Article
Rheumatology
Jyoti Bakshi, Sara C. Croca, Maura Griffin, Filipa Farinha, David A. Isenberg, Andrew Nicolaides, Anisur Rahman
Summary: The total burden and location of plaque in patients with SLE may be valuable in assessing the risk of developing CVD.
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Laura E. Mantella, Kiera Liblik, Amer M. Johri
Summary: Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease that can lead to cardiovascular complications. Imaging techniques play a crucial role in identifying and quantifying atherosclerotic burden. Recent advances in microvascular imaging have proven to be important in atherosclerosis research.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Ryohei Akashi, Seiji Koga, Tsuyoshi Yonekura, Satoshi Ikeda, Hiroaki Kawano, Koji Maemura
Summary: High CAVI is associated with the composition of coronary culprit plaques, particularly increased amount of necrotic tissue, in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing PCI.
JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Pediatrics
Thomas W. Pawlowski, Roberto Polidoro, Maria V. Fraga, Daniele Guerino Biasucci
Summary: Point-of-care ultrasound is a crucial tool for real-time image guidance in invasive procedures for critically ill neonates and children. Its use has recently gained popularity in pediatric medicine due to technological advancements and integration into physician training programs. The increasing evidence supports its adoption and shows improvement in pediatric outcomes.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Anurag Mehta, Joseph Rigdon, Matthew C. Tattersall, Charles A. German, Thomas A. Barringer, Parag H. Joshi, Laurence S. Sperling, Matthew J. Budoff, Alain Bertoni, Erin D. Michos, Michael J. Blaha, James H. Stein, Michael D. Shapiro
Summary: This study found that the presence and extent of carotid plaque were associated with long-term coronary heart disease risk and incident CAC in middle-aged asymptomatic individuals with initial CAC score of 0.
CIRCULATION-CARDIOVASCULAR IMAGING
(2021)
Review
Acoustics
Elisabetta Bianchini, Andrea Guala, Spyretta Golemati, Jordi Alastruey, Rachel E. Climie, Kalliopi Dalakleidi, Martina Francesconi, Dieter Fuchs, Yvonne Hartman, Afrah E. F. Malik, Monika Makunaite, Konstantina S. Nikita, Chloe Park, Christopher J. A. Pugh, Agne Satrauskiene, Dimitrios Terentes-Printizios, Alexandra Teynor, Dick Thijssen, Arno Schmidt-Trucksaess, Jurate Zupkauskiene, Pierre Boutouyrie, Rosa Maria Bruno, Koen D. Reesink
Summary: Non-invasive ultrasound imaging allows the evaluation of superficial blood vessels. This review provides an overview of the current state-of-the-art non-invasive ultrasound technologies and their corresponding vascular ageing characteristics. Ultrasound is a versatile and safe imaging technique that can provide information about the function, structure, and reactivity of superficial arteries.
JOURNAL OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Kunihiko Aizawa, Phillip E. Gates, David M. Mawson, Salim Elyas, Francesco Casanova, Kim M. Gooding, Damilola D. Adingupu, W. David Strain, Angela C. Shore
Summary: This study found that different methods of measuring carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CFPWV) can affect the results and the association with cardiovascular risk factors, but not the association with subclinical biomarkers of vascular health.
JOURNAL OF HYPERTENSION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexander Hof, Henning Guthoff, Maysam Ahdab, Max Landerer, Jasper Schaekel, Jana Niehues, Maximilian Schorscher, Oscar Zimmermann, Holger Winkels, Philipp von Stein, Simon Geissen, Stephan Baldus, Matti Adam, Martin Mollenhauer, Dennis Mehrkens
Summary: High-resolution ultrasound is a useful tool for noninvasive monitoring of early vascular changes in mouse models of atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Changes in vascular remodeling were observed using speckle tracking algorithms and correlated with histological analyses. Multiple parameters showed a strong correlation between HR ultrasound and histological examinations, indicating the potential of HR ultrasound in assessing early vascular damage.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Mukesh Punjabi, Alexandra Kosareva, Lifen Xu, Amanda Ochoa-Espinosa, Sarah Decembrini, Georg Hofmann, Samira Wyttenbach, Bidda Rolin, Michael Nyberg, Beat A. Kaufmann
Summary: The authors investigated the effect of liraglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, on VCAM-1 expression in endothelial cells in atherosclerosis. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging showed an increased VCAM-1 signal in vehicle-treated animals, while the signal remained stable in liraglutide-treated animals. Liraglutide also reduced pro-inflammatory markers and aortic plaque lesion area.
JACC-BASIC TO TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Acoustics
Yuto Uchihara, Kozue Saito, Rie Motoyama, Hatsue Ishibashi-Ueda, Eriko Yamaguchi, Kinta Hatakeyama, Akito Tanaka, Hiroharu Kataoka, Koji Iihara, Kazuma Sugie, Masatoshi Koga, Kazunori Toyoda, Kazuyuki Nagatsuka, Masafumi Ihara
Summary: This study aimed to assess intraplaque neovessels using contrast-enhanced ultrasound and determine their connection to the vessel lumen histopathologically. Additionally, the study investigated whether plaque vulnerability could be more accurately assessed. The results showed that symptomatic plaques had stronger contrast effects from the luminal side and higher neovessel density compared to asymptomatic plaques.
ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Ankita Das, Parvaiz Ahmad Shiekh, Ashok Kumar
Summary: A novel stent design using biomimetically designed trilayered electrospun materials has been developed to avoid restenosis and promote re-endothelialization of damaged blood vessels. The stent material demonstrated excellent antioxidant potential and hemocompatibility, reducing smooth muscle cell growth on the scaffold.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Irene Pescetelli, Marco Zimarino, Cristina Basso, Angelo Ghirarduzzi, Gaetano Thiene, Raffaele De Caterina
Summary: The prevalence, progression, and relationship between carotid and subclavian artery atherosclerosis were investigated in asymptomatic patients. Disease progression was more common in the carotid artery, with hypertension being a significant factor associated with progression regardless of district involvement.
JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Junxue Gao, Wenxue Li, Jiaan Zhu, Yuejie Liu, Hui Tian
Summary: This study evaluated the contribution of ultrasonography in the assessment of subclavian artery (SCA) and internal thoracic artery (ITA) for patients planning to use ITA graft in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The results showed that ultrasonography could provide an important basis for presurgical vascular assessment and imaging diagnosis.
ACADEMIC RADIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Maire Brasseler, Ilja Finkelberg, Carsten Muentjes, Metin Cetiner
Summary: The article highlights the advantages of ultrasound techniques over other imaging modalities in diagnosing renal artery stenosis in pediatric patients.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Tom Alsaigh, Belinda A. Di Bartolo, Jocelyne Mulangala, Gemma A. Figtree, Nicholas J. Leeper
Summary: Peripheral arterial disease is a growing global problem, with a wide spectrum of clinical severity and significant economic impact. Despite advancements in therapies, there is a need for utilizing high-throughput discovery screens, novel translational models, and innovative trial designs. This review highlights recent advances in genomics and omics technologies, as well as new approaches to clinical studies for improving understanding and treatment of the disease.
CIRCULATION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Patricia Garcia-Canadilla, Sergio Sanchez-Martinez, Pablo M. Marti-Castellote, Cameron Slorach, Wei Hui, Gemma Piella, Ainhoa M. Aguado, Mariana Nogueira, Luc Mertens, Bart H. Bijnens, Mark K. Friedberg
Summary: This study used interpretable machine-learning to analyze left ventricular remodeling, mechanics, systolic and diastolic function, as well as clinical characteristics and heart failure treatment in pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The results identified clinically distinct groups with different proportions of death or heart transplant (DoT). The findings suggest that interpretable machine-learning can potentially identify high-risk pediatric DCM patients and provide insights into the associated mechanisms.
JOURNAL OF HEART AND LUNG TRANSPLANTATION
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Alejandro A. Floh, Shubhadeep Das, Maruti Haranal, Peter C. Laussen, Lynn Crawford-Lean, Chun-Po S. Fan, Luc L. Mertens, Kyle Runeckles, Osami Honjo
Summary: The use of Del Nido cardioplegia (DNc) during pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was not associated with an increase in reported systemic ventricle dysfunction (sVD). However, DNc may potentially impact right ventricular function.
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Minh B. Nguyen, Seema Mital, Luc Mertens, Aamir Jeewa, Mark K. Friedberg, Julien Aguet, Arnon Adler, Christopher Z. Lam, Andreea Dragulescu, Harry Rakowski, Olivier Villemain
Summary: This review examines the association between genetic variations and outcomes in pediatric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), discussing current approaches to phenotyping cardiovascular characteristics and exploring potential avenues for improving risk assessment of sudden cardiac death in children with HCM.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
(2022)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Rachel M. Wald, Luc L. Mertens
Summary: This article focuses on the contemporary clinical management strategies for patients with Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) across the lifespan, from fetal to adult life. The article discusses nomenclature and diagnostic considerations, reviews current literature on putative genetic etiologies, and describes the spectrum of fetal and pediatric interventional strategies. Clinical, patient-reported, and neurodevelopmental outcomes of HLHS are delineated. The article also highlights current areas of clinical uncertainty and suggests directions for future research.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Anesthesiology
Mael Zuercher, Steven Ufkes, Lauren Erdman, Cameron Slorach, Luc Mertens, Katherine Taylor
Summary: This study aimed to predict pediatric left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) using a deep-learning algorithm. The results demonstrated that a fine-tuned model could calculate pediatric LVEF within clinically acceptable error, potentially reducing operator error and supporting independent assessment by inexperienced users.
JOURNAL OF CARDIOTHORACIC AND VASCULAR ANESTHESIA
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Sofie Dannesbo, Elisabeth Blixenkrone-Moeller, Christian A. Pihl, Anne-Sophie Sillesen, Ruth O. Voegg, Agnes S. Davidsen, Louise E. Lind, Dorthe L. Jeppesen, Charlotte Kruse, Betina Noerager, James K. Dodd, Finn S. Jorgensen, Anna A. Raja, Steven D. Colan, Luc Mertens, Vibeke E. Hjortdal, Niels Vejlstrup, Robert H. Anderson, Henning Bundgaard, Kasper Iversen
Summary: This study developed a new classification algorithm for interatrial communications in newborns using echocardiographic criteria. The algorithm showed high interobserver and intraobserver agreement in distinguishing between patency of the oval foramen and atrial septal defects. This algorithm may be valuable for both research and clinical practice.
CARDIOLOGY IN THE YOUNG
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Kristian Sorensen, Solveig Fadnes, Luc Mertens, Matthew Henry, Patrick Segers, Lasse Lovstakken, Siri Ann Nyrnes
Summary: This study developed and validated the calculation of intraventricular pressure difference (IVPD) using blood speckle-tracking (BST) in children and investigated its potential role in assessing diastolic function. The results showed that BST is highly feasible and provides information on diastolic suction and early filling in children with heart disease. The IVPD was significantly reduced in children with dilated cardiomyopathies (DCMs) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies (HCMs) compared to controls.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Julien Aguet, Nikan Fakhari, Minh Nguyen, Luc Mertens, Elod Szabo, Birgit Ertl-Wagner, Lynn Crawford, Christoph Haller, David Barron, Jerome Baranger, Olivier Villemain
Summary: Newborns with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiac surgery are at risk of neurodevelopmental impairment. This study used ultrafast power Doppler to assess cerebral blood volume (CBV) variations in neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome during surgery. The results showed that global CBV did not differ significantly before and after surgery. However, regional differences in CBV were observed during hypothermia, and CBV was correlated with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) flow rate. Patients with higher CBV variation had brain injury on post-operative imaging. This suggests that the measurement of CBV using ultrafast power Doppler can optimize cerebral perfusion during neonatal cardiac surgery.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Safwat Aly, Luc Mertens, Mark K. Friedberg, Andreea Dragulescu
Summary: After the Fontan operation, there is a progressive decrease in myocardial deformation parameters. The progressive decrease in SV torsion is related to a decrease in apical rotation, which is more pronounced in single RVs. Decreased torsion is associated with increased markers of myocardial fibrosis and lower maximal exercise capacity.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Aimen Malik, Jerome Baranger, Minh Bao Nguyen, Cameron Slorach, Wei Hui, Jose Carlos Villalobos Lizardi, Maelys Venet, Mark K. Friedberg, Luc Mertens, Olivier Villemain
Summary: This study aims to determine the normal range of myocardial stiffness in healthy children and young adults using shear-wave elastography (SWE) and explore the impact of left ventricular geometric characteristics on SWE. The results show that diastolic myocardial stiffness increases linearly with age and has a weaker correlation with myocardial and left ventricular geometric characteristics.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Yohei Akazawa, Tao Fujioka, Kana Yazaki, Martina Strbad, Juergen Hoerer, Andreas Kuehn, Wei Hui, Cameron Slorach, Christoph Roehlig, Luc Mertens, Bart H. Bijnens, Manfred Vogt, Mark K. Friedberg
Summary: A study published in the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography showed that mechanical dyssynchrony in the right ventricle is associated with remodeling, dysfunction, and impaired exercise capacity in Ebstein anomaly patients. Therefore, mechanical dyssynchrony may be a therapeutic target in selected patients.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Rahna Rasouli, Jerome Baranger, Cameron Slorach, Wei Hui, Maelys Venet, Minh B. Nguyen, Matthew Henry, Josh Gopaul, Paul C. Nathan, Luc Mertens, Olivier Villemain
Summary: This study assessed the effect of anthracycline treatment on arterial stiffness in childhood cancer survivors using ultrafast ultrasound imaging. The results showed that there was no significant difference in demographic parameters, blood biomarkers, cardiovascular parameters, or pulse wave velocity between the survivors and healthy controls. Therefore, anthracycline treatment did not have a significant impact on local arterial stiffness in the left common carotid artery.
FRONTIERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Nikan Fakhari, Julien Aguet, Minh Nguyen, Luc Mertens, David Barron, Christoph Haller, John G. Sled, Olivier Villemain, Jeirome Baranger
Summary: In this study, the variations of cerebral blood volume (CBV) in human neonates during cardiac surgery were measured using Ultrafast Power Doppler and freehand scanning. The study found significant variations of CBV during bypass and demonstrated the clinical translation of ultrafast power Doppler with diverging-waves and freehand scanning.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MEDICAL IMAGING
(2023)
Correction
Pediatrics
Yingping Deng, Xiang Cao, Luc L. L. Mertens, Patrick J. J. McNamara
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Yingping Deng, Xiang Cao, Luc L. Mertens, Patrick J. McNamara
Summary: This study investigated the attitudes, training, and accreditation regarding targeted neonatal echocardiography (TnEcho) among Chinese neonatologists. The survey revealed that 35.1% of respondents used TnEcho in their neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Most respondents valued the role of TnEcho in providing timely and longitudinal hemodynamic information. However, the lack of experienced practitioners and accredited training programs were perceived as major barriers to implementation.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2023)