Two-dimensional speckle tracing imaging in evaluating on left atrial function changes in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation / 中国医学影像技术

ABSTRACT

Objective: To explore two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D-STI) in evaluation on the changes of left atrial function in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation before and after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA). Methods: Echocardiography was performed on 30 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF group) treated by radiofrequency catheter ablation in the preoperation and postoperative 3 days, 1 month, 3 months. Thirty healthy volunteers were selected as the control group. The left atrial anteroposterior diameter (LAD), early diastolic transmitral flow velocity (E peak), mitral annular early diastolic motion velocity (Em), left atrial maximum, minimum and pre-systolic volume (LAVmax, LAVmin and LAVP) were measured and E/Em, left atrial active ejection fraction (LAAEF), left atrial passive ejection fraction (LAPEF) were calculated by conventional echocardiography. Left atrial strain and strain rate curves of each segment were obtained by 2D-STI, and the mean peak strain (mSs, mSe, mSa) and strain rate (mSRs, mSRe, mSRa) of the left atrial in the left ventricular systolic, the early diastolic stage and the late diastolic stage, and left atrial stiffness (LASt) was measured and calculated. The changes of the left atrial structure and function in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation before and after RFCA were compared. Results: Compared with the control group, LAD, LAVp, LAVmin, LAVmax, E/Em and LASt increased in the AF group, LAPEF, LAAEF, E peak, Em, mSs, mSe, mSa, mSRs, mSRe and mSRa decreased (all P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in left atrial strain parameters and LASt of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation before and 3 days, 1 month and 3 months after RFCA (all P<0.05). Compared with the preoperative, mSs, mSe, mSa, mSRs, mSRe and mSRa decreased and LASt was increased at 3 days after RFCA (all P<0.05); mSs, mSe, mSa, mSRs, mSRe and mSRa increased, and LASt decreased at 3 months after RFCA (all P<0.05). Compared with the postoperative 3 days, mSs, mSe, mSa, mSRs, mSRe and mSRa increased, LASt decreased (all P<0.05) at 1 month and 3 months after RFCA. Compared with the postoperative 1 month, mSRs increased at 3 months after RFCA (P<0.05). Conclusion: The left atrium function of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation decrease at 3 days after RFCA, the pump function improved 1 month after RFCA, and the left atrial reservoir, conduit and pump function improve observably at 3 months after RFCA.