Branislava Ivanovic

Two- and Three-Dimensional Speckle Tracking Analysis of the Relation Between Myocardial Deformation and Functional Capacity in Patients With Systemic Hypertension

The purpose of this study was to investigate left ventricular (LV) mechanics in hypertensive patients by 2- and 3-dimensional (3D) speckle tracking imaging, and determine the relation between the LV mechanics and functional capacity in this population. This cross-sectional study included 51 recently diagnosed, untreated, hypertensive patients, 49 treated subjects with well-controlled arterial hypertension, 52 treated participants with uncontrolled hypertension, and 50 controls adjusted by gender and age. All the subjects underwent 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, complete 2-dimensional and 3D examination, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. 3D global longitudinal, circumferential, radial, and area strains were similar between the control group and well-controlled hypertensive patients but significantly decreased in comparison with patients with untreated or inadequately controlled hypertension. Similar findings were obtained for LV torsion and twist rate, whereas LV untwisting rate significantly deteriorated from the controls, across the well-controlled group, to the patients with untreated or uncontrolled hypertension. Peak oxygen uptake was significantly lower in the patients with untreated and uncontrolled hypertension than in the controls and the well-treated hypertensive patients. Peak oxygen uptake was independently associated with LV untwisting rate (β = 0.28, p = 0.03), 3D LV ejection fraction (β = 0.31, p = 0.024), and 3D global longitudinal strain (β = 0.26, p = 0.037) in the whole hypertensive population in our study. In conclusion, LV mechanics and functional capacity are significantly impaired in the patients with uncontrolled and untreated hypertension in comparison with the controls and the well-controlled hypertensive patients. Functional capacity is independently associated with 3D global longitudinal strain, LV untwisting rate, and 3D LV ejection fraction.

Left Ventricular Mechanics in Untreated Normotensive Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Two‐ and Three‐dimensional Speckle Tracking Study

Our aim was to investigate left ventricular (LV) mechanics estimated by two‐ (2DE) and three‐dimensional echocardiography (3DE) strains in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

Does the metabolic syndrome impact left-ventricular mechanics? A two-dimensional speckle tracking study.

Objective: To evaluate left-ventricular mechanics estimated by two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) speckle tracking analyses in patients with the metabolic syndrome. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 95 untreated patients with metabolic syndrome and 65 controls similar by sex and age. Metabolic syndrome was defined by the presence of at least three ATP-AHA-NHLB criteria. All the patients underwent adequate laboratory analyses and complete 2DE examination. Results: 2DE global longitudinal and circumferential strain was significantly decreased in the metabolic syndrome group, whereas 2DE global radial strain was similar between the observed groups. The left-ventricular torsion was similar between the metabolic syndrome participants and the controls; whereas the left-ventricular untwisting rate was significantly increased in the metabolic syndrome group. The increasing number of the metabolic syndrome criteria induces progressive reduction of the left-ventricular longitudinal strain from the individuals with no metabolic syndrome risk factors to the individuals with five metabolic syndrome criteria. The same pattern was not noticed for left-ventricular circumferential and radial strain. The combination of increased blood pressure, abdominal obesity and increased fasting glucose level was associated with the higher level of left-ventricular mechanical impairment comparing with other clusters of the metabolic syndrome components. The multivariate analysis of the metabolic syndrome criteria showed that 24-h mean blood pressure, waist circumference and fasting glucose level were independently associated with 2DE global longitudinal and circumferential myocardial strain, and left-ventricular untwisting rate. The interaction between sex and metabolic syndrome significantly impacts the left-ventricular longitudinal strain and untwisting rate. Conclusion: Left-ventricular mechanics assessed by 2DE strain is significantly impaired in the metabolic syndrome patients. Among all metabolic syndrome components, blood pressure, waist circumference and fasting glucose level are the most responsible for damage of left-ventricular deformation.

Metabolic Syndrome Impacts the Right Ventricle: True or False?

Background: The impact of metabolic syndrome (MS) on the right ventricle (RV) is not clarified. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of MS and its components on RV structure and function. Methods: The study included 265 subjects with MS and 118 controls adjusted by age. MS was defined by the presence of ≥3 ATP‐NCEP III criteria. All subjects underwent laboratory blood tests, complete two‐dimensional, pulse, and tissue Doppler echocardiography. We determined the ratio of early and late diastolic tricuspid flow velocities (E/A)t, and the ratio of early diastolic transtricuspid and septal tricuspid annuli flow velocity (E/e′)t. RV Tei index represents the sum of tricuspid isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) and tricuspid isovolumic contraction time (IVCT) divided by RV ejection time (ET) [(IVRT + IVCT)/ET]. Results: Multiple regression analysis showed that systolic blood pressure (β= 0.104, P = 0.021), waist circumference (β= 0.093, P = 0.033), glucose level (β= 0.087, P = 0.045), left ventricular mass (LVmass) index (β= 0.218, P < 0.001) and relative LV wall thickness (β= 0.144, P = 0.034) were independently associated with the RV hypertrophy. Multivariate analysis showed that waist circumference (β= 0.152, P = 0.013), glucose level (β= 0.119, P = 0.039), LVmass index (β= 0.267, P < 0.001), the relative LV wall thickness (β= 0.184, P = 0.005), RV wall thickness (β= 0.175, P = 0.008), and (E/e′)m (β= 0.143, P = 0.025) were independently associated with (E/e′)t. Similar results were obtained for RV Tei index. Conclusions: MS has an important role in damage of RV structure and function. Among MS criteria systolic blood pressure, waist circumference and glucose level were independently associated with RV structure and function. (Echocardiography 2011;28:530‐538)

Markers of oxidative damage in chronic heart failure: role in disease progression

Abstract Background: We aimed to study the relationship between markers of oxidative lipid or protein damage and ventricular remodeling and the validity of 8-epi-prostaglandin F2α (8-epi-PGF2α) as an indicator of disease severity in patients with ischemic chronic heart failure (CHF). Patients and methods: We enrolled four groups of 12 patients with varying CHF according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification and 25 controls. Urinary 8-epi-PGF2α and plasma malondialdehyde and protein thiol (P-SH) groups were correlated with echocardiographic indices of remodeling. The reliability of isoprostanes was analyzed by a receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve. Results: NYHA class III and IV patients exhibited elevated 8-epi-PGF2α levels, increased malondialdehyde concentrations and decreased P-SH groups when compared to controls and NYHA I and II patients. 8-Epi-PGF2α and P-SH groups correlated significantly with indices of remodeling. The ROC curve drawn for 8-epi-PGF2α allowed us to differentiate NYHA class III and IV patients from NYHA class I and II patients with a sensitivity of 95.8% and specificity of 95.8% (cut off 0.84 ng/mg creatinine; area under curve 0.99; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Markers of oxidative damage are unlikely to play a significant role in early stages of CHF. However, they might become important in the course of CHF when their concentrations reach critical levels. Urinary 8-epi-PGF2α is a reliable indicator of symptomatic CHF.

What do we currently know about metabolic syndrome and atrial fibrillation

Metabolic syndrome represents a cluster of atherogenic risk factors including hypertension, insulin resistance, obesity, and dyslipidemia. Considering that all of these risk factors could influence the development of atrial fibrillation, an association between atrial fibrillation and the metabolic syndrome has been suggested. Additionally, oxidative stress and inflammation have been involved in the pathogenesis of both metabolic syndrome and atrial fibrillation. The mechanisms that relate metabolic syndrome to the increased risk of atrial fibrillation occurrence are not completely understood. Metabolic syndrome and atrial fibrillation are associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Because atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia, and along with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome constantly increasing, it would be very important to determine the relationship between these 2 entities, especially due to the fact that the risk factors of metabolic syndrome are mainly correctable. This review focused on the available evidence supporting the association between metabolic syndrome components and metabolic syndrome as a clinical entity with atrial fibrillation.

Metabolic syndrome and right ventricle: An updated review

The cluster of metabolic and hemodynamic abnormalities which characterize the metabolic syndrome (MS) is responsible for subclinical cardiac and extra-cardiac damage such as left ventricular hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction, carotid atherosclerosis and microalbuminuria. The development of different non-invasive imaging methods enabled a detail investigation of right ventricular structure and function, and revealed that right ventricular remodeling followed changes in the left ventricular structure and function in patients with arterial hypertension, diabetes or obesity. Previous investigations also reported that the coexistence of two components of the MS induced more significant cardiac remodeling than the presence of only one MS risk-factor. The relationship between different components of the MS (increased blood pressure, abdominal obesity, increased fasting glucose level and dyslipidemia) and right ventricular remodeling could be explained by several hemodynamic and non-hemodynamic mechanisms. However, the association between right ventricular remodeling and the MS has not been sufficiently investigated so far. The aim of this article was to review recent articles focusing on the association between metabolic syndrome components and the metabolic syndrome itself with impairments in right ventricular structure and function assessed by different imaging techniques.

Predictors of atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass surgery

Summary Background New-onset atrial fibrillation is the most common form of rhythm disturbance following coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG). It is still unclear which factors have a significant impact on its occurrence after this procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical predictors of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after myocardial revascularization. Material/Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 322 patients who underwent the first CABG operation without baseline atrial fibrillation. All subjects underwent laboratory blood tests, echocardiography and selective coronarography with ventriculography. Patients were continuously electrocardiographically monitored during the first 48–72h after the operation for the occurrence of POAF. Results POAF was diagnosed in 72 (22.4%) of the patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the following independent clinical predictors of POAF: age ≥65 years (OR 1.78; 95%CI: 1.06–2.76; p=0.043), hypertension (OR 1.97; 95%CI: 1.15–3.21; p=0.018), diabetes mellitus (OR 2.09; 95% CI: 1.31–5.33; p=0.010), obesity (OR 1.51; 95%CI: 1.03–3.87; p=0.031), hypercholesterolemia (OR 2.17, 95%CI: 1.05–4.25; p=0.027), leukocytosis (OR 2.32, 95%CI: 1.45–5.24; p=0.037), and left ventricular segmental kinetic disturbances (OR 3.01; 95%CI: 1.65–4.61, p<0.001). Conclusions This study demonstrates that advanced age, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, leukocytosis, and segmental kinetic disturbances of the left ventricle are powerful risk factors for the occurrence of POAF.

Metabolic syndrome and left ventricular function: Is the number of criteria actually important?

Summary Background Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a clustering of cardiovascular risk factors responsible for the development of target organ damage. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the increasing number of MS risk factors on left ventricular function assessed by noninvasive methods. Material/Methods The study included 204 subjects with MS and 76 controls with no MS risk factors. MS was defined by the presence of 3 or more of ATP-NCEP III criteria. MS subjects were grouped according to the number of criteria they fulfilled: 3 criteria (n=91), 4 criteria (n=65) and 5 criteria (n=48). All subjects underwent laboratory blood tests, complete 2-dimensional, pulse and tissue Doppler echocardiography. Echocardiography was used to assess systolic (LVEF, sseptal), diastolic function, by pulse-wave Doppler (E/A ratio) and tissue Doppler imaging (E/e′average), and global left ventricular function (Tei index). Appropriate time intervals for the estimation of the Tei index were obtained by tissue Doppler. Results Transmitral E/A ratio decreased significantly and progressively from the 3 criteria to the 5 criteria group (0.82±0.25 vs. 0.79±0.24 vs. 0.67±0.14, p<0.001). The transmitral E/E′average ratio was significantly and gradually increased from the 3 criteria to the 5 criteria group (7.76±1.81 vs. 9.44±2.35 vs. 10.82±2.56, p<0.001). The left ventricle Tei index progressively increased from the 3 criteria to the 5 criteria group (0.43±0.11 vs. 0.48±0.10 vs. 0.54±0.12, p<0.001). Conclusions The increasing number of MS criteria is associated with cardiac diastolic dysfunction.

High-normal blood pressure impacts the right heart mechanics: a three-dimensional echocardiography and two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging study.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine the relationship between increasing blood pressure (BP) and right ventricular (RV) and right atrial (RA) mechanics using two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) strain analysis and three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE). MethodologyThis cross-sectional study included 58 individuals with optimal BP, 57 individuals with high-normal BP, and 59 recently diagnosed untreated hypertensive patients of similar age and sex distribution. Data were analyzed according to 24-h systolic blood pressure values (cutoff values were 120 and 130 mmHg). All individuals underwent complete 2DE and 3DE examination. ResultsThe global longitudinal RV strain decreased gradually from controls, to high-normal BP individuals, to hypertensive patients, whereas systolic and early diastolic strain rates were similar between high-normal BP and hypertensive patients, but decreased in comparison with optimal BP individuals. The same trend was observed for the global longitudinal RA strain and systolic and early diastolic strain rates. 3DE examination revealed that RV volumes were increased in hypertensive patients in comparison with optimal BP individuals, which resulted in a lower 3DE RV ejection fraction in hypertensive patients. Multivariate analysis showed that the RV wall thickness was the only echocardiographic parameter that was, in the same time, independently associated with global RV and RA strain, and RV diastolic function. ConclusionThe right heart deformation is significantly impaired in individuals with high-normal BP. This subclinical impairment of RV and RA mechanics and function in high-normal BP individuals seems to be similar to the impairment found in recently diagnosed hypertensive patients.