Prognostic value of exercise left ventricular end-systolic volume index in patients with asymptomatic aortic regurgitation: an exercise echocardiography study.

Background: Surgical timing of chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) remains a matter of debate because of limited data. This study assessed the prognostic value of exercise echocardiography in asymptomatic AR.

Methods: This prospective study included 60 consecutive asymptomatic patients with isolated moderate or severe AR (mean regurgitant volume 56.

Value of anatomical aortic valve area using real-time three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography in patients with aortic stenosis: a comparison between tricuspid and bicuspid aortic valves.

Aims: Accurate assessment of disease severity is critical for appropriate treatment of patients with aortic stenosis (AS). This study investigated the influence of aortic-valve morphology on the determination of anatomical aortic-valve area (AVA) in patients with AS.

Methods And Results: This prospective study included 126 patients with AS who underwent transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE).

Performance of a rapid human metapneumovirus antigen test during an outbreak in a long-term care facility.

Using a newly developed rapid test, an outbreak of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection in a long-term care facility was detected within only 2 days after the onset of symptoms in a putative index case. The outbreak was almost under control within 8 days mainly by zoning patients, with the exception of two cases of HMPV that were diagnosed 16 and 17 days after the onset of the outbreak. According to an immunological diagnosis as well as the rapid test, it was eventually proven that 18 patients had HMPV infections.

Early diastolic function during exertion influences exercise intolerance in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) often develop dyspnea and exercise intolerance. Diastolic dysfunction may contribute to exercise intolerance in these patients. This study aimed to clarify our hypothesis as to whether diastolic function rather than systolic function would be associated with exercise intolerance in HCM using two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography during exercise.

Relationship between left ventricular ejection fraction and mitral annular displacement derived by speckle tracking echocardiography in patients with different heart diseases.

Background: Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE)-derived mitral annular displacement (MAD) utilizes the speckle tracking technique to measure strain vectors, which provides accurate estimates of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Here, we investigated a link between STE-derived MAD and LVEF in patients with different heart diseases and evaluated its clinical usefulness.

Methods: This study included 266 outpatients and 84 controls.