Cardiac sarcoidosis.

The diagnostic yield of endomyocardial biopsy in cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is quite low because of the patchy involvement, and for the diagnosis of CS, existing guidelines required histological confirmation. Therefore, especially for isolated CS, diagnosis consistent with the guidelines cannot be made in a large number of patients. With recent developments in imaging modalities such as cardiac magnetic resonance and 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, diagnosing CS has become easier and diagnostic criteria for CS not compulsorily requiring histological confirmation have been suggested.

Network Analysis of Cardiac Remodeling by Primary Mitral Regurgitation Emphasizes the Role of Diastolic Function.

Background: Topological data analysis (TDA) can generate patient-patient similarity networks by analyzing large, complex data and derive new insights that may not be possible with standard statistics.

Objectives: The purpose of this paper was to discover novel phenotypes of chronic primary mitral regurgitation (MR) patients and to analyze their clinical implications using network analysis of echocardiographic data.

Methods: Patients with chronic moderate to severe primary MR were prospectively enrolled from 11 Asian tertiary hospitals (n = 850; mean age 56.

Independent Prognostic Utility of C-Pittsburgh Compound B PET in Patients with Light-Chain Cardiac Amyloidosis.

C-Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) PET/CT visualizes the amount of myocardial amyloid deposit and can be used to prognosticate patients with amyloid light-chain (AL) cardiac amyloidosis (CA). However, whether C-PiB PET/CT has any independent additional prognostic value beyond the commonly used biomarkers remains unknown. This prospective study was on a cohort of 58 consecutive patients with AL CA who underwent C-PiB PET/CT.

Prognostic implications of left ventricular mass-geometry in patients with no or nonobstructive coronary artery disease.

Background: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is widely used as a first-line noninvasive modality that frequently exhibits no or nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in clinical practice, along with abnormal left ventricular (LV) geometry on echocardiography. However, the combined prognostic value of these findings has not been well elucidated. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic implications of abnormal LV geometry in individuals with no or nonobstructive CAD.

Discrepancy of Aortic Valve Area Measurements by Doppler vs. Biplane Stroke Volume Measurements and Utility of Combining the Different Areas in Aortic Valve Stenosis - The Asian Valve Registry.

Background: The aortic valve area index (AVAI) in aortic stenosis (AS) is measured by echocardiography with a continuity equation using the stroke volume index by Doppler (SVI) or biplane Simpson (SVI) method. AVAIand AVAIoften show discrepancy due to differences between SVIand SVI. The degree of discrepancy and utility of combined AVAIs have not been investigated in a large population of AS patients, and the characteristics of subjects with larger discrepancies are unknown.

Diffuse Myocardial Fibrosis and Diastolic Function in Aortic Stenosis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between extracellular volume fraction (ECV), a noninvasive parameter that quantifies the degree of diffuse myocardial fibrosis on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in patients with aortic stenosis (AS).

Background: Myocardial fibrosis on invasive myocardial biopsy is associated with LVDD. However, there is a paucity of data on the association between noninvasively quantified diffuse myocardial fibrosis and the degree of LVDD and how these are related to symptoms and long-term prognosis in patients with AS.

Early Surgery versus Watchful Waiting in Patients with Moderate Aortic Stenosis and Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction.

Background And Objectives: Severe aortic stenosis (AS) with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) is a class I indication for aortic valve replacement (AVR) but this recommendation is not well established in those at the stage of moderate AS. We investigate the clinical impact of AVR among patients with moderate AS and LVSD.

Methods: From 2001 to 2017, we consecutively identified patients with moderate AS and LVSD, defined as aortic valve area 1.

Time trajectory of cardiac function and its relation with survival in patients with light-chain cardiac amyloidosis.

Aims: We aimed to analyse the time-serial change of cardiac function in light-chain (AL) cardiac amyloidosis patients undergoing active chemotherapy and its relationship with patient outcome.

Methods And Results: Seventy-two patients with AL cardiac amyloidosis undergoing active chemotherapy who had two or more echocardiographic examinations were identified from a prospective observational cohort (n = 34) and a retrospective cohort (n = 38). Echocardiographic parameters were obtained immediately prior to 1-3, 3-6, 6-12, and 12-24 months after the first chemotherapy.

Different effects of SGLT2 inhibitors according to the presence and types of heart failure in type 2 diabetic patients.

Background: The effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) on cardiac function are not fully understood. We investigated the changes in cardiac function in diabetic patients according to the presence and types of heart failure (HF).

Methods: We retrospectively identified 202 diabetic patients who underwent echocardiography before, and 6 to 24 months after the initiation of SGLT2i.

Unsupervised Cluster Analysis of Patients With Aortic Stenosis Reveals Distinct Population With Different Phenotypes and Outcomes.

Background: There is a lack of studies investigating the heterogeneity of patients with aortic stenosis (AS). We explored whether cluster analysis identifies distinct subgroups with different prognostic significances in AS.

Methods: Newly diagnosed patients with moderate or severe AS were prospectively enrolled between 2013 and 2016 (n=398, mean 71 years, 55% male).

Myocardial structural and functional changes in patients with liver cirrhosis awaiting liver transplantation: a comprehensive cardiovascular magnetic resonance and echocardiographic study.

Background: Cardiac dysfunction is increasingly recognized in patients with liver cirrhosis. Nevertheless, the presence or absence of structural alterations such as diffuse myocardial fibrosis remains unclear. We aimed to investigate myocardial structural changes in cirrhosis, and explore left ventricular (LV) structural and functional changes induced by liver transplantation.

Pittsburgh B Compound Positron Emission Tomography in Patients With AL Cardiac Amyloidosis.

Background: It remains unknown whether the noninvasive evaluation of the degree of amyloid deposition in the myocardium can predict the prognosis of patients with light chain (AL) cardiac amyloidosis.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that C-Pittsburgh B compound positron emission tomography (C-PiB PET) is useful for prognostication of AL cardiac amyloidosis by noninvasively imaging the myocardial AL amyloid deposition.

Methods: This study consecutively enrolled 41 chemotherapy-naïve AL cardiac amyloidosis patients.

Derivation and validation of a mortality risk prediction model using global longitudinal strain in patients with acute heart failure.

Aims: To develop a mortality risk prediction model in patients with acute heart failure (AHF), using left ventricular (LV) function parameters with clinical factors.

Methods And Results: In total, 4312 patients admitted for AHF were retrospectively identified from three tertiary centres, and echocardiographic parameters including LV ejection fraction (LV-EF) and LV global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) were measured in a core laboratory. The full set of risk factors was available in 3248 patients.

Healthcare utilization, medical expenditure, and mortality in Korean patients with pulmonary hypertension.

Background: Limited data exists regarding healthcare utilization, medical expenses, and prognosis of pulmonary hypertension (PH) according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification. We aimed to investigate mortality risk, healthcare utilization and medical expenditure in patients with PH across the five diagnostic subgroups.

Methods: We identified 2185 patients with PH, defined as peak tricuspid regurgitation velocity > 3.

Risk stratification of non-obstructive coronary artery disease for guidance of preventive medical therapy.

Background And Aims: Given the potential benefit of medical therapy in patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), there is a need for risk stratification and treatment strategy for these patients. We aimed to develop a risk prediction model for non-obstructive CAD patients for risk stratification and guidance of statin and aspirin therapy.

Methods: From a cohort of consecutive patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) (n = 25,087), we identified patients with non-obstructive CAD of 1-49% diameter-stenosis (n = 6243) and developed a risk prediction model for 5-year occurrence of a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, and late coronary revascularization using a derivation cohort (n = 4391).

Changes of echocardiographic parameters in primary mitral regurgitation and determinants of symptom: an assessment from the Asian Valve Registry data.

Clinicians often have a difficulty in determining the presence of mitral regurgitation (MR)-related symptoms because of subjectivity. However, there are few actual measurement data for echocardiographic left ventricular (LV) and left atrial (LA) size related to the severity of MR and the relationship between MR-related symptoms and these echocardiographic parameters. Among patients enrolled in the Asian Valve Registry, we investigated 778 consecutive patients with primary MR showing sinus rhythm.

Progression of ascending aortopathy may not occur after transcatheter aortic valve replacement in severe bicuspid aortic stenosis.

Background/aims: We evaluated changes in the ascending aorta dimension post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in bicuspid aortic valve (BiAV) and tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) patients.

Methods: Patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR at Seoul National University Hospital were consecutively recruited. Patients with less than 12 months' follow-up and/or with an ascending aorta size larger than 50 mm were excluded.

Postoperative persistent diastolic dyssynchronous expansion in patients with Ebstein's anomaly.

In Ebstein's anomaly, maximal expansion in the atrialized right ventricle (RV) occurs during early diastole, whereas that of the functional RV occurs in late diastole, resulting in diastolic dyssynchronous expansion (DSE). We quantitatively assessed DSE and identified preoperative factors correlated with persistent DSE after surgery. Seventeen patients diagnosed with Ebstein's anomaly in whom transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) images available were retrospectively analyzed for quantitative DSE assessment and 10 patients who underwent surgery and postoperative TTE available were additionally analyzed for postoperative DSE.

Validation of the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy risk-sudden cardiac death calculator in Asians.

Objective: The hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) risk-sudden cardiac death (SCD) calculator endorsed by the 2014 European Society of Cardiology has not been independently validated in the Asians. We aimed to investigate whether the HCM Risk-SCD calculator effectively predicts SCD in Korean HCM population.

Methods: An observational, longitudinal cohort study was performed in 730 patients with HCM from 2007 to 2017.

Aortic valve replacement-induced changes in native T1 are related to prognosis in severe aortic stenosis: T1 mapping cardiac magnetic resonance imaging study.

Aims: Native T1 times from T1 mapping cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) are associated with myocardial fibrosis in aortic stenosis (AS). We investigated whether changing patterns in native T1 predict clinical outcomes after aortic valve replacement (AVR) in severe AS patients.

Methods And Results: Forty-three patients with severe AS (65.

Predictors of paravalvular aortic regurgitation after surgery for Behcet's disease-related severe aortic regurgitation.

Background: Behcet's disease (BD)-related aortic regurgitation (AR) is known to be associated with paravalvular leakage (PVL) after successful aortic valve (AV) surgery. This study aimed to determine predictors of PVL after successful AV surgery in BD patients. We retrospectively collected data of 35 patients (42.