Right ventricular speckle tracking strain echocardiography in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Right atrial (RA) and right ventricular (RV) parameters assessed by traditional echocardiography lack sensitivity to identify pulmonary embolism (PE). We sought to determine if alterations in RV free wall longitudinal strain (FWS) would be present in PE patients and improve evaluation. This retrospective study comprised of 84 consecutive PE patients from 2 centres, with adequate transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) images for RV FWS analysis.

Echocardiographic Predictors of Long-Term Mortality in Patients Presenting With Acute Pulmonary Embolism.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is associated with a high mortality; whether echocardiographic evaluation at presentation predicts long-term adverse outcomes is of importance. We sought to determine if a composite of routinely obtained echocardiographic parameters could determine long-term adverse events in PE patients. Right ventricular (RV) size and function and right atrial (RA) size were retrospectively evaluated in 233 consecutive PE patients with an inpatient echocardiogram, and compared with 70 healthy controls; mortality at 3 years was confirmed.

Alterations in regional myocardial deformation assessed by strain imaging in cardiac amyloidosis.

Background: Cardiac amyloidosis results in increased left ventricular (LV) wall thickness and diastolic dysfunction (DD). Strain measurements using velocity vector imaging (VVI) may further characterize myocardial dysfunction.

Methods: A total of 43 AL amyloidosis patients were compared to age-matched normals and hypertensive patients (HT).

Exercise testing can unmask right ventricular dysfunction in systemic sclerosis patients with normal resting pulmonary artery pressure.

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a frequent complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Diagnosis usually occurs late and often after the development of irreversible right heart dysfunction. Exercise testing is increasingly used for assessing right ventricular (RV) function when resting hemodynamics do not account for symptoms.

Changes in Right Ventricular Function with Exercise in Healthy Subjects: Optimal Parameters and Effects of Gender and Age.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) function augments with exercise, and loss of this adaptive ability often determines symptoms. Reports on exercise-related changes in RV function in healthy subjects are sparse. In this study, healthy volunteers were prospectively recruited, and changes in RV function with exercise were examined, optimal parameters determined, and the effects of gender and age examined.

Effects of age and gender on right ventricular systolic and diastolic function using two-dimensional speckle-tracking strain.

Background: Accurate assessment of the right ventricle is increasingly important. Measures of right ventricular (RV) systolic function, including fractional area change, tissue Doppler (s' velocity), and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, show significant variation, and the impacts of age and gender are unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of gender and age on global and segmental RV systolic and diastolic function using both traditional echocardiographic and two-dimensional strain parameters.

Primary radiofrequency ablation of ventricular tachycardia early after myocardial infarction: evaluation in an ovine model.

Background: Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a significant complication of myocardial infarction. Radiofrequency ablation for postinfarct VT is reserved for drug refractory VT or VT storms. Our hypothesis is that radiofrequency ablation in the early postinfarct period could abolish or diminish late recurrences of VT.

Evolution of ventricular tachycardia and its electrophysiological substrate early after myocardial infarction: an ovine model.

Background: Sudden arrhythmic death after myocardial infarction (MI) is most frequent in the first month. Early programmed ventricular stimulation (within 1 week) post-MI has been able to identify long-term ventricular tachycardia (VT) occurrence. We aimed to determine the timing of development and stabilization of VT circuits after MI and how the evolution of the underlying substrate differs with VT inducibility.

Left atrial enlargement and phasic function in patients following non-ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: Changes in left atrial (LA) volumes after ST elevation myocardial infarction are reported but have not been well described following non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Methods: Seventy-five patients with NSTEMIs were studied within 48 hours of presentation and in follow-up at 6 and 12 months; they were compared with age-matched normal controls (n = 100). Biplane indexed LA volumes were measured, and phasic LA volumes (conduit, passive, and active emptying) were calculated.

Utility and validity of the self-administered SF-36: findings from an older population.

Introduction: The objectives of this study were to assess the utility and validity of the self-administered SF-36 and the effect of visual or cognitive impairment on these measures in an older population.

Materials And Methods: Attempt rates, completion rates and internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) were compared within the second cross-sectional, population-based Blue Mountains Eye Study (n = 3509, mean age 66.7 years, 57% women).