Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited cardiovascular disease that affects approximately one in 500 people. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has emerged as a powerful tool for the non-invasive assessment of HCM. CMR can accurately quantify the extent and distribution of hypertrophy, assess the presence and severity of myocardial fibrosis, and detect associated abnormalities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The Italian Society of Echocardiography and Cardiovascular Imaging (SIECVI) conducted a national survey to understand better how different echocardiographic modalities are used and accessed in Italy.
Methods: We analyzed echocardiography laboratory activities over a month (November 2022). Data were retrieved via an electronic survey based on a structured questionnaire, uploaded on the SIECVI website.
Background: The impact of nodular calcifications in left ventricular outlow tract (LVOT) and aortic annulus on the procedural outcome of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with new-generation devices is yet to be elucidated. Similarly, computational simulations may provide a novel insight into the biomechanical features of TAVI devices and their interaction with nodular calcifications.
Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 232 patients submitted to TAVI with Evolut-R (53.
Introduction: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is now considered a vital sign. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is the gold-standard assessment of CRF; peak oxygen consumption (VO) and the minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO) slope are considered primary CPET measures of CRF. More work is needed to determine the role of this exercise assessment in the primary care setting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEndothelial dysfunction (ED) is frequently found in patients with heart failure (HF). Among several pharmacological agents reported to improve endothelial function, levosimendan seems to be a promising one, even though, to date, only two previously published studies have evaluated its effects on ED in these patients. The aim of our pilot study was to further investigate the role of periodic levosimendan infusion on endothelial function in patients affected by advanced HF.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To evaluate the prognostic impact of baseline tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion/pulmonary artery systolic pressure (TAPSE/PASP) ratio, as an expression of the right ventricle-pulmonary artery (RV-PA) coupling, in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) treated with the MitraClip.
Background: Impaired RV to PA coupling is considered a marker of RV dysfunction.
Methods: From February 2016 to February 2020, a total of 165 patients were evaluated and stratified in two groups according to a prespecified value of TAPSE/PASP ratio ≤ 0.