title: Early improvement of the regional and global ventricle function estimated by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography after percutaneous aortic valve implantation speckle tracking after CoreValve implantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To assess changes in myocardial deformation and ejection fraction (EF) by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 24 patients (50% males, age 78 ± 4 years) were selected for TAVI because of severe aortic stenosis. A comprehensive echocardiographic study was performed before TAVI, at discharge, and after 1-month follow-up. EF was assessed by 2D conventional echocardiography with Simpson method and by 2DSTE. Radial and circumferential strains were evaluated in six segments in the short-axis view at the level of the papillary muscles, and longitudinal strain in six segments in the four-chamber apical view, by means of 2DSTE. All studies were performed with an iE-33 echocardiography device (Philips).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At discharge, the mean EF estimated by 2DSTE improved significantly when compared with the basal one (56 ± 7% vs. 51 ± 8%, P < 0.01), while EF by Simpson method did not change (67 ± 9% vs. 64 ± 16%, P = 0.2). At that time, global radial (21.4 ± 9% vs. 11.5 ± 7.6%, P = 0.000), circumferential (-20.7 ± 8% vs. -15.2 ± 7%, P = 0.02), and longitudinal strains (-14.8 ± 6.2% vs. -12 ± 6%, P = 0.02) improved significantly when compared with the basal one. At 1-month follow-up, global radial (20.1 ± 5.6% vs. 21.4 ± 9%, P = 0.88) and circumferential (-20 ± 8% vs. -20.7 ± 8%, P = 0.35) strains did not vary and a new significant improvement was observed in longitudinal global strain (-19.2 ± 6.5% vs. -14.8 ± 6.2%, P = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A new echocardiographic technique, such as 2DSTE, shows a significant early improvement in global and segmental left ventricular systolic function after TAVI, which could not be detected by conventional methods.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Reina Sofía University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain. modeortega@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: Martín
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mesa
authors.forename: José Suárez
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: de Lezo Cruz Conde
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Villanueva
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cejudo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*