Carotid intima-media thickness measurement through semi-automated detection software and analysis of vascular walls
AIM: The aim of the present study was to compare the semi-automatic measurement of carotid intima thickness (RFQIMT - Esaote, Italy), with the conventional method. METHODS: We enrolle 81 patients, mean age 46 years ±15, with no history of cardio-cerebrovascular events and we assessed the traditional cardiovascular risk factors. We examined the IMT of the common carotid artery with manual and RFQIMT method (based on the "Radio Frequency" signal), according to the ASE protocol. RESULTS: Semi-automatic measurement was on average lower than manual measurement (617 μm ±191 vs. 676 μm ± 222) with a statistically significant difference (P<0.01). In agreement with manual measurements, the values of…
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy features at cardiac magnetic resonance
Abstract Diagnosis of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is based on clinical symptoms, electrocardiographic changes, absence of angiographic significant coronary lesions and presence of suggestive wall motion abnormalities. CardioMRI is an useful complementary tool especially to role out the diagnosis of myocarditis and of myocardial infarction with angiographically normal coronary artery and to document complications of the disease.
Ureteral stent encrustation: evaluation of available scores as predictors of a complex surgery
Background: Stent Encrustation is an uncommon event (13%) with a significant impact in patients' management. Aim of our study was to evaluate the available grading systems for encrusted stents. Methods: A retrospective analysis of encrusted stents was performed in four Italian centers between 2006 and 2020. Encrusted stents were classified according to four classifications: the Forgotten Encrusted Calcificated (FECal) score, the Kidney Ureter Bladder (KUB) score, the Visual Grading for Ureteral Encrusted Stent Classification and the Encrustation Burden Score (EBS). Classifications were evaluated to predict complex surgery defined as: long operative time (>60min); need of more than one su…
Early subclinical ventricular dysfunction in patients with insulin resistance
AIMS: The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between insulin resistance and the detection of precocious echocardiographic signs of heart failure in patients with cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: We enrolled 34 consecutive patients with cardiovascular risk factors. All patients underwent coronary angiography, echocardiography, and laboratory tests. Exclusion criteria were diabetes (fasting glucose greater than 126 mg/dl or treatment with insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents), coronary artery disease, creatinine above 1.5 mg/dl, left-ventricular hypertrophy, valvular heart disease, ejection fraction below 50%, atrial fibrillation, or other severe arrhythmia. The presence of…