Aims  Risk stratification of heart failure (HF) patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) can promote a more personalized treatment. We tested the prognostic value of a multi-parametric evaluation, including biomarkers, cardiopulmonary exercise testing-exercise stress echocardiography (CPET-ESE), and lung ultrasound, in HFpEF patients and subjects at risk of developing HF (HF Stages A and B). Background  Risk stratification of heart failure (HF) patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) can promote a more personalized treatment. Design  We tested the prognostic value of a multi-parametric evaluation, including biomarkers, cardiopulmonary exercise testing-exercise stress echocardiography (CPET-ESE), and lung ultrasound, in HFpEF patients and subjects at risk of developing HF (HF Stages A and B). Methods and results  We performed a resting clinical/bio-humoural evaluation and a symptom-limited CPET-ESE in 274 patients (45 Stage A, 68 Stage B, and 161 Stage C-HFpEF) and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. During a median follow-up of 18.5 months, we reported 71 HF hospitalizations and 10 cardiovascular deaths. Cox proportional-hazards regression identified five independent predictors and each was assigned a number of points proportional to its regression coefficient: stress-rest ΔB-lines >10 (3 points), peak oxygen consumption <16 mL/kg/min (2 points), minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production slope ≥36 (2 points), peak systolic pulmonary artery pressure ≥50 mmHg (1 point) and resting N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) >900 pg/mL (1 point). The event-free survival probability for low risk (<3 points), intermediate risk (3–6 points), and high risk (>6 points) were 93%, 52%, and 20%, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) for the scoring system to predict events was 0.92 (95% CI 0.88–0.96), with an accuracy significantly higher than the individual components of the score (all P < 0.01 vs. individual AUCs). Conclusion  A weighted risk score including NT-proBNP, markers of cardiopulmonary dysfunction and indices of exercise-induced pulmonary congestion identifies HFpEF patients at increased risk for adverse events and Stage A and B subjects more likely to progress towards more advanced HF stages.

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Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is the most advanced form of peripheral artery disease. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and high management costs. It carries a high risk of amputation and local infection. Moreover, cardiovascular complications remain a major concern. Although it is a well-known entity and new technological and therapeutic advances have been made, this condition remains poorly addressed, with significantly heterogeneous management, especially in nonexperienced centers. This review, from a third-level dedicated inpatient and outpatient cardioangiology structure, aims to provide an updated summary on the topic of CLI of its complexity, encompassing epidemiological, social, economical and, in particular, diagnostic/imaging issues, together with potential therapeutic strategies (medical, endovascular, and surgical), including the evaluation of cardiovascular risk factors, the diagnosis, and treatment together with prognostic stratification.

PSE had an incremental diagnostic value during bedside cardiology consultation, increasing the number of appropriate diagnoses and reducing the routine use of echocardiography.

Background:Diabetes mellitus (DM) represents by itself a major risk factor for cardiovascular events and the coexistence of obesity with consequent left ventricular volumetric overload could be responsible for further damages on left ventricular function. Aim of this study was to demonstrate the effect of body mass index (BMI) on left ventricular function in diabetes patients with no cardiovascular complications and with normal ejection fraction (EF).Materials and Methods:We evaluated 71 stable asymptomatic diabetes patients in optimal medical treatment and 24 healthy controls (C) (45% females; mean age: 58.4 +/− 9.4 years; BMI: 23.5 +/− 1.5). We stratified diabetes patients into two groups according to BMI: BMI <30 kg/m2 (A: 44 patients; 47% females; mean age: 60.9 +/− 6.6 years; BMI: 25.7 +/− 1.9; Diabetes duration: 9.1 +/− 9.5 years); BMI >30 kg/m2 (B: 27 patients; 37% females; mean age: 56.2 +/− 7.8 years; BMI: 33.0 +/− 2.1; Diabetes duration: 8.5 +/− 5.2 years). The following parameters were evaluated by conventional two dimensional (2D) echocardiography (GE VIVID 7) and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI): left ventricular dimensions (LVIDd; PWTd; IVSd), Left Ventricular Volumes (EDV, ESV), EF (by biplane Simpson’s method), Left Ventricular Mass (by ASE formula), peak mitral annular velocity at septal and lateral levels (Sm and Sl). Global longitudinal strain (GLS) was obtained off line by Speckle tracking imaging method using Echopac 10 software.Results:Groups A, B were comparable for diabetes duration and glycated hemoglobin level, history of hypertension, and lipid profile. The EF was similar in the three groups, (A: 64 +/− 6%; B: 63 +/− 4%; C: 61 +/−5%; P= NS). LVMass2.7 indexed for height was significantly higher in A and B in comparison with C (A: 45.2 +/− 8.1 g/m2.7; B: 46.1 +/− 9.6 g/m2.7; C: 39.5 +/− 4.9 g/m2.7; P < 0.05). The stroke volume index (SVi) was significantly lower in B vs A (B: 35.3 +/− 5.7 ml/m2; A: 39.3 +/7.1 ml/m2; P = 0.033). GLS was significantly lower in group B respect A and C (C: 20.9 +/− 1.3%; A: -20.3+/−2.6%; B: -19 +/− 2; P < 0.05; P < 0.01).Conclusions:In uncomplicated asymptomatic DM patients, the presence of first degree obesity plays an incremental role in adversely affecting left ventricular function and remodeling. The conventional echocardiographic methods such as the EF and the TDI are not so sensitive to identify the early LV dysfunction such as the evaluation of GLS by Speckle Tracking echocardiography. The longitudinal subendocardial fibers dysfunction in diabetes/obese patients could be derived by the complex interaction between metabolic (diabetes) and hemodynamic/endocrine abnormalities.