IntroductionThe diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remains challenging. In this study, a novel echocardiography index based on three-dimensional and tissue Doppler echocardiography for diagnosing and estimating prognosis in HFpEF.Materials and MethodsPatients with symptoms and/or signs of heart failure and normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≥50%) who underwent right heart catheterization were screened. Patients were divided based on pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) of ≥15 mmHg and PCWP <15 mmHg. A diagnosis of HFpEF was confirmed by PCWP of ≥15 mmHg according to ESC guidelines. A novel index was calculated by the ratio between stroke volume standardized to body surface area (SVI) and tissue Doppler mitral annulus systolic peak velocity S' (SVI/S'). Its diagnostic and prognostic values were determined.ResultsA total of 104 patients (mean age 64 ± 12 years) were included. Of these, 63 had PCWP ≥15 mmHg and 41 patients had PCWP <15 mmHg. Compared to the PCWP <15 mmHg group, the ≥15 mmHg group had a significantly lower SVI/S' (P < 0.001). Logistic regression showed that SVI/S' was associated with high PCWP measured invasively. The SVI/S' had an area under the curve of 0.761 for diagnosing classifying between PCWP ≥15 mmHg and <15 mmHg. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the lower SVI/S' group showed a poorer prognosis.ConclusionsSVI/S' is a non-invasive index calculated by three-dimensional and tissue Doppler echocardiography. It is a surrogate measure of PCWP and can be used to diagnose and determine prognosis in HFpEF.

Background: The possible association between atrial fibrillation (AF) and left ventricular-to-right atrial shunt (LVRAS) has never been reported yet. The present study investigated the incidence of AF in LVRAS.Methods: This was a retrospective study of consecutive patients undergoing echocardiography at a single tertiary center. Clinical data, laboratory results and echocardiography parameters such as right atrial area (RAA), right ventricular end diastolic diameter (RVDD) and left atrial diameter (LAD) were compared between LVRAS group and non-LVRAS patients, and between AF and non-AF patients. Propensity score matching was performed to decrease the effect of confounders. Logistic regression analysis and mediation analysis were used to estimate the relationship between LVRAS and AF.Results: A total of 3,436 patients were included, and the incidence of LVRAS was 1.16% (n = 40). The LVRAS group had significantly larger RAA, RVDD and LAD compared with non-LVRAS group. Those who suffered from AF showed larger RAA, RVDD and LAD compared with those who maintained sinus rhythm. Multivariable logistic regression showed that gender (OR: 0.608), age (OR: 1.048), LAD (OR: 1.111), mean pulmonary artery blood pressure (mPAP, OR: 1.023), TR (OR: 2.309) and LVRAS (OR: 12.217) were significant factors for AF. RAA could partially mediate the relationship between LVRAS and AF according to the result of mediation analysis.Conclusions: Our study suggested that LVRAS, TR, LAD, mPAP, age and male were risk factors for AF. RA enlargement might underlie mechanism in the higher incidence of AF in LVRAS patients. These findings should be confirmed in larger prospective studies.

Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is a life-threatening disease with nonspecific clinical signs and symptoms. Rapid and accurate diagnosis is crucial for the clinical management of patients with acute pulmonary embolism. A recommended echocardiography view may be of further help in the diagnosis and evaluation of the change in thrombosis and treatment. We reported a case of a 74-year-old man with a 12-day history of decreased exercise capacity and dyspnea. The patient was diagnosed with intermediate-risk APE as several pulmonary emboli in pulmonary artery were seen in multidetector computed tomographic pulmonary angiography with normal blood pressure and echocardiographic right ventricular overload. And we found a pulmonary artery clot in the right pulmonary artery through transthoracic echocardiography. After 11-days anticoagulation, the patient underwent a reassessment, showed a decrease in RV diameter and pulmonary artery thrombus. This case highlights the significant role that echocardiography played in a patient who presented pulmonary embolism with a stable hemodynamic situation and normal blood pressure. The modified echocardiographic view could provide correct diagnosis by identifying the clot size and location visually. Knowledge of the echocardiography results of APE would aid the diagnosis.

The diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remains a challenge. There are three methods proposed as diagnostic tools. H 2 FPEF score was determined by six weighted clinical characteristics and echocardiographic variables. Heart Failure Association (HFA)-PEFF algorithm consists of various functional and morphological variables as well as natriuretic peptides. SVI/S 0 is a novel echocardiographic parameter calculated by stroke volume index and mitral annulus systolic peak velocity. This study aimed to compare the three approaches in patients with suspected HFpEF.

Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is a life-threatening disease. Rapid and accurate diagnosis is crucial for the clinical management.We report a case of a 74-year-old man diagnosed intermediate-risk APE as several pulmonary emboli in pulmonary artery were seen in multidetector computed tomographic pulmonary angiography with normal blood pressure and echocardiographic right ventricular overload. And we found a pulmonary artery clot in the right pulmonary artery through transthoracic echocardiography by using a new view. The view could provide correct diagnoses by identifying the clot size and location visually. Knowledge of the echocardiography results of APE would aid the diagnosis.