Salvatore Mario De Tommasi

Added Value of 99mTc-HMPAO–Labeled Leukocyte SPECT/CT in the Characterization and Management of Patients with Infectious Endocarditis

The clinical performance of the Duke Endocarditis Service criteria to establish the diagnosis of infectious endocarditis (IE) can be improved through functional imaging procedures such as radiolabeled leukocytes (99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime [HMPAO]–labeled white blood cells [WBC]). Methods: We assessed the value of 99mTc-HMPAO-WBC scintigraphy including SPECT/CT acquisitions in a series of 131 consecutive patients with suspected IE. Patients with permanent cardiac devices were excluded. 99mTc-HMPAO-WBC scintigraphy results were correlated with transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiography, blood cultures, and the Duke criteria. Results: Scintigraphy was true-positive in 46 of 51 and false-negative in 5 of 51 cases (90% sensitivity, 94% negative predictive value, and 100% specificity and positive predictive value). No false-positive results were found, even in patients with early IE evaluated within the first 2 mo from the surgical procedure. In 24 of 51 patients with IE, we also found extracardiac uptake, indicating septic embolism in 21 of 24. Despite the fact that septic embolism was found in 11 of 18 cases of Duke-definite IE, most of the added value from the 99mTc-HMPAO-WBC scan for decision making was seen in patients in whom the Duke criteria yielded possible IE. The scan was particularly valuable in patients with negative or difficult-to-interpret echocardiographic findings because it correctly classified 11 of 88 of these patients as having IE. Furthermore, 3 patients were falsely positive at echocardiography but correctly negative at 99mTc-HMPAO-WBC scintigraphy: these patients had marantic vegetations. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate the ability of 99mTc-HMPAO-WBC scintigraphy to reduce the rate of misdiagnosed cases of IE when combined with standard diagnostic tests in several situations: when clinical suspicion is high but echocardiographic findings are inconclusive; when there is a need for differential diagnosis between septic and sterile vegetations detected at echocardiography; when echocardiographic, laboratory, and clinical data are contradictory; and when valve involvement (especially of a prosthetic valve) needs to be excluded during febrile episodes, sepsis, or postsurgical infections.

Prognostic Value of N-Terminal Pro–Type-B Natriuretic Peptide and Doppler Left Ventricular Diastolic Variables in Patients With Chronic Systolic Heart Failure Stabilized by Therapy

Prognostication of patients with chronic heart failure (HF) stabilized by therapy may be difficult. Therefore, the aim was to evaluate whether combined assessment of plasma N-terminal pro-B natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) and Doppler left ventricular (LV) diastolic variables was relevant to the prognosis of patients with stable HF. Outpatients with LV systolic HF (ejection fraction < or =45%), classified using clinical criteria as decompensated (n = 94) and stable HF (n = 219), underwent a complete Doppler echocardiographic study. NT-pro-BNP was measured together with mitral wave velocities, E wave deceleration time, and tissue Doppler early septal annular velocity. Median follow-up was 22 months. Freedom from all-cause mortality or HF hospitalization at 24 months was worst (44%) in patients with decompensated HF, intermediate (58%) in patients with stable HF with NT-pro-BNP higher than the median (>1,129 pg/ml), and best (92%) in patients with lower NT-pro-BNP (log-rank p <0.0001). In patients with stable HF, NT-pro-BNP >1,129 pg/ml (hazard ratio [HR] 2.84, p = 0.003), E wave deceleration time <150 ms (HR 2.31, p = 0.004), and tissue Doppler early septal annular velocity <8 cm/s (HR 2.18, p = 0.01) were predictors of the end point at multivariate analysis. The addition of Doppler LV diastolic variables and NT-pro-BNP significantly improved the chi-square test for outcome prediction (from 14.4 to 46.4). In conclusion, NT-pro-BNP and spectral and tissue Doppler variables of LV diastolic dysfunction added independent and incremental contributions to prognostic stratification of patients with stable HF.

Prognostic significance of tricuspid annular motion and plasma NT-proBNP in patients with heart failure and moderate-to-severe functional mitral regurgitation

The role of the right ventricle has been relatively neglected proportionate to its importance. We sought to evaluate the impact of right ventricular (RV) and NT‐proBNP on the outcome of patients with heart failure (HF) and functional mitral regurgitation (MR).

Coronary Flow Reserve in Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Relation with Left Ventricular Wall Stress, Natriuretic Peptides, and Endothelial Dysfunction

Studies have demonstrated impaired coronary blood flow reserve (CBFR) in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM). It was the aim of this study to examine the potential underlying mechanisms for CBFR reduction in patients with IDCM by Doppler ultrasound techniques. Forty-eight clinically stable patients with heart failure caused by IDCM (New York Heart Association classes 1-3) were evaluated by echocardiographic and Doppler techniques with the assessments of CBFR and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD). CBFR was estimated as the hyperemic (dipyridamole: 0.84 mg/kg in 10 minutes, intravenously) to resting coronary diastolic peak velocities ratio. N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (Nt-pro-BNP) plasma levels were measured at the time of the index echocardiogram. Left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction was 30% +/- 8%, and wall motion score index was 2.0 +/- 0.25. The best correlation with CBFR was found with LV wall thickness-to-cavity radius (r = 0.77, P < .0001). A strong correlation of log-transformed Nt-pro-BNP levels was observed with CBFR (r = -0.64; P < .0001). No significant correlation was documented between CBFR and FMD. The stepwise regression model showed that LV wall thickness-to-cavity radius was the strongest independent predictor of CBFR followed by New York Heart Association class and log-transformed Nt-pro-BNP leading to a cumulative R value of 0.82 (P < .0001). The results of the study indicate that by measuring variables related to LV end-diastolic wall stress, such as LV wall thickness-to-cavity radius and plasma Nt-proBNP, it is possible to have information about CBFR in patients with heart failure secondary to IDCM.

Value of tissue Doppler imaging for risk stratification of patients with chronic systolic heart failure with or without restrictive mitral flow

AIMS The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in patients with chronic systolic heart failure (HF) with or without restrictive mitral flow (RMF). METHODS AND RESULTS Echocardiograms were obtained in 378 patients with chronic systolic HF [ejection fraction (EF) < or = 45%] in sinus rhythm. Restrictive mitral flow was defined by an E wave deceleration time (EDT) < or = 140 ms. Tissue Doppler imaging early (Em) diastolic and systolic (Sm) velocities were measured at the mitral annulus. Patients were followed-up for a median of 32 months. Endpoints were all-cause mortality and the combination of death or HF hospitalization. Mean left ventricular EF was 32 +/- 8%. Restrictive mitral flow and TDI annular velocities were all univariate predictors of the endpoints. Ejection fraction <25% was the only multivariate predictor of all-cause mortality. E wave deceleration time and Em < 8 cm/s were independently associated with the combined endpoint of death or HF hospitalization. At 48 months, survival was 61% in patients with RMF and 82% in patients with non-RMF (log-rank: 21.6; P < 0.0001). When patients were stratified according to Em at or above 8 cm/s or below 8 cm/s, those with RMF and Em < 8 cm/s exhibited the worst survival (log-rank: 27.16; P < 0.0001). Patients with Sm < or = 6 cm/s had a 58% survival rate, whereas it was 82% in patients with Sm > 6 cm/s (log-rank: 12.73; P = 0.0004). CONCLUSION Doppler annular velocities provided useful information for prognostication of patients with systolic HF. Particularly, categorization of patients according to Em velocities allowed us to further stratify patients with RMF and non-RMF.

Atrial fibrillation and amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide as independent predictors of prognosis in systolic heart failure.

BACKGROUND Survival of patients with systolic heart failure (HF) may be influenced by the presence of chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) and circulating concentrations of B-type natriuretic peptides. In this study, we sought to assess the prognostic value of chronic AF in comparison to those of amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) plasma levels and of echocardiographic parameters among HF patients of the entire study population and in those with AF. METHODS Plasma NT-proBNP levels and echocardiography were prospectively assessed in 489 patients with chronic systolic HF (LV ejection fraction <or=45%) in sinus rhythm or AF (16%). Follow-up duration was 26+/-15 months. RESULTS Patients with AF were older (p<0.0001), had a worse NYHA class (p=0.002) and higher NT-proBNP levels (p<0.0001) than those in sinus rhythm. Presence of AF (HR [hazards ratio]: 2.01, p=0.013) and plasma NT-proBNP (HR: 3.05, p<0.0001) were the only independent predictors of all-cause mortality. At receiver operating characteristic analyses, the threshold level for outcome prediction of NT-proBNP was higher in patients with AF (3883 pg/ml) than in patients in sinus rhythm (1653 pg/ml). Multivariate analysis performed in patients with HF and AF showed that plasma NT-proBNP was the most important predictor of death after statistic adjustment for age. CONCLUSIONS Chronic AF and NT-proBNP independently predicted the outcome of patients with HF. The threshold level of NT-proBNP for outcome prediction was different in patients with AF with respect to those in sinus rhythm. NT-proBNP was the most important independent predictor of all-cause mortality in HF patients with AF.

Plasma N-terminal protype-B natriuretic peptide levels in risk assessment of patients with mitral regurgitation secondary to ischemic and nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND Functional mitral regurgitation (MR) is a factor affecting prognosis of patients with chronic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the evaluation of plasma N-terminal protype-B natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentrations is useful for prognostic assessment of patients with functional MR due to either ischemic or nonischemic chronic LV dysfunction. METHODS Echocardiograms were obtained in 207 patients with chronic LV dysfunction (ejection fraction <or=45%) and secondary MR at color flow imaging. The NT-proBNP was measured at the time of the index echocardiogram. The MR was graded as mild when a small central jet <4 cm(2) or <20% of left atrial area or a vena contracta width <0.3 cm was present. It was considered moderate in the presence of signs of more-than-mild MR without criteria for severe MR. A vena contracta width >or=0.7 cm raised MR grade to severe. Median follow-up duration was 29 months. RESULTS The NT-proBNP levels increased significantly with MR severity. At multivariate analysis, NT-proBNP was an independent predictor of cardiac death (hazard ratio 2.17, CI 1.10-4.30, P = .026) and the most powerful predictor of cardiac death or heart failure-related hospitalization (hazard ratio 3.19, CI 1.89-5.37, P < .0001). A progressively worse outcome was apparent when patients were stratified by a graded increase in MR severity and by quartiles of NT-proBNP levels. Increased NT-proBNP concentrations and more-than-mild MR identified patients with the highest risk of cardiac mortality. CONCLUSION Assessment of plasma NT-proBNP allows for stratifying patients with functional MR regardless of their degree of valvular incompetence. Even in case of only mild or moderate MR, but increased NT-proBNP, patients have to face poor outcome.

Post-cardioversion transesophageal echocardiography (POSTEC) strategy with the use of enoxaparin for brief anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation patients: the multicenter POSTEC trial (a pilot study).

Objectives In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), we sought to evaluate the feasibility and safety of a new transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)-guided strategy, aimed at selecting, 7 days post-cardioversion, those patients who are at low risk (i.e. who can terminate anticoagulation after a second TEE) and those at high risk (i.e. who have to continue it). Methods We enrolled 206 patients with non-valvular AF into a randomized, multicenter clinical trial. Group A patients underwent a TEE-guided cardioversion with heparin and at least 4 weeks of oral anticoagulation therapy (OAT) after cardioversion. Group B patients received enoxaparin and underwent a TEE-guided cardioversion. After 7 days, a second TEE was carried out. In the absence of TEE thromboembolic risk factors and left atrial appendage (LAA) dysfunction anticoagulation was discontinued. Results In group A, 88 out of 102 patients underwent TEE and cardioversion was efficacious in 77 of 78. In group B, 100 out of 104 patients underwent TEE and cardioversion was efficacious in 80 of 87 patients; 55 patients underwent the second TEE and enoxaparin was stopped in 50 without LAA dysfunction. In group A, one transient ischemic attack and one sudden cardiac death occurred. In group B, one patient with complex aortic plaques suffered a stroke during enoxaparin. There was a minor hemorrhage in groups A and B, and a severe hemorrhage in a patient during OAT because of persistent atrial stunning. Hospitalization length and duration of anticoagulation were significantly shorter in group B. Conclusions The pre/post-cardioversion TEE strategy with enoxaparin in AF may constitute a feasible and safe approach in selecting patients at low thromboembolic risk who can benefit from precocious termination of anticoagulation (7 days after cardioversion). It may be also useful to identify those patients in whom a life-lasting anticoagulation could be beneficial. A larger trial to confirm these findings is under way.

Late myocardial ischemia with ST-segment elevation after negative dobutamine stress echocardiography in a patient with normal coronary arteries.

Late complications after pharmacological stress echocardiography are infrequent but potentially dreadful events. We report the case of a 80-year-old woman admitted to hospital for rest chest pain with trivial troponin increase, normal left ventricular function and no significant ECG changes. A dobutamine stress echocardiography was performed for diagnostic purpose, with a negative result. About 30 min after the end of dobutamine infusion, she developed ST-segment elevation in inferior leads associated with chest pain and left ventricular dyssynergy, promptly resolved by sublingual nitrates. Subsequently, angiography documented the absence of significant coronary stenoses. The following clinical course was uneventful. Transient myocardial ischemia was likely due to dobutamine-induced coronary spasm. The case emphasizes the utility of routine, long-lasting monitoring of patients after stress echocardiography, even if negative, to counteract possible late life-threatening complications.