The February JASE includes, “Echocardiography Provides a Reliable Estimate of Total Cardiac Volume for Pediatric Heart Transplantation,” from Dr. Nicholas A. Szugye et al. Dr. Szugye said that, “Pediatric patients awaiting heart transplant face high mortality rates and donor organ utilization is suboptimal. Size matching donor and recipient using echocardiographic total cardiac volume is a scalable and precise method that can enable more heart transplants in a vulnerable population.”

Dr. Patricia A. Pellikka, JASE Editor-in-Chief, writes in her editorial, “The Left Atrium Makes Headlines,” that “the associations of LA enlargement with chronic diastolic dysfunction and increased mortality in various cardiac conditions have long been recognized. However, the LA’s active and complex relationship with total cardiac performance has only more recently become appreciated. This issue of JASE includes four important papers on LA remodeling and mechanics.”

In addition, other clinical investigations explore risk stratification by echo in pulmonary hypertension, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and strain, ultrasound enhancing agents in sickle cell disease, carotid plaque imaging and coronary artery disease, and pediatric and fetal echocardiography. A state-of-the-art review, which is the CME article for February from Dr. Jia Tao et al., looks at the role of the submitral apparatus in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. An invited commentary with lead author Dr. Vincent L. Sorrell addresses “Recognized and Unrecognized Value of Echocardiography in Guideline and Consensus Documents Regarding Patients With Chest Pain.” Several Brief Research Communications round out the issue.

The President’s Message, “The ASEF: Together, We Can Make a World of Difference,” from Stephen H. Little, MD, FASE, is co-authored with James N. Kirkpatrick, MD, FASE, the current chair of the ASE Foundation (ASEF). The authors note that the title encapsulates the mission of the ASEF, which aims to be the driving force for improving health for all through the use of cardiovascular ultrasound. The continuing education and meeting calendar outlines a multitude of learning options near and far.

Cardiac point-of-care ultrasound has the potential to improve patient care, but its application to children requires consideration of anatomic and physiologic differences from adult populations, and corresponding technical aspects of performance. This new guideline, Recommendations for Cardiac Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Children, is the product of an American Society of Echocardiography task force composed of representatives from pediatric cardiology, pediatric critical care medicine, pediatric emergency medicine, pediatric anesthesiology, and others, assembled to provide expert guidance.

This diverse group aimed to identify common considerations across disciplines to guide evolution of indications, and to identify common requirements and infrastructure necessary for optimal performance, training, and quality assurance in the practice of cardiac point-of-care ultrasound in children. The recommendations presented are intended to facilitate collaboration among subspecialties and with pediatric echocardiography laboratories by identifying key considerations regarding (1) indications, (2) imaging recommendations, (3) training and competency assessment, and (4) quality assurance. Read more here.

The role of echocardiography in detection and evaluation of valvular heart disease is a focus topic of the January 2023 JASE, now online. This issue also includes ASE’s newest guideline, “Recommendations for the Use of Echocardiography in the Evaluation of Rheumatic Heart Disease,” from Pandian et al.

Patricia A. Pellikka, MD, FASE, who begins her tenure as JASE Editor-in-Chief with this first issue of 2023, said that she chose the focus topic to coincide with the publication of the guideline, putting out a call for papers last summer. Read Dr. Pellikka’s first Editor’s page, which offers insights on several of the clinical investigations. Editorials, brief research communications, and correspondence in this issue also provide further insights on echocardiography in valvular heart disease. The guideline is the January CME article.

The President’s Message from Stephen H. Little, MD, FASE, shares the history of ASE’s Leadership Academy, which was developed by the Governance Committee “to provide a way to engage our early and mid-career members to develop their leadership skills.” If you missed the prior announcement of those who were recently accepted into the third cohort of the LA, meet them in his message! The continuing education and meeting calendar outlines a multitude of learning options near and far.

ASE is partnering with Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) to present education on topics that touch echocardiographers and the cardiovascular nursing team. The goal of this partnership is to share learning, perspectives, and communicate the challenges and opportunities around patient identification and management that impact both communities.

Sharing expertise across team members can provide each member with a deeper understanding of issues in various cardiovascular diseases. ASE is committed to working across the field of cardiovascular health to impact better patient care. We hope that by identifying synergies with groups like PCNA that have similar challenges and a different perspective, we can bridge gaps and build understandings for all practitioners.

LEARN MORE

ASE would like to thank Congress for passage of the Cardiovascular Advances in Research and Opportunities Legacy (CAROL) Act (H.R. 1193/S. 1133). ASE was pleased to support this bipartisan legislation. Senators McConnell and Sinema introduced the Senate companion legislation to Congressman Barr’s House legislation, which will help heart patients through expanded research, education, and investments into valvular heart disease.

According to the CDC, valvular heart disease affects 2.5% of the U.S. population. As many as 11 million Americans are living with heart valve disease and, each year, five million additional Americans are diagnosed with it. The CAROL Act pledges the necessary investments in research and prevention to aid the millions of American lives affected by this disease. We thank leaders in the House and Senate for their partnership in getting this bill done.

The ASE Foundation is ecstatic to share that we have already surpassed our $30,000 fundraising goal! Thank you to the 109 donors who have contributed a total of $32,457.94 as of this afternoon.

We may have reached our goal, but we are not done! The Foundation is still accepting donations towards its GivingTuesday fundraiser until December 3, so if you have not already done so—it is not too late to donate! Every donation brings us closer to our 2022 Annual Appeal goal of $225,000.

An investment in the ASE Foundation is a testament of support in the future of cardiovascular ultrasound. Wherever your heart lies in our field, ASEF is making a difference. Show us #YourPriority with a donation to the initiative that most aligns with your passion. If you would like to make a donation to support a 2023 Global Outreach Travel Grant in memory of Greg Tatum, MD, FASE, please indicate that your donation is in his memory on the donation form.

100% of your donation will go toward charitable projects in 2023. Thank you for showing us that supporting the future of cardiovascular ultrasound is #YourPriority. Together we will continue to make a world of difference!