Characteristics of Left Atrial Deformation Parameters and Their Prognostic Impact in Patients with Pathological Left Ventricular Hypertrophy: Analysis by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography

Abstract

This study suggested that the EMT-diff could discriminate patients with a high risk of cardiac events among patients with pathological LV hypertrophy.

Hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy have global left atrial dysfunction and impaired atrio-ventricular coupling

“…This is in accordance with other STE studies in HTN patients with LV hypertrophy [12,13]. Some authors even showed an early impairment of LA reservoir function in the absence of LV hypertrophy [14][15][16].…”

“…The strongest echocardiographic predictor for LA conduit function were E 0 and E/E 0 . STE [12][13][14][15][16] as well as VVI based [10,13] studies have consistently reported decreased conduit function in HTN patients. As an index of early diastole, E/E 0 is affected by LV relaxation abnormalities and by increased filling pressures.…”

“…However, in clinical practice, we do not routinely assess the different components of LA function, although this is now possible because of advances in noninvasive imaging techniques. Recent studies based on tissue Doppler imaging [9], vector velocity imaging (VVI) [10,11], or speckle tracking imaging (STE) [12][13][14][15][16] assessed LA function in patients with HTN with or without LV hypertrophy. However, literature data concerning LA strains in patients with HTN are conflicting.…”

“…However, literature data concerning LA strains in patients with HTN are conflicting. Left atrial reservoir function has been shown to be reduced [12,13] or normal in patients with LV hypertrophy [10,11], whereas it showed early impairment in some studies of HTN patients without hypertrophy [14][15][16]. LA conduit function has been more consistently shown to be reduced, regardless of LV mass [9][10][11]13,15,16].…”

“…LA conduit function has been more consistently shown to be reduced, regardless of LV mass [9][10][11]13,15,16]. Finally, LA booster pump function has been reported as normal [9,10], increased [11,12,14] or reduced [13]. As opposed to tissue Doppler imaging, STE offers the advantage to be angle independent and unaffected by adjacent structures and tethering of neighbouring segments.…”