Evaluation of left atrial function and the relationship between left atrial stiffness index and exercise capacity in hypertension-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Objective: The left atrial stiffness index (LASI) holds significance in the atrioventricular coupling function and heart failure progression. To assess left atrial function and evaluate the relationship between LASI and exercise capacity in hypertension-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HT-HFpEF).

Methods: The study involved 62 healthy subjects and 163 patients with HT (112 patients in simple HT group and 51 patients in HT-HFpEF group).

Supine bicycle stress echocardiography at low altitude for identification of susceptibility to acute mountain sickness.

Background: Exposure to high altitude may unpredictably lead to acute mountain sickness (AMS). The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of AMS at low altitude by exercise stress echocardiography (ESE).

Methods: A total of 40 healthy adults were enrolled and underwent comprehensive supine bicycle ESE at low altitude, including pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), right ventricular (RV) area index at the end of diastole (RVEDAi), B-lines, and inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter.

Study on the characteristics of carotid wall shear stress in type 2 diabetes patients based on ultrasound vector flow imaging.

Objectives: We aimed to quantitatively analyze wall shear stress (WSS) of the common carotid artery (CCA) and elucidate the relationship between WSS and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using ultrasound vector flow (V-Flow) imaging.

Methods: A total of 109 T2DM patients were selected as the DM group, while 49 healthy volunteers served as the control group. V-Flow examination of the bilateral CCA was conducted.

A deep learning-based method for assessing tricuspid regurgitation using continuous wave Doppler spectra.

Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is widely recognized as one of the principal modalities for diagnosing tricuspid regurgitation (TR). The diagnostic procedures associated with conventional methods are intricate and labor-intensive, with human errors leading to measurement variability, with outcomes critically dependent on the operators' diagnostic expertise. In this study, we present an innovative assessment methodology for evaluating TR severity utilizing an end-to-end deep learning system.

Predictors of hypercontractile heart phenotype in patients with chronic coronary syndromes or heart failure.

Hypercontractile phenotype (HP) of the left ventricle (LV) is an actionable therapeutic target in patients with chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) or heart failure (HF), but its clinical recognition remains difficult. To assess the clinical variables associated with the HP. In a prospective, observational, multicenter study, we recruited 5122 patients (age 65 ± 11 years, 2974 males, 58%) with CCS and/or HF with preserved ejection fraction (EF).

A multi-task deep learning approach for real-time view classification and quality assessment of echocardiographic images.

High-quality standard views in two-dimensional echocardiography are essential for accurate cardiovascular disease diagnosis and treatment decisions. However, the quality of echocardiographic images is highly dependent on the practitioner's experience. Ensuring timely quality control of echocardiographic images in the clinical setting remains a significant challenge.

Assessment of left ventricular myocardial systolic dysfunction in premature ovarian insufficiency patients using echocardiographic layer-specific myocardial strain imaging.

Background: Due to the lack of oestrogen, premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is an independent risk factor for ischaemic heart disease and overall cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to apply layer-specific myocardial strain for early quantitative evaluation of subclinical left ventricular myocardial systolic function changes in patients with POI.

Methods: Forty-eight newly diagnosed, untreated patients with POI (POI group) and fifty healthy female subjects matched for age, height and weight (control group) were enrolled.

Effect of Ticagrelor Versus Clopidogrel After Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting on Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation: A Cohort Study.

Background: This study aimed to explore the effect of a P2Y inhibitor regimen on the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery in carriers with the cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily C member19 loss-of-function allele.

Methods And Results: From May 2019 to November 2023, patients containing the cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily C member19*2 or *3 allele undergoing elective first-time off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery including aspirin 100 mg/d and ticagrelor 180 mg/d (AT group; n=95) versus clopidogrel 75 mg/d (aspirin and clopidogrel group; n=95) were prospectively followed. The primary end point was the cumulative incidence of POAF in a week.

Multimodality Cardiovascular Imaging for Totally Video-Guided Thorascopic Cardiac Surgery.

Totally video-guided thorascopic cardiac surgery (TVTCS) represents one of the most minimally invasive access routes to the heart. Its feasibility and safety can be guaranteed by an experienced surgeon with skilled operative techniques under the guidance of a video signal via thoracoscopy and the imaging from transesophageal echocardiography. At present, this surgical approach has been applied for atrioventricular valve disease, atrial septum defects plus and partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage, cardiac tumors, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, aortic valve disease, and atrial fibrillation.

Echocardiographic Measurements in Normal Chinese Adults (EMINCA) II focusing on left ventricular and left atrial size and function by three-dimensional echocardiography.

Current guidelines encourage large studies in a diverse population to establish normal reference ranges for three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography for different ethnic groups. This study was designed to establish the normal values of 3D-left ventricular (LV) and left atrial (LA) volume and function in a nationwide, population-based cohort of healthy Han Chinese adults. A total of 1117 healthy volunteers aged 18-89 years were enrolled from 28 collaborating laboratories in China.

Right ventricular volume and function by three-dimensional echocardiography: results of the echocardiographic measurements in normal Chinese adults (EMINCA) II.

Three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography is an emerging technique for assessing right ventricular (RV) volume and function, but 3D-RV normal values from a large Chinese population are still lacking. The aim of the present study was to establish normal values of 3D-RV volume and function in healthy Chinese volunteers. A total of 1117 Han Chinese volunteers from 28 laboratories in 20 provinces of China were enrolled, and 3D-RV images of 747 volunteers with optimal image quality were ultimately analyzed by a core laboratory.

The burden and management competency of cardiomyopathies in China: a nationwide survey study.

Background: The public health burden of cardiomyopathies and competency in their management by health agencies in China are not well understood.

Methods: This study adopted a multi-stage sampling method for hospital selection. In the first stage, nationwide tertiary hospital recruitment was performed.

An Automated Heart Shunt Recognition Pipeline Using Deep Neural Networks.

Automated recognition of heart shunts using saline contrast transthoracic echocardiography (SC-TTE) has the potential to transform clinical practice, enabling non-experts to assess heart shunt lesions. This study aims to develop a fully automated and scalable analysis pipeline for distinguishing heart shunts, utilizing a deep neural network-based framework. The pipeline consists of three steps: (1) chamber segmentation, (2) ultrasound microbubble localization, and (3) disease classification model establishment.

Abnormal left ventricular systolic reserve function detected by treadmill exercise stress echocardiography in asymptomatic type 2 diabetes.

Aims: Subclinical left ventricular (LV) dysfunction may occur in T2DM patients at the early asymptomatic stage, and LV reserve function is a sensitive index to detect subtle LV dysfunction. The purpose of our study is (1) to assess the LV reserve function using treadmill exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) in asymptomatic type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients; (2) to explore the link of serum biological parameters and LV reserve function.

Methods: This study included 84 patients with asymptomatic T2DM from September 2021 to July 2022 and 41 sex- and age-matched healthy controls during the corresponding period.

Contrast U-Net driven by sufficient texture extraction for carotid plaque detection.

Ischemic heart disease or stroke caused by the rupture or dislodgement of a carotid plaque poses a huge risk to human health. To obtain accurate information on the carotid plaque characteristics of patients and to assist clinicians in the determination and identification of atherosclerotic areas, which is one significant foundation work. Existing work in this field has not deliberately extracted texture information of carotid from the ultrasound images.

Sex difference in cardiac performance in individuals with irregular shift work.

Unlabelled: Background: sex differences existed in animal behavioral adaption and activity rhythms when exposed to chronic disruption of the circadian rhythm. Whether these differences extend to cardiac performance has not been fully investigated by cardiac imaging technology.

Methods: One hundred and thirty patients enrolled in this study.

Volume markers in left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and adverse outcomes in peritoneal dialysis patients: a prospective cohort study.

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is an early event associated with cardiovascular complications and poor prognosis in chronic kidney disease patients undergoing dialysis. In this study, we investigated whether diastolic dysfunction, measured by the E/E' ratio, affects adverse outcomes in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients (n = 148). Our results showed that patients with an E/E' ratio ≥ 15 were more likely to be female, have a longer dialysis vintage, have significantly higher left atrial volume index and left atrial kinetic energy levels, have lower E' levels and LV hypertrophy (LVH) degree, and have higher volume markers.

Assessment of fetal intraventricular diastolic fluid dynamics using ultrasound vector flow mapping.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of visualizing and quantifying the normal pattern of vortex formation in the left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV) of the fetal heart during diastole using vector flow mapping (VFM).

Methods: A total of 36 healthy fetuses in the second trimester (mean gestational age: 23 weeks, 2 days; range: 22-24 weeks) were enrolled in the study. Color Doppler signals were recorded in the four-chamber view to observe the phase of the diastolic vortices in the LV and RV.

Assessment of left ventricular function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus by non-invasive myocardial work.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease that poses a serious risk of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, early detection of impaired cardiac function with non-invasive myocardial imaging is critical for improving the prognosis of patients with DM.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the left ventricular (LV) function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by non-invasive myocardial work technique.