In patients previously hospitalised for COVID-19, a 12-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) intervention has previously been shown to increase left ventricular mass (LVM) immediately after the intervention. In the present study, we examined the effects of the same HIIT scheme on LVM, pulmonary diffusing capacity, symptom severity and functional capacity at 12-month follow-up. In this investigator-blinded, randomised controlled trial, 12 weeks of a supervised HIIT scheme (4 × 4 min, three times a week) was compared to standard care (control) in patients recently discharged from hospital due to COVID-19. At inclusion and at 12-month follow-up, LVM was assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI, primary outcome), while pulmonary diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCOc, secondary outcome) was examined by the single-breath method. Symptom severity and functional status were examined by the Post-COVID-19 Functional Scale (PCFS) and King\'s Brief Interstitial Lung Disease (KBILD) questionnaire score. Of the 28 patients assessed at baseline, 22 completed cMRI at 12-month follow-up (12.4 ± 0.6 months after inclusion). LVM was maintained in the HIIT but not the standard care group, with a mean between-group difference of 9.68 [95% CI: 1.72, 17.64] g (P = 0.0182). There was no differences in change from baseline to 12-month follow-up between groups in DLCOc % predicted (-2.45 [-11.25, 6.34]%; P = 0.578). PCFS and KBILD improved similarly in the two groups. In individuals previously hospitalised for COVID-19, a 12-week supervised HIIT scheme resulted in a preserved LVM at 12-month follow-up but did not affect pulmonary diffusing capacity or symptom severity.

UNASSIGNED: Fibrocytes, circulating bone-marrow derived cells that differentiate into fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, are a major source of hypertensive arterial fibrosis and correlate with left ventricular (LV) mass in subjects with hypertension. We tested whether circulating fibrocytes levels correlate with LV mass in middle-aged adults without hypertension.
UNASSIGNED: We measured peripheral blood fibrocyte levels and their activated phenotypes in 13 middle-aged, non-hypertensive adults and performed cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to assess LV mass.
UNASSIGNED: There was a strong correlation between total fibrocyte levels (CD45 + Col1+) and LV mass index (r = 0.71, p = 0.006), as well as fibrocyte subsets expressing the chemokine markers CCR2 (r = 0.60, p = 0.032), CCR5 (r = 0.62, p = 0.029), CCR7 (r = 0.60, p = 0.034), co-expression of CXCR4 and CCR2 (r = 0.62, p = 0.029), α-SMA+ (r = 0.57, p = 0.044), CD133 (r = 0.59, p = 0.036), and pSTAT6 (r = 0.64, p = 0.032).
UNASSIGNED: Circulating fibrocytes are associated with LV mass index in middle-aged, non-hypertensive adults and may be a harbinger for the development of hypertension.

Chronic and intense exercise programs lead to cardiac adaptations, followed by increased left ventricular wall thickness and cavity diameter, at times meeting the criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), commonly referred to as \"athlete\'s heart\". Recent studies have also reported that extremely vigorous exercise practices have been associated with heightened left ventricular trabeculation extent, fulfilling noncompaction cardiomyopathy criteria, as part of exercise-induced structural adaptation. These changes are specific to the exercise type, intensity, duration, and volume and workload demands imposed on the myocardium. They are considered physiologic adaptations not associated with a negative prognosis. Conversely, hypertrophic cardiac adaptations resulting from chronic elevations in blood pressure (BP) or chronic volume overload due to valvular regurgitation, lead to compromised cardiac function, increased cardiovascular events, and even death. In younger athletes, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the usual cause of non-traumatic, exercise-triggered sudden cardiac death. Thus, an extended cardiac examination should be performed, to differentiate between HCM and non-pathological exercise-related LVH or athlete\'s heart. The exercise-related cardiac structural and functional adaptations are normal physiologic responses designed to accommodate the increased workload imposed by exercise. Thus, we propose that such adaptations are defined as \"eutrophic\" hypertrophy and that LVH is reserved for pathologic cardiac adaptations. Systolic BP during daily activities may be the strongest predictor of cardiac adaptations. The metabolic demand of most daily activities is approximately 3-5 metabolic equivalents (METs) (1 MET = 3.5 mL of O 2 kg of body weight per minute). This is similar to the metabolic demand of treadmill exercise at the first stage of the Bruce protocol. Some evidence supports that an exercise systolic BP response ≥ 150 mmHg at the end of that stage is a strong predictor of left ventricular hypertrophy, as this BP reflects the hemodynamic burden of most daily physical tasks. Aerobic training of moderate intensity lowers resting and exercise systolic BP at absolute workloads, leading to a lower hemodynamic burden during daily activities, and ultimately reducing the stimulus for LVH. This mechanism explains the significant LVH regression addressed by aerobic exercise intervention clinical studies.

UNASSIGNED: Pediatric obesity is closely associated with cardiometabolic comorbidities, but the role of sex in this relationship is less investigated. We aimed to evaluate sex-related differences on cardiometabolic risk factors and preclinical signs of target organ damage in adolescents with overweight/obesity (OW/OB).
UNASSIGNED: The main cross-sectional study included 988 adolescents (510 boys and 478 girls) with OW/OB aged 10-18 years. In all youths clinical and biochemical variables were evaluated and an abdominal echography was performed. Echocardiographic data for the assessment of left ventricular mass (LVM) and relative wall thickness (RWT) were available in an independent sample of 142 youths (67 boys and 75 girls), while echographic data of carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) were available in 107 youths (59 boys and 48 girls).
UNASSIGNED: The three samples did not differ for age, body mass index, and sex distribution. In the main sample, boys showed higher waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) values (p < 0.0001) and fasting glucose levels (p = 0.002) than girls. Lower levels of estimates glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were found in girls vs boys (p < 0.0001). No sex-related differences for prediabetes and hyperlipidemia were observed. A higher prevalence of WHtR ≥ 0.60 (57.3% vs 49.6%, p = 0.016) and fatty liver disease (FLD) (54.5% vs 38.3%, p < 0.0001) as well as a trend for high prevalence of hypertension (40.4 vs 34.7%, p = 0.06) were observed in boys vs girls. More, a higher prevalence of mild reduced eGFR (MReGFR) ( < 90 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ) was observed in girls vs boys (14.6% vs 9.6 %, p < 0.0001). In the sample with echocardiographic evaluation, boys showed higher levels of LVM (p = 0.046), and RWT (p = 0.003) than girls. Again, in the sample with carotid echography, boys showed higher levels of cIMT as compared to girls (p = 0.011).
UNASSIGNED: Adolescent boys with OW/OB showed higher risk of abdominal adiposity, FLD, and increased cardiac and vascular impairment than girls, whereas the latter had a higher risk of MReGFR. Risk stratification by sex for cardiometabolic risk factors or preclinical signs of target organ damage should be considered in youths with OW/OB.

UNASSIGNED: Angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) therapy has been evaluated to slow down the disease progression in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), but there is scarce evidence available to date. Therefore, our meta-analysis aimed to explore the efficacy of ARB therapy as a potential disease-modifying treatment in patients with HCM.
UNASSIGNED: A literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane library, and Clinicaltrials.gov databases from inception to December 13th, 2021. We included only randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The quality of included studies was assessed by the Cochrane Collaboration\'s tool. Primary outcomes included the reduction in left ventricular mass and improvement in other echocardiographic features of myocardial dysfunction. The secondary outcome was a net reduction in systolic blood pressure. Meta-analysis was performed using pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI).
UNASSIGNED: A total of 1286 articles were screened. Seven RCTs met the inclusion criteria representing a total of 397 patients with HCM (195 patients were in the ARB group). ARB treatment was associated with significant reduction in left ventricular mass (SMD: -0.77; 95% CI: -1.40, -0.03; p = 0.04). ARB therapy was also associated with a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (SMD: -0.33; 95% CI: -0.61, -0.05: p = 0.02).
UNASSIGNED: ARB therapy is associated with a marked reduction in left ventricular mass and systolic blood pressure in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. We recommend further studies with a larger patient population size to confirm the findings of our meta-analysis.
UNASSIGNED: OSF Registries, DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/DAS7C.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated how elevated blood pressure in children exposed to preeclampsia (PE) impacted on their cardiac structure and function, as well as relations with maternal, gestational, and perinatal factors and child body size and composition.
RESULTS: A total of 182 PE (46 early-onset preeclampsia) and 85 unexposed (non-PE) children were examined in the FINNCARE study 8 to 12 years after the index pregnancy with echocardiography; office, central, and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressures; and body anthropometrics and composition. PE children had lower right ventricular basal sphericity index (mean difference, -0.26 95% CI, -0.39 to -0.12) and lower mitral lateral E\'-wave peak velocity (-1.4 cm/s [95% CI, -2.1 to -0.6]), as well as higher E to E\' ratio (0.40 [95% CI, 0.15-0.65]) and indexed tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (0.03 [95% CI, 0.01-0.05]) compared with non-PE children. These differences were accentuated in early-onset PE children. Left ventricular mass (LVM) or left atrial volume were not different between PE and non-PE children. Lean body mass, body fat percentage, and 24-hour systolic blood pressure were independent predictors of LVM. Lean body mass and body fat percentage were independent predictors of left atrial volume. No significant associations between LVM or left atrial volume and maternal, gestational, or perinatal parameters were found.
CONCLUSIONS: Preadolescent PE children display a more globular-shaped right ventricle with higher longitudinal systolic displacement as well as mildly altered diastolic indices, with the alterations being pronounced in early-onset preeclampsia. Lean body mass and adiposity are independently related with LVM and left atrial volume, and systolic blood pressure with LVM in both PE and non-PE children. These unfavorable associations indicate remodeling of cardiac structure in young children also reflected in mild functional changes in PE children.
BACKGROUND: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; unique identifier: NCT04676295.

UNASSIGNED: Left ventricular mass (LVM) is a predictor of future cardiovascular risk. We determined the association between LVM measured by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and the prognosis in patients who have undergone CCTA for screening of coronary artery disease (CAD).
UNASSIGNED: We performed a prospective cohort study. Five hundred twenty consecutive patients who underwent CCTA at Fukuoka University Hospital (FU-CCTA registry) were enrolled. They were clinically suspected of having CAD or had at least one cardiovascular risk factor, and were a follow-up of up to 5 years. Equal to more than 50% of coronary stenosis as assessed by CCTA was diagnosed as CAD. Using CCTA, LVM index (LVMI), LV ejection fraction (LVEF), LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) and LV end-systolic volume were measured. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs: including all causes of death, ischemic stroke, acute myocardial infarction and coronary revascularization). The patients were divided into non-MACEs and MACEs groups.
UNASSIGNED: The non-MACEs and MACEs groups consisted of 478 and 42 patients, respectively. Percent of CAD in the MACEs group was significantly higher than that in the non-MACEs group. The MACEs group showed significantly higher LVMI and tended to have a lower LVEF and LVEDV than the non-MACEs group. Although LVMI was not associated with MACEs in all patients, LVMI was independently associated with MACEs in males (odd ratio: 1.018, 95% confidence interval: 1.002 - 1.035, P = 0.030), but not females.
UNASSIGNED: Evaluation of LVMI by CCTA may be useful for predicting MACEs in males.

BACKGROUND: Findings regarding the association between Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI) and the extent of nocturnal blood pressure (BP) fall in the general population are scanty. We sought to investigate this issue in the participants enrolled in the Pressioni Monitorate E Loro Associazioni (PAMELA) study.
METHODS: The study included 491 participants who attended the second and third surveys of the PAMELA study performed after 10 and 25 years from the initial evaluation. Data collection included medical history, anthropometric parameters, office, home, ambulatory blood pressure BP monitoring (ABPM), blood examinations, echocardiography, and CAVI measurements.
RESULTS: In the whole study, both CAVI and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were inversely correlated with nocturnal SBP fall, expressed as day-night percent change (r =  - 0.152, p = 0.0007, and r =  - 0.213, p < 0.0001, respectively). However, after adjustment for sex and age, the correlation remained significant only for LVMI (r =  - 0.124, p = 0.006). Non-dipper participants exhibited significantly higher sex-age adjusted LVMI (91 ± 22 vs 82 ± 18 g/m2 (p < 0.0001)), but not of CAVI (9.07 ± 2.0 and 9.57 ± 2.2 m/s, p = ns). Similar results were found when classifying participants into quartiles of nocturnal SBP drop. Finally, both sex-age adjusted CAVI and LVMI were positively correlated with mean nocturnal SBP (r = 0.181, p < 0.001, and r = 0.240, p < 0.0001).
CONCLUSIONS: Although arterial stiffness assessed by CAVI, unlike LVMI, is unrelated with the degree of nocturnal BP drop, this marker is useful in identifying nocturnal hypertension and optimizing cardiovascular risk stratification in the community.

The intrauterine environment plays a critical role in shaping chronic disease risk over the life course. We prospectively evaluated cardiometabolic outcomes in toddlers born to mothers with versus without prenatal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Children with in utero severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 exposure had higher left ventricular mass in association with altered maternal immunologic indices.

UNASSIGNED: Systemic arterial hypertension is an independent predictor of cardiovascular diseases including aortic root dilation. Aortic root dilation is a hypertension-mediated organ damage entity regardless of age, gender, and body size. This study aims at determining the prevalence and associations of aortic root dilatation among treatment naïve hypertensive patients.
UNASSIGNED: The study was a cross-sectional study conducted at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital from June 2019 to June 2021. Study participants were treatment naïve hypertensive patients recruited consecutively from the outpatient clinic of the hospital and normotensive sex- and age-matched controls. End diastolic aortic root diameter was measured using 2D transthoracic echocardiography at the annulus, sinuses of Valsalva, and Sinotubular junction by leading-edge to a leading-edge convention as recommended by the American Society of Echocardiography in parasternal long-axis view.
UNASSIGNED: Three hundred treatment naïve hypertensive patients (39.0% females) and 300 health normotensive age-and sex-matched controls (38.3% females) were enrolled. The mean ages of the patients and controls were 46.4±12.5 years and 46.4 ± 12.4 years respectively. The mean aortic root diameter (in mm) was significantly higher in the treatment naïve hypertensive arm of the study at the levels [AoA (24.7 ± 3.9mm versus 22.5 ± 2.0mm, p = 0.002), SoV (33.1 ± 3.4mm versus 31.4 ± 3.4mm, p = 0.023), and STJ (27.8 ± 3.5mm versus 25.9 ± 2.2mm, p = 0.002)]. Males had larger absolute aortic root diameters than females, however, after indexing aortic root diameters for BSA, there was no significant difference. The prevalence of aortic root dilatation amongst the treatment naïve hypertensive patients was 1.3% at all considered levels.
UNASSIGNED: The aortic root dimensions in the treatment naïve hypertensive patients were larger than in normotensive adults. The prevalence of aortic root dilation at all levels amongst treatment naïve hypertensive patients is 1.3%.