18 research outputs found
Studying Diffusion of Viral Content at Dyadic Level
Diffusion of information and viral content, social contagion and influence
are still topics of broad evaluation. As theory explaining the role of
influentials moves slightly to reduce their importance in the propagation of
viral content, authors of the following paper have studied the information
epidemic in a social networking platform in order to confirm recent theoretical
findings in this area. While most of related experiments focus on the level of
individuals, the elementary entities of the following analysis are dyads. The
authors study behavioral motifs that are possible to observe at the dyadic
level. The study shows significant differences between dyads that are more vs
less engaged in the diffusion process. Dyads that fuel the diffusion proccess
are characterized by stronger relationships (higher activity, more common
friends), more active and networked receiving party (higher centrality
measures), and higher authority centrality of person sending a viral message.Comment: ASONAM 2012, The 2012 IEEE/ACM International Conference on Advances
in Social Networks Analysis and Mining. IEEE Computer Society, pp. 1291-129
EACVI survey on investigations and imaging modalities in chronic coronary syndromes
AIMS
The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) Scientific Initiatives Committee performed a global survey to evaluate current practice for the assessment and management of patients with suspected and confirmed chronic coronary syndromes.
METHODS AND RESULTS
One-hundred and ten imaging centres from 37 countries across the world responded to the survey. Most non-invasive investigations for coronary artery disease were widely available, except cardiovascular magnetic resonance (available 40% centres). Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and nuclear scans were reported by a multi-disciplinary team in only a quarter of centres. In the initial assessment of patients presenting with chest pain, only 32% of respondents indicated that they rely on pre-test probability for selecting the optimal imaging test while 31% proceed directly to CCTA. In patients with established coronary artery disease and recurrent chest pain, respondents opted for stress echocardiography (27%) and nuclear stress perfusion scans (26%). In asymptomatic patients with coronary artery disease and an obstructive (>70%) right coronary artery stenosis, 58% of respondents were happy to pursue medical therapy without further testing or intervention. This proportion fell to 29% with left anterior descending artery stenosis and 1% with left main stem obstruction. In asymptomatic patients with evidence of moderate-to-severe myocardial ischaemia (15%), only 18% of respondents would continue medical therapy without further investigation.
CONCLUSION
Despite guidelines recommendations pre-test probability is used to assess patients with suspected coronary artery in a minority of centres, one-third of centres moving directly to CCTA. Clinicians remain reticent to pursue a strategy of optimal medical therapy without further investigation or intervention in patients with controlled symptoms but obstructive coronary artery stenoses or myocardial ischaemia
EACVI survey on investigations and imaging modalities in chronic coronary syndromes
Aims The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) Scientific Initiatives Committee performed a global survey to evaluate current practice for the assessment and management of patients with suspected and confirmed chronic coronary syndromes.Methods and results One-hundred and ten imaging centres from 37 countries across the world responded to the survey. Most non-invasive investigations for coronary artery disease were widely available, except cardiovascular magnetic resonance (available 40% centres). Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and nuclear scans were reported by a multi-disciplinary team in only a quarter of centres. In the initial assessment of patients presenting with chest pain, only 32% of respondents indicated that they rely on pre-test probability for selecting the optimal imaging test while 31% proceed directly to CCTA. In patients with established coronary artery disease and recurrent chest pain, respondents opted for stress echocardiography (27%) and nuclear stress perfusion scans (26%). In asymptomatic patients with coronary artery disease and an obstructive (>70%) right coronary artery stenosis, 58% of respondents were happy to pursue medical therapy without further testing or intervention. This proportion fell to 29% with left anterior descending artery stenosis and 1% with left main stem obstruction. In asymptomatic patients with evidence of moderate-to-severe myocardial ischaemia (15%), only 18% of respondents would continue medical therapy without further investigation.Conclusion Despite guidelines recommendations pre-test probability is used to assess patients with suspected coronary artery in a minority of centres, one-third of centres moving directly to CCTA. Clinicians remain reticent to pursue a strategy of optimal medical therapy without further investigation or intervention in patients with controlled symptoms but obstructive coronary artery stenoses or myocardial ischaemia.</p
Multicentric Atrial Strain COmparison between Two Different Modalities: MASCOT HIT Study
Two methods are currently available for left atrial (LA) strain measurement by speckle tracking echocardiography, with two different reference timings for starting the analysis: QRS (QRS-LASr) and P wave (P-LASr). The aim of MASCOT HIT study was to define which of the two was more reproducible, more feasible, and less time consuming. In 26 expert centers, LA strain was analyzed by two different echocardiographers (young vs senior) in a blinded fashion. The study population included: healthy subjects, patients with arterial hypertension or aortic stenosis (LA pressure overload, group 2) and patients with mitral regurgitation or heart failure (LA volume–pressure overload, group 3). Difference between the inter-correlation coefficient (ICC) by the two echocardiographers using the two techniques, feasibility and analysis time of both methods were analyzed. A total of 938 subjects were included: 309 controls, 333 patients in group 2, and 296 patients in group 3. The ICC was comparable between QRS-LASr (0.93) and P-LASr (0.90). The young echocardiographers calculated QRS-LASr in 90% of cases, the expert ones in 95%. The feasibility of P-LASr was 85% by young echocardiographers and 88% by senior ones. QRS-LASr young median time was 110 s (interquartile range, IR, 78-149) vs senior 110 s (IR 78-155); for P-LASr, 120 s (IR 80-165) and 120 s (IR 90-161), respectively. LA strain was feasible in the majority of patients with similar reproducibility for both methods. QRS complex guaranteed a slightly higher feasibility and a lower time wasting compared to the use of P wave as the reference
Kardiologia inwazyjna – najnowsze doniesienia naukowe z Kongresu ESC 2019
not includedbra
Gastric ghrelin in relation to gender, stomach topography and Helicobacter pylori in dyspeptic patients
AIM: To investigate the level of gastric ghrelin in stomach mucosa of dyspeptic patients in relation to Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection, bacterial cytotoxicity, topography and gender
EACVI survey on standardization of cardiac chambers quantification by transthoracic echocardiography
AIMS
To evaluate standard reporting of cardiac chambers size and function by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), the EACVI Scientific Initiatives Committee performed a survey across European centres. In particular, the routine use of three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) and speckle tracking-derived myocardial deformation imaging (STE) was explored.
METHODS AND RESULTS
A total of 96 European Echocardiography Laboratories from 22 different countries responded to the survey, which consisted of 20 questions. For most of the standard parameters of cardiac chamber size and function, answers from the centres were homogeneous and demonstrated good adherence to current recommendations. In particular, all centres assessed left ventricular (LV) and left atrial (LA) size combining diameter measurements with volumes obtained using the bi-plane Simpson's method. More variability was observed in the measurements of the right heart chambers and thoracic aorta. Interestingly, >90% of centres had access to 3DE and STE; however, the large majority of centres reserved the use of these techniques for selected cases, particularly for the measure of 3D LV volumes and ejection fraction and global longitudinal strain in patients being considered for cardiac device implantation, surgical intervention (valvular heart disease) or screened for cardiotoxicity. Only 10% of centres used 3DE for right ventricular and LA volumes. Also, <30% of the centres used LA strain imaging.
CONCLUSION
In Europe, a good adherence to current recommendations was observed for most of the standard parameters of cardiac chambers quantification by TTE. Advanced echocardiography modalities, such as 3DE and STE, are widely available but used only in selected cases
The evaluation of aortic stenosis, how the new guidelines are implemented across Europe: a survey by EACVI
Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most prevalent valvular disease in developed countries, with a prevalence that is set to expand further with an ageing population. The most recent guidelines on valvular heart disease published by the European Society of Cardiology and the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, aim to standardize the diagnosis and management of valvular heart diseases. The imaging criteria of the current guidelines are mostly based on EACVI Recommendations, with an appropriate diagnostic workflow being of major importance, to ensure streamlined and efficient patient assessment and accurate diagnoses and decisions regarding the timing of surgery. The EACVI Scientific Initiatives Committee, therefore, created a survey on the imaging assessment of patient with AS to investigate the diagnostic patient pathways used in different centres across Europe. In particular, we conducted this survey to better understand the use and access of advanced imaging techniques in AS including 3D transthoracic echocardiography and 3D transoesophageal echocardiography, cardiac computed tomography, and cardiovascular magnetic resonance
EACVI survey on the multi-modality imaging assessment of the right heart
AIMS
The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) Scientific Initiatives Committee performed a global survey to evaluate the use of different cardiac imaging modalities for the evaluation of the right heart.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Delegates from 250 EACVI registered centres were invited to participate in a survey which was also advertised on the EACVI bulletin and on social media. One hundred and thirty-eight respondents from 46 countries across the world responded to the survey. Most respondents worked in tertiary centres (79%) and echocardiography was reported as the commonest imaging modality used to assess the right ventricle (RV). The majority of survey participants (78%) included RV size and function in >90% of their echocardiographic reports. The RV basal diameter obtained from the apical four-chamber view and the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion were the commonest parameters used for the echocardiographic assessment of RV size and function as reported by 82 and 97% respondents, respectively. Survey participants reported arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy as the commonest condition (88%) where cardiac magentic resonance (CMR) imaging was used for right heart assessment. Only 52% respondents included RV volumetric and ejection fraction assessments routinely in their CMR reports, while 30% of respondents included these parameters only when RV pathology was suspected. Finally, 73% of the respondents reported pulmonary hypertension as the commonest condition where right heart catheterization was performed.
CONCLUSION
Echocardiography remains the most frequently used imaging modality for the evaluation of the right heart, while the use of other imaging techniques, most notably CMR, is increasing
Timing of myocardial shortening determines left ventricular regional myocardial work and regional remodelling in hearts with conduction delays
Aims The interaction between asynchronous regional myocardial activation
and left ventricular (LV) wall remodelling has not been well
established. We investigated the relationship between time of onset of
longitudinal shortening (Tonset), regional myocardial work, and
segmental LV wall thickness (SWT) in patients treated with cardiac
resynchronization therapy (CRT).
Methods and results We analysed 26 patients with sinus rhythm,
non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (63 +/- 9 years, 69\% male, QRS duration
174 +/- 18 ms) and positive response to CRT (15\% reduction in
end-systolic volume). Longitudinal strain was obtained by 2D
speckle-tracking echocardiography before and after {[}14.5 (7-29)
months] CRT. Tonset and SWT were measured in 18 segments per LV.
Segmental myocardial work was calculated from non-invasive segmental
stress-strain loop area. Before CRT, Tonset was the shortest in septal
and anteroseptal and the longest in lateral and posterior walls (P <
0.001) and not different after CRT (P = 0.733). Before CRT, septal and
anteroseptal walls were significantly thinner than lateral and
posterior. After CRT, reverse remodelling increased thickness in septal
and anteroseptal and thinned lateral and posterior segments (P < 0.001).
Before CRT, non-uniformity in work distribution with reduced work in
septal and anteroseptal and increased work in lateral and posterior
walls (P < 0.001) was observed. After CRT, distribution of myocardial
work was uniform (P = 0.215).
Conclusion Dys-synchronous myocardial shortening is related to thinning
of early and thickening of late activated segments in heart failure with
conduction delay. Correction of dys-synchrony leads to regression of
inhomogeneity towards more evenly distributed wall thickness. Regional
differences in myocardial work load that are homogenized by successful
CRT are considered as the underlying pathophysiological mechanism