Echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular volumes: a comparison of different methods in athletes.

Background: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) is considered the gold standard for the assessment of left ventricular (LV) systolic function. However, discrepancies have been reported in the literature between LV volumes assessed by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and cMRI. The objective of this study was to analyze the differences in LV volumes between different echocardiographic techniques and cMRI.

Echocardiographic monitoring of myocardial function in a female patient with right heart Loeffler endocarditis at thrombotic stage after Epstein-Barr-virus infection.

Background: Transthoracic echocardiography is usually the first non-invasive imaging modality for the detection of Loeffler endocarditis at thrombotic stage. In the recent decade 3D echocardiography and deformation imaging already proved as a helpful tool for the monitoring of left and right ventricular heart disease.

Case Presentation: The present case illustrates the diagnostic role of 3D echocardiography and deformation imaging in the acute stage of right sided Loeffler endocarditis in a 70-year-old Western European (German) woman.

Comparison of left ventricular deformation abnormalities by echocardiography with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in patients with acute myocarditis and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

Purpose: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) represents the gold standard to detect myocarditis. Left ventricular (LV) deformation imaging provides additional diagnostic options presumably exceeding conventional transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). The present study aimed to analyze the feasibility to detect myocarditis in patients (pts) with preserved LV ejection fraction (LVEF) by TTE compared to cMRI.

Effect of maximum exercise on left ventricular deformation and its correlation with cardiopulmonary exercise capacity in competitive athletes.

Background: Global longitudinal strain (GLS) and global myocardial work index (GWI) allow early detection of subclinical changes in left ventricular (LV) systolic function. The aim of the study was to investigate the immediate effects of maximum physical exercise by different exercise testing methods on early post exercise LV deformation parameters in competitive athletes and to analyze their correlation with cardiopulmonary exercise capacity.

Methods: To reach maximum physical exercise, cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) was performed by semi-recumbent ergometer in competitive handball players (n = 13) and by treadmill testing in competitive football players (n = 19).

The impact of upright posture on left ventricular deformation in athletes.

Besides LV ejection fraction (LVEF), global longitudinal strain (GLS) and global myocardial work index (GWI) are increasingly important for the echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular (LV) function in athletes. Since exercise testing is frequently performed on a treadmill, we investigated the impact of upright posture on GLS and GWI. In 50 male athletes (mean age 25.

Elucidation of the genetic causes of bicuspid aortic valve disease.

Aims: The present study aims to characterize the genetic risk architecture of bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease, the most common congenital heart defect.

Methods And Results: We carried out a genome-wide association study (GWAS) including 2236 BAV patients and 11 604 controls. This led to the identification of a new risk locus for BAV on chromosome 3q29.

Diagnostic role of echocardiography for patients with heart failure symptoms and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

The syndrome heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) represents patients with different comorbidities and specific etiologies, but with a key and common alteration: an elevation in left ventricular (LV) filling pressure or pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP). Expert consensuses, society guidelines, and diagnostic scores have been stated to diagnose HFpEF syndrome based mainly on the determination of elevated LV filling pressure or PCWP by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Echocardiographic parameters such as early (E) and late diastolic mitral inflow velocity (mitral E/A ratio), septal and lateral mitral annular early diastolic velocity (E'), ratio of the early diastolic mitral inflow and annular velocity (E/E'-ratio), maximal left atrial volume index (LAVI), and tricuspid regurgitation peak velocity (V) constitute the pivotal parameters for determining elevated LV filling pressure or PCWP in patients with suspected HFpEF symptoms.

"Pure" severe aortic stenosis without concomitant valvular heart diseases: echocardiographic and pathophysiological features.

Purpose: In echocardiography the severity of aortic stenosis (AS) is defined by effective orifice area (EOA), mean pressure gradient (mPG) and transvalvular flow velocity (maxV). The hypothesis of the present study was to confirm the pathophysiological presence of combined left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), diastolic dysfunction (DD) and pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) in patients with "pure" severe AS.

Methods And Results: Patients (n = 306) with asymptomatic (n = 133) and symptomatic (n = 173) "pure" severe AS (mean age 78 ± 9.

Left ventricular mechanical dispersion in flow-gradient patterns of severe aortic stenosis with narrow QRS complex.

Patients with severe aortic stenosis are classified according to flow-gradient patterns. We investigated whether left ventricular (LV) mechanical dispersion, a marker of dyssynchrony and predictor of mortality, is associated with low-flow status in aortic stenosis. 316 consecutive patients with aortic stenosis and QRS duration < 120 ms were included in the retrospective analysis.