Review
Physiology
Maria F. Ionescu, Sethu Mani-Babu, Luiza H. Degani-Costa, Martin Johnson, Chelliah Paramasivan, Karl Sylvester, Jonathan Fuld
Summary: Dysfunctional breathing (DB) is a condition that affects individuals in various situations, including athletes, and can be diagnosed and managed using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Proper recognition of DB is important for treatment and can lead to significant benefits for individuals.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Pediatrics
Adam W. Powell, Wayne A. Mays, Samuel G. Wittekind, Clifford Chin, Sandra K. Knecht, Sean M. Lang, Alexander R. Opotowsky
Summary: This study investigated the impact of sport and school restrictions during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic on exercise performance and body composition in children and young adults with heart disease. The results showed that the pandemic and related lifestyle changes did not have substantial negative effects on aerobic fitness or body composition in this population.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Klara Komici, Antonio Bianco, Fabio Perrotta, Antonio Dello Iacono, Leonardo Bencivenga, Vito D'Agnano, Aldo Rocca, Andrea Bianco, Giuseppe Rengo, Germano Guerra
Summary: Among competitive athletes with COVID-19, the most common symptoms were anosmia and ageusia. While there was a decrease in lung function during early recovery, exercise capacity and cardio-respiratory function were not significantly impaired.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Susanne D'Isabel, Lauren M. Berny, Alex Frost, Chanhtel Thongphok, Kepra Jack, Sundeep Chaudhry, Ross Arena, Denise L. Smith
Summary: This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 infection on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) among firefighters. The results showed that firefighters experienced a 7.3% decline in peak VO2 within an average of 110 days following infection. This decrease has significant implications for the operational readiness and safety of firefighters.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Alvaro Aparisi, Raquel Ladron, Cristina Ybarra-Falcon, Javier Tobar, J. Alberto San Roman
Summary: Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) is a group of symptoms characterized by cardiovascular, general, respiratory, and neuropsychiatric sequelae. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) can help assess exercise intolerance in PASC patients and uncover its pathophysiological mechanism.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Leandro Barbagelata, Walter Masson, Diego Iglesias, Ezequiel Lillo, Juan Francisco Migone, Maria Laura Orazi, Joaquin Maritano Furcada
Summary: This study analyzed the characteristics of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in patients with a history of COVID-19 and compared patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome with asymptomatic subjects. The results showed that patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome had lower peak VO2, were more likely to experience symptoms during CPET, and had a lower probability of reaching the anaerobic threshold compared to asymptomatic subjects.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Karin Vonbank, Antje Lehmann, Dominik Bernitzky, Maximilian Robert Gysan, Stefan Simon, Andrea Schrott, Martin Burtscher, Marco Idzko, Daniela Gompelmann
Summary: Patients recovering from severe COVID-19 experience negative impacts on maximal and submaximal exercise performance for 3-6 months post-diagnosis, with impaired pulmonary, cardiac, and skeletal muscle function contributing to limitations in VO2 peak. Higher NT-proBNP levels and lower creatinine kinase (CK) levels were observed in severe cases.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Respiratory System
Andi Hudler, Fernando Holguin, Meghan Althoff, Anne Fuhlbrigge, Sunita Sharma
Summary: Dyspnea is a complex symptom that requires a systematic approach for diagnosis, including laboratory testing and imaging to determine underlying pathology. If initial evaluation does not lead to a diagnosis, further tests such as cardiopulmonary exercise testing may be considered. It is important to determine dyspnea's response to therapeutic interventions to confirm the correct diagnosis.
EXPERT REVIEW OF RESPIRATORY MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Gianluigi Dorelli, Michele Braggio, Daniele Gabbiani, Fabiana Busti, Marco Caminati, Gianenrico Senna, Domenico Girelli, Pierantonio Laveneziana, Marcello Ferrari, Giulia Sartori, Luca Dalle Carbonare, Ernesto Crisafulli
Summary: CPET is used to evaluate cardiopulmonary function in post-COVID patients, with high V-E/V-CO2 values indicating ventilatory inefficiency. Research found that about one-fourth of recovered patients have ventilatory inefficiency, which is negatively correlated with heart rate recovery.
Article
Physiology
Daniel Sliz, Szczepan Wiecha, Katarzyna Ulaszewska, Jakub S. Gasior, Marcin Lewandowski, Przemyslaw Seweryn Kasiak, Artur Mamcarz
Summary: This study aimed to assess the impact of mild COVID-19 infection on cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) performance among endurance athletes. The results showed that mild infection resulted in a decrease in VO2 and HR. It is important for medical professionals and training specialists to be aware of the consequences of mild COVID-19 infection.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Mark Philip Cassar, Elizabeth M. Tunnicliffe, Nayia Petousi, Adam J. Lewandowski, Cheng Xie, Masliza Mahmod, Azlan Helmy Abd Samat, Rachael A. Evans, Christopher E. Brightling, Ling-Pei Ho, Stefan K. Piechnik, Nick P. Talbot, David Holdsworth, Vanessa M. Ferreira, Stefan Neubauer, Betty Raman
Summary: The study found that cardiopulmonary abnormalities in patients infected with COVID-19 improve over time, but some measures remain abnormal compared to controls. Persistent symptoms at 6 months post-COVID-19 were not significantly associated with objective cardiopulmonary health measures, indicating a complex relationship between symptoms and physiological abnormalities.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Shirin Vollrath, Lynn Matits, Jana Schellenberg, Johannes Kirsten, Juergen M. Steinacker, Daniel A. Bizjak
Summary: Fatigue is a common symptom in post-COVID-19 patients, and it is associated with the inability to reach maximum exhaustion during physical exercise. This study found that individuals with fatigue have lower aerobic performance and metabolic rate compared to those without fatigue.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Prisca Eser, Thimo Marcin, Eva Prescott, Leonie F. Prins, Evelien Kolkman, Wendy Bruins, Astrid E. van der Velde, Carlos Pena Gil, Marie-Christine Iliou, Diego Ardissino, Uwe Zeymer, Esther P. Meindersma, Arnoud W. J. Van't Hof, Ed P. de Kluiver, Matthias Wilhelm
Summary: In elderly patients with ischemic LVD, inefficient ventilation at rest and during exercise is associated with poor prognosis, while exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation can improve abnormal breathing patterns and gas exchange parameters, and reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events.
FRONTIERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Sport Sciences
Viviana Maestrini, Marco Penza, Domenico Filomena, Lucia Ilaria Birtolo, Sara Monosilio, Erika Lemme, Maria Rosaria Squeo, Ruggiero Mango, Giuseppe Di Gioia, Andrea Serdoz, Roberto Fiore, Francesco Fedele, Antonio Pelliccia, Barbara Di Giacinto
Summary: This study evaluated the cardiac involvement in competitive athletes after COVID-19 and found a low prevalence of myocarditis but a notable occurrence of uncommon premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). Some athletes were temporarily restricted from sports participation.
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND MEDICINE IN SPORT
(2023)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Inderjit Singh, Phillip Joseph, Paul M. Heerdt, Marjorie Cullinan, Denyse D. Lutchmansingh, Mridu Gulati, Jennifer D. Possick, David M. Systrom, Aaron B. Waxman
Summary: Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 without cardiopulmonary disease experience a significant reduction in exercise capacity, which may be attributed to reduced systemic oxygen extraction and an exaggerated hyperventilatory response during exercise.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Marijana Tadic, Cesare Cuspidi, Daniel Armando Morris, Wolfang Rottbauer
Summary: Significant functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) is a poor prognostic factor independent of right ventricular function, often caused by left-sided cardiac diseases. Three-dimensional echocardiography has enabled detailed evaluation of FTR anatomy and pathophysiology in recent years.
HEART FAILURE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Marijana Tadic, Cesare Cuspidi, Jelena Suzic Lazic, Vladan Vukomanovic, Sladjana Mihajlovic, Predrag Savic, Marko Cvrkotic, Guido Grassi, Vera Celic
Summary: The study found that blood pressure variability was higher in women with gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, and their right ventricular function and mechanics were worse compared to controls. There was a significant association between blood pressure variability and right ventricular longitudinal strain.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN HYPERTENSION
(2022)
Editorial Material
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Marijana Tadic, Cesare Cuspidi
JOURNAL OF HUMAN HYPERTENSION
(2022)
Editorial Material
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Cesare Cuspidi, Stefano Carugo, Marijana Tadic
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HYPERTENSION
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Marijana Tadic, Carla Sala, Stefano Carugo, Giuseppe Mancia, Guido Grassi, Cesare Cuspidi
Summary: The aim of this study was to investigate systolic dysfunction in secondary hypertension using left ventricular (LV) mechanics. A systematic meta-analysis of 2D/3D speckle tracking studies was conducted to provide comprehensive information on this topic. The results showed that GLS performed better than EF in identifying systolic dysfunction in patients with secondary hypertension. Specifically, patients with pheochromocytoma had higher EF values suggesting normal or even super-normal systolic function.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Marijana Tadic, Carla Sala, Cesare Cuspidi
Summary: Severe aortic stenosis is the most common valvular heart disease in developed countries, often accompanied by heart failure. In recent years, both the range of heart failure and severe aortic stenosis have expanded, leading to new classifications. Studies have shown that heart failure with low-flow severe aortic stenosis has a higher risk of mortality, and transcatheter aortic valve replacement is a viable treatment option regardless of valve gradient, flow, or ejection fraction.
HEART FAILURE REVIEWS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Marijana Tadic, Cesare Cuspidi
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPERTENSION
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Marijana Tadic, Cesare Cuspidi
Summary: Right ventricular (RV) remodeling has been overlooked in patients with arterial hypertension, with most studies focusing on the left ventricle and ventricular-arterial coupling. However, novel imaging techniques have revealed significant impairments in RV structure, function, and mechanics, which are important predictors of cardiovascular adverse events in hypertensive patients. Current methods for evaluating RV remodeling, such as 2D echocardiography, are limited in their ability to provide a comprehensive assessment. 3D echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) offer more accurate evaluations, but have limitations in availability and expertise.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Acoustics
Johannes Kersten
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Marijana Tadic, Johannes Kersten, Dominik Buckert, Wolfgang Rottbauer, Cesare Cuspidi
Summary: The impact of anticancer therapy on the right ventricle (RV) has not been well studied compared to the left ventricle (LV). Radiotherapy, commonly used for treating chest cancers, has been associated with negative clinical effects on the heart. The anatomical position of the RV makes it more susceptible to radiation exposure, especially in patients with left-sided breast and lung cancers, as well as mediastinal cancers. However, the complex anatomy of the RV has limited its investigation using echocardiographic examination, despite advancements in imaging techniques. Future longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the potential impact of these changes and predict adverse events. This review aims to summarize the current available data on RV changes in oncological patients and assist clinicians in assessing cardiac damage.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Johannes Kersten, Jana Schellenberg, Achim Jerg, Johannes Kirsten, Hasema Persch, Yuefei Liu, Juergen M. Steinacker
Summary: Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) has become an established and widely available diagnostic method, showing its value in COVID-19 cases and post-COVID syndrome. Many studies have been conducted on the use of STE in COVID-19, providing a better understanding of myocardial involvement and risk identification. This review summarizes the current findings on STE, particularly focusing on left and right ventricular longitudinal strain, and discusses potential future developments.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Johannes Kersten, Carsten Hackenbroch, Paula Gann, Anna-Sophie Hoestermann, Peter Bernhardt
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate myocardial deformation changes in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients under optimal medical therapy (OMT). Longitudinal observations of 57 patients showed significant improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular end-diastolic volume indexed, left ventricular mass, and right ventricular global longitudinal strain under OMT.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Johannes Kersten, Vanessa Maisenbacher, Pauline Fengel, Yvonne Werner, Carsten Hackenbroch, Meinrad Beer, Soeren Westphal, Peter Bernhardt
Summary: Chronic total occlusion (CTO) is a common finding in patients with coronary artery disease and has a significant impact on their quality of life. However, there is a lack of evidence on patient selection for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study prospectively included 68 patients with successful PCI of a CTO and evaluated their outcomes using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) before and after PCI. The results showed improvements in left ventricular volumes, ejection fraction, and myocardial function, as well as angina stability and frequency, indicating that PCI can improve myocardial function and quality of life in CTO patients. The SAQ can help guide patient selection for PCI.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR IMAGING
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Johannes Kersten, Visnja Fink, Maria Kersten, Lisa May, Samuel Nunn, Marijana Tadic, Jens Huober, Inga Bekes, Michael Radermacher, Vinzenz Hombach, Wolfgang Rottbauer, Dominik Buckert
Summary: Breast cancer patients receiving cardiotoxic chemotherapy show persistent deterioration in left ventricular strain values, accompanied by inflammatory changes in non-invasive tissue characterisation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR IMAGING
(2023)