Tissue Doppler imaging is superior to strain rate imaging and postsystolic shortening on the prediction of reverse remodeling in both ischemic and nonischemic heart failure after cardiac resynchronization therapy.
BACKGROUND
A number of noninvasive techniques have been used to predict the effectiveness of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in heart failure patients, in particular left ventricular (LV) reverse remodeling. This study compared the relative predictive values of tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and strain-rate imaging (SRI) parameters for LV reverse remodeling in patients who received CRT and examined for potential differences in ischemic (n=22) and nonischemic (n=32) heart failure.


RESULTS
TDI and SRI were performed at baseline and 3-month follow-up. Eighteen parameters of intraventricular and interventricular asynchrony based on the time to peak myocardial contraction (Ts) and time to peak strain rate (Tsr) were compared, along with postsystolic shortening (PSS). Reverse remodeling with reduction of LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes and gain in ejection fraction (all P<0.001) was observed in the whole study population. The standard deviation of Ts of 12 LV segments (Ts-SD) is the most powerful predictor of reverse remodeling in both the ischemic (r=-0.65, P<0.001) and nonischemic (r=-0.79, P<0.001) groups. The PSS of 12 LV segments was a good predictor only for the nonischemic (r=-0.64, P<0.001) but not the ischemic (r=0.32, P=NS) group. However, parameters of SRI and interventricular asynchrony failed to predict reverse remodeling. By multiple regression analysis, independent parameters included Ts-SD in both groups (P<0.005) and PSS of 12 LV segments in the nonischemic group (P=0.03). The area of the receiver operating characteristic curve was largest for Ts-SD (0.94; CI=0.88 to 1.00).


CONCLUSIONS
Ts-SD is the most powerful predictor of LV reverse remodeling and was consistently useful for ischemic and nonischemic heart failure. However, PSS is useful only for nonischemic pathogenesis, whereas the role of SRI parameters was not supported by the present study.
Yu
Cheuk-Man
CM
Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong. cmyu@cuhk.edu.hk
Fung
Jeffrey Wing-Hong
JW
Zhang
Qing
Q
Chan
Chi-Kin
CK
Chan
Yat-Sun
YS
Lin
Hong
H
Kum
Leo C C
LC
Kong
Shun-Ling
SL
Zhang
Yan
Y
Sanderson
John E
JE
D000368:Aged; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D013599:Systole; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling