Effect of Exercise on Left Atrium Mechanics in Mild Mitral Stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: A significant number of individuals with mild mitral stenosis (MS) experience exertional symptoms that are disproportionate to the hemodynamic severity of their condition. This study aims to determine whether exercise-induced left atrial (LA) dysfunction occurs in these patients and whether it is related to the development of symptoms. METHODS: In this observational study, we recruited 46 patients with mild MS. Echocardiographic measurements were initially taken at rest, followed by a maximal exercise stress test. Patients were then returned to the echocardiography laboratory for post-exercise measurements. RESULTS: Our study cohort exhibited considerably higher left atrial volume index (LAVI) values (mean: 40.52 ± 18.27) compared to those of a healthy population. Furthermore, the LA reservoir strain (mean: 17.1 ± 8.33) was reduced relative to reference values. Following exercise, there was no change in the LA reservoir strain. However, trans-mitral pressure gradients and systolic pulmonary artery pressures increased. The post-exercise mean trans-mitral gradient was identified as the sole predictor of symptom development in patients with mild MS. CONCLUSION: The LA reservoir strain is already reduced in individuals with mild MS, and exercise does not lead to further decline in LA reservoir function in these cases. To our knowledge, this study is the first to explore the effects of exercise on LA mechanics in MS.

Evaluation of the Relationship Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Subclinical Cardiac Dysfunction Using 2D/3D Strain Echocardiography in Healthy People.

AIM: Vitamin D deficiency has a high prevalence in the population and is highly associated with cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate subclinical left ventricular (LV) function using strain analysis in healthy individuals with vitamin D deficiency. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 113 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study (age, 44.1±7 yrs, 34 male). All volunteers underwent two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) speckle tracking echocardiography after conventional echocardiographic evaluation. The subjects were divided into two groups according to their vitamin D concentrations. 61 subjects with vitamin D less than 20 ng / ml were included in the vitamin D deficiency group. The baseline clinical characteristics, laboratory measurements, echocardiographic data, including 2D and 3D global longitudinal strain (GLS) values, were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The 2D GLS values of the subjects with vitamin D deficiency were lower (mathematically less negative) than subjects with normal vitamin D (-16.1±3.4 vs -19.3±4.2, p<0.001). Similarly, the 3D GLS results were lower in subjects with vitamin D deficiency (-18.3±5.2 vs -24.1±6.9, p<0.001). A significant correlation was detected between the vitamin D concentrations and the 2D and 3D GLS measurements. (r=0.765 and r=0.628, respectively, p<0.001). Vitamin D was found to be an independent predictor of impaired 2D and 3D LV GLS (p=0.031, p=0.023, respectively). CONCLUSION: Subclinical LV dysfunction in healthy individuals with vitamin D deficiency was demonstrated by 3D and 2D strain analysis. Due to potential negative effects of vitamin D deficiency on cardiac function, more attention should be paid to healthy individuals with vitamin D deficiency.