Echocardiogram – ABC CARDIOL

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Editorial

Prevalence of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Brazil: What is Our Reality?

Silvia Moreira Ayub-Ferreira

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a hereditary heart disease whose prevalence is underestimated in several regions of the world. In Brazil, this challenge is also significant, especially given the country’s population heterogeneity. In this issue, we highlight a pioneering study that investigated the occurrence of the echocardiographic phenotype of HCM in the ELSA-Brasil cohort.1

For those unfamiliar, the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) is a large, multicenter cohort study designed to investigate risk factors for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases in Brazilian public servants from large urban centers, aged 35 to 74 years.

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Original Article

Global Longitudinal Strain as Predictor of Chemotherapy-Induced Cardiotoxicity

Monica Samuel Avila et al. Marco Stephan Lofrano Alves Silvia Moreira Ayub-Ferreira Mauro Rogerio de Barros Wanderley Junior … Fatima das Dores Cruz Sara Michelly Gonçalves Brandão Ludhmila Abrahão Hajjar Roberto Kalil Filho Cecilia Beatriz Bittencourt Viana Cruz Maria Cristina Abduch Danilo Bora Moleta Edimar Alcides Bocchi

Abstract

Background

Chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity (ChC) is an important complication among patients receiving anthracyclines. Biomarkers and imaging parameters have been studied for their ability to identify patients at risk of developing ChC. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) is a sensitive parameter for detecting systolic dysfunction despite the presence of preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Objective

To evaluate the role of the LV-GLS as a predictor of ChC.

Methods

This was a post-hoc analysis of the Carvedilol for Prevention of Chemotherapy-Related Cardiotoxicity trial, which evaluated the primary prevention of cardiotoxicity with carvedilol during doxorubicin chemotherapy in a population of patients with breast cancer. Cardiotoxicity was defined as a reduction ≥10% in LVEF. LV-GLS was determined before chemotherapy in patients with no prior cardiovascular disease or echocardiogram abnormalities.

Results

Thirty-one patients for whom a complete echocardiography study including measurement of LV-GLS was performed before chemotherapy were included in this analysis. An absolute LV-GLS<16.9% before chemotherapy showed 100% sensitivity and 73% specificity for predicting cardiotoxicity (area under the curve [AUC], 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.680–0.959; p<0.001). In this population, LVEF values before chemotherapy did not predict ChC (95% CI, 0.478 to -0.842; p=0.17). The association of low LV-GLS (17 pg/mL) at 2 months after chemotherapy increased the accuracy for detecting early-onset ChC (100% sensitivity, 88% specificity; AUC, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.781–0.995; p<0.0001).

Conclusions

Our data suggest that LV-GLS is a potential predictor of ChC. Larger studies are needed to confirm its clinical relevance in this clinical setting.

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Case Report

Cor Triatriatum Sinistrum in an Asymptomatic Adult: A Case Report

Mauro Alves et al. Fernando Antonio de Portugal Morcerf Cynara Silvia Sousa do Amaral

Abstract

Cor triatriatum is a rare congenital heart anomaly often diagnosed in early childhood. This case study features an adult with an incidental finding of cor triatriatum sinistrum. Based on the clinical presentation, the patient was treated conservatively. Cor triatriatum sinistrum echocardiographic image findings of this patient are presented along with a narrative review of the literature about this disease.

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Editorial

My approach to the diagnosis of congenital coronary anomalies by transthoracic echocardiography

Vitor Coimbra Guerra

Why do we need to assess the anatomy of the coronary arteries?

Until a few decades ago, coronary artery anatomy assessment by echocardiogram (ECHO) was considered a difficult secondary task even if analyzed by other cardiovascular imaging modalities, such as angiography by cardiac catheterization. Important changes in this approach in recent years can be explained by three important aspects:1) The origin and initial course of coronary artery anomalies can be a substrate for ischemia and even sudden death in young adults;^,2) Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is a non-invasive radiation-free low-cost imaging test in the frontline of cardiac assessments;3) The anatomical and functional assessment of coronary arteries is part of a transthoracic test used to diagnose congenital heart diseases.^,

Which congenital coronary artery anomalies are relevant and should be identified?

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Case Report

Libman-Sacks endocarditis in a male patient with systemic lupus erythematosus

Álvaro Augusto Vedana Filho et al. Vivien Ritchie Bittencourt Thaíssa Antunes Mattar Valente Fernando Silva Botelho Marco Stephan Lofrano Alves

Introduction

Libman-Sacks endocarditis (LSE), also known as marantic or verrucous endocarditis, is a form of non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE) that involves the presence of sterile vegetations in the heart valves. These vegetations may be associated with malignancy, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), or antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), and although they are more commonly found in the mitral and aortic valves, other valves may be involved. Diagnosis requires high clinical suspicion when evaluating specific populations.

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Case Report

Tricuspid Papillary Fibroelastoma. Case report

Fernanda Roquette de Araujo et al. Claudio Leo Gelape Ana Carolina Madureira Nunes Luiza Lins Khoury … Ana Carolina de Almeida Borges e Santos Marcio Vinicius Lins Barros

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Viewpoint

Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy – is it a New “Prolapse”? An Early Stigma of Cardiomyopathy

Marcelo Dantas Tavares de Melo et al. Vera Maria Cury Salemi

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Viewpoint

Comprehensive Echocardiogram: What is it? For which Patients?

Marcelo Iorio Garcia

Amyloidosis occurs due to the gradual deposition of protein aggregates, which may infiltrate more than one organ, progressively evolving to organ dysfunction. Prognosis is determined by the organ involved and by the involvement of the heart; cardiac amyloidosis (CA) leads to the worst evolution. CA may be due to myocardial deposition of the protein transthyretin, which is derived from liver tissue; this condition is known as ATTR. The other form of myocardial deposition is secondary to immunoglobulin light chain proteins, which are derived from a clone of plasma cells; this is known as the systemic form or AL amyloidosis. The ATTR and AL forms need to be differentiated, because they have different treatments.

CA is a common cause of restrictive cardiomyopathy, and it should always be considered in the context of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Symptoms encompass reduced effort threshold, fatigue, and edema of the lower limbs. It is common for the conduction system to be involved, and reduced voltage of the QRS complex on electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the diagnostic clues. Evolution with arrhythmias and atrioventricular block is also characteristic.^–

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Artigo Original

Increase in systolic blood pressure during exercise testing after heart transplantation: correlation with the clinical condition and ventricular function assessed by dobutamine stress echocardiography

Ana Fátima Salles et al. Cristiano Vieira Machado Adriana Cordovil Wagner Aparecido Leite … Valdir Ambrósio Moisés Dirceu Rodrigues de Almeida Antonio Carlos Camargo Carvalho Japy Angelini Oliveira Filho

OBJECTIVE: Patients who underwent heart transplantation (HTX) experience a reduction in the elevation that is usual in systolic blood pressure during exercise testing. Of unknown origin, this phenomenon varies in frequency and intensity. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between systolic blood pressure increase (delta SBP) and clinical aspects, as well as variables measured during exercise testing (ET) and dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) in patients in the late post-transplantation course. METHODS: Forty-five men, mean age 49.04 ± 10.19, underwent clinical assessment, ET and DSE 40.91 ± 27.46 months after heart transplantation. Left ventricular wall motion score index and ejection fraction were assessed. Delta SBP < 35mmHg during ET was considered abnormal (SBC,1995). RESULTS: No significant correlation was found between delta SBP and post-transplantation time, graft ischemic time, history of rejection, diltiazem dosage, oxygen uptake, ejection fraction, and wall motion score index (WMSI). Delta SBP was normal in 17 patients (Group I) and abnormal in 28 (Group II). Patients of both groups did not differ significantly in regard to clinical features and ET and DSE results. CONCLUSION: Unlike other populations, no correlation was found between delta SBP during exercise testing and clinical condition or left ventricular function in heart transplant patients. Pathophysiological factors associated with delta SBP reduction during exercise testing remain unknown.

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Artigo Original

Echocardiographic criteria for the definition of ventricular dysfunction severity in aortic banded rats

Vanessa Oliveira Moreira et al. Ana Valéria Barros de Castro Marcelle Yumi Yaegaschi Antonio Carlos Cicogna … Marina Politi Okoshi Camila Alves Pereira Flávio Ferrari Aragon Mário Batista Bruno Carlos Roberto Padovani Katashi Okoshi

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify echocar-diographic parameters that allow distinguishing different levels of cardiac dysfunction in aortic banded rats. METHODS: Wistar male rats (90-100 g) were subjected to aortic banding (n=23) or a sham operation (n=12). The following echocardiographic parameters were evaluated and used to group rats into groups with similar characteristics using cluster analysis: absolute values and after normalization to body weight of left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVDD) and left atrial systolic diameter; left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVSD); LV weight to body weight ratio (LVW/BW); three indexes of left ventricular shortening (endocardial fractional shortening, EFS; midwall FS, MFS; and posterior wall shortening velocity, (PWSV). RESULTS: The cluster analysis could group aortic banded rats into two groups: mild (n=13) and severe (n=9) stage of heart failure. There was no overlapping among the values of the 95% confidence interval of the following parameters between the two groups: LVDD, LVSD, EFS, MFS, LVW/BW, and PWSV. CONCLUSION: It is feasible to distinguish two groups of aortic banded rats according to the level of cardiac dysfunction using those echocardiographic parameters. This allows to perform longitudinal studies in homogeneous groups of rats with aortic banding and cardiac dysfunction.

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Artigo Original

Symptomatic severe chronic aortic valve disease: a comparative study of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography

Marcelo Nigri et al. Carlos Eduardo Rochitte Flávio Tarasoutchi Guilherme S Spina … José Rodrigues Parga Luiz Francisco Ávila Roney Orismar Sampaio José Antonio Franchini Ramires Max Grinberg

OBJECTIVE: To show the real value of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) in the evaluation of patients with symptomatic chronic aortic valve disease. METHODS: Seventy patients – 35 with aortic stenosis (AoS) and 35 with aortic regurgitation (AoR) with surgical indication, who underwent preoperative echocardiogram (ECHO) and CMRI to assess ventricular function, volumes, and left ventricular mass index using cine magnetic resonance imaging, were studied. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was observed between the AoS and AoR groups when ECHO and CMRI variables were compared. When compared with the type of symptom, ECHO and CMRI variables showed the same pattern. CONCLUSION: CMRI data were in agreement with ECHO data regarding the assessment of left ventricular volume and ejection fraction, and with the clinical presentation of patients with chronic aortic valve disease.

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Artigo Original

Cardiac longitudinal study of children perinatally exposed to human immunodeficiency virus type 1

Maria Suely Bezerra Diógenes et al. Regina Célia de Menezes Succi Daisy M. Machado Valdir Ambrósio Moisés … Neil Ferreira Novo Antonio Carlos Carvalho

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of cardiac abnormalities and its natural history in children perinatally exposed to HIV-1. METHODS: Eighty-four children exposed to HIV-1 were evaluated by serial clinical, electrocardiographic (ECG), and Doppler-echocardiographic (ECHO) examinations. RESULTS: Group I – (seroreversion) – 43 children (51.2%). Absence of clinical abnormalities. ECG: incomplete right bundle branch block (RBBB) 5 cases. ECHO: atrial septal defect (ASD) and ventricular septal defect (VSD) – 1 case each. Group II – 41 HIV-infected children (48.8%), of whom 51.2% were found to have cardiac abnormalities. Asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic children without immunosuppression: no clinical and echocardiographic abnormalities; ECG: incomplete right bundle branch block (RBBB) – (2 cases). Children with moderate and severe symptoms and immunological impairment: the following abnormalities were found: 1) clinical (31.7%)-isolated tachycardia (1 case), congestive heart failure (12 cases). 2) electrocardiographic (43.9%)- sinus tachycardia associated with other abnormalities (10 cases), incomplete right bundle branch block (5 cases), left anterior hemiblock (1 case), right anterior hemiblock (1 case), changes in ventricular repolarization (11 cases), right ventricular overload (2 cases), left ventricular overload (1 case), right QRS axis deviation (1 case), and arrhythmias (3 cases). 3) echocardiographic (26.8%)- dilated cardiomyopathy (5 cases), pericardial effusion with tamponade (2 cases), pulmonary hypertension (2 cases), and mitral valve prolapse (1 case). CONCLUSION: Cardiac involvement was a characteristic of the HIV-infected group. Higher prevalence of abnormalities was found among children belonging to the most advanced clinical and immunological category. The most commonly observed clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings were congestive heart failure (CHF), changes in ventricular repolarization, and dilated cardiomyopathy, respectively. The latter was reversible in one case. Electrocardiogram changes were significantly more frequent than clinical and echocardiographic changes.

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Artigo Original

Diastolic dysfunction in diabetic normotensive patients, regardless of the presence of microangiopathy

João Carlos Ferreira Braga et al. Fábio Villaça Guimarães Filho Carlos Roberto Padovani Beatriz B. Matsubara

OBJECTIVE: To assess the Doppler-echocardiographic changes in normotensive patients with type II diabetes mellitus, in the presence or absence of signs of microangiopathy. METHODS: Patients with type II diabetes mellitus were submitted to funduscopy contrasted with fluorescein and dosage of microalbuminuria for diagnose of microangiopathy and divided into two groups: DMII (patients without microangiopathy, n=19) and DM+A (patients with microangiopathy, n=13). All of them were submitted to a Doppler-echocardiography and the results were compared with normotensive patients of same sex and age (group C, n=20), by using the ANOVA, followed by the test of Tukey. In all comparisons the significance level p<0.05 was adopted. RESULTS: There were no differences among the groups regarding the systolic function indicators or left ventricular mass. Differences compatible with diastolic dysfunction in the two groups of diabetic were observed, regardless of the presence of microangiopathy, which showed significantly higher values of the times of isovolumetric relaxation of the left ventricle (TIRLV, ms): (DMII= 97±22.2; DM+A= 107±28.2 and C= 80±10.7; p<0.05), and lower values of the maximum speeds of the wave of fast ventricular filling (E, cm/s): (DMII= 69±17.5; DM+A= 75±19.7 and C= 84±14.5, p<0.05 between DMII and C). There was no difference among the groups concerning the E/A rate. CONCLUSION: Normotensive patients with type II diabetes mellitus and without clinical signs of cardiovascular compromising showed signs of diastolic dysfunction, non-associated to the presence of microangiopathy.

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Artigo Original

Blockade of renin-angiotensin system attenuates cardiac remodeling in rats undergoing aortic stenosis

Giancarlo Gonçalves et al. Leonardo A. M. Zornoff Henrique B. Ribeiro Marina P. Okoshi … Fernando R. S. Cordaro Katashi Okoshi Carlos R. Padovani Flávio F. Aragon Antonio C. Cicogna

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of the AT1 receptor blocker and the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor in cardiac remodeling induced by aortic stenosis in rats. METHODS: Wistar rats were divided into the following 4 groups: 1) C – control (n=13); 2) AoS – aortic stenosis (n=11); 3) LIS – AoS treated with lisinopril, 20 mg/kg/day (n=11); and 4) LOS – AoS treated with losartan, 40 mg/kg/day (n=9). The treatments were initiated 3 days before surgery. After 6 weeks, the animals underwent echocardiographic study, and quantification of the hydroxyproline (HOP) concentration and the left ventricular (LV) myocyte cross-sectional area (CSA). RESULTS: Aortic stenosis induced an increase in left ventricular wall thickness. The LIS and LOS groups showed no difference as compared with the control group. The AoS and LIS rats had greater left atrial diameters than the control rats did, while no difference was observed in the LOS animals. The AoS animals had greater values of shortening percentage than control animals did. This fact was modified with neither LIS nor LOS. The cross-sectional area of the animals in the AoS group was greater than that in the control group. However, treatment with LOS and LIS attenuated the AoS-induced increase in area. Aortic stenosis caused an increase in HOP concentration, while the LOS group showed no difference as compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: Blockade of the renin-angiotensin system with AT1 blocker and ACEI may attenuate the development of heart hypertrophy, but only the blockade of AT1 receptors attenuates left ventricular interstitial fibrosis.

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Artigo Original

Clinical characteristics associated with unfavorable outcomes in peripartum myocardiopathy

Caroline da Costa Moreira et al. Silméia Garcia Zanati Vera Therezinha Borges Medeiros Cláudia Guimarães … Elaine Farah Simões Beatriz Bojikian Matsubara

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical characteristics of women with a previous diagnosis of peripartum myocardiopathy and to study the characteristics associated with unfavorable outcomes. METHODS: Clinical, obstetric, and echocardiographic variables were studied in 12 patients with peripartum myocardiopathy, assessed at diagnosis and at a current appointment, when they were divided into 2 groups: FG (n = 6, without cardiac alterations) and UG (n = 6, with cardiomegaly and persistent ventricular dysfunction). The comparisons were made using the Student t test and Fisher’s exact test (P < 0.05). RESULTS: At diagnosis, mean age of the patients (8 Caucasian and 4 black/non-Caucasian) was 24±7.4 years, all in Functional Class IV (NYHA) and 8 reporting gestational hypertension or preeclampsia. Mean follow-up time was 25 months. Ten patients developed Functional Class I/II. Comparison between the groups demonstrated that UG had lower left ventricular ejection fractions (0.30±0.05 vs. 0.58±0.09; P < 0.001) and greater LV systolic diameter (58±5mm vs. 46±3mm; P < 0.001) at diagnosis. An unfavorable outcome was more frequent among non-Caucasian women (P = 0.01). In the current evaluation, UG had lower relative wall thickness (0.13±0.02 vs. 0.17±0.02; P < 0.05) and greater LV mass (283±90g vs. 186±41g; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with previous peripartum myocardiopathy had unfavorable outcomes associated with black race, and stronger initial cardiac alterations; a favorable outcome was associated with a reduction in myocardial mass and an increase in relative ventricular wall thickness.

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Artigo Original

How can the echocardiogram be useful for predicting death in children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy?

Vitor Manuel Pereira Azevedo et al. Francisco Manes Albanesi Fº Marco Aurélio Santos Márcia Bueno Castier Bernardo Rangel Tura

OBJECTIVE: To determine the echocardiographic predicting factors of death in children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. METHODS: A retrospective study of 148 children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy diagnosed between September 1979 and March 2003 was carried out. The inclusion criteria were as follows: heart failure and a reduction in contractility on the echocardiogram in the absence of congenital or secondary heart disease. Four hundred and seventy examinations during a period of 244.8 months of evolution were analyzed. The following parameters were assessed: left atrial dimension (LAD); left atrium/aorta ratio (LAD/Ao); left ventricular systolic (LVSD) and diastolic (LVDD) dimensions; left ventricular mass (LVmass); right ventricular dimension (RVD); left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF); left ventricular shortening fraction (% SH); severity of the insufficiency of the atrioventricular and pulmonary valves; and right ventricular systolic (RVSP) and diastolic (RVDP) pressures. The significance level adopted was alpha < 0.05. RESULTS: The mean age was 2.37 years, and 35 patients died (23.7% – 95 CI = 17.1% to 31.2%). The analysis of variance showed the following: LAD (p<0.0001); LAD/Ao (p<0.0001); LVSD (p=0.0061); LVDD (p=0.0086); LVmass (p<0.0001); LVEF (p=0.0074); %SH (p=0.0072); and RVD (p<0.0001). Worsening of mitral (MI) (p=0.0113) and tricuspid (TI) insufficiencies (p=0.0044) were markers of death, and the presence of MI, TI, and moderate/severe pulmonary insufficiency were deleterious to survival. The Cox proportional hazards regression model showed the following independent predictors of death: LAD/Ao (p=0.0487); LVEF (<0.0001); and the presence of moderate/severe MI (p=0.0419). CONCLUSION: Patients with a progressive increase in LAD/Ao, a reduction in LVEF, and progressive worsening of MI, regardless of the clinical treatment, should be considered for early heart transplantation.

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Original Article

Follow-up study of morphology and cardiac function in rats undergoing induction of supravalvular aortic stenosis

Henrique Barbosa Ribeiro et al. Katashi Okoshi Antonio Carlos Cicogna Edson Antonio Bregagnollo … Maria Aparecida Marchesan Rodrigues Carlos Roberto Padovani Flávio Ferrari Aragon Elenize Jamas Marina Politi Okoshi

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the follow-up of an experimental model of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) induced by supravalvular ascending aortic stenosis in young rats. METHODS: Wistar rats were submitted to thoracotomy and aortic stenosis was created by placing a clip on the ascending aorta (AoS group, n=12). Age-matched control animals underwent a sham operation (C group, n=12). Cardiac function was analysed by echocardiograms performed 6, 12, and 21 weeks after aortic banding. Myocardial morphological features and myocardial hydroxyproline concentration (HOP) were evaluated 2, 6, 12, and 21 weeks after surgery in additional animals. RESULTS: Aortic banding promoted early concentric LVH and a progressive increase in HOP. Under light microscopy, we observed myocyte hypertrophy and wall thickening of the intramural branches of the coronary arteries due to medial hypertrophy. Cardiac function was supranormal after 6 weeks (percentage of fractional shortening – EAo6: 70.3±10.8; C6: 61.3±5.4; p<0.05), and depressed in the last period. Diastolic dysfunction was detected after 12 weeks (ratio of early-to-late filling velocity – EAo12: 4.20±3.25; C12: 1.61±0.16; p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Ascending aortic stenosis promotes concentric LVH with myocardial fibrosis and minimal histological changes. According to the period of evaluation, cardiac function may be improved, normal, or depressed. The model is suitable and useful for studies on pathophysiology and treatment of the different phases of cardiac hypertrophy.

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Original Article

Normal values of echocardiographic measurements. A population-based study

Paulo Roberto Schvartzman et al. Flávio Danni Fuchs Alex Gules Mello Maikel Coli … Mario Schvartzman Leila Beltrami Moreira

OBJECTIVE: To describe echocardiographic measurements and left ventricular mass in a population sample of healthy adults inhabitants of the urban region of Porto Alegre. METHODS: An analytical, observational, population-based, cross-sectional study was done. Through a multi-stage probability sample, 114 individuals were selected to be submitted to a M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiogram with color Doppler. The analyses were restricted to healthy participants. Echocardiographic measurements were described by mean, standard deviation, 95 percentile and 95% confidence limits. RESULTS: A total of 100 healthy participants, with several characteristics similar to those from the original population, had a complete and reliable echocardiographic examination. The measurements of aorta, left atrium, interventricular septum, left ventricle in systole and diastole, left posterior wall and left ventricular mass, adjusted or not for body surface area or height, were significantly higher in males. The right ventricle size was similar among the genders. Several echocardiographic measurements were within standard normal limits. Interventricular septum, left posterior wall and left ventricular mass, adjusted or not for anthropometric measurements, and aortic dimensions had lower mean and range than the reference limits. CONCLUSION: The means and estimates of distribution for the measurements of interventricular septum, left posterior wall and left ventricular mass found in this survey were lower than those indicated by the international literature and accepted as normal limits.

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Artigo Original

Early and late physiological effects of balloon mitral valvuloplasty

Japy Angelini Oliveira Fº et al. Marcelo Regazzini Orlando Campos Fº Ana Fátima Salles … Turíbio Leite Barros Neto Neil Ferreira Novo José Bocanegra Eulógio Martinez Fº Dirceu Vieira Santos Fº

PURPOSE: To evaluate the early and late cardiorespiratory responses after balloon mitral valvuloplasty. METHODS: Nine female patients aged 35±9 years, with mitral stenosis, in class II or III (NYHA) underwent upright ergoespirometric test, resting electrocardiogram and echocardiogram before, 3 to 5 days (early evaluation) and 8 to 12 months (late evaluation) after mitral valvuloplasty. All patients were treated with digitalis and diuretics. RESULTS: During late evaluation, 44% patients were in class II and 56% were in class I (NYHA). The resting heart rate decreased (87±11bpm vs 85±7bpm vs 75±9bpm) and the number of steps increased (4±1 steps vs 5±2 steps vs 6±1 steps); the peak oxygen uptake improved only in the late evaluation (16±3mL/kg/min vs 18±4mL/kg/min vs 22±7mL/kg/min). The anaerobic threshold, minute ventilation (VE) and ventilatory equivalent for oxygen showed no change. The heart rate (1st step: 124±18bpm vs 112±13bpm vs 87±15bpm), O2 uptake (1st step: 10±2mL/kg/min vs 8±2mL/kg/min vs 8±2mL/kg/min) and VE decreased during submaximal exercise in early and late phases. The mitral valve area decreased in the late evaluation (0.94cm² vs 1.66cm² vs 1.20cm²). CONCLUSION: Although partial restenosis tended to occur in these patients, they improved the functional class and cardiorespiratory performance and cardiocirculatory load during submaximal exercise.

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