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Objective: The aim of the study was to describe the acute cardiotoxic effects of anthracycline chemotherapy in echocardiographic strain and electrocardiographic repolarization parameters in patients with breast cancer. Methods: A total of 35 consecutive patients (all females, mean age: 48.9 +/- 11.8 years) who received chemotherapy due to breast cancer were prospectively included. Pre-treatment (T0) and third month (T2) 2-dimensional strain echocardiography and electrocardiography were performed. Additionally, within 3 hours of the first dose of chemotherapy (T1), additional electrocardiographic images were obtained. All mechanical and electrical parameters from different time intervals (T0, T1, and T2) were compared with each other. Results: In the acute period after treatment, electrocardiographic repolarization parameters were prolonged and this prolongation continued to the third month (QT corrected with Bazett formula [440.10 +/- 27.63 (T0), 468.00 +/- 38.98 (T1), 467.86 +/- 35.09 (T2)], QT dispersion [49.85 +/- 19.52 (T0), 69.54 +/- 16.06 (T1), 57.63 +/- 14.42 (T2)], and T-wave peak-to-end interval [94.00 +/- 45.46 (T0), 131.20 +/- 17.79 (T1), 120.00 +/- 18.32 (T2)]; P

WOS: 000254244300052, PubMed ID: 17584717, Objective: Spontaneous pseudonormalization (PN) is a unique 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) finding which has been reported to be associated with severe, transmural myocardial ischemia. To date, a paucity of data exists about the incidence and clinical characteristics of patients with PN. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and the electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, and angiographic characteristics of patients with PN. Methods: Clinical, laboratory, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, and angiographic characteristics of 12 consecutive patients with PN on 12-lead ECG (Group 1) were compared with patients (Group 2, n = 28) presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) associated with ST-T wave changes without PN. Results: All patients presented with chest pain. The incidence of PN among patients presenting with ACS was 1%. Pseudonormalization was present in precordial leads in 11 and in inferior leads in 1 patient. Nine out of 12 (75%) patients in Group 1, 16 out of 28 (57%) patients in Group 2 had elevation of cardiac enzymes compatible with acute myocardial infarction. Severely narrowed or totally occluded ischemia and/or infarction-related coronary arteries were present in all patients in Group 1, in 20 (71%) patients in Group 2. Three patients in Group 1 and one patient in Group 2 had coronary artery thrombus formation. Group 1 patients had worse coronary collateral grading in comparison to Group 2 patients. Conclusion: Pseudonormalization is a rare entity and it is typically associated with severely narrowed or totally occluded coronary arteries along with thrombus formation, and poor coronary collateral development.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is any association between mitral leaflet motion (LMI) and leaflet thickness index (LTI) scores and the rate of restenosis 3 months after successful mitral balloon valvuloplasty. The study population consisted of 46 patients with symptomatic rheumatic mitral stenosis who underwent balloon valvuloplasty (37 women, 9 men; mean age, 36 +/- 9 years). Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography were performed in all patients on the day before, immediately after, and 3 months after valvuloplasty. The severity of restriction of leaflet motion and the severity of leaflet thickening were classified into grades of mild (a score of 0), moderate (a score of 1), and severe (a score of 2). Subvalvular disease and commissural involvement were homogeneous in all patients. Before and immediately after mitral balloon valvuloplasty, there were no significant differences in mitral valve area among the groups with different LMI and LTI scores. However, at 3 months after valvuloplasty, reduction in mitral valve area was more significant in patients who had higher pre-procedural LMI and LTI scores (P0.05). The rates of early restenosis were 0 with a total score of 0, 14.2% with a total score of 1-2, and 32% with a total score of 3. In conclusion, quantitative assessment of LMI and LTI scores by 2-dimensional echocardiography may be helpful in predicting early restenosis after mitral balloon valvuloplasty. Early reduction in mitral valve area is significant in patients who have higher total LMI and LTI scores.