Background Recent evidence has suggested that patients display altered arterial elasticity after Kawasaki disease (KD). However, changes in the elastic properties of the central aorta and their relevance to left…
Background Left ventricular (LV) twist mechanics are a promising, sensitive tool for assessing pathophysiologic changes in patients with systolic heart failure. Although LV twist is known to be load dependent…
Background Left ventricular (LV) compliance is an important determinant of LV function and can be affected by a variety of cardiovascular conditions. In particular, diastolic dysfunction is associated with altered…
Background The assessment of right ventricular (RV) function with two-dimensional echocardiography can be challenging in patients with pulmonary hypertension, especially in those with chronic pulmonary disease. The aim of the…
Background Indications for prophylactic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are based on left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF), although LVEF has limited ability to predict…
Background Left ventricular systolic function is a key determinant of outcome after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The aim of this study was to study speckle-tracking global longitudinal strain (GLS)…
Background To evaluate hemodynamic and functional changes of the failed left ventricle by Velocity Vector Imaging (VVI) and tissue Doppler, 22 patients with cardiogenic shock supported by extracorporeal life support…
Extracorporeal support, in the form of cardiopulmonary bypass, is used frequently in the operating room for physiologic support during cardiac surgery. However, in patients with severe respiratory and/or cardiac failure,…
Background In patients with chronic aortic regurgitation (AR), systolic wall stress and volume overload affects left ventricular (LV) systolic function and remodeling. The aim of this study was to assess…
Background Changes in the peripheral vasculature occur in patients with aortic stenosis (AS). The aims of the present study were to characterize peripheral arterial waveforms and aortic pulsewave velocity (PWV)…
