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Chest Apr 2022Multiparametric risk assessment is used in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to target therapy. However, this strategy is imperfect because most patients remain at...
BACKGROUND
Multiparametric risk assessment is used in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to target therapy. However, this strategy is imperfect because most patients remain at intermediate or high risk after initial treatment, with low risk being the goal. Metrics of right ventricular (RV) adaptation are promising tools that may help refine our therapeutic strategy.
RESEARCH QUESTION
Does RV adaptation predict therapeutic response over time?
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS
We evaluated 52 incident treatment-naive patients with advanced PAH by catheterization and cardiac imaging longitudinally at baseline, follow-up 1 (∼3 months), and follow-up 2 (∼18 months). All patients received goal-directed therapy with parenteral treprostinil and/or combination therapy with treatment escalation if functional class I or II was not achieved. On the basis of their therapeutic response, patients were evaluated at follow-up 1 as nonresponders (died) or as responders, and again at follow-up 2 as super-responders (low risk) or partial responders (high/intermediate risk). Multiparametric risk was based on a simplified European Respiratory Society/European Society of Cardiology guideline score. RV adaptation was evaluated with the single-beat coupling ratio (Ees/Ea) and diastolic function with diastolic elastance (Eed). Data are expressed as mean ± SD or as OR (95% CI).
RESULTS
Nine patients (17%) were nonresponders. PAH-directed therapy improved the European Respiratory Society low-risk score from 1 (2%) at baseline to 23 (55%) at follow-up 2. Ees/Ea at presentation was nonsignificantly higher in responders (0.9 ± 0.4) vs nonresponders (0.6 ± 0.4; P = .09) but could not be used to predict super-responder status at follow-up 2 (OR, 1.40 [95% CI, 0.28-7.0]; P = .84). Baseline RV ejection fraction and change in Eed were successfully used to predict super-responder status at follow-up 2 (OR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.0-1.27]; P = .009 and OR, 0.29 [95% CI, 0.86-0.96]; P = .04, respectively).
INTERPRETATION
In patients with advanced PAH, RV-pulmonary arterial coupling could not discriminate irreversible RV failure (nonresponders) at presentation but showed a late trend to improvement by follow-up 2. Early change in Eed and baseline RV ejection fraction were the best predictors of therapeutic response.
Topics: Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension; Heart Murmurs; Humans; Hypertension, Pulmonary; Prospective Studies; Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension; Pulmonary Artery; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right; Ventricular Function, Right
PubMed: 34637777
DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2021.09.040 -
Journal of the American Veterinary... Jun 2016
Topics: Animals; Atrial Flutter; Cardiovascular Agents; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Echocardiography; Electrocardiography; Heart Murmurs; Lameness, Animal; Tachycardia; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency
PubMed: 27172338
DOI: 10.2460/javma.248.11.1245 -
BMC Pediatrics Jun 2007More than 90% of heart murmurs in children are innocent. Frequently the skills of the first examiner are not adequate to differentiate between innocent and pathological...
BACKGROUND
More than 90% of heart murmurs in children are innocent. Frequently the skills of the first examiner are not adequate to differentiate between innocent and pathological murmurs. Our goal was to evaluate the value of a simple and low-cost phonocardiographic recording and analysis system in determining the characteristic features of heart murmurs in children and in distinguishing innocent systolic murmurs from pathological.
METHODS
The system consisting of an electronic stethoscope and a multimedia laptop computer was used for the recording, monitoring and analysis of auscultation findings. The recorded sounds were examined graphically and numerically using combined phono-spectrograms. The data consisted of heart sound recordings from 807 pediatric patients, including 88 normal cases without any murmur, 447 innocent murmurs and 272 pathological murmurs. The phono-spectrographic features of heart murmurs were examined visually and numerically. From this database, 50 innocent vibratory murmurs, 25 innocent ejection murmurs and 50 easily confusable, mildly pathological systolic murmurs were selected to test whether quantitative phono-spectrographic analysis could be used as an accurate screening tool for systolic heart murmurs in children.
RESULTS
The phono-spectrograms of the most common innocent and pathological murmurs were presented as examples of the whole data set. Typically, innocent murmurs had lower frequencies (below 200 Hz) and a frequency spectrum with a more harmonic structure than pathological cases. Quantitative analysis revealed no significant differences in the duration of S1 and S2 or loudness of systolic murmurs between the pathological and physiological systolic murmurs. However, the pathological murmurs included both lower and higher frequencies than the physiological ones (p < 0.001 for both low and high frequency limits). If the systolic murmur contained intensive frequency components of over 200 Hz, or its length accounted for over 80 % of the whole systolic duration, it was considered pathological. Using these criteria, 90 % specificity and 91 % sensitivity in screening were achieved.
CONCLUSION
Phono-spectrographic analysis improves the accuracy of primary heart murmur evaluation and educates inexperienced listener. Using simple quantitative criterias a level of pediatric cardiologist is easily achieved in screening heart murmurs in children.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Diagnosis, Differential; Heart Murmurs; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Phonocardiography; Reproducibility of Results; Retrospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sound Spectrography
PubMed: 17559690
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2431-7-23 -
Journal of the American Veterinary... Feb 2011To determine murmur prevalence by auscultation of 105 apparently healthy Whippets without signs of cardiac disease, to determine the origin of these murmurs, and to...
OBJECTIVE
To determine murmur prevalence by auscultation of 105 apparently healthy Whippets without signs of cardiac disease, to determine the origin of these murmurs, and to evaluate the influence of sex, type of pedigree (ie, bred for showing or racing), and training on these murmurs.
DESIGN
Cross-sectional study.
ANIMALS
105 client-owned Whippets.
PROCEDURES
All dogs were auscultated by the first author and underwent a complete physical and cardiological examination, together with a hematologic assessment. Several RBC variables and echocardiographic variables were compared between dogs with or without a murmur at the level of the aortic valve.
RESULTS
44 of 105 (41.9%) dogs had no murmur. A soft systolic murmur was present with point of maximal intensity at the level of the aortic valve in 50 (47.6%) dogs, at the level of the pulmonic valve in 8 (7.6%) dogs, and at the level of the mitral valve in 3 (2.9%) dogs. No significant differences were found in heart rate, rhythm, murmur presence, point of maximal intensity, and murmur grade between males and females, between dogs with race- and show-type pedigrees, or between dogs in training and not in training. Dogs with a murmur at the level of the aortic valve had a significantly higher aortic and pulmonic blood flow velocity and cardiac output, compared with dogs without a murmur.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Whippets have a high prevalence of soft systolic murmurs in the absence of any structural abnormalities, which fit the description of innocent murmurs. No influence of sex, pedigree type, or training was found on the occurrence of these murmurs in Whippets.
Topics: Animals; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Echocardiography; Female; Heart Auscultation; Male; Sex Characteristics; Systolic Murmurs
PubMed: 21320016
DOI: 10.2460/javma.238.4.468 -
Journal of Cardiology Nov 2022The effectiveness of cardiac auscultation training with a cardiology patient simulator for medical students is still unclear. Starting such training earlier may help...
BACKGROUND
The effectiveness of cardiac auscultation training with a cardiology patient simulator for medical students is still unclear. Starting such training earlier may help students improve their proficiency. We investigated whether cardiac auscultation training using a simulator for first-year students is feasible and effective.
METHODS
A total of 43 first-year medical students (5-12 in each year, 2015-2019) participated in three 1.5-hour extra-curricular classes comprising mini-lectures, facilitated training, two different auscultation tests (the second test closer to clinical setting than the first), and a questionnaire. The test results were compared with those of 556 fourth-year medical students who participated in a compulsory 3-hour cardiac auscultation class in 2016-2019.
RESULTS
The accuracy rate of all heart sounds and murmurs was higher in the first-year students than in the fourth-year students in both the first (85.8 vs. 79.4 %, p = 0.001) and second (71.3 vs. 61.2 %, p = 0.02) tests. That of second/third/fourth sounds was also higher in the first-year students than in the fourth-year students in both the first (86.0 vs. 79.7 %, p = 0.01) and second (70.9 vs. 53.9 %, p = 0.002) tests. The accuracy rate of murmurs was higher in the first-year students than in the fourth-year students in the first test (85.5 vs. 78.9 %, p = 0.04), but not in the second test (72.1 vs. 75.7 %, p = 0.58). All the first-year students and 65 % of them agreed that they had received sufficient knowledge and built sufficient skills, respectively. All the first-year students and 93 % of them agreed that they were satisfied with the program, and that the program was suitable for first-year students, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Although training time was different between the two groups and it is possible that only motivated first-year students participated in the program, these results suggest that our cardiac auscultation training is feasible and effective for first-year medical students.
Topics: Cardiology; Clinical Competence; Feasibility Studies; Heart Auscultation; Heart Murmurs; Humans; Students, Medical
PubMed: 35750554
DOI: 10.1016/j.jjcc.2022.06.007 -
BMC Medical Education Jul 2022Well performed clinical communication is a cornerstone of collaborative care in medicine but may be confounded by inconsistent intentions of the messenger and biased...
BACKGROUND
Well performed clinical communication is a cornerstone of collaborative care in medicine but may be confounded by inconsistent intentions of the messenger and biased interpretation by the recipient. A comparison of the findings of electronic echocardiography reports with clinician-completed standardised request forms provided an opportunity to assess communication quality.
AIM
The study aimed to determine clinician aptitude to complete written echocardiography referral forms by assessing the completeness, appropriateness, accuracy, and coherency of the reported clinical findings, conclusions and requests made on the referral forms. The study explored factors that may influence the quality of communication through this referral medium.
METHODS
A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients who underwent trans-thoracic echocardiography imaging at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in East London over 26 months. Paper echocardiography request forms that recorded the requesting clinician's findings on examination, the provisional clinical diagnosis, and the specific echocardiographic information sought, were compared with the actual findings on echocardiography.
RESULTS
Of 613 request forms reviewed, 97 cases were excluded due to illegibility or because they lacked analysable information or requester details, leaving 516 forms suitable for study. No pathology was found on echocardiography in 31%. Of the murmurs expected from the echocardiography findings, only half were recorded on the request form (sensitivity and positive predictive value both 52%.). Only 35% of request forms that mentioned a mitral systolic murmur gave a working diagnosis of mitral regurgitation and only 38% of request forms that mentioned an aortic systolic murmur considered aortic stenosis. Clinically suspected cardiomyopathy (CMO) had a PPV of 43% and echocardiographic CMO was missed clinically in 41%. Apex beat displacement reported clinically was not associated with echocardiographic LV dilatation in 65% of cases. One-third (34%) of forms reporting murmurs did not request valve function assessment and 17% considering cardiomyopathy did not request left ventricular function assessment.
CONCLUSION
Echocardiography request forms highlight vulnerabilities in clinical communication. Specifically, important clinical features were missing and more concerningly, included when unlikely to be present. There was a lack of concordance between recorded clinical findings and postulated diagnoses. Clinicians sometimes appeared unclear about the value or appropriateness of the requested assistance. Greater emphasis on teaching examination and communication skills may foster safer and more efficient use of scarce resources.
Topics: Cardiomyopathies; Communication; Echocardiography; Heart Murmurs; Humans; Referral and Consultation; Retrospective Studies; Systolic Murmurs
PubMed: 35831886
DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03602-5 -
Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery Apr 2021Assessment of heart size in kittens is important, and there is a need for reference intervals (RIs) to prevent misinterpretation of cardiomegaly in this patient...
OBJECTIVES
Assessment of heart size in kittens is important, and there is a need for reference intervals (RIs) to prevent misinterpretation of cardiomegaly in this patient population. The purpose of this study was to generate RIs for echocardiographic and radiographic quantification of cardiac size in healthy kittens.
METHODS
In total, 88 kittens aged 6-16 weeks were enrolled in this study. Physical examination, and radiographic and echocardiographic evaluations were performed without sedation. Thoracic radiographs and echocardiographic images were measured to establish RIs for vertebral heart score (VHS), cardiac thoracic ratio (CTR) and multiple echocardiographic variables. N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was measured. Statistical correlations between echocardiographic parameters and age, body weight and sex were all evaluated and RIs were generated.
RESULTS
Low-grade heart murmurs were appreciated in 26/88 kittens (29.5%). Kittens had a median VHS of 9.5 vertebrae (95% RI 8.0-10.9) and a median CTR of 67.2% (95% RI 54.4-79.8%). Measured NT-proBNP levels were comparable to healthy adult cats with a median of 31 pmol/l (upper reference limit 75 pmol/l). Multiple moderate-to-strong correlations between body weight and age with various echocardiographic parameters were observed and allometric scaling was performed for body weight. RIs for echocardiographic parameters were generated based on patient weight using allometric scaling formulas. Tricuspid valve regurgitation was a common finding and was present in 37.5% (n = 33) of the kittens.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
This study establishes RIs for thoracic radiograph assessment, echocardiography and cardiac biomarkers in kittens, which fills a critical gap in the veterinary literature. The VHS reported in this study is higher than previously reported for adult cats.
Topics: Animals; Biomarkers; Cats; Echocardiography; Female; Heart Murmurs; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; Peptide Fragments; Reference Values
PubMed: 32812464
DOI: 10.1177/1098612X20946461 -
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine May 2021The origin of cough in dogs with heart murmurs is controversial, because the cough could be primary cardiac (eg, pulmonary edema, bronchi compression by left-sided...
BACKGROUND
The origin of cough in dogs with heart murmurs is controversial, because the cough could be primary cardiac (eg, pulmonary edema, bronchi compression by left-sided cardiomegaly) or respiratory (eg, bronchomalacia, other bronchial or bronchiolar disease, interstitial lung disease) in origin.
HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES
To study the association between left atrium (LA) dilatation and cardiomegaly and bronchial narrowing in coughing dogs with heart murmurs using computed tomography (CT).
ANIMALS
Twenty-one client-owned coughing dogs with heart murmurs and 14 historical control dogs.
METHODS
Dogs with cough and murmur were prospectively recruited over 4 months. Cervical and thoracic radiography, echocardiography, and thoracic CT were performed in enrolled dogs. Control dogs, with no disease on thoracic CT and no records of heart murmur and coughing, were gathered from the institution's computerized database. Degree of bronchial narrowing was assessed using the bronchial-to-aorta (Ao) ratio, measured by 3 radiologists blinded to the clinical findings. After identifying bronchi that were significantly narrowed in dogs with murmur compared to controls, the relationship between degree of narrowing and LA/Ao ratio (measured echocardiographically) and vertebral heart scale (VHS) measured radiographically was studied in dogs with murmur using mixed-effects regression.
RESULT
Significant narrowing was identified for all left-sided bronchi and the right principal, middle, and caudal bronchi in the coughing dogs, compared with controls. Increasing LA size and VHS were significantly inversely associated with diameter for all left-sided and right-sided bronchi indicated above.
CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
Results indicate an association between LA enlargement and cardiomegaly and bronchial narrowing and support heart size-associated exacerbation of cough in dogs with murmurs.
Topics: Animals; Bronchi; Cough; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Heart Murmurs; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 33811698
DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16115 -
Canadian Family Physician Medecin de... Feb 2003To compare cardiac physical examination with echocardiography for evaluating systolic murmurs. (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Review
OBJECTIVE
To compare cardiac physical examination with echocardiography for evaluating systolic murmurs.
QUALITY OF EVIDENCE
Three databases were searched for studies comparing echocardiography and auscultation as to sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy: MEDLINE (Ovid Online), EMBASE, and Current Contexts. The quality of reported data is lowered by subjective interpretation of results of both cardiac physical examination and echocardiography, especially Doppler colour flow imaging.
MAIN MESSAGE
In adults, functional systolic murmurs can usually be distinguished from organic murmurs. Pathologic murmurs frequently have one or more associated clinical abnormalities. If a clinician determines a murmur is benign, results of echocardiography are very likely to be normal, especially in young and middle-aged adults. According to current guidelines, echocardiography should not be ordered for "innocent" systolic murmurs in patients who are asymptomatic and have otherwise normal findings on examination. If patients with functional systolic murmurs could be identified and not routinely referred for echocardiography, great cost savings could be realized.
CONCLUSION
Echocardiography is not required for all patients with systolic murmurs and should not replace cardiac physical examination.
Topics: Adult; Echocardiography; Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; Family Practice; Heart Auscultation; Heart Murmurs; Humans; Middle Aged; Sensitivity and Specificity; Systole
PubMed: 12619738
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2001The ability of clinicians, ie, 10 veterinary students, 10 general practitioners, and 10 board certified internists, to describe and interpret common normal and abnormal...
The ability of clinicians, ie, 10 veterinary students, 10 general practitioners, and 10 board certified internists, to describe and interpret common normal and abnormal heart sounds was assessed. Recordings of heart sounds from 7 horses with a variety of normal and abnormal rhythms, heart sounds, and murmurs were analyzed by digital sonography. The perception of the presence or absence of the heart sounds S1, S2, and S4 was similar for clinicians irrespective of their level of training and was in agreement with the sonographic interpretation on 89, 82, and 78% of occasions, respectively. However, practitioners were less likely to correctly describe the presence of S3. The heart rhythm was correctly described as being regular or irregular on 89% of occasions, and this outcome was not affected by level of training. Differentiation of the type of irregularity was less reliable. The perception of the intensity of a heart murmur was accurate and correlated with the grade assigned in the living horses, R2 = .68, and with sonographic measurements of the murmur's intensity, R2 = .69. Clinicians overestimated the duration of cardiac murmurs, particularly that of the loud systolic murmur. Only diplomates could reliably differentiate systolic from diastolic murmurs. The ability to diagnose the underlying cardiac problem was significantly affected by training; diplomates, practitioners, and undergraduates made the correct diagnosis on 53, 33, and 29% of occasions, respectively. The poor diagnostic ability of practitioners and the lack of improvement in diagnostic skill after the 2nd year of veterinary school emphasizes the need for better teaching of these skills. Digital sonograms that combine sound files with synchronous visual interpretations may be useful in this regard.
Topics: Adult; Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Diagnosis, Differential; Education, Veterinary; Heart Auscultation; Heart Murmurs; Horse Diseases; Horses; Humans; Middle Aged; Observer Variation; Professional Competence; Veterinary Medicine
PubMed: 11817055
DOI: 10.1892/0891-6640(2001)015<0507:aaotao>2.3.co;2