The clinical value of noninvasive left ventricular myocardial work in the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia in coronary heart disease: a comparative study with coronary flow reserve fraction.

The prompt and precise identification of hemodynamically significant coronary artery lesions remains an ongoing challenge. This study investigated the diagnostic value of non-invasive global left ventricular myocardial work indices by echocardiography in functional status of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with myocardial ischemia using fractional flow reserve (FFR) as the gold standard. A total of 77 consecutive patients with clinically suspected CAD were prospectively enrolled.

Global left ventricular myocardial work: A novel method to assess left ventricular myocardial function and predict major adverse cardiovascular events in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Background: The application value of myocardial work (MW) in evaluating myocardial function and predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients has not been fully explored.

Purpose: Comparing noninvasive MW parameters between MHD patients and healthy controls, and further determining its value in predicting MACE in MHD patients.

Methods: A prospective single-institution study included 92 MHD patients without prior cardiovascular disease and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy controls.

The impact of cognitive behavioural therapy-based psychological intervention on emotional improvement in elderly patients with extensive burns.

To evaluate the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a psychological intervention for elderly patients with extensive burns, focusing on its impact on emotional well-being, self-efficacy and quality of life. A prospective, randomized study involving 200 elderly burn patients was conducted from November 2021 to January 2023. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either standard care (control group) or burn care based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT-B) (study group), with 100 patients in each group.

FBXL4 protects against HFpEF through Drp1-Mediated regulation of mitochondrial dynamics and the downstream SERCA2a.

Aims: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a devastating health issue although limited knowledge is available for its pathogenesis and therapeutics. Given the perceived involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction in HFpEF, this study was designed to examine the role of mitochondrial dynamics in the etiology of HFpEF.

Method And Results: Adult mice were placed on a high fat diet plus l-NAME in drinking water ('two-hit' challenge to mimic obesity and hypertension) for 15 consecutive weeks.

A case report of isolated arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy: phenotypes, diagnosis, and treatment.

Background: Isolated arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy (IALVC) is a hereditary cardiomyopathy that is characterized by the replacement of left ventricular (LV) cardiomyocytes with fibrous and adipose tissue.

Case Summary: A 55-year-old male patient presented with recurrent chest pain and palpitations characterized by episodes of monomorphic ventricular tachycardia and T-wave inversion. Coronary angiography was conducted to rule out myocardial ischaemia as the cause of chest pain.

Step-by-step transesophageal echocardiographic guidance for transjugular transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement with a radial force-independent bioprosthesis.

The prohibitive risk of isolated tricuspid valve (TV) surgery encouraged rapid development of a transcatheter solution for tricuspid regurgitation (TR). The favorable results of these devices informed recent guidelines to recommend considering transcatheter treatment of symptomatic secondary severe TR in inoperable patients. Transcatheter TV repair systems usually reduce TR through leaflet approximation and direct annuloplasty.

and clinical validation of different correction algorithms for the two-dimensional proximal isovelocity surface area method in a low-velocity flow field for quantifying tricuspid regurgitation.

Background: The 2-dimensional proximal isovelocity surface area (2D PISA) method underestimates tricuspid regurgitation (TR) severity. Previously proposed correction algorithms should be further scrutinized.

Methods: Two correction algorithms were tested.

Effect of left bundle branch pacing on right ventricular function: A 3-dimensional echocardiography study.

Background: The effect of left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) on right ventricular (RV) function is not well known, and there is conflicting evidence regarding whether cardiac resynchronization therapy improves RV function.

Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the effect of LBBP on RV function and to evaluate the response of RV dysfunction (RVD) to LBBP.

Methods: Sixty-five LBBP candidates were prospectively included in the study and underwent echocardiography at baseline and 6-month follow-up.

Three-dimensional echocardiography reveals early mitral valve alterations in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy genetic mutation carriers.

Background: The mitral valve undergoes structural modifications in response to cardiac functional changes, often predating cardiac decompensation and overt clinical signs. Our study assessed the potential of mitral valve morphological changes as early indicators for detecting carriers of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)-associated gene mutations.

Methods: We studied 505 participants: 189 without the pathogenic gene mutations and left ventricular hypertrophy (G-/LVH-), 149 carriers without LV hypertrophy (G+/LVH-), and 167 manifest HCM patients (G+/LVH+).

Changes of left atrial morphology and function evaluated with four-dimensional automated left atrial quantification echocardiography in patients with coronary slow flow phenomenon and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

Background: Coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP) can cause left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD). In multiple studies, the left atrial (LA) strain has been reported to be an excellent parameter for assessing LVDD. The 4-dimensional automated LA quantification (4D Auto LAQ) dedicated to the LA was recently available.

Layer-specific strain in patients with cardiac amyloidosis using tissue tracking MR.

Background: Cardiac infiltration is the major predictor of poor prognosis in patients with systemic amyloidosis, thus it becomes of great importance to evaluate cardiac involvement.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate left ventricular myocardial deformation alteration in patients with cardiac amyloidosis (CA) using layer-specific tissue tracking MR.

Material And Methods: Thirty-nine patients with CA were enrolled.

Echocardiographic parameters recommended for assessing the severity of tricuspid regurgitation: concordance and discordance.

Background: Current guidelines recommend integrating several echocardiographic indices to evaluate the severity of tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Discordance of indices, including qualitative and quantitative methods, commonly exists in practice. The discordance among these parameters has not yet been fully elucidated.

Gene-echocardiography: refining genotype-phenotype correlations in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Aims: This study aims to clarify the association between hypertrophic patterns and genetic variants in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients, contributing to the advancement of personalized management strategies for HCM.

Methods And Results: A comprehensive evaluation of genetic mutations was conducted in 392 HCM-affected families using Whole Exome Sequencing. Concurrently, relevant echocardiographic data from these individuals were collected.

Secondary leaflet tethering in patients with severe degenerative mitral regurgitation and its association with the severity of mitral regurgitation.

Background: The purpose of the study was to determine the association between vena contracta area (VCA) and secondary leaflet tethering among mitral valve prolapse (MVP) patients, and thus to further identify and characterize an MVP with pathological leaflet tethering (MVPt+) phenotype.

Methods: We prospectively evaluated 94 consecutive MVP patients with significant mitral regurgitation (MR) and 21 healthy controls. MVPt+ group was defined as tenting volume index (TVi) > .

Preliminary Implantation of a Novel TAVR Device With Polymeric Leaflets for Symptomatic Calcific Aortic Disease.

The indication for transcatheter aortic valve replacement to younger patients remains controversial. Here, we report a successful implantation of the first polymeric transcatheter aortic valve replacement device in a patient with severe calcific aortic stenosis. Compared with conventional valves, the novel valve has better durability, larger orifice area, and better morphological adaptability.

Novel arm-width-expandable transcatheter edge-to-edge repair system: Preclinical experiment and first-in-human study.

Background: The ValveClasp system is a novel transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) device with an arm-width-expandable clip that allows treatment of patients with only one clip more frequently.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of a novel TEER device in porcine models and patients.

Methods: Fourteen young adult pigs were enrolled.

Fully automated pixel-wise quantitative CMR-myocardial perfusion with CMR-coronary angiography to detect hemodynamically significant coronary artery disease.

Objectives: We applied a fully automated pixel-wise post-processing framework to evaluate fully quantitative cardiovascular magnetic resonance myocardial perfusion imaging (CMR-MPI). In addition, we aimed to evaluate the additive value of coronary magnetic resonance angiography (CMRA) to the diagnostic performance of fully automated pixel-wise quantitative CMR-MPI for detecting hemodynamically significant coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: A total of 109 patients with suspected CAD were prospectively enrolled and underwent stress and rest CMR-MPI, CMRA, invasive coronary angiography (ICA), and fractional flow reserve (FFR).