Echocardiographic evaluation of left atrial size and function: current understanding, pathophysiologic correlates, and prognostic implications.
Left atrial (LA) volume has recently been identified as a potential biomarker for cardiac and cerebrovascular disease. However, evidence regarding the prognostic implications of LA volume still remains unclear. Evaluation of LA size and function using traditional and more recent echocardiographic parameters is potentially feasible in the routine clinical setting. This review article discusses the conventional and newer echocardiographic parameters used to evaluate LA size and function. Conventional parameters include the assessment of phasic atrial activity using atrial volume measurements, transmitral Doppler peak A velocity, atrial fraction, and the atrial ejection force. Newer parameters include Doppler tissue imaging (DTI) including segmental atrial function assessment using color DTI, strain, and strain rate. In addition, an overview of the implications and clinical relevance of the findings of an enlarged left atrium, from currently available literature, is presented.
Leung
Dominic Y
DY
Liverpool Hospital, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Boyd
Anita
A
Ng
Arnold A
AA
Chi
Cecilia
C
Thomas
Liza
L
D000367:Age Factors; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D016279:Atrial Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D002306:Cardiac Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D004452:Echocardiography; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D011379:Prognosis; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D016019:Survival Analysis