OBJECTIVE: Environmental chemical exposures may disrupt child development, with long-lasting health impacts. To date, U.S. studies of early environmental exposures have been limited in size and diversity, hindering power and generalizability. With harmonized data from over 60,000 participants representing 69 pregnancy cohorts, the National Institutes of Health\'s Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program is the largest study of U.S. children\'s health. Here, we: (1) review ECHO-wide studies of chemical exposures and maternal-child health; and (2) outline opportunities for future research using ECHO data.
RESULTS: As of early 2024, in addition to over 200 single-cohort (or award) papers on chemical exposures supported by ECHO, ten collaborative multi-cohort papers have been made possible by ECHO data harmonization and new data collection. Multi-cohort papers have examined prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phthalates, phenols and parabens, organophosphate esters (OPEs), metals, melamine and aromatic amines, and emerging contaminants. They have primarily focused on describing patterns of maternal exposure or examining associations with maternal and infant outcomes; fewer studies have examined later child outcomes (e.g., autism) although follow up of enrolled ECHO children continues. The NICHD\'s Data and Specimen Hub (DASH) database houses extensive ECHO data including over 470,000 chemical assay results and complementary data on priority outcome areas (pre, peri-, and postnatal, airway, obesity, neurodevelopment, and positive health), making it a rich resource for future analyses. ECHO\'s extensive data repository, including biomarkers of chemical exposures, can be used to advance our understanding of environmental influences on children\'s health. Although few published studies have capitalized on these unique harmonized data to date, many analyses are underway with data now widely available.

BACKGROUND: The presence of impaired global longitudinal strain (GLS) may be a valuable bio-marker in the early diagnosis for left ventricle (LV) impairment, which would help scrutinize asymptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) patients with high risk of adverse outcomes, such as major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).
METHODS: The study was prospectively registered in PROPSERO (CRD 42021223472). Databases, such as Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of science, and Scopus were searched for studies evaluating the impact of impaired GLS on MACE, all-cause mortality, and aortic valve replacement (AVR) in asymptomatic AS. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were calculated with meta-analysis for binary variants. Meta-regression, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analyses were applied as needed to explore the heterogeneity.
RESULTS: Eventually, a total of nine studies reporting 1,512 patients were enrolled. Compared with the normal GLS group, impaired GLS significantly increased MACE (HR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.10-1.30, I 2 = 79%) with evident heterogeneity, all-cause mortality (HR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.24-1.63), and AVR (HR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07-1.28). Subgroup analyses stratified by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) > 50% or LVEF without precise cut-off point found that compared with the normal GLS group, impaired GLS remarkably increased MACE both in two subgroups (LVEF > 50%: HR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.05-1.50; LVEF without cutpoint: HR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.05-1.50). The results stratified by AS severity (mild/moderate and severe) or follow-up time resembled those stratified by LVEF. In addition, when subgroup analysis was stratified by mean aortic valve pressure gradient (MG ≥ 40 mm Hg and MG <40 mm Hg), compared with normal GLS, impaired GLS significantly increased MACE both in two subgroups (MG ≥ 40 mm Hg: HR: 3.41, 95% CI: 1.64-7.09; MG below 40 mm Hg: HR: 3.17, 95% CI: 1.87-5.38). Moreover, the effect sizes here were substantially higher than those in the former two stratified factors.
CONCLUSIONS: The presence of impaired GLS substantially worsens the outcomes for adverse cardiovascular events in asymptomatic patients with AS regardless of LVEF or AS severity or follow-up time or mean aortic valve pressure gradient, which highlights the importance of incorporating impaired GLS into risk algorithms in asymptomatic AS.
BACKGROUND: PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42021223472).

Systemic amyloidosis is a rare, heterogenous group of diseases characterized by extracellular infiltration and deposition of amyloid fibrils. Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) occurs when these fibrils deposit within the myocardium. Untreated, this inevitably leads to progressive heart failure and fatality. Historically, treatment has remained supportive, however, there are now targeted disease-modifying therapeutics available to patients with CA. Advances in echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and repurposed bone scintigraphy have led to a surge in diagnoses of CA and diagnosis at an earlier stage of the disease natural history. CMR has inherent advantages in tissue characterization which has allowed us to better understand the pathological disease process behind CA. Combined with specialist assessment and repurposed bone scintigraphy, diagnosis of CA can be made without the need for invasive histology in a significant proportion of patients. With existing targeted therapeutics, and novel agents being developed, understanding these imaging modalities is crucial to achieving early diagnosis for patients with CA. This will allow for early treatment intervention, accurate monitoring of disease course over time, and thereby improve the length and quality of life of patients with a disease that historically had an extremely poor prognosis. In this review, we discuss key radiological features of CA, focusing on the two most common types; immunoglobulin light chain (AL) and transthyretin (ATTR) CA. We highlight recent advances in imaging techniques particularly in respect of their clinical application and utility in diagnosis of CA as well as for tracking disease change over time.

BACKGROUND: Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma with many clinicopathological variants, thus difficult to diagnose in its early stages.
METHODS: This case report is about a 76 years old Chinese woman presented with 2 years history of erythematous plaque on the lateral right thigh, after combining clinical manifestations with results of pathological examinations, it is consistent with the diagnosis of MF.
CONCLUSIONS: Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Patient in this case had a long course of disease and repeated attacks. Ultrasound shows small patch of liquid dark area of the lesion. Color Doppler image shows rich blood flow which just looks like lacustrine. Thick and nourishing blood vessels could be seen in the depth.
CONCLUSIONS: Our case report using ultrasound to observe MF and demonstrate that ultrasound is helpful in diagnosing and evaluating effectiveness in treating MF.

Despite clinical and technological advances, serious gaps remain in delivering genetic services due to disparities in workforce distribution and lack of coverage for genetic testing and counseling. Genetic services delivery, particularly in medically underserved populations, may rely heavily on primary care providers (PCPs). This study aims to identify barriers to integrating genetic services and primary care, and strategies to support integration, by conducting a scoping review. Literature synthesis found barriers most frequently cited by PCPs including insufficient knowledge about genetics and risk assessment, lack of access to geneticists, and insufficient time to address these challenges. Telegenetics, patient-centered care, and learning communities are strategies to overcome these barriers. Telegenetics supplements face-to-face clinics by providing remote access to genetic services. It may also be used for physician consultations and education. Patient-centered care allows providers, families, and patients to coordinate services and resources. Access to expert information provides a critical resource for PCPs. Learning communities may represent a mechanism that facilitates information exchange and knowledge sharing among different providers. As PCPs often play a crucial role caring for patients with genetic disorders in underserved areas, barriers to primary care-medical genetics integration must be addressed to improve access. Strategies, such as telegenetics, promotion of evidence-based guidelines, point-of-care risk assessment tools, tailored education in genetics-related topics, and other system-level strategies, will facilitate better genetics and primary care integration, which in turn, may improve genetic service delivery to patients residing in underserved communities.

Severe malaria remains a leading cause of death worldwide. A greater understanding of its impact on multiple organ systems is essential in reducing the burden of disease. In this review we will summarize previously reported cardiovascular parameters of both adults and children with severe malaria.
For this systematic review we searched MEDLINE and PUBMED for all papers published on cardiac function in severe malaria from January 1, 1990 until September 1, 2019. Severe malaria was defined as per World Health Organization. Publications were included if there was data from echocardiography, Pulse Contour Cardiac Output (PiCCO), or Pulmonary Arterial catheters (PAC) reported. Studies were excluded if related to medication induced cardiac dysfunction, malaria in pregnancy, or included subjects with known pre-existing heart disease.
Twenty-four studies met inclusion criteria, the majority of which were studies of adult patients or a mixed cohort. Six solely involved pediatric patients. Significant heterogeneity existed in the cardiac parameters measured and results reported. One pediatric and one adult study suggested a reduced preload state during severe malaria. Cardiac systolic function was reported primarily within, or above, normative numeric ranges established in uninfected pediatric patients without anemia. Extensive variability existed in adult studies with reports of an elevated cardiac index in two studies, normal cardiac function in two studies, and descriptions of decreased function in two studies. Two reports suggest afterload in pediatric severe malaria is reduced. Reports of changes in the systemic vascular resistance of adults with severe malaria are inconsistent, with two trials demonstrating an increase and two suggesting a decrease. Studies demonstrated a mild rise in pulmonary pressure in both pediatric and adult patients that normalized by discharge.
Based on limited data, the cardiovascular effects of severe malaria appear to be heterogeneous and vary depending on age. Further detailed studies are required to explore and understand the overall hemodynamic effects of this high burden disease.

In 2019, the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology published excellent articles pertaining to imaging in patients with cardiovascular disease. In this review we will summarize a selection of these articles to provide a concise review of the main advancements that have recently occurred in the field and provide the reader with an opportunity to review a wide selection of articles. In this first article of this 2-part series we will focus on publications dealing with positron emission tomography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance. We will specifically discuss imaging as it relates to coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis and inflammation, coronary artery calcification, cardiomyopathies, cardiac implantable electronic devices, prosthetic valves, and left ventricular assist devices. The second part of this review will place emphasis on myocardial perfusion imaging using single-photon emission computed tomography.

Stress echocardiography (SEC) is a technique established more than 35 years ago; however, it is still poorly implemented in many countries and institutions, and this reluctance may be related to many obstacles such as operator skills, lack of awareness or institutional policy. Stress echo was initially used for assessing coronary artery disease (CAD), with respect to myocardial viability, using wall motion response; however, current use of stress echo extends beyond CAD, such as valvular heart disease and diastolic stress test. Dobutamine is a commonly used agent when pharmaceutical approach is implemented. With regard to CAD, there are four stress responses: normal, ischemic, viable and necrotic. A low dose dobutamine protocol is recommended in patients with baseline wall motion abnormalities, and a very low dose dobutamine is used in low flow low gradient aortic stenosis in order to check the flow and contractility reserve. Of note, respecting protocols, indications and contraindications are important to avoid or minimize risks of complications during the procedure. This article presents a focused update and review regarding SEC, along with an overview of the different indications, structures and steps, and obstacles and outcomes; also the article aims to highlight more awareness and sensitization on this useful technique.

In recent years, advances in technology have enabled hand-held echocardiography (HHE) to generate high-quality 2-dimensional and color Doppler images. As these devices become smaller, simpler, and more affordable, the question of whether HHE can augment or replace auscultation as the primary mode of cardiovascular diagnosis has become increasingly more relevant. If widely implemented, HHE has the potential for significant cost savings and better resource utilization. This review examines studies comparing the sensitivities of auscultation, HHE, and standard echocardiography in detecting various valvular lesions and discusses why current evidence supports the use of HHE to augment the physical examination, which can lead to more reliable and rapid bedside diagnoses, triage, and appropriate treatment of structural cardiac abnormalities.