Outcomes in Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis With Preserved Ejection Fraction Undergoing Rest and Treadmill Stress Echocardiography.
Journal of the American Heart Association
BACKGROUND:In asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction, we sought to assess the incremental prognostic value of resting valvuloarterial impedence (Zva) and left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) to treadmill stress echocardiography. METHODS AND RESULTS:We studied 504 such patients (66±12 years, 78% men, 32% with coronary artery disease who underwent treadmill stress echocardiography between 2001 and 2012. Clinical and exercise variables (% of age-sex predicted metabolic equivalents [%AGP-METs]) were recorded. Resting Zva ([systolic arterial pressure+mean aortic valve gradient]/[LV-stroke volume index]) and LV-GLS (measured offline using Velocity Vector Imaging, Siemens) were obtained from the baseline resting echocardiogram. Death was the primary outcome. There were no major adverse cardiac events during treadmill stress echocardiography. Indexed aortic valve area, Zva, and LV-GLS were 0.46±0.1 cm/m, 4.5±0.9 mm Hg/mL per m and -16±4%, respectively; only 50% achieved >100% AGP-METs. Sixty-four percent underwent aortic valve replacement. Death occurred in 164 (33%) patients over 8.9±3.6 years (2 within 30 days of aortic valve replacement). On multivariable Cox survival analysis, higher Society of Thoracic Surgeons score (hazard ratio or HR 1.06), lower % AGP-METS (HR 1.16), higher Zva (HR 1.25) and lower LV-GLS (HR 1.12) were associated with higher longer-term mortality, while aortic valve replacement (HR 0.45) was associated with improved survival (all <0.01). Sequential addition of ZVa and LV-GLS to clinical model (Society of Thoracic Surgeons score and %AGP-METs) increased the c-statistic from 0.65 to 0.69 and 0.75, respectively, both <0.001); findings were similar in the subgroup of patients who underwent aortic valve replacement. CONCLUSIONS:In asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing treadmill stress echocardiography, LV-GLS and ZVa offer incremental prognostic value.
10.1161/JAHA.117.007880
Association between Resting Global Longitudinal Strain and Clinical Outcome of Patients Undergoing Stress Echocardiography.
Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography
BACKGROUND:Reduced global longitudinal strain (GLS) of the left ventricle is associated with adverse prognosis in healthy subjects and in different cardiovascular conditions. Resting GLS may enable risk assessment independently from stress echocardiography (SE). We assessed whether there is an association of GLS measured at rest before SE with long-term outcome, independent of clinical parameters or reversible wall motion abnormalities and Doppler coronary flow velocity reserve. METHODS:Five hundred thirty patients who underwent SE for ischemia evaluation between 2010 and 2012 and who had rest images available were selected. Resting GLS was measured off-line (absolute value <15% was considered abnormal). Cox models were used to examine the association between clinical variables, ejection fraction, SE variables, and resting GLS with mortality and cardiac events (cardiac death and nonfatal myocardial infarction). The independent prognostic value of GLS over known rest and stress variables was assessed. RESULTS:Over a median follow-up of 7.5 years, 137 patients died from any cause and 50 had a nonfatal myocardial infarction. Patients with resting GLS <15% had significantly lower event-free survival (log-rank P < .0001). Resting GLS was significantly associated with risk of all-cause death and hard cardiac events, after adjustment for clinical risk factors, reversible wall motion abnormalities, and coronary flow velocity reserve. Adding resting GLS into a model with clinical, rest, and stress imaging variables significantly increased the model C index (P = .031). CONCLUSIONS:In a large cohort of patients with suspected coronary artery disease referred for SE, resting GLS <15% was independently associated with mortality and hard cardiac events, incremental to SE data. Model discrimination including resting GLS measurement was comparable to discrimination including SE results.
10.1016/j.echo.2022.05.012
Four-dimensional echocardiography area strain combined with exercise stress echocardiography to evaluate left ventricular regional systolic function in patients with mild single vessel coronary artery stenosis.
Deng Yan,Peng Long,Liu Yuan-Yuan,Yin Li-Xue,Li Chun-Mei,Wang Yi,Rao Li
Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
BACKGROUND:The aim of this prospective study was to assess the diagnosis value of four-dimensional echocardiography area strain (AS) combined with exercise stress echocardiography to evaluate left ventricular regional systolic function in patients with mild single vessel coronary artery stenosis. METHODS:Based on treadmill exercise load status, two-dimensional conventional echocardiography and four-dimensional echocardiography area strain were performed on patients suspected coronary artery disease before coronary angiogram. Thirty patients (case group) with mild left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis (stenosis <50%) and thirty gender- and age-matched patients (control group) without coronary artery stenosis according to the coronary angiogram results were prospectively enrolled. RESULTS:All the patients had no left ventricular regional wall motion abnormality in two-dimensional echocardiography at rest and exercise stress. There was no significant difference in the 16 segmental systolic peak AS at rest between two groups. After exercise stress, the peak systolic AS at mid anterior wall (-7.00%±10.90% vs 2.80%±23.69%) and mid anterolateral wall (-4.40%±18.81% vs 8.80%±19.16%) were decreased, while increased at basal inferolateral wall (14.00%±19.27% vs -5.60%±15.94%) in case group compared with control group (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS:In patients with mild single vessel coronary artery stenosis, the area strain was decreased at involved segments, while compensatory increased at noninvolved segments after exercise stress. Four-dimensional echocardiography area strain combined with exercise stress echocardiography could sensitively find left ventricular regional systolic function abnormality in patients with mild single vessel coronary artery stenosis, and locate stenosis coronary artery accordingly.
10.1111/echo.13638
Speckle Tracking Stress Echocardiography on Treadmill in Assessment of the Functional Significance of the Degree of Coronary Artery Disease.
Stepanova A I,Radova N F,Alekhin M N
Kardiologiia
Aim To determine diagnostic capabilities of left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal systolic strain (GLSS) in stress echocardiography (stress-EchoCG) with a treadmill test for diagnosing the functional significance of the degree of coronary stenosis.Material and methods The study included 121 patients (73 men aged 68.3±7.7 years) with suspected or previously diagnosed ischemic heart disease (IHD). Speckle-tracking stress-EchCG (method of tracking speckles on two-dimensional gray-scale ultrasonic images) with a treadmill test and coronarography was performed for all patients. The patients were divided into 3 groups based on the severity of coronary artery (CA) stenosis according to the Gensini scale.Results LV GLSS at rest did not significantly differ between the study groups. After the exercise, LV GLSS was significantly lower in patients with pronounced CA stenosis than in patients without or with moderate CA stenosis (15.9±4.6 % vs. 20.6±3.7 % (p<0.001) and 19.6±3.0 % (p=0.003), respectively). Postexercise LV GLSS <16.9% suggested a pronounced CA stenosis with a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 70% (area under the curve, AUC, 0.76±0.06 at 95 % confidence interval, CI, 0.63-0.89; р<0.001). In the patient group without CA stenosis, LV GLSS showed a significant increase after completion of the exercise (from 19.1±3.1 to 20.6±3.7; p=0.04).Conclusion Evaluation of LV GLSS and its dynamics in stress-EchoCG with a treadmill test may be promising in patients with IHD, since in most patients with pronounced CA stenosis, LV GLSS is reduced at baseline and further reduces in response to exercise. In patients without CA stenosis, LV GLSS increases after completing the exercise.
10.18087/cardio.2021.3.n1462
Two-Dimensional Speckle-Tracking during Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography in the Detection of Myocardial Ischemia in Patients with Suspected Coronary Artery Disease.
Uusitalo Valtteri,Luotolahti Matti,Pietilä Mikko,Wendelin-Saarenhovi Maria,Hartiala Jaakko,Saraste Markku,Knuuti Juhani,Saraste Antti
Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography
BACKGROUND:Two-dimensional speckle-tracking applied to dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) may aid in the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to determine the value of strain, strain rate, and postsystolic strain index (PSI) measured by speckle-tracking during DSE in the evaluation of the presence, extent, and severity of myocardial ischemia. METHODS:Fifty patients 63 ± 7 years of age with intermediate probability of CAD were prospectively recruited. All patients underwent DSE, quantitative positron emission tomographic perfusion imaging, and invasive angiography. Regional peak systolic longitudinal strain, strain rate, and PSI were measured at rest, at a dobutamine dose of 20 μg/kg/min, at peak stress, and at early recovery (1 min after stress). Obstructive CAD was defined as >75% stenosis or 40% to 75% stenosis combined with either fractional flow reserve < 0.80 or abnormal findings on myocardial perfusion positron emission tomography. RESULTS:Obstructive CAD was detected in 22 patients and in 36 of 150 coronary arteries. Strain analyses showed the highest reproducibility at rest, at a dobutamine dose of 20 μg/kg/min, and at early recovery. Increased PSI and reduced strain during early recovery were the strongest predictors of obstructive CAD and were associated with the extent, localization, and depth of myocardial ischemia by positron emission tomography. On vessel-based analysis, strain, PSI, and visual analysis of wall motion provided comparable diagnostic accuracy, whereas the combination of strain or PSI with visual analysis provided incremental value over visual analysis alone. CONCLUSIONS:Assessment of systolic or postsystolic strain by speckle-tracking echocardiography during early recovery after DSE can help in the detection of hemodynamically significant coronary stenosis compared with visual wall motion analysis alone.
10.1016/j.echo.2015.12.013
Combination of contrast-enhanced wall motion analysis and myocardial deformation imaging during dobutamine stress echocardiography.
Nagy Anikó I,Sahlén Anders,Manouras Aristomenis,Henareh Loghman,da Silva Cristina,Günyeli Elif,Apor Astrid A,Merkely Béla,Winter Reidar
European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging
BACKGROUND:The combination of deformation analysis with conventional wall motion scoring (WMS) has been shown to increase the diagnostic sensitivity of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE). The feasibility and diagnostic power of WMS is largely improved by contrast agents; however, they are not used in combination with deformation analysis, as contrast agents are generally considered to render strain measurement unfeasible. AIMS:To assess the feasibility of tissue velocity (TVI)- and 2D speckle tracking (ST)-based strain analysis during contrast-enhanced DSE; and to show whether there is an incremental value in combining deformation analysis with contrast-enhanced WMS. METHODS:DS echocardiograms containing native, tissue Doppler, and contrast-enhanced loops of 60 patients were analysed retrospectively. The feasibility of WMS, TVI-, and ST-strain measurement was determined in 40 patients according to pre-defined criteria. The diagnostic ability of a combined protocol integrating data from contrast-WMS and TVI-strain measurement was then compared with contrast-WMS alone in all 60 patients, using coronary angiograms as a gold standard. RESULTS:Both TVI- and ST-based strain analysis were feasible during contrast-DSE (feasibility at peak stress: 87 and 75%). At the patient level, the diagnostic accuracy of the combined method did not prove superior to contrast-WMS (82 vs. 78%); a trend towards improved sensitivity and specificity for detecting coronary artery disease in the right coronary artery circulation (sensitivity: 85 vs. 77%, P = NS; specificity: 96 vs. 94%) was, however, observed. CONCLUSION:Both TVI- and ST-based myocardial deformation analysis are feasible during contrast-enhanced DSE, however, our results fail to demonstrate a clear diagnostic benefit of additional strain analysis over expert WMS alone.
10.1093/ehjci/jeu171
Evaluation of Left Ventricular Function in Patients with Coronary Slow Flow by the Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography.
Current medical imaging
BACKGROUND:The study aims to assess the changes to left ventricular (LV) function of patients with the coronary slow flow (CSF) in response to stress induced by low dose dobutamine. METHODS:Based on coronary angiography (CAG) results, a total of 186 patients undergoing CAG for chest pain and suspected coronary heart disease were assigned to the CSF group (n = 142) and control group (n = 44). Patients in the CSF group underwent two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) during the dobutamine stress test to evaluate LV systolic and diastolic functions. RESULTS:At rest, there were no statistically significant differences in LV peak systolic longitudinal strain (LS), LV peak systolic longitudinal strain rate (LSRs), LV peak early diastolic longitudinal strain rate (LSRed), LV circumferential strain (CS), or LV circumferential strain rate (CSRed) between the CSF and control groups. In the CSF group, LS and LSRs first increased as the infusion rate was increased to 10 μg/kg/min (all, p < 0.05), before decreasing at infusion rates of 15 and 20 μg/kg/min (all, p < 0.05). CS and CSRed increased in the CSF group at infusion rates of 5, 10, and 15 μg/kg/min, (all, p < 0.05), but decreased significantly at 20 μg/kg/min (all, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION:At rest, LV systolic and diastolic functions were comparable between the CSF and control groups. However, when blood flow to the heart muscles was insufficient, LSRed decreased first, followed by LS. In terms of sensitivity to myocardial ischemia, LS is a better strain parameter than CS.
10.2174/1573405618666220509121758
Evaluation of left ventricular function in ischemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries: a research based on adenosine stress myocardial contrast echocardiography.
The international journal of cardiovascular imaging
Patients with ischemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA) have an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events in the future, which is widespread but underdiagnosed. The purpose of this study is to explore the application value of adenosine stress myocardial contrast echocardiography (ASMCE) in INOCA disease, so that clinicians can early identify and intervene patients with left ventricular function subclinical impairment in INOCA. We enrolled 118 patients with INOCA by ASMCE and invasive coronary angiography (ICA), 97 of whom had complete data. The study population was divided into two subgroups depending on coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR): impaired CFVR group (n = 34) and normal CFVR group (n = 63). Global longitudinal strain endocardial myocardial (GLSendo), mid-myocardial (GLSmid) and epicardial myocardial (GLSepi) increased after stress in both groups; transmural strain, wall motion scored index (WMSI) and myocardial perfusion scored index (MPSI) increased and FORCE decreased in impaired CFVR group after stress, but there was no difference in normal group before and after stress. There was no significant difference in left ventricular myocardial mechanical parameters, including ΔGLSendo, ΔGLSmid, ΔGLSepi, GLSendo-epi Reserve, Δpeak strain dispersion (PSD), PSD Reserve between the two groups, but ΔEF, strain reserve and left ventricular contractile reserve (LVCR) in the impaired CFVR group were lower than those in the normal CFVR group, while ΔWMSI and ΔMPSI were increased. CFVR can be a clinically valuable indicator in the ASMCE diagnosis of patients with microvascular angina pectoris in INOCA. In the evaluation of left ventricular function in INOCA patients, attention should be paid not only to myocardial deformation, but also to the dynamic changes of LVCR and myocardial perfusion during peak hyperemia.
10.1007/s10554-022-02740-7
Resting global myocardial work can improve interpretation of exercise stress echocardiography.
Edwards Natalie F A,Scalia Gregory M,Sabapathy Surendran,Anderson Bonita,Chamberlain Robert,Khandheria Bijoy K,Chan Jonathan
The international journal of cardiovascular imaging
Sensitivity and specificity of ESE to determine hemodynamically significant coronary artery disease (CAD) is limited by subjective qualitative interpretation resulting in false-positive results. The objective of this study was to determine whether resting myocardial work estimated from non-invasive left ventricular pressure-strain loops can help improve the interpretation of exercise stress echocardiography (ESE). Resting global myocardial work was performed on 288 patients referred for clinically indicated ESE with no resting regional wall motion abnormalities and normal ejection fraction (≥ 55%). Coronary angiography was used to validate the presence of significant CAD in those with a positive ESE. Resting global myocardial work index (GWI) was significantly reduced (p < 0.001) in patients with true-positive (1544 ± 354 mmHg%) compared to negative (1819 ± 317 mmHg%) and false-positive (1857 ± 344 mmHg%) ESE. A GWI of ≤ 1391 mmHg (AUC 0.73; sensitivity 94%; specificity 73%) predicted true-positive ESE. Predictors of a true-positive ESE were (1) lower myocardial work efficiency (odds ratio 0.731, 95% CI 0.58-0.92, p = 0.007), (2) lower GWI (odds ratio 0.997, 95% CI 0.996-0.999, p = 0.006) (3) male gender (odds ratio 5.47, 95% CI 1.84-16.31, p = 0.002) and (4) E/e' ratio (odds ratio 1.15, CI 1.01-1.31, p = 0.032). Myocardial work is a potentially valuable quantitative parameter that provides incremental value over qualitative ESE interpretation and improves appropriate patient selection for coronary angiography.
10.1007/s10554-021-02216-0
Myocardial work index during normal dobutamine stress echocardiography.
Scientific reports
Dobutamine stress echocardiography is an alternative method to exercise stress echocardiography for the evaluation of ischemia. Recently, the novel speckle tracking imaging derived parameter, myocardial work index, was suggested for the evaluation of cardiac performance and was evaluated during exercise stress echocardiography. In this study, we analyzed the effect of dobutamine on myocardial work index variables during normal dobutamine stress echocardiography. Echocardiography examinations of patients with normal dobutamine stress echocardiography were collected and underwent off-line speckle tracking imaging analysis. Myocardial work index parameters were calculated at each dose of dobutamine and compared. 286 patients underwent dobutamine stress echocardiography during the study period. 102 patients were excluded due to pre-existed coronary artery disease or ischemia at dobutamine stress echocardiography. 65 patients were excluded due to suboptimal image quality unsuitable for speckle tracking imaging analysis. The remaining 119 patients with normal results were included. The global work index decreased from 2393.3 to 1864.7 mmHg%, p < 0.0004. Global constructive work decreased from 2681.7 to 2152.6 mmHg%, p = 0.001. Global wasted work increased from 78.8 to 128.3 mmHg%, p < 0.003. Global work efficacy decreased from 96.1 to 91.9%, p < 0.00001. Global strain increased from-19.6 to - 23.7%, p < 0.00001. Dobutamine stress echocardiography results in a decrease of all specific myocardial work index parameters even in normal subjects. Only global myocardial strain improved.
10.1038/s41598-022-10903-8
Additional diagnostic accuracy of global longitudinal strain at peak dobutamine stress in patients with moderate pretest probability of coronary artery disease.
Elamragy Ahmed A,Abdelwahab Mohamed A,Elremisy Dalia R,Hassan Mohamed,Ammar Waleed A,Taha Hesham S
Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
BACKGROUND:Previous studies confirmed the feasibility of 2D speckle tracking echocardiography (2D STE) during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) in assessing myocardial ischemia in patients with previous myocardial infarction. It is unknown whether it improves the diagnostic accuracy in young patients with intermediate pretest probability for coronary artery disease (CAD) and no prior cardiovascular events. METHODS:We prospectively studied 101 patients by DSE and STE, followed by coronary angiography within 1 month. Significant CAD was defined as diameter stenosis ≥ 50%. Receiver operating characteristic analysis obtained global longitudinal strain (GLS) cutoff values of significant area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS:Mean age: 53 ± 8 years, 56% females, 49 had significant CAD (group 1) and 52 had normal/mild CAD (group 2); no significant baseline differences except more males in group 1 (P: .002). DSE sensitivity and specificity for CAD were 79.6% and 92.3%, respectively, positive predictive value (PPV): 90.6%, negative predictive value (NPV): 82.7%, and diagnostic accuracy: 86%. At peak stress, all strain parameters were significantly lower in group 1. However, GLS had the highest AUC: 0.88, P: <.001. GLS cutoff value ≤ -20.5 had 89.8% sensitivity, 84.6% specificity, 84.6% PPV, 89.8% NPV, and 87% diagnostic accuracy. Combining GLS cutoff with DSE had higher AUC than either alone (0.9, P < .001): 95.9% sensitivity, 84.6% specificity, 85.5% PPV, 95.7% NPV, and 90% diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSION:2D-STE-derived GLS increases DSE precision to detect CAD in intermediate pretest probability patients: It improves DSE sensitivity, NPV, and accuracy. It is reproducible and has comparable specificity.
10.1111/echo.14803
Global Myocardial Work Combined with Treadmill Exercise Stress to Detect Significant Coronary Artery Disease.
Lin Jingru,Wu Weichun,Gao Lijian,He Jia,Zhu Zhenhui,Pang Kunjing,Wang Jiangtao,Liu Mengyi,Wang Hao
Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography
BACKGROUND:Myocardial work (MW) derived from the left ventricular pressure-strain loop is a novel and noninvasive method for assessing left ventricular function that accounts for loading conditions. We aimed to explore whether global MW combined with treadmill exercise stress could detect significant coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with angina pectoris. METHODS:Eighty-five patients with angina pectoris and no prior CAD history were included. All patients underwent treadmill exercise stress echocardiography and coronary angiography. Global MW was constructed from speckle-tracking echocardiography indexed to the brachial systolic blood pressure. The association between MW parameters and the presence of significant CAD was assessed with logistic regression. The discriminative power of MW parameters to detect CAD was assessed with receiver operative characteristic curve, net reclassification improvement, and integrated discrimination improvement analysis. RESULTS:Twenty-five patients had a positive exercise echocardiogram, while significant coronary artery stenosis (≥70% in one or more major epicardial vessels or ≥50% in the left main coronary artery) was observed in 41 patients. The global wasted work (GWW) and global work efficiency (GWE) were significantly higher or lower, respectively, in patients with significant CAD compared with those of nonsignificant CAD at the peak exercise and during recovery periods (P < .05 for all). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that peak GWE and recovery GWW could predict significant CAD. Peak GWE had the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) among all global MW parameters (AUC = 0.836). Furthermore, a model comprising peak GWE and recovery GWW performed better for the identification of significant CAD than peak GWE alone (AUC = 0.856). CONCLUSIONS:Peak GWE could detect significant CAD. The new model, incorporating peak GWE and recovery GWW, not only identified but also provided additional value for estimating the probability of significant CAD. Global MW parameters combined with exercise stress perform as an accurate noninvasive screening before the invasive diagnostic technique.
10.1016/j.echo.2021.10.009
The effects of myocardial bridging on two-dimensional myocardial strain during dobutamine stress echocardiography.
The international journal of cardiovascular imaging
Myocardial bridging (MB) is a common anatomic variant in coronary arteries with unclear functional significance. We evaluated regional myocardial strain by speckle tracking during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) in patients with MB in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). We studied 11 patients with MB in the LAD and no obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), 7 patients without MB, but obstructive CAD in the LAD, and 12 controls without MB or obstructive CAD. MB was defined as either > 1 mm (superficial) or > 2 mm (deep) intramyocardial course of the LAD in coronary CT angiography. Regional longitudinal, radial and circumferential strains and strain rates as well as post-systolic strain index (PSI) were measured at rest, peak stress, and early recovery (1 min after stress). Strain parameters during DSE were similar in the myocardium distal to MB and other myocardial regions of the same patients as well as the LAD territory in controls. However, patients with obstructive CAD showed impaired LS and strain rate as well as increased PSI at peak stress. None of the MB was associated with systolic compression in invasive coronary angiography and strain parameters were similar between superficial and deep MB. Stress myocardial blood flow by positron emission tomography correlated with LS and RS at peak stress in the myocardium distal to MB (r = - 0.73, p = 0.03, and r = 0.64, p = 0.04, respectively). Myocardial strain is not reduced during DSE in patients with MB in the LAD and no significant systolic compression.
10.1007/s10554-024-03239-z
Comparison of quantitative wall-motion analysis and strain for detection of coronary stenosis with three-dimensional dobutamine stress echocardiography.
Parker Katherine M,Clark Alexander P,Goodman Norman C,Glover David K,Holmes Jeffrey W
Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
BACKGROUND:Quantitative analysis of wall motion from three-dimensional (3D) dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) could provide additional diagnostic information not available from qualitative analysis. In this study, we compare the effectiveness of 3D fractional shortening (3DFS), a measure of wall motion computed from 3D echocardiography (3DE), to strain and strain rate measured with sonomicrometry for detecting critical stenoses during DSE. METHODS:Eleven open-chest dogs underwent DSE both with and without a critical stenosis. 3DFS was measured from 3DE images acquired at peak stress. 3DFS was normalized by subtracting average 3DFS during control peak stress (∆3DFS). Strains in the perfusion defect (PD) were measured from sonomicrometry, and PD size and location were measured with microspheres. RESULTS:A ∆3DFS abnormality indicated the presence of a critical stenosis with high sensitivity and specificity (88% and 100%, respectively), and ∆3DFS abnormality size correlated with PD size (R(2) = 0.54). The sensitivity and specificity for ∆3DFS were similar to that for area strain (88%, 100%) and circumferential strain and strain rate (88%, 92% and 88%, 86%, respectively), while longitudinal strain and strain rate were less specific. ∆3DFS correlated significantly with both coronary flow reserve (R(2) = 0.71) and PD size (R(2) = 0.97), while area strain correlated with PD size only (R(2) = 0.67), and other measures were not significantly correlated with flow reserve or PD size. CONCLUSION:Quantitative wall-motion analysis using ∆3DFS is effective for detecting critical stenoses during DSE, performing similar to 3D strain, and provides potentially useful information on the size and location of a perfusion defect.
10.1111/echo.12636
Layer-specific analysis of dobutamine stress echocardiography for the evaluation of coronary artery disease.
Park Jae Hun,Woo Jong Shin,Ju Shin,Jung Su Woong,Lee Insoo,Kim Jin Bae,Kim Soo Joong,Kim Weon,Kim Woo-Shik,Kim Kwon Sam
Medicine
Although dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is a well-defined tool for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD), false-negative and false-positive results still occur. This study investigated the diagnostic role of layer-specific analysis using 2-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) during DSE.A total of 121 patients who underwent DSE and showed normal wall motion and ejection fraction during baseline echocardiography were enrolled. All patients underwent coronary angiography after DSE within 2 weeks. The patients were divided into the following 4 groups according to DSE results and CAD status: negative DSE with no significant CAD (n = 73), positive DSE with significant CAD (n = 16), negative DSE with significant CAD (n = 17), and positive DSE with no significant CAD (n = 15). Layer-specific global longitudinal strain (GLS) was assessed in the endocardium, mid-myocardium, and epicardium by STE techniques.Patients with significant CAD were older, more male and showed higher glucose level compared to patients without CAD. But coronary risk factors and previous medications were not different between patients with and without CAD. There were no significant differences in whole myocardium or layer-specific GLS found in the baseline echocardiography. During recovery echocardiography, endocardial GLS was significantly different between patients with and without CAD, regardless of the DSE results. A receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis showed that endocardial GLS (>-16%) was superior for identifying significant CAD during the DSE recovery stage. Diagnostic accuracy was improved by applying the results of endocardial GLS compared with visual estimation of DSE.The assessment of layer-specific strain by STE during DSE was feasible, and the evaluation of poststress endocardial function is a more sensitive tool for the detection of CAD.
10.1097/MD.0000000000004549
Relation between ischaemic threshold measured during dobutamine stress echocardiography and coronary angiographic features.
Shehata Mohamed
Kardiologia polska
BACKGROUND:Stress echocardiography has become an accepted method for the evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD). One potential advantage of dobutamine over other stressors used with echocardiography is the possibility of assessing the ischaemic threshold. AIM:This study explores the relation between the ischaemic threshold measured during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) and coronary angiographic features. METHODS:Two hundred consecutive patients with positive high-dose (2.5-40 μg/kg/min) DSE test results were prospectively enrolled. Ischaemic threshold was recorded for all patients using the formula defined by the American Society of Echocardiography i.e. heart rate at which evidence of ischaemia first occurs divided by 220 minus the patient's age then multiplied by 100. All patients underwent coronary angiography, with recording of: (i) number of vessels (≥ 2.5 mm diameter) showing significant (≥ 70%) stenosis; (ii) maximum degree (percentage) of luminal stenosis; and (iii) worst atherosclerotic lesion type, among the affected coronary vessels. RESULTS:The mean age of the whole study cohort was 58.32 ± 10.5 years, 158 (79%) being male. 170 (85%) patients showed significant CAD, defined as ≥ 1 coronary vessel showing significant (≥ 70%) stenosis. Patients with single vessel disease showed a significantly higher ischaemic threshold (84.5 ± 0.3%) compared to two vessel (78 ± 2.2%) and multi-vessel disease (71.4 ± 2.8%) groups (p < 0.001). Patients with the worst lesions, i.e. type B, showed a significantly higher ischaemic threshold (81.6 ± 4.8%, p < 0.05), yet most of them (70%) showed single vessel disease. No statistically significant correlation was found between ischaemic threshold and degree of maximum luminal stenosis. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that a recorded ischaemic threshold value of ≤ 75% predicted multi-vessel CAD with a sensitivity of 90%, a specificity of 97%, a positive predictive value of 87.5% and a negative predictive value of 97.8%. CONCLUSIONS:Ischaemic threshold measured during high-dose DSE test significantly correlates with the number of significantly stenosed coronary arteries. However, it does not correlate with the degree of vessel stenosis. These findings provide further support regarding the utility of DSE in the clinical evaluation of patients with CAD.
10.5603/KP.a2014.0111
Accuracy of global and regional longitudinal strain at peak of dobutamine stress echocardiography to detect significant coronary artery disease.
Ilardi Federica,Santoro Ciro,Maréchal Patrick,Dulgheru Raluca,Postolache Adriana,Esposito Roberta,Giugliano Giuseppe,Sannino Anna,Avvedimento Marisa,Leone Attilio,Cirillo Plinio,Stabile Eugenio,Lancellotti Patrizio,Esposito Giovanni
The international journal of cardiovascular imaging
Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is sensitive but subjective diagnostic tool to detect inducible ischemia. Nowadays, speckle tracking allows an objective quantification of regional wall function. We aimed to investigate the feasibility and accuracy of global (GLS) and regional longitudinal strain (RLS) during DSE to detect significant coronary stenosis (SCS). We conducted a prospective observational multicenter study including patients undergoing DSE for suspected SCS. 50 patients with positive DSE underwent coronary angiography. Besides visual regional wall motion score index (WMSI), GLS and RLS were determined at rest and at peak stress by Automated Function Imaging. DSE GLS feasibility was 96%. Among 35 patients with SCS, 12 patients were affected by multivessel disease, 18 had stenosis of left anterior descending artery (LAD), 18 of left circumflex (LCX) and 15 of right coronary artery (RCA). At peak stress, both GLS reduction (p = 0.037) and WMSI worsening (p = 0.04) showed significant agreement with coronary angiography for detecting SCS. When single lesion was considered, peak stress GLS and LAD RLS were lower in the obstructed LAD regions than in normo-perfused territories (17.4 ± 5.5 vs. 20.5 ± 4.4%, p = 0.03; 17.1 ± 7.6 vs. 21.6 ± 5.5%, p < 0.02, respectively). Furthermore, the addition of RLS to regional WMSI was able to improve accuracy in LAD SCS prediction (AUC 0.68, p = 0.037). Conversely, in presence of LCX or RCA SCS, LS was less accurate than WMSI at peak stress. In conclusion, DSE strain analysis is feasible and may improve prediction of LAD SCS, whereas regional WMSI assessment performs better in presence of SCS of LCX and RCA.
10.1007/s10554-020-02121-y
Feasibility and functional correlates of left atrial volume changes during stress echocardiography in chronic coronary syndromes.
Morrone Doralisa,Arbucci Rosina,Wierzbowska-Drabik Karina,Ciampi Quirino,Peteiro Jesus,Agoston Gergely,Varga Albert,Camarozano Ana Cristina,Boshchenko Alla,Ryabova Tamara,Dekleva Milica,Simova Iana,Lowenstein Haber Diego M,Tesic Milorad,Boskovic Nikola,Djordjevic-Dikic Ana,Beleslin Branko,D'Alfonso Maria Grazia,Mori Fabio,Rodrìguez-Zanella Hugo,Kasprzak Jaroslaw D,Cortigiani Lauro,Lattanzi Fabio,Scali Maria Chiara,Torres Marco A R,Daros Clarissa Borguezan,de Castro E Silva Pretto José Luis,Gaibazzi Nicola,Zagatina Angela,Zhuravskaya Nadezhda,Amor Miguel,Mieles Paul E Vargas,Merlo Pablo Martin,Monte Ines,D'Andrea Antonello,Re Federica,Di Salvo Giovanni,Merli Elisa,Lorenzoni Valentina,De Nes Michele,Paterni Marco,Limongelli Giuseppe,Prota Costantina,Citro Rodolfo,Colonna Paolo,Villari Bruno,Antonini-Canterin Francesco,Carpeggiani Clara,Lowenstein Jorge,Picano Eugenio,
The international journal of cardiovascular imaging
An enlarged left atrial volume index (LAVI) at rest mirrors increased LA pressure and/or impairment of LA function. A cardiovascular stress may acutely modify left atrial volume (LAV) within minutes. Aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and functional correlates of LAV-stress echocardiography (SE) Out of 514 subjects referred to 10 quality-controlled labs, LAV-SE was completed in 490 (359 male, age 67 ± 12 years) with suspected or known chronic coronary syndromes (n = 462) or asymptomatic controls (n = 28). The utilized stress was exercise in 177, vasodilator in 167, dobutamine in 146. LAV was measured with the biplane disk summation method. SE was performed with the ABCDE protocol. The intra-observer and inter-observer LAV variability were 5% and 8%, respectively. ∆-LAVI changes (stress-rest) were negatively correlated with resting LAVI (r = - 0.271, p < 0.001) and heart rate reserve (r = -.239, p < 0.001). LAV-dilators were defined as those with stress-rest increase ≥ 6.8 ml/m, a cutoff derived from a calculated reference change value above the biological, analytical and observer variability of LAVI. LAV dilation occurred in 56 patients (11%), more frequently with exercise (16%) and dipyridamole (13%) compared to dobutamine (4%, p < 0.01). At multivariable logistic regression analysis, B-lines ≥ 2 (OR: 2.586, 95% CI = 1.1293-5.169, p = 0.007) and abnormal contractile reserve (OR: 2.207, 95% CI = 1.111-4.386, p = 0.024) were associated with LAV dilation. In conclusion, LAV-SE is feasible with high success rate and low variability in patients with chronic coronary syndromes. LAV dilation is more likely with reduced left ventricular contractile reserve and pulmonary congestion.
10.1007/s10554-020-02071-5
Role of left ventricle deformation analysis in stress echocardiography for significant coronary artery disease detection: A diagnostic study meta-analysis.
Gupta Kartik,Kakar Tanya S,Gupta Ankur,Singh Amitoj,Gharpure Nitin,Aryal Sudeep,Hawi Riem,Lloyd Steven G,Booker Julian,Hage Fadi G,Prabhu Sumanth D,Nanda Navin C,Bajaj Navkaranbir S
Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
BACKGROUND:We compared the diagnostic accuracy of longitudinal strain (LS) imaging during stress echocardiography with visual assessment of wall motion (WM) for detecting significant coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS:Our systematic search included studies reporting diagnostic measures for LS imaging and visual assessment of WM for detecting significant CAD during stress echocardiography. Summary diagnostic accuracy measures including area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and likelihood ratios (LRs) were estimated. RESULTS:In thirteen studies with 978 patients, ten studies used invasive coronary angiography as the reference standard. Pooled AUC for diagnosing significant CAD was 0.92 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.89-0.94) for LS imaging as compared to 0.83 (95% CI 0.80-0.86), P < 0.001 for visual assessment of WM. LS imaging had higher sensitivity (88% [95% CI 84-92] vs 74% [95% CI 68-80], P < 0.001) and comparable specificity to visual assessment of WM (80% [95% CI 72-87] vs 83% [95% CI 74-90], P = 0.592). The DOR for LS imaging and visual assessment of WM was 31 and 15, P = 0.254, respectively. The positive LR was 4.5 for both; negative LR was 0.14 and 0.31, P = 0.002 for LS imaging and visual assessment of WM, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:Longitudinal strain imaging during stress echocardiography has better diagnostic accuracy for detecting significant CAD as compared to visual assessment of WM. Studies using larger sample size and standardized techniques of strain measurement are required to further ascertain the added advantage of strain measurement over visual assessment alone.
10.1111/echo.14365
Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography - Need for a Better Gold Standard?
Sachdeva Ankush,Paul Biswajit
The Journal of the Association of Physicians of India
INTRODUCTION:Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) has come a long way as establishing itself as a feasible, safe, effective, relatively cheaper non-invasive technique to detect population suffering from coronary artery disease (CAD) and following up patients post revascuralization. Besides these DSE is commonly used to diagnose low gradient, low flow true severe aortic stenosis (AS); differentiating it from pseudo- AS and to follow up patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP). Various non-invasive techniques have different sensitivity and specificity to accurately judge a viable myocardium and to accurately detect the improvement in regional wall motion abnormality (RWMA) post-revascularization, leading to an overall increase in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The comparison of various modalities, role of DSE in intermediate coronary lesions (75%) and other important uses and controversies surrounding DSE are discussed; suggesting the incremental value of DSE as a indispensable and versatile a diagnostic technique.
The feasibility, reliability, and incremental value of two-dimensional speckle-tracking for the detection of significant coronary stenosis after treadmill stress echocardiography.
d'Entremont Marc-André,Fortin Gabriel,Huynh Thao,Croteau Étienne,Farand Paul,Lemaire-Paquette Samuel,Brochu Marie-Claude,Do Doan Hoa,Lepage Serge,Mampuya Warner Mbuila,Couture Étienne L,Nguyen Michel,Essadiqi Btissama
Cardiovascular ultrasound
BACKGROUND:Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) may help detect coronary artery disease (CAD) when combined with dobutamine stress echocardiography. However, few studies have explored STE with exercise stress echocardiography (ESE). We aimed to evaluate the feasibility, reliability, and incremental value of STE combined with treadmill ESE compared to treadmill ESE alone to detect CAD. METHODS:We conducted a case-control study of all consecutive patients with abnormal ESE in 2018-2020 who subsequently underwent coronary angiography within a six-month interval. We 1:1 propensity score-matched these patients to those with a normal ESE. Two blinded operators generated a 17-segment bull's-eye map of longitudinal strain (LS). We utilized the mean differences between stress and baseline LS values in segments 13-17, segment 17, and segments 15-16 to create receiver operator curves for the overall examination, the left anterior descending artery (LAD), and the non-LAD territories, respectively. RESULTS:We excluded 61 STEs from 201 (30.3%) eligible ESEs; 47 (23.4%) because of suboptimal image quality and 14 (7.0%) because of excessive heart rate variability precluding the calculation of a bull's-eye map. After matching, a total of 102 patients were included (51 patients in each group). In the group with abnormal ESE patients (mean age 66.4 years, 39.2% female), 64.7% had significant CAD (> 70% stenosis) at coronary angiogram. In the group with normal ESE patients (mean age 65.1 years, 35.3% female), 3.9% were diagnosed with a new significant coronary stenosis within one year. The intra-class correlation for global LS was 0.87 at rest and 0.92 at stress, and 0.84 at rest, and 0.89 at stress for the apical segments. The diagnostic accuracy of combining ESE and STE was superior to visual assessment alone for the overall examination (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.89 vs. 0.84, p = 0.025), the non-LAD territory (AUC = 0.83 vs. 0.70, p = 0.006), but not the LAD territory (AUC = 0.79 vs. 0.73, p = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS:Two-dimensional speckle-tracking combined with treadmill ESE is relatively feasible, reliable, and may provide incremental diagnostic value for the detection and localization of significant CAD.
10.1186/s12947-021-00259-w
Role of simultaneous carotid ultrasound in patients undergoing stress echocardiography for assessment of chest pain with no previous history of coronary artery disease.
Ahmadvazir Shahram,Zacharias Konstantinos,Shah Benoy N,Pabla Jatinder S,Senior Roxy
American heart journal
BACKGROUND:We prospectively explored prevalence of carotid disease (CD), its independent association with coronary artery disease (CAD) and outcome as well as potential impact on management, in patients undergoing stress echocardiography (SE) for new onset chest pain without known CAD. METHODS:Accordingly, 591 consecutive patients referred for SE underwent carotid ultrasound. Carotid disease was defined as carotid intima-media thickness (C-IMT) >75th percentile for age and sex and/or presence of plaque. RESULTS:Myocardial ischemia was demonstrated in only a minority (11%), but there was a high prevalence of CD (70%). Incidence of CD was similar in patients with and without ischemia (76% versus 69%, P = .26). Carotid data led to reclassification of Framingham risk score categories in 65% of patients as well as more than a third of negative SE patients potentially benefitting from primary prevention therapy. Of the 83 patients undergoing coronary arteriography, 59 (71%) demonstrated coronary atherosclerosis (any atheroma) and 33 (40%) CAD. Positive predictive value of SE for CAD was 56%, but presence of carotid plaque improved it to 70%. Although both CD and plaque showed association with CAD and revascularization, after adjustment for conventional risk factors, only carotid plaque maintained significant association (P = .024 and P = .023, respectively). CONCLUSIONS:There is significantly higher prevalence of CD compared with myocardial ischemia in patients undergoing SE and carotid ultrasound for suspected CAD. This can lead to significant Framingham risk score reclassification with important primary prevention implications. Carotid plaque is superior to clinical assessment for the prediction of CAD and improves positive predictive value of SE for CAD in these patients.
10.1016/j.ahj.2014.04.016
SPECKLE TRACKING DOBUTAMINE STRESS ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY IN PRIMARY CORONARY ARTERIES DISEASE DIAGNOSIS.
Smiianov Vladyslav A,Rudenko Serhii A,Potashev Serhii V,Salo Serhii V,Gavrylyshin Andrii Y,Levchyshina Elena V,Hrubyak Liliana M,Nosovets Elena K,Nastenko Evgenii A,Rudenko Anatolii V,Lazoryshynets Vasilii V
Wiadomosci lekarskie (Warsaw, Poland : 1960)
OBJECTIVE:The aim of the work was to evaluate STE feasibility as DSE visualization method and its accuracy compared to coronary angiography (CAG) in the patients with moderate-tohigh coronary arteries disease (CAD) risk. PATIENTS AND METHODS:Materials and methods: We prospectively examined 140 pts (84 (60.0%) men) with suspected CAD in order to verify diagnosis and evaluate myocardial viability and coronary reserve. RESULTS:Results: Mean LV EF was 54.4±15.8%. All pts had normal BP and HR during the test. There were no significant hemodynamics alterations during the test. There were no significant complications during DSE - 15 (12.9%) cases of different relatively low-grade supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmia, mainly transitory without interventions. There were 116 (82.9%) positive DSE results, of which 2 (1.72%) were false-positive. In 2 (8.3%) pts with negative DSE results CAG revealed 1-vessel insignificant (50 - 70%) lesions with developed collaterals (false-negative results). According to DSE and CAG results, 96 (82.3%) pts underwent revascularization interventions - 86 (89.6%) PCI's and (10.4%) CABG surgeries. Sensitivity and specificity of DSE with STE for primary CAD diagnosis according to "golden standard" CAG results were 98.3% and 91.7%, respectively, with identical positive and negative predictive value and very high method overall accuracy (AUC = 0.98) and OR = 627.0 (p<0.0001). Sensitivity and specificity of DSE with STE for defining indications for intervention and revascularization were 97.9% and 91.7%, respectively, with high overall accuracy (AUC = 0.95; OR = 564.0, p<0.0001). Combined quantification of ΔGLS and ΔWMSI for primary CAD diagnosis showed significantly lower sensitivity 86.2% (р=0.0002) and specificity 80.4% (р=0.0064) with significantly lower integral method accuracy (AUC 0.83, р<0.0001). CONCLUSION:Conclusions: DSE with STE as a visualization method is a safe and optimal method for ischemia diagnosis and myocardial viability and coronary reserve evaluation in the pts with CAD suspicion. Given the lower ΔGLS and ΔWMSI accuracy compared to integral DSE with STE result evaluation, as well as frequent GLS growth in significant amount of patients with definite positive test result, authors recommend evaluating integral test result rather than strain value.
Comprehensive dobutamine stress CMR versus echocardiography in LBBB and suspected coronary artery disease.
Mordi Ify,Stanton Tony,Carrick David,McClure John,Oldroyd Keith,Berry Colin,Tzemos Nikolaos
JACC. Cardiovascular imaging
OBJECTIVES:This study aimed to compare dobutamine stress cardiac magnetic resonance (DSCMR) with dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) and suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). BACKGROUND:Noninvasive diagnosis of CAD in patients with pre-existent LBBB is difficult because single-photon emission computed tomography and stress echocardiography both have limitations. We hypothesized that a comprehensive DSCMR examination including cine, perfusion, and late gadolinium enhancement imaging would be more accurate than DSE, thus potentially reducing the number of unnecessary invasive coronary angiograms. METHODS:We prospectively evaluated 82 consecutive patients with LBBB referred to our cardiology clinic for investigation of suspected CAD. All 82 patients underwent DSE, DSCMR, and invasive quantitative coronary angiography within 14 days. We compared the diagnostic accuracy of DSE, CMR cine imaging, the additive value of first-pass perfusion, and late gadolinium enhancement. In the comprehensive examination, a positive result was adjudged as the presence of either subendocardial or transmural late gadolinium enhancement with or without inducible peri-infarct ischemia or an inducible perfusion defect corresponding to an inducible regional wall motion abnormality. RESULTS:CMR cine imaging (regional wall motion abnormalities) had higher specificity, negative predictive value, and overall diagnostic accuracy than did DSE (87.5% vs. 72.9%; 80.8% vs. 67.3%; and 80.4% vs. 72.0%, respectively), although sensitivity was the same (72.0%). The addition of first-pass stress perfusion and late gadolinium enhancement (scar) further improved diagnostic confidence (sensitivity 82.4%, specificity 95.8%, positive predictive value 93.3%, negative predictive value 88.5%, and diagnostic accuracy 90.2%). CONCLUSIONS:DSCMR is a safe procedure and has greater diagnostic accuracy than does DSE in assessing patients with suspected CAD and LBBB. A comprehensive examination with the addition of perfusion and late gadolinium enhancement to CMR cine imaging significantly boosted specificity and sensitivity, making DSCMR a reliable alternative to invasive quantitative coronary angiography in this group of patients.
10.1016/j.jcmg.2014.01.012
Functional, Anatomical, and Prognostic Correlates of Coronary Flow Velocity Reserve During Stress Echocardiography.
Ciampi Quirino,Zagatina Angela,Cortigiani Lauro,Gaibazzi Nicola,Borguezan Daros Clarissa,Zhuravskaya Nadezhda,Wierzbowska-Drabik Karina,Kasprzak Jaroslaw D,de Castro E Silva Pretto José Luis,D'Andrea Antonello,Djordjevic-Dikic Ana,Monte Ines,Simova Iana,Boshchenko Alla,Citro Rodolfo,Amor Miguel,Merlo Pablo Martin,Dodi Claudio,Rigo Fausto,Gligorova Suzana,Dekleva Milica,Severino Sergio,Lattanzi Fabio,Scali Maria Chiara,Vrublevsky Alexander,Torres Marco A R,Salustri Alessandro,Rodrìguez-Zanella Hugo,Costantino Fabio Marco,Varga Albert,Bossone Eduardo,Colonna Paolo,De Nes Michele,Paterni Marco,Carpeggiani Clara,Lowenstein Jorge,Gregori Dario,Picano Eugenio,
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
BACKGROUND:The assessment of coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) in left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) expands the risk stratification potential of stress echocardiography (SE) based on stress-induced regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA). OBJECTIVES:The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and functional correlates of CFVR. METHODS:This prospective, observational, multicenter study initially screened 3,410 patients (2,061 [60%] male; age 63 ± 11 years; ejection fraction 61 ± 9%) with known or suspected coronary artery disease and/or heart failure. All patients underwent SE (exercise, n = 1,288; vasodilator, n = 1,860; dobutamine, n = 262) based on new or worsening RWMA in 20 accredited laboratories of 8 countries. CFVR was calculated as the stress/rest ratio of diastolic peak flow velocity pulsed-Doppler assessment of LAD flow. A subset of 1,867 patients was followed up. RESULTS:The success rate for CFVR on LAD was 3,002 of 3,410 (feasibility = 88%). Reduced (≤2.0) CFVR was found in 896 of 3,002 (30%) patients. At multivariable logistic regression analysis, inducible RWMA (odds ratio [OR]: 6.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.9 to 8.5; p < 0.01), abnormal left ventricular contractile reserve (OR: 3.4; 95% CI: 2.7 to 4.2; p < 0.01), and B-lines (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.1 to 1.9; p = 0.01) were associated with reduced CFVR. During a median follow-up time of 16 months, 218 events occurred. RWMA (hazard ratio: 3.8; 95% CI: 2.3 to 6.3; p < 0.001) and reduced CFVR (hazard ratio: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.1 to 2.2; p = 0.009) were independently associated with adverse outcome. CONCLUSIONS:CFVR is feasible with all SE protocols. Reduced CFVR is often accompanied by RWMA, abnormal LVCR, and pulmonary congestion during stress, and shows independent value over RWMA in predicting an adverse outcome.
10.1016/j.jacc.2019.08.1046
Stress echo applications beyond coronary artery disease.
Picano Eugenio,Pellikka Patricia A
European heart journal
Stress echocardiography is an established method for the diagnosis and prognostic stratification of coronary artery disease. In the last few years, the tremendous technological and conceptual versatility of this technique has been increasingly applied in challenging diagnostic fields. Today, in the echocardiography laboratory we can detect not only ischaemia from coronary artery stenosis, but can also recognize abnormalities of the coronary microvessels, myocardium, heart valves, pulmonary circulation, alveolar-capillary barrier, and right ventricle. Therefore, we evaluate coronary arteries as well as coronary microvascular disease (associated with diabetes and hypertension), suspected or overt dilated cardiomyopathy, systolic and diastolic heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, athletes' hearts, valvular heart disease, congenital heart disease, incipient or overt pulmonary hypertension, and heart transplant patients for early detection of chronic or acute rejection as well as potential donors for better selection of suitable donor hearts. From a stress echo era with a one-fits-all approach (wall motion by 2D-echo in the patient with known or suspected coronary artery disease) now we have moved on to an omnivorous, next-generation laboratory employing a variety of technologies (from M-Mode to 2D and pulsed, continuous and colour Doppler, to lung ultrasound and real-time 3D echo, 2D speckle tracking and myocardial contrast echo) on patients covering the entire spectrum of severity (from elite athletes to patients with end-stage heart failure) and ages (from children with congenital heart disease to the elderly with low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis). For each patient, we can tailor a dedicated stress protocol with a specific method to address a particular diagnostic question. Provided that the acoustic window is acceptable and the necessary expertise available, stress echocardiography is useful and convenient in many situations, from valvular to congenital heart disease, and whenever there is a mismatch between symptoms during stress and findings at rest. Increasing societal concern regarding cost, environment and radiation risks of medical imaging will lead to a preferential application of ultrasound over competing techniques, due to its unsurpassed versatility, portability, absence of radiation, and low cost.
10.1093/eurheartj/eht350
Association of postsystolic shortening on stress echocardiography and significant coronary artery stenosis: A single-centre retrospective cohort study.
Clinical physiology and functional imaging
BACKGROUND:Postsystolic shortening (PSS) is one of the proposed quantitative measures to predict myocardial ischaemia in the stress echocardiographic (SE) evaluation. It is previously known that hypo-/akinesia (HA) correlates well with coronary stenosis. However, some patients undergoing SE only present with PSS, and their risk of significant coronary stenosis is less clear. This study aimed to evaluate the association between PSS and significant coronary stenosis compared with HA. METHODS:This was a retrospective cohort study at the hospital of S:t Görans, Stockholm, Sweden. All patients who underwent SE to investigate inducible ischaemia between 1 January 2018 and 15 October 2021 were eligible for inclusion. Exclusion criteria were normal SE and inconclusive test. Pathological SE were divided into two groups, patients with HA and those with PSS. Outcome was significant coronary artery stenosis visualized by invasive coronary angiography. RESULTS:The final study population consisted of 108 patients (73 PSS, 35 HA). The presence of HA was associated with a higher risk of significant stenosis compared to those with PSS (63% vs. 23%, p < 0.001). This relationship was observed among males (p < 0.001), but not among females (p = 0.133). Nonsignificant stenosis trended to be more common among patients with PSS (21% vs. 6%, p = 0.053) CONCLUSIONS: The finding of PSS without HA was associated with a lower risk of significant coronary stenosis than HA. However, patients with PSS still often had nonsignificant coronary stenosis and PSS in the evaluation for nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) should be further investigated.
10.1111/cpf.12883
Clinical and prognostic value of stress echocardiography appropriateness criteria for evaluation of coronary artery disease in a tertiary referral centre.
Bhattacharyya Sanjeev,Kamperidis Vasilis,Chahal Navtej,Shah Benoy N,Roussin Isabelle,Li Wei,Khattar Rajdeep,Senior Roxy
Heart (British Cardiac Society)
OBJECTIVE:Appropriateness criteria for stress echocardiography (SE) have been published to reduce the rate of inappropriate testing. We sought to investigate the clinical impact and prognostic value of these criteria. METHODS:250 consecutive patients undergoing SE for evaluation of coronary artery disease were classified into appropriate, uncertain and inappropriate categories according to appropriateness criteria. A positive SE was defined as the development of new wall motion abnormalities or a biphasic response. The primary end point was the composite of myocardial infarction and death. RESULTS:Of the 250 SE, 120 (48%) were dobutamine studies and 130 (52%) were exercise studies. 156 (62.4%), 71 (28.4%) and 23 (9.2%) were classified as appropriate, inappropriate and uncertain, respectively. A significantly greater proportion of studies classified as appropriate 71 (45.5%) demonstrated inducible ischaemia compared with inappropriate studies 9 (12.7%) or uncertain studies 4 (17.4%), p<0.0001. During a median follow-up of 12.4 months, events occurred in 18 (11.5%), 2 (2.8%) and 0 patients classified as appropriate, inappropriate and uncertain, respectively. Event-free survival was significantly reduced in patients with a SE demonstrating ischaemia compared with patients without inducible ischaemia, p<0.0001. Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated reduced event-free survival in patients with whose studies were classified as appropriate compared to inappropriate (p=0.01) or uncertain (p=0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Appropriateness criteria differentiate between patients at high risk of ischaemia, subsequent revascularisation/cardiac events (appropriate group) and those at low risk of events (inappropriate group). A large proportion of SE is currently performed in inappropriate patients. Implementation of the criteria in clinical practice would reduce unnecessary testing.
10.1136/heartjnl-2013-304949
Incremental Prognostic Value of Stress Echocardiography With Carotid Ultrasound for Suspected CAD.
Ahmadvazir Shahram,Shah Benoy N,Zacharias Konstantinos,Senior Roxy
JACC. Cardiovascular imaging
OBJECTIVES:This study hypothesized that ischemia and atherosclerosis assessment by ultrasound (US) may provide incremental prognostic information in patients with new-onset chest pain who do not have coronary artery disease (CAD). BACKGROUND:The clinical significance of atherosclerosis assessment by carotid US in patients undergoing stress echocardiography (SE) in such patients is unknown. METHODS:Consecutive patients with suspected angina but no history of CAD underwent simultaneous SE and US prospectively to assess myocardial ischemia and carotid plaque burden (CPB), respectively. Patients were followed up for major adverse events (MAEs)-all-cause mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and unplanned coronary revascularization. RESULTS:Of 591 recruited patients, 580 (men, 46%; mean age 59 ± 11 years) patients were available for follow-up. SE demonstrated myocardial ischemia in 12%, but prevalence of carotid plaques was 59%. During a mean follow-up of 1,117 ± 361 days, 40 first MAEs occurred. In the multivariable regression model, pre-test probability (PTP) of CAD (p = 0.001), abnormal SE (p < 0.0001), and CPB (p < 0.0001) predicted MAEs. MAE rates per year increased from 0.9% versus 1.97% versus 4.3% versus 9.7% in patients with no carotid plaque and normal SE versus patients who had plaque and normal SE versus those with no plaque and abnormal SE versus patients with plaque and abnormal SE, respectively (p < 0.0001). In hierarchical analysis, plaque burden provided incremental prognostic value over PTP of CAD and SE; likewise, SE was incremental to PTP-CAD and CPB (p < 0.0001 for both). CONCLUSIONS:In patients with suspected stable angina without known CAD, simultaneous SE (for ischemia) and US (for atherosclerosis) provided incremental prognostic value.
10.1016/j.jcmg.2016.12.020
Speckle tracking stress echocardiography: A valuable diagnostic technique or a burden for everyday practice?
Mandoli Giulia Elena,Pastore Maria Concetta,Vasilijevaite Kristina,Cameli Paolo,D'Ascenzi Flavio,Focardi Marta,Mondillo Sergio,Cameli Matteo
Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
Non-invasive screening for early diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) represents a key element in the never-ending challenge to reduce cardiac death. Stress/rest electrocardiogram often lacks diagnostic accuracy, especially in asymptomatic patients, in fact the latest guidelines for the diagnosis and management of chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) stated the superiority of functional imaging techniques for the detection of subtle myocardial ischemia and the evaluation of myocardial viability (MV). Stress echocardiography is the most accessible and inexpensive imaging method for the study of CAD, either with pharmacological or with exercise provocative stress, based on visual wall-motion assessment. However, in some cases, such as small coronary lesions or microvascular angina, it loses its diagnostic power, therefore requiring a more sensitive approach. Accordingly, in the last years many authors investigated the possible additive value provided by the integration of an advanced but easy-to-obtain technique, that is speckle tracking imaging, to stress echocardiography, reaching promising results; nevertheless, its use is not included in the latest recommendations for CCS. The present review discusses the potential benefits from using a combination of speckle tracking and stress echocardiography for the early detection of myocardial ischemia and the assessment of MV and its suitability in different clinical scenarios, basing on the available evidence.
10.1111/echo.14894
Stress Echocardiography by the ABCDE Protocol ln the Assessment of Prognosis of Stable Coronary Heart Disease.
Kardiologiia
AIM:To assess the role of clinical indicators and parameters of stress echocardiography performed according to an extended protocol as predictors for the occurrence of a composite cardiovascular endpoint (CCVEP) in IHD. MATERIAL AND METHODS:The study included 186 patients (60.2% men, mean age 60.6±9.9 years) with an established (n=73; 39.2%) and suspected (60.8%) diagnosis of IHD. Stress EchoCG with adenosine triphosphate (38.2%), transesophageal pacing (15.1%), dobutamine (2.6%), and bicycle ergometry on a recumbent ergometer (44.1%) was performed. The stress EchoCG protocol included assessment of regional wall motion abnormalities (WMA), B-lines, LV contractile reserve (CTR), coronary reserve (CR), and heart rate reserve. The median follow-up period was 13 [9; 20] months. The composite CCVEP included death from cardiovascular diseases and their complications, acute coronary syndrome, and revascularization and was defined at the first of these events. Statistical analysis was performed with the Statistica 16.0 and SPSS Statistics 23.0 software packages. Differences were considered statistically significant at p<0.05. RESULTS:Invasive or noninvasive coronary angiography was performed in 90.3% of patients; obstructive coronary disease (stenosis ≥50%) was detected in 67.9% of cases. During the follow-up period, 58 (31.2%) patients had cardiovascular complications. The risk of developing CCVEP was associated with the pretest probability (PTP) of ischemic heart disease (odds ratio, OR, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.02-1.08), dyslipidemia (DLP) (OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.20-0.82), carotid atherosclerosis (OR 0.39; 95% CI 0.18-0.86), LV ejection fraction (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.93-0.99), appearance at peak stress of new significant (2 LV segments or more) regional WMAs (OR 0.32; 95% CI 0.18-6.55), decreased LV CTR (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.27-0.79) and CR (OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.18-0.61); p<0.05 for all. In a multivariate analysis with Cox regression, the model with clinical indicators included PTP of IHD (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01-1.07; p=0.01) and DLP (OR 0.14; 95% CI 0.02-1.01; p=0.05) as predictors. The model with stress EchoCG parameters included the appearance of new significant WMAs (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.16-0.65; p=0.001) and reduced <2.0 CR (OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.24-0.82; p=0.01). A comparative analysis of Kaplan-Meier curves confirmed statistically significant differences in the dynamics of the CCVEP occurrence depending on the absence or presence of hemodynamically significant WMAs and/or reduced CR during stress EchoCG (p<0.01). CONCLUSION:Reduced LV CR and WMA during stress EchoCG in patients with suspected or confirmed IHD are significant independent predictors for the CCVEP occurrence. Among clinical indicators, PTP of IHD and DLP are of the greatest importance for prognosis.
10.18087/cardio.2024.4.n2572
Role of adjuvant carotid ultrasound in women undergoing stress echocardiography for the assessment of suspected coronary artery disease.
Open heart
OBJECTIVE:Due to the low prevalence of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in women, stress testing has a relatively low predictive value for this. Additionally, conventional cardiovascular risk scores underestimate risk in women. This study sought to evaluate the role of atherosclerosis assessment using carotid ultrasound (CU) in women attending for stress echocardiography (SE). METHODS:This was a prospective study in which consecutive women with recent-onset suspected angina, who were referred for clinically indicated SE, underwent CU. RESULTS:415 women (mean age 61±10 years, 29% diabetes mellitus, mean body mass index 28) attending for SE underwent CU. 47 women (11%) had inducible wall motion abnormalities, and carotid disease (CD) was present in 46% (carotid plaque in 41%, carotid intima-media thickness >75th percentile in 15%). Women with CD were older (65 vs 58 years, p<0.001), and more likely to have diabetes (41% vs 21%, p=0.001), hypertension (67% vs 36%, p<0.01) and a higher pretest probability of CAD (59% vs 41%, p<0.001). 40% of women classified as low Framingham risk were found to have evidence of CD.The positive predictive value of SE for flow-limiting CAD was 51%, but with the presence of carotid plaque, this was 71% (p<0.01). Carotid plaque (p=0.004) and ischaemia (p=0.01) were the only independent predictors of >70% angiographic stenosis. In women with ischaemia on SE and no carotid plaque, the negative predictive value for flow-limiting disease was 88%.During a follow-up of 1058±234 days, there were 15 events (defined as all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, heart failure admissions and late coronary revascularisation). Age (HR 1.07 (1.00-1.15), p=0.04), carotid plaque burden (HR 1.65 (1.36-2.00), p<0.001) and ischaemic burden (HR 1.41 (1.18-1.68), p<0.001) were associated with outcome. There was a stepwise increase in events/year from 0.3% when there were no ischaemia and atherosclerosis, 1.1% when there was atherosclerosis and no ischaemia, 2.2% when there was ischaemia and no atherosclerosis and 10% when there were both ischaemia and atherosclerosis (p<0.001). CONCLUSION:CU significantly improves the accuracy of SE alone for identifying flow-limiting disease on coronary angiography, and improves risk stratification in women attending for SE, as well identifying a subset of women who may benefit from primary preventative measures.
10.1136/openhrt-2019-001188
Long-term prognostic value of contemporary stress echocardiography in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Heart (British Cardiac Society)
BACKGROUND:Long-term outcome of contemporary stress echocardiography has not been systematically assessed. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the association between results of stress echocardiography and patients' outcomes with suspected coronary artery disease using randomised controlled trials. METHODS:Multiple electronic databases were searched for studies evaluating long-term outcome (>12 months) of stress echocardiography in patients suspected of coronary artery disease since year 2000. A common-effect model was used to derive pooled estimates. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality or cardiovascular death and non-fatal myocardial infarction, depending on the definition applied in individual trials, termed as major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE). Secondary outcome was all-cause mortality. Positive stress echocardiography result was defined as inducible ischaemia in at least one of the 17 left ventricular segments and negative stress echocardiography with no inducible ischaemia. RESULTS:Among a total of six trials, 16 581 subjects underwent either pharmacological or treadmill stress echocardiography, a median follow-up of 31 months (range 21-101). The annual event rate was 1.76% for the composite MACE and 1.35% for all-cause mortality. Compared with negative stress echocardiography, positive stress echocardiography was associated with an increased risk of the MACE and all-cause mortality with an annual event rate of 1.99% vs 1.54% (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.79 to 2.33) and 1.68% vs 1.02% (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.80 to 2.35), respectively. CONCLUSION:Positive stress echocardiography results were associated with poorer long-term MACE and all-cause mortality. Stress echocardiography results may provide a useful long-term guidance in intensifying preventative treatment in patients with suspected coronary artery disease. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER:CRD42023416766.
10.1136/heartjnl-2024-324534
The Fundamental Role of Stress Echo in Evaluating Coronary Artery Disease in Specific Patient Populations.
Current vascular pharmacology
Stress echocardiography (SE) was initially used for assessing patients with known or suspected coronary heart disease by detecting and evaluating myocardial ischemia and viability. The implementation of SE has gradually been extended to several cardiovascular diseases beyond coronary artery disease, and SE protocols have been modified and adapted for the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) or other cardiovascular diseases in specific patient populations. This review attempts to summarize current data concerning SE implementation and clinical value in these specific and diverse populations: patients with an intramural course of a coronary artery, known as a myocardial bridge, chronic severe or end-stage hepatic disease, chronic severe or end-stage kidney disease, cardiac allograft vasculopathy, patients scheduled for solid-organ transplantation and other intermediate and high-risk surgery and, finally, patients treated with anticancer drugs or radiotherapy.
10.2174/1570161120666211220104156
A knowledge graph-based analytical model for mining clinical value of drug stress echocardiography for diagnosis, risk stratification and prognostic evaluation of coronary artery disease.
International journal of cardiology
The three major techniques for clinically diagnosing coronary heart disease, including angina associated with myocardial ischemia, are coronary angiography, myocardial perfusion imaging, and drug stress echocardiography. Compared to the first two methods, which are invasive or involve the use of radionuclides, drug stress echocardiography is increasingly used in clinical practice due to its non-invasive, low-risk, and controllable nature, and wide applicability. We developed a novel methodology to demonstrate knowledge graph-based efficacy analysis of drug stress echocardiography as a complement to traditional meta-analysis. By measuring coronary flow reserve (CFR), we discovered that regional ventricular wall abnormalities (RVWA) and drug-loaded cardiac ultrasound can be used to detect coronary artery disease. Additionally, drug-loaded cardiac ultrasound can be used to identify areas of cardiac ischemia, stratify risks, and determine prognosis. Furthermore, adenosine stress echocardiography(ASE) can determine atypical symptoms of coronary heart disease with associated cardiac events through CFR and related quantitative indices for risk stratification. Using a knowledge graph-based approach, we investigated the positive and negative effects of three drugs - Dipyridamole, Dobutamine, and Adenosine - for coronary artery disease analysis. Our findings show that Adenosine has the highest positive effect and the lowest negative effect among the three drugs. Due to its minimal and controlled side effects, and high sensitivity for diagnosing coronary microcirculation disorders and multiple lesions, adenosine is frequently used in clinical practice.
10.1016/j.ijcard.2023.05.057
Accuracy and Prognostic Value of Physiologist-Led Stress Echocardiography for Coronary Disease.
Khan Jamal Nasir,Griffiths Timothy,Kanagala Prathap,Kwok Chun Shing,Sandhu Kully,Cabezon Sinead,Baig Shanat,Naneishvili Tamara,Kay Lee Vetton Chee,Pasricha Arron,Robins Emily,Fatima Tamseel,Mihai Andreea,Rai Kam,Booth Samantha,Lee Doug,Bennett Sadie,Butler Robert,Duckett Simon,Heatlie Grant
Heart, lung & circulation
BACKGROUND:We demonstrated that physiologist-led stress echocardiography (PLSE) is feasible for coronary artery disease (CAD) assessment. We sought to extend our work by assessing its accuracy and prognostic value. METHODS:Retrospective study of 898 subjects undergoing PLSE (n=393) or cardiologist-led stress echocardiography (CLSE) (n=505) for CAD assessment using exercise or dobutamine. For accuracy assessment, the primary outcome was the ability of stress echocardiography to identify significant CAD on invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Incidence of 24-month non-fatal MI, total and cardiac mortality, revascularisation and combined major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were assessed. RESULTS:Demographics, comorbidities, CAD predictors, CAD pre-test probability and cardiac medications were matched between the PLSE and CLSE groups. PLSE had high sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value and accuracy (85%, 74%, 69%, 88%, 78% respectively). PLSE accuracy measures were similar and non-inferior to CLSE. There was a similar incidence of individual and combined outcomes in PLSE and CLSE subjects. Negative stress echocardiography conferred a comparably low incidence of non-fatal MI (PLSE 1.4% vs. CLSE 0.9%, p=0.464), cardiac mortality (0.6% vs. 0.0%, p=0.277) and MACE (6.8% vs. 3.1%, p=0.404). CONCLUSION:This is the first study of the accuracy compared with gold standard of ICA, and prognostic value of PLSE CAD assessment. PLSE demonstrates high and non-inferior accuracy compared with CLSE for CAD assessment. Negative PLSE and CLSE confer a similarly very low incidence of cardiac outcomes, confirming for the first time the important prognostic value of PLSE.
10.1016/j.hlc.2020.09.933
Exercise Stress Echocardiography in Kawasaki Disease Patients with Coronary Aneurysms.
Pediatric cardiology
The most significant sequelae of Kawasaki disease (KD) are coronary artery aneurysms, which can lead to risk of future myocardial ischemia. Exercise stress echocardiography allows for non-invasive assessment of myocardial dysfunction. We reviewed our single center experience with exercise stress echocardiography in patients with previous history of KD with coronary aneurysms. We reviewed the records of 53 KD patients who underwent exercise stress echocardiography from 2000 to 2020. Abnormal stress echocardiograms were defined as those showing no increase in biventricular systolic function post-exercise or regional wall motion abnormalities. Computed tomography angiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging were reviewed for patients with abnormal stress echocardiograms. Clinical data were reviewed and correlated with stress echocardiogram results. Of the 53 patients, three (5.7%) had an abnormal exercise stress echocardiogram. All three patients were classified as AHA Risk Level 4 or 5 by coronary Z-score (internal dimension normalized for body surface area) and were confirmed to have coronary aneurysms, stenosis, or myocardial tissue perfusion defects on advanced cardiac imaging that could account for the results seen on stress echocardiogram. Exercise stress echocardiography detected signs of myocardial ischemia in a subset of high-risk patients with Kawasaki disease and coronary aneurysms and may be considered as a useful screening tool for this complex patient cohort.
10.1007/s00246-022-03037-1
Reversible ischaemia and outcome after adjustment for coronary artery disease severity: a multicentre stress-echocardiography registry.
European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging
AIMS:To assess the potential association of reversible ischaemia and Doppler coronary flow velocity reserve in the left anterior descending coronary artery (CFVR-LAD) during stress echocardiography (SE) with all-cause mortality and non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), after correction for anatomic coronary artery disease (CAD) burden and other significant clinical variables. METHODS AND RESULTS:We selected 3191 patients (mean age 66 ± 12 years) from our multicentre SE registry, who underwent both high-dose dipyridamole SE (comprehensive of CFVR-LAD measurement) and coronary angiography within 2 months. All-cause mortality and non-fatal MI were the primary end points. The association of the primary end point with ischaemia severity and CFVR-LAD was assessed, after multivariable adjustment for all other significant clinical and imaging variables, including anatomic CAD severity by the modified Duke Prognostic Index. The primary end point occurred in 767 (24%) patients (death in 409 and non-fatal MI in 375 patients) during a median follow-up of 42 months. Multivariable Cox regression analyses indicated that, among other significant variables, anatomic CAD severity, reversible ischaemia, and CFVR-LAD were all independently associated with the primary end point; reversible ischaemia was also associated with subsequent MI, while CFVR-LAD with mortality, independent of anatomic CAD severity. CONCLUSION:Our study suggests that reversible ischaemia by wall motion assessment and CFVR-LAD on dipyridamole SE are independently associated with dismal outcome in patients with suspected or known stable CAD, even after accounting for angiographic anatomic CAD severity and also independently from which coronary artery is diseased.
10.1093/ehjci/jead304
Myocardial perfusion scans.
Lee Joseph C,West Malcolm J,Khafagi Frederick A
Australian family physician
Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a major health concern and the leading cause of death in Australia. Effective assessment of patients for possible CAD is a common problem in general practice. Non-invasive tests such as myocardial perfusion scans (MPS), exercise stress tests (ESTs) and stress echocardiography (using exercise or dobutamine as the stressor, as appropriate) can provide useful diagnostic and prognostic information. This brief review discusses the role of MPS in the evaluation of CAD.
The clinical use of stress echocardiography in chronic coronary syndromes and beyond coronary artery disease: a clinical consensus statement from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging of the ESC.
European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging
Since the 2009 publication of the stress echocardiography expert consensus of the European Association of Echocardiography, and after the 2016 advice of the American Society of Echocardiography-European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging for applications beyond coronary artery disease, new information has become available regarding stress echo. Until recently, the assessment of regional wall motion abnormality was the only universally practiced step of stress echo. In the state-of-the-art ABCDE protocol, regional wall motion abnormality remains the main step A, but at the same time, regional perfusion using ultrasound-contrast agents may be assessed. Diastolic function and pulmonary B-lines are assessed in step B; left ventricular contractile and preload reserve with volumetric echocardiography in step C; Doppler-based coronary flow velocity reserve in the left anterior descending coronary artery in step D; and ECG-based heart rate reserve in non-imaging step E. These five biomarkers converge, conceptually and methodologically, in the ABCDE protocol allowing comprehensive risk stratification of the vulnerable patient with chronic coronary syndromes. The present document summarizes current practice guidelines recommendations and training requirements and harmonizes the clinical guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology in many diverse cardiac conditions, from chronic coronary syndromes to valvular heart disease. The continuous refinement of imaging technology and the diffusion of ultrasound-contrast agents improve image quality, feasibility, and reader accuracy in assessing wall motion and perfusion, left ventricular volumes, and coronary flow velocity. Carotid imaging detects pre-obstructive atherosclerosis and improves risk prediction similarly to coronary atherosclerosis. The revolutionary impact of artificial intelligence on echocardiographic image acquisition and analysis makes stress echo more operator-independent and objective. Stress echo has unique features of low cost, versatility, and universal availability. It does not need ionizing radiation exposure and has near-zero carbon dioxide emissions. Stress echo is a convenient and sustainable choice for functional testing within and beyond coronary artery disease.
10.1093/ehjci/jead250
Usefulness of an Echocardiographic Composite Cardiac Calcium Score to Predict Death in Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease (from the Heart and Soul Study).
Saha Sandeep A,Beatty Alexis L,Mishra Rakesh K,Whooley Mary A,Schiller Nelson B
The American journal of cardiology
Mitral annular calcium and aortic valve sclerosis on transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) are independently associated with cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the prognostic value of calcific deposits at multiple sites is unknown. We performed TTEs in a prospective cohort of 595 outpatients with stable CAD and graded the severity of calcific deposition at 6 sites: mitral annulus, aortic valve, aortic ring, sinotubular junction, papillary muscle tip, and left main coronary artery. For each site with moderate calcific deposition or greater, 1 point was given to generate a composite cardiac calcium score (maximum of 6). The primary end point was the occurrence of CV events-a composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, transient ischemic attack, and heart failure. The association of the composite calcium score with CV events was evaluated using multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. Over a median follow-up of 4.2 years, 205 CV events occurred. Participants with a composite calcium score ≥2 had a higher risk of CV events (11.1 events/100 person-years) than those with a score of 0 (5.5 events/100 person-years, unadjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.01, p <0.001), but this association was not significant after multivariate adjustment. The risk of death was higher in participants with a composite calcium score of ≥2 (8.9 events/100 person-years) versus those with a score of 0 (3.6 events/100 person-years, unadjusted HR 2.51, p <0.001). After adjustment for age, diabetes mellitus, previous coronary revascularization, diastolic blood pressure, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and serum phosphorus level, the risk of death remained higher in participants with a composite calcium score of ≥2 compared with those with a score of 0 (adjusted HR 1.76, 95% confidence interval 1.10 to 2.81, p = 0.02). In conclusion, a simple TTE-derived composite cardiac calcium score was independently predictive of death in patients with pre-existing CAD.
10.1016/j.amjcard.2015.03.041
Impact of Mitral Regurgitation Severity and Cause on Effort Tolerance-Integrated Stress Myocardial Perfusion Imaging and Echocardiographic Assessment of Patients With Known or Suspected Coronary Artery Disease Undergoing Exercise Treadmill Testing.
Journal of the American Heart Association
Background Mitral regurgitation ( MR ) has the potential to impede exercise capacity; it is uncertain whether this is because of regurgitation itself or the underlying cause of valvular insufficiency. Methods and Results The population comprised 3267 patients who underwent exercise treadmill myocardial perfusion imaging and transthoracic echocardiography within 6±8 days. MR was present in 28%, including 176 patients (5%) with moderate or greater MR . Left ventricular systolic function significantly decreased and chamber size increased in relation to MR , paralleling increments in stress and rest myocardial perfusion deficits (all P<0.001). Exercise tolerance (metabolic equivalents of task) decreased stepwise in relation to graded MR severity ( P<0.05). Workload was significantly lower with mild versus no MR (mean±SD, 9.8±3.0 versus 10.1±3.0; P=0.02); magnitude of workload reduction significantly increased among patients with advanced versus those with mild MR (mean±SD, 8.6±3.0 versus 9.8±3.0; P<0.001). MR -associated exercise impairment was accompanied by lower heart rate and blood pressure augmentation and greater dyspnea (all P<0.05). Both functional and nonfunctional MR subgroups demonstrated significantly decreased effort tolerance in relation to MR severity ( P≤0.01); impairment was greater with functional MR ( P=0.04) corresponding to more advanced left ventricular dysfunction and dilation (both P<0.001). Functional MR predicted reduced metabolic equivalent of task-based effort (B=-0.39 [95% CI, -0.62 to -0.17]; P=0.001) independent of MR severity. Among the overall cohort, advanced (moderate or greater) MR was associated with reduced effort tolerance (B=-1.36 [95% CI, -1.80 to -0.93]; P<0.001) and remained significant ( P=0.01) after controlling for age, clinical indexes, stress perfusion defects, and left ventricular dysfunction. Conclusions MR impairs exercise tolerance independent of left ventricular ischemia, dysfunction, and clinical indexes. Magnitude of exercise impairment parallels severity of MR .
10.1161/JAHA.118.010974
A head-to-head comparison of wall motion score index, force, strain, and ejection fraction for the prediction of SYNTAX and Gensini coronary scores by dobutamine stress echocardiography.
Wierzbowska-Drabik Karina,Picano Eugenio,Simiera Michał,Plewka Michał,Kręcki Radosław,Peruga Jan Z,Kasprzak Jarosław D
Kardiologia polska
BACKGROUND:Predicting the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) may be possible during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) with various indices of left ventricular function. AIMS:We assessed the relative value of ejection fraction (EF), force, global longitudinal strain (GLS), and wall motion score index (WMSI) in predicting SYNTAX and Gensini scores in patients with known or suspected CAD. METHODS:We prospectively enrolled 223 patients (120 men; mean [SD] age, 62 [9] years) and assessed the following indices: 1) EF (with triplane imaging); 2) force, calculated as the ratio of systolic blood pressure to left ventricular end‑systolic volume; 3) GLS; 4) WMSI. All patients underwent coronary angiography within 12 weeks with SYNTAX and Gensini scores evaluation. RESULTS:The correlation of SYNTAX and Gensini scores was highest with peak WMSI (SYNTAX, rho = 0.591; Gensini, rho = 0.612; P <0.001), intermediate with peak force (SYNTAX, rho = -0.346; Gensini, rho = -0.377; P <0.001) and GLS (SYNTAX, rho = -0.205; P = 0.002 and Gensini rho = -0.216; P = 0.001), and the weakest for EF (SYNTAX, rho = -0.149; P = 0.03 and Gensini, rho = -0.191; P = 0.006). The similar hierarchy of variables was detected for changes during DSE. In the subgroup after myocardial infarction (n = 66 [27%]), GLS outperformed the force. CONCLUSIONS:In patients with CAD at DSE peak, theWMSI and force were better predictors of the coronary SYNTAX and Gensini scores and CAD severity than GLS or EF. However, in patients after myocardial infarction, the GLS correlation with coronary scores improved and got closer to the visual assessment.
10.33963/KP.15376
Definition and epidemiology of coronary microvascular disease.
Journal of nuclear cardiology : official publication of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology
Ischemic heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. However, most patients referred for a noninvasive computed tomography coronary angiogram (CTA) or invasive coronary angiogram for the investigation of angina do not have obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Approximately two in five referred patients have coronary microvascular disease (CMD) as a primary diagnosis and, in addition, CMD also associates with CAD and myocardial disease (dual pathology). CMD underpins excess morbidity, impaired quality of life, significant health resource utilization, and adverse cardiovascular events. However, CMD often passes undiagnosed and the onward management of these patients is uncertain and heterogeneous. International standardized diagnostic criteria allow for the accurate diagnosis of CMD, ensuring an often overlooked patient population can be diagnosed and stratified for targeted medical therapy. Key to this is assessing coronary microvascular function-including coronary flow reserve, coronary microvascular resistance, and coronary microvascular spasm. This can be done by invasive methods (intracoronary temperature-pressure wire, intracoronary Doppler flow-pressure wire, intracoronary provocation testing) and non-invasive methods [positron emission tomography (PET), cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE), cardiac computed tomography (CT)]. Coronary CTA is insensitive for CMD. Functional coronary angiography represents the combination of CAD imaging and invasive diagnostic procedures.
10.1007/s12350-022-02974-x
Evaluation of dipyridamole-Doppler echocardiography for detection of myocardial ischemia and coronary artery disease.
Mazeika P,Nihoyannopoulos P,Joshi J,Oakley C M
The American journal of cardiology
Doppler assessment of left ventricular filling and ejection during dipyridamole stress may supplement wall motion analysis for detection of myocardial ischemia and coronary artery disease (CAD). Thirty-four patients taking no cardioactive therapy were studied using intravenous dipyridamole (0.6 mg/kg) during 2-dimensional and pulsed Doppler echocardiography. Twelve patients had normal coronary arteries (group 1) and the remainder, who had significant CAD, were divided into groups 2 (n = 11) and 3 (n = 11). Only subjects in group 2 developed myocardial ischemia manifest as reversible regional asynergy and ST-segment depression. Heart rate increased (16 +/- 9 beats/min, p less than 0.01) and mean blood pressure decreased (-5 +/- 8 mm Hg, p = not significant) uniformly across groups. Exaggerated hyperkinesia of normally contracting wall segments was the common response to dipyridamole infusion in patients with CAD. The respective mean percent changes in peak early diastolic velocity, peak atrial velocity, their ratio and ejection peak velocity, and mean acceleration for groups 1 (20, 42, -13, 20 and 23%), 2 (22, 32, -2, 10 and 14%) and 3 (23, 33, -6, 16 and 18%) were similar. Comparisons between normal patients and those with CAD and between groups 2 and 3 revealed no significant differences in the effect of dipyridamole on any variable. However, a decrease in both peak velocity and mean acceleration of left ventricular ejection was seen in 3 of 4 group 2 patients who developed severe ischemia. Dipyridamole-Doppler echocardiography is insensitive for detection of CAD and appears unable to identify myocardial ischemia unless this is severe. Hemodynamic changes and compensatory wall motion induced by dipyridamole may explain these findings.
10.1016/0002-9149(91)90782-g
Diastolic response during dobutamine stress echocardiography evaluated by a tissue velocity imaging technique is a sensitive indicator for diagnosing coronary artery disease.
Wada Yasuaki,Murata Kazuya,Kimura Kazumi,Ueda Kayo,Liu Jinyao,Oyama Rikimaru,Harada Nozomu,Tanaka Nobuaki,Takaki Akira,Matsuzaki Masunori
Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography
BACKGROUND:Tissue velocity imaging (TVI) is a new method that measures regional myocardial velocities on the basis of color Doppler myocardial imaging principles. METHODS:To diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD) objectively by evaluating left ventricular diastolic responses during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) with TVI, we performed DSE in 22 healthy participants and 28 patients with angina pectoris without wall-motion abnormality at rest. Before and during DSE, we measured the differences of time intervals from the R wave on electrocardiogram to the peak of early diastolic myocardial velocity in the same cardiac cycle between basal segments and midsegments in the septal (dT-S) and inferior (dT-I) walls by TVI. RESULTS:During DSE, dT-S in patients with left anterior descending CAD and dT-I in patients with right CAD were prolonged compared with that in healthy participants (both P <.01). The localization of the segments with a dT-S or dT-I during low-dose (10 microg/kg/min) dobutamine infusion of >32 milliseconds allowed the correct identification of the stenosed vessel in 87% of 23 patients for whom DSE was performed with the TVI technique before coronary angiography. CONCLUSIONS:The analysis of regional left ventricular diastolic responses to dobutamine stress using TVI was useful for the objective diagnosis of CAD.
Dobutamine stress echocardiography: its role in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease.
Salustri A,Fioretti P M,Pozzoli M M,McNeill A J,Roelandt J R
European heart journal
We have assessed the usefulness of dobutamine infusion for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease by using two-dimensional echocardiography and 12-lead electrocardiogram. Dobutamine was infused at incremental doses (up to a maximum of 40 micrograms kg-1 min-1) in 52 patients with chest pain; all the patients underwent coronary angiography; significant coronary artery disease was quantitatively defined as greater than or equal to 50% diameter stenosis. Thirty-six patients were on betablockers. The test was considered positive when new regional wall motion abnormalities appeared during dobutamine infusion. No significant side effects occurred in any patient during the test. Transient wall motion abnormalities were detected in 20 of 37 patients with coronary artery disease (sensitivity = 54%); ischaemic ST segment changes were present on ECG in nine patients (sensitivity = 24%). Dobutamine stress echocardiography was negative in 12 of 15 patients with coronary artery diameter stenosis less than 50% (specificity = 80%). Exercise electrocardiography (ECG) was performed in 35 of these 52 patients. Maximum heart rate and systolic blood pressure were significantly higher during exercise than during dobutamine stress test (127 +/- 23 vs 99 +/- 24 beats min-1, P less than 0.0001; 179 +/- 25 vs 152 +/- 30 mmHg, P less than 0.0001). The exercise ECG test was positive in 12 of the 26 patients with significant coronary artery disease (sensitivity = 46%), and dobutamine stress echocardiography in 16 (sensitivity = 62%). Dobutamine stress echocardiography test is a safe and feasible diagnostic test for the noninvasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease and can be performed in patients unable to exercise.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
10.1093/oxfordjournals.eurheartj.a060051
Noninvasive detection of transplant coronary artery disease by dobutamine stress echocardiography.
Akosah K O,Mohanty P K,Funai J T,Jesse R L,Minisi A J,Crandall C W,Kirchberg D,Guerraty A,Salter D
The Journal of heart and lung transplantation : the official publication of the International Society for Heart Transplantation
Coronary artery disease has emerged as the leading cause of late morbidity and mortality in heart transplant recipients. The incidence of allograft coronary artery disease has been reported to be as high as 40% to 50% by 5 years. Coronary angiography remains the standard approach for surveillance of coronary artery disease in this patient population. However, the detection and surveillance of allograft coronary disease by noninvasive methods remains a challenge. The purpose of this study was to determine the value of dobutamine stress echocardiography as a noninvasive screening test to rule out the presence of anatomically significant allograft coronary artery disease and to assess its prognostic power. Dobutamine stress echocardiography was carried out according to a standard protocol in which dobutamine was infused at 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 micrograms/kg/min intravenously at 5-minute stages with 12-lead electrocardiogram and blood pressure monitoring. Left ventricular wall motion was analyzed at baseline and at peak dobutamine dose. Mean age (+/- standard error of the mean) of the study population was 50.5 +/- 1.5 years, and mean duration (+/- standard error of the mean) since transplantation was 57 +/- 5 months. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive accuracy of dobutamine stress echocardiography were 95%, 55%, 69%, and 92%, respectively. In the 12-month follow-up study 12 patients with abnormal dobutamine stress echocardiographic findings had 15 major cardiac events whereas no event occurred in patients with normal dobutamine stress echocardiograms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
[Cardiovascular and metabolic response to dynamic stress echocardiography by patients with coronary heart disease and healthy probands].
Meyer T,Urhausen A,Kindermann W
Zeitschrift fur Kardiologie
25 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD, 62 +/- 9 years) and 18 subjects free from cardiovascular disease (28 +/- 9 years) were tested on a cycle ergometer using a graded incremental test protocol: a) in the common upright position, b) as dynamic stress echocardiography in a semi-supine position. Whereas no relevant differences could be detected between the two conditions for the healthy subjects concerning heart rate, blood pressure, and rate-pressure product (2 x 3 ANOVA, t-tests with alpha-adjustment), the CHD patients showed both significantly higher heart rates as well as a significantly higher rate-pressure product (50 W: 15,300 +/- 2973 mm Hg/min vs. 13,822 +/- 3042 mm Hg/min; 75 W: 18,028 +/- 3479 mm Hg/min vs. 16,337 +/- 2619 mm Hg/min) on equivalent stages during stress echocardiography if compared to the sitting position. There were no differences for systolic blood pressure in this group; the diastolic values were higher in the sitting position at rest and during 50 W. Lactate concentrations (determined only in the healthy subjects) were significantly higher on all stages during dynamic stress echocardiography. The workload at the individual anaerobic threshold (IAT) was significantly lower. In conclusion, we found a higher metabolic along with a similar cardiovascular strain at equivalent workloads in stress echocardiography compared to upright bicycle ergometry for healthy subjects. However, CHD patients have a higher cardiocirculatory load in the semi-supine position. When investigating these patients with stress echocardiography, higher heart rates of about 8 beats/min have to be expected for equivalent workloads if compared to the upright position.
10.1007/s003920050311
Exercise two-dimensional echocardiography for diagnosis of coronary artery disease.
Heng M K,Simard M,Lake R,Udhoji V H
The American journal of cardiology
To improve ultrasound images during exercise 2-dimensional echocardiography (2-D echo), a device was developed to hold the transducer and maintain its orientation relative to the heart. The value of this technique in detecting wall motion abnormalities and changes in ejection fraction was evaluated in 54 men undergoing stress test for angina. Thallium-201 scanning, electrocardiography and exercise 2-D echo were recorded concurrently. Technically satisfactory echo studies were obtained in 47 patients (87%). The sensitivity and specificity of exercise echo in the detection of myocardial ischemia as judged by wall motion abnormalities were 100% and 93%, respectively. Sixteen patients with normal thallium scans increased their ejection fraction (EF) estimated by echo (from 52 +/- 1% at rest to 67 +/- 1% at maximal exercise, p less than 0.001); all showed an increase of 5% or more. In contrast, 11 patients who had reversible thallium scan defects showed a consistent decrease in EF (from 53 +/- 2% at rest to 43 +/- 2% during exercise, p less than 0.001); 20 patients with irreversible thallium scan defects showed no specific trend in the EF (48 +/- 2% at rest and 50 +/- 2% during exercise, difference not significant). Changes in heart rate and blood pressure did not distinguish the 3 groups of patients. Our technique of exercise 2-D echo may be useful for detecting wall motion abnormalities and EF changes during exercise and possibly enhance the sensitivity of thallium scanning in the noninvasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease.
10.1016/0002-9149(84)90238-8
Comparison of exercise stress testing with dobutamine stress echocardiography and exercise technetium-99m isonitrile single photon emission computerized tomography for diagnosis of coronary artery disease.
Oğuzhan A,Kisacik H L,Ozdemir K,Altunkeser B B,Durmaz T,Altinyay E,Kural T,Korkmaz S,Kir M,Kütük E,Göksel S
Japanese heart journal
To compare the value of exercise electrocardiography with dobutamine stress echocardiography and exercise technetium-99m isonitrile single-photon emission computed tomography for coronary artery disease, 70 patients with either suspected or proven coronary artery disease underwent dobutamine stress echocardiography, exercise technetium-99m isonitrile single-photon emission computed tomography (mibi-SPECT) and treadmill exercise electrocardiography (ECG). Dobutamine echocardiography and exercise mibi-SPECT revealed a higher overall sensitivity than exercise testing (90 vs 57%, p < 0.001; 96 vs 57%, p < 0.001, respectively). Dobutamine stress echocardiography showed a higher specificity than both exercise mibi-SPECT and treadmill exercise electrocardiography (90 vs 71%, p > 0.05; 90 and 62% p < 0.05, respectively) but the difference between dobutamine stress echocardiography and exercise mibi-SPECT was not statistically significant. Diagnostic accuracy of dobutamine stress echocardiography and exercise mibi-SPECT was higher than that of exercise testing (90 vs 59%, p < 0.001; 89 vs 59%, p < 0.001, respectively). Dobutamine stress echocardiography and exercise mibi-SPECT have superiority over exercise testing in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease and dobutamine stress echocardiography is an alternative for exercise mibi-SPECT.
Enhanced sensitivity for detection of coronary artery disease by addition of atropine to dipyridamole echocardiography.
Picano E,Pingitore A,Conti U,Kozàkovà M,Boem A,Cabani E,Ciuti M,Distante A,L'Abbate A
European heart journal
Dipyridamole echocardiography test (DET) has gained acceptance due to its safety, feasibility, diagnostic accuracy and prognostic power. The main limitation of the test is a less than ideal sensitivity in some patient subsets, such as those with limited coronary artery disease. Atropine with dipyridamole might theoretically combine to become a synergistic ischaemic stress test, by increasing myocardial oxygen demand through chronotropic stress and by reducing flow supply through a shortening of the diastolic interval under maximal coronary vasodilation. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the addition of atropine to DET. Three hundred and twenty-one patients (age = 58 +/- 9 years), referred for testing in the echo lab, were initially studied by DET. Of these, 151 were stopped during or within the 2 min following dipyridamole infusion because of achievement of a predetermined end-point: obvious echocardiographic positivity (n = 137), severe chest pain (n = 3), diagnostic ST segment changes (n = 7) or limited side effects (n = 4). In another three cases, atropine was not given due to a history of glaucoma or severe prostatic hypertrophy. In the remaining 167 patients with a negative DET test, atropine (0.25 mg intravenously, repeated every min up to a maximum of 1 mg, if necessary) was added, starting 3 min after the end of the dipyridamole infusion. The dipyridamole-atropine echo test (DETA) was positive in 32 and negative in 135 patients, and no major side effects occurred in any patient.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
10.1093/eurheartj/14.9.1216
Cardiovascular response in patients with and without myocardial ischaemia during dobutamine echocardiography stress test for coronary artery disease.
Aakhus S,Bjørnstad K,Hatle L
Clinical physiology (Oxford, England)
Dobutamine is widely used in cardiac stress testing for coronary artery disease and myocardial viability. To assess the systemic cardiovascular response during dobutamine echocardiography stress testing, we investigated nine patients without myocardial ischaemia (group 1, aged 48 to 72 years) and nine patients with myocardial ischaemia during the test (group 2, aged 53 to 73 years), by use of Doppler/echocardiography and subclavian artery pulse trace calibrated with brachial artery pressures. Peripheral resistance, total arterial compliance, and aortic characteristic impedance were estimated using a 3-element windkessel model of the systemic circulation. During infusion of dobutamine up to 40 micrograms kg-1 min-1, arterial pressure was maintained near baseline levels, whereas heart rate and cardiac index increased, more so in group 1 (mean: 89 and 79%) than in group 2 (58 and 52%; P < 0.05 vs. group 1). Peripheral resistance was decreased by > or = 32% at peak stress, whereas characteristic impedance was maintained at or above baseline in both groups, and total arterial compliance was not significantly altered. The cardiovascular response in group 2 was not influenced by the wall motion abnormalities. Thus, in these patients the inotropic, chronotropic, and vasodilatory effects of dobutamine balanced the ischaemic impairment of left ventricular function during the stress test.
Comparison of dobutamine and exercise echocardiography for detecting coronary artery disease.
Cohen J L,Ottenweller J E,George A K,Duvvuri S
The American journal of cardiology
There has been no study comparing the efficacy of dobutamine and exercise echocardiography in detecting coronary artery disease (CAD) or their physiologic effects at ischemic threshold in the same group of patients. To accomplish this, 52 patients presenting for coronary angiography underwent supine ergometer exercise and dobutamine echocardiography. Compared with angiography, the overall sensitivity of detecting CAD was 78% for exercise and 86% for dobutamine echocardiography (p = NS). The sensitivities of detecting patients with 1-, 2-, 3- and multivessel CAD with exercise echocardiography were 63, 80, 100 and 90%, respectively, and with dobutamine echocardiography 75, 90, 100 and 95%, respectively (p = NS, exercise vs dobutamine). The specificity of both tests was 87%. At ischemic threshold, heart rate was significantly lower with dobutamine than with exercise echocardiography (91 +/- 3 vs 114 +/- 3 beats/min; p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure was significantly lower with dobutamine testing (155 +/- 5 vs 176 +/- 6 mm Hg; p < 0.01), and rate-pressure product was significantly lower with dobutamine stress (14.1 +/- 0.7 vs 19.8 +/- 0.8 x 10(3) beats/min x mm Hg; p < 0.001). It is concluded that the efficacy of detecting CAD by exercise and dobutamine echocardiography is comparable, and the physiology at ischemic threshold of the 2 methods is significantly different and suggests a different means of inducing myocardial ischemia.
10.1016/0002-9149(93)90288-n
Dobutamine two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic stress testing for detection of coronary artery disease.
Prince C R,Stoddard M F,Morris G T,Ammash N M,Goad J L,Dawkins P R,Vogel R L
American heart journal
Atrial pacing and dipyridamole transesophageal echocardiography have been shown to be sensitive and specific tests for the detection of coronary artery disease. However, the sensitivity and specificity of dobutamine transesophageal echocardiography have not been reported. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility, sensitivity, and specificity of dobutamine transesophageal echocardiography for the detection of coronary artery disease. Transesophageal echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular function was performed in 81 adult patients aged 62 +/- 12 years during stepwise infusion of dobutamine from 5.0 to 40 micrograms/kg/min. Ischemia was diagnosed by the development of severe hypokinesis, akinesis, or dyskinesis of a previously contractile left ventricular segment. Coronary artery disease was defined by angiography as a reduction in luminal diameter of > or = 70% of an epicardial or > or = 50% of the left main coronary artery. In patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery, a stenotic bypass graft was defined as a reduction in luminal diameter of > or = 70%. In patients without previous CABG, significant coronary artery disease was present in 21 patients: 5 with single-vessel disease, 7 double-vessel disease, 8 triple-vessel disease, and 1 left main coronary disease. Dobutamine transesophageal echocardiography had a sensitivity of 90% (19 of 21) and specificity of 94% (49 of 52) for the detection of coronary artery disease. In patients with previous CABG (n = 8), the sensitivity and specificity for the detection of bypass graft stenosis were 100% (4 of 4) and 75% (3 of 4), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
10.1016/0002-8703(94)90007-8
High dose adenosine stress echocardiography for noninvasive detection of coronary artery disease.
Djordjevic-Dikic A D,Ostojic M C,Beleslin B D,Stepanovic J,Petrasinovic Z,Babic R,Stojkovic S M,Stankovic G,Nedeljkovic M,Nedeljkovic I,Kanjuh V
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
OBJECTIVES:The aim of this study was to assess the tolerability and incremental diagnostic value of high adenosine doses in stress echocardiography testing in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). BACKGROUND:In comparison with other pharmacologic stress echocardiography tests, standard dose adenosine stress has sub-optimal sensitivity for detecting milder forms of CAD. METHODS:Adenosine stress echocardiography was performed in 58 patients using a starting dose of 100 micrograms/kg body weight per min over 3 min followed by 140 micrograms/kg per min over 4 min (standard dose). If no new wall motion abnormality appeared, the dose was increased to 200 micrograms/kg per min over 4 min (high dose). All patients underwent coronary angiography. Significant CAD was defined as > or = 50% diameter stenosis in at least one major coronary artery. Thirty-three patients had one-vessel and seven had multivessel CAD. Coronary angiographic findings were normal in 18 patients. RESULTS:The high adenosine dose caused a slight but significant increase over baseline values in rate-pressure product. Limiting side effects occurred in two patients during the standard dose protocol and in one patient receiving the high dose regimen. The test was stopped in 30 patients after the standard adenosine dose regimen because of a provoked new wall motion abnormality. The sensitivity of adenosine echocardiography with the standard dose was 75% (95% confidence interval [CI] 63% to 87%). After completion of the standard dose protocol, 28 patients continued testing with the high dose adenosine protocol. The overall sensitivity of adenosine echocardiography, calculated as cumulative, increased to 92% (95% CI 84% to 100%) with the high dose (p < 0.05). The specificity of adenosine testing was 100% and 88%, respectively, with the standard and high dose regimen (p = 0.617). CONCLUSIONS:We believe that use of a higher than usual adenosine dose protocol for stress testing may improve the diagnostic value of adenosine echocardiography, mainly by increasing sensitivity in patients with single-vessel disease without deterioration of the safety profile and with only a mild reduction in specificity.
10.1016/S0735-1097(96)00374-9
Supine bicycle stress echocardiography versus tomographic thallium-201 exercise imaging for the detection of coronary artery disease.
Hecht H S,DeBord L,Shaw R,Chin H,Dunlap R,Ryan C,Myler R K
Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography
To compare the accuracy of supine bicycle stress echocardiography (SBSE), a new technique for evaluating coronary disease during peak exercise, with tomographic thallium-201 exercise imaging (SPECT), 71 patients were evaluated by SBSE, SPECT, and coronary arteriography. Twenty patients had normal coronary vessels; 22 had single-vessel, 14 had double-vessel, and 15 had triple-vessel disease. There were no differences in sensitivity (90% vs 92%), specificity (80% vs 65%), and accuracy (87% vs 85%) between SBSE and SPECT for the group of 71 patients. The results were similar in patients with and without prior myocardial infarction and with single-, double-, or triple-vessel disease. There were no differences between SBSE and SPECT for disease detection for the group of 213 individual vessels in sensitivity (88% vs 80%), specificity (87% vs 84%), and accuracy (88% vs 82%), but SBSE was more sensitive for the left anterior descending artery (97% vs 82%, p < 0.005) and for arteries involved in triple-vessel disease (93% vs 69%, p < 0.01) and more specific for the right coronary artery (88% vs 66%, p < 0.01). Supine bicycle exercise was associated with significantly lower maximal heart rates than treadmill exercise but with significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures. There were no differences in heart rate x systolic blood pressure. We conclude that SBSE and SPECT are equally reliable for coronary disease detection in patients and for evaluation of disease in specific arteries with the exception of SBSE's higher sensitivity for the left anterior descending artery and arteries involved in triple-vessel disease and higher specificity for the right coronary artery.
Dobutamine stress echocardiography for detecting coronary artery disease.
Wu C C,Ho Y L,Kao S L,Chen W J,Lee C M,Chen M F,Liau C S,Lee Y T
Cardiology
To assess the value of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) to detect coronary artery disease (CAD) and to compare the diagnostic accuracy between DSE and treadmill exercise test (TXT), 104 patients (mean age 58 +/- 12 years) presenting for coronary angiography were prospectively studied. TXT was performed according to the Bruce protocol. Dobutamine (5-40 micrograms/kg/min) was infused in 3-min stages. Digital echocardiograms were recorded on-line at baseline, during low- and peak-dose dobutamine infusion, and at recovery. An echocardiogram positive for CAD was defined as the one showing a new wall motion abnormality (WMA) induced by dobutamine. There were no major complications during the study. Significant CAD (> or = 50% diameter stenosis) was present in 17 of 30 patients who had normal echocardiograms at baseline. The sensitivity for detecting CAD was 76% by TXT and 94% by DSE, and the specificity was only 38% by TXT and 92% by DSE, respectively. Seventy-four patients had localized rest WMAs. Twenty-four had no significant CAD or lesions only confined to regions with abnormal rest wall motion, and 50 had disease remote from these regions. The sensitivity for detection of remote disease was 60% by TXT and 76% by DSE, and the specificity was 75% by TXT and 96% by DSE, respectively. In conclusion, DSE is a safe and accurate diagnostic tool for identifying CAD and for predicting the extent of disease in those who have localized rest WMAs.
10.1159/000177095
Exercise echocardiography.
Feigenbaum H
Australian and New Zealand journal of medicine
Exercise testing is an indispensable component of clinical cardiology. Latent disease or the full extent of a problem may not be apparent on a resting examination. Some form of stress is frequently necessary, especially in patients with coronary disease, to appreciate whether a patient has stress-induced ischaemia as manifested by exercise-induced chest discomfort, a drop in blood pressure or electrocardiographic changes of ischaemia. Unfortunately as with every test ECG and clinical monitoring have limitations. Patients may have ischaemia without pain, ECG changes may be non-specific, a resting abnormal ECG has limited value, and the location and amount of ischaemic muscle is not directly assessed. Monitoring the echocardiogram adds significant additional information to routine stress testing. By visualising the myocardium in the exercising individual, it is possible to assess a fundamental manifestation of ischaemia, regional wall motion abnormalities. This information helps identify the vessels and the amount of muscle involved. In addition resting wall motion abnormalities may detect clinically silent infarction or hibernating myocardium. Direct visualisation of the exercising heart provides an improved understanding of a patient's cardiac status. The technique is particularly useful in evaluating revascularisation procedures. Advances in instrumentation have reduced or eliminated many of the technical difficulties with obtaining and interpreting exercise echocardiograms. This examination has become an extremely useful adjunct to routine stress testing.
Integrated quadruple stress echocardiography.
Picano Eugenio,Morrone Doralisa,Scali Maria C,Huqi Alda,Coviello Katia,Ciampi Quirino
Minerva cardioangiologica
Stress echocardiography (SE) is an established diagnostic technique. For 40 years, the cornerstone of the technique has been the detection of regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA), due to the underlying physiologically-relevant epicardial coronary artery stenosis. In the last decade, three new parameters (more objective than RWMA) have shown the potential to integrate and complement RWMA: 1) B-lines, also known as ultrasound lung comets, as a marker of extravascular lung water, measured using lung ultrasound with the 4-site simplified scan symmetrically of the antero-lateral thorax on the third intercostal space, from mid-axillary to anterior axillary and mid-clavicular line; 2) left ventricular contractile reserve (LVCR), assessed as the peak stress/rest ratio of left ventricular force, also known as elastance (systolic arterial pressure by cuff sphygmomanometer/end-systolic volume from 2D echocardiography); 3) coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) on left anterior descending coronary artery, calculated as peak stress/rest ratio of diastolic peak flow velocity assessed using pulsed-wave Doppler. The 4 parameters (RWMA, B-lines, LVCR and CFVR) now converge conceptually, logistically, and methodologically in the Integrated Quadruple (IQ)-SE. IQ-SE optimizes the versatility of SE to include in a one-stop shop the core "ABCD" (asynergy+B-lines+contractile reserve+Doppler flowmetry) protocol. It allows a synoptic assessment of parameters mirroring the epicardial artery stenosis (RWMA), interstitial lung water (B-lines), myocardial function (LVCR) and small coronary vessels (CFVR). Each variable has a clear clinical correlate, different and complementary to all others: RWMA identify an ischemic vs. non-ischemic heart; B-lines a wet vs. dry lung; LVCR a strong vs. weak heart; CFVR a warm vs. cold heart. IQ-SE is highly feasible, with minimal increase in the imaging and analysis time, and obvious diagnostic and prognostic impact also beyond coronary artery disease - especially in heart failure. Large scale effectiveness studies with IQ-SE are now under way with the Stress Echo 2020 Study, and will provide the necessary evidence base prior to large scale acceptance of the technique.
10.23736/S0026-4725.18.04691-1
Quantitative stress echocardiography.
Shapiro S M,Ginzton L E
Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
Dramatic improvements in our ability to treat coronary artery disease have created the need to develop sensitive and specific noninvasive tests for diagnosing and assessing the severity of ischemic disease. The purpose of this review is to examine stress echocardiography and, in particular, quantitative stress echocardiography in this context. Methodology and technical aspects of performing and interpreting stress echocardiography are discussed, including the type of exercise performed, imaging and recording techniques, and methods for on-line and off-line analysis. Qualitative, semiquantitative, and quantitative approaches are compared and contrasted. In assessing quantitative stress echocardiography, the role of global measurements of left ventricular function including ejection fraction, peak systolic pressure to end-systolic volume index ratio, as well as regional measurements including wall-motion analysis and wall stress, are discussed. Pertinent literature using quantitative approaches is reviewed including those comparing quantitative stress echocardiography with other noninvasive modalities. Future directions for study are also addressed. We concluded that quantitative stress echocardiography has excellent sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing ischemic heart disease. It was useful in localizing lesions, defining multivessel disease, and predicting patients with poor prognosis postmyocardial infarction. Its reproducibility makes it a valuable technique in following patients noninvasively over time.
[Stress echocardiography and its central role in cardiac diagnostics].
Leischik R,Dworrak B,Cremer T,Amirie S,Littwitz H
Herz
Stress echocardiography (SE) has an established central role as a diagnostic tool in cardiology. It is not only an established method for the diagnostic and prognostic stratification of patients with coronary artery disease but also shows an emerging value for assessment of cardiac function beyond coronary artery disease. The enormous conceptual technological development of ultrasound technology (Doppler, digitizing, tissue Doppler imaging, strain technology, 3‑D-echo and new ultrasound contrast agents) has led to applications of SE in almost all diagnostic fields of cardiology. The use of SE provides not only the possibility to identify coronary stenosis but also to evaluate the function of the microvasculature and heart valves, to detect possible pulmonary hypertension and also to test the systolic/diastolic reaction/mechanics of the right/left ventricle (LV/RV) and left atrium (LA) in response to load. Further developments of ultrasound technology enable better temporal resolution and contemporary analyses of cardiac mechanics of the LV/RV and LA. Pharmacological stress echocardiography extends the diagnostic field to patients who are not able to endure physical stress. SE represents an environmentally friendly, patient-friendly, cost-efficient and radiation-free examination method; however, SE requires extensive basic training as well as continuous training of the examiner to ensure that all possible advantages of the method can be utilized to the benefit of patients.
10.1007/s00059-017-4535-8
Imaging techniques in coronary atherosclerotic disease: dobutamine stress echocardiography--evidence and perspectives.
Szymanski Catherine,Pierard Luc,Lancellotti Patrizio
Journal of cardiovascular medicine (Hagerstown, Md.)
Dobutamine stress echocardiography is the most widely disseminated noninvasive technique for the assessment of coronary artery disease. Its results are important for clinical decisions. It is a versatile technique with high sensitivity and specificity for detecting viable myocardium at jeopardy. More recently, strain rate imaging has been applied to stress echocardiography. This approach relies on tissue Doppler or two-dimensional strain imaging to quantify myocardial deformation. The application of contrast echocardiographic techniques to stress echocardiography enables left ventricular opacification for border enhancement and myocardial perfusion imaging. Thus, this application is not limited to stress echocardiography, but has utility whenever image quality adversely affects wall motion assessment. Recently, three-dimensional stress echocardiography imaging has been proposed as an alternative approach to assess myocardial ischemia.
10.2459/JCM.0b013e32834853f8
The additional utility of two-dimensional strain in detection of coronary artery disease presence and localization in patients undergoing dobutamine stress echocardiogram.
Roushdy Alaa,Abou El Seoud Yomna,Abd Elrahman Mohamed,Wadeaa Basem,Eletriby Adel,Abd El Salam Zainab
Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
BACKGROUND:Dobutamine stress echocardiogram (DSE) is a feasible and safe exercise-independent stress modality for diagnoses of coronary artery disease (CAD), but it is subjective, and operator dependant. Two-dimensional strain at peak stress could overcome these limitations and thus increase the accuracy of DSE. METHODS AND RESULTS:This was a prospective observational study in which 80 patients underwent DSE, two-dimensional strain at peak stress, and coronary angiography. Global longitudinal strains (GLS) cutoff point of -16.75 had 77.42% sensitivity and 83.33% specificity to detect significant CAD. Global circumferential strain (GCS) cutoff point of -20.75 had 93.55% sensitivity and 66.67% specificity to detect significant CAD (P=.003, areas under the curve [AUC]=0.73). The average territorial strain cutoff point for significant left anterior descending (LAD) lesion was -15.4 with 77.78% sensitivity and 82.86% specificity (P=.0001, AUC=0.78) and for non-LAD lesion was -16.9 with 82.93% sensitivity and 53.85% specificity (P=.0009, AUC=0.69). Two-dimensional strain at peak stress showed better agreement than DSE as regard number of vessels affected (K=0.579 vs 0.107), LAD lesion detection (K=0.783 vs 0.438), and non-LAD lesion detection (K=0.699 vs 0.233). Global longitudinal strain (GLS) at peak stress reduced DSE false positivity by 83%; the number of false-positive patients was reduced from 18 patients to only three patients. CONCLUSION:Two-dimensional strain at peak stress had an incremental value over DSE visual assessment/ wall-motion score index (WMSI) in reducing false-positive results of DSE. Two-dimensional strain at peak stress had greater accuracy than DSE alone not only in detection of significant CAD but also in detection of number of vessels with significant lesion as well as CAD localization.
10.1111/echo.13569
The Clinical Utility and Enduring Versatility of Stress Echocardiography.
Xian Quah Jing,Greaves Kim,Thomas Liza,Stanton Tony
Heart, lung & circulation
Stress echocardiography is an established cardiac imaging modality for the detection and quantification of severity of coronary artery disease. In recent years, there has also been an increasing use of stress echocardiography in the assessment of non-ischaemic cardiac disease given its ability to assess functional capacity and haemodynamic changes with exercise which can help guide therapy and inform prognosis. The emerging use of strain, myocardial contrast and three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography further assists in improving diagnostic accuracy particularly in patients with coronary artery disease. This paper summarises the protocols, indications and clinical applications of stress echocardiography in both ischaemic and non-ischaemic cardiac disease.
10.1016/j.hlc.2019.02.188
Comparative diagnostic accuracy of multiplane and multislice three-dimensional dobutamine stress echocardiography in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease.
Yoshitani Hidetoshi,Takeuchi Masaaki,Mor-Avi Victor,Otsuji Yutaka,Hozumi Takeshi,Yoshiyama Minoru
Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography
BACKGROUND:Although real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) is useful for delineating the extent and severity of stress-induced wall motion abnormalities during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE), it also provides simultaneous multiple two-dimensional cut planes, which may potentially improve the detection of stress-induced wall motion abnormalities. The aim of this study was to determine the comparative diagnostic accuracy of RT3DE in multiplane and multislice modes for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) during DSE against coronary angiography reference. METHODS:Multiplane and multislice cut planes (3 V, GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI) at rest and peak dose of dobutamine were acquired in 71 patients with known or suspected CAD. In multiplane mode, matrix array transducer allowed the simultaneous visualization of parasternal long and short-axis views or apical 4-, 2-, and 3-chamber views. From full-volume datasets, 9 equidistant 2-dimensional short-axis images from LV base to apex were extracted and simultaneously displayed (multislice mode). Visual assessment of regional wall motion was performed. Coronary angiography was performed within 48 hours and used as a reference. RESULTS:Abnormal findings (new or worsened wall motion abnormalities or fixed wall motion abnormalities) were noted in 36 patients by multiplane mode and 28 patients by multislice mode. Coronary angiography showed significant stenosis in 32 of 71 patients in 49 of 213 coronary arteries. On a patient basis, sensitivity was not different, but specificity was significantly higher in multislice mode (95%) compared with multiplane mode (77%, P < .05). Diagnostic accuracy for detecting right CAD was also significantly higher in multislice mode (93% vs 80%, P < .05). CONCLUSION:Assessment of LV wall motion from multiple short-axis slices extracted from full-volume RT3DE datasets improves the diagnosis of CAD and is thus a useful addition to DSE tools.
10.1016/j.echo.2009.02.005
Validation of viability assessment by electromechanical mapping by three-dimensional reconstruction with dobutamine stress echocardiography in patients with coronary artery disease.
Poppas Athena,Sheehan Florence H,Reisman Mark,Harms Verna,Kornowski Ran
The American journal of cardiology
We evaluated the ability of electromechanical mapping (EMM) to discriminate between normal, viable, and nonviable (scarred) myocardium in patients with coronary artery disease versus dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) when the correspondence between the test and reference data sets is established via a common 3-dimensional reconstruction of the left ventricle. We studied 21 patients with coronary artery disease who underwent angiography, biplane ventriculography, and EMM within 1 month of DSE. A 3-dimensional left ventricular (LV) reconstruction was prepared from the ventriculogram and spatially aligned with EMM. EMM measurements of unipolar voltage, bipolar voltage, and local linear shortening were projected onto the three-dimensional left ventricle, averaged in each of 16 segments, and compared with DSE viability (normal, viable, scar) assessed at a core laboratory. All of the EMM measurements varied significantly (p <0.001) between the normal, viable, and scarred myocardium as assessed by DSE. Local linear shortening for normal, viable, and scarred segments was 10.4 +/- 6.5%, 7.8 +/- 5.6%, and 4.8 +/- 4.4%, respectively. In discriminating between these 3 groups, local linear shortening was more powerful than unipolar voltage or bipolar voltage (F = 20.765, F = 10.655, F = 4.795, respectively). Local linear shortening correlated best with viability, perhaps because it shares the same cognitive function as DSE. Three-dimensional analysis provides an anatomic framework that enables direct comparison of data from multiple imaging modalities rather than assuming segmental correspondence. Our results show that EMM provides significant on-line, diagnostic information on myocardial viability assessed by DSE on a segment-by-segment basis.
10.1016/j.amjcard.2004.01.034
The clinical use of stress echocardiography in non-ischaemic heart disease: recommendations from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging and the American Society of Echocardiography.
Lancellotti Patrizio,Pellikka Patricia A,Budts Werner,Chaudhry Farooq A,Donal Erwan,Dulgheru Raluca,Edvardsen Thor,Garbi Madalina,Ha Jong-Won,Kane Garvan C,Kreeger Joe,Mertens Luc,Pibarot Philippe,Picano Eugenio,Ryan Thomas,Tsutsui Jeane M,Varga Albert
European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging
A unique and highly versatile technique, stress echocardiography (SE) is increasingly recognized for its utility in the evaluation of non-ischaemic heart disease. SE allows for simultaneous assessment of myocardial function and haemodynamics under physiological or pharmacological conditions. Due to its diagnostic and prognostic value, SE has become widely implemented to assess various conditions other than ischaemic heart disease. It has thus become essential to establish guidance for its applications and performance in the area of non-ischaemic heart disease. This paper summarizes these recommendations.
10.1093/ehjci/jew190
Stress Echocardiography in Stable Coronary Artery Disease.
Gurunathan Sothinathan,Senior Roxy
Current cardiology reports
PURPOSE OF REVIEW:Stress echocardiography (SE) is a well-established technique for the diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). This review article summarizes the status of SE in CAD, including testing protocols, clinical efficacy and current use of newer technologies: myocardial perfusion, strain imaging, three-dimensional echocardiography and adjunctive carotid ultrasonography. RECENT FINDINGS:Recent major findings in SE include the clinical value of myocardial perfusion imaging in multicentre studies, as well as when added to left ventricular (LV) wall motion assessment in clinical service. Additionally, SE has been shown to be more cost-effective than exercise ECG in patients with low-intermediate pre-test probability of CAD. Adjunctive atherosclerosis imaging by carotid ultrasonography (CU) to ischaemia testing by SE provides synergistic prognostic value, equivalent to hybrid imaging by PET-CT. Despite the development of newer and more expensive imaging modalities, SE remains the cornerstone for the assessment of CAD and has excellent clinical efficacy, is safe and is cost-effective.
10.1007/s11886-017-0935-x