@article{HeldMittnachtKolbetal.2014,
  author    = {Held, Matthias and Mittnacht, Maria and Kolb, Martin and Karl, Sabine and Jany, Berthold},
  title     = {Pulmonary and Cardiac Function in Asymptomatic Obese Subjects and Changes following a Structured Weight Reduction Program: A Prospective Observational Study},
  series = {PLOS ONE},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {PLOS ONE},
  number    = {9},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0107480},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-119239},
  pages     = {e107480},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Background The prevalence of obesity is rising. Obesity can lead to cardiovascular and ventilatory complications through multiple mechanisms. Cardiac and pulmonary function in asymptomatic subjects and the effect of structured dietary programs on cardiac and pulmonary function is unclear. Objective To determine lung and cardiac function in asymptomatic obese adults and to evaluate whether weight loss positively affects functional parameters. Methods We prospectively evaluated bodyplethysmographic and echocardiographic data in asymptomatic subjects undergoing a structured one-year weight reduction program. Results 74 subjects (32 male, 42 female; mean age 42±12 years) with an average BMI 42.5±7.9, body weight 123.7±24.9 kg were enrolled. Body weight correlated negatively with vital capacity (R = -0.42, p<0.001), FEV1 (R = -0.497, p<0.001) and positively with P 0.1 (R = 0.32, p = 0.02) and myocardial mass (R = 0.419, p = 0.002). After 4 months the study subjects had significantly reduced their body weight (-26.0±11.8 kg) and BMI (-8.9±3.8) associated with a significant improvement of lung function (absolute changes: vital capacity +5.5±7.5\% pred., p<0.001; FEV1+9.8±8.3\% pred., p<0.001, ITGV+16.4±16.0\% pred., p<0.001, SR tot -17.4±41.5\% pred., p<0.01). Moreover, P0.1/Pimax decreased to 47.7\% (p<0.01) indicating a decreased respiratory load. The change of FEV1 correlated significantly with the change of body weight (R = -0.31, p = 0.03). Echocardiography demonstrated reduced myocardial wall thickness (-0.08±0.2 cm, p = 0.02) and improved left ventricular myocardial performance index (-0.16±0.35, p = 0.02). Mitral annular plane systolic excursion (+0.14, p = 0.03) and pulmonary outflow acceleration time (AT +26.65±41.3 ms, p = 0.001) increased. Conclusion Even in asymptomatic individuals obesity is associated with abnormalities in pulmonary and cardiac function and increased myocardial mass. All the abnormalities can be reversed by a weight reduction program.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{LiuHuStoerketal.2014,
  author    = {Liu, Dan and Hu, Kai and St{\"o}rk, Stefan and Herrmann, Sebastian and Kramer, Bastian and Cikes, Maja and Gaudron, Philipp Daniel and Knop, Stefan and Ertl, Georg and Bijnens, Bart and Weidemann, Frank},
  title     = {Predictive Value of Assessing Diastolic Strain Rate on Survival in Cardiac Amyloidosis Patients with Preserved Ejection Fraction},
  series = {PLOS ONE},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {PLOS ONE},
  number    = {12},
  issn      = {1932-6203},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0115910},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-118024},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Objectives: Since diastolic abnormalities are typical findings of cardiac amyloidosis (CA), we hypothesized that speckle-tracking-imaging (STI) derived longitudinal early diastolic strain rate (LSRdias) could predict outcome in CA patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF >50\%). Background: Diastolic abnormalities including altered early filling are typical findings and are related to outcome in CA patients. Reduced longitudinal systolic strain (LSsys) assessed by STI predicts increased mortality in CA patients. It remains unknown if LSRdias also related to outcome in these patients. Methods: Conventional echocardiography and STI were performed in 41 CA patients with preserved LVEF (25 male; mean age 65±9 years). Global and segmental LSsys and LSRdias were obtained in six LV segments from apical 4-chamber views. Results: Nineteen (46\%) out of 41 CA patients died during a median of 16 months (quartiles 5-35 months) follow-up. Baseline mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE, 6±2 vs. 8±3 mm), global LSRdias and basal-septal LSRdias were significantly lower in non-survivors than in survivors (all p<0.05). NYHA class, number of non-cardiac organs involved, MAPSE, mid-septal LSsys, global LSRdias, basal-septal LSRdias and E/LSRdias were the univariable predictors of all-cause death. Multivariable analysis showed that number of non-cardiac organs involved (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.96, 95\% confidence interval [CI] 1.17-3.26, P = 0.010), global LSRdias (HR = 7.30, 95\% CI 2.08-25.65, P = 0.002), and E/LSRdias (HR = 2.98, 95\% CI 1.54-5.79, P = 0.001) remained independently predictive of increased mortality risk. The prognostic performance of global LSRdias was optimal at a cutoff value of 0.85 S-1 (sensitivity 68\%, specificity 67\%). Global LSRdias <0.85 S-1 predicted a 4-fold increased mortality in CA patients with preserved LVEF. Conclusions: STI-derived early diastolic strain rate is a powerful independent predictor of survival in CA patients with preserved LVEF.},
  language  = {en}
}