0000000000084667
AUTHOR
Cesar Mario Hernandez Baravoglia
Circulatory response to volume expansion and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in refractory ascites: Relationship with diastolic dysfunction
Abstract Background Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy may lead to heart failure in stressful circumstances, such as after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement. Aim To examine whether acute volume expansion predicts haemodynamic changes after TIPS and elicits signs of impending heart failure. Methods We prospectively evaluated refractory ascites patients (group A) and compensated cirrhotics (group B), who underwent echocardiography, NT-proBNP measurement, and heart catheterization before and after volume load; group A repeated measurements after TIPS. Results 15 patients in group A (80% male; 54 ± 12.4 years) and 8 in group B (100% male; 56 ± 6.2 years) were enrolled. Echoca…
Echocardiography to estimate high filling pressure in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction
Aims: Echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular filling pressures is performed using a multi-parametric algorithm. Unselected sample of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients may demonstrate an indeterminate status of diastolic indices making interpretation challenging. We sought to test improvement in the diagnostic accuracy of standard and strain echocardiography of the left ventricle and left atrium (LA) to estimate a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) > 15 mmHg in patients with HFrEF. Methods and results: Out of 82 consecutive patients, 78 patients were included in the final analysis and right heat catheterization, and echocardiogram…
Long-Term Structural and Functional Myocardial Adaptations in Healthy Living Kidney Donors: A Pilot Study
Background and Aims Compensatory renal hypertrophy following unilateral nephrectomy (UNX) occurs in the remaining kidney. However, the long-Term cardiac adaptive process to UNX remains poorly defined in humans. Our goal was to characterize myocardial structure and function in living kidney donors (LKDs), approximately 12 years after UNX. Methods and Results Cardiac function and structure in 15 Italian LKDs, at least 5 years after UNX (median time from donation = 8.4 years) was investigated and compared to those of age and sex matched U.S. citizens healthy controls (n = 15). Standard and speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) was performed in both LKDs and controls. Plasma angiotensin II, a…