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BackgroundUpright exercise stress echocardiography (SE) induces significant intraventricular gradient (IVG) and systolic anterior motion (SAM) in a large proportion of symptomatic athletes, who may therefore benefit from a negative inotropic therapy.The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of chronic oral β blocker therapy on the occurrence of exercise-induced IVG and mitral valve SAM, in symptomatic athletes.MethodsWe enrolled 35 symptomatic athletes (age = 23 ± 11 years) with IVG (>30 mmHg) during SE off therapy. All repeated SE on chronic oral beta-blocker therapy (atenolol up to 50 mg, bisoprolol up to 10 mg, or metoprolol up to 100 mg daily according to physician-driven choice).ResultsOn therapy, there was during SE a reduction in IVG (35 off vs 17 on beta blocker, p < 0.01), decrease of IVG (102 ± 34 mmHg off vs 69 ± 24 mmHg on beta blocker, p < 0.01), peak heart rate (178 ± 15 bpm off vs 157 ± 9 bpm on beta blocker), SAM (24 off vs 9 on beta blocker, p < 0.001), symptoms during SE (17 off vs 2 on beta blocker p < 0.001), ST segment depression (13 off vs 2 on beta blocker, p < 0.001).ConclusionsIn athletes with positive screening on medical evaluation for sports practice and IVG on exertion, treatment with oral beta blockers improved symptoms in the large majority of patients. Symptomatic benefit was mirrored by objective evidence of improvement of echocardiographic signs of obstruction (IVG and SAM) and reduction of ischemia-like electrocardiographic changes.

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Exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) is a widely used diagnostic test in cardiology departments. ESE is mainly used to study patients with coronary artery disease; however, it has increasingly been used in other clinical scenarios including valve pathology, congenital heart disease, hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies, athlete evaluations, diastolic function evaluation, and pulmonary circulation study. In our laboratories, we use an established methodology in which cardiac function is evaluated while exercising on a treadmill. After completing the exercise regimen, patients remain in a standing position or lie down on the left lateral decubitus, depending on the clinical questions to be answered for further evaluation. This method increases the quality and quantity of information obtained. Here, we present the various methods of exercise stress echocardiography and our experience in many clinical arenas in detail. We also present alternatives to ESE that may be used and their advantages and disadvantages. We review recent advances in ESE and future directions for this established method in the study of cardiac patients and underline the advantage of using a diagnostic tool that is radiation-free.

Background Exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) is routinely used in adults but its role in children (C) is less established Purpose To assess the feasibility and clinical value of ESE in outpatient children Methods We enrolled 309 consecutive C (mean age = 14,1 ± 2,6 years, range 6-17 yrs) who underwent treadmill ESE between 2002 and 2019: One group (Group I) of 258 C including: 237 with exercise related symptoms (chest pain and/or dyspnea and/ or lypotimia-syncope), 15 with resting ECG alterations, 6 with positive ECG stress test and other group of C (Group II) including: 10 asymptomatic for screening requested by parents, 11 with symptoms unrelated to exercise, 12 with antecedents of sudden death in the family, and 17 with known pathology - 10 with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, 2 with aortic coarctation, 1 each with Cortriatriatum sinister, pulmonary stenosis, subaortic stenosis, bicuspid aortic valve, left ventricular hypertrophy related to arterial hypertension, aortic switch operation. Regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA) by 2-D and continuous wave Doppler (transvalvular or transaortic or intraventricular (IVG) gradients were assessed in all. Results The success rate was 309/309 (100%). Only one complication (allowing asthma diagnosis by serendipity) occurred: a severe asthmatic crisis in one girl studied because of chest pain with exercise (with ESE negativity), Stress-induced RWMA occurred in 2 pts (one with HCM, the other with normal coronary arteries). A significant orthostatic exercise induced IVG (&gt; 30 mmHg) was present in 101 of the 258 C (39%) studied due to symptoms, ECG alterations or positive stress ECG. In group II the C with induced IVG attained greater heart rate (HR) 184 ± 12 vs 174 ± 16 (p &lt; 0,001); greater blood pressure (BP) 150 ± 19 mmHg vs 136 ± 23 mmHg (p &lt; 0,001). The OR to the reproduced symptoms that motivated the exam during the SE comparing the 101 C with IVG with the 158 without IVG was 8,22 (4,83-13,99) p &lt; 0,001 (95% CI). Conclusions Treadmill ESE is feasible and safe in young people. RWMA are of limited usefulness in our outpatient C group. Doppler often documents significant exercise induced IVG, occult at rest that associate with symptoms. Abstract P794 Figure. ESE Induced IVG in a C with chest pain