Long mitral valve leaflets determine left ventricular outflow tract obstruction during exercise in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Development of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is important for explaining symptoms and designing management. LVOTO is mostly caused by a combination of septal hypertrophy and systolic anterior movement of the mitral valve (SAM). The aim of the present study was to determine predictors of exercise induced LVOTO in a group of HCM patients.

Development of cardiomyopathy after liver transplantation in Swedish hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) patients.

Background: Recent studies of liver transplanted (LTx) familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) patients have shown a progression of cardiomyopathy in some patients after LTx, but knowledge of the underlying factors remains limited.

Methods: Seventy-five patients, who had undergone LTx from 1996 to 2008, were included. They had all been examined by echocardiography 1-16 months before LTx.

Innocent left ventricular outflow tract membrane.

Innocent left ventricular outflow tract membranes are rare finding, and may have no significant haemodynamic effect. Thanks to the high resolution of the recent echocardiographs these membranes can be seen in detail. Various shapes and forms of such membranes need to be adequately studied and documented.

Myocardial hypertrophy and function are related to age at onset in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy.

Heart complications are frequently encountered in hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis. Lately, reports of late onset familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) cases presenting with a phenotype similar to that observed in senile systemic amyloidosis have emerged. The aim of the present study was to evaluate morphological and functional features of the heart by echocardiography including myocardial strain measurements, and to compare the outcome for early with those of late onset FAP cases.

The effects of GH replacement therapy on cardiac morphology and function, exercise capacity and serum lipids in elderly patients with GH deficiency.

Objectives: To assess effects of GH replacement therapy on cardiac structure and function, exercise capacity as well as serum lipids in elderly patients with GH deficiency (GHD).

Patients And Methods: Thirty-one patients (six females, 25 males), aged 60-79 years (mean 68 years) with GHD on stable cortisone and thyroxine substitution were studied. All men with gonadotropin deficiency had testosterone and one woman had oestrogen replacement.

Progression of cardiomyopathy after liver transplantation in patients with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy, Portuguese type.

Background: Transthyretin amyloidosis is today an accepted indication for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). For several mutations progression of the cardiomyopathy has been observed after OLT. The aim of this study was to assess the course of cardiac involvement in Swedish familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP), Portuguese type, after OLT.