Carlos Almería

Long-Term Clinical and Echocardiographic Follow-Up After Percutaneous Mitral Valvuloplasty With the Inoue Balloon

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to assess the long-term clinical outcome and valvular changes (area and regurgitation) after percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV). METHODS AND RESULTS After PMV, 561 patients were followed up for 39 (+/-23) months and clinical/echocardiographic data obtained yearly. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were performed to estimate event-free survival, its predictors, and the relative risks of several patient subgroups. There were several nonexclusive events: 19 (3.3%) cardiac deaths, 55 (9.8%) mitral replacements, 6 (1%) repeated PMVs, 56 (10%) cases of restenosis, and 108 (19%) cases of clinical impairment. Survival free of major events (cardiac death, mitral surgery, repeat PMV, or functional impairment) was 69% at 7 years, ranging from 88% to 40% in different subgroups of patients. Wilkins score was the best preprocedural predictor of mitral opening, but the procedural result (mitral area and regurgitation) was the only independent predictor of major event-free survival. Mitral area loss, though mild [0.13 (+/-0.21)cm2], increased with time and was >/=0.3 cm2 in 12%, 22%, and 27% of patients at 3, 5, and 7 years, respectively. Regurgitation did not progress in 81% of patients, and when it occurred it was usually by 1 grade. CONCLUSIONS Seven years after PMV, more than two thirds of patients were in good clinical condition and free of any major event. The procedural result was the main determinant of long-term outcome, although a high score had also negative implications. Mitral area decreased progressively over time, whereas regurgitation did not tend to progress.

Three-dimensional-wall motion tracking: a new and faster tool for myocardial strain assessment: comparison with two-dimensional-wall motion tracking.

BACKGROUND Two-dimensional (2D) wall motion-tracking echocardiography (WMT) is a useful method to measure myocardial strain, but it is very limited because acquisition and analysis are time consuming. Three-dimensional (3D) WMT is a new method that might improve diagnostic usefulness and reduce study times. The aims of this study were to compare results on 2D and 3D WMT and to compare the times for the acquisition and analysis of regional myocardial strain between the two methods. METHODS Measurements of the radial and longitudinal strain of every left ventricular (LV) segment and the time for acquisition and analysis were obtained using 3D and 2D WMT. RESULTS Thirty patients were enrolled (mean age, 57.2 +/- 19.6 years; 60% men). Three-dimensional WMT provided complete radial and longitudinal LV strain information, similar to 2D WMT (P = NS), but it was less time consuming: the times for acquisition and analysis were 14.0 +/- 1.9 minutes with 2D WMT and 5.1 +/- 1.1 minutes with 3D WMT (P < .001). Furthermore, in the same analysis, a greater number of segments could be analyzed using 3D WMT (72.4%) compared with 2D WMT (52.0%). CONCLUSIONS Three-dimensional WMT provides a faster, more complete, and similar analysis to assess LV longitudinal and radial strain compared with 2D WMT. Thus, 3D WMT is a potential clinical bedside tool for quantifying myocardial strain.

Three-dimensional echocardiography in paravalvular aortic regurgitation assessment after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

BACKGROUND Paravalvular aortic regurgitation (AR) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is common, but the evaluation of its severity by two-dimensional (2D) transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) presents several constrains. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of a new methodology, using three-dimensional (3D) TTE, for better assessment of paravalvular AR after TAVI. METHODS Two-dimensional and 3D TTE was performed in 72 patients, 5 months after TAVI, using the X5-1 PureWave microbeamforming xMATRIX probe. The position and severity of the paravalvular AR jets were described using 2D and 3D TTE, and a model was designed for paravalvular AR systematic location description. Vena contracta width was measured using 2D transthoracic echocardiographic views, and the planimetry of the vena contracta was assessed after the perfect alignment plane was obtained using the multiplanar 3D transthoracic echocardiographic reconstruction tool. AR volume was calculated as the difference between 3D TTE-derived total left ventricular stroke volume and right ventricular stroke volume estimated using 2D TTE. Diagnostic efficiency for moderate AR was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS Forty-three patients (57.4%) presented with AR; 10 (13.3%) had central AR, and 33 (44.0%) had paravalvular AR jets. Vena contracta widths were similar between patients with moderate and mild AR (2.1 ± 0.53 vs 1.9 ± 0.16 mm, P = .16), but vena contracta planimetry was larger in patients with moderate AR than in those with mild AR (0.30 ± 0.12 vs 0.09 ± 0.07 cm(2), P = .001). Vena contracta planimetry on 3D TTE was better correlated with AR volume than vena contracta width on 2D TTE (Kendalls τ = 0.82 [P < .001] vs 0.66 [P < .001]). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves were 0.96 for vena contracta planimetry and 0.35 for vena contracta width. CONCLUSIONS This study proposes an alternative methodology for paravalvular AR assessment after TAVI. Using vena contracta planimetry on 3D TTE, an accurate methodology for paravalvular AR jet evaluation and moderate AR classification is described.

Long term outcome of patients with postinfarction left ventricular pseudoaneurysm

Background: It is debatable whether surgical repair is routinely indicated in asymptomatic patients with left ventricular pseudoaneurysms. Objective: To evaluate the long term outcome of patients with pseudoaneurysm after myocardial infarction, focusing on those treated conservatively. Methods: 10 patients with postinfarction left ventricular pseudoaneurysm were followed up over a mean (SD) period of 3.8 (5.2) years. Results: In those treated conservatively (n = 9), cumulative survival was 88.9 (10.5)% and 74.1 (16.1)% at one and four years, respectively. The probability of being free of cardiac death was 88.9 (10.5)% at both one and four years. No patient had complete fatal heart rupture during follow up. Three patients suffered ischaemic stroke (at 1, 11, and 62 months). The cumulative incidence of ischaemic stroke was 10% at one year and 32.5% at four years. Conclusions: Long term outcome of patients with postinfarction left ventricular pseudoaneurysm is relatively benign, with a very low risk (none in this series) of fatal rupture. Taking into consideration the relatively high risk of stroke, chronic anticoagulant treatment could be considered.

Aortic dissection occurring during coronary angioplasty: Angiographic and transesophageal echocardiographic findings

A localized acute aortic dissection was produced in 2 patients, complicating coronary angioplasty. In both cases a coronary dissection provided the entry door, with subsequent retrograde progression of the dissection into the aortic root. After sealing the entry door, both patients could be managed conservatively using transesophageal echocardiography to accurately define the location of the intimal flap and to rule out dissection progression.

Chronic mitral regurgitation: a pilot study to assess preoperative left ventricular contractile function using speckle-tracking echocardiography.

BACKGROUND The development of postoperative left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is a frequent complication in patients with chronic severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and implies a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of preoperative regional LV contractile function assessment using two-dimensional echocardiography-based speckle-tracking analysis in patients with chronic severe MR. METHODS Thirty-eight consecutive patients with chronic severe MR scheduled for mitral valve replacement were prospectively enrolled. Preoperative two-dimensional echocardiography-based speckle-tracking analysis at the level of the interventricular septum (IVS) was carried out, and strain and strain rate values were obtained. LV dP/dt and Doppler tissue imaging-derived strain and strain rate measurements were also obtained. LV volumes and LV ejection fraction (LVEF) were defined using three-dimensional echocardiography. RESULTS Preoperative speckle tracking-derived longitudinal strain and strain rate values at the level of the IVS strongly predicted a postoperative LVEF decrease of >10%. Their predictive values were greater than those obtained for preoperative LV volumes and LVEF, LV dP/dt, and Doppler tissue imaging-derived strain and strain rate. The best discriminant parameter to detect a postoperative LVEF reduction of >10% with speckle tracking was a longitudinal strain rate at the level of the mid IVS < -0.80 s(-1) (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.88; sensitivity, 60%; specificity, 96.5%; positive predictive value, 90%; negative predictive value, 82.35%). CONCLUSIONS IVS longitudinal speckle tracking-derived strain rate allows the accurate detection of early abnormalities in LV contractile function. It is a powerful predictor of early postoperative LVEF decreases in patients with chronic severe MR. Furthermore, speckle-tracking technology is more accurate than other methods. This new tool might assist clinicians in the optimal timing of surgery in patients with chronic severe MR.

Speckle-tracking-derived strain and strain-rate analysis: a technique for the evaluation of early alterations in right ventricle systolic function in patients with systemic sclerosis and normal pulmonary artery pressure.

Background and aim Systemic sclerosis is associated with pulmonary artery hypertension. Speckle-tracking-derived strain and strain rate may be a diagnostic tool to detect early changes in right ventricular function, before pulmonary artery hypertension development. Our aim was to assess whether speckle-tracking-derived strain and strain-rate parameters may detect right ventricular early alterations in patients with systemic sclerosis with normal pulmonary systolic artery pressure (PAP). Methods Seventeen asymptomatic patients with systemic sclerosis and 22 controls were enrolled. A complete two-dimensional echo with speckle-tracking-derived longitudinal strain and strain rate of the basal right ventricular free wall and interventricular septum was performed. Results Median age was 56 years (43.8–71.5) in the systemic sclerosis group and 48.5 years (32–56.5) in the control group. No differences in conventional left ventricular parameters, tissue Doppler indexes, or in tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion were found. Patients with systemic sclerosis had higher levels of peak tricuspid regurgitation velocity and less respiratory collapse in the inferior vena cava. There were no differences in the speckle-tracking-derived strain and strain-rate parameters measured at the level of the basal interventricular septum and in the strain values measured at the level of the basal lateral right ventricular free wall. Nevertheless, a significant increase of the longitudinal strain rate measured at the basal lateral free wall of the right ventricle was found in patients with systemic sclerosis when compared with controls [−5.5 (−6.4–−2.6)/s vs. −1.8 (−3.9–−1.4)/s; P = 0.014]. Conclusion Speckle-tracking-derived longitudinal strain rate is useful to detect early right ventricular function changes in patients with systemic sclerosis with normal pulmonary systolic artery pressure levels. This alteration may preclude pulmonary artery hypertension development and reflect an adaptive response to higher levels of pulmonary systolic artery pressure.

Early myocardial deformation changes associated to isolated obesity: a study based on 3D-wall motion tracking analysis.

Obesity is considered as a strong risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. 3D‐wall motion tracking echocardiography (3D‐WMT) provides information regarding different parameters of left ventricular (LV) myocardial deformation. Our aim was to assess the presence of early myocardial deformation abnormalities in nonselected obese children free from other cardiovascular risk factors. Thirty consecutive nonselected obese children and 42 healthy volunteer children were enrolled. None of them had any cardiovascular risk factor. Every subject underwent a 2D‐echo examination and a 3D‐WMT study. Mean age was 13.9 ± 2.56 and 13.25 ± 2.68 years in the nonobese and obese groups, respectively (59.7% and 40.3% male). Statistically significant differences were found for: interventricular septum thickness, LV posterior wall thickness, LV end‐diastolic volume, LV end‐systolic volume, left atrium volume, LV mass, and lateral annulus peak velocity. Regarding the results obtained by 3D‐WMT assessment, all the evaluated parameters were statistically significantly different between the two groups. When the influence of obesity on the different echocardiographic variables was evaluated by means of multivariate logistic regression analysis, the strongest relationship with obesity was found for LV average circumferential strain (β‐coefficient: 0.74; r2: 0.55; P: 0.003). Thus, obesity cardiomyopathy is associated not only with structural cardiac changes, but also with myocardial deformation changes. Furthermore, this association occurs as early as in the childhood and it is independent from any other cardiovascular risk factor. The most related parameter to obesity is LV circumferential strain.

Direct Measurement of Proximal Isovelocity Surface Area by Single-Beat Three-Dimensional Color Doppler Echocardiography in Mitral Regurgitation: A Validation Study

BACKGROUND The two-dimensional (2D) proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) method has some technical limitations, mainly the geometric assumptions of PISA shape required to calculate effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA). Recently developed single-beat, real-time three-dimensional (3D) color Doppler imaging allows direct measurement of PISA without geometric assumptions. The aim of this study was to validate this novel method in patients with chronic mitral regurgitation (MR). METHODS Thirty-three patients were included, 25 (75.7%) with degenerative MR and eight (24.2%) with functional MR. EROA and regurgitant volume were assessed using transthoracic 2D and 3D PISA methods. The quantitative Doppler method and 3D transesophageal echocardiographic planimetry of EROA were used as reference methods. RESULTS Both EROA and regurgitant volume assessed using the 3D PISA method had better correlations with the reference methods than conventional 2D PISA. A consistent significant underestimation of EROA and regurgitant volume using 2D PISA was observed, particularly in the assessment of eccentric jets. On the basis of 3D transesophageal echocardiographic planimetry of EROA, 14 patients had severe MR (EROA ≥ 0.4 cm(2)). Of these 14 patients, 42.8% (6 of 14) were underestimated as having nonsevere MR (EROA ≤ 0.4 cm(2)) by the 2D PISA method. In contrast, the 3D PISA method had 92.9% (13 of 14) agreement with 3D transesophageal planimetry in classifying severe MR. Good intraobserver and interobserver agreement for 3D PISA measurements was observed, with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.96 and 0.92, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Direct measurement of PISA without geometric assumptions using single-beat, real-time 3D color Doppler echocardiography is feasible in the clinical setting. MR quantification using this methodology is more accurate than the conventional 2D PISA method.

Acute left ventricle diastolic function improvement after transcatheter aortic valve implantation

AIMS Data regarding the effects of TAVI on LV after are scarce and conflicting results have been reported immediately after aortic valvuloplasty. This study aimed to determine the acute haemodynamic effects of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in left ventricle (LV) diastolic performance, immediately after aortic valvuloplasty and prosthesis deployment. METHODS AND RESULTS Sixty-one patients with severe aortic valve stenosis, and preserved LV systolic function submitted to successful TAVI, were included. All procedures were guided through transoesophageal echocardiography, and parameters of diastolic function were evaluated before and minutes after TAVI. The mean age was 83.5±6 years and mean log EuroSCORE was 18.2±9.4. Before the procedure, all patients presented LV diastolic dysfunction. Immediately after TAVI, fewer patients presented a restrictive pattern [27 (44.3%), before the procedure, vs. 20 (34.4%), after TAVI (P=0.047)], and an increase in E wave deceleration time (211.2±75.5 vs. 252.7±102.3 cm/s, P=0.001), in E wave velocity (109.5±41.2 vs. 120.3±43.6 cm/s, P=0.025), and in isovolumetric relaxation time (83±36.5 vs. 97.1±36.0 ms, P=0.013) was observed. On multivariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), adjusting to LV systolic function, heart rate, blood pressure, and haematocrit values, the results remained significant. Patients referred to percutaneous approach had invasive haemodynamic data collected, showing a decrease in LV end-diastolic pressure after valve implantation [18.8±5.7 vs. 14.7±4.7, mean difference -4.1 (95% CI: -5.9; -2.9)]. Patients with a restrictive pattern immediately after TAVI presented a smaller decrease in LV end diastolic pressure (-3.3±4.7) than those with diastolic dysfunction grade I or II (-9.5±4.7; P=0.017). CONCLUSION This is the first study describing LV diastolic performance during TAVI. Our results show improvement in diastolic function parameters in patients with preserved LV systolic function, immediately after successful TAVI.