Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Values Research Articles

New joint model for the dynamic prediction of heart failure in phospholamban (PLN) p.(Arg14del) positive individuals

Abstract Background PLN p.(Arg14del) positive individuals are at risk for developing arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy which can cause severe heart failure. Future gene therapy could be lifesaving and is rapidly advancing. It is therefore of importance to identify eligible patients for this evolving treatment, with individuals risk prediction playing an imperative role in this process. Purpose To develop a dynamic prediction model for the individual risk prediction of heart failure in PLN p.(Arg14del) positive individuals. Method Data were collected of 564 PLN p.(Arg14del) positive individuals with no baseline history of heart failure or myocardial infarction. During a median follow-up of 6.3 years (interquartile range 2.9-10.0), 74 individuals experienced heart failure, defined as a composite endpoint of heart failure hospitalization, left ventricle assist device implantation, heart transplantation and heart failure-related death. For the individual prediction of time to heart failure we used a joint model which simultaneously estimates a longitudinal model for repeatedly measured left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) during follow-up and a Cox regression model for the hazards of the heart failure endpoint. Using the longitudinal model we predicted the LVEF-values of all patients at future time points using the estimated random-effects and these predicted LVEF values were used as a time-dependent covariate in the Cox model which also contained age at start of follow-up as predictor variable. Results The joint model trained in this study had a very good performance in discriminating the individuals at risk for heart failure, with the 5-year mean AUC of 0.86 and 10-year mean AUC of 0.84. The LVEF had a hazard ratio of 0.89 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86-0.93, p<0.001), and age at baseline 1.04 (95% CI 1.03-1.06], p<0.001), meaning a lower LVEF and higher age at presentation were associated with heart failure. Figure 1 shows an example of an individual risk prediction with on the x-axis the follow-up time in years, on the y-axis (left) the LVEF in % and on the y-axis (right) the predicted survival probability. Conclusion Individual risk prediction with a simple model including only LVEF and age is of great importance for identifying PLN p.(Arg14del) positive individuals who are at risk of developing heart failure. The introduction of this novel joint prediction model is the first step in identifying individuals at risk for heart failure and may aid patient selection for future gene therapy interventions.

Decreased plasma ELABELA level as a novel screening indicator for heart failure: a cohort and observational study.

The predictive power of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is limited by its low specificity in patients with heart failure (HF). Discovery of more novel biomarkers for HF better diagnosis is necessary and urgent. ELABELA, an early endogenous ligand for the G protein-coupled receptor APJ (Apelin peptide jejunum, Apelin receptor), exhibits cardioprotective actions. However, the relationship between plasma ELABELA and cardiac function in HF patients is unclear. To evaluate plasma ELABELA level and its diagnostic value in HF patients, a total of 335 patients with or without HF were recruited for our monocentric observational study. Plasma ELABELA and Apelin levels were detected by immunoassay in all patients. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between plasma ELABELA or Apelin levels and study variables. The receiver operating characteristic curves were used to access the predictive power of plasma ELABELA or Apelin levels. Plasma ELABELA levels were lower, while plasma Apelin levels were higher in HF patients than in non-HF patients. Plasma ELABELA levels were gradually decreased with increasing New York Heart Association grade or decreasing LVEF. Plasma ELABELA levels were negatively correlated with BNP, left atrial diameter, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, left ventricular end-systolic diameter, and left ventricular posterior wall thickness and positively correlated with LVEF in HF patients. In contrast, the correlation between plasma Apelin levels and these parameters is utterly opposite to ELABELA. The diagnostic value of ELABELA, Apelin, and LVEF for all HF patients was 0.835, 0.673, and 0.612; the sensitivity was 62.52, 66.20, and 32.97%; and the specificity was 95.92, 67.23, and 87.49%, respectively. All these parameters in HF patients with preserved ejection fraction were comparable to those in total HF patients. Overall, plasma ELABELA levels were significantly reduced and negatively correlated with cardiac function in HF patients. Decreased plasma ELABELA levels may function as a novel screening biomarker for HF. A combined assessment of BNP and ELABELA may be a good choice to increase the accuracy of the diagnosis of HF.

WHEN AND WHERE DOES A CARRIER OF HEREDITARY TRANSTHYRETIN AMYLOIDOSIS (ILE88LEU) SHOW THE FIRST SIGNS OF THE DISEASE? DIAGNOSTIC CHALLENGES OF A NOT ONLY CARDIOGENIC MUTATION

Abstract We present the case of a 58–year–old man with a familiar history (mother affected) positive for ATTR–v (Ile88Leu) amyloidosis. The mother initially had a pure cardiac phenotype and was firstly treated with tafamidis, but progression of the disease to the nervous system warranted a switch to patisiran. Our patient carried the Ile88Leu mutation and had a medical history notable for surgically treated left carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and untreated right CTS. Furthermore, he was affected by systemic arterial hypertension and was a habitual smoker. He has been followed at our Institution since 2018. His first echocardiogram showed normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF 65%), mild hypertrophy (anterior septum: 12 mm), and borderline values of GLS (– 16%) without any specific pattern. Further exams were executed: Bone scintigraphy (BS): negative (Perugini score 0); Coronary artery ct scan: moderate stenosis of proximal LAD; Neurologic evaluation: no signs of peripheral neuropathy. The clinical picture remained unaltered in 2020 and 2021. However, during November 2022 the patient developed atrial fibrillation (AF) and presented to the ED for dyspnea and palpitations. Electrical cardioversion was performed with success but subsequent recurrences warranted AF ablation in April 2023. At that moment, the patient was re–evaluated. Basal ECG did not show any significant alteration (FIg.1)This time, echocardiogram showed mild worsening of hypertrophy (13 mm septum), GLS – 16% with apical sparing pattern, no other major variations (Fig.2). BS was repeated and revealed grade 1 Perugini score (Fig.3). Hence, a series of clinical question arose: Should we begin a specific treatment or is the disease in an excessively early stage that does not warrant treatment? Is AF linked to concomitant arterial hypertension or might it be an early marker of disease? We questioned the usefulness of endomyocardial biopsy in this specific setting. In this case, we repeated electromyography that showed mild axonal sensitive–motor polyneuropathy. Finally, we concluded for initial signs of systemic amyloidosis ATTR–v (Ile88Leu) type with mixed phenotype (neurological+cardiac). The neurological involvement allowed us to start a gene–silencer (Patisiran). In conclusion, a periodic neurological evaluation is necessary and has crucial therapeutic implications in all genotypes. Indeed, there is increasing evidence that Ile88Leu is a not only cardiogenic mutation.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of NT-proBNP in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and acute decompensated heart failure

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements None. Aim To study N-terminal propeptide natriuretic hormone (NT-proBNP) values in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) at admission and discharge to evaluate its impact on clinical outcomes. Material and methods Included were 566 patients hospitalized with ADHF, functional classes II–IV (NYHA) [49,3% men, mean age 72,4 ± 11.4 years, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) - 45 (33; 55) %. Patients were divided into 2 groups: 1 – ADHF and NAFLD (n=168), 2 – ADHF without NAFLD (n=398). All patients had NT-proBNP levels determined upon admission and discharge. The degree of liver steatosis was determined using a sensor device using the CAP (Controlled Attenuation Parameter) ultrasound option. Threshold CAP values corresponded to the degree of hepatic steatosis - S0 (<294 dB/m), S1 (295-309 dB/m), S2 (310-330 dB/m), S3 (≥331 dB/m). Results NAFLD was diagnosed in 29.7% of all patients. The incidence of NAFLD was higher in patients with preserved LVEF - 43% vs 25% - reduced LVEF. Patients with severe steatosis (S3) had significantly lower NT-proBNP values than patients with moderate steatosis (S1,S2) and no steatosis (S0) at admission [926 (256;1870) pg/ml, 1246 (298; 2000) pg/ml, 1850 (798;3515) pg/ml, respectively, p<0.001] and at discharge [480 (107;1406) pg/ml, 1077 (250;1649) pg/ml, 1685 (628;2733) ) pg/ml, respectively, p<0.001]. In patients with NAFLD and ADHF, according to multivariate Cox regression analysis, NTproBNP level >1593 pg/ml at discharge (hazard ratio (HR) 3.14; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.52– 6.43; p<0.001) and LVEF<40% (HR 2.90; 95% CI 1.46–5.76; p=0.002) were independently associated with a higher likelihood of all-cause death during the 3-year follow-up period. Conclusions NAFLD and ADHF group was characterized by lower NT-proBNP values, with an inverse correlation with the degree of steatosis, which may complicate timely diagnosis and prescription of adequate therapy. At the same time, assessment of NTproBNP and LVEF values in patients with ADHF and NAFLD at discharge had an important prognostic role for stratifying by risk of death from all causes during the observed period, despite lower NTproBNP threshold values.

Aortic pulse wave analysis and functional capacity of heart transplantation candidates: a pilot study

We compared cardiovascular parameters obtained with the Mobil-O-Graph and functional capacity assessed by the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) before and after Heart Transplantation (HT) and also compared the cardiovascular parameters and the functional capacity of candidates for HT with a control group. Peripheral and central vascular pressures increased after surgery. Similar results were observed in cardiac output and pulse wave velocity. The significant increase in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) postoperatively was not followed by an increase in the functional capacity. 24 candidates for HT and 24 controls were also compared. Functional capacity was significantly lower in the HT candidates compared to controls. Stroke volume, systolic, diastolic, and pulse pressure measured peripherally and centrally were lower in the HT candidates when compared to controls. Despite the significant increase in peripheral and central blood pressures after surgery, the patients were normotensive. The 143.85% increase in LVEF in the postoperative period was not able to positively affect functional capacity. Furthermore, the lower values of LVEF, systolic volume, central and peripheral arterial pressures in the candidates for HT are consistent with the characteristics signs of advanced heart failure, negatively impacting functional capacity, as observed by the lower DASI score.

The significance of metabolic alkalosis on acute decompensated heart failure: the ALCALOTIC study.

To determine the prevalence and the impact on prognosis of metabolic alkalosis (MA) in patients admitted for acute heart failure (AHF). The ALCALOTIC is a multicenter, observational cohort study that prospectively included patients admitted for AHF. Patients were classified into four groups according to their acid-base status on admission: acidosis, MA, respiratory alkalosis, and normal pH (reference group for comparison). Primary endpoint was all-cause in-hospital mortality, and secondary endpoints included 30/90-day all-cause mortality, all-cause readmission, and readmission for HF. Associations between endpoints and acid-base alterations were estimated in a multivariate Cox regression model including sex, age, comorbidities, and Barthel index and expressed as hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Six hundred sixty-five patients were included (84years and 57% women), and 40% had acid-base alterations on admission: 188 (28%) acidosis and 78 (12%) alkalosis. The prevalence (95% CI) of MA was 9% (6.8-11.2%). Patients with MA were more women; had fewer comorbidities, better renal function, and higher left ventricle ejection fraction values; and received more treatment with oral acetazolamide during hospitalization and at discharge. MA was not associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality and 30/90-day all-cause mortality or readmissions but was associated with a significant increase in readmissions for HF at 30 and 90days (adjusted HR [95% CI] 3.294 [1.397-7.767], p = 0.006 and 2.314 [1.075-4.978], p = 0.032). The prevalence of MA in patients admitted for AHF was 9%, and its presence was associated with more readmissions for HF but not with all-cause mortality.

Left ventricular systolic dysfunction predicts clinical prognosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke after intravenous thrombolysis.

Although intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) thrombolysis is the most effective early treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS), outcomes vary greatly among patients. Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) is prone to distant organ ischemia and may be a predictor for poor prognosis in AIS patients undergoing intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). Our aim was to investigate the predictivity of LVSD diagnosis (as measured by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)) on 90-day clinical outcomes in AIS patients undergoing thrombolysis. The current prospective cohort study continuously enrolled 273 AIS patients from the National Stroke Prevention and Treatment Engineering Management Special Database who underwent IVT and completed echocardiography within 24 h of admission between 2021 and 2023. LVSD was examined by evaluation of the echocardiographic LVEF values using Simpson's biplane method of discs in line with international guidelines, and defined as a LVEF value < 50%. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression model was performed to analyze the association between LVEF and functional outcome at 3 months. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used to examine the shape of the dose-response association between reduced LVEF and poor functional outcomes. Subgroup analysis was also employed to further verify the reliability and practicability of the results. Baseline data analysis showed LVSD patients had more comorbidities including on multivariate analyses, LVSD (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.23 to 6.24, P=0.014), pre-existing diabetes mellitus (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.11 to 3.90, P=0.023) and NIHSS on arrival (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.49, P<0.001) were independent predictors of poor functional outcomes (mRS ≥ 3) at 3 months. Multivariable-adjusted spline regression indicated a linear dose-response association between LVEF after IVT and poor functional outcomes (p for linearity < 0.001), with the optimal cutoff values of LVEF being 0.48. Our finding indicated that AIS patients with LVSD after IVT had poorer outcomes, suggesting the need to monitor and optimize LVEF in stroke management.

Abstract PO1-10-04: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Anthracycline and HER2-targeted Cardiotoxicity in Patients With Breast Cancer Using Global Longitudinal Strain Imaging Techniques

Abstract Purpose: Studies of global longitudinal strain (GLS) as a predictor of cancer treatment-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) have been limited in racial/ethnic minority populations who are more likely to have risk factors associated with CTRCD. Our aim was to assess the utilization of GLS and development of CTRCD in a racially and ethnically diverse population of patients at an academic center in New York City. Methods: Patients were included if they had a breast cancer diagnosis and began treatment with anthracycline or HER2-directed therapies at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) from February 1, 2020-July 31, 2022. All patients and variables were identified via the electronic health record. Cardiovascular comorbidities including obesity, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and other cardiac disease, were recorded. Receipt of transthoracic echocardiogram(s) (TTE) with/without GLS were recorded, along with GLS and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) values. CTRCD was defined as LVEF decrease of ≥10% to a LVEF value &amp;lt; 53% or GLS decrease of ≥ 15% from baseline or GLS &amp;lt; -18%. Analyses included descriptive statistics and univariable and multivariable logistic regression models to evaluate predictors of CTRCD by either LVEF or GLS definition. Results: We identified 270 eligible patients. Mean age was 51.8 years (standard deviation 13.0), 85 (31.5%) identified as White, 47 (17.4%) as Black/African, and 16 (5.9%) as Asian; 135 (50.0%) identified as Non-Hispanic/Latino, and 79 (29.2%) as Hispanic/Latino. Approximately half of the patient cohort, n=137 (50.7%) had a TTE with GLS during the study period. Of the TTEs done at CUIMC (n=658), 270 (41%) were ordered with GLS assessment, of which 184 (68%) reported a GLS value and 86 (32%) were not assessable due to image quality. Forty-three (16%) patients developed CTRCD: 20 (7%) by GLS criteria, 13 (5%) by LVEF criteria, and 10 (4%) by both GLS and LVEF criteria. In univariable analyses, race (OR 5.78, 95%CI 1.62-20.4 Asian compared to White), treatment with HER2 therapy without anthracycline versus anthracycline (OR 2.78, 95%CI 1.34-6.23), and prescription for cardiac medication prior to systemic therapy (OR 2.27, 95%CI 1.08-4.63) were predictors of CTRCD by any definition. In multivariable analysis, race (OR 7.86, 95%CI 1.71-38.50 Asian compared to White), and receipt of HER2 therapy without anthracycline compared to anthracycline (OR 5.13, 95%CI 1.42-25.00) were predictors of CTRCD. In multivariable analysis of CTRCD by GLS criteria only, race (OR 78.47, 95%CI 1.47-53.96 Asian compared to White), and treatment (OR 11.23, 95%CI 1.85-219 HER2 therapy compared to anthracycline; OR 58.7, 95%CI 1.05-60.59 HER2 therapy and anthracycline compared to anthracycline). Conclusions: In this retrospective analysis of a racially and ethnically diverse patient population, more than a third of Asian patients developed CTRCD, although the study is limited by small sample sizes. Asian race and receipt of anti-HER2 therapy were independent risk factors for CTRCD. Asian race was especially a predictor of CTRCD by GLS definition. Detection bias may explain the differences in CTRCD by drug class, as patients complete serial TTEs while receiving HER2-directed therapy, while patients who receive an anthracycline without HER2-directed therapy typically only receive a baseline TTE. Future research to better characterize racial differences in CTRCD incidence and develop interventions to reduce this disparity is an area warranting further investigation. Demographic and Tumor Related Factors Associated with CTRCD (n=270) Univariable and multivariable analysis of CTRCD by LVEF or GLS definition. Multivariable analysis was adjusted for all variables listed. Citation Format: Amanda Wang, Jayant Raikhelkar, Rohit Raghunathan, Julia McGuinness, Neil Vasan, Meghna Trivedi, Kevin Kalinsky, Katherine Crew, Melissa Beauchemin, Jason Wright, Dawn Hershman, Melissa Accordino. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Anthracycline and HER2-targeted Cardiotoxicity in Patients With Breast Cancer Using Global Longitudinal Strain Imaging Techniques [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-10-04.

Вибір блокатора ренін-ангіотензин-альдостеронової системи для лікування серцевої недостатності при гострому міокардиті

Вибір блокатора ренін-ангіотензин-альдостеронової системи для лікування серцевої недостатності при гострому міокардиті

Differential sex-related effect of left ventricular ejection fraction trajectory on the risk of mortality and heart failure readmission following hospitalization for acute heart failure: A longitudinal study.

There is limited information on the sex-specific longitudinal changes of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after an acute heart failure (AHF) hospitalization. We aimed to investigate whether LVEF trajectories over time and their impact on mortality and AHF readmission rates differ between men and women. We conducted a retrospective sex-specific analysis of longitudinal LVEF measurements (n = 9581) in 3383 patients with an index hospitalization for AHF in a single tertiary-level hospital. Statistical techniques suited for longitudinal data analysis were used. The mean age of the sample was 73.8 ± 11.2 years, and 47.9% were women. The mean LVEF was 49.4 ± 15.3%. At a median follow-up of 2.58 years (interquartile range 0.77-5.62), we registered 2197 deaths (64.9%) and 2597 AHF readmissions in 1302 (38.5%) patients. The longitudinal analysis showed that women had consistently higher LVEF values throughout the follow-up with both trajectories characterized by an early peak-approximately at 1 year-followed by decreasing values in men but a plateau in women. Multivariate between-sex comparisons across LVEF categories revealed that women had lower rates of AHF readmissions when LVEF ≤40%. On the contrary, women displayed an excess risk of AHF readmissions when LVEF >60%. A trend in the same direction was found for cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Sex was a significant factor in determining the follow-up trajectory of LVEF and predicting differences in outcomes after an AHF admission. The findings suggest that women have a higher risk of AHF readmissions at higher LVEF values, while men have a higher risk at lower LVEF values. For all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, the same direction of the association was inferred but they were not significant.

Short-term efficacy and safety of cardiac contractility modulation in patients with heart failure

Objective: To investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) in patients with heart failure. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of patients with heart failure who underwent CCM placement at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from February to June 2022. With a follow-up of 3 months, CCM sensation, impedance, percent output, and work time were monitored, and patients were compared with pre-and 3-month postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) values, and 6-minute walk test distance and New York Heart Association (NYHA) cardiac function classification, and the occurrence of complications was recorded. Results: CCM was successfully implanted in all 9 patients. Seven(7/9) of them were male, aged (56±14) years, 3 patients had ischaemic cardiomyopathy and 6 patients had dilated cardiomyopathy. At 3-month postoperative follow-up, threshold was stable, sense was significantly lower at follow-up than before (right ventricle: (16.3±7.0) mV vs. (8.2±1.1) mV, P<0.05; local sense: (15.7±4.9) mV vs. (6.7±2.5) mV, P<0.05), and impedance was significantly lower at follow-up than before (right ventricle (846±179) Ω vs. (470±65) Ω, P<0.05, local sense: (832±246) Ω vs. (464±63) Ω, P<0.05). The CCM output percentage was (86.9±10.7) %, the output amplitude was (6.7±0.4) V, and the daily operating time was (8.6±1.0) h. LVEF was elevated compared to preoperative ((29.4±5.2) % vs. (38.3±4.3) %, P<0.05), the 6-minute walk test was significantly longer than before ((96.8±66.7)m vs. (289.3±121.7)m, P<0.05). No significant increase in the number of NYHA Class Ⅲ-Ⅳ patients was seen (7/9 vs. 2/9, P>0.05). The patient was not re-hospitalised for worsening heart failure symptoms, had no malignant arrhythmic events and experienced significant relief of symptoms such as chest tightness and shortness of breath. No postoperative complications related to pocket hematoma, pocket infection and rupture, electrode detachment, valve function impairment, pericardial effusion, or cardiac perforation were found. Conclusions: CCM has better short-term safety and efficacy in patients with heart failure.

Right ventricular dysfunction in chronic heart failure: clinical laboratory and echocardiographic characteristics. (the RIVED-CHF registry).

Right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) and pulmonary hypertension have been recognized as two important prognostic features in patients with left side heart failure. Current literature does not distinguish between right heart failure (RHF) and RVD, and the two terms are used indiscriminately to describe pulmonary hypertension and RVD as well as clinical sign of RHF. Therefore, the right ventricle (RV) adaptation across the whole spectrum of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) values has been poorly investigated. This is a multicenter observational prospective study endorsed by the Italian Society of Cardiology aiming to analyze the concordance between the signs and symptoms of RHF and echocardiographic features of RVD. The protocol will assess patients affected by chronic heart failure in stable condition regardless of the LVEF threshold by clinical, laboratory, and detailed echocardiographic study. During the follow-up period, patients will be observed by direct check-up visit and/or virtual visits every 6 months for a mean period of 3 years. All clinical laboratory and echocardiographic data will be recorded in a web platform system accessible for all centers included in the study. The main study goals are: to investigate the concordance and discordance between clinical signs of RHF and RVD measured by ultrasonographic examination; to evaluate prognostic impact (in terms of cardiovascular mortality and heart failure hospitalization) of RVD and RHF during a mean follow-up period of 3 years; to investigate the prevalence of different right ventricular maladaptation (isolated right ventricular dilatation, isolated pulmonary hypertension, combined pattern) and the related prognostic impact. With this protocol, we would investigate the three main RVD patterns according to heart failure types and stages; we would clarify different RVD and pulmonary hypertension severity according to the heart failure types. Additionally, by a serial multiparametric analysis of RV, we would provide a better definition of RVD stage and how much is it related with clinical signs of RHF (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06002321).

Continuous Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging after Coronary Revascularization for Left Ventricular Dysfunction

Objective: To determine the contribution of serial cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) following coronary revascularization (CR) to the clinical management of patients with left ventricular insufficiency. Methods: The study objects comprised the clinical data of 145 patients with CR undergoing CR surgery for left ventricular insufficiency in our hospital from January 2021 to January 2023. The patients were divided into the case (n = 35, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) &lt;50%) and control (n = 110, LVEF ≥50%) groups based on the LVEF recorded in the medical record system 6 months after surgery. Preoperative LVEF left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV), left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI), left ventricular end-systolic volume index (LVESVI), cardiac index (CI), and other cardiac magnetic resonance detection parameters were compared. Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the prognostic factors of patients undergoing CR after CR surgery for left ventricular insufficiency. The receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn, the sensitivity, specificity, and area under curve (AUC) were calculated, and the best prediction threshold was determined. The prognostic value of cardiac MRI in CR surgery for left ventricular dysfunction was observed. Results: Cardiac MRI revealed that the case group had higher LVEDV, LVESV, LVEDVI, LVESVI, and CI than the control group. However, the LVEF index was lower than that in the control group (p &lt; 0.05). Logistic regression analysis was conducted for indicators with differences, and the results indicate LVEF as a protective factor for the postoperative efficacy of the patients, with an odds ratio (OR) &lt;1. LVEDV, LVESV, LVEDVI, LVESVI, and CI were all risk factors for the postoperative efficacy of the patients, with an OR &gt;1. The AUC values of LVEF, LVEDV, LVESV, LVEDVI, LVESVI, and CI were 0.698, 0.674, 0.654, 0.700, 0.572, and 0.812, respectively. The optimal threshold values were 53.57%, 112.33 and 68.5 mL, and 205.51, 163.99, and 2.14 L/m2, and their corresponding sensitivities reached 0.618, 0.514, 0.654, 0.800, 0.371, and 0.829 for each index. The specificities were 0.800, 0.836, 0.771, 0.609, 0.836, and 0.645, which indicate that LVEF, LVEDV, LVESV, LVEDVI, LVESVI, and CI had a certain degree of predictive value for postoperative cardiac function recovery. Conclusion: LVEDV, LVESV, LVEDVI, LVESVI, CI, and LVEF are all factors affecting the clinical efficacy in patients undergoing CR after left ventricular insufficiency. In addition, cardiac MRI can effectively detect the above factors and effectively predict the postoperative efficacy among patients.

Usefulness of Heart Failure Categories Based on Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction.

Heart failure guidelines have recently introduced a narrow category with mildly reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction; LVEF 41%-49%) between the previous categories of reduced (heart failure with reduced ejection fraction; LVEF ≤40%) and preserved (heart failure with preserved ejection fraction; LVEF ≥50%) ejection fraction. Grouping of continuous measurements into narrow categories can be questioned if their variability is high. We constructed a cohort of all 9716 new cases of chronic heart failure with an available LVEF in Stockholm, Sweden, from January 1, 2015, until December 31, 2020. All values of LVEF were collected over time, and patients were followed up until death, moving out of Stockholm, or end of study. Mixed models were used to quantify within-person variance in LVEF, and multistate Markov models, with death as an absorbing state, to quantify the stability of LVEF categories. LVEF values followed a normal distribution. The SD of the within-person variance in LVEF over time was 7.4%. The mean time spent in any LVEF category before transition to another category was on average <1 year for heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction. Probabilities of transitioning between categories during the first year were substantial; patients with heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction had a probability of <25% of remaining in that category 1 year later. LVEF follows a normal distribution and has considerable variability over time, which may impose a risk for underuse of efficient treatment. The heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction category is especially inconstant. Assumptions of a patient's current LVEF should take this variability and the normal distribution of LVEF into account.

Development of automated neural network prediction for echocardiographic left ventricular ejection fraction.

The echocardiographic measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is fundamental to the diagnosis and classification of patients with heart failure (HF). This paper aimed to quantify LVEF automatically and accurately with the proposed pipeline method based on deep neural networks and ensemble learning. Within the pipeline, an Atrous Convolutional Neural Network (ACNN) was first trained to segment the left ventricle (LV), before employing the area-length formulation based on the ellipsoid single-plane model to calculate LVEF values. This formulation required inputs of LV area, derived from segmentation using an improved Jeffrey's method, as well as LV length, derived from a novel ensemble learning model. To further improve the pipeline's accuracy, an automated peak detection algorithm was used to identify end-diastolic and end-systolic frames, avoiding issues with human error. Subsequently, single-beat LVEF values were averaged across all cardiac cycles to obtain the final LVEF. This method was developed and internally validated in an open-source dataset containing 10,030 echocardiograms. The Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.83 for LVEF prediction compared to expert human analysis (p < 0.001), with a subsequent area under the receiver operator curve (AUROC) of 0.98 (95% confidence interval 0.97 to 0.99) for categorisation of HF with reduced ejection (HFrEF; LVEF<40%). In an external dataset with 200 echocardiograms, this method achieved an AUC of 0.90 (95% confidence interval 0.88 to 0.91) for HFrEF assessment. The automated neural network-based calculation of LVEF is comparable to expert clinicians performing time-consuming, frame-by-frame manual evaluations of cardiac systolic function.

Myocardial extracellular volume derived from contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography in longitudinal evaluation of cardiac toxicity in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

The immune-related adverse effects after immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) treatment have always been a hot topic. Although the incidence of myocarditis is not high among the related adverse effects, the mortality rate is extremely high once it occurs. In the past, the risk of cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) after drug treatment was evaluated based on imaging examinations, but this evaluation still had certain limitations. Currently, the extracellular volume (ECV) score measurement calculated using cardiac magnetic resonance T1 mapping has become a reliable method for evaluating myocardial toxicity and computed tomography (CT) examination may become an alternative. This study aimed to longitudinally evaluate the cardiac toxicity of patients treated with ICIs using myocardial ECV derived from contrast-enhanced chest CT. A total of 500 patients with III-IV lung cancer and esophageal cancer treated with ICIs were evaluated. Participants underwent baseline examination and at least 1 follow-up examination after treatment. Contrast-enhanced chest CT-ECV, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and measurement of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) were conducted before the first treatment, 3-6 months after the first treatment, and about 12 months after the first treatment, respectively. The ECV value of the middle part of the left ventricular septum was evaluated on CT venography and plain scan, the LVEF value was evaluated by color Doppler ultrasound, and the quantity of cTnT was detected by chemiluminescence. Cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction was recorded. The mean baseline LVEF value was 68.51%±4.81% (N0=500), and those of LVEF1, LVEF2, and LVEF3 were 68.77%±4.30%, 68.16%±3.59%, and 66.23%±4.20%, respectively (N1=500, N2=467, and N3=361, respectively). There was no significant difference between LVEF1, LVEF2, and LVEF0 (P1=0.095, P2=0.062), whereas LVEF3 was significantly lower than LVEF0 (P<0.001). The average baseline cTnT0 value was 7.42±3.95 (N0=500). The values of cTnT1, cTnT2, and cTnT3 were 10.05±11.40, 12.24±13.59, and 14.54±14.49, respectively (N1=500, N2=467, N3=361). The values of cTnT1, cTnT2, and cTnT3 were significantly higher than cTnT0 (P1<0.001, P2<0.001, P3<0.001). The average ECV0 was 47.14%±7.48% (N0=500). ECV1, ECV2, and ECV3 were 50.85%±6.79%, 53.44%±6.96% and 52.64%±7.58% respectively (N1=500, N2=467 and N3=361). ECV1, ECV2, and ECV3 were significantly higher than ECV0 (P1<0.001, P2<0.001, P3<0.001). CTRCD occurred in 49 patients. There were significant differences between the CTRCD (+) group and the CTRCD (-) group in cTnT1, cTnT2, and cTnT3 (P1<0.001, P2<0.001, and P3<0.001, respectively) and in ECV1, ECV2, and ECV3 (P1=0.039, P2=0.041, and P3=0.013, respectively). CT-ECV began to increase at the early stage after the treatment of ICIs. CT-ECV is a potential biomarker for dynamically monitoring the cardiac toxicity of tumor patients after receiving ICIs. ECV may be used to speculate the CTRCD caused by the treatment of ICIs.

Use of 3D echocardiography facilitates analysis of thrombolytic efficacy in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation.

This study seeks to identify the anticoagulant efficacy of rivaroxaban treatment on thrombi detected using echocardiography of the left atrial appendage in 275 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). During follow-up after 9 to 24 weeks of Rivaroxaban treatment, patients were divided into 'effective group' (n = 143) and 'ineffective group' (n = 132) according to the thrombolytic effect of the drug. Left atrial diameter (LAD), left atrial ejection fraction (LAEF), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), mean diameter of left atrial appendage (LAADmean), angle between left atrial appendage and left atrial (LAA-A), velocity of blood flow in left atrial appendage (LAA-v) and thrombus size were compared before and after drug administration. Following treatment, LAEF, LVEF and LAA-v values were greater and LAD and LAADmean values were lower in the effective (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed significant correlations of LAD, LAEF, LVEF, LAA-A and LAA-v with anticoagulant efficacy (P<0.05). The efficacy of Rivaroxaban in treatment of left atrial auricular thrombosis in patients with persistent AF was correlated with LAD, LAEF, LVEF, LAA-A and LAA-v. Multivariate logistic regression analysis further revealed LAEF (OR 1.7, 95% CI 0.45-16.9, P=0.008), 3D-EF (OR 6.4, 95% CI 1.06-16.9, P=0.039), and left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) (OR 18.0, 95% CI 1.38-35.68, P=0.028) as factors related to left atrial appendage thrombus. Echocardiography with global longitudinal strain assessment could be effectively utilized to evaluate the functional parameters of LAA and thus aid in predicting the safety of Rivaroxaban as an anticoagulation agent.

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Based Ischemic Injury Pattern in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction Sensu Left Ventricular Global Systolic Function.

The purpose of the study was to identify factors characterizing a decrease in LV global systolic function in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) after revascularization using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based ischemic injury pattern and laboratory parameters sensu left ventricular global systolic function. A total of 109 STEMI patients were examined. The patients underwent contrast-enhanced cardiac MRI with a 1.5 Tesla GE SIGNA Voyager (GE HealthCare, Chicago, IL, USA) on the 7th-10th days from the onset of the disease. According to cardiac MRI analysis, the patients were divided into the following groups with regard to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) values: Group 1-patients with LVEF ≥ 50%; group 2-patients with mildly reduced LVEF 40-49%; group 3-patients with low LVEF < 40%. A predominance of most parameters of the ischemic injury pattern was noted in patients with mildly reduced and low LVEF versus patient group with LVEF ≥ 50%. Some risk factors for a decrease in LVEF < 50% systolic function in STEMI patients after revascularization were revealed: male gender; time from the onset of the anginal attack to revascularization; coronary artery status; several LV parameters; ischemic injury characteristics; natriuretic peptide and troponin I levels.

Characteristics and changes of cardiac injury with age in children of Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a prospective cohort study

Objective: To explore the characteristics and changes of cardiac injury with age in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and its clinical significance. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted. The 215 patients diagnosed with DMD in West China Second Hospital from January 2019 to November 2022 and aged from 6 to 18 years were enrolled. Their clinical data, myocardial injury markers, routine electrocardiogram, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and echocardiography were collected. The patients were divided into five age groups: 6-<8, 8-<10, 10-<12, 12-<14 and 14-18 years of age, and matched with healthy boys respectively. Independent sample t test or Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the clinical data and CMR indexes between DMD patients and controls in all age subgroups, and to compare the value of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) measured by echocardiography and CMR in each subgroup of DMD patitents. Pearson correlation analysis or Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the relation between the CMR indexes and age in DMD patients. Results: A total of 215 patients with DMD (all male) and 122 healthy boys were included in the study. There were 75 DMD patients and 23 controls in 6-<8 years of age group, 77 DMD and 28 controls in 8-<10 years of age group, 39 DMD and 23 controls in 10-<12 years of age group, 10 DMD and 31 controls in the 12-<14 years of age group, and 14 DMD and 17 controls in 14-18 years of age group. In the DMD patients, the older the age, the lower the levels of creatine kinase (CK) and creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB). In the 6-<8 years of age group, the CK level was 10 760 (7 800, 15 757) U/L, while in the group of 14-18 years of age, it was 2 369 (1 480, 6 944) U/L. As for CK-MB, it was (189±17) μg/L in the 6-<8 years of age group and (62±16) μg/L in the 14-18 years of age group. Cardiac troponin I remained unchanged in <12 years of age groups, but significantly increased in 12-<14 years of age group, reaching the highest value of 0.112 (0.006, 0.085) μg/L. In the DMD patients, the older the age, the higher the proportion of abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG). In the 6-<8 years of age group, the proportion is 29.3% (22/75), while in the 14-18 years of age group, it was 10/14. Correlation analysis showed that the left ventricular end-diastolic volume index was positively related with age (r=0.18, P=0.015), and the left ventricular stroke volume index and cardiac output index were negatively related with age (r=-0.34 and -0.31, respectively, both P<0.001). In the DMD patients, the older the age, the lower LVEF, with the LVEF decreasing to (49.3±3.1)% in the 14-18 years of age group. The LVEF of DMD cases was significantly lower than that of controls in the age subgroups of 8-<10, 10-<12, 12-<14 and 14-18 years of age groups ((57.9±5.2) % vs. (63.6±0.8)%, 60.7% (55.9%, 61.9%) vs. 63.7% (60.2%, 66.0%), 57.1% (51.8%, 63.4%) vs. 62.1 % (59.5%, 64.5)%, (49.3±3.1) % vs. (61.6±1.3)%, respectively; all P<0.01). In the DMD patients, the older the age, the higher the proportion of positive late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). In the 6-<8 years of age group, it was 22% (11/51), in the 12-<14 years of age group, it was 13/14, and in the 14-18 years of age group, all DMD showed positive LGE. The value of LVEF of DMD cases measured by echocardiography was significantly higher than that measured by CMR in 6-<8 years of age group and 8-<10 years of age group (63.2% (60.1%, 66.4%) vs. 59.1 % (55.4%, 62.9%), and (62.8±5.2) % vs. (57.9±5.2)%, all P<0.001). Conclusion: DMD patients develop cardiac injury in the early stage of the disease, and the incidence of cardiac damage gradually increases with both age and the progression of disease.

Short time effects of two radiofrequency ablation methods on hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Radiofrequency ablation has been applied for the treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). The two known procedures are percutaneous intramyocardial septal radiofrequency ablation (PIMSRA) and endocardial radiofrequency septal ablation (ERSA). This study presents a retrospective analysis of the PIMSRA and ERSA procedures in patients with drug-refractory HOCM. A total of 28 patients participated in the study, with 12 receiving PIMSRA and 16 receiving ERSA. The objective of our study was to compare the short-term effects of these two radiofrequency ablation procedures. At the 30-day follow-up, the PIMSRA group demonstrated a greater reduction in left ventricular outflow tract peak gradient at rest compared to the ERSA group (22.25 [16.72] mmHg versus 47.75 [21.94] mmHg) (p < .01). The values for the PIMSRA group decreased from 99.33 (32.00) mmHg to 22.25 (16.72) mmHg (p < .01), while the ERSA group decreased from 97.75 (30.24) mmHg to 47.75 (21.94) mmHg (p < .01). Only the PIMSRA group exhibited a decrease in mitral regurgitation (MR). The area of MR decreased from 10.13 (4.12) mm2 to 3.65 (2.80) mm2 in the PIMSRA group (p < .01). Additionally, the PIMSRA group experienced reductions in left atrial diameter (LAD) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)%. The values for LAD changed from 43.58 (7.53) mm to 37.08 (6.92) mm (p = .03), and the values for LVEF% decreased from 65.75 (6.12) pg/mL to 60.83 (4.06) pg/mL (p = .03). In terms of the two types of radiofrequency ablation methods used in HOCM, it has been observed that PIMSRA demonstrates a more favorable early treatment effect compared to ERSA.