Exercise intolerance in post-coronavirus disease 2019 survivors after hospitalisation.

Rationale: Post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors frequently have dyspnoea that can lead to exercise intolerance and lower quality of life. Despite recent advances, the pathophysiological mechanisms of exercise intolerance in the post-COVID-19 patients remain incompletely characterised. The objectives of the present study were to clarify the mechanisms of exercise intolerance in post-COVID-19 survivors after hospitalisation.

Value of Contrast Transesophageal Echocardiography in the Detection of Intrapulmonary Vascular Dilatations in Hepatosplenic Schistosomiasis.

Background: Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS), found in cirrhotic patients, has been little studied in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis (HSS) and includes the occurrence of intrapulmonary vascular dilatations (IPVD). Contrast transesophageal echocardiography (cTEE) with microbubbles is more sensitive than contrast transthoracic echocardiography (cTTE) with microbubbles in the detection of IPVD in cirrhosis.

Objective: To assess the performance of the cTEE, compared with that of cTTE, in detecting IPVD for the diagnosis of HPS in patients with HSS.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of right ventricular strain in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and relatively preserved functional capacity studied with echocardiography and magnetic resonance.

Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction harbingers adverse prognosis in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Although conventional two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) is limited for RV systolic function quantitation, RV strain can be a useful tool. The diagnostic and prognostic impact of 2DE speckle-tracking RV longitudinal strain was evaluated, including other 2DE systolic indexes, in a group of PAH patients without severe impairment of functional capacity, chronic pulmonary thromboembolism or left ventricular dysfunction.

Validation of a novel sleep-quality questionnaire to assess sleep in the coronary care unit: a polysomnography study.

Introduction: The sleep of patients admitted to coronary care unit (CCU) may be compromised. A feasible and cost-effective tool to evaluate sleep in this scenario could provide important data. The aim of this study was to evaluate sleep with a questionnaire developed specifically for the CCU and to validate it with polysomnography (PSG).

Left Atrial Volume Determinants in Patients with Non-Ischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Left atrial volume (LAV) is a predictor of prognosis in patients with heart failure.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the determinants of LAV in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Methods: Ninety patients with DCM and left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction ≤ 0.

Training Program for Cardiology Residents to Perform Focused Cardiac Ultrasound Examination with Portable Device.

Introduction: Training requirements for general cardiologists without echocardiographic expertise to perform focused cardiac ultrasound (FCU) with portable devices have not yet been defined. The objective of this study was to evaluate a training program to instruct cardiology residents to perform FCU with a hand-carried device (HCD) in different clinical settings.

Methods: Twelve cardiology residents were subjected to a 50-question test, 4 lectures on basic echocardiography and imaging interpretation, the supervised interpretation of 50 echocardiograms and performance of 30 exams using HCD.

Focused cardiac ultrasound using a pocket-size device in the emergency room.

Background: Cardiovascular urgencies are frequent reasons for seeking medical care. Prompt and accurate medical diagnosis is critical to reduce the morbidity and mortality of these conditions.

Objective: To evaluate the use of a pocket-size echocardiography in addition to clinical history and physical exam in a tertiary medical emergency care.

Simplified single plane echocardiography is comparable to conventional biplane two-dimensional echocardiography in the evaluation of left atrial volume: a study validated by three-dimensional echocardiography in 143 individuals.

The left atrial volume index (LAVI) is a biomarker of diastolic dysfunction and a predictor of cardiovascular events. Three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) is highly accurate for LAVI measurements but is not widely available. Furthermore, biplane two-dimensional echocardiography (B2DE) may occasionally not be feasible due to a suboptimal two-chamber apical view.

Criteria for mitral regurgitation classification were inadequate for dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: Mitral regurgitation (MR) is common in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). It is unknown whether the criteria for MR classification are inadequate for patients with DCM.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the agreement among the four most common echocardiographic methods for MR classification.

I guideline for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care -- Brazilian Society of Cardiology: executive summary.

Despite advances related to the prevention and treatment in the past few years, many lives are lost to cardiac arrest and cardiovascular events in general in Brazil every year. Basic Life Support involves cardiovascular emergency treatment mainly in the pre-hospital environment, with emphasis on the early recognition and delivery of cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers focused on high-quality thoracic compressions and rapid defibrillation by means of the implementation of public access-to-defibrillation programs. These aspects are of the utmost importance and may make the difference on the patient's outcomes, such as on hospital survival with no permanent neurological damage.

Left atrial dysfunction in chagas cardiomyopathy is more severe than in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: a study with real-time three-dimensional echocardiography.

Background: Although there is anatomopathologic evidence of atrial involvement in Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCM), the impact in left atrial (LA) function is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate LA function in patients with CCM with real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) and to compare it with patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Methods: A total of 30 patients with CCM, 30 patients with DCM, and 20 normal subjects used as the control group were studied.

Diagnostic value of color flow mapping and Doppler echocardiography in the quantification of mitral regurgitation in patients with mitral valve prolapse or rheumatic heart disease.

Objectives: The objective was to analyze the diagnostic value of the echocardiographic methods used for quantification of mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) or rheumatic heart disease (RHD).

Methods: The study included 50 patients with MR (mean age of 46.1 years; 35 women), 27 (54%) with RHD and 23 (46%) with MVP.