The impact of mitral stenosis on left atrial function assessed by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of mitral stenosis (MS) on left atrial (LA) function using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE).


RESULTS
The study subjects consisted of 52 patients with asymptomatic MS and 52 control subjects. LA function was assessed using prototype speckle tracking software and manual tracking method. Maximal LA volume (LAVmax) and minimal LA volume (LAVmin) and LA volume before atrial contraction (LAVpre-a) were measured. Using these volumes, LA reservoir, conduit and booster pump fuction parameters were calculated. Indexed LAVmax, LAVmin, and LAVpre-a measurements via speckle tracking were highly correlated with manual tracing methods in both groups. Expansion index (67.8 ± 36.4 vs. 148.3 ± 44.2), diastolic emptying index (37.7 ± 12.9 vs. 58.0 ± 8.5), passive emptying (37.3 ± 14.1 vs. 70.4 ± 10.4) and passive emptying index (13.3 ± 6.3 vs. 41.3 ± 10.6) were decreased significantly in MS patients (P < 0.001). In contrast active emptying index (62.6 ± 4.1 vs. 29.5 ± 10.1) increased in MS group (P < 0.001) while active emptying (28.1 ± 13.0 vs. 28.3 ± 6.9) remained same among both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study relating LA volumes and function assessed by 2DSTE to MS. 2D speckle tracking analysis of LA volume is relatively easy and provides more detailed information regarding the changes in LA volumes during the cardiac cycle.
Department of Cardiology, Gulhane Medical Academy, School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. saitdemirkol@yahoo.com
Sait
S
Demirkol
Ugur
U
Kucuk
Oben
O
Baysan
Sevket
S
Balta
Turgay
T
Celik
Ibrahim Halil
IH
Kurt
Hilal Olgun
HO
Kucuk
Uygar Cagdas
UC
Yuksel
Murat
M
Unlu
Mehmet
M
Yokusoglu
D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity