Echo Research and Practice

Authors: Jinzhi Lai, Xiaohan Qin, Dingding Zhang, Jiaqi Wang, Jiaqi Yu, Keyue Sun, Deyan Yang, Jingbo Fan, Lihua Zhang, Zhongwei Cheng, Kangan Cheng, Peng Gao, Hua Deng, Ligang Fang, Taibo Chen, Quan Fang and Yongtai Liu

🚨NEW ARTICLE🚨

The diagnostic value of left atrial stiffness for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation:
https://doi.org/10.1186/s44156-026-00107-5

#echosky #cardiosky

"Left ventricular cavity dilatation during stress echocardiography is an infrequent but clinically relevant finding. While it has been described in treadmill and pharmacological stress testing, its significance during supine bicycle stress echocardiography has not been well established. In this study, we show that cavity dilatation occurs in a small proportion of patients undergoing supine exercise testing and identifies a distinct clinical subgroup. Approximately half of patients with exercise-induced cavity dilatation had significant underlying coronary artery disease. Notably, the remaining patients did not have obstructive coronary disease and instead exhibited features of an exaggerated haemodynamic response to exercise, including a hypertensive response and myocardial workload. These observations suggest that cavity dilatation during supine bicycle stress may arise through both ischaemic and non-ischaemic mechanisms. By clarifying the prevalence and potential physiological drivers of this finding, our study provides practical guidance for interpreting cavity dilatation during supine exercise stress echocardiography and highlights its relevance for clinical risk assessment. " Ms Bethany Elliott, Lead Author

Earlier this week we published ✨Transient cavity dilatation during supine exercise bicycle stress testing: Mechanistic insights✨. For another chance to check out this insightful study, click here: https://doi.org/10.1186/s44156-026-00105-7

#echosky #cardiosky

Authors: Bethany Elliott, Joseph Flynn, Anita Macnab, Martin Stout, Keith Pearce, and Laura Dobson

🚨NEW ARTICLE🚨

Transient Cavity Dilatation During Supine Exercise Bicycle Stress Testing: Mechanistic Insights: https://doi.org/10.1186/s44156-026-00105-7

#echosky #cardiosky

The NIHR logo

Applications for NIHR Predoctoral Awards open until Thursday 12 March 2026 - supporting early career researchers to undertake a masters degree, or bespoke training and development plan comprising masters-level training: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/predoctoral-award-cohort-2/2026343?source=bsecho

The University of Oxford, CCRF and BSE logos

📢 Call for project proposals

Would you like to utilise the BSE N-STEP dataset?

With data from over 12,000 participants, this is a unique opportunity to help shape and improve UK #StressEcho practice

Find out more: https://ow.ly/XiV750Yh7gZ

"This paper establishes practical reference ranges for supine bicycle stress echocardiography (SBSE), an area where normative data has been limited despite growing clinical use. By analysing patients with normal SBSE, we provide benchmarks for blood pressure response, workload, exercise time, and rate–pressure product (RPP). The study demonstrated that although exercise time declines with age, peak RPP remains stable, suggesting RPP may be a more reliable indicator of physiological effort than duration alone. The study also highlighted meaningful sex differences." Joseph Flynn

Lead author Mr Joseph Flynn shares his thoughts on our recent publication ✨ Supine bicycle exercise blood pressure, heart rate and rate pressure product in patients with normal stress echocardiograms in an unselected chest pain population✨

Read it here: https://doi.org/10.1186/s44156-026-00103-9

Authors: Haris Zilic, Hannes Holm, Linda S. Johnson, Amra Jujic and Martin Magnusson

🚨NEW ARTICLE🚨

Left ventricular and atrial strain and the risk of mortality and rehospitalization in heart failure: https://doi.org/10.1186/s44156-026-00106-6

#echosky #cardiosky

Authors: Joseph Flynn, Bethany Elliott, Anita Macnab, Keith Pearce, Martin Stout and Laura Dobson

🚨NEW ARTICLE🚨

Supine bicycle exercise blood pressure, heart rate and rate pressure product in patients with normal stress echocardiograms in an unselected chest pain population: https://doi.org/10.1186/s44156-026-00103-9

#echosky #cardiosky

Authors: Jonathan Cook, Jin Jiang, Ayisha Khan-Kheil & Thomas E. Ingram

In December we published ✨The implementation of a cardiac scientist-led HF diagnosis clinic for non-urgent suspected HF referrals✨, from our scientist-led services collection

The authors hope to help implement clinical scientist-led HF across the country: https://ow.ly/L5co50Y4kNO

“The role of cardiac physiologists and clinical scientists is evolving with a continually growing number of services now providing specialist clinics that are solely run by physiology and scientist teams. However, a guide to developing these services does not exist for departments wishing to implement new scientist/physiologist led clinics (SLC). In this special edition, experts from across the UK echocardiography workforce describe the delivery of SLC in: heart valve disease, congenital heart disease, heart failure diagnosis, and stress echocardiography. The authors provide expert insight from their experience in developing these key services and present the significant cost and time-saving benefits alongside highly positive patient satisfaction surveys. These articles are an essential read for anyone wanting to establish a new SLC, or for those wishing to review and audit existing SLC models.”

@shaunrobinson01.bsky.social shares his thoughts on our collection ✨Delivery of scientist led services in echocardiography✨, published in 2025. Check out the collection here: https://ow.ly/LqaS50Y7Cco #echosky #cardiosky

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Authors: Mostafa Rafea, Ramy Kishk and Ramy Salmoun

Hello BlueSky! We're new here and we're delighted to meet you. To get you started on your #EchoResearchPractice journey, check out our latest article:

Accuracy of 3-dimensional echo in measuring RV volumes and EF: A systematic review and meta-analysis: https://ow.ly/GKUp50Y5PnO