Myocardial left ventricular dysfunction in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: new insights from tissue Doppler and strain imaging.

Objective: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Cardiovascular involvement is frequently underestimated by routine imaging techniques. Our aim was to determine if new echocardiographic imaging modalities like tissue Doppler (TDI), strain rate (SRR), and strain (SRI) imaging detect abnormalities in left ventricular (LV) function in asymptomatic patients with SLE.

Echocardiographic phase imaging to predict reverse remodeling after cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Objectives: The aim of our study was to investigate whether echocardiographic phase imaging (EPI) can predict response in patients who are considered for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

Background: CRT improves quality of life, exercise capacity, and outcome in patients with bundle-branch block and advanced heart failure. Previous studies used QRS duration to select patients for CRT; the accuracy of this parameter to predict functional recovery, however, is controversial.

Evaluation of myocardial perfusion and deformation in patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with primary angioplasty and stent placement.

Purpose: To prospectively compare the usefulness of myocardial perfusion and deformation imaging for the prediction of functional recovery and left ventricular (LV) remodeling in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: We prospectively examined 36 patients with reperfused STEMI, 12+ or -9 h after primary angioplasty and stent placement. LV function was reevaluated at 4-6 months of follow-up, to assess relative improvement of LV-ejection fraction (DeltaEF%) and increase in end-diastolic volume (DeltaEDV).

Evaluation cardioprotective effects of atorvastatin in rats by real time myocardial contrast echocardiography.

Background: The ability to assess myocardial perfusion in small animals is important, especially to investigate models of myocardial ischemia. Myocardial perfusion is usually assessed by postmortem techniques, eliminating the possibility of follow-up in intervention studies. The purpose of the study was to examine the feasibility of real time myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) to evaluate cardioprotective effects of atorvastatin in a rat model of acute ischemia-reperfusion injury.