<p><strong>Aim.</strong> To assess the parameters affecting circumferential strain and local arterial stiffness in carotid arteries in healthy individuals and in patients with cardiovascular risk factors.<br /><strong>Methods.</strong> We analysed data from 111 adults, aged 20–45 years (38.3 ± 7 years). Of these, 63.06% of men had no known medical history of clinically manifest atherosclerosis. Study participants were categorised into two groups—group I (n = 50) comprising of healthy volunteers without known cardiovascular risk factors and group II (n = 61) consisting of individuals with one of the modifiable risk factors (e.g., smoking, obesity, hypertension or hypercholesterolemia). Patients with diabetes mellitus, cardiac arrhythmias or asymptomatic atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid arteries, even if hemodynamically insignificant, were excluded. The following were measured for the common carotid artery (CCA): circumferential strain (CS, %), strain rate (CSR, <!-- x-tinymce/html -->s⁻¹), time to peak (TTP) strain (ms), and fraction area change CCA (FAC, %) and local arterial stiffness (β2).<br /><strong>Results.</strong> CCA mechanics correlated with age, blood pressure, body mass index and left-ventricular myocardial mass index. The lowest CS values were seen in group II patients with hypertension (HTN) (with HTN, 2.4% ± 0.9%, 95% CI = 2.07–2.86; without HTN, 3.6% ± 1.1%, 95% CI = 3.2–4). β2 increased to the greatest extent in patients with HTN (19.3% ± 6.1%, 95% CI = 16–21) as compared to those without HTN (13.5% ± 4.5%, 95% CI =13–16). FAC was inversely correlated with age, both in healthy subjects (Rs = −0.63, p = 0.0001) and in patients with cardiovascular risk factors (Rs = −0.61, p = 0.0001).<br /><strong>Conclusion.</strong> While CS, strain rate and FAC decreased with age, TTP strain and local arterial stiffness increased. Both mechanics and function of the CCA in patients at risk of developing cardiovascular complications demonstrate a close association with hypertension, obesity, smoking and hypercholesterolemia.</p><p>Received 19 November 2020. Revised 14 January 2021. Accepted 18 January 2021.</p><p><strong>Funding:</strong> The study did not have sponsorship.</p><p><strong>Conflict of interest:</strong> Authors declare no conflict of interest.</p><p><strong>Author contributions</strong><br />Conception and study design: Yu.S. Sinelnikov, E.N. Orekhova, T.V. Matanovskaya, E.O. Kopytova, D.O. Baranova<br />Data collection and analysis: E.O. Kopytova, D.O. Baranova<br />Statistical analysis: E.N. Orekhova, T.V. Matanovskaya<br />Drafting the article: E.N. Orekhova<br />Critical revision of the article: Yu.S. Sinelnikov<br />Final approval of the version to be published: Yu.S. Sinelnikov, E.N. Orekhova, T.V. Matanovskaya, E.O. Kopytova, D.O. Baranova</p>

<p>Coarctation of the aorta is one of the most common congenital heart defects. Despite excellent early results of correcting isolated coarctation of the aorta in the neonatal period, in the long-term postoperative period such patients have an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Today there are numerous studies demonstrating the signs of complex cardiovascular remodeling in patients after surgical correction of coarctation of the aorta. Pathological ventricular-arterial interaction is considered to determine the structural and functional changes in the left ventricle and the biomechanical properties of the aorta, which continue after correction of the coarctation segment of the aorta. In this respect, ultrasound evaluation of the left ventricle mechanics and aorta becomes a valuable diagnostic tool for dynamic monitoring of structural and functional remodeling of the left ventricle and severity of arteriopathy. Such evaluation will allow timely to detect increasing risk of cardiovascular events and to correct therapeutic measures.</p><p><strong>Funding:</strong> The study had no sponsorship.<br /><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Conflict of interest:</strong> The authors declare no conflict of interest.<br /><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Authors’ contribution</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Conception and study design: E.N. Orekhova, T.V. Matanovskaya</p><p>Drafting the article: E.N. Orekhova</p><p>Critical revision of the article: Y.S. Sinelnikov</p><p>Final approval of the version to be published: Y.S. Sinelnikov, E.N. Orekhova, T.V. Matanovskaya<br /><strong></strong></p><p><strong>ORCID ID</strong></p><p>Y.S. Sinelnikov, <a href="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6819-2980">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6819-2980</a><br />E.N. Orekhova, <a href="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7097-8771">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7097-8771</a><br />T.V. Matanovskaya, <a href="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2277-8935">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2277-8935</a></p>

Background The main cause of the suboptimal long-term outcome after surgical correction of aortic coarctation(CoA) is late correction, residual CoA or reCoA. Cardiovascular remodeling after correction CoA in neonatal period without residual CoA is not well established. Purpose Evaluation of global longitudinal strain of the left ventricle (LV) and circumferential mechanics common carotid artery in children 5 years after surgical correction of the CoA in the neonatal period. Methods We examined 58 children aged 5,2 ± 0,39 years after successful repair CoA in neonate period. We excluded children with residual CoA or reCoA. Echo was performed with using vector velocity imaging. We studied LV longitudinal strain (LS) and strain rate (LSR). In the left common carotid artery we estimated: carotid strain (CC S) and strain rate (CC SR), fraction area change (FAC CC), carotid β2-stiffness index (CC β2), and intima-media thickness (IMT). The obtained data were compared with the results of 25 healthy children. Results LS LV and SR LV are worse of children after CoA correction compare with healthy, even LV ejection fraction is similar to healthy children. We found correlation LV mass index (LV MI) with CC S and CC SR. CC β2 of children after Co A repair was higher than of control group. CC β2 correlated with LS LV, SR LV and with LV MI. IMT and FAC didn’t differ of operated and healthy children. Conclusion Parameters of the LS of the LV and CC β2 of children 5 years after CoA repair significantly differ from healthy children and reflect the ongoing process of cardiovascular remodeling. Assessment of the CC S allows timely confirmation of the presence of increased arterial stiffening.

Objective. To study the possibilities of using echocardiographic parameters of longitudinal mechanics to assess the diastolic function of the systemic ventricle (SV) in patients after Fontan operation. Material and methods. We examined 29 children aged 8,6 3,16 years with a functionally single ventricle of the heart after performing a total cavopulmonary connection with fenestration of extracardiac conduit. By computed tomography there were evaluated: myocardial mass index (MMI) SV, ejection fraction (EF) SV, cardiac output (CO) SV, cardiac index (CI) SV. In addition to conventional echocardiographic (Echo) parameters, we also studied: diastolic velocity parameters of the longitudinal mechanics of the SV during the early rapid filling phase (SR E), in the phase of late diastolic filling (SR A), the ratio of the peaks of the strain rate (SR E/SR A), the stiffness index of a functionally single atrium, the atrial strain in conduit phase (AS cd), reservoir (ASr), and in the contractile phase (AS ct). Results. Reduced values of the SI, CO and CI SV, an increase in MMI SV, normal values of EF SV. The parameters of the longitudinal diastolic strain rate in the early and late filling phases of e SV showed a direct significant correlation with SI, CO and CI SV and inverse correlation with E/e '. Parameters of longitudinal strain of the functionally single atrium in all phases were reduced, they all correlated with E / e, SR E / SR A, MMI SV, SI, CO and CI SV. There was no statistically significant relationship between the parameters of the longitudinal function of the atrium in all phases and atrial stiffness with sex and body surface area. Conclusions. 1. The parameters of the longitudinal diastolic strain rate can be used to identify the diastolic dysfunction of the systemic ventricle in children after Fontan operation. 2. The hemodynamic parameters of the systemic ventricle (stroke index, cardiac output, cardiac index) determine the parameters of its diastolic mechanics. 3. The reservoir, conduit, and contractile atrial function in patients after total cavopulmonary connection are associated with both characteristics of diastolic longitudinal strain rate and hemodynamic parameters of systemic ventricle.

<p><strong>Aim.</strong> To study the ultrasonographic parameters of segmental function and mechanics of the aorta and carotid arteries in healthy infants.</p><p><strong>Methods</strong>. We observed 114 healthy infants (age range, 1–12 months; boys 52.6%; mean body surface area (BSA): 0.35 ± 0.8 <!-- x-tinymce/html -->m²). Echocardiography was performed with an Acuson S 2000 (Siemens Medical Systems, Mountain View, CA, USA) using vector velocity imaging (VVI). The following parameters were estimated at the level of the ascending and abdominal aorta and in the common carotid arteries (CCA): maximum and minimum diameters (mm); circumferential strain (CS, %) and circumferential strain rate (CSR, s-1); fraction area change (FAC, %); arterial stiffness (β2).</p><p><strong>Results. </strong>The maximum and minimum diameters of the examined segments of the aorta and CCA, FAC of the aorta and CCA, CS and CSR of the aorta and CCA showed a correlation with BSA, age, LV stroke index, and LV myocardial mass index. None of the estimated parameters showed a correlation with sex, arterial blood pressure, or left ventricular ejection fraction. The highest CS values were found in CCA 7.85 ± 2.8% [compared with 5.4 ± 0.98% (p = 0.0001) in the ascending aorta and 6.7 ± 1.8 % (p = 0.03) in the abdominal aorta). CSR in the CCA (0.84 ± 0.22 <!-- x-tinymce/html -->s^-1) was significantly higher than that at the abdominal aorta level (0.67 ± 0.24 <!-- x-tinymce/html -->s^-1, p = 0.001), but lower than that in the ascending aorta (1.3 ± 0.3 s^-1, p = 0.00001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion.</strong> The parameters of segmental function of the aorta and common carotid artery obtained in our research can serve as normative reference for children in the first year of life. The functional parameters of the aorta and common carotid artery depend on the age and BSA.</p><p>Received 15 December 2019. Revised 26 February 2020. Accepted 27 February 2020.</p><p><strong>Funding:</strong> The study did not have sponsorship.</p><p><strong>Conflict of interest:</strong> Authors declare no conflict of interest.</p>