Browsing by Author "Aguiar Rosa, S"
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- Aortic and Tricuspid Endocarditis in Hemodialysis Patient with Systemic and Pulmonary EmbolismPublication . Aguiar Rosa, S; Germano, N; Santos, A; Bento, LThis is a case report of a 43-year-old Caucasian male with end-stage renal disease being treated with hemodialysis and infective endocarditis in the aortic and tricuspid valves. The clinical presentation was dominated by neurologic impairment with cerebral embolism and hemorrhagic components. A thoracoabdominal computerized tomography scan revealed septic pulmonary embolus. The patient underwent empirical antibiotherapy with ceftriaxone, gentamicin and vancomycin, and the therapy was changed to flucloxacilin and gentamicin after the isolation of S. aureus in blood cultures. The multidisciplinary team determined that the patient should undergo valve replacement after the stabilization of the intracranial hemorrhage; however, on the 8th day of hospitalization, the patient entered cardiac arrest due to a massive septic pulmonary embolism and died. Despite the risk of aggravation of the hemorrhagic cerebral lesion, early surgical intervention should be considered in high-risk patients.
- Associations Between Perfusion Defects, Tissue Changes and Myocardial Deformation in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, Uncovered by a Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Segmental AnalysisPublication . Brás, P; Aguiar Rosa, S; Thomas, B; Fiarresga, A; Cardoso, I; Pereira, R; Branco, G; Cruz, I; Baquero, L; Cruz Ferreira, R; Mota Carmo, M; Rocha Lopes, LBackground: Microvascular dysfunction is an often overlooked feature of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Our aim was to assess the association between microvascular dysfunction, wall thickness, tissue characteristics and myocardial deformation in HCM patients, by analyzing individual myocardial segments. Methods: Prospective assessment including cardiac magnetic resonance to assess wall thickness, T1 and T2 mapping, extracellular volume, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and stress perfusion. Results were stratified according to the 16 American Heart Association segments. Results: Seventy-five patients were recruited (1200 segments), 63% male, mean age 54.6±14.8 years, maximal wall thickness of 20.22±4.6 mm. Among the 424 segments (35%) with perfusion defects, 24% had defects only in the endocardial layer and 12% in both endocardial and epicardial layers. Perfusion defects were more often detected in hypertrophied segments (64%). Among the 660 segments with normal wall thickness, 19% presented perfusion defects. Independently of wall thickness, segments with perfusion defects had a higher T1 (β-estimate 30.28, p<0.001), extracelluar volume (β-estimate 1.50, p<0.001) and T2 (β-estimate 0.73, p<0.001) and had late gadolinium enhancement more frequently (odds ratio 4.16, p<0.001). Higher values of circumferential strain (lower deformation) and lower values of radial strain were found in segments with perfusion defects (β-estimate 2.76, p<0.001; and β-estimate -10.39, p<0.001, circumferential and radial strain, respectively). Conclusion: While microvascular dysfunction was more prevalent in more hypertrophied segments, it also had a major presence in segments without hypertrophy. In this segmental analysis, we found an association between the presence of ischemia and tissue abnormalities, replacement fibrosis as well as impaired strain, independently of the segmental wall thickness.
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve Aortopathies: an Hemodynamics Characterization in Dilated AortasPublication . Oliveira, D; Aguiar Rosa, S; Tiago, J; Cruz Ferreira, R; Agapito, A; Sequeira, ABicuspid aortic valve (BAV) aortopathy remains of difficult clinical management due to its heterogeneity and further assessment of related aortic hemodynamics is necessary. The aim of this study was to assess systolic hemodynamic indexes and wall stresses in patients with diverse BAV phenotypes and dilated ascending aortas. The aortic geometry was reconstructed from patient-specific images while the aortic valve was generated based on patient-specific measurements. Physiologic material properties and boundary conditions were applied and fully coupled fluid-structure interaction (FSI) analysis were conducted. Our dilated aortic models were characterized by the presence of abnormal hemodynamics with elevated degrees of flow skewness and eccentricity, regardless of BAV morphotype. Retrograde flow was also present. Both features, predicted by flow angle and flow reversal ratios, were consistently higher than those reported for non-dilated aortas. Right-handed helical flow was present, as well as elevated wall shear stress (WSS) on the outer ascending aortic wall. Our results suggest that the abnormal flow associated with BAV may play a role in aortic enlargement and progress it further on already dilated aortas.
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve OutcomesPublication . Rodrigues, I; Agapito, A; Sousa, L; Oliveira, JA; Branco, LM; Galrinho, A; Abreu, J; Timóteo, AT; Aguiar Rosa, S; Cruz Ferreira, RBACKGROUND: Bicuspid aortic valve is the most common CHD. Its association with early valvular dysfunction, endocarditis, thoracic aorta dilatation, and aortic dissection is well established. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and predictors of cardiac events in adults with bicuspid aortic valve. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective analysis of cardiac outcomes in ambulatory adults with bicuspid aortic valve followed-up in a tertiary hospital centre. Outcomes were defined as follows: interventional - intervention on the aortic valve or thoracic aorta; medical - death, aortic dissection, aortic valve endocarditis, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, or ischaemic heart disease requiring hospital admission; and a composite end point of both. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated to determine event rates, and predictors of cardiac events were determined by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: A total of 227 patients were followed-up over 13±9 years; 29% of patients developed severe aortic valve dysfunction and 12.3% reached ascending thoracic aorta dimensions above 45 mm. At least one cardiac outcome occurred in 38.8% of patients, with an incidence rate at 20 years of follow-up of 47±4%; 33% of patients were submitted to an aortic valve or thoracic aorta intervention. Survival 20 years after diagnosis was 94±2%. Independent predictors of the composite end point were baseline moderate-severe aortic valve dysfunction (hazard ratio, 3.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.35-7.54; p<0.01) and aortic valve leaflets calcification (hazard ratio, 4.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.91-11.64; p<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: In this study of bicuspid aortic valve, the long-term survival was excellent but with occurrence of frequent cardiovascular events. Baseline aortic valve calcification and dysfunction were the only independent predictors of events.
- Blunted Coronary Flow Velocity Reserve is Associated With Impairment in Systolic Function and Functional Capacity in Hypertrophic CardiomyopathyPublication . Aguiar Rosa, S; Rocha Lopes, L; Branco, L; Galrinho, A; Fiarresga, A; Thomas, B; Brás, P; Gonçalves, A; Cardoso, I; Papoila, A; Alves, M; Rio, P; Cruz, I; Selas, M; Silva, F; Silva, A; Cruz Ferreira, R; Mota Carmo, MBackground Coronary microvascular dysfunction constitutes an important pathophysiological feature in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We aimed to assess the association between impaired coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) and ventricular systolic function and functional capacity. Methods Eighty-three patients with HCM were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Patients underwent echocardiogram to evaluate ventricular performance and CFVR in the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and posterior descending artery (PD). Diastolic coronary flow velocity was measured in basal conditions and in hyperemia. CFVR was calculated as the ratio of hyperemic and basal peak diastolic flow velocities. Functional capacity was evaluated by cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). The link between CFVR and biventricular systolic function and peak VO2 was studied. Results Age was 55.0(14.4)years, 50 patients (60%) were male; 59 patients (71%) had nonobstructive HCM. Mean CFVR LAD was 1.81(0.49) and CFVR PD was 1.73(0.55). Lower CFVR PD was associated with impaired global longitudinal strain (GLS) 2D (β-estimate:-3.240,95%CI:-4.634;-1.846, p < 0.001), GLS 3D (β-estimate:-2.559,95%CI:-3.932;-1.186, p < 0.001) and area strain (β-estimate:-3.044,95%CI:-5.373;-0.716, p = 0.011). Lower values of CFVR PD related to worse global work index (β-estimate:267.824,95%CI:75.964;459.683, p = 0.007), global constructive work (β-estimate:217.300,95%CI:38.750;395.850, p = 0.018) and global work efficiency (β-estimate:5.656,95%CI:2.229;9.084, p = 0.002). Impaired CFVR LAD (β-estimate:2.826, 95%CI:0.913;4.739, p = 0.004) and CFVR PD (β-estimate:2.801,95%CI:0.657;4.945, p = 0.011) were associated with lower TAPSE. Lower values of CFVR LAD (β-estimate:2.580, 95%CI:0.169;4.991, p = 0.036) and CFVR PD (β-estimate:3.163, 95%CI: 0.721;5.606, p = 0.012) were associated with worse peak VO2. Conclusion Lower CFVR was associated with impairment in biventricular systolic function parameters and functional capacity assessed by pVO2.
- Cancer Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome Have Non-Superior Bleeding Risk Compared to Patients with Similar Characteristics - a Propensity Score Analysis from the ProACS RegistryPublication . Mano, T; Timóteo, AT; Aguiar Rosa, S; Belo, A; Cruz Ferreira, R; ProACS Registry InvestigatorsIntroduction: The management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in malignancy is challenging due to higher bleeding risk. Methods: We analyzed patients with cancer (active or in the previous five years) prospectively included in the ProACS registry between 2010 and 2019. Our aim was to assess safety (major bleeding, primary endpoint) and secondary efficacy endpoints (in-hospital mortality and combined in-hospital mortality, reinfarction and ischemic stroke) of ACS treatment. Propensity score matching analysis (1:1) was further performed to better understand predictors of outcomes. Results: We found 934 (5%) cancer patients out of a total of 18 845 patients with ACS. Cancer patients had more events: major bleeding (2.9% vs. 1.5%), in-hospital mortality (5.8% vs. 3.4%) and the combined endpoint (7.4% vs. 4.9%). The primary endpoint was related to cancer diagnosis (OR 1.97), previous bleeding (OR 7.09), hemoglobin level (OR 4.94), atrial fibrillation (OR 3.50), oral anticoagulation (OR 3.67) and renal dysfunction. Mortality and the combined secondary endpoint were associated with lower use of invasive coronary angiography and antiplatelet and neurohormonal blocker therapy. After propensity score matching (350 patients), there were no statistically significant differences in endpoints between the populations. Conclusion: Bleeding risk was not significant higher in the cancer population compared to patients with similar characteristics, nor were mortality or ischemic risk. The presence of cancer should not preclude simultaneous ACS treatment.
- Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in the Assessment of Pericardial Abnormalities: a Case SeriesPublication . Mano, T; Santos, H; Aguiar Rosa, S; Thomas, B; Baquero, LBackground: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has a unique role in evaluating pericardial disease, permitting non-invasive tissue analysis, and haemodynamic assessment. Case summary: In Case 1 of recurrent pericarditis, CMR confirmed reactivation of inflammation with late gadolinium enhancement and native T1/T2 mapping techniques, prompting therapeutic changes. In constrictive pericarditis, CMR is the only modality capable of differentiating a subacute potentially reversible form (Case 2), from a chronic, burnt out irreversible phase characterized by constrictive physiology (Case 3). Discussion: Cardiac magnetic resonance is an effective tool to tailor individual therapy, particularly in cases of recurrent and constrictive pericarditis. Late gadolinium enhancement provides diagnostic and prognostic information, and multiparametric mapping has emerged as a promising tool with incremental diagnostic value.
- Cardiac Rehabilitation After Acute Coronary Syndrome: Do All Patients Derive the Same Benefit?Publication . Aguiar Rosa, S; Abreu, A; Marques Soares, R; Rio, P; Filipe, C; Rodrigues, I; Monteiro, A; Soares, C; Ferreira, V; Silva, S; Alves, S; Cruz Ferreira, RINTRODUCTION: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has been demonstrated to improve exercise capacity in acute coronary syndrome (ACS), but not all patients derive the same benefit. Careful patient selection is crucial to maximize resources. OBJECTIVE: To identify in a heterogeneous ACS population which patients would benefit the most with CR, in terms of functional capacity (FC), by using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of consecutive ACS patients who underwent CR and CPET was undertaken. CPET was performed at baseline and after 36 sessions of exercise. Peak oxygen uptake (pVO2), percentage of predicted pVO2, minute ventilation/CO2 production (VE/VCO2) slope, VE/VCO2 slope/pVO2 and peak circulatory power (PCP) (pVO2 times peak systolic blood pressure) were assessed in two moments. The differences in pVO2 (ΔpVO2), %pVO2, PCP and exercise test duration were calculated. Patients were classified according to baseline pVO2 (group 1, <20 ml/kg/min vs. group 2, ≥20 ml/kg/min) and left ventricular ejection fraction (group A, <50% vs. group B, ≥50%). RESULTS: We analyzed 129 patients, 86% male, mean age 56.3±9.8 years. Both group 1 (n=31) and group 2 (n=98) showed significant improvement in FC after CR, with a more significant increase in pVO2, in group 1 (ΔpVO2 4.4±7.3 vs. 1.6±5.4; p=0.018). Significant improvement was observed in CPET parameters in group A (n=34) and group B (n=95), particularly in pVO2 and test duration. CONCLUSION: Patients with lower baseline pVO2 (<20 ml/kg/min) presented more significant improvement in FC after CR. CPET which is not routinely used in assessement before CR in context of ACS, could be a valuable tool to identify patients who will benefit the most.
- Cardiovascular Magnetic ResonancePublication . Ferreira, V; Thomas, B; Aguiar Rosa, S
- Cardiovascular Primary Prevention - Directed Approach for Individual FeaturesPublication . Mano, T; Aguiar Rosa, S; Rio, P; Timóteo, AT; Cruz Ferreira, RCardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the leading cause of morbimortality globally. Despite substantial improvement in outcomes, alarming increases in obesity, diabetes mellitus and other risk factors have been noted in recent years. Despite the majority of CVD being preventable and primary prevention being cost-effective, preventive approaches are poorly implemented in the population at large as well as in individual patients. The pillar of prevention is lifestyle changes (diet, weight, smoking and exercise) followed by, when appropriate, targeting of the main cardiovascular risk factors with pharmacotherapy: lipid lowering therapy, blood-pressure treatment and blood glucose control. Low-dose aspirin as “one-dose-fits-all strategy” remains controversial as primary prevention due to the increased bleeding risk. New scoring systems or further application of imaging techniques (for example, coronary calcium score) are necessary for better risk stratification.