Noninvasive functional evaluation of the left atrium in hypertensive patients by strain rate imaging / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effects of hypertension on left atrial myocardial properties by strain and strain rate(SR)imaging.Methods A total of 56 consecutive patients with hypertension were divided into 2 groups33 with normal LVMI and 23 with left ventricular hypertrophy.These patients and 20 controls underwent transthoracic echocardiography,strain and SR imaging examination.Atrial strain and SR values of hypertensive patients were compared with those of controls.Results When compared with the controls,early diastolic SR(ESR)was significantly decreased in hypertensive patients(P＜0.01-0.001),with time to peak late diastolic SR corrected for heart rate(TASRe)significantly increased in normal LVMI subgroup(P＜0.05).Moreover,late diastolic SR(ASR)were significantly decreased(P＜0.05)in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy as compared with normal LVMI.Conclusions Enlargement of left atrium leads to increased reservoir function in hypertensive patients,which compensates for the deterioration of conduit function.The duration of atrial systole may be prolonged to meet the need of ventricular filling in consequence of lower left atrial booster pump function.Noninvasive quantification of left atrial function by SR imaging enables evaluation of left atrial dysfunction due to hypertension.