Pathophysiological alterations of left ventricular myocardial systolic function during normal pregnancy assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography: a prospective cohort echocardiography study.

Purpose: By using conventional echocardiographic indices, cardiac pumping function remains unaltered during pregnancy. However, two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) can detect subclinical changes of myocardial function even in patients with normal and stable left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).The aim of this study was to evaluate LV systolic performance during normal low risk pregnancy by using both conventional 2D and 3D echo indices and 2D-STE.

Biventricular myocardial function in Covid-19 recovered patients assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography: a prospective cohort echocardiography study.

Although severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 causes respiratory disease, it may also lead to cardiovascular involvement with unknown long-term consequences. The aim of our study was to evaluate prospectively cardiac involvement in patients after the recovery from Covid-19, using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. 100 Covid-19 recovered patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction, were included, divided based upon clinical manifestation into two groups, those who were treated ambulant and those who were hospitalized.

Subclinical left ventricular dysfunction and correlation with regional strain analysis in myocarditis with normal ejection fraction. A new diagnostic criterion.

Background: The diagnosis of myocarditis is challenging, especially in case of normal left ventricular systolic function. The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that 2D speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE) can detect subclinical left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in patients with myocarditis and preserved LV function without regional wall motion abnormalities and that regional strain analysis can correlate with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) findings.

Methods: Study population consisted of 25 consecutive patients with myocarditis and 19 controls.