Luigi Badano | Università degli Studi di Padova (original) (raw)

Papers by Luigi Badano

Research paper thumbnail of Early Left Ventricular Longitudinal Systolic Dysfunction and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in 1,371 Asymptomatic Subjects with Normal Ejection Fraction: A Tissue Doppler Study

Echocardiography, 2011

Background: Nowadays early diagnosis of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction represents a major chal... more Background: Nowadays early diagnosis of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction represents a major challenge in asymptomatic subjects with cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) recently emerged as an important tool with clinical relevance in several cardiac diseases. Aim: To evaluate the ability of TDI in detecting early longitudinal ventricular dysfunction in asymptomatic subjects, with LV ejection fraction >55%, normal diastolic function, and its relationship with CV risk factors. Methods: A total of 1,371 subjects (median age 60 years, 595 males) formed our study population: Controls, 265 healthy subjects; Group I, 434 subjects with one CV risk factor; Group II, 401 subjects with two CV risk factors; Group III, 271 subjects with ≥ 3 CV risk factors. All subjects underwent a comprehensive standard echo Doppler evaluation, including PW-TDI study. Results: Diastolic parameters such as (E\A, A-wave, Em\Am; E\Em) were able to discriminate the number of CV risk factors. The only systolic parameter that progressively reduced by increasing the number of CV risk factors was LV global longitudinal systolic function (Sm), (P < 0.0001). At multivariate analysis, the only functional parameter able to predict the increasing number of CV risk factors was Sm (P < 0.001). Conclusions: TDI is able to identify early longitudinal LV systolic abnormalities in presence of apparently normal systolic and diastolic function and progressively impairs with increasing CV risk factors. These findings could be clinically relevant in identifying asymptomatic subjects who need a early tailored preventive treatment. (Echocardiography 2011;28:268-275)

Research paper thumbnail of QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE MITRAL ANNULUS GEOMETRY AND FUNCTION IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS: A TRANSTHORACIC THREE-DIMENSIONAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY STUDY

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Quantitative analysis of the left ventricle by echocardiography in daily practice: as simple as possible, but not simpler

Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography, 2014

Accurate assessment of left ventricular (LV) size and function is among the most important requis... more Accurate assessment of left ventricular (LV) size and function is among the most important requisites of clinical cardiology. Echocardiographic quantitation of LV volumes and ejection fraction (EF) is of paramount importance for diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and not surprisingly, it remains the most frequent indication for performing echocardiography. 1 However, which is the most effective method of LV quantitative analysis by ultrasound is still unsolved.

Research paper thumbnail of Dynamic changes in tricuspid annular diameter measurement in relation to the echocardiographic view and timing during the cardiac cycle

Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography, 2015

Tricuspid annular (TA) size and function play important roles in planning the need for associated... more Tricuspid annular (TA) size and function play important roles in planning the need for associated TA annuloplasty in patients undergoing cardiac surgery for left-sided heart valve diseases. However, TA diameter normative values and the extent of TA dynamic changes during cardiac cycle remain to be established. This was a prospective, cross-sectional study of 219 healthy volunteers (mean age, 43 ± 15 years; 57% women), using conventional two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiographic (2DE) imaging to assess the variability of TA diameter measurement in relation to 2DE view and timing during cardiac cycle. TA diameter was obtained from apical right ventricular (RV)-focused four-chamber, parasternal long-axis RV inflow, and parasternal short-axis at aortic plane 2DE views at five time points during the cardiac cycle. Right atrial and RV volumes were measured using three-dimensional echocardiography. TA diameters differed significantly among the three 2DE views and changed significantl...

Research paper thumbnail of Recommendations of the European Association of Echocardiography: how to use echo-Doppler in clinical trials: different modalities for different purposes

European journal of echocardiography : the journal of the Working Group on Echocardiography of the European Society of Cardiology, 2011

The European Association of Echocardiography (EAE) has developed the present recommendations to a... more The European Association of Echocardiography (EAE) has developed the present recommendations to assist clinical researchers in the design, implementation, and conduction of echocardiographic protocols for clinical trials and to guarantee their quality. Clinical trials should be designed and conducted based on the knowledge of the pathophysiology of the clinical condition studied, the technical characteristics of the echo-Doppler modalities, and the variability of the tested parameters. These procedures are important to choose the most reliable and reproducible techniques and parameters. Quality assurance must be guaranteed by adequate training of peripheral site operators to obtain optimal echo-Doppler data and by using a core laboratory for accurate and reproducible data analysis.

Research paper thumbnail of Real-Time Three Dimensional Echocardiography in the Postoperative Follow-Up of Type-A Aortic Dissection—A Case Report

Aortic dissection is a fearful complication with extremely high mortality in young patients with ... more Aortic dissection is a fearful complication with extremely high mortality in young patients with Marfan syndrome. Successful aortic emergency surgery increases the life expectancy of these patients, yet it does not prevent disease progression and late complications. Therefore, long-term imaging follow-up of both reconstructed and chronically dissected aortic segments is mandatory. This case report illustrates the potential role of real-time three-dimensional echocardiography as a supplement to conventional postoperative follow-up in aortic dissection that provides valuable spatial and functional information. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2010;23:682.e1-682.e4.)

Research paper thumbnail of Validation of a novel automated border-detection algorithm for rapid and accurate quantitation of left ventricular volumes based on three-dimensional echocardiography

European Journal of Echocardiography, 2009

To assess the accuracy and reproducibility of a novel automated software for left ventricular (LV... more To assess the accuracy and reproducibility of a novel automated software for left ventricular (LV) volumes and ejection fraction (EF) measurements using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE).

Research paper thumbnail of Recommendations for cardiac chamber quantification by echocardiography in adults: an update from the american society of echocardiography and the European association of cardiovascular imaging

European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging, 2015

The rapid technological developments of the past decade and the changes in echocardiographic prac... more The rapid technological developments of the past decade and the changes in echocardiographic practice brought about by these developments have resulted in the need for updated recommendations to the previously published guidelines for cardiac chamber quantification, which was the goal of the joint writing group assembled by the American Society of Echocardiography and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging. This document provides updated normal values for all four cardiac chambers, including three-dimensional echocardiography and myocardial deformation, when possible, on the basis of considerably larger numbers of normal subjects, compiled from multiple databases. In addition, this document attempts to eliminate several minor discrepancies that existed between previously published guidelines. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2015; 28: :1-39.).

Research paper thumbnail of Right atrial size and function assessed with three-dimensional and speckle-tracking echocardiography in 200 healthy volunteers

European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging, 2013

Right atrial (RA) size predicts the outcome in some pathological conditions but reference values ... more Right atrial (RA) size predicts the outcome in some pathological conditions but reference values for RA volumes and myocardial function remain to be defined. Thus, we used two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) and three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) to define normative reference values of RA volumes and function. Two hundreds healthy volunteers (43 ± 15 years, range 18-75; 44% men) underwent two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) to obtain RA volumes and longitudinal strain (LS) of RA wall using 2D-STE, and 3DE to measure maximal (Vmax), minimal, and preA volumes to calculate total, passive, and active emptying volumes (TotEV, PassEV, and ActEV) and emptying fractions (TotEF, PassEF, and ActEF). Three-dimensional echocardiography volumes (Vmax, 52 ± 15 mL vs. 41 ± 14 mL), EVs (TotEV, 33 ± 10 mL vs. 24 ± 9 mL), and EFs (TotEF, 63 ± 9 vs. 58 ± 9%) were larger than 2DE ones (all P < 0.0001). Indexed 3D volumes were significantly larger in men than in women....

Research paper thumbnail of Triage strategy for urgent management of cardiac tamponade: a position statement of the European Society of Cardiology Working Group on Myocardial and Pericardial Diseases

European heart journal, Jan 7, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Non-invasive cardiac imaging evaluation of patients with chronic systolic heart failure: a report from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI)

European heart journal, Jan 21, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of EuroEcho and other imaging modalities: highlights

European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging, 2013

The annual meeting of the European Association of Echocardiography (Euroecho and other Imaging Mo... more The annual meeting of the European Association of Echocardiography (Euroecho and other Imaging Modalities) was held in Athens, Greece. In the present paper, we present a summary of the 'Highlights' session.

Research paper thumbnail of Role of electrocardiography and echocardiography in prevention and predicting outcome of subjects at increased risk of heart failure

European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 2013

Asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction (ALVD) is relatively common in both community and high-... more Asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction (ALVD) is relatively common in both community and high-risk populations. Early pharmacological intervention can improve clinical outcomes in subjects with this condition. This multicentre study consists on electrocardiographic and echocardiographic examination of stage A and B heart failure (HF) asymptomatic subjects with one or more cardiovascular risk factors, to assess the prognostic value of cardiovascular risk factors per se, clinical history, and electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters in prediction of progression of HF and/or in development of cardiovascular primary or secondary events. A total of 2142 asymptomatic subjects (mean age 63 years, 1162 males) performed an electrocardiographic and echocardiographic examination. Electrocardiogram (ECG) pathological signs according to Minnesota code and left ventricular dysfunction both systolic and diastolic by echocardiography were evaluated. There were 2002 subjects who were followed up for 26 ± 11 months, observing their primary and secondary end points. At follow up, the study population presented 111 primary end points (5.2%) and 441 secondary end points (20.6%). ECG criteria of LV hypertrophy and signs of ischaemia or previous myocardial infarction (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.0001) were highly significantly related to primary end points. Both ECG and echocardiography (systolic function) are able at Kaplan-Meier cumulative survival curves to predict primary end points (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.0001). Presence or absence of left ventricular systolic and /or diastolic dysfunction has an incremental value in comparison to cardiovascular risk factors, clinical history, and ECG findings to predict both the evolution towards a more severe HF stage (stage C) and also the occurrence of cardiovascular events.

Research paper thumbnail of Right ventricle in pulmonary arterial hypertension: haemodynamics, structural changes, imaging, and proposal of a study protocol aimed to assess remodelling and treatment effects

European journal of echocardiography : the journal of the Working Group on Echocardiography of the European Society of Cardiology, 2010

Although right ventricular (RV) failure is the main cause of death in patients with pulmonary art... more Although right ventricular (RV) failure is the main cause of death in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), there is insufficient data about the effects of PAH treatment on RV geometry and function mainly because the RV assessment has been hampered by its complex crescentic shape, large infundibulum, and its trabecular nature. Echocardiography is a widely available imaging technique particularly suitable for follow-up studies, because of its non-invasive nature, low cost, and lack of ionizing radiation or radioactive agent. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) has been shown to be accurate in assessing RV and left ventricular (LV) volumes, stroke volumes, and ejection fractions in comparison with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. In this review, we describe RV structural and functional changes which occur in patients with PAH and strengths and weaknesses of current non-invasive imaging techniques to assess them. Finally, we describe an ongoing multic...

Research paper thumbnail of Recommendations for transoesophageal echocardiography: EACVI update 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Report on the first written exam held as part of the European Association of Echocardiography accreditation process in adult transthoracic echocardiography

Research paper thumbnail of European Association of Echocardiography recommendations for training, competence, and quality improvement in echocardiography

European journal of echocardiography : the journal of the Working Group on Echocardiography of the European Society of Cardiology, 2009

The main mission statement of the European Association of Echocardiography (EAE) is 'to promo... more The main mission statement of the European Association of Echocardiography (EAE) is 'to promote excellence in clinical diagnosis, research, technical development, and education in cardiovascular ultrasound in Europe'. As competence and quality control issues are increasingly recognized by patients, physicians, and payers, the EAE has established recommendations for training, competence, and quality improvement in echocardiography. The purpose of this document is to provide the requirements for training and competence in echocardiography, to outline the principles of quality measurement, and to recommend a set of measures for improvement, with the ultimate goal of raising the standards of echocardiographic practice in Europe.

Research paper thumbnail of Updated standards and processes for accreditation of echocardiographic laboratories from The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging

European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging, 2014

Standards for echocardiographic laboratories were proposed by the European Association of Echocar... more Standards for echocardiographic laboratories were proposed by the European Association of Echocardiography (now the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging) 7 years ago in order to raise standards of practice and improve the quality of care. Criteria and requirements were published at that time for transthoracic, transoesophageal, and stress echocardiography. This paper reassesses and updates the quality standards to take account of experience and the technical developments of modern echocardiographic practice. It also discusses quality control, the incentives for laboratories to apply for accreditation, the reaccreditation criteria, and the current status and future prospects of the laboratory accreditation process.

Research paper thumbnail of Echocardiographic reference ranges for normal cardiac chamber size: results from the NORRE study

European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging, 2014

Availability of normative reference values for cardiac chamber quantitation is a prerequisite for... more Availability of normative reference values for cardiac chamber quantitation is a prerequisite for accurate clinical application of echocardiography. In this study, we report normal reference ranges for cardiac chambers size obtained in a large group of healthy volunteers accounting for gender and age. Echocardiographic data were acquired using state-of-the-art cardiac ultrasound equipment following chamber quantitation protocols approved by the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging. A total of 734 (mean age: 45.8 ± 13.3 years) healthy volunteers (320 men and 414 women) were enrolled at 22 collaborating institutions of the Normal Reference Ranges for Echocardiography (NORRE) study. A comprehensive echocardiographic examination was performed on all subjects following pre-defined protocols. There were no gender differences in age or cholesterol levels. Compared with men, women had significantly smaller body surface areas, and lower blood pressure. Quality of echocardiographic ...

Research paper thumbnail of Multimodality imaging of diseases of the thoracic aorta in adults: from the american society of echocardiography and the European association of cardiovascular imaging: endorsed by the society of cardiovascular computed tomography and society for cardiovascular magnetic resonance

Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Early Left Ventricular Longitudinal Systolic Dysfunction and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in 1,371 Asymptomatic Subjects with Normal Ejection Fraction: A Tissue Doppler Study

Echocardiography, 2011

Background: Nowadays early diagnosis of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction represents a major chal... more Background: Nowadays early diagnosis of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction represents a major challenge in asymptomatic subjects with cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) recently emerged as an important tool with clinical relevance in several cardiac diseases. Aim: To evaluate the ability of TDI in detecting early longitudinal ventricular dysfunction in asymptomatic subjects, with LV ejection fraction >55%, normal diastolic function, and its relationship with CV risk factors. Methods: A total of 1,371 subjects (median age 60 years, 595 males) formed our study population: Controls, 265 healthy subjects; Group I, 434 subjects with one CV risk factor; Group II, 401 subjects with two CV risk factors; Group III, 271 subjects with ≥ 3 CV risk factors. All subjects underwent a comprehensive standard echo Doppler evaluation, including PW-TDI study. Results: Diastolic parameters such as (E\A, A-wave, Em\Am; E\Em) were able to discriminate the number of CV risk factors. The only systolic parameter that progressively reduced by increasing the number of CV risk factors was LV global longitudinal systolic function (Sm), (P < 0.0001). At multivariate analysis, the only functional parameter able to predict the increasing number of CV risk factors was Sm (P < 0.001). Conclusions: TDI is able to identify early longitudinal LV systolic abnormalities in presence of apparently normal systolic and diastolic function and progressively impairs with increasing CV risk factors. These findings could be clinically relevant in identifying asymptomatic subjects who need a early tailored preventive treatment. (Echocardiography 2011;28:268-275)

Research paper thumbnail of QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE MITRAL ANNULUS GEOMETRY AND FUNCTION IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS: A TRANSTHORACIC THREE-DIMENSIONAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY STUDY

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Quantitative analysis of the left ventricle by echocardiography in daily practice: as simple as possible, but not simpler

Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography, 2014

Accurate assessment of left ventricular (LV) size and function is among the most important requis... more Accurate assessment of left ventricular (LV) size and function is among the most important requisites of clinical cardiology. Echocardiographic quantitation of LV volumes and ejection fraction (EF) is of paramount importance for diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and not surprisingly, it remains the most frequent indication for performing echocardiography. 1 However, which is the most effective method of LV quantitative analysis by ultrasound is still unsolved.

Research paper thumbnail of Dynamic changes in tricuspid annular diameter measurement in relation to the echocardiographic view and timing during the cardiac cycle

Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography, 2015

Tricuspid annular (TA) size and function play important roles in planning the need for associated... more Tricuspid annular (TA) size and function play important roles in planning the need for associated TA annuloplasty in patients undergoing cardiac surgery for left-sided heart valve diseases. However, TA diameter normative values and the extent of TA dynamic changes during cardiac cycle remain to be established. This was a prospective, cross-sectional study of 219 healthy volunteers (mean age, 43 ± 15 years; 57% women), using conventional two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiographic (2DE) imaging to assess the variability of TA diameter measurement in relation to 2DE view and timing during cardiac cycle. TA diameter was obtained from apical right ventricular (RV)-focused four-chamber, parasternal long-axis RV inflow, and parasternal short-axis at aortic plane 2DE views at five time points during the cardiac cycle. Right atrial and RV volumes were measured using three-dimensional echocardiography. TA diameters differed significantly among the three 2DE views and changed significantl...

Research paper thumbnail of Recommendations of the European Association of Echocardiography: how to use echo-Doppler in clinical trials: different modalities for different purposes

European journal of echocardiography : the journal of the Working Group on Echocardiography of the European Society of Cardiology, 2011

The European Association of Echocardiography (EAE) has developed the present recommendations to a... more The European Association of Echocardiography (EAE) has developed the present recommendations to assist clinical researchers in the design, implementation, and conduction of echocardiographic protocols for clinical trials and to guarantee their quality. Clinical trials should be designed and conducted based on the knowledge of the pathophysiology of the clinical condition studied, the technical characteristics of the echo-Doppler modalities, and the variability of the tested parameters. These procedures are important to choose the most reliable and reproducible techniques and parameters. Quality assurance must be guaranteed by adequate training of peripheral site operators to obtain optimal echo-Doppler data and by using a core laboratory for accurate and reproducible data analysis.

Research paper thumbnail of Real-Time Three Dimensional Echocardiography in the Postoperative Follow-Up of Type-A Aortic Dissection—A Case Report

Aortic dissection is a fearful complication with extremely high mortality in young patients with ... more Aortic dissection is a fearful complication with extremely high mortality in young patients with Marfan syndrome. Successful aortic emergency surgery increases the life expectancy of these patients, yet it does not prevent disease progression and late complications. Therefore, long-term imaging follow-up of both reconstructed and chronically dissected aortic segments is mandatory. This case report illustrates the potential role of real-time three-dimensional echocardiography as a supplement to conventional postoperative follow-up in aortic dissection that provides valuable spatial and functional information. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2010;23:682.e1-682.e4.)

Research paper thumbnail of Validation of a novel automated border-detection algorithm for rapid and accurate quantitation of left ventricular volumes based on three-dimensional echocardiography

European Journal of Echocardiography, 2009

To assess the accuracy and reproducibility of a novel automated software for left ventricular (LV... more To assess the accuracy and reproducibility of a novel automated software for left ventricular (LV) volumes and ejection fraction (EF) measurements using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE).

Research paper thumbnail of Recommendations for cardiac chamber quantification by echocardiography in adults: an update from the american society of echocardiography and the European association of cardiovascular imaging

European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging, 2015

The rapid technological developments of the past decade and the changes in echocardiographic prac... more The rapid technological developments of the past decade and the changes in echocardiographic practice brought about by these developments have resulted in the need for updated recommendations to the previously published guidelines for cardiac chamber quantification, which was the goal of the joint writing group assembled by the American Society of Echocardiography and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging. This document provides updated normal values for all four cardiac chambers, including three-dimensional echocardiography and myocardial deformation, when possible, on the basis of considerably larger numbers of normal subjects, compiled from multiple databases. In addition, this document attempts to eliminate several minor discrepancies that existed between previously published guidelines. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2015; 28: :1-39.).

Research paper thumbnail of Right atrial size and function assessed with three-dimensional and speckle-tracking echocardiography in 200 healthy volunteers

European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging, 2013

Right atrial (RA) size predicts the outcome in some pathological conditions but reference values ... more Right atrial (RA) size predicts the outcome in some pathological conditions but reference values for RA volumes and myocardial function remain to be defined. Thus, we used two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) and three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) to define normative reference values of RA volumes and function. Two hundreds healthy volunteers (43 ± 15 years, range 18-75; 44% men) underwent two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) to obtain RA volumes and longitudinal strain (LS) of RA wall using 2D-STE, and 3DE to measure maximal (Vmax), minimal, and preA volumes to calculate total, passive, and active emptying volumes (TotEV, PassEV, and ActEV) and emptying fractions (TotEF, PassEF, and ActEF). Three-dimensional echocardiography volumes (Vmax, 52 ± 15 mL vs. 41 ± 14 mL), EVs (TotEV, 33 ± 10 mL vs. 24 ± 9 mL), and EFs (TotEF, 63 ± 9 vs. 58 ± 9%) were larger than 2DE ones (all P < 0.0001). Indexed 3D volumes were significantly larger in men than in women....

Research paper thumbnail of Triage strategy for urgent management of cardiac tamponade: a position statement of the European Society of Cardiology Working Group on Myocardial and Pericardial Diseases

European heart journal, Jan 7, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Non-invasive cardiac imaging evaluation of patients with chronic systolic heart failure: a report from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI)

European heart journal, Jan 21, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of EuroEcho and other imaging modalities: highlights

European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging, 2013

The annual meeting of the European Association of Echocardiography (Euroecho and other Imaging Mo... more The annual meeting of the European Association of Echocardiography (Euroecho and other Imaging Modalities) was held in Athens, Greece. In the present paper, we present a summary of the 'Highlights' session.

Research paper thumbnail of Role of electrocardiography and echocardiography in prevention and predicting outcome of subjects at increased risk of heart failure

European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 2013

Asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction (ALVD) is relatively common in both community and high-... more Asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction (ALVD) is relatively common in both community and high-risk populations. Early pharmacological intervention can improve clinical outcomes in subjects with this condition. This multicentre study consists on electrocardiographic and echocardiographic examination of stage A and B heart failure (HF) asymptomatic subjects with one or more cardiovascular risk factors, to assess the prognostic value of cardiovascular risk factors per se, clinical history, and electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters in prediction of progression of HF and/or in development of cardiovascular primary or secondary events. A total of 2142 asymptomatic subjects (mean age 63 years, 1162 males) performed an electrocardiographic and echocardiographic examination. Electrocardiogram (ECG) pathological signs according to Minnesota code and left ventricular dysfunction both systolic and diastolic by echocardiography were evaluated. There were 2002 subjects who were followed up for 26 ± 11 months, observing their primary and secondary end points. At follow up, the study population presented 111 primary end points (5.2%) and 441 secondary end points (20.6%). ECG criteria of LV hypertrophy and signs of ischaemia or previous myocardial infarction (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.0001) were highly significantly related to primary end points. Both ECG and echocardiography (systolic function) are able at Kaplan-Meier cumulative survival curves to predict primary end points (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.0001). Presence or absence of left ventricular systolic and /or diastolic dysfunction has an incremental value in comparison to cardiovascular risk factors, clinical history, and ECG findings to predict both the evolution towards a more severe HF stage (stage C) and also the occurrence of cardiovascular events.

Research paper thumbnail of Right ventricle in pulmonary arterial hypertension: haemodynamics, structural changes, imaging, and proposal of a study protocol aimed to assess remodelling and treatment effects

European journal of echocardiography : the journal of the Working Group on Echocardiography of the European Society of Cardiology, 2010

Although right ventricular (RV) failure is the main cause of death in patients with pulmonary art... more Although right ventricular (RV) failure is the main cause of death in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), there is insufficient data about the effects of PAH treatment on RV geometry and function mainly because the RV assessment has been hampered by its complex crescentic shape, large infundibulum, and its trabecular nature. Echocardiography is a widely available imaging technique particularly suitable for follow-up studies, because of its non-invasive nature, low cost, and lack of ionizing radiation or radioactive agent. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) has been shown to be accurate in assessing RV and left ventricular (LV) volumes, stroke volumes, and ejection fractions in comparison with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. In this review, we describe RV structural and functional changes which occur in patients with PAH and strengths and weaknesses of current non-invasive imaging techniques to assess them. Finally, we describe an ongoing multic...

Research paper thumbnail of Recommendations for transoesophageal echocardiography: EACVI update 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Report on the first written exam held as part of the European Association of Echocardiography accreditation process in adult transthoracic echocardiography

Research paper thumbnail of European Association of Echocardiography recommendations for training, competence, and quality improvement in echocardiography

European journal of echocardiography : the journal of the Working Group on Echocardiography of the European Society of Cardiology, 2009

The main mission statement of the European Association of Echocardiography (EAE) is 'to promo... more The main mission statement of the European Association of Echocardiography (EAE) is 'to promote excellence in clinical diagnosis, research, technical development, and education in cardiovascular ultrasound in Europe'. As competence and quality control issues are increasingly recognized by patients, physicians, and payers, the EAE has established recommendations for training, competence, and quality improvement in echocardiography. The purpose of this document is to provide the requirements for training and competence in echocardiography, to outline the principles of quality measurement, and to recommend a set of measures for improvement, with the ultimate goal of raising the standards of echocardiographic practice in Europe.

Research paper thumbnail of Updated standards and processes for accreditation of echocardiographic laboratories from The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging

European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging, 2014

Standards for echocardiographic laboratories were proposed by the European Association of Echocar... more Standards for echocardiographic laboratories were proposed by the European Association of Echocardiography (now the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging) 7 years ago in order to raise standards of practice and improve the quality of care. Criteria and requirements were published at that time for transthoracic, transoesophageal, and stress echocardiography. This paper reassesses and updates the quality standards to take account of experience and the technical developments of modern echocardiographic practice. It also discusses quality control, the incentives for laboratories to apply for accreditation, the reaccreditation criteria, and the current status and future prospects of the laboratory accreditation process.

Research paper thumbnail of Echocardiographic reference ranges for normal cardiac chamber size: results from the NORRE study

European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging, 2014

Availability of normative reference values for cardiac chamber quantitation is a prerequisite for... more Availability of normative reference values for cardiac chamber quantitation is a prerequisite for accurate clinical application of echocardiography. In this study, we report normal reference ranges for cardiac chambers size obtained in a large group of healthy volunteers accounting for gender and age. Echocardiographic data were acquired using state-of-the-art cardiac ultrasound equipment following chamber quantitation protocols approved by the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging. A total of 734 (mean age: 45.8 ± 13.3 years) healthy volunteers (320 men and 414 women) were enrolled at 22 collaborating institutions of the Normal Reference Ranges for Echocardiography (NORRE) study. A comprehensive echocardiographic examination was performed on all subjects following pre-defined protocols. There were no gender differences in age or cholesterol levels. Compared with men, women had significantly smaller body surface areas, and lower blood pressure. Quality of echocardiographic ...

Research paper thumbnail of Multimodality imaging of diseases of the thoracic aorta in adults: from the american society of echocardiography and the European association of cardiovascular imaging: endorsed by the society of cardiovascular computed tomography and society for cardiovascular magnetic resonance

Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography, 2015