Ventricular and atrial function and deformation is largely preserved after arterial switch operation.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that ventricular and atrial function are different between patients with transposition of the great arteries (TGA) after arterial switch operation (ASO) and healthy controls. METHODS: 103 consecutive patients with TGA (median age: 16.7 years, 4.3-39.6 years, 71.8% male) were compared with 77 controls (median age: 15.4 years, 6.3-43.2 years, 66.2% male). Biventricular and biatrial function were assessed using standard cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) techniques and feature tracking. Group comparison was performed with conventional non-parametrical statistics and machine learning methods to find the variables most discriminative between patients and controls. These variables were used to build a multivariable logistic regression model to assess the case-control status. RESULTS: Markers of left and right ventricular function (LV; RV) (ejection fraction, MAPSE, TAPSE, LV long-axis strain) as well as LV global longitudinal (-20.7 (-24.1; -17.9) vs -23.7 (-26.1; -21.6), p<0.001), circumferential (-29.4 (-32.2; -26.5) vs -30.5 (-33.6; 29), p=0.001) and atrial longitudinal strain (left atrium (LA): 23.3 (18.6; 28.8) vs 36.7 (30.7; 44), p<0001; right atrium: 21.7 (18.2; 27.8) vs 34.9 (26.9; 40.3), p<0.001) were reduced in patients compared with controls using non-parametrical testing. The logistic regression model including the most discriminative variables from univariate and machine learning analysis demonstrated significant differences between patients and controls only for TAPSE and LA global longitudinal strain. CONCLUSIONS: Biventricular and biatrial function are largely preserved after ASO for TGA. Using a comprehensive CMR protocol along with statistical machine learning methods and a regression approach, only RV longitudinal function and LA function are significantly impaired.

Myocardial deformation in patients with a single left ventricle using 2D cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking: a case-control study.

Ventricular dysfunction is a well-known complication in single ventricle patients in Fontan circulation. As studies exclusively examining patients with a single left ventricle (SLV) are sparse, we assessed left ventricular (LV) function in SLV patients by using 2D-cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) feature tracking (2D-CMR-FT) and 2D-speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE). 54 SLV patients (11.4, 3.1-38.1 years) and 35 age-matched controls (12.3, 6.3-25.8 years) were included. LV global longitudinal, circumferential and radial strain (GLS, GCS, GRS) and strain rate (GLSR, GCSR, GRSR) were measured using 2D-CMR-FT. LV volumes, ejection fraction (LVEF) and mass were determined from short axis images. 2D-STE was applied in patients to measure peak systolic GLS and GLSR. In a subgroup analysis, we compared double inlet left ventricle (DILV) with tricuspid atresia (TA) patients. The population consisted of 19 DILV patients, 24 TA patients and 11 patients with diverse diagnoses. 52 patients were in NYHA class I and 2 patients were in class II. Most SLV patients had a normal systolic function but median LVEF in patients was lower compared to controls (55.6% vs. 61.2%, p = 0.0001). 2D-CMR-FT demonstrated reduced GLS, GCS and GCSR values in patients compared to controls. LVEF correlated with GS values in patients (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between GLS values from 2D-CMR-FT and 2D-STE in the patient group. LVEF, LV volumes, GS and GSR (from 2D-CMR-FT) were not significantly different between DILV and TA patients. Although most SLV patients had a preserved EF derived by CMR, our results suggest that, LV deformation and function may behave differently in SLV patients compared to healthy subjects.