No abstract

In patients with HCM, elevated NT-proBNP concentration is a strong predictor of overall prognosis, particularly HF-related death and transplantation.

Low frequency variability in the fingertip photoplethysmogram (PPG) waveform has been utilized for inferring sympathetic vascular control, but its relationship with a quantitative measure of vascular tone has not been established. In this study, we examined the association between fingertip PPG waveform variability (PPGV) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) obtained from thermodilution cardiac output (CO) and intra-arterial pressure measurements in 48 post cardiac surgery intensive care unit patients. Among the hemodynamic measurements, both CO (P < 0.05) and SVR (P < 0.0001) had statistically significant relationships with the normalized low frequency power (LF(nu)) of PPGV. The LF(nu) of baseline PPGV had moderate but significant positive correlation with SVR (r = 0.54, P < 0.0001), and a value below 52.5 nu was able to identify SVR < 900 dyn s cm⁻⁵ with sensitivity of 59% and specificity of 95%. The results have provided quantitative evidence to confirm the link between fingertip PPGV and sympathetic vascular control. Suppression of LF vasomotor waves leading to dominance of respiration-related HF fluctuations in the fingertip circulation was a specific (though not sensitive) marker of systemic vasodilatation, which could be potentially utilized for the assessment of critical care patients.

ObjectivesAortoseptal angulation (AoSA) can predict provocable left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) in patients with symptomatic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Lack of a standardised measurement technique in HCM without the need for complex three-dimensional (3D) imaging limits its usefulness in routine clinical practice. This study aimed to validate a simple measurement of AoSA using 2D echocardiography and cardiac MR (CMR) imaging as a predictor of LVOTO.MethodsWe retrospectively assessed 160 patients with non-obstructive HCM, referred for exercise stress echocardiography. AoSA was measured using resting 2D echocardiography in all patients, and CMR in 29. Twenty-five controls with normal echocardiograms were used for comparison.ResultsPatients with HCM had a reduced AoSA compared with controls (113°±12 vs 126°±6), p<0.0001. Sixty (38%) patients had provocable LVOTO, with smaller angles than non-obstructive patients (108°±12 vs 116°±12, p<0.0001). AoSA, degree of mitral valvular regurgitation and incomplete systolic anterior motion (SAM) were associated with peak left ventricular outflow tract gradient (r=0.508, p<0.0001). An angle ≤100° had 27% sensitivity, 91% specificity and 59% positive predictive value for predicting provocable LVOTO. When combined with SAM, specificity was 99% and positive predictive value 88%. Intraclass correlation coefficient of AoSA measured by two observers was 0.901 (p<0.0001). Bland-Altman analysis of echocardiographic AoSA showed good agreement with the CMR-derived angle.ConclusionsMeasurement of AoSA using echocardiography in HCM is easy, reproducible and comparable to CMR. Patients with provocable LVOTO have reduced angles compared with non-obstructive patients. AoSA is highly specific for provocable LVOTO and should prompt further evaluation in symptomatic patients without resting obstruction.