Hemodynamic forces represent an epigenetic factor during heart development and are supposed to influence the pathology of the grown heart. Cardiac blood motion is characterized by a vortical dynamics, and it is common belief that the cardiac vortex has a role in disease progressions or regression. Here we provide a preliminary demonstration about the relevance of maladaptive intra-cardiac vortex dynamics in the geometrical adaptation of the dysfunctional heart. We employed an in vivo model of patients who present a stable normal heart function in virtue of the cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT, bi-ventricular pace-maker) and who are expected to develop left ventricle remodeling if pace-maker was switched off. Intra-ventricular fluid dynamics is analyzed by echocardiography (Echo-PIV). Under normal conditions, the flow presents a longitudinal alignment of the intraventricular hemodynamic forces. When pacing is temporarily switched off, flow forces develop a misalignment hammering onto lateral walls, despite no other electro-mechanical change is noticed. Hemodynamic forces result to be the first event that evokes a physiological activity anticipating cardiac changes and could help in the prediction of longer term heart adaptations.

Cardiac fluid dynamics anticipates heart adaptation

PEDRIZZETTI, Gianni
;
2015-01-01

Abstract

Hemodynamic forces represent an epigenetic factor during heart development and are supposed to influence the pathology of the grown heart. Cardiac blood motion is characterized by a vortical dynamics, and it is common belief that the cardiac vortex has a role in disease progressions or regression. Here we provide a preliminary demonstration about the relevance of maladaptive intra-cardiac vortex dynamics in the geometrical adaptation of the dysfunctional heart. We employed an in vivo model of patients who present a stable normal heart function in virtue of the cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT, bi-ventricular pace-maker) and who are expected to develop left ventricle remodeling if pace-maker was switched off. Intra-ventricular fluid dynamics is analyzed by echocardiography (Echo-PIV). Under normal conditions, the flow presents a longitudinal alignment of the intraventricular hemodynamic forces. When pacing is temporarily switched off, flow forces develop a misalignment hammering onto lateral walls, despite no other electro-mechanical change is noticed. Hemodynamic forces result to be the first event that evokes a physiological activity anticipating cardiac changes and could help in the prediction of longer term heart adaptations.
2015
Pubblicato
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0021929014006460?via=ihub
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
2015jbio.pdf

Accesso chiuso

Descrizione: articolo
Tipologia: Documento in Versione Editoriale
Licenza: Copyright Editore
Dimensione 845.18 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
845.18 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
LVVortex_biomech_5Nov2014.pdf

Open Access dal 22/01/2016

Tipologia: Bozza finale post-referaggio (post-print)
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione 348 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
348 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11368/2829723
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 22
  • Scopus 45
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 43
social impact