Xario

All patients underwent a resting standard echocardiographic examination using commercially available echocardiography systems (Aplio Artida, Aplio 400 and Xario; Canon Medical Systems, Tochigi, Japan, Vivid E9; GE-Vingmed, Horten, Norway, and iE33 and EPIQ7; Philips Medical Systems, Andover, MA). Digital routine grayscale two-dimensional cine loops from three consecutive heart beats were obtained at end-expiratory apnea from standard parasternal and apical views. Sector width was optimized to allow for complete myocardial visualization while maximizing the frame rate. Standard echocardiographic measurements were obtained in accordance with the current guidelines of the American Society of Echocardiography/European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging [15 (link)].

Echocardiography was performed with commercially available ultrasound systems comprising Aplio Artida, Aplio 400 and Xario (Canon Medical Systems, Tochigi, Japan), Vivid E9 (GE-Vingmed, Horten, Norway) and iE33 and EPIQ7 (Philips Medical Systems, Andover, MA) [12 (link)]. Standard echocardiographic measurements were obtained in accordance with the current guidelines of the American Society of Echocardiography/European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging [13 (link)]. Specifically, the early diastolic (E) and atrial wave (A) velocities and the E-wave deceleration time were measured by means of pulsed wave Doppler recording from the apical four-chamber view. Spectral pulsed-wave Doppler-derived early diastolic velocity (e′) was obtained by averaging the septal and lateral mitral annulus, and the E/e′ ratio was calculated to obtain an estimate of LV filling pressure. LV mass was estimated by using the formula proposed by Devereux et al. [14 (link)], and the LV mass index (LVMI) was calculated by dividing LV mass by body surface area. LA volume was measured with the biplane Simpson’s method from the apical two-and four-chamber views, and the LA volume index (LAVI) was calculated by dividing LA volume by body surface area.