Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Aug 2013
Multicenter StudyRelationship between longitudinal strain and symptomatic status in aortic stenosis.
Global longitudinal strain (GLS) and basal longitudinal strain (BLS) assessed using two-dimensional speckle-tracking imaging have been proposed as subtle markers of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction with potential prognostic value in patients with aortic stenosis (AS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between longitudinal strain and symptomatic status in patients with AS. ⋯ In this prospective multicenter cohort of patients with wide ranges of AS severity, symptoms, and LVEFs, BLS but not GLS was independently associated with symptomatic status. However, there was an important overlap among groups, and differences were close to measurements' reproducibility, raising caution regarding the use of longitudinal strain, at least as a single criterion, in the decision-making process for patients with severe asymptomatic AS.
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Aug 2013
Multicenter StudyExperts and beginners benefit from three-dimensional echocardiography: a multicenter study on the assessment of mitral valve prolapse.
Three-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has been claimed to provide more information than two-dimensional (2D) TEE in the localization of mitral valve prolapse (MVP). However, most studies have been performed by experts in echocardiography, without accounting for differences in training or expertise. This multicenter study was designed to assess the differences between experts and inexperienced echocardiographers in localizing MVP and ruptured chordae tendineae using 2D and real-time 3D TEE. ⋯ The reported diagnostic advantage of 3D TEE over 2D TEE in MVP assessment for expert echocardiographers can be transferred to inexperienced echocardiographers. Inexperienced echocardiographers benefit from the technology to a greater extent than their expert colleagues.