The feasibility, reliability, and incremental value of two-dimensional speckle-tracking for the detection of significant coronary stenosis after treadmill stress echocardiography.

Background: Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) may help detect coronary artery disease (CAD) when combined with dobutamine stress echocardiography. However, few studies have explored STE with exercise stress echocardiography (ESE). We aimed to evaluate the feasibility, reliability, and incremental value of STE combined with treadmill ESE compared to treadmill ESE alone to detect CAD.

Effect of age and sex on echocardiographic left ventricular diastolic function parameters in patients with preserved ejection fraction and normal valvular function.

Background: We conducted a retrospective study to specify the effect of age and gender on echocardiographic left ventricular diastolic function parameters.

Methods: We included echocardiograms done in our institution between 1995 and 2007, for which data on diastolic function were available. In order to target a population as close aspossible to healthy subjects, echocardiograms reporting abnormal contraction, valvulopathy or extreme data were excluded.

Familial unruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm obstructing the right ventricular outflow tract.

A case demonstrating compression of the right ventricular outflow tract by an unruptured coronary sinus of Valsalva aneurysm in which repair resulted in symptomatic improvement is presented. The pathology report revealed that the patient's younger brother had died from a ruptured aneurysm of the coronary sinus of Valsalva. The present report is the first to describe a familial unruptured coronary sinus of Valsalva aneurysm raising questions regarding the screening of relatives of patients with sinus of Valsalva aneurysms of unknown etiology.

A six-year experience with the omnicarbon valve in North American patients.

Aim: We studied the results of an all-carbon monoleaflet valve prosthesis (the Omnicarbon) in a North American population.

Methods: Patients were recalled to our valve clinic for complete evaluation, including echocardiography, laboratory tests, and physician examination. This experience includes 108 Omnicarbon valve implants.

Progressive dilation of the diameter of the aortic root in adults with a bicuspid aortic valve.

Background: To determine the rate of progression of dilation of the aortic root in adults with a bicuspid aortic valve.

Methods: We reviewed retrospectively the transthoracic echocardiograms of 50 adults with a bicuspid aortic valve. Each patient had had at least two examinations made 12 months apart.

Improvement in exercise capacity in asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic adults after atrial septal defect percutaneous closure.

Background: Controversy exists as to whether secundum atrial septal defects (ASDs) in asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic New York Heart Association (NYHA) class I or II adult patients should be closed.

Methods And Results: Thirty-seven patients (24 females; mean age 49.4 years, range 19 to 76) with a mean pulmonary to systemic flow ratio (Qp:Qs) of 2.