Comparing the pooled cohort equations and coronary artery calcium scores in a symptomatic mixed Asian cohort.

Background: The value of pooled cohort equations (PCE) as a predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) is poorly established among symptomatic patients. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) assessment further improves risk prediction, but non-Western studies are lacking. This study aims to compare PCE and CAC scores within a symptomatic mixed Asian cohort, and to evaluate the incremental value of CAC in predicting MACE, as well as in subgroups based on statin use.

Prognostic implication of left ventricular hypertrophy regression after antihypertensive therapy in patients with hypertension.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH) in patients with hypertension is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. However, the prognostic implication of LVH regression after antihypertensive therapy has not been clearly investigated.

Methods: Patients who underwent echocardiography at the time of the diagnosis of hypertension and repeated echocardiography at an interval of 6-18 months were retrospectively identified.

Prediction of Deterioration of Left Ventricular Function Using 3-Dimensional Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography in Patients With Left Bundle-Branch Block.

Background Previous studies have demonstrated that 2-dimensional (2D) global longitudinal strain (GLS) is associated with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with left bundle-branch block. However, the predictive value of 3-dimensional (3D) speckle-tracking echocardiography has not yet been investigated in these patients. Methods and Results The authors retrospectively identified 290 patients with left bundle-branch block who underwent echocardiography more than twice.

Prognosis of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and low-normal left ventricular ejection fraction.

Objective: To investigate whether low-normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is associated with adverse outcomes in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and evaluate the incremental value of predictive power of LVEF in the conventional HCM sudden cardiac death (SCD)-risk model.

Methods: This retrospective study included 1858 patients with HCM from two tertiary hospitals between 2008 and 2019. We classified LVEF into three categories: preserved (60%), low normal (50%-60%) and reduced (<50%); there were 1399, 415, and 44 patients with preserved, low-normal, and reduced LVEF, respectively.

Long-term outcomes in distinct phenogroups of patients with primary mitral regurgitation undergoing valve surgery.

Objectives: Patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) may be heterogeneous with different risk profiles. We aimed to identify distinct phenogroups of patients with severe primary MR and investigate their long-term prognosis after mitral valve (MV) surgery.

Methods: The retrospective cohort of patients with severe primary MR undergoing MV surgery (derivation, n=1629; validation, n=692) was analysed.

Evaluating the Coronary Artery Disease Consortium Model and the Coronary Artery Calcium Score in Predicting Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease in a Symptomatic Mixed Asian Cohort.

Background The utility of a given pretest probability score in predicting obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is population dependent. Previous studies investigating the additive value of coronary artery calcium (CAC) on pretest probability scores were predominantly limited to Western populations. This retrospective study seeks to evaluate the CAD Consortium (CAD2) model in a mixed Asian cohort within Singapore with stable chest pain and to evaluate the incremental value of CAC in predicting obstructive CAD.

Prognostic value of lower bone mineral density in predicting adverse cardiovascular disease in Asian women.

Objective: We investigated whether the evaluation of bone mineral density (BMD) provides independent and incremental prognostic value for predicting atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in women.

Methods: A total of 12 681 women aged 50-80 years (mean, 63.0±7.

Coronary Artery Lumen Segmentation Using Location-Adaptive Threshold in Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography: A Proof-of-Concept.

Objective: To compare the lumen parameters measured by the location-adaptive threshold method (LATM), in which the inter- and intra-scan attenuation variabilities of coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) were corrected, and the scan-adaptive threshold method (SATM), in which only the inter-scan variability was corrected, with the reference standard measurement by intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS).

Materials And Methods: The Hounsfield unit (HU) values of whole voxels and the centerline in each of the cross-sections of the 22 target coronary artery segments were obtained from 15 patients between March 2009 and June 2010, in addition to the corresponding voxel size. Lumen volume was calculated mathematically as the voxel volume multiplied by the number of voxels with HU within a given range, defined as the lumen for each method, and compared with the IVUS-derived reference standard.

Noninvasive detection of coronary vasospastic angina using a double-acquisition coronary CT angiography protocol in the presence and absence of an intravenous nitrate: a pilot study.

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility of a double-acquisition coronary CT angiography (CCTA) protocol in the presence and absence of an intravenous (IV) vasodilator infusion for detecting vasospastic angina.

Methods: Twenty patients with a high clinical probability of vasospastic angina were enrolled. All subjects underwent baseline CCTA without a vasodilator in the early morning followed by a catheterized coronary angiography with ergonovine provocation test.

Current roles and future applications of cardiac CT: risk stratification of coronary artery disease.

Cardiac computed tomography (CT) has emerged as a noninvasive modality for the assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD), and has been rapidly integrated into clinical cares. CT has changed the traditional risk stratification based on clinical risk to image-based identification of patient risk. Cardiac CT, including coronary artery calcium score and coronary CT angiography, can provide prognostic information and is expected to improve risk stratification of CAD.

Impaired myocardial perfusion reserve in patients with fatty liver disease assessed by quantitative myocardial perfusion magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the presence of fatty liver is associated with an alteration in myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR).

Methods And Results: A retrospective analysis of 65 asymptomatic subjects who underwent both plain abdominal computed tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and who had normal left ventricular wall motion, no regional myocardial ischemia and no myocardial scar on MRI was performed. Stress and rest myocardial perfusion MRI were analyzed by Patlak plot method to quantify myocardial blood flow (MBF) and MPR in 16 myocardial segments.