospitalized for any cause at least once. Mortality and rehospitalization rates in women with PPCM were ∼12- and ∼3-times that of controls, respectively. The composite of all-cause death, mechanical circulatory support, or cardiac transplantation occurred in 14%. LV recovery occurred in 76% and, of those who recovered, 13% went on to have a decline in LV systolic function despite initial recovery. The mortality rate for children born to women with PPCM was ∼5-times that of children born to controls and they had an ∼3-times greater incidence of cardiovascular disease over a median of 8.8 years. PPCM affected 1 in 4950 women around the time of pregnancy. The condition is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality for the mother and child. There should be a low threshold for investigating at-risk women. Long term follow-up, despite apparent recovery, should be considered.

Distinguishing characteristics of pediatric patients with primary hyperoxaluria type 1 in PEDSnet

Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) is an autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism that causes oxalate deposition, leading to recurrent calcium oxalate kidney stones, chronic kidney disease and systemic oxalosis, which produces a broad range of serious life-threatening complications. Patients with PH1 have delayed diagnosis due to the rarity of the disease and the overlap with early-onset kidney stone disease not due to primary hyperoxaluria. The objective of this study was to determine the clinical features of individuals <21 years of age with PH1 that precede its diagnosis. We hypothesized that a parsimonious set of features could be identified that differentiate patients with PH1 from patients with non-primary hyperoxaluria-associated causes of early-onset kidney stone disease. We determined the association between clinical characteristics and PH1 diagnosis in a case-control study conducted between 2009 and 2021 in PEDSnet, a clinical research network of eight US pediatric health systems. Each patient with genetically confirmed PH1 was matched by sex and PEDSnet institution to up to 4 control patients with kidney stones without PH of any type. We obtained patient characteristics and diagnostic test results occurring before to less than 6 months after study entrance from a centralized database query and from manual chart review. Differences were examined using standardized differences and multivariable regression. The study sample included 37 patients with PH1 and 147 controls. Patients with PH1 were younger at diagnosis (median age of 3 vs 13.5 years); 75% of children with PH1 were less than 8 years-old. Patients with PH1 were more likely to have combinations of nephrocalcinosis on ultrasound or CT (43% vs 3%), lower eGFR at diagnosis (median=52mL/min/1.73m2 vs 114mL/min/1.73m2), and have normal mobility. Patients with PH1 had higher proportion of calcium oxalate monohydrate kidney stones than controls (median=100% vs 10%). There were no differences in diagnosis of failure to thrive, stone size, or echocardiography results. Children with PH1 are characterized by presentation before adolescence, nephrocalcinosis, decreased eGFR at diagnosis, and calcium oxalate monohydrate stone composition. If externally validated, these characteristics could facilitate earlier diagnosis and treatment of children with PH1.

Fetal Ductal Constriction due to Maternal Intake of Metamizole

The prevalence of intra-uterine dysfunction of ductus arteriosus is unknown and the clinical consequences are poorly understood. We report a case of prenatal diagnosis of premature closure of the ductus arteriosus due to maternal intake of metamizole during pregnancy. Fetal echocardiography at 37 weeks of gestation revealed a right ventricular hypertrophy and suspected stenosis of the tricuspid valve. A cesarean section led to an excellent neonatal outcome. The aim of this report is to show echocardiographic abnormalities and outcomes of this rare phenomenom.

TCT-9 Clinical and Echocardiographic Outcomes After Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair for Mitral Valve Regurgitation in Patients Presenting With Heart Failure: A Real-World Analysis

TCT-9 Clinical and Echocardiographic Outcomes After Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair for Mitral Valve Regurgitation in Patients Presenting With Heart Failure: A Real-World Analysis

TCT-403 1-Year Clinical and Echocardiographic Outcomes of TAVI With the Latest SAPIEN 3 ULTRA Balloon-Expandable Valve: From the S3U Registry

TCT-403 1-Year Clinical and Echocardiographic Outcomes of TAVI With the Latest SAPIEN 3 ULTRA Balloon-Expandable Valve: From the S3U Registry

Five-year Outcomes of Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair in Patients with Mitral Regurgitation and Cardiogenic Shock

Objective: To analyze five-year clinical and echocardiographic outcomes in patients presenting with acute cardiogenic shock (CS) who underwent transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) for moderate or severe mitral valve regurgitation (MR). Methods: All consecutive patients who underwent TEER for MR were identified from our institutional medical records between 2015 and 2022. Patients presenting with CS undergoing TEER were included in the primary analysis. MR was diagnosed based on patient's echocardiographic findings and CS was diagnosed according to the definition in the TVT registry and/or presence of inotrope use prior to procedure and/or mechanical circulatory support prior to procedure. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed to analyze outcomes. Primary outcome was five-year incidence of all-cause death. Secondary outcomes were major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and readmission for heart failure (HF). Results: A total of 35 patients were included in the study. Mean age was 81±10.4 years and 16 patients (45.7%) were male. Mean STS-score was 10.2±7.1. Nine (25.7%) patients had prior myocardial infarction (MI), 22 (62.8%) had previous atrial fibrillation, while 9 (25.7%) patients were hospitalized for HF within the past year. MR etiology was degenerative (71.4%), functional (22.9%), and mixed (5.7%). Prior to presentation with CS, NYHA classification included 2 (5,7%) patients in class I, 6 (17.1%) in class II, 13 (37.1%) in class III, and 14 (40%) in class IV. Pre-procedural mean LVEF was 56.4 ± 13%. Procedural characteristics included mean procedural time (from access to guide removal) of 2.0 ± 0.6 hours, &gt; 1 implanted device in 14 (40.0%) patients, 1 patient had a single leaflet attachment. There was no procedural device embolism, device thrombosis, conversion to sternotomy, life threatening bleeding, stroke, MI, or death. Mean postoperative length of stay was 5.1 ± 4.4 days. During their hospital stay, a transient ischemic attack event occurred in 1 patient; however, no MI, stroke, or death were observed in any patient. During the follow-up, 13 (37.1%) patients were readmitted for HF, 1 patient needed mitral valve replacement and 1 patient needed new TEER. At 5 years, only 4 (11.4%) patients were alive. Conclusion: Despite excellent procedural and early outcomes for patients with significant MR and CS undergoing TEER, poor survival was observed after 5 years, which may be related to advanced age of this cohort.

Diagnostic value of exercise stress echocardiography on a horizontal cycle ergometer in patients with low-risk non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome

Aim. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of exercise stress echocardiography on a horizontal cycle ergometer for the detection of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with low-risk non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS).Material and methods. The study included 95 patients aged 53 (46;63) years (men, 58%), hospitalized in the regional vascular center with low-risk NSTE-ACS. Patients with known CAD, impaired resting left ventricular contractility were not included. During hospitalization, standard stress echocardiography on a horizontal cycle ergometer and invasive or non-invasive coronary angiography (CAG) were performed. All values of coronary obstruction ≥70% were verified by invasive CAG. The assessment of myocardial revascularization was observational.Results. All patients had normal structural and functional cardiac parameters at rest. No adverse events were recorded during the tests. The result of stress echocardiography according to impaired local contractility (ILC) criterion was positive in 9 (16%), negative in 28 (49%), incomplete symptom-limited in 20 (35%) patients. Coronary artery stenosis ≥50%/≥70% was detected in 78/78% of cases in the subgroup with a positive result, in 29/11% — with a negative result, 30/10% — with a non-diagnostic result. The association of ILC with stenosis ≥70% was higher, with an odds ratio of 30,1 (4,9; 186,5) vs 8,5 (1,6; 46,1) for stenosis ≥50%. There were following diagnostic accuracy for stenosis ≥70%: sensitivity — 70%, specificity — 93%, positive predictive value — 78%, negative predictive value — 89%, overall accuracy — 86%.Conclusion. Exercise stress echocardiography on a horizontal cycle ergometer in patients with low-risk NSTE-ACS patients is safe and feasible. The method has moderate sensitivity and positive predictive value and high specificity, negative predictive value and overall accuracy for the detection of anatomically significant coronary artery stenosis. In the structure of results, there is a significant proportion (35%) of symptom-limited tests incomplete due to heart rate, characterized by the lowest incidence of obstructive atherosclerosis.

Analysis of the Diagnostic Value of Echocardiography in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure

Objective: This study aims to analyze the diagnostic value of echocardiography in patients with chronic heartfailure. Methods: 30 patients with chronic heart failure admitted to our hospital during January 2021 to January 2023 were selected as the observation group, and 30 healthy people who received physical examination in our hospital during the same period were selected as the reference group. Both groups received echocardiography, and the results of the ultrasound examination were compared, and the subjects in the observation group were grouped according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) cardiac function grading standard. The results of echocardiography in patients with chronic heart failure of different cardiac function grades were compared. Results: The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and ratio of maximum blood flow in the early diastole (E) to movement speed (A) (E/A) in the observation group were lower than those in the reference group, while the left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWd), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), left atrial diameter (LAD), and interventricular septal thickness (IVS) were higher than those of the reference group (P &lt; 0.05). With the continuous increase of cardiac function grades, the levels of LVEF and E/A in patients with chronic heart failure continued to decrease, while the levels of LVPWd, LVEDD, LVESD, LAD, and IVS continued to increase, and there were significant differences among the groups (P &lt; 0.05).Conclusion: The application of echocardiography in the clinical diagnosis of chronic heart failure can accurately evaluate the changes of cardiac shape and cardiac function, and provide a reliable basis for clinical diagnosis with a high application value.

Effect and mechanism of Qing Gan Zi Shen decoction on heart damage induced by obesity and hypertension

Ethnopharmacological relevanceQing Gan Zi Shen Decoction (QGZS) is a traditional Chinese formula. It has been extensively used for decades in the treatment of hypertension combined with metabolic diseases, but its cardioprotective effects and underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Aim of the studyTo explore the cardioprotective effects and potential mechanisms of QGZS in an animal model of obese hypertension. Materials and methodsIn this study, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were utilized as an animal model to examine the effects of a high-fat diet and two concentrations of QGZS. Echocardiography, hematoxylin eosin (H&E) staining, and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining were employed to assess the cardiac structure and function of the SHRs throughout a 16-week therapy period. Furthermore, Western blotting (WB) and immunofluorescence (IF) were employed to identify the levels of Nrf2 expression in the mitochondria, cytoplasm, and nucleus of the myocardium. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were utilized to measure mitochondrial morphology and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, respectively. Furthermore, Western blotting (WB), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF) techniques were employed to quantify the levels of marker proteins associated with myocardial fibrosis, cardiac inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. ResultsQGZS inhibited weight gain and depressed systolic and mean arterial pressures in high-fat-fed SHRs. Echocardiographic results demonstrated that QGZS prevented the increase in left ventricular mass, restricted the growth of left ventricular diameter, and improved ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS), and the ratio of early diastolic peak velocity of transmitral flow (E) to late diastolic peak velocity (A) in high-fat-fed SHRs. This suggested that QGZS prevented ventricular remodeling and protected cardiac systolic and diastolic functions. H&E and WGA staining showed that QGZS improved cardiomyocyte disorders and restricted cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. The underlying mechanisms, QGZS attenuated the oxidative stress state, including reducing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the myocardium, revitalizing the antioxidant enzyme system, and protecting mitochondrial function. Moreover, QGZS alleviated the pro-inflammatory state in high-fat-fed SHRs. What's more, QGZS significantly increased the expression level of Nrf2 in nuclei and mitochondria in rat heart tissues, exerting a proximate Nrf2 agonist effect. ConclusionsQGZS exerted cardioprotective effects, in part due to its increasing expression of Nrf2 protein in the heart, which promoted Nrf2 nuclear expression.

Beta vulgaris-derived exosome-like nanovesicles alleviate chronic doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by inhibiting ferroptosis.

Dose-dependent heart failure is a major complication of the clinical use of doxorubicin (Dox), one of the most potent chemotherapeutic agents. Effective adjuvant therapy is required to prevent Dox-induced cardiotoxicity. Currently, plant-derived exosome-like nanovesicle (PELNV) has revealed their salubrious antioxidant and immunological regulating actions in various disease models. In this study, we isolated, purified and characterized Beta vulgaris-derived exosome-like nanovesicle (BELNV). Dox or normal saline was given to HL-1 cells (3 μM) and 8-week C57BL/6N mice (5 mg/kg bodyweight per week for 4 weeks) to establish the in vitro and in vivo model of Dox-induced cardiotoxicity. Administration of BELNV significantly alleviated chronic Dox-induced cardiotoxicity in terms of echocardiographic and histological results. A reduced malondialdehyde (MDA), increased ratio of glutathione (GSH) to oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and levels of system xc- and glutathione peroxidase 4 were observed, indicating that DOX-stimulated ferroptosis was reversed by BELNV. Besides, the safety of BELNV was also validated since no liver, spleen, and kidney toxicity induced by BELNV was observed. These findings provide evidence that BELNV may act as a novel therapeutic biomaterial for patients undergoing adverse effects of Dox, at least partly mediated by inhibiting Dox-induced ferroptosis.

The role of galectin-3 in patients with permanent and paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation and echocardiographic parameters of left atrial fibrosis.

Biochemical markers and imaging tests have been used with the aim of stratifying the risk and detecting atrial fibrosis. Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) is used for the detection of atrial fibrosis and Gal-3 provides an important prognostic value. The objective of the study was to assess the association between atrial fibrosis markers and serum levels, genetic polymorphisms and genic expression of galectin-3. 206 patients with permanent AF and 70 patients with paroxysmal AF were included in the study. Real time PCR (TaqMan) system was used to study SNPs rs4652 and 4644 of the gene LGALS3. Serum levels of Gal-3 were determined by ELISA and STE was performed to assess fibrosis. Mean age of individuals with permanent AF was 66.56 ± 12 years. As for the echocardiography results, those patients showed an decrease in the following parameters peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) (p = 0.002) when compared to the same parameters from the paroxysmal AF group of patients. There was a correlation between serum levels of Gal-3 and PALS in the group of patients with permanent AF; the lower the levels of gal-3, the lower the LA strain (r = 0.24; p = 0.01). Echocardiographic findings showed association with the groups, and with serum levels of Gal-3 in patients with permanent AF. The distribution of allelic and genotypic frequencies, and of the haplotypes of polymorphism LGALS3 rs4652 and rs4644 did not present statistical variation, which suggests that those SNPs are not associated with the AF clinical forms (permanent and paroxysmal).

Prevalence of Congenital Heart Defects in Term Children in the First Month of Life in the Arkhangelsk Region

The article presents an analysis of the incidence of congenital heart defects in children of the first month of life in one of the cities of the Arkhangelsk region for 5 years. The results of echocardiography of full-term infants in the first month of life, carried out in 2018-2022, were analyzed. The total number of full-term children in the first month of life who underwent echocardiography during the reporting period was 1112 people. The incidence of all CHD was 3.1%, while the most common CHD was atrial septal defect and accounted for 47% of all identified CHD. In second place in terms of prevalence is the defect of the interventricular septum, in the third place is the patent ductus arteriosus. Coarctation of the aorta was detected in 5.9% of patients; it was not critical and required only dynamic monitoring. Stenosis of the pulmonary artery was not detected during this period of time, but moderate stenosis of the branches of the pulmonary arteries (right and left) was detected in 0.36% of patients due to narrowing of their trunks. The prevalence of complex combined heart defects was 1.8% (tetralogy of Fallot with severe pulmonary artery stenosis, double outlet vessels from the right ventricle).

Impact of patent foramen ovale on short-term outcomes in children with biliary atresia undergoing living donor liver transplantation: a retrospective cohort study

ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of patent foramen ovale (PFO) on the short-term outcomes of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in children with biliary atresia.MethodsWith the approval of the hospital ethics committee, 304 children with biliary atresia who underwent LDLT in our center from January 2020 to December 2021 were enrolled. According to the results of echocardiography before the operation, the subjects were divided into the PFO group (n = 73) and the NoPFO group (n = 231). The baseline characteristics; intraoperative recipient-related data and donor-related data; incidence of postreperfusion syndrome (PRS); postoperative mechanical ventilation time; ICU stay duration; postoperative hospital stay duration; liver function index; incidences of postoperative complications including acute renal injury (AKI), graft dysfunction, hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) and portal vein thrombosis (PVT); and one-year survival rate were compared between the two groups.ResultsThe median age in the PFO group was 6 months and that in the NoPFO group was 9 months (P < 0.001), and the median height (65 cm) and weight (6.5 kg) in the PFO group were significantly lower than those in the NoPFO group (68 cm, 8.0 kg) (P < 0.001). The preoperative total bilirubin level (247 vs. 202 umol/L, P = 0.007) and pediatric end-stage liver disease (PELD) score (21 vs. 16, P = 0.001) in the PFO group were higher than those in the NoPFO group. There were no significant differences in the intraoperative PRS incidence (46.6% vs. 42.4%, P = 0.533 ), postoperative mechanical ventilation time (184 vs. 220 min, P = 0.533), ICU stay duration (3.0 vs. 2.5 d, P = 0.267), postoperative hospital stay duration (22 vs. 21 d, P = 0.138), AKI incidence (19.2% vs. 24.7%, P = 0.333), graft dysfunction incidence (11.0% vs. 12.6%, P = 0.716), HAT incidence (5.5% vs. 4.8%, P = 0.762), PVT incidence (2.7% vs. 2.2%, P = 0.675) or one-year survival rate (94.5% vs. 95.7%, P = 0.929) between the two groups.ConclusionThe presence of PFO has no negative impact on short-term outcomes in children with biliary atresia after LDLT.

Incidence and Outcomes of Valve-in-Valve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Failed Bioprosthetic Valves.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become a widely used, comparably efficient and safe alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Its utilization continues to grow, especially among younger patients. Despite improvements in durability, degeneration and subsequent re-interventions of failed prosthetic valves are still common. Even though valve-in-valve procedures have become more frequent, little is known about the trends over time or about clinical and echocardiographic long-term outcomes. Patients who underwent a valve-in-valve procedure between December 2011 and December 2022 in a large tertiary university hospital were analyzed. Primary outcomes were defined as procedural and device successes as well as event-free survival. Secondary analyses between subsets of patients divided by index valve and date of procedure were performed. Among 1407 procedures, 58 (4%) were valve-in-valve interventions, with an increased frequency observed over time. Overall, technical success was achieved in 88% and device success in 85% of patients. Complications were predominantly minor, with similar success rates among TAVR-in-SAVR (TiSAVR) and TAVR-in-TAVR (TiTAVR). Notably, there were significant and lasting improvements in mean echocardiographic gradients at 1 year. Event-free survival was 76% at one month and 69% at one year. Over the last decade, a rising trend of valve-in-valve procedures was observed. Despite an increase in procedures, complications show a contrasting decline with improved technical and device success over time. TiSAVR and TiTAVR showed comparable rates of procedural and device success as well as similar outcomes, highlighting the utility of valve-in-valve procedures in an aging population.

Aspirin Versus Warfarin after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-Risk Patients: 2-Year Follow-Up

Subclinical leaflet thrombosis occurs with transcatheter heart valves (THVs) and could be associated with structural valve deterioration. The current guidelines recommend the use of antiplatelet agents after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) but not the routine use of oral anticoagulation. Our study examines the effects of short-term warfarin therapy on THV hemodynamics at 24months after TAVR in low-risk patients. Low-risk patients who underwent TAVR were randomly allocated 1:1 to receive low-dose aspirin (n=50) or low-dose aspirin plus warfarin (n=44). After 30days of treatment, ongoing medication regimens, including anticoagulation, were at the physicians' discretion. Follow-up after a period of 24months was available for clinical and echocardiographic outcomes. At the 24-month mark, follow-up echocardiography of the randomly allocated patients revealed just 1 additional case of new structural valve deterioration in the aspirin group (compared with the occurrence within 30days), based on the Valve Academic Research Consortium 3 definitions. There were also no differences in mean pressure gradients (11.5 ± 0.5mm Hg vs 11.05 ± 4.0mm Hg, p=0.6) or peak velocity (2.2 ± 0.5m/s vs 2.1 ± 0.4m/s, p=0.7) between the groups. A composite end point (mortality, stroke, and myocardial infarction) did not show any difference between the groups at long-term follow-up (p=0.07). In conclusion, in low-risk patients who underwent TAVR, short-term anticoagulation with warfarin did not impact clinical outcomes or THV hemodynamics by echocardiography at 24months.

Опыт лечения сердечной недостаточности как проявления кардиотоксичности химиотерапии у онкологических пациентов

Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of morpholinium-methyl-triazolyl-thioacetate (thiotriazoline) in the treatment of heart failure as manifestations of cardiotoxicity of chemotherapy in patients with lymphomas. Material and methods. 54 patients with lymphomas were examined against the background of course antitumor therapy. All patients underwent a standard examination (physical examination, laboratory tests, including Nt-proBNP, troponin I, electrocardiogram, echocardiography). In case of detection of symptoms of heart failure (n = 21), thiotriazoline was administered intravenously with further transition to tablet form. Results. Signs of heart failure (shortness of breath, edema, positive water balance, increased Nt-proBNP levels) were recorded in 35 (64.8%) patients. According to the results of the control echocardiography, no significant changes in cardiac hemodynamics were detected. Daily assessment of hemodynamic parameters with an assessment of the severity of dyspnea and edema, allowed to verify the initial manifestations of cardiotoxicity by laboratory methods at the initial stages. The use of thiotriazoline allowed to normalize the level of Nt-proBNP and prevent further deterioration of the clinical picture of HF. Conclusion. The use of thiotriazoline makes it possible to prevent and slow down the processes of the cardiovascular continuum, leading to the occurrence of heart failure or decompensation of existing HF in patients receiving treatment for oncological diseases.

Peculiarities of correlations between spirometric and anthropometric indicators in practically healthy young women of mesomorphic somatotype

The issue of studying the relationships between indicators of the external structure of the body and spirographic parameters in persons of a certain sex, age, ethno-territorial zoning remains relevant, especially from the point of view of the need to determine the reference values of indicators of external breathing. The purpose of the study was to determine the peculiarities of the relationship between spirographic parameters and indicators of the external structure of the body in practically healthy young women of the mesomorphic constitutional type of the Podilia region of Ukraine. We conducted a complex clinical and laboratory study of young women aged 16 to 20 years, which corresponds to the youthful period of ontogenesis. 109 practically healthy young women were selected, in whom no deviations in the state of health were detected according to the results of radiography, echocardiography, tetrapolar rheovasography and rheoencephalography, sonographic examination of parenchymal organs of the abdominal cavity and thyroid gland, general and biochemical blood analysis. For this group of subjects, we performed a spirographic examination using the Medgraphics Pulmonary Function System 1070 series according to the methodology of the American Pulmonology Association and the European Respiratory Society (2019). The anthropometric study was carried out according to the method of V. V. Bunak (1941), the somatotypological study – according to the calculated modification of the Heath-Carter method (1990). The assessment of the component composition of body weight was carried out according to Matiegka method (1921). After somatotyping, it was found that 32 young women had a mesomorphic type of constitution, for which Spearman’s correlation analysis was conducted in the licensed software package “Statistica 5.5”. It was established that the majority of spirographic indicators in practically healthy young women of the mesomorphic somatotype had isolated statistically significant correlations with anthropo-somatotypological parameters, with the exception of parameters that reflect lung capacities. Vital capacity at rest, had the largest number and strength of correlations, was significantly associated with the value of 24 anthropo-somatotypological indicators. Total, longitudinal and girth body dimensions, the ectomorphic component of the somatotype, muscle, bone and fat mass of the body were most often correlated with the capacity indicators of external respiration. All speed spirographic indicators and maximum peak expiratory flow were correlated with the skinfold thickness. The study of correlations is the basis of further mathematical modeling to determine the appropriate spirographic indicators in an individual representative of the female sex of the juvenile age of the mesomorphic somatotype.

Mid-term outcomes and hemodynamic performance of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in bicuspid aortic valve stenosis: Insights from the bicuSpid TAvi duraBILITY (STABILITY) registry.

Limited data are available on transcatheter heart valves (THVs) durability in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) stenosis. To evaluate evaluating 4-year clinical and echocardiographic outcomes of patients with BAV undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The bicuSpid TAvi duraBILITY (STABILITY) registry is an Italian multicentre registry including all consecutive patients with BAV and severe aortic stenosis (AS), treated by means of TAVI between January 2011 and December 2017. Outcomes of interest were all-cause death at 4-year, over time changes in echocardiographic measurements, and THV durability according to the valve aortic research consortium (VARC)-3 update definitions. Study population included 109 patients (50% females; mean age 78 ± 7.5 years) with a mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality score of 5.1 ± 4.3%. Median follow-up (FU) duration was 4.1 years [interquartile range: 2.8-5.1]. The overall cumulative incidence of all-cause death by Kaplan-Meier estimates at 4 years was 32%. Compared to baseline, a significant decrease in transprosthetic mean gradient was obtained after TAVI (54 ± 16 vs. 10 ± 5 mmHg; p < 0.001), whereas a significant increase was observed at 4-year (13 ± 6.4 mmHg, p = 0.03). Cumulative incidence of hemodynamic valve dysfunction (HVD) was 4%. Six patients met HVD criteria: three moderate and three severe HVD. All three cases of severe HVD were clinically relevant (bioprosthetic valve failure[BVF]) with two patients receiving a reintervention (TAVI in TAVI), and one patient experiencing a valve-related death due to endocarditis. The STABILITY registry suggests that in patients with severe AS and BAV undergoing TAVI, postprocedural clinical benefits might last, over time, up to 4-year FU. The low rates of severe HVD and BVF may support the hypothesis of good THV durability also in BAV recipient.