JACC. Cardiovascular imaging
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JACC Cardiovasc Imaging · Jan 2014
Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial Observational StudyAcute mortality in critically ill patients undergoing echocardiography with or without an ultrasound contrast agent.
The objective of this observational study was to compare 48-h all-cause mortality (as well as hospital stay mortality) among critically ill patients who underwent echocardiography either with or without an ultrasound contrast agent (UCA). ⋯ In critically ill, propensity-matched hospitalized patients undergoing echocardiography, use of a UCA is associated with a 28% lower mortality at 48 h in comparison with patients undergoing non-contrast-enhanced echocardiography. These results are reassuring, given previous reports suggesting an association between UCAs and increased mortality in critically ill patients.
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JACC Cardiovasc Imaging · Jan 2014
Exercise echocardiography in asymptomatic HCM: exercise capacity, and not LV outflow tract gradient predicts long-term outcomes.
This study sought to assess long-term outcomes in asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) who underwent exercise echocardiography, without invasive therapies for relief of left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction. ⋯ In asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic HCM patients, exercise stress testing provides excellent risk stratification, with a low event rate in patients achieving >100% of predicted METs.
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JACC Cardiovasc Imaging · Jan 2014
Observational StudyMyocardial extracellular volume expansion and the risk of recurrent atrial fibrillation after pulmonary vein isolation.
This study tested whether myocardial extracellular volume (ECV) is increased in patients with hypertension and atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing pulmonary vein isolation and whether there is an association between ECV and post-procedural recurrence of AF. ⋯ In patients with AF and hypertension, expansion of ECV is associated with diastolic function and left atrial remodeling and is a strong independent predictor of recurrent AF post-pulmonary vein isolation.