Multicentric Atrial Strain COmparison between Two Different Modalities: MASCOT HIT Study.

Two methods are currently available for left atrial (LA) strain measurement by speckle tracking echocardiography, with two different reference timings for starting the analysis: QRS (QRS-LASr) and P wave (P-LASr). The aim of MASCOT HIT study was to define which of the two was more reproducible, more feasible, and less time consuming. In 26 expert centers, LA strain was analyzed by two different echocardiographers (young vs senior) in a blinded fashion.

The path to surgery in carcinoid heart disease: a retrospective study and a multidisciplinary proposal of a new algorithm.

Development of carcinoid heart disease (CHD) is the major negative prognostic factor in patients with the carcinoid syndrome. The only effective treatment is valve replacement. However, the selection of candidates and determination of optimal timing remain unclear.