A deep learning based method for left ventricular strain measurements: repeatability and accuracy compared to experienced echocardiographers.

Background: Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) provides quantification of left ventricular (LV) deformation and is useful in the assessment of LV function. STE is increasingly being used clinically, and every effort to simplify and standardize STE is important. Manual outlining of regions of interest (ROIs) is labor intensive and may influence assessment of strain values.

Differentiation of Myocardial Properties in Physiological Athletic Cardiac Remodeling and Mild Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Clinical differentiation between athletes' hearts and those with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) can be challenging. We aimed to explore the role of speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in the differentiation between athletes' hearts and those with mild HCM. We compared 30 competitive endurance elite athletes (7% female, age 41 ± 9 years) and 20 mild phenotypic mutation-positive HCM carriers (15% female, age 51 ± 12 years) with left ventricular wall thickness 13 ± 1 mm.

Deep learning for automated left ventricular outflow tract diameter measurements in 2D echocardiography.

Background: Measurement of the left ventricular outflow tract diameter (LVOTd) in echocardiography is a common source of error when used to calculate the stroke volume. The aim of this study is to assess whether a deep learning (DL) model, trained on a clinical echocardiographic dataset, can perform automatic LVOTd measurements on par with expert cardiologists.

Methods: Data consisted of 649 consecutive transthoracic echocardiographic examinations of patients with coronary artery disease admitted to a university hospital.

Disease progression rate is a strong predictor of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with cardiac laminopathies: a primary prevention cohort study.

Aims: Cardiac disease progression prior to first ventricular arrhythmia (VA) in LMNA genotype-positive patients is not described.

Methods And Results: We performed a primary prevention cohort study, including consecutive LMNA genotype-positive patients from our centre. Patients underwent repeated clinical, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic examinations.

Cardiac Structure and Function in Epilepsy Patients with Drug-Resistant Convulsive Seizures.

High frequency of convulsive seizures and long-lasting epilepsy are associated with an increased risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Structural changes in the myocardium have been described in SUDEP victims. It is speculated that these changes are secondary to frequent convulsive seizures and may predispose to SUDEP.

Synthetic data for annotation and extraction of family history information from clinical text.

Background: The limited availability of clinical texts for Natural Language Processing purposes is hindering the progress of the field. This article investigates the use of synthetic data for the annotation and automated extraction of family history information from Norwegian clinical text. We make use of incrementally developed synthetic clinical text describing patients' family history relating to cases of cardiac disease and present a general methodology which integrates the synthetically produced clinical statements and annotation guideline development.

Neural classification of Norwegian radiology reports: using NLP to detect findings in CT-scans of children.

Background: With a motivation of quality assurance, machine learning techniques were trained to classify Norwegian radiology reports of paediatric CT examinations according to their description of abnormal findings.

Methods: 13.506 reports from CT-scans of children, 1000 reports from CT scan of adults and 1000 reports from X-ray examination of adults were classified as positive or negative by a radiologist, according to the presence of abnormal findings.

Two methods for modifed Doo-Sabin modeling of nonsmooth surfaces-applied to right ventricle modeling.

In recent years, there has been increased clinical interest in the right ventricle (RV) of the heart. RV dysfunction is an important prognostic marker for several cardiac diseases. Accurate modeling of the RV shape is important for estimating the performance.

Impact of transcatheter aortic valve implantation on mechanical dispersion.

Objectives: The physiological determinants of left ventricular (LV) mechanical dispersion (MD) are not fully explored. We aimed to investigate the impact of afterload reduction and changes in ventricular conduction on LV MD after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Methods: Patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) were examined in a prospective, repeated measures observational cohort study before and after an uncomplicated transfemoral TAVI in a single tertiary centre.

Detection of Regional Mechanical Activation of the Left Ventricular Myocardium Using High Frame Rate Ultrasound Imaging.

We have investigated the feasibility of noninvasive mapping of mechanical activation patterns in the left ventricular (LV) myocardium using high frame rate ultrasound imaging for the purpose of detecting conduction abnormalities. Five anesthetized, open-chest dogs with implanted combined sonomicrometry and electromyography (EMG) crystals were studied. The animals were paced from the specified locations of the heart, while crystal and ultrasound data were acquired.

Classical mechanical dyssynchrony is rare in transcatheter aortic valve implantation-induced left bundle branch block.

Aims: Left bundle branch block (LBBB) is a frequent conduction abnormality after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We aimed to investigate how TAVI procedure related conduction abnormalities influence ventricular mechanics and prognosis, with particular focus on new-onset persistent LBBB.

Methods And Results: A total of 140 consecutive patients with severe aortic stenosis (83 ± 8 years old, 49% women) undergoing TAVI in a single tertiary centre were included in a repeated measures study.

Lamin A/C cardiomyopathy: young onset, high penetrance, and frequent need for heart transplantation.

Aims: Lamin A/C (LMNA) mutations cause familial dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) with frequent conduction blocks and arrhythmias. We explored the prevalence, cardiac penetrance, and expressivity of LMNA mutations among familial DCM in Norway. Furthermore, we explored the risk factors and the outcomes in LMNA patients.

Prognostic Value of Left Ventricular Deformation Parameters in Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis: A Pilot Study of the Usefulness of Strain Echocardiography.

Background: In patients with aortic stenosis, subtle alterations in myocardial mechanics can be detected by speckle-tracking echocardiography before reduction of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Methods: In this prospective study, 162 patients with aortic stenosis with an average aortic valve area of 0.7 ± 0.

Prevalence and Prognostic Significance of Hyponatremia in Patients with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Data from the Akershus Cardiac Examination (ACE) 2 Study.

Background: Hyponatremia is prevalent and associated with mortality in patients with heart failure (HF). The prevalence and prognostic implications of hyponatremia in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary (AECOPD) have not been established.

Method: We included 313 unselected patients with acute dyspnea who were categorized by etiology of dyspnea according to established guidelines (derivation cohort).

The clinical value of serial measurement of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T in acute exacerbations ofchronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objective: To assess the prevalence and long-term prognostic value of a dynamic (rise/fall) pattern of cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) elevation during acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) compared with a stable hs-cTnT elevation.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of unselected patients admitted with AECOPD to the emergency room of a university hospital. Serial hs-cTnT measurements were made during admission.

Determinants of high sensitivity cardiac troponin T elevation in acute ischemic stroke.

Background: A proportion of patients with acute ischemic stroke have elevated cardiac troponin levels and ECG changes suggestive of cardiac injury, but the etiology is unclear. The aims of this study were to assess the frequency of high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) elevation, to identify determinants and ECG changes associated with hs-cTnT elevation, to identify patients with myocardial ischemia and to assess the impact of hs-cTnT elevation on in-hospital mortality.

Methods: Patients discharged with a diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke during a 1-year period, were included.

Standardized evaluation of lung congestion during COPD exacerbation better identifies patients at risk of dying.

Background: Congestive heart failure is underdiagnosed in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Pulmonary congestion on chest radiograph at admission for acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) is associated with an increased risk of mortality. A standardized evaluation of chest radiographs may enhance prognostic accuracy.

NT-proBNP independently predicts long term mortality after acute exacerbation of COPD - a prospective cohort study.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is prevalent and frequently unrecognized in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). NT-proBNP is an established risk factor in patients with heart failure. NT-proBNP may also be released from the right ventricle.

Determinants of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T during acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a prospective cohort study.

Background: A high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) concentration above the 99th percentile (i.e. 14 ng/L) is common during Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (AECOPD) and associated with increased mortality.

Determinants of cardiac troponin T elevation in COPD exacerbation - a cross-sectional study.

Background: Cardiac Troponin T (cTnT) elevation during exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with increased mortality the first year after hospital discharge. The factors associated with cTnT elevation in COPD are not known.

Methods: From our hospital's database, all patients admitted with COPD exacerbation in 2000-03 were identified.

Underdiagnosis of myocardial infarction in COPD - Cardiac Infarction Injury Score (CIIS) in patients hospitalised for COPD exacerbation.

Background: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are usually former or current smokers, and are at increased risk of ischemic heart disease. We used Cardiac Infarction Injury Score (CIIS) to assess the prevalence of prior myocardical infarction (MI) in COPD patients and compared this to clinicians' previous diagnosis of MI.

Methods: From the hospital database, 897 patients (mean age 70.