The Female Athlete's Heart: Facts and Fallacies.

Purpose of the review For many years, competitive sport has been dominated by men. Recent times have witnessed a significant increase in women participating in elite sports. As most studies investigated male athletes, with few reports on female counterparts, it is crucial to have a better understanding on physiological cardiac adaptation to exercise in female athletes, to distinguish normal phenotypes from potentially fatal cardiac diseases. This review reports on cardiac adaptation to exercise in females. Recent findings Recent studies show that electrical, structural, and functional cardiac changes due to physiological adaptation to exercise differ in male and female athletes. Women tend to exhibit eccentric hypertrophy, and while concentric hypertrophy or concentric remodeling may be a normal finding in male athletes, it should be evaluated carefully in female athletes as it may be a sign of pathology. Although few studies on veteran female athletes are available, women seem to be affected by atrial fibrillation, coronary atherosclerosis, and myocardial fibrosis less than male counterparts. Summary Males and females exhibit many biological, anatomical, and hormonal differences, and cardiac adaptation to exercise is no exception. The increasing participation of women in sports should stimulate the scientific community to develop large, longitudinal studies aimed at a better understanding of cardiac adaptation to exercise in female athletes

Speckle Tracking Echocardiography for the Assessment of the Athlete's Heart: Is It Ready for Daily Practice?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To describe the use of speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in the biventricular assessment of athletes' heart (AH). Can STE aid differential diagnosis during pre-participation cardiac screening (PCS) of athletes? RECENT FINDINGS: Data from recent patient, population and athlete studies suggest potential discriminatory value of STE, alongside standard echocardiographic measurements, in the early detection of clinically relevant systolic dysfunction. STE can also contribute to subsequent prognosis and risk stratification. Despite some heterogeneity in STE data in athletes, left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) and right ventricular longitudinal strain (RV ɛ) indices can add to differential diagnostic protocols in PCS. STE should be used in addition to standard echocardiographic tools and be conducted by an experienced operator with significant knowledge of the AH. Other indices, including left ventricular circumferential strain and twist, may provide insight, but further research in clinical and athletic populations is warranted. This review also raises the potential role for STE measures performed during exercise as well as in serial follow-up as a method to improve diagnostic yield

Left atrial appendage function by strain predicts subclinical atrial fibrillation in patients with cryptogenic stroke/TIA

Abstract Background Left atrial (LA) function by strain has shown to be promising to predict clinical atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with cryptogenic stroke/TIA. However, there is little knowledge, if this novel method may prospectively predict subclinical AF (SCAF) and moreover, if left atrial appendage (LAA) function by strain and mechanical dispersion may be more sensitive to improve prediction of SCAF. Purpose The aim of the present study was to investigate if LA and LAA function by strain could improve the prediction of SCAF in patients at risk. Methods In this prospective study (mean follow-up 859±226 days), 185 patients with cryptogenic stroke/TIA, mean age 68±13 years, 33% female and no history of clinical AF or SCAF, were included. All participants underwent 2D and 3D transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography in sinus rhythm after index cryptogenic stroke/TIA (mean 5±3days). LAA and LA functions by phasic strain, including reservoir strain (Sr), conduit strain (Scd) and contraction strain (Sct) and mechanical dispersion of Sr were assessed. SCAF episodes were detected by cardiac monitoring during follow up (mean 257±273 days). Results LAA function by strain was decreased in those with SCAF (60/32% of all patients) compared to those without: Sr: 19.2±4.5% vs. 25.6±6.5% (p&amp;lt;0.001), Scd: −11.0±3.1% vs. −14.4±4.5% (p&amp;lt;0.001), Sct: −7.9±4.0% vs. −11.2±4% (p&amp;lt;0.001), respectively, while mechanical dispersion by Sr strain was increased, 34±24ms vs. 26±20ms (p=0.02). However, LA function by strain and mechanical dispersion did not differ in patients with SCAF compared to patients without. By ROC analyses, LAA strain and mechanical dispersion were highly significant in prediction of SCAF. LAA reservoir strain showed the best AUC of 0.80 (95% CI 0.73–0.87) with a cut-off value of 22.2%, sensitivity of 80%, and specificity of 73%, p&amp;lt;0.001. (Figure) Conclusions For the first time, we showed, that left atrial appendage function by strain and mechanical dispersion predicts SCAF, as opposed to left atrial function. Left atrial appendage function by strain may be useful in risk prediction in patients at considerable AF risk. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): Department of Cardiology, Akershus University Hospital, Oslo/Lørenskog, Norway </jats:sec

Left atrial appendage structure predicts thromboembolic risk in 185 patients with crytogenic stroke/TIA without history of AF

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): Akerhus University Hospital Dept. of Cardiology Background Cryptogenic stroke/TIA (CS) is supposed to be associated with intracardiac thrombus formation and left atrial (LA) structure, in particular thrombus formation in left atrial appendage (LAA). However, there is little evidence if thromboembolic risk is associated with LAA morphology in patients with CS. Purpose We aimed to investigate, if different LAA morphology types may predict thromboembolic risk in patients with CS. Methods In this prospective study (mean follow-up 859 ± 226 days), 185 patients with CS (mean age 68 ±13 years, 33% female) without history of AF were included. All patients underwent complete transesophageal echocardiography in sinus rhythm after index CS (mean 5 ± 3days). Occurrence of LAA thrombus, sludge or spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) were defined as thromboembolic risk and LAA structure was evaluated by 2D and 3D transesophageal echocardiography. Multilobate LAA was defined as LAA with  &amp;gt; 1 lobes. Results Of the 185 included patients, LAA type chicken wing was found in 79 (43%), type windsock in 64 (35%), type cactus in 35 (19%) and type cauliflower in 7 (4%). Thrombus formation occurred in 29/185 (16%), LAA sludge in 112/185 (61%), and LAA SEC in 74/185 (40%), which is increased compared to data in the general population. We found SEC in sludge in 65/112 (58%), SEC in thrombus in 18/29 (62%) and sludge in thrombus in 27/29 (93%). SEC and sludge were significantly associated with thrombus formation, (p &amp;lt; 0.001 and p &amp;lt; 0.01, respectively). Finally, thromboembolic risk occurred in 123 (67%) of all patients with CS. Moreover, LAA type chicken wing was significantly associated with thromboembolic risk (p &amp;lt; 0.01), while all other LAA types were not. Multilobate LAA occurred in 115 (62%) of all patients and predicted thromboembolic risk vs. non-lobated LAA (p= 0.04). In a multivariate analysis LAA type chicken wing and multilobate LAA were independently predictors of thromboembolic risk, figure 1. Conclusions Patients with cryptogenic stroke/TIA without history of AF showed increased thromboembolic risk, and SEC and sludge were significantly associated with LAA thrombus formation. Only LAA type chicken wing and multilobate LAA predicted independently thromboembolic risk in this study. Abstract Figure. </jats:sec

Phenotypic and Expressional Heterogeneity in the Invasive Glioma Cells

BACKGROUND: Tumor cell invasion is a hallmark of glioblastoma (GBM) and a major contributing factor for treatment failure, tumor recurrence, and the poor prognosis of GBM. Despite this, our understanding of the molecular machinery that drives invasion is limited. METHODS: Time-lapse imaging of patient-derived GBM cell invasion in a 3D collagen gel matrix, analysis of both the cellular invasive phenotype and single cell invasion pattern with microarray expression profiling. RESULTS: GBM invasion was maintained in a simplified 3D-milieue. Invasion was promoted by the presence of the tumorsphere graft. In the absence of this, the directed migration of cells subsided. The strength of the pro-invasive repulsive signaling was specific for a given patient-derived culture. In the highly invasive GBM cultures, the majority of cells had a neural progenitor-like phenotype, while the less invasive cultures had a higher diversity in cellular phenotypes. Microarray expression analysis of the non-invasive cells from the tumor core displayed a higher GFAP expression and a signature of genes containing VEGFA, hypoxia and chemo-repulsive signals. Cells of the invasive front expressed higher levels of CTGF, TNFRSF12A and genes involved in cell survival, migration and cell cycle pathways. A mesenchymal gene signature was associated with increased invasion. CONCLUSION: The GBM tumorsphere core promoted invasion, and the invasive front was dominated by a phenotypically defined cell population expressing genes regulating traits found in aggressive cancers. The detected cellular heterogeneity and transcriptional differences between the highly invasive and core cells identifies potential targets for manipulation of GBM invasion

P975 Echocardiography and nuclear medicine imaging techniques are insufficient for scar detection in patients referred for cardiac resynchronization therapy

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements The study was supported by Center for Cardiological Innovation Background Many patients referred for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) do not respond to the treatment. Scar either in septum or the left ventricular (LV) lateral wall, as well as global scar burden, influence the outcome negatively. Preoperative scar assessment is therefore recommended in this patient group. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is considered reference standard for scar detection, but is not always available. Purpose To investigate the ability of advanced echocardiographic and nuclear imaging techniques to detect septal and left ventricular (LV) lateral wall scar in patients referred for CRT, compared to late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Methods Scar was quantified as percentage segmental LGE in 131 patients (age 66 ± 10, 66% male, QRS-width 164 ± 17ms) referred for CRT, 92% with left bundle branch block (LBBB). Longitudinal strain was assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography in 130 patients (641 septal and 630 LV lateral wall segments). Wall motion score index (WMSI) was assessed visually in all patients by an experienced operator, and graded from one to four. Glucose metabolism was assessed by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) Positron Emission Tomography (PET) in 52 patients. Perfusion was assessed in 46 patients by either 13N-ammonia PET (n = 32) or Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) (n = 14). Metabolism and perfusion were reported as percentages of the segment with maximum tracer uptake. The ability of each parameter to identify scar was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves with calculation of area under the curve (AUC) and 95% confidence interval (CI). AUC≥0.800 was considered reasonable agreement with LGE. Results Scar was present in 574 of total 2090 interpretable segments (79% ischemic etiology). Globally, perfusion (AUC = 0.845, 95% CI 0.777-0.914) and glucose metabolism (AUC = 0.807, 95% CI 0.758-0.855) adequately detected transmural scars, but not smaller scars (all AUC &amp;lt; 0.800). Echocardiographic parameters failed to detect global scars irrespective of size (all AUC &amp;lt; 0.800). However, the associations between echocardiographic/nuclear parameters and scars were highly dependent on myocardial region. In the LV lateral wall, glucose metabolism precisely detected transmural scars (AUC = 0.958, 95% CI 0.902-1.00) and WMSI proved reasonable agreement (AUC = 0.812, 95% CI 0.737-0.887), while the rest of the parameters did not (all AUC &amp;lt; 0.800). Smaller scars in this region was not detected by any parameter tested (all AUC &amp;lt; 0.800). No parameter adequately detected septal scars, not even those with transmural involvement (all AUC &amp;lt; 0.800) (Figure). Conclusions Neither echocardiographic nor nuclear imaging techniques can replace LGE-CMR in scar assessment prior to CRT. Septum is especially challenging, explained by LBBB-induced reduction in strain, metabolism and perfusion in this region. Abstract P975 Figure. Detection of transmural septal scar </jats:sec