Delayed blood pressure recovery after exercise stress test is associated with autonomic dysfunction and pulse pressure in a middle-aged healthy group.

Background: Delayed heart rate (HR) and blood pressure recovery after exercise test is known as the reliable indexes of autonomic dysfunction. Here we tried to evaluate the serial changes in various indicators during exercise test and correlations with recovery of HR and blood pressure in a normotensive healthy middle-aged group.

Methods: A total of 122 patients without hypertension or diabetes was enrolled (mean age, 55.

The characteristic large-scale annual analysis by gender and age in heart failure patients: cohort for 10 years in Korea.

Aims: The prevalence and incidence rate of heart failure (HF) continues to increase along with the aging of the population and the increase of ischaemic heart disease. The morbidity and mortality of HF are also on the rise in the industrialized countries; it can be a great public health problem. A detailed and accurate analysis of the demographical incidence and prevalence of HF is an important first step in predicting the occurrence of the disease in the future and proper preparing for prevention.

Epidemiologic Profile of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease in Korea: A Nationwide Hospital-Based Registry Study.

Background: Valvular heart disease (VHD) is a common cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide; however, its epidemiological profile in Korea requires elucidation.

Methods: In this nationwide retrospective cohort study from the Korean valve survey, which collected clinical and echocardiographic data on VHD from 45 medical centers, we identified 4,089 patients with VHD between September and October 2019.

Results: The aortic valve was the most commonly affected valve (n = 1,956 [47.

Left Atrial Velocity Vector Imaging Can Assess Early Diastolic Dysfunction in Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: The function of left atrium (LA) is difficult to assess because of its ventricle-dependent, dynamic movement. The aim of this study was to assess LA function using velocity vector imaging (VVI) and compare LA function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCMP) and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) with normal controls.

Methods: Fourteen patients with HCMP (72% male, mean age of 52.

Impact of Contrast Echocardiography on Assessment of Ventricular Function and Clinical Diagnosis in Routine Clinical Echocardiography: Korean Multicenter Study.

Background: Fundamental echocardiography has some drawbacks in patients with difficult-to-image echocardiograms. The aim of this study is to evaluate impact of contrast echocardiography (CE) on ventricular function assessment and clinical diagnosis in routine clinical echocardiography.

Methods: Two hundred sixty patients were prospectively enrolled over 3 years in 12 medical centers in Korea.

2-Dimensional Strain Analysis of Regional Change in Right Ventricular Function after Treadmill Exercise.

Background: Function of right ventricle (RV) influences on symptoms and prognosis in various diseases. However the regional RV function analyzed with 2-dimensional (2D) strain echocardiography before and just after treadmill test has not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to show the change of regional RV function just after treadmill exercise with strain analysis.

Echocardiographic Assessment of Structural and Hemodynamic Changes in Hypertension-Related Pregnancy.

Background: Pregnancy induces dramatic cardiovascular changes in order to meet the increasing metabolic needs. Adaptive change of left ventricle (LV) might be modified in pregnancy complicated by hypertension.

Methods: Data from 193 consecutive pregnant women were analyzed.

The Clinical Impact of Bedside Contrast Echocardiography in Intensive Care Settings: A Korean Multicenter Study.

Background And Objectives: We assessed the ability of portable echocardiography (with contrasts) to clearly delineate the cardiac structure, and evaluated the impact of its use on the diagnosis and management of critically ill patients in Korea.

Subjects And Methods: We prospectively enrolled 123 patients (mean age 66±16 years), who underwent portable transthoracic echocardiography (with contrast) for image enhancement at 12 medical centers. The quality of the global left ventricular (LV) images, the number of the regional LV segments visualized, the ability to visualize the LV apex and the right ventricle (RV), and any changes in the diagnostic procedure and treatment strategy were compared before and after the contrast.

Diverse left ventricular morphology and predictors of short-term outcome in patients with stress-induced cardiomyopathy.

Background: There is paucity of data with regard to the clinical spectrum according to left ventricle (LV) morphological variation in stress-induced cardiomyopathy (SCMP) patients, and still there is controversy in terms of prognosis since some people believe that the published in-hospital mortality data of patients with SCMP are underestimated. Therefore, we sought to investigate the morphological features of LV and in-hospital outcome of patients with SCMP and explored predictors of short-term prognosis.

Methods: This was a multicenter, observational study of 208 SCMP patients.

Contrast echo-a simple diagnostic tool for a coronary artery fistula.

Coronary artery fistulas have been diagnosed with aortography, coronary angiography, and coronary computed tomography (CT). A large fistula can be occasionally found as a mass lesion on echocardiography but cannot be easily confirmed. Here, we report a new diagnostic approach to coronary artery fistulas using a contrast agent and transthoracic echocardiography.

Association of soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-product with increasing central aortic stiffness in hypertensive patients.

Objectives: In humans, a secreted isoform of (soluble) receptor for advanced glycation end-products (sRAGE) may act as a decoy receptor of advanced glycation end-product. The level of sRAGE may reflect the activity of cell surface receptor for advanced glycation end-product. But there has been no study that has demonstrated the association of sRAGE with central aortic stiffness.

A warm footbath improves coronary flow reserve in patients with mild-to-moderate coronary artery disease.

Backgrounds: Recent studies have shown that thermal therapy by means of warm waterbaths and sauna has beneficial effects in chronic heart failure. However, a comprehensive investigation of the hemodynamic effects of thermal vasodilation on coronary arteries has not been previously undertaken. In this study, we studied the effect of a warm footbath (WFB) on coronary arteries in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), as well as any adverse effect.

A randomized study assessing the effects of pretreatment with cilostazol on periprocedural myonecrosis after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Purpose: It is unknown whether cilostazol pretreatment reduces postprocedural myonecrosis (PPMN). Cilostazol pretreatment reduces PPMN after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Materials And Methods: A total of 120 patients with stable angina scheduled for elective PCI were randomly assigned to a 7-day pretreatment with Cilostazol (200 mg/day) or to a control group.