Quantitative assessment of right atrial function by strain and strain rate imaging in patients with heart failure.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to evaluate the regional longitudinal strain/strain rate profiles in the right atrial wall to quantify right atrial function in systolic heart failure patients.


BACKGROUND
According to previous studies on the deformational properties of the left atrium, the systolic strain and strain rates represent the atrial reservoir function and the early and late diastolic strain rates show the conduit and booster functions, respectively.


METHODS
Thirty patients with a diagnosis of heart failure (left ventricular ejection fraction < or = 35%) scheduled for right heart catheterization were enrolled. Echocardiography was performed to obtain right atrial deformation indices just before the procedure. The control group consisted of 32 healthy adults matched for age and sex. The deformity indices obtained consisted of the right atrial peak systolic strain (RAS), right atrial peak systolic strain rate (RASSR), right atrial early diastolic strain rate (RAEDSR), and right atrial late diastolic strain rate (RALDSR).


RESULTS
The right atrial deformation indices were significantly compromised in the heart failure patients versus the normal subjects (RAS: 68.5 +/- 53.9 vs 189.3 +/- 61.2, P = 0.000; RASSR: 2.9 +/- 1.9 vs. 5.3 +/- 1.5, P = 0.000).There was a significant correlation between the RAS and RASSR and cardiac output (RAS: r = 0.5, P = 0.005; RASSR: r = 0.5, P = 0.003), and cardiac index (RAS: r = 0.6, P = 0.001; RASSR: r = 0.6, P = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
In light of our findings, we conclude that a diminished RA function, as assessed by strain imaging, plays a critical role in the pathophysiological process of heart failure patients.
Echocardiography Research Centre, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Zahra
Z
Ojaghi Haghighi
Nasim
N
Naderi
Ahmad
A
Amin
Sepide
S
Taghavi
Manelie
M
Sadeghi
Hassan
H
Moladoust
Majid
M
Maleki
Hossein
H
Ojaghi Haghighi
D000328:Adult; D016280:Atrial Function, Right / Q000502:physiology*; D002302:Cardiac Output; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult