Echocardiography
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Meta Analysis
Transcranial Doppler: Does Addition of Blood to Agitated Saline Affect Sensitivity for Detecting Cardiac Right-to-Left Shunt?
Transcranial Doppler (TCD) with agitated saline has been shown to be an alternative for the detection of right-to-left shunts (RLS) with similar diagnostic accuracies as transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). It is hypothesized that the addition of blood to agitated saline increases the sensitivity of TCD for the detection of RLS. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine whether agitated saline with blood increases the sensitivity of TCD for the detection of RLS compared to agitated saline alone and other contrast agents. ⋯ The addition of blood to agitated saline improves the sensitivity of TCD for the detection of RLS to 100% when compared to other conventional contrast agents; these findings support the addition of blood to agitated saline during TCD bubble studies.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Comparison of Right Ventricle Systolic Function between Long-Term Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid User and Nonuser Bodybuilder Athletes: A Study of Two-Dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography.
Right ventricular (RV) effects of long-term use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are not clearly known. The aim of this study was to assess RV systolic functions by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE) in AAS user and nonuser bodybuilders. ⋯ Despite normal standard systolic echo parameters, peak systolic RV free wall strain and strain rate were reduced in AAS user bodybuilders in comparison with nonusers. Strain and strain rate by 2DSTE may be useful for early determination of subclinical RV dysfunction in AAS user bodybuilders.
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Controlled Clinical Trial
Acute and Chronic Effects of Noninvasive Ventilation on Left and Right Myocardial Function in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: A Speckle Tracking Echocardiographic Study.
In patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), repetitive hypoxia due to sleep-induced apnea adversely affects the interaction between myocardial oxygen demand and supply, resulting in the development of subclinical cardiac dysfunction. The purpose of the study was to analyze the different involvement of left and right heart myocardial function in patients with OSAS treated with noninvasive ventilation (NIV). ⋯ Conventional 2DSTE is a useful tool for assessing left and right heart morphology and myocardial deformation in patients with OSAS and for monitoring both acute and chronic effects of NIV.