Speckle Tracking Imaging in Assessing Left Ventricular Function of Obstructive Sleep Apnea / 中国医学影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

PurposeObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can lead to structure and function damages of multiple organs. OSA is closely related to cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to evaluate left ventricular function in OSA patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction.Materials and MethodsSixty OSA patients were divided into mild, moderate and severe group according to the clinical diagnosis, with 20 patients in each group. Another 20 healthy volunteers were recruited as normal control group. Strain (S), systolic strain rate (SRS), early diastolic strain rate (SRE) and late diastolic strain rate (SRA) values in longitudinal, circumferential and radial directions of all the subjects were measured by using speckle tracking imaging. The SRE/SRA rates in three directions were calculated.ResultsLeft ventricular longitudinal systolic function showed significant lower in moderate and severe groups than in the control and mild groups (P<0.05). Circumferential and radial contraction reduced in the severe group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The longitudinal, circumferential, and radial diastolic functions of the myocardial fibers in the left ventricle decreased in moderate and severe OSA patients when compared with that of the mild OSA patients and healthy individuals (P<0.05).ConclusionThe speckle tracking imaging has the potential to detect the subclinical left ventricular dysfunction in OSA patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction and might provide useful information for risk stratification.