Introduction. Heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFPEF) is an epidemiologically serious disease. Noninvasive diagnosis of HFPEF remains challenging. The current diagnosis is based on evidence of diastolic dysfunction, albeit systolic dysfunction is also present but not included in the diagnostic algorithm. The aim of this study was to analyze the longitudinal (long), circumferential (circ) and radial (rad) component of systolic left ventricular (LV) function in patients with exertional dyspnea of unexplained etiology and normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Methods. One hundred and twenty-two patients with exertional dyspnea of unexplained etiology and normal LVEF and 21 healthy controls, underwent echocardiography examination at rest and at the end of symptom-limited exercise. We analysed the longitudinal, circumferential and radial deformation of myocardium using two dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in all subjects. Results. Patients with exertional dyspnea and preserved LVEF were divided into group A1 (46 patients meeting the criteria for the diagnosis HFPEF) and group A2 (76 patients without HFPEF). Group A1 had significantly worse longitudinal and circumferential systolic LV function than group A2. Subjects in group A1 compared to group A2 showed significantly different strain rates during atrial contraction (SR A), circ and ratio of peak early trans-mitral flow velocity (E) and strain rate E wave (E / SR E) circ. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the SR parameter A circ is an independent predictor of HFPEF (odds ratio 0.550, 95% confidence interval: 0.370 -0.817, P value 0.003). Conclusion. Longitudinal and circumferential LV deformation was significantly more impaired in patients with HFPEF than in patients with exertional dyspnea without HFPEF. In patients with exertional dyspnea and normal LVEF, the value of SRA circ appears to be a significant and independent predictor of HFPEF. This parameter may, in the future complement the diagnostic algorithm for HFPEF.

Aims. Plasma levels of some biomarkers and markers of collagen turnover may reflect myocardial structural abnormalities associated with diastolic dysfunction. The aim of this study was to determine whether these markers could contribute to the diagnostics of heart failure with normal ejection fraction (HFNEF). Methods and Results. 91 patients with exertional dyspnea and normal left ventricular ejection fraction and 20 healthy controls underwent plasma analysis of markers of collagen turnover and other biomarkers, spirometry, and resting and exercise echocardiography. 38 patients with dyspnea had evidence of HFNEF, diagnosed at the early stage. Compared to the remaining patients, those with HFNEF had a significantly higher plasma levels of carboxy-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I (median 4.5 µg/L vs. 3.5 µg/L, P<0.05) and big endothelin (median 1.1 pmol/L vs 0.9 pmol/L, P<0.05). Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between HFNEF and the following biomarkers: big endothelin, amino-terminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP), and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). However, none of these biomarkers independently contributed to the HFNEF diagnostics in a multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusion Plasma levels of big endothelin, PIIINP, and MMP-2 were found to be associated with the presence of early diagnosed HFNEF. However, none of these biomarkers contributed independently to current noninvasive HFNEF diagnostics recommended by the European Society of Cardiology guidelines.

Background. A significant proportion of patients with exertional dyspnea require exercise to diagnose heart failure with normal ejection fraction (HFNEF). Methods and Results. In this review article, we evaluate current data on the prevalence, clinical significance and specifically the establishment of a diagnosis of isolated, exercise-induced HFNEF. Despite the unquestioned clinical importance and high prevalence of exercise-induced HFNEF, there are limited and conflicting data on making a diagnosis of exercise-induced HFNEF. This mostly relies on the evidence of exercise-induced elevation in left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP). At present, there is no agreement on the ability of exercise echocardiographic parameteres to predict exercise-induced LVFP elevation. In addition, even invasively measured exercise LVFP faces the problem of defining normal exercise LVFP values. More data and probably new diagnostic approaches are necessary to reliably diagnose exercise HFNEF. Conclusions. There are conflicting results and significant problems associated with the diagnosis of exercise HFNEF. This review hopefully will encourage further research in this difficult but clinically important area of heart failure.

Aims. The aim of this short communication is to highlight some inconsistencies in defining two clinically important echocardiographic parameters with possible impact on clinical practice. Methods and Results. A surview of publications in reputable cardiological journals revealed inconsistencies posing questions on the validity of the published data and on the scrupulousness of the reviewing process. We demonstrate examples of inconsistencies in the calculation of left ventricular mass using Devereux's formula and in the definition of relative wall thickness, two echocardiographic parameters commonly utilized in a clinical practice. Conclusion. It is desirable to follow exactly the definitions of more complex parameters and to unify ways of presenting those with several definitions.