Evaluation of left ventricular myocardial function in patients with severe aortic stenosis by two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate left ventricular(LV) systolic function by two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging(2D-STI) in severe aortic stenosis(AS) patients.Methods Standard echocardiography and 2D-STI examinations were performed in a total of 54 subjects including 26 consecutive patients with severe AS with LV ejection fraction(LVEF) ≥50％ and 28 controls.2D-STI including systolic longitudinal strain (LS) and strain rate(LSr) were assessed from the apical 4-chamber,3-chamber and 2-chamber views,the circumferential strain(CS) and strain rate(CSr),radial strain(RS) and strain rate(RSr) were measured from the standard short axis views (averaging 6 segments per view).The above parameters of AS groups were compared with those of normals.The repeatability of LVEF,LS and RS was evaluated in 6 AS patients and 6 normal volunteers selected at random from the investigation.Results ① There was no significant difference between AS group and control group in LVEF,LV end-diastolic dimension(LVEDD),LV endsystolic dimension (LVESD) and midwall fractional shortening (mwFS) (P ＞ 0.05).② Significant differences were detected between the two groups.LS,RS,CS,LSr,RSr,and CSr were obviously decreased in AS group(P ＜0.05).③The repeatability of LVEF,LS and RS was good by consecutive measurement of identical and independent observers.Conclusions Despite the presence of normal LVEF,the LV systolic function is impaired in severe AS patients.