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Observational Study
. 2018 Sep 18;16(1):16.
doi: 10.1186/s12947-018-0135-x.

Comprehensive assessment of left ventricular myocardial function by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography

Vicente Mora  1 , Ildefonso Roldán  2 , Elena Romero  2 , Diana Romero  3 , Javier Bertolín  2 , Natalia Ugalde  3 , Carmen Pérez-Olivares  2 , Melisa Rodriguez-Israel  3 , Jana Pérez-Gozalbo  2 , Jorge A Lowenstein  3
Affiliations
Observational Study

Comprehensive assessment of left ventricular myocardial function by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography

Vicente Mora et al. Cardiovasc Ultrasound. .

Abstract

Background: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) results from the combined action of longitudinal and circumferential contraction, radial thickening, and basal and apical rotation. The study of these parameters together may lead to an accurate assessment of the cardiac function.

Methods: Ninety healthy volunteers, categorized by gender and age (≤ 55 and > 55 years), were evaluated using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. Transversal views of the left ventricle (LV) were obtained to calculate circumferential strain and left ventricular twist, while three apical views were obtained to determine longitudinal strain (LS) and mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE). We established the integral myocardial function of the LV according to: 1. The Combined Deformation Parameter (CDP), which includes Deformation Product (DP) - Twist x LS (° x %) - and Deformation Index (DefI) -Twist / LS (° / %)-; and 2. the Torsion Index (TorI): Twist / MAPSE (° / cm).

Results: The mean age of our patients was 50.3 ± 11.1 years. CDP did not vary with gender or age. The average DP was - 432 ± 172 ° x %, and the average DefI was - 0.96 ± 0.36 ° / %. DP provides information about myocardial function (normal, pseudonormal, depressed), and the DefI quotient indicates which component (s) is/are affected in cases of abnormality. TorI was higher in volunteers over 55 years (16.5 ± 15.2 vs 13.1 ± 5.0 °/cm, p = 0.003), but did not vary with gender.

Conclusions: The proposed parameters integrate values of twisting and longitudinal shortening. They allow a complete physiological assessment of cardiac systolic function, and could be used for the early detection and characterization of its alteration.

Keywords: Deformation imaging; Myocardial strain; Speckle tracking; Ventricular function; Ventricular torsion.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The registration has been approved by the Ethical Committee of the Hospital, and has been carried out in accordance with the ethical requirements expressed in the Declaration of Helsinki and its subsequent amendments. The written informed consent of all the participants was obtained.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

Jorge A. Lowenstein has received medical fees for conferences on behalf of General Electric. All other authors declare no competing interest.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Graphic representation of the LV. Parameters that contribute to LV myocardial function. Abbreviations in text
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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