AIMS: Left ventricular apical pacing (LVAP) has been reported to preserve left ventricular (LV) function in chronically paced children with complete atrioventricular block (CAVB). We sought to evaluate long-term feasibility of LVAP and the effect on LV mechanics and exercise capacity as compared to normal controls. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-six consecutive paediatric patients with CAVB and LVAP in the absence (N = 22) or presence of repaired structural heart disease (N = 14, systemic LV in all) and 25 age-matched normal controls were cross-sectionally studied after a median of 3.9 (interquartile range 2.1-6.8) years of pacing using echocardiography and exercise stress testing. Pacemaker implantation was uneventful and there was no death. Probability of the absence of pacemaker-related surgical revision (elective generator replacement excluded) was 89.0% at 5 years after implantation. Left ventricular apical pacing patients had lower maximum oxygen uptake (P = 0.009), no septal to lateral but significant apical to basal LV mechanical delay (P < 0.001) which correlated with decreased LV contraction efficiency (P = 0.001). Left ventricular ejection fraction and global longitudinal LV strain were, however, not different from controls. Results were similar in both the presence and absence of structural heart disease. CONCLUSION: Left ventricular apical pacing is technically feasible with a low reintervention rate. Mechanical synchrony between LV septum and free wall is maintained at the price of an apical to basal mechanical delay associated with LV contraction inefficiency as compared to healthy controls. Global LV systolic function is, however, not negatively affected by LVAP.

• Klíčová slova
• Children, Complete atrioventricular block, Dyssynchrony, Left ventricular function, Left ventricular pacing,
• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• dysfunkce levé srdeční komory * diagnostické zobrazování   terapie   MeSH
• funkce levé komory srdeční MeSH
• kardiostimulace umělá MeSH
• kyslík MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• spotřeba kyslíku * MeSH
• srdeční komory diagnostické zobrazování   MeSH
• studie proveditelnosti MeSH
• tepový objem MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• kyslík MeSH

The main aim was to find out whether long-lasting stepwise exposure to extreme hypoxia affects left ventricular (LV) geometry and systolic function. Adult male rats were exposed to intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (8 h/day) with increasing altitude in steps of 1000 m every 3 weeks up to 8000 m. While the LV cavity diastolic diameter did not change over the whole range of hypoxia, the wall thickness increased significantly at the altitude of 8000 m. LV fractional shortening ranged between 48.1 % and 50.1 % and remained unaffected even at the most severe hypoxia. At the end of experiment, haematocrit reached 83 %, mean systemic arterial pressure 120 % and relative LV weight 154 % of normoxic values while RV systolic pressure and relative RV weight doubled. Myocyte hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis were more pronounced in RV than in LV. In conclusion, LV systolic function was preserved after chronic stepwise exposure of rats to extreme intermittent hypoxia despite moderate concentric hypertrophy and myocardial remodelling.

• Klíčová slova
• Chronic hypoxia, Extreme altitude, Heart function, Myocardial remodelling,
• MeSH
• funkce levé komory srdeční fyziologie   MeSH
• funkce pravé komory srdeční fyziologie   MeSH
• hypoxie krev   patofyziologie   MeSH
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• nadmořská výška * MeSH
• potkani Wistar MeSH
• remodelace komor fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

BACKGROUND: The association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and sudden cardiac death has not been fully elucidated. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) can explain the increased rate of ventricular tachycardia (VT) in COPD. METHODS: This retrospective study included consecutive adult patients who underwent pulmonary function testing (PFT), Holter monitoring, and transthoracic echocardiography. COPD was correlated with the frequency of VT in a multivariate analysis that adjusted for known confounders including LVEF. Long-term all-cause mortality of patients with COPD and VT was examined. RESULTS: Of the 6351 patients included in this study (age 66 ± 15 years; 48% woman; 92% Caucasian, LVEF 59% ± 12%), 2800 (44%) had PFT indicative of COPD. VT was nearly twice as likely to occur during Holter monitoring in COPD patients (13% vs 23%; P <.001), and the severity of COPD correlated with the risk of VT (21% vs 28% vs 37% for mild-moderate, severe, and very severe COPD; P <.001). COPD and VT remained independently associated (P <.001) even after adjusting for LVEF, demographics, and comorbidities (age, sex, body mass index, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, coronary artery disease, cancer history, diabetes mellitus). COPD was associated with all-cause mortality independently of LVEF (P <.001). CONCLUSION: COPD patients are at higher risk for VT and mortality. This may not be fully attributed to the confounding effect of systolic heart failure measured by LVEF. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanistic interactions between VT and COPD in order to determine whether antiarrhythmic strategies would apply especially to patients with severe COPD.

• Klíčová slova
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Emphysema, Holter monitoring, Pulmonary function test, Sudden cardiac death, Ventricular tachycardia,
• MeSH
• chronická obstrukční plicní nemoc komplikace   epidemiologie   MeSH
• echokardiografie MeSH
• elektrokardiografie ambulantní MeSH
• funkce levé komory srdeční fyziologie   MeSH
• hodnocení rizik metody   MeSH
• komorová tachykardie epidemiologie   etiologie   patofyziologie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• následné studie MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• srdeční komory diagnostické zobrazování   patofyziologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• multicentrická studie MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Minnesota epidemiologie   MeSH

AIMS: Right ventricular apical pacing has a detrimental effect on left ventricular (LV) function. More optimal pacing site may be found by invasive measurement of LV mechanical performance during pacing from different RV pacing sites. We aimed to investigate the effect of RV pacing lead location on invasive indices of LV mechanical performance. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients undergoing catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation were enrolled. Single-site endocardial pacing from the lateral LV region was periodically switched to pacing from the mapping catheter navigated to different RV sites within the three-dimensional electroanatomical RV map. SystIndex, DiastIndex, and PPIndex were defined as the ratio of LV dP/dtmax, LV dP/dtmin, and arterial pulse pressure during RV pacing to corresponding values from adjacent periods of LV pacing. Haemodynamic data were analysed in 18 RV segments created by dividing RV horizontally (basal, mid, and apical portion), vertically (inferior, mid, and superior portion) and frontally (septum and free wall). Eight patients (58 ± 7 years; 2 females; 26 ± 4 RV pacing sites per patient) were enrolled into the study. Compared with LV pacing, the best RV pacing values of SystIndex and DiastIndex were achieved in basal-mid-septal segment (+6.9%, P = 0.02 and +3.4%, P = 0.36, respectively) while the best PPIndex was obtained in superior-mid-septal segment of RV (+4.5%, P = 0.02). All indices were fairly concordant showing significant improvement of haemodynamics during RV pacing in the direction from free wall to septum, from apex to base, and from inferior to superior segments. CONCLUSION: The best LV mechanical performance was achieved by RV septal pacing in the non-apical mid-to-superior segments.

• Klíčová slova
• Electroanatomical mapping, Haemodynamics of pacing, Optimal pacing site, Resynchronization, Right ventricular pacing,
• MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• diastola * MeSH
• elektrofyziologické techniky kardiologické MeSH
• elektrokardiografie MeSH
• fibrilace síní diagnóza   patofyziologie   chirurgie   MeSH
• funkce levé komory srdeční * MeSH
• funkce pravé komory srdeční * MeSH
• kardiostimulace umělá metody   MeSH
• katetrizační ablace MeSH
• krevní tlak MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mezikomorová přepážka patofyziologie   MeSH
• prediktivní hodnota testů MeSH
• srdeční komory patofyziologie   MeSH
• systola * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH

BACKGROUND: In the Phase III PATENT-1 (NCT00810693) and CHEST-1 (NCT00855465) studies, riociguat demonstrated efficacy vs placebo in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Clinical effects were maintained at 2 years in the long-term extension studies PATENT-2 (NCT00863681) and CHEST-2 (NCT00910429). METHODS: This post hoc analysis of hemodynamic data from PATENT-1 and CHEST-1 assessed whether riociguat improved right ventricular (RV) function parameters including stroke volume index (SVI), stroke volume, RV work index, and cardiac efficiency. REVEAL Risk Score (RRS) was calculated for patients stratified by SVI and right atrial pressure (RAP) at baseline and follow-up. The association between RV function parameters and SVI and RAP stratification with long-term outcomes was assessed. RESULTS: In PATENT-1 (n = 341) and CHEST-1 (n = 238), riociguat improved RV function parameters vs placebo (p < 0.05). At follow-up, there were significant differences in RRS between patients with favorable and unfavorable SVI and RAP, irrespective of treatment arm (p < 0.0001). Multiple RV function parameters at baseline and follow-up were associated with survival and clinical worsening-free survival (CWFS) in PATENT-2 (n = 396; p < 0.05) and CHEST-2 (n = 237). In PATENT-2, favorable SVI and RAP at follow-up only was associated with survival and CWFS (p < 0.05), while in CHEST-2, favorable SVI and RAP at baseline and follow-up were associated with survival and CWFS (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This post hoc analysis of PATENT and CHEST suggests that riociguat improves RV function in patients with PAH and CTEPH.

• Klíčová slova
• CTEPH, PAH, hypertension, pulmonary, ventricular function, right,
• MeSH
• aktivátory enzymů aplikace a dávkování   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• funkce pravé komory srdeční účinky léků   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• následné studie MeSH
• plicní embolie komplikace   MeSH
• plicní hypertenze farmakoterapie   etiologie   patofyziologie   MeSH
• pyrazoly aplikace a dávkování   MeSH
• pyrimidiny aplikace a dávkování   MeSH
• síňový tlak účinky léků   MeSH
• tepový objem fyziologie   MeSH
• výsledek terapie MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• klinické zkoušky, fáze III MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• randomizované kontrolované studie MeSH
• Názvy látek
• aktivátory enzymů MeSH
• pyrazoly MeSH
• pyrimidiny MeSH
• riociguat MeSH Prohlížeč

OBJECTIVE: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) is associated with a moderately elevated risk of heart failure events among older adults. The objective of our prospective study was to assess the impact of thyroid hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with low doses of L-thyroxine (6.25-25 µg/day) on left ventricular diastolic function in patients with SH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 33 patients with SH and 25 healthy controls were involved. All participants underwent standard echocardiography and Doppler imaging at baseline and, the patient group, also after a course of HRT. RESULTS: At baseline, patients with SH showed significantly lower E (0.79 ± 0.22 vs. 0.93 ± 0.19, p < 0.001), E/A ratio (1.19 ± 0.29 vs. 1.31 ± 0.25, p < 0.003), and higher intraventricular septum thickness (IVST) (0.99 ± 0.14 vs. 0.89 ± 0.18, p < 0.001) in comparison with healthy controls. After 6 months of therapy, the E/A ratio underwent significant increase (1.28 ± 0.21 vs. 1.19 ± 0.29, p < 0.001), while the IVS displayed a robust reduction (0.92 ± 0.16 vs. 0.99 ± 0.14, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: HRT with low-dosed L-thyroxine may improve left ventricular diastolic function in patients with SH.

• Klíčová slova
• Echocardiography, Heart failure, Left ventricular diastolic function, Subclinical hypothyroidism,
• MeSH
• dopplerovská echokardiografie MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• dysfunkce levé srdeční komory chemicky indukované   MeSH
• funkce levé komory srdeční účinky léků   MeSH
• hormonální substituční terapie škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• hypotyreóza komplikace   farmakoterapie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• prospektivní studie MeSH
• studie případů a kontrol MeSH
• thyroxin škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Názvy látek
• thyroxin MeSH

A case study of a patient suffering from severe chronic congestive heart failure resulting from ischemic cardiomyopathy in whom a biventricular (BiV) pacing system was implanted is reported. After a 1-year follow-up, left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction improved dramatically from an initial 15% to 60%, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter decreased, as did left atrial dimension. Tissue Doppler data and acute hemodynamic measurements taken during the biventricular pacemaker implantation procedure are presented. The case represents an exceptional example of left ventricular reverse remodeling with practically normalized left ventricular function after 1 year of synchronized pacing.

• MeSH
• funkce levé komory srdeční fyziologie   MeSH
• kardiostimulace umělá * MeSH
• kardiostimulátor * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• srdeční selhání patofyziologie   terapie   MeSH
• tepový objem fyziologie   MeSH
• výsledek terapie MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• kazuistiky MeSH

INTRODUCTION: Heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFPEF) is an epidemiologically serious disease. Noninvasive diagnosis of HFPEF remains challenging. The current diagnosis is based on evidence of diastolic dysfunction, albeit systolic dysfunction is also present but not included in the diagnostic algorithm. The aim of this study was to analyze the longitudinal (long), circumferential (circ) and radial (rad) component of systolic left ventricular (LV) function in patients with exertional dyspnea of unexplained etiology and normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). METHODS: One hundred and twenty-two patients with exertional dyspnea of unexplained etiology and normal LVEF and 21 healthy controls, underwent echocardiography examination at rest and at the end of symptom-limited exercise. We analysed the longitudinal, circumferential and radial deformation of myocardium using two dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in all subjects. RESULTS: Patients with exertional dyspnea and preserved LVEF were divided into group A1 (46 patients meeting the criteria for the diagnosis HFPEF) and group A2 (76 patients without HFPEF). Group A1 had significantly worse longitudinal and circumferential systolic LV function than group A2. Subjects in group A1 compared to group A2 showed significantly different strain rates during atrial contraction (SR A), circ and ratio of peak early trans-mitral flow velocity (E) and strain rate E wave (E / SR E) circ. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the SR parameter A circ is an independent predictor of HFPEF (odds ratio 0.550, 95% confidence interval: 0.370 - 0.817, P value 0.003). CONCLUSION: Longitudinal and circumferential LV deformation was significantly more impaired in patients with HFPEF than in patients with exertional dyspnea without HFPEF. In patients with exertional dyspnea and normal LVEF, the value of SRA circ appears to be a significant and independent predictor of HFPEF. This parameter may, in the future complement the diagnostic algorithm for HFPEF.

• Klíčová slova
• Speckle tracking echocardiography, exertional dyspnea, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, longitudinal, radial and circumferencial left ventricular systolic function,
• MeSH
• chronická nemoc MeSH
• dysfunkce levé srdeční komory diagnóza   diagnostické zobrazování   patofyziologie   MeSH
• dyspnoe diagnostické zobrazování   etiologie   patofyziologie   MeSH
• echokardiografie MeSH
• funkce levé komory srdeční fyziologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• srdeční selhání diagnóza   diagnostické zobrazování   patofyziologie   MeSH
• studie případů a kontrol MeSH
• tepový objem fyziologie   MeSH
• zátěžový test MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• hodnotící studie MeSH

AIM: Vericiguat significantly reduced the primary composite outcome of heart failure (HF) hospitalization or cardiovascular death in the VICTORIA trial. It is unknown if these outcome benefits are related to reverse left ventricular (LV) remodelling with vericiguat in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The aim of this study was to compare the effects of vericiguat versus placebo on LV structure and function after 8 months of therapy in patients with HFrEF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Standardized transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) was performed at baseline and after 8 months of therapy in a subset of HFrEF patients in VICTORIA. The co-primary endpoints were changes in LV end-systolic volume index (LVESVI) and LV ejection fraction (LVEF). Quality assurance and central reading were performed by an echocardiographic core laboratory blinded to treatment assignment. A total of 419 patients (208 vericiguat, 211 placebo) with high-quality paired TTE at baseline and 8 months were included. Baseline clinical characteristics were well balanced between treatment groups and echocardiographic characteristics were representative of patients with HFrEF. LVESVI significantly declined (60.7 ± 26.8 to 56.8 ± 30.4 ml/m2 ; p < 0.01) and LVEF significantly increased (33.0 ± 9.4% to 36.1 ± 10.2%; p < 0.01) in the vericiguat group, but similarly in the placebo group (absolute changes for vericiguat vs. placebo: LVESVI -3.8 ± 15.4 vs. -7.1 ± 20.5 ml/m2 ; p = 0.07 and LVEF +3.2 ± 8.0% vs. +2.4 ± 7.6%; p = 0.31). The absolute rate per 100 patient-years of the primary composite endpoint at 8 months tended to be lower in the vericiguat group (19.8) than the placebo group (29.6) (p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: In this pre-specified echocardiographic study, significant improvements in LV structure and function occurred over 8 months in both vericiguat and placebo in a high-risk HFrEF population with recent worsening HF. Further studies are warranted to define the mechanisms of vericiguat's benefit in HFrEF.

• Klíčová slova
• Echocardiography, Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, Left ventricular function, Left ventricular structure, Vericiguat,
• MeSH
• echokardiografie MeSH
• funkce levé komory srdeční MeSH
• heterocyklické sloučeniny bicyklické * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• srdeční selhání * diagnostické zobrazování   farmakoterapie   chemicky indukované   MeSH
• tepový objem MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• heterocyklické sloučeniny bicyklické * MeSH
• vericiguat MeSH Prohlížeč

We employed two-dimensional echocardiography for the assessment of right ventricular (RV) volumes and/or function in a series of 44 patients. The results of three different echocardiographic approaches were compared with the data obtained from single-plane RV angiography following ultrasound within a 7-day interval. Only the echocardiographic area length method with two orthogonal imaging planes employed (apical 4-chamber and subcostal projections) yielded the beneficial results. The correlations between echocardiographic and angiographic RV volume estimates were rather high (end-diastolic volume: r = 0.83, end-systolic volume: r = 0.82, stroke volume: r = 0.81) and satisfactory in ejection fraction (r = 0.75). Using the method mentioned, the differentiation of patients with an angiographic evidence of RV failure (echocardiographic ejection fraction less than 0.55) from those without it was possible with a sensitivity of 0.68 and a specificity of 0.82. Concerning the clinical impact of the presented study, we can recommend the technique in question as a screening procedure for the detection of changes in RV function exceeding 12% (95% confidence limits).

• MeSH
• echokardiografie metody   MeSH
• funkce pravé komory srdeční fyziologie   MeSH
• kinematografická angiografie MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nemoci srdce diagnostické zobrazování   epidemiologie   MeSH
• prediktivní hodnota testů MeSH
• reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
• senzitivita a specificita MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH