• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.279-289
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: In many cardiovascular disorders, the contractile performance of the right ventricle (RV) is the primary determinant of prognosis. For evaluating RV volumes and function, 4 dimensional (4D)-echocardiography has become common. This research used 2D and 4D modalities to assess RV contractile performance in hypertensive patients. METHODS: A total of 150 patients with essential hypertension were enrolled in this study, along with 75 age and sex-matched volunteers. Clinical evaluation and echocardiographic examination (including M-mode, tissue Doppler imaging, and 2D speckle tracking) were conducted on all participants. RV volumes, 4D-ejection fraction (EF), 4D-fractional area change (FAC), 4D-tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), 4D-septal and free wall (FW) strain were all measured using 4D-echocardiography. RESULTS: Hypertensive patients showed 2D-RV systolic and diastolic dysfunction (including TAPSE, 2D-right ventricular global longitudinal strain, RV-myocardial performance index and average E/EaRV) and 4D-RV impairment (including right ventricular EF, FAC, RV strain and TAPSE, right ventricular end-diastolic volume and right ventricular end-systolic volume) compared to the control group. We verified the prevalence of RV systolic dysfunction in hypertension patients using the following parameters: 1) 15% of them had 2D-TAPSE < 17 mm vs. 40% by 4D-TAPSE; 2) 25% of them had 2D-GLS < 19% vs. 42% by 4D-septal strain and 35% by 4D FW strain; 3) 35% of hypertensive patients had 4D-EF < 45%; and finally; 4) 25% of hypertensive patients had 2D-FAC < 35% compared to 45% by 4D-FAC. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of RV involvement was greater in 4D than in 2D-modality trans-thoracic echocardiography. We speculated that 4D-echocardiography with 4D-strain imaging would be more beneficial for examining RV morphology and function in hypertensive patients than 2D-echocardiography, since 4D-echocardiography could estimate RV volumes and function without making geometric assumptions.

• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.185-196
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Two-dimensional (2D) strain provides more predictive power than ejection fraction (EF) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). 3D strain and EF are also expected to have better clinical usefulness and overcome several inherent limitations of 2D strain. We aimed to clarify the prognostic significance of 3D strain analysis in patients with STEMI. METHODS: Patients who underwent successful revascularization for STEMI were retrospectively recruited. In addition to conventional parameters, 3D EF, global longitudinal strain (GLS), global area strain (GAS), as well as 2D GLS were obtained. We constructed a composite outcome consisting of all-cause death or re-hospitalization for acute heart failure or ventricular arrhythmia. RESULTS: Of 632 STEMI patients, 545 patients (86.2%) had a reliable 3D strain analysis. During median follow-up of 49.5 months, 55 (10.1%) patients experienced the adverse outcome. Left ventricle EF, 2D GLS, 3D EF, 3D GLS, and 3D GAS were significantly associated with poor outcomes. (all, p < 0.001) The maximum likelihood-ratio test was performed to evaluate the additional prognostic value of 2D GLS or 3D GLS over the prognostic model consisting of clinical characteristics and EF, and the likelihood ratio was 15.9 for 2D GLS (p < 0.001) and 1.49 for 3D GLS (p = 0.22). CONCLUSIONS: The predictive power of 3D strain was slightly lower than the 2D strain. Although we can obtain 3D strains, volume, and EF simultaneously in same cycle, the clinical implications of 3D strains in STEMI need to be investigated further.

• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.98-104
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• 2023

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) in end-stage renal disease patients and its change after kidney transplantation (KT). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent KT between 2007 and 2018 at two tertiary centers. We analyzed 488 patients (median age, 53 years; 58% male) who had obtained echocardiography both before and within 3 years after KT. Conventional echocardiography and LV GLS assessed by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography were comprehensively analyzed. Patients were classified into three groups according to the absolute value of pre-KT LV GLS (|LV GLS|). We compared longitudinal changes of cardiac structure and function according to pre-KT |LV GLS|. RESULTS: Correlation between pre-KT LV EF and |LV GLS| were statistically significant, but the constant was not high (r = 0.292, p < 0.001). |LV GLS| was widely distributed at corresponding LV EF, especially when the LV EF was > 50%. Patients with severely impaired pre-KT |LV GLS| had significantly larger LV dimension, LV mass index, left atrial volume index, and E/e' and lower LV EF, compared to mildly and moderately reduced pre-KT |LV GLS|. After KT, the LV EF, LV mass index, and |LV GLS| were significantly improved in three groups. Patients with severely impaired pre-KT |LV GLS| showed the most prominent improvement of LV EF and |LV GLS| after KT, compared to other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in LV structure and function after KT were observed in patients throughout the full spectrum of pre-KT |LV GLS|.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제51권9호
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• pp.1012-1017
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• 2008

목 적 : 가와사끼병은 회복기나 사춘기와 성인기에 정상인보다 동맥경화의 위험성이 크다고 알려져 있어 이에 대한 조기진단과 관리가 매우 중요하다. 이에 저자들은 가와사끼병을 앓은 학동기나 학동전기 아동을 대상으로 복부대동맥의 신전성과 동맥경화의 조기예측인자인 지질 성분과 혈액학적 염증 지표들을 조사하여 가와사끼병의 장기 관리의 기초적인 자료로 활용하고자 본 연구를 시행하였다. 방 법 : 충남대학교병원 소아과에서 1998년 6월부터 2005년 3월까지 가와사끼병으로 치료받았던 28명을 관상동맥병변이 지속되고 있는 8명(1군)과 관상동맥병변이 없었던 20명(2군)으로 나누어 조사하였고, 가와사끼병이 있는 군과 연령, 체중, 신장이 일치하는 건강한 소아 30명을 대조군(3군)으로 하였다. 지질 성분과 혈액학적 염증지표를 측정하였고, 혈압은 자동혈압계를 이용하여 앙와위에서 15분 안정 후 3회 측정하여 그 평균치를 구하였다. 심장초음파검사는 심실기능과 관상동맥병변 등을 조사하였으며 복부의 subxiphoid long axis view에서 복부 대동맥의 최대 수축기 직경과 최소 이완기직경을 측정하였다. 결 과 : 호모시스테인은 환자군과 대조군 사이에 유의한 차이(P=0.008)가 있었으나 지질성분에서는 차이가 없었다. 복부대동맥의 경직도를 나타내는 지표인 Ep, $Ep^*$는 대조군에 비해 환자군에서 유의(P<0.05)하게 증가되었으며, 관상동맥병변의 유무에 따라 비교해 보면 관상동맥병변이 있는 군(1군)에서는 유의한 차이를 보였으나 관상동맥병변이 없는 군(2군)은 대조군과 유의한 차이가 없었다. 또한 1군과 2군을 비교해 보았을 때 Ep, $Ep^*$이 1군에서 유의하게 증가해 있었다. 결 론 : 가와사끼병을 앓은 후 조기동맥경화의 변화는 학동기에도 나타날 수 있으며, 이는 관상동맥병변이 있는 환자에서 더욱 현저하다. 이에 대한 선별검사로 성인에서 이용되고 있는 동맥경화의 조기예측인자인 지질 성분과 혈액학적 염증지표들 및 혈관의 물리적 특성(PWV, FMD) 이외에도 복부 대동맥경직도가 유용하게 사용될 수 있을 것으로 생각된다.