Real‐time three‐dimensional echocardiography and two‐dimensional speckle tracking imaging in the evaluation of left atrial function in patients with triple‐vessel coronary artery disease without myocardial infarction

Abstract

Objective To evaluate left atrial function in patients with triple‐vessel disease (TVD) without myocardial infarction by real‐time three‐dimensional echocardiography (RT‐3DE) and two‐dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D‐STE). Methods Sixty patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) without myocardial infarction were classified into two groups in accordance with the coronary angiography results: group B (all triple‐vessel stenosis ≥ 50% and < 75%) and group C (all triple‐vessel stenosis ≥ 75%). Thirty healthy individuals were selected as group A. LA volume related parameters including left atrial maximum volume index (LAVImax), LA passive and active ejection fraction (LAPEF, LAAEF) and LA total ejection fraction (LATEF) were measured by RT‐3DE. The global peak atrial longitudinal systolic strain (LASRs), early and late diastolic LA strain (LASRe and LASRa) rates were measured by 2D‐STE. Results We found statistically significant differences between 2D‐STE and RT‐3DE related parameters of these three groups. Furthermore, in groups B and C, N‐terminal fragment brain natriuretic peptides (NT‐pro‐BNP) and left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure (LVEDP) were found to be significantly correlated with LASRs and LASRa. And NT‐pro‐BNP had a moderate correlation with LVEDP. Conclusions 2D‐STE and RT‐3DE can assess the LA function in patients with TVD without myocardial infarction. And LA strain values may provide additional information for predicting increased LVEDP and NT‐pro‐BNP.

Analysis of Left Atrial Function after Percutaneous Intramyocardial Septal Radiofrequency Ablation in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

“…Yukari et al [22] demonstrated that all phasic LA functions containing booster pump function significantly declined in patients with HCM compared with the healthy group. Other researchers considered LA booster pump function as a compensatory mechanism for the LVEF via enhancing LAAEF and contraction strain; in their study, HCM patients had lower reservoir and conduit function while having enhanced pump function in comparison with the control group [23,24]. Nevertheless, the LA contraction function in our research did not show a difference between the control group and HCM patients, whether preoperative or postoperative.…”

Value of 2D speckle tracking technique combined with real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography in the evaluation of the right atrial function in patients with 3-branch coronary artery disease without myocardial infarction

“…The results showed that the 3-dimensional ultrasound parameters indicating storage function and conduit function (RAVImax, RAPEF) and 2D-STE parameters (RASRs, RASRe) showed the same trend in Group C. Although the pump function (RAAEF, RASRa) did not show a consistent trend in this study, a positive correlation between the 2 was known in previous studies. [ 41 ] It further suggests that speckle tracking parameters are more sensitive and that 2D-STE has advantages over conventional echocardiography in evaluating right atrial function.…”

Application of Speckle Tracking Echocardiography for Evaluating Ventricular Function after Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Replacement

“…Also, strain rate measurements show a reduced load dependence. In addition, they have low interobserver variabilities and are not susceptible to respiratory movements or heartbeat [ 34 , 49 , 54 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 ].…”