Avaliação de cardiotoxicidade subclínica tardia em pacientes com diagnóstico prévio de linfoma não Hodgkin tratados com antraciclinas

Background: late cardiotoxicity in non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivors (NHL) treated with anthracycline is manifested by heart failure (HF), defined by reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). These patients may show signs suggestive of late cardiotoxicity, although not express clinic HF or reduced LVEF. The study of the cardiovascular function through the use of more sensitive diagnostic methods for the early detection of myocardial dysfunction may contribute to the prevention and treatment of cardiotoxicity. Objectives: to evaluate late subclinical cardiotoxicity signals in patients previously diagnosed with NHL treated with anthracycline through clinical and laboratory examination with cardiac biomarkers, two-dimensional transthoracic speckle tracking echocardiography, carotid ultrasound and treadmill test; to relate the derived myocardial function indexes of speckle tracking echocardiography with exercise capacity estimated by treadmill test. Methodology: non-randomized controlled trial, 1: 2, which included NHL survivors treated with anthracycline for more than one year, no previous diagnosis of HF (anthracycline group) and healthy subjects (control group), matched for sex and age. For all study participants were evaluated: clinical signs and symptoms of HF, risk factors and cardiovascular risk score, use of medications, blood biochemical tests, test with treadmill, carotid ultrasound to obtain intima-media thickness of the common carotid and transthoracic echocardiography with traditional measures including LVEF using the Simpson method, and the determination of two-dimensional global longitudinal strain (GLS) by speckle tracking. Results: the anthracycline group consisted of 28 subjects with a mean age of 52 (44; 65) years, 64% male, with a cumulative total dose of 386 (200; 400) mg/m2 of doxorubicin, and 63 subjects in the control group. The groups did not differ with respect to clinical examination, risk factors, ...Fundamento: a cardiotoxicidade tardia em sobreviventes de linfoma não Hodgkin (LNH) tratados com antraciclina manifesta-se por insuficiência cardíaca (IC), definida pela redução da fração de ejeção do ventrículo esquerdo (FEVE). Estes pacientes podem apresentar tardiamente sinais sugestivos de cardiotoxicidade, ainda que não manifestem clínica de IC ou redução da FEVE. O estudo da função cardiovascular por meio da utilização de métodos diagnósticos mais sensíveis para a detecção de disfunção miocárdica precoce poderia contribuir com a prevenção e tratamento da cardiotoxicidade. Objetivos: avaliar sinais de cardiotoxicidade subclínica tardia em pacientes com diagnóstico prévio de LNH tratados com antraciclina por meio de exame clínico e laboratorial com biomarcadores cardíacos, ecocardiografia transtorácica bidimensional com speckle tracking, ultrassonografia de carótidas e teste ergométrico; relacionar os índices de função miocárdica derivados da ecocardiografia com speckle tracking com a capacidade de exercício estimada pelo teste ergométrico. Metodologia: ensaio clínico controlado não randomizado, 1:2, que incluiu sobreviventes de LNH tratados com antraciclina há mais de 1 ano, sem diagnóstico prévio de IC (grupo antraciclina) e indivíduos saudáveis (grupo controle), pareados por sexo e idade. Para todos os participantes do estudo foram avaliados: sinais e sintomas clínicos de IC, fatores de risco e escore de risco cardiovascular, uso de medicações, exames bioquímicos sanguíneos, teste com esteira ergométrica, ultrassonografia de carótidas para obtenção da espessura íntima média das carótidas comuns e ecocardiograma transtorácico com medidas tradicionais, entre elas a FEVE pelo método de Simpson, além da determinação de strain global longitudinal bidimensional (SGL) por speckle tracking. Resultados: o grupo antraciclina foi constituído por 28 indivíduos com idade média..

Carotid artery atherosclerotic profile as a predictor of the aorta atherosclerotic profile in patients with cerebrovascular events

Background: It is well known that the presence of atheroma of the thoracic aorta is a risk factor for cerebrovascular events. We sought to evaluate whether the presence and the morphology of atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid artery detected by duplex ultrasonography is associated with disease in the proximal aorta visualized by transesophageal echocardiogram in patients with a cerebrovascular event. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional prospective study including 147 consecutive patients with prior stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Neurological evaluations were performed by an expert neurologist using clinical and tomographic diagnostic criteria including the definition of etiology and whether the patient suffered from stroke or TIA. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiograms and carotid artery duplex ultrasonography were performed by the same examiner. Patients with and without plaque in the carotid artery were compared using Student's t test or the χ2 test. Regression analysis was used to determine whether the presence of plaque in the carotid artery was predictive of the presence of plaque in the proximal aorta and to analyze the relationship between the echogenicity of carotid and aortic plaques. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. Results: All 147 patients (95 men) were included in the analysis. Patients' ages ranged from 23 to 85 years (65 ± 12.4 years). Most of the patients (58.5%) were Caucasian, while 41.5% were African-Brazilian. Arterial hypertension, diabetes and tobacco use were more frequent among patients with atherosclerotic plaque in the aorta. A normal carotid intima-media thickness halved the risk of atherosclerotic plaque in the aorta [odds ratio (OR) 0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.23-0.91; p = 0.026]. The presence of carotid plaque increased the risk of aortic plaque by 70-fold (OR 73.2, 95% CI 25.6-2,018.6; p < 0.001) in univariate analysis. The absence of atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid artery reduced the risk of plaque in the aorta to almost 0 (OR 0.014, 95% CI 0.004-0.041; p < 0.001). Considering the 86 patients with both aortic and carotid plaques, the presence of hypoechoic plaque in the carotid artery was a predictor of hypoechoic plaque in the aorta (OR 10.1, 95% CI 3.3-31.2; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The carotid artery atherosclerotic profile defined by ultrasonography is a strong predictor of the atherosclerotic profile of the proximal aorta. This should be taken into consideration before referring patients with acute cerebrovascular events for transesophageal echocardiogram. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel

Impacto da hipertensão arterial no remodelamento ventricular, em pacientes com estenose aórtica Impact of hypertension on ventricular remodeling in patients with aortic stenosis

FUNDAMENTO: A hipertrofia ventricular esquerda (HVE) é comum em pacientes com hipertensão arterial sistêmica (HAS) e estenose aórtica (EAo) e, com certa frequência, encontramos associação entre estas patologias. Mas, em tal situação, não está clara a importância de cada uma na HVE. OBJETIVO: 1 - Avaliar em pacientes portadores de EAo, submetidos previamente a estudo ecocardiográfico, a magnitude da HVE, nos casos de EAo isolada e associada à HAS; 2 - Avaliar o padrão de remodelamento geométrico nas duas situações. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo, observacional e transversal, incluindo 298 pacientes consecutivos, com EAo ao ecocardiograma. HVE foi considerada para massa miocárdica > 224g em homens e > 162g em mulheres. Os pacientes foram classificados como portadores de EAo leve (gradiente máximo 50,0 mmHg), além disso, foram separados em dois subgrupos: com e sem HAS. RESULTADOS: Nos três níveis de lesão aórtica, a massa ventricular esquerda foi maior na EAo associada à HAS do que na EAo isolada (EAo leve: 172 ± 45 vs 223 ± 73g, p BACKGROUND: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a marker of increased cardiovascular risk and is frequently associated with both arterial hypertension (AH) and aortic stenosis (AoS). Also, these two maladies may co-exit in a same patient. However, in these cases, it is not clear the impact of each one in LVH. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate LVH and ventricular geometry in patients with AS associated or not with arterial hypertension. METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational and transversal study, including 298 consecutive patients with echocardiographic diagnosis of AoS. LVH was defined as myocardial mass > 224g for men and > 162g for women. Patients were classified as having mild (peak gradient 50 mmHg) AoS and separated into two subgroups: with and without hypertension. RESULTS: AH was associated with increased ventricular mass in all three levels of aortic stenosis (mild AS: 172 ± 45g vs 223 ± 73g, p < 0.0001 moderate AoS: 189 ± 77 g vs 245 ± 81g, p = 0.0313 severe AoS: 200 ± 62g vs 252 ± 88g, p = 0.0372), and increased risk of LVH (OR = 2.1 CI95%:1.2-3.6 p = 0.012). Regarding to geometric remodeling, hypertensive patients with severe AS presented a significant increase in frequency of concentric hypertrophy, when compared with those without hypertension (p = 0.013). CONCLUSION: Hypertension is an additional factor of increased left ventricular mass in patients with AS. Also, hypertension was influential in ventricular geometry

Impacto da hipertensão arterial no remodelamento ventricular, em pacientes com estenose aórtica

FUNDAMENTO: A hipertrofia ventricular esquerda (HVE) é comum em pacientes com hipertensão arterial sistêmica (HAS) e estenose aórtica (EAo) e, com certa frequência, encontramos associação entre estas patologias. Mas, em tal situação, não está clara a importância de cada uma na HVE. OBJETIVO: 1 - Avaliar em pacientes portadores de EAo, submetidos previamente a estudo ecocardiográfico, a magnitude da HVE, nos casos de EAo isolada e associada à HAS; 2 - Avaliar o padrão de remodelamento geométrico nas duas situações. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo, observacional e transversal, incluindo 298 pacientes consecutivos, com EAo ao ecocardiograma. HVE foi considerada para massa miocárdica > 224g em homens e > 162g em mulheres. Os pacientes foram classificados como portadores de EAo leve (gradiente máximo 50,0 mmHg), além disso, foram separados em dois subgrupos: com e sem HAS. RESULTADOS: Nos três níveis de lesão aórtica, a massa ventricular esquerda foi maior na EAo associada à HAS do que na EAo isolada (EAo leve: 172 ± 45 vs 223 ± 73g, p 224g for men and > 162g for women. Patients were classified as having mild (peak gradient 50 mmHg) AoS and separated into two subgroups: with and without hypertension. RESULTS: AH was associated with increased ventricular mass in all three levels of aortic stenosis (mild AS: 172 ± 45g vs 223 ± 73g, p < 0.0001 moderate AoS: 189 ± 77 g vs 245 ± 81g, p = 0.0313 severe AoS: 200 ± 62g vs 252 ± 88g, p = 0.0372), and increased risk of LVH (OR = 2.1 CI95%:1.2-3.6 p = 0.012). Regarding to geometric remodeling, hypertensive patients with severe AS presented a significant increase in frequency of concentric hypertrophy, when compared with those without hypertension (p = 0.013). CONCLUSION: Hypertension is an additional factor of increased left ventricular mass in patients with AS. Also, hypertension was influential in ventricular geometry

Impact of Ventricular Geometric Pattern on Cardiac Remodeling after Myocardial Infarction

FUNDAMENTO: A relevância do padrão de geometria após o infarto do miocárdio não é conhecida. OBJETIVOS: Analisar a presença de diferentes padrões de geometria ventricular esquerda (VE) e seu impacto como preditor de remodelação em pacientes com infarto do miocárdio. MÉTODOS: Pacientes com infarto agudo anterior (n = 80) foram divididos de acordo com o padrão de geometria: normal (índice de massa [IMVE] normal e espessura relativa da parede [ERP] normal), remodelação concêntrica (IMVE normal e ERP aumentada), hipertrofia concêntrica (IMVE e ERP aumentadas) e hipertrofia excêntrica (IMVE aumentado e ERP normal). Após seis meses, foi repetido o ecocardiograma. RESULTADOS: Quatro pacientes foram a óbito. Dos sobreviventes, 41 apresentaram remodelação (R+), enquanto 39 não remodelaram (R-). Considerando-se o padrão geométrico, houve a seguinte distribuição: 24 pacientes com padrão normal, 13 com remodelação concêntrica, 29 com hipertrofia concêntrica e 14 com hipertrofia excêntrica. Os pacientes que remodelaram apresentaram maiores tamanhos de infarto analisados pelo pico da CPK (R+ = 4.610 (1.688 - 7.970), R- = 1.442 (775 - 4.247), p < 0,001) e da CK-MB (R+ = 441 (246 - 666), R- = 183 (101 - 465), p < 0,001), tendência a maior prevalência de remodelação concêntrica (R+ = 10, R- = 3, p = 0,08) e menor prevalência de hipertrofia excêntrica (R+ = 2, R- = 12, p = 0,006). Na análise de regressão multivariada, o tamanho do infarto foi preditor (OR = 1,01; p = 0,020) e a hipertrofia excêntrica foi fator protetor (OR = 0,189; p = 0,046) de remodelação ventricular após a oclusão coronariana. CONCLUSÃO: O padrão de geometria ventricular pode ter impacto no processo de remodelação em pacientes com infarto do miocárdio

Infarct Size as Predictor of Systolic Functional Recovery after Myocardial Infarction

Background: The effects of modern therapy on functional recovery after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are unknown.Objectives:To evaluate the predictors of systolic functional recovery after anterior wall AMI in patients undergoing modern therapy (reperfusion, aggressive platelet antiaggregant therapy, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers).Methods:A total of 94 consecutive patients with AMI with ST-segment elevation were enrolled. Echocardiograms were performed during the in-hospital phase and after 6 months. Systolic dysfunction was defined as ejection fraction value < 50%.Results:In the initial echocardiogram, 64% of patients had systolic dysfunction. Patients with ventricular dysfunction had greater infarct size, assessed by the measurement of total and isoenzyme MB creatine kinase enzymes, than patients without dysfunction. Additionally, 24.5% of patients that initially had systolic dysfunction showed recovery within 6 months after AMI. Patients who recovered ventricular function had smaller infarct sizes, but larger values of ejection fraction and E-wave deceleration time than patients without recovery. At the multivariate analysis, it can be observed that infarct size was the only independent predictor of functional recovery after 6 months of AMI when adjusted for age, gender, ejection fraction and E-wave deceleration time.Conclusion: In spite of aggressive treatment, systolic ventricular dysfunction remains a frequent event after the anterior wall myocardial infarction. Additionally, 25% of patients show functional recovery. Finally, infarct size was the only significant predictor of functional recovery after six months of acute myocardial infarction