First study demonstrating speckle tracking echocardiography has prognostic value in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.

To measure left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) using speckle tracking echocardiography in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) patients and to determine whether the LV GLS predicts outcomes in those patients. Prospective study consisted of a cross-sectional phase with 61 IIM patients and 32 individuals without IIM and longitudinal phase, in which patients were divided into two subgroups: 26 with reduced LV GLS and 35 with normal LV GLS; patients were followed for a mean of 25 months, and the occurrence of cardiovascular events and criteria for IIM activity were compared. The mean LV GLS (18.

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.

A Machine Learning Model for Predicting Hospitalization in Patients with Respiratory Symptoms during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

A machine learning approach is a useful tool for risk-stratifying patients with respiratory symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic, as it is still evolving. We aimed to verify the predictive capacity of a gradient boosting decision trees (XGboost) algorithm to select the most important predictors including clinical and demographic parameters in patients who sought medical support due to respiratory signs and symptoms (RAPID RISK COVID-19). A total of 7336 patients were enrolled in the study, including 6596 patients that did not require hospitalization and 740 that required hospitalization.

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.

Exercise intolerance in comorbid COPD and heart failure: the role of impaired aerobic function.

Impaired aerobic function is a potential mechanism of exercise intolerance in patients with combined cardiorespiratory disease. We investigated the pathophysiological and sensory consequences of a low change in oxygen uptake (Δ' )/change in work rate (ΔWR) relationship during incremental exercise in patients with coexisting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and systolic heart failure (HF).After clinical stabilisation, 51 COPD-HF patients performed an incremental cardiopulmonary exercise test to symptom limitation.

Prognostic value of real-time three-dimensional echocardiography compared to two-dimensional echocardiography in patients with systolic heart failure.

Heart failure (HF) is associated with morbidity and mortality. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) may offer additional prognostic data in patients with HF. The study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE).

Excess Ventilation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-Heart Failure Overlap. Implications for Dyspnea and Exercise Intolerance.

Rationale: An increased ventilatory response to exertional metabolic demand (high [Formula: see text]e/[Formula: see text]co relationship) is a common finding in patients with coexistent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the mechanisms underlying high [Formula: see text]e/[Formula: see text]co and its impact on operating lung volumes, dyspnea, and exercise tolerance in these patients.

Methods: Twenty-two ex-smokers with combined chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction undertook, after careful treatment optimization, a progressive cycle exercise test with capillary (c) blood gas collection.

Does Exercise Ventilatory Inefficiency Predict Poor Outcome in Heart Failure Patients With COPD?

Purpose: To investigate whether the opposite effects of heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on exercise ventilatory inefficiency (minute ventilation [(Equation is included in full-text article.)E]-carbon dioxide output [(Equation is included in full-text article.)CO2] relationship) would negatively impact its prognostic relevance.

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.

Exercise Ventilation in COPD: Influence of Systolic Heart Failure.

Systolic heart failure is a common and disabling co-morbidity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which may increase exercise ventilation due to heightened neural drive and/or impaired pulmonary gas exchange efficiency. The influence of heart failure on exercise ventilation, however, remains poorly characterized in COPD. In a prospective study, 98 patients with moderate to very severe COPD [41 with coexisting heart failure; 'overlap' (left ventricular ejection fraction < 50%)] underwent an incremental cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET).

Heart Failure Impairs Muscle Blood Flow and Endurance Exercise Tolerance in COPD.

Heart failure, a prevalent and disabling co-morbidity of COPD, may impair cardiac output and muscle blood flow thereby contributing to exercise intolerance. To investigate the role of impaired central and peripheral hemodynamics in limiting exercise tolerance in COPD-heart failure overlap, cycle ergometer exercise tests at 20% and 80% peak work rate were performed by overlap (FEV1 = 56.9 ± 15.

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.