Pre-Participation Screenings Frequently Miss Occult Cardiovascular Conditions in Apparently Healthy Male Middle-Aged First-Time Marathon Runners.

Introduction: The optimal pre-participation screening strategy to identify athletes at risk for exercise-induced cardiovascular events is unknown. We therefore aimed to compare the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and European Society of Cardiology (ESC) pre-participation screening strategies against extensive cardiovascular evaluations in identifying high-risk individuals among 35-50-year-old apparently healthy men.

Methods: We applied ACSM and ESC pre-participation screenings to 25 men participating in a study on first-time marathon running.

Multimodality Screening For (Peri)Myocarditis In Newly Diagnosed Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Cardiac involvement in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM or "myositis") is associated with an approximate 4% mortality, but standardised screening strategies are lacking.

Objective: We explored a multimodality screening on potentially reversible cardiac involvement -i.e.

Baffle Complications in Adults After Atrial Switch for Transposition of the Great Arteries.

Background: Baffle complications, ie, leakage or stenosis, after an atrial switch operation (AtrSO) for transposition of the great arteries (TGA) are difficult to detect with the use of routine transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). We examined baffle interventions and the prevalence of baffle complications.

Methods: This dual-centre study followed TGA-AtrSO patients for the occurrence of baffle interventions.

Optimal echocardiographic assessment of myocardial dysfunction for arrhythmic risk stratification in phospholamban mutation carriers.

Aims: Phospholamban (PLN) p.Arg14del mutation carriers are at risk of developing malignant ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) and/or heart failure. Currently, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) plays an important role in risk assessment for VA in these individuals.

Postsystolic thickening is a potential new clinical sign of injured myocardium in marfan syndrome.

The mechanisms leading to cardiac remodeling in Marfan syndrome (MFS) are a matter of debate since it could be either due to structural dysfunction of the myocardial extracellular matrix or to increased afterload caused by the dilated aorta. We aim to characterize the presence of abnormal myocardial function in MFS and to investigate its potential association with increased afterload. Aorta, left ventricle (LV) and the postsystolic thickening (PST) were analyzed in echocardiography in Fbn1 mice and in patients with MFS in comparison with wild type (WT) mice and healthy humans.

Echocardiographic deformation imaging unmasks global and regional mechanical dysfunction in patients with idiopathic ventricular fibrillation: A multicenter case-control study.

Background: Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) is diagnosed in patients with sudden onset of ventricular fibrillation of unidentified origin. New diagnostic tools that can detect subtle abnormalities are needed to diagnose and treat patients with an underlying substrate.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore echocardiographic deformation characteristics in IVF patients.

Early Mechanical Alterations in Phospholamban Mutation Carriers: Identifying Subclinical Disease Before Onset of Symptoms.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore echocardiographic characteristics of phospholamban (PLN) p.Arg14del mutation carriers to investigate whether structural and/or functional abnormalities could be identified before onset of symptoms.

Background: Carriers of the genetic PLN p.

Myocardial Deformation in the Systemic Right Ventricle: Strain Imaging Improves Prediction of the Failing Heart.

Background: Predicting heart failure events in patients with a systemic right ventricle (sRV) due to transposition of the great arteries (TGA) is important for timely intensification of follow-up. This study assessed the value of strain compared with currently used parameters as predictor for heart failure-free survival in patients with sRV.

Methods: In participants of a multicentre trial, speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) was performed to assess global longitudinal strain (GLS), mechanical dispersion (MD), and postsystolic shortening (PSS).

Myocardial Function during Low versus Intermediate Tidal Volume Ventilation in Patients without Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Background: Mechanical ventilation with low tidal volumes has the potential to mitigate ventilation-induced lung injury, yet the clinical effect of tidal volume size on myocardial function has not been clarified. This cross-sectional study investigated whether low tidal volume ventilation has beneficial effects on myocardial systolic and diastolic function compared to intermediate tidal volume ventilation.

Methods: Forty-two mechanically ventilated patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) underwent transthoracic echocardiography after more than 24 h of mechanical ventilation according to the Protective Ventilation in Patients without ARDS (PReVENT) trial comparing a low versus intermediate tidal volume strategy.

Aortic Root Geometric and Dynamic Changes After Device Closure of Interatrial Shunts.

Background: The spatial relationship between atrial septal occluders and the aorta and the subsequent impact on the geometry and mechanics of the aortic root have been underinvestigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate occluder-aorta interaction after device closure of an atrial septal defect (ASD) or a patent foramen ovale (PFO) using three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography and two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography.

Methods: In 65 adult patients (mean age, 47 ± 14 years; 71% women) who underwent ASD (n = 35) or PFO (n = 30) closure with the Amplatzer Septal Occluder or Amplatzer PFO Occluder, occluder-aorta contact was evaluated on three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography and defined as continuous, intermittent, or absent.

Impact of Leadless Pacemaker Therapy on Cardiac and Atrioventricular Valve Function Through 12 Months of Follow-Up.

Background: Endocardial pacemaker leads and right ventricular (RV) pacing are well-known causes of tricuspid valve, mitral valve, and cardiac dysfunction. Lead-related adverse consequences can potentially be mitigated by leadless pacemaker (LP) therapy by eliminating the presence of a transvalvular lead. This study assessed the impact of LP placement on cardiac and valvular structure and function.

Cardiac disease in mucopolysaccharidosis type III.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type III (MPS III; Sanfilippo disease) is primarily characterized by neurocognitive decline with limited somatic disease. Only few reports addressed cardiac disease (CD) in MPS III. We investigated the prevalence of CD in a relatively large cohort of patients.

Atrial septal defect in adults is associated with airway hyperresponsiveness.

Objective: The association between secundum atrial septal defects (ASD) and asthma-like dyspnea with consequent long-term pulmonary inhalant use, is poorly understood in adult ASD patients. Airway hyperresponsiveness is suggested to be the underlying mechanism of cardiac asthma from mitral valve disease and ischemic cardiomyopathy. We hypothesized that airway hyperresponsiveness may also be found in adult ASD patients.

Comparison of non-triggered magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography for the assessment of left atrial volume and morphology.

Background: Advanced atrial fibrillation (AF) patients have persistent AF, failed previous catheter ablation and/or an enlarged left atrium (LA), which is associated with a reduced success of AF ablation. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) are available to assess LA volume. However, it is unknown how these modalities relate in patients with advanced AF.

Predictors of residual tricuspid regurgitation after percutaneous closure of atrial septal defect.

Aims: Functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) associated with atrial septal defects (ASDs) is frequently present due to right-sided volume-overload. Tricuspid valve (TV) repair is often considered in candidates for surgical ASD closure, and percutaneous TV repair is currently under clinical investigation. In this study, we develop a prediction model to identify patients with residual moderate/severe TR after percutaneous ASD closure.

A Potential Diagnostic Approach for Foetal Long-QT Syndrome, Developed and Validated in Children.

In patients with Long-QT Syndrome (LQTS), mechanical abnormalities have been described. Recognition of these abnormalities could potentially be used in the diagnosis of LQTS, especially in the foetus where an ECG is not available and DNA-analysis is invasive. We aimed to develop and validate a marker for these mechanical abnormalities in children and to test its feasibility in foetuses as a proof of principle.

The role of cystatin C as a biomarker for prognosis in pulmonary arterial hypertension due to congenital heart disease.

Background: Adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension due to congenital heart disease (PAH-CHD) have a poor prognosis. Identifying patients with a high risk for clinical events and death is important because their prognosis can be improved by intensifying their treatment. Cystatin C, a novel cardiac biomarker, correlates with right ventricular dimensions in patients with idiopathic PAH, giving it potential to determine prognosis in PAH-CHD patients.

New predictors of mortality in adults with congenital heart disease and pulmonary hypertension: Midterm outcome of a prospective study.

Background: Patients with CHD-PAH have a limited prognosis. In daily practice, combination therapy is often initiated after a clinical event. Although clinical events have been associated with a poor prognosis in idiopathic PAH, data on this association are limited in CHD-PAH.

Percutaneous mitral valve repair preserves right ventricular function.

Background: Chronic mitral regurgitation (MR) often leads to diminished right ventricular (RV) function due to long-standing pressure and volume overload. Surgical intervention often adds to the preexisting RV dysfunction. Percutaneous mitral valve (MV) repair can reduce MR, but to what extent this affects the right ventricle is unknown.