title: Prevalence of left heart contrast in healthy, young, asymptomatic humans at rest breathing room air.
abstract: Our purpose was to report the prevalence of healthy, young, asymptomatic humans who demonstrate left heart contrast at rest, breathing room air. We evaluated 176 subjects (18-41 years old) using transthoracic saline contrast echocardiography. Left heart contrast appearing ≤3 cardiac cycles, consistent with a patent foramen ovale (PFO), was detected in 67 (38%) subjects. Left heart contrast appearing >3 cardiac cycles, consistent with the transpulmonary passage of contrast, was detected in 49 (28%) subjects. Of these 49 subjects, 31 were re-evaluated after breathing 100% O2 for 10-15min and 6 (19%) continued to demonstrate the transpulmonary passage of contrast. Additionally, 18 of these 49 subjects were re-evaluated in the upright position and 1 (5%) continued to demonstrate the transpulmonary passage of contrast. These data suggest that ~30% of healthy, young, asymptomatic subjects demonstrate the transpulmonary passage of contrast at rest which is reduced by breathing 100% O2 and assuming an upright body position.
authors: University of Oregon, Department of Human Physiology, Eugene, OR 97403-1240, USA.
authors: Jonathan E
authors: JE
authors: Elliott
authors: S Milind
authors: SM
authors: Nigam
authors: Steven S
authors: SS
authors: Laurie
authors: Kara M
authors: KM
authors: Beasley
authors: Randall D
authors: RD
authors: Goodman
authors: Jerold A
authors: JA
authors: Hawn
authors: Igor M
authors: IM
authors: Gladstone
authors: Mark S
authors: MS
authors: Chesnutt
authors: Andrew T
authors: AT
authors: Lovering
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000388:Air; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012119:Respiration; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology*; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult