title: Left ventricular mechanics in asymptomatic normotensive and hypertensive patients with aortic regurgitation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aims of this study were to detect subclinical left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and to determine the impact of arterial hypertension on LV systolic function using speckle-tracking echocardiography in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation (AR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-eight patients with AR and 47 healthy controls were included in the study. LV rotation and longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strain were measured using speckle-tracking imaging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Longitudinal axis dysfunction was found in patients with moderate AR with hypertension but was not present in patients with moderate AR without hypertension. Radial strain in patients with moderate AR was unchanged, but reduced levels were noted at the apical level in patients with severe AR without hypertension and preserved in those with severe hypertensive AR. LV basal rotation was reduced in patients with severe AR, whereas apical rotation was increased in those with moderate AR. LV torsion was reduced in patients with severe AR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with asymptomatic AR show subclinical LV longitudinal axis dysfunction, with more attenuation demonstrated in hypertensive than in normotensive patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiology, Kaunas, Lithuania. vaidamizariene@gmail.com
authors.forename: Vaida
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mizariene
authors.forename: Silvija
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bucyte
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zaliaduonyte-Peksiene
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jonkaitiene
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vaskelyte
authors.forename: Renaldas
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jurkevicius
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012399:Rotation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013599:Systole; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*