Left atrial work in patients with stable chronic heart failure: factors associated and prognostic role.

Background: Limited information is available on left atrial (LA) work in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. We evaluated correlates and prognostic role of LA work in 243 CHF patients using as reference for normal LA work values 230 healthy controls.

Methods: Left atrial work was assessed by computation of LA kinetic energy (LAKE) from the formula: 0.

Prognostic stratification by conventional echocardiography of patients with aortic stenosis: the "CAIMAN-ECHO score".

Background And Aim: Surgery is not recommended in asymptomatic patients with aortic stenosis (AS). However, prognosis of these patients is worse than retained. We built a simple score (named by the acronym "CAIMAN") for stratifying asymptomatic patients with AS according to the different risk for cardiovascular events.

Analysis of circumferential and longitudinal left ventricular systolic function in patients with non-ischemic chronic heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (from the CARRY-IN-HFpEF study).

Heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF) is implicitly attributed to diastolic dysfunction, often recognized in elderly patients with hypertension, diabetes, and renal dysfunction. In these patients, left ventricular circumferential and longitudinal shortening is often impaired despite normal ejection fraction. The aim of this prospective study was to analyze circumferential and longitudinal shortening and their relations in patients with nonischemic HFpEF.

Chronic kidney disease elicits excessive increase in left ventricular mass growth in patients at increased risk for cardiovascular events.

Background: The hemodynamic alterations induced by the impairment of renal function explain only in part the development of left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), who are theoretically exposed to an inappropriate high growth of left ventricular mass (iLVM) due to the activation of neuro-hormonal stressors. Few data are available on the relations between iLVM and renal function.

Study Design And Measurements: Three hundred and forty individuals at increased risk for cardiovascular events underwent assessment of renal function by the estimation of glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and echocardiography: 227 patients had stages 1-2 CKD (eGFR ≥60 ml/min per 1.

Analysis of left ventricular systolic function by midwall mechanics in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea.

Aims: midwall mechanics reveal systolic dysfunction in obese and hypertensive patients with concentric left ventricular (LV) geometry, which is frequently detected in subjects with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Midwall mechanics have never been studied in these patients, who frequently experience heart failure (HF).

Methods And Results: we analysed midwall stress-shortening relations by echocardiography in 150 controls and 200 patients with OSA (age 62 ± 13 years) without known cardiac disease.

Severe obstructive sleep apnea elicits concentric left ventricular geometry.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has several negative effects on the heart including increase in myocardial end-systolic stress, venous return and sympathetic activity, all potential stimuli of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy. The impact of the severity of OSA on LV geometry is unknown. We hypothesized that OSA is related to concentric LV geometry.

People's perception of their overall coronary risk: an Italian experience.

Background: Strategies to prevent cardiovascular diseases are still not widely applied. It is vital to involve people for effective prevention, and knowledge of their own coronary risk is a first step. Little is known about how people perceive their coronary risk.

[Typical electrocardiogram in atypical context. Or, when history and electrocardiogram are conclusive for a complex diagnosis].

A case of sudden death in an old female carrier of Duchenne muscular dystrophy is reported. Typical electrocardiographic features were registered without other signs or symptoms of heart involvement. In particular, cardiomyopathy was excluded by echocardiographic evaluation.