Cardiac magnetic resonance as a risk re-stratification tool in apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ApHCM) can result in the formation of a left ventricular apical aneurysm and progressive myocardial fibrosis, which is associated with a worse prognosis. We present the case of a 76-year-old man previously diagnosed with ApHCM seven years ago, who has been under clinical follow-up. Serial cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging was performed in 2013 and 2020 due to suspected apical aneurysm formation based on echocardiographic evaluation. The 2020 CMR imaging revealed an increase in myocardial fibrosis observed through late-gadolinium enhancement images and, for the first time, a small apical aneurysm that was not clearly visualized on two-dimensional echocardiography. The time course leading to the development of an ApHCM aneurysm is not well-defined and may impact the clinical course.Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ApHCM) can result in the formation of a left ventricular apical aneurysm and progressive myocardial fibrosis, which is associated with a worse prognosis. We present the case of a 76-year-old man previously diagnosed with ApHCM seven years ago, who has been under clinical follow-up. Serial cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging was performed in 2013 and 2020 due to suspected apical aneurysm formation based on echocardiographic evaluation. The 2020 CMR imaging revealed an increase in myocardial fibrosis observed through late-gadolinium enhancement images and, for the first time, a small apical aneurysm that was not clearly visualized on two-dimensional echocardiography. The time course leading to the development of an ApHCM aneurysm is not well-defined and may impact the clinical course

Evaluación de masas cardiacas por Resonancia Magnética Cardiovascular: Experiencia en un Instituto Clínico de Referencia Nacional.

Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance is a versatile, non-invasive, and non-ionizing technique that allows the anatomical and functional assessment of different cardiac masses, additionally to its ability of tissue characterization by several sequences. This review article aims to demonstrate the usefulness of this technique in different types of masses accordingly to the experience in a national medical reference center, the etiological diagnosis algorithm, and its application in the follow-up of these patients.La Resonancia Magnética Cardiovascular es una técnica versátil, no invasiva y no ionizante, que permite el estudio anatómico y funcional de distintas masas cardiacas, además de la capacidad de caracterización tisular con distintas secuencias. Este artículo de revisión pretende demostrar la utilidad de esta técnica en distintos tipos de masas de acuerdo a la experiencia de un instituto nacional de referencia, el algoritmo de diagnóstico etiológico y su aplicación en el seguimiento de estos pacientes

Miocardiopatía restrictiva por amiloidosis de cadenas ligeras. Mejoría post CYBORD.

AL cardiac amyloidosis is a disease caused by extracellular deposition of insoluble proteins; Without treatment, survival is usually less than six months after the onset of symptoms of heart failure. The CYBORD-D scheme is the first choice for its safety and favorable evolution. We present the case of a patient with AL amyloidosis with symptoms of severe cardiac and extracardiac dysfunction, also with all laboratory and echocardiographic parameters of poor prognosis. At one year of follow-up, after eight cycles of the CYBORD regimen, presented great clinical improvement, complete hematological response, decrease in cardiac biomarkers and favorable progress in cardiac function.La amiloidosis cardíaca AL es una enfermedad por depósito extracelular de proteínas insolubles; sin tratamiento la supervivencia suele ser inferior a seis meses tras el inicio de síntomas de falla cardiaca. El esquema CYBORD-D es de primera elección por su seguridad y evolución favorable. Presentamos el caso de un paciente con amiloidosis AL con clínica de disfunción cardíaca y extracardíaca severa, además con todos los parámetros laboratoriales y ecocardiográficos de mal pronóstico. Al año de seguimiento, tras ocho ciclos de esquema CYBORD, presentó gran mejoría clínica, respuesta hematológica completa, disminución de biomarcadores cardíacos y progreso favorable de función cardíaca

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 2021 cases of SCMR and COVID-19 case collection series

Abstract The Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) is an international society focused on the research, education, and clinical application of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). “Cases of SCMR” is a case series hosted on the SCMR website ( https://www.scmr.org ) that demonstrates the utility and importance of CMR in the clinical diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease. The COVID-19 Case Collection highlights the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the heart as demonstrated on CMR. Each case in series consists of the clinical presentation and the role of CMR in diagnosis and guiding clinical management. The cases are all instructive and helpful in the approach to patient management. We present a digital archive of the 2021 Cases of SCMR and the 2020 and 2021 COVID-19 Case Collection series of nine cases as a means of further enhancing the education of those interested in CMR and as a means of more readily identifying these cases using a PubMed or similar literature search engine.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/173834/1/12968_2022_Article_872.pd

Worldwide Disparities in Recovery of Cardiac Testing 1 Year Into COVID-19

BACKGROUND The extent to which health care systems have adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic to provide necessary cardiac diagnostic services is unknown.OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the pandemic on cardiac testing practices, volumes and types of diagnostic services, and perceived psychological stress to health care providers worldwide.METHODS The International Atomic Energy Agency conducted a worldwide survey assessing alterations from baseline in cardiovascular diagnostic care at the pandemic's onset and 1 year later. Multivariable regression was used to determine factors associated with procedure volume recovery.RESULTS Surveys were submitted from 669 centers in 107 countries. Worldwide reduction in cardiac procedure volumes of 64% from March 2019 to April 2020 recovered by April 2021 in high- and upper middle-income countries (recovery rates of 108% and 99%) but remained depressed in lower middle- and low-income countries (46% and 30% recovery). Although stress testing was used 12% less frequently in 2021 than in 2019, coronary computed tomographic angiography was used 14% more, a trend also seen for other advanced cardiac imaging modalities (positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance; 22%-25% increases). Pandemic-related psychological stress was estimated to have affected nearly 40% of staff, impacting patient care at 78% of sites. In multivariable regression, only lower-income status and physicians' psychological stress were significant in predicting recovery of cardiac testing.CONCLUSIONS Cardiac diagnostic testing has yet to recover to prepandemic levels in lower-income countries. Worldwide, the decrease in standard stress testing is offset by greater use of advanced cardiac imaging modalities. Pandemic-related psychological stress among providers is widespread and associated with poor recovery of cardiac testing. (C) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier on behalf of the American College of Cardiology Foundation

Reduction of cardiac imaging tests during the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of Italy. Findings from the IAEA Non-invasive Cardiology Protocol Survey on COVID-19 (INCAPS COVID)

Background: In early 2020, COVID-19 massively hit Italy, earlier and harder than any other European country. This caused a series of strict containment measures, aimed at blocking the spread of the pandemic. Healthcare delivery was also affected when resources were diverted towards care of COVID-19 patients, including intensive care wards. Aim of the study: The aim is assessing the impact of COVID-19 on cardiac imaging in Italy, compare to the Rest of Europe (RoE) and the World (RoW). Methods: A global survey was conducted in May–June 2020 worldwide, through a questionnaire distributed online. The survey covered three periods: March and April 2020, and March 2019. Data from 52 Italian centres, a subset of the 909 participating centres from 108 countries, were analyzed. Results: In Italy, volumes decreased by 67% in March 2020, compared to March 2019, as opposed to a significantly lower decrease (p &lt; 0.001) in RoE and RoW (41% and 40%, respectively). A further decrease from March 2020 to April 2020 summed up to 76% for the North, 77% for the Centre and 86% for the South. When compared to the RoE and RoW, this further decrease from March 2020 to April 2020 in Italy was significantly less (p = 0.005), most likely reflecting the earlier effects of the containment measures in Italy, taken earlier than anywhere else in the West. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic massively hit Italy and caused a disruption of healthcare services, including cardiac imaging studies. This raises concern about the medium- and long-term consequences for the high number of patients who were denied timely diagnoses and the subsequent lifesaving therapies and procedures

International Impact of COVID-19 on the Diagnosis of Heart Disease

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has adversely affected diagnosis and treatment of noncommunicable diseases. Its effects on delivery of diagnostic care for cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death worldwide, have not been quantified. Objectives: The study sought to assess COVID-19's impact on global cardiovascular diagnostic procedural volumes and safety practices. Methods: The International Atomic Energy Agency conducted a worldwide survey assessing alterations in cardiovascular procedure volumes and safety practices resulting from COVID-19. Noninvasive and invasive cardiac testing volumes were obtained from participating sites for March and April 2020 and compared with those from March 2019. Availability of personal protective equipment and pandemic-related testing practice changes were ascertained. Results: Surveys were submitted from 909 inpatient and outpatient centers performing cardiac diagnostic procedures, in 108 countries. Procedure volumes decreased 42% from March 2019 to March 2020, and 64% from March 2019 to April 2020. Transthoracic echocardiography decreased by 59%, transesophageal echocardiography 76%, and stress tests 78%, which varied between stress modalities. Coronary angiography (invasive or computed tomography) decreased 55% (p &lt; 0.001 for each procedure). In multivariable regression, significantly greater reduction in procedures occurred for centers in countries with lower gross domestic product. Location in a low-income and lower–middle-income country was associated with an additional 22% reduction in cardiac procedures and less availability of personal protective equipment and telehealth. Conclusions: COVID-19 was associated with a significant and abrupt reduction in cardiovascular diagnostic testing across the globe, especially affecting the world's economically challenged. Further study of cardiovascular outcomes and COVID-19–related changes in care delivery is warranted