Vid flertalet hjärtsjukdomar kan det förekomma störningar i den diastoliska funktionen, detta tillstånd benämns diastolisk dysfunktion. Detta innebär att fyllnadstrycken i vänsterkammare ökar på grund av nedsatt eftergivlighet i kammaren. Bedömning av diastolisk funktion, hos patienter som utvecklat förmaksflimmer, är en utmaning inom ekokardiografi. Detta beror på att förmaksflimmer innebär utebliven förmakskontraktion, oregelbunden längd av hjärtcykeln och förmaksdilatation, vilket försvårar bedömningen. Syftet med studien var att med ekokardiografi studera diastoliska parametrar hos patienter med förmaksflimmer för att studera om dessa kan användas vid bedömning av den diastoliska vänsterkammarfunktionen hos denna patientgrupp. I studien inkluderades 37 deltagare med förmaksflimmer som var remitterade för en ekokardiografisk undersökning med olika frågeställningar. Pulsad doppler teknik och vävnads doppler teknik användes för att registrera följande diastoliska parametrar: förmaksvolym, mitralisinflöde (E-vågshastigheten) och myokardiets diastoliska hastigheter (e´). Utöver dessa uppskattades även ejektionsfraktion, hjärtfrekvens, hypertrofi och trycket i lilla kretsloppet, som togs med vid bedömningen. Mann-Whitneys test visade att det förelåg ett starkt statistiskt samband mellan fyllnadstrycket (E/e´) och E-vågen, e ´samt förmaksvolym (p = <0,05). Signifikant resultat erhölls även för sambandet mellan PA-tryck och fyllnadstryck (p = 0,014) genom ett chitvå-test. Vidare gav multipel linjär regression utslag på E-vågen och e´. Analysen visade att det förelåg en hög förklaringsgrad för E-vågen (p = <0,001) och e´ (p = 0,008). Sammanfattningsvis visade resultaten att ekokardiografi kan användas för diagnostik av förmaksflimmerpatienter avseende fyllnadstryck där förmaksvolym, E-vågshastigheten och e´ anses vara bästa parametrarna. / In the majority of heart diseases disturbances in the diastolic function may occur, this condition is called diastolic dysfunction. This means that the left ventricular filling pressure increases due to reduced compliance in the chamber. The assessment of diastolic function in patients who have developed atrial fibrillation (AF), is a challenge in echocardiography. This is a result of AF which involves absence of atrial contraction, irregular length of the cardiac cycle and left atrium dilatation that complicates the assessment. The aim of this study was to observe the diastolic echocardiographic parameters in patients with AF to examine if these can be used in the assessment of diastolic left ventricular function in this population. The study included 37 participants with AF who were remitted for an echocardiographic examination due to various concerns. Pulsed Doppler technique and tissue Doppler technique was used to record the following diastolic parameters: atrial volume, mitral inflow velocity (E) and the myocardial diastolic velocity (e'). Ejection fraction, heart-rate, hypertrophy and pulmonary artery pressure were also estimated and included in the assessment. Mann-Whitneys test showed that there was a strong statistical correlation between the filling pressure (E/e') and E, e' and atrial volume (p = <0.05). Significant results were also obtained for the relation between pulmonary artery pressure and the filling pressure (p = 0.014) by a chi-square test. A multiple linear regression showed association between E and e'. The analysis showed that there was a significant value of coefficient of determination for E (p = <0.001) and e' (p = 0.008). In conclusion, the results showed that echocardiography can be used for diagnosis of AF patients regarding filling pressures, where atrial volume, E velocity and e' are considered to be the best parameters.

The general purpose of this thesis is to establish capability and accuracy of speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in assessing left atrial (LA), left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) function and their correlation with myocardial fibrosis, filling pressure and clinical outcomes in advanced heart failure (HF) patients before and after heart transplantation (HT). I demonstrated that HT recipients had impaired LV twist dynamics in the form of reduced rotation twist angle and untwist rate but time to peak twist was not different from the age matched controls and other cardiac surgical patients. With a longitudinal study conducted on patients with refractory HF, the best prognostic power has been shown by RV strain analysis. Among the indexes of LV function, the LV ejection fraction (LVEF) demonstrated the lowest diagnostic accuracy; instead LV global circumferential strain (GCS) showed a better sensitivity and specificity than LV global longitudinal strain (GLS). When analyzing the relationship between different severity of myocardial fibrosis and LV cavity function, the strongest function parameter that correlated with severity of myocardial fibrosis was GLS. In contrast, none of diastolic LV function or even measures of exercise capacity correlated with myocardial fibrosis. In patients with end-stage HF, global peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS), an index of atrial reservoir function was dependent by pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) and LV fibrosis, but not influenced by LV systolic function. Results from this study confirm previous evidence of correlation between impaired global PALS and increased PCWP.

Orientador: Meliza Goi Roscani / Resumo: Os efeitos favoráveis de um programa de exercício físico combinado (EFC) em pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca (IC) e fração de ejeção ventricular esquerda reduzida (FEVER) são bem reconhecidos na literatura. Acredita-se que os efeitos benéficos do EF não se devam à melhora da FEVE. Por outro lado, alguns estudos apontaram para efeitos benéficos do EF na função diastólica do VE. Tendo em vista a importância da pressão de enchimento do VE na sintomatologia dos pacientes com IC, levantou-se a hipótese de que de que um programa de EFC e supervisionado é capaz de promover melhora na função diastólica em pacientes com IC com FEVE < 50%, e que esse efeito está associado à diminuição dos sintomas, refletindo em melhora da CF e da QV nesses pacientes. Objetivos: avaliar o efeito do EFC na função diastólica de pacientes com IC de FEVE reduzida e investigar se a melhora na função diastólica é fator associado à melhora dos sintomas, capacidade funcional e qualidade de vida desses pacientes. Metodologia: trata-se de um ensaio clínico prospectivo, randomizado e controlado, que incluiu pacientes com IC e FEVE <50%, acima de 18 anos. A amostra foi composta por 42 pacientes, distribuídos em 2 grupos pareados por idade e sexo: grupo controle (GC) n=20 - submetidos à prescrição já realizada nas consultas de rotina para prática de atividade física regular não supervisionada. Grupo intervenção (GI) n=22 - submetidos a um programa de exercício físico supervisionado composto por exercício aerób... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The favorable effects of a combined exercise program (CEP) in patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (RLVE) are well recognized in the literature. There is consensus that physical exercise (PE) improves quality of life (QOL) and functional capacity (FC) in patients with HF. It is believed that the beneficial effects of PE are not due to the improvement of LVEF. On the other hand, some studies indicated beneficial effects of PE on LV diastolic function. Given the importance of LV filling pressure in symptoms of HF patients, the hypothesis of this study was that an CEP supervised program should promote improvement in diastolic function in patients with HF with LVEF <50% and this effect may be associated with decreased symptoms, reflecting improvement in FC and QOL in these patients. Objective: evaluate the effect of ECF in diastolic function in patients with reduced LVEF IC and investigate whether the improvement in diastolic function is r associated with improvement in symptoms, functional capacity and quality of life of these patients. Methodology: Prospective clinical trial, randomized and controlled, which included patients with HF and LVEF <50%, above 18 years. The sample consisted of 42 patients, divided into two groups matched for age and sex: the control group (CG) n = 20 - submitted to prescription in clinical practice of regular physical activity, not supervised. Intervention group (IG) n = 22 - underwent a physical exercise pr... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

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