Lamia Al Saikhan

University College London | UCL · Institute of Cardiovascular Science

Background and Aims Excess adiposity is associated with poorer cardiac function and adverse left ventricular (LV) remodelling. However, its importance over the adult life course on future cardiac structure and systolic and diastolic function is unknown. Methods A total of 1690 participants in the National Survey of Health and Development birth coh...

Background: Cardiac sonographers are at a high risk for work-related musculoskeletal pain (WMSP), a major occupational health problem. With limited research on WMSP prevalence among this population in Saudi Arabia, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence and impact of WMSP in cardiac sonographers in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia compa...

The pathogenesis of exercise intolerance and persistent fatigue which can follow an infection with the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus (“long COVID”) is not fully understood. Cases were recruited from a long COVID clinic ( N = 32; 44 ± 12 years; 10 (31%) men), and age‐/sex‐matched healthy controls (HC) ( N = 19; 40 ± 13 years; 6 (32%) men) from University College...

Background The demand for qualified cardiac technology (CT) graduates is increasing in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to provide the first descriptive occupational survey of the educational outputs of the first established CT speciality program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the past 10 years. Methods This was a cross-sectional, survey-based...

The pathogenesis of exercise intolerance and persistent fatigue which can follow an infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus ('Long COVID') is not fully understood. Cases were recruited from a Long COVID clinic (N=32; 44± 12y; 10(31%)men), and age/sex-matched healthy controls (HC) (N=19; 40± 13y; 6(32%)men) from University College London staff and stude...

Objectives: Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) dysregulation is a postulated risk factor for cardiovascular disease but results from previous studies have been mixed. We examined cross-sectional associations of diurnal patterns of salivary cortisol with 10 subclinical measures of cardiovascular disease (including pulse wave velocity, carotid inti...

3D-speckle tracking echocardiography(3D-STE) allows simultaneous assessment of ejection fraction(EF) and multidirectional strains, but its prognostic utility in the general population is unknown. We investigated if 3D-STE strains predicted a composite of major cardiac endpoints(MACE) beyond cardiovascular risk factors(CVDRF), and whether they were...

Background Evidence related to work-related musculoskeletal pain (WRMSP) among cardiac sonographers is incomplete. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, consequences, and awareness of WRMSP among cardiac sonographers compared with other healthcare workers in different healthcare settings in Saudi Arabia. Methods This was...

Background Three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) measures of the left ventricle (LV) predict outcomes in high risk individuals, but their prognostic value in the general population is unknown. We aimed to establish whether 3DE was associated with mortality and morbidity in a multi-ethnic community-based sample, if associations differed by sex, a...

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with disruption in autonomic nervous control of the heart rhythm. We present here quantitative evidence of the reduction in HRV measures as well as the challenges to clinical application of HRV in COPD clinics.Method Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews...

There is an increasing body of evidence suggesting that vascular disease could contribute to cognitive decline and overt dementia. Of particular interest is atherosclerosis, as it is not only associated with dementia, but could be a potential mechanism through which cardiovascular disease directly impacts brain health. In this work, we evaluated th...

Background Image‐quality (IQ) compromises left ventricle assessment by 3‐dimensional echocardiography (3DE). Sicker/frailer patients often have suboptimal IQ, and therefore observed associations may be biased by IQ. We investigated its effect in an observational study of older people and when IQ was modified experimentally in healthy volunteers. M...

Objectives To determine associations between carotid atherosclerosis assessed by ultrasound and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), a measure of global cognitive function. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched up to 1 May 2020 to identify studies assessed the associations between asym...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2020.591946.].

Background Both left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) and Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS) by 2D-echocardiography predict mortality and cardiac events, and GLS may be superior to EF. 3D-speckle tracking echocardiography (3D-STE), a recently validated method, allows simultaneous assessment of EF, GLS and principal tangential strain (PTS), but...

Background: People of South Asian and African Caribbean ethnicities living in UK have a high risk of cardiometabolic disease. Limited data exist regarding detailed cardiometabolic phenotyping in this population. Methods enabling this are widely available, but the practical aspects of undertaking such studies in large and diverse samples are seldom...

The commonest causes of dementia are Alzheimer's disease and vascular cognitive impairment. Although these conditions have been viewed as distinct entities, there is increasing evidence that neurodegenerative and vascular pathologies interact or overlap to cause cognitive decline, and that at least in some cases individuals at risk of cognitive dec...

Background: People of South Asian and African Caribbean ethnicities living in UK have a high risk of cardiometabolic disease. Limited data exist regarding detailed cardiometabolic phenotyping in this population. Methods enabling this are widely available, but the practical aspects of undertaking such studies in large and diverse samples are seldom...

Background: We have previously shown that 3D echocardiography-derived (3DE) indices of left ventricular (LV) structure predict all-cause mortality differently in men and women [1]. However, the mechanism behind these sex differences remains unknown. We therefore examined the role of macro- and micro-vascular disease in explaining these sex differen...

Background: 3D speckle-tracking echocardiography (3D-STE) is a novel method to quantify left ventricular (LV) mechanical dyssynchrony. 3D-STE is influenced by image quality, but studies on the magnitude of its effect on 3D-STE derived LV systolic dyssynchrony indices (SDIs) and their test-retest reproducibility are limited. Methods: 3D-STE was perf...

Background Three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) may have advantages over two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) for the assessment of left ventricular (LV) function and structure. However, studies comparing 3DE and 2DE-derived indices in relation to mortality are limited, particularly in the general population. Purpose We examined associations...

Background Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF) are conditions sharing similar diagnostic criteria and symptoms. Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction has often been considered central to the pathophysiology of both, as determined by current conventional echocardiographic measure...

Purpose Left ventricular (LV) mechanics by speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) is prognostic in patients with cardiovascular diseases, but evidence related to community-dwelling individuals is uncertain. We therefore performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of STE as a predictor of adverse outcomes in the general population. Methods PRI...

Background: Three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE)-derived indices of left ventricular (LV) structure and function predict mortality in various patient groups, although studies are limited. However, whether these indices equally predict mortality in the general population is unknown. Further, whether known sex-differences in cardiac structure and...

Aims: Heart failure (HF) with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF) shares similar diagnostic criteria to HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Whether left atrial (LA) function differs between HFmrEF and HFpEF is unknown. We, therefore, used 2D-speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) to assess LA phasic function in patients with HFpEF and...

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (3D-STE) is increasingly used to assess left ventricular (LV) mechanics but the quantitative effect of image quality on measurements is not known. OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of image quality on 3D-STE derived LV indices. METHODS: Echocardiography was performed in two groups of 18...

Introduction Left ventricular (LV) strain by speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) is a comparatively new prognostic marker. Meta-analyses relating LV strain by STE to outcomes have been conducted in selected patient-based populations with established or suspected cardiovascular (CV) diseases. However, the evidence related to population-based stu...

Purpose: To determine the correlation between the ST segment changes and the degree of left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) diastolic function in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: Patients admitted to the King Fahd Teaching Hospital during the period between January 2014 and January 2015 with significant ST segment...