The aim of this study was to evaluate atrial electromechanical delay (EMD), P wave dispersion (Pwd), and left atrial (LA) mechanical functions in patients with active acromegaly. Twenty-three patients with active acromegaly and 27 age- and sex-matched controls were included in this study. All atrial electromechanical interval parameters (PA lateral, PA septum, PA tricuspid, interatrial EMD, intra-LA EMD, and intra-right atrial EMD) were measured from mitral lateral annulus, mitral septal annulus, and right ventricular tricuspid annulus by tissue Doppler imaging. LA volumes were measured by the disk method in the apical four-chamber view and were indexed to the body surface area. Mechanical function parameters of LA were calculated. Pwd was performed by 12-lead electrocardiograms. Atrial electromechanical intervals (PA lateral, PA septum, PA tricuspid, interatrial EMD, intra-LA EMD, and intra-right atrial EMD) and Pwd were similar between patients with acromegaly and control subjects (all p > 0.05). LA volumes (maximum, minimum, and presystolic) and LA mechanical functions were not significantly different between the groups (all p > 0.05). Additionally, serum levels of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 were not correlated with atrial electromechanical parameters and LA mechanical functions. Atrial electrical conduction times were not prolonged and LA mechanical functions were not impaired in patients with active acromegaly compared with controls. And the prevalence of supraventricular arrhythmia risk may not increase in this population.

In clinical practice, the presence of fQRS in patients with positive ETT may support clinicians during the decision-making process with regard to the referral for a coronary angiography.

Patients with frequent VPBs had increased EFT thickness compared to control subjects. EFT thickness was independently associated with frequent VPBs.

Background: Myocardial fibrosis is a well-known side effect of radiotherapy. Fragmented QRS (fQRS) has been shown to be a marker of myocardial fibrosis. We postulated that radiotherapy induces development of fQRS in breast cancer patients. Patients and Methods: Breast cancer patients receiving locoregional radiotherapy were enrolled. Patients who had fQRS on electrocardiography (ECG) before radiotherapy were excluded. All patients were revaluated for the development of fQRS at 1-year follow-up. An age-matched healthy group served as controls. Results: A total of 52 breast cancer patients receiving locoregional radiotherapy were included (median age 49 years, interquartile range (IQR) 13). Of these, 19 (37%) had developed fQRS at 1-year follow-up. Compared with the control group, prevalence of fQRS was significantly higher in the irradiated group (37 vs. 12%; p < 0.002). Median total cardiac radiation dose was significantly higher in patients who had developed fQRS (5 Gy, IQR 5.2 vs. 1.7 Gy, IQR 4.4; p = 0.003). Cardiac radiation dose, entered either as a continuous variable (odds ratio (OR) 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 104-1.74) or as a dichotomized variable (≥ 2.2 Gy, OR 6.48, 95% CI 1.47-28.61), was independently associated with the development of fQRS at 1-year follow-up. Conclusion: Radiotherapy for breast cancer induces development of fQRS on ECG. Cardiac radiation dose is independently associated with the development of fQRS.

Acromegaly is associated with a variety of cardiovascular disturbances such as left ventricular hypertrophy, diastolic cardiac dysfunction, and hypertension. Left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony means the impairment of synchronicity and is defined as the loss of the simultaneous peak contraction of corresponding cardiac segments. The objective of this study was to investigate whether acromegalic patients have left ventricular dyssynchrony. Dyssynchrony was evaluated in 30 patients with active acromegaly and 30 controls. All the patients and controls were subjected to a tissue synchronization imaging. The time to regional peak systolic tissue velocity (Ts) in LV by the six-basal-six-mid-segmental model was measured on ejection phase TSI images and four TSI parameters of systolic dyssynchrony were computed. All TSI parameters of LV dyssynchrony increased in patients with acromegaly compared to the controls: the standard deviation (SD) of the 12 LV segments Ts (43.5 ± 13.5 vs 26.2 ± 12.5, p < 0.001); the maximal difference in Ts between any 2 of the 12 LV segments (133.3 ± 38 vs 84.6 ± 37.6, p < 0.001); the SD of the 6 basal LV segments (41.1 ± 15.9 vs 25.4 ± 14.8, p = 0.001); and the maximal difference in Ts between any 2 of the 6 basal LV segments (102.6 ± 37.5 vs 65.2 ± 36.9, p = 0.001). In addition, there were significant relationships between the levels of growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 and Ts-SD-12. LV synchronicity has been impaired in patients with acromegaly. Left ventricular dyssynchrony is associated with disease activity and it may contribute to the harmful cardiovascular effects of acromegaly.