title: Left atrium systolic and diastolic function assessment in hypertensive patients with preserved ejection fraction.
abstract: Left atrium remodeling is a physiological response to pressure overload in hypertensive patients. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between left atrium remodeling and left ventricle diastolic dysfunction in hypertensive patients with preserved systolic function.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective study on 96 hypertensive patients (48.75 ± 5.01 years, 50 men) and 96 healthy control subjects (48.17 ± 8.52 years, 56 men), whose data were all evaluated by echocardiography measuring left atrium volumes during the reservoir,conduit and pump phases. Standard indices reflecting left ventricular filling were also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Medium left atrium volume indexed for body surface was significantly higher in hypertensive patients – 30.87 (6.38) mL/m² vs.21.72 (2.52) mL/m². Indexed left atrium volume was strongly associated with left ventricle diastolic function (p <0.0001). When compared to normal subjects, patients with mild diastolic dysfunction had lower corrected passive emptying volumes ( p < 0.0001) and higher corrected active emptying volumes (p = 0.001), thus leading to similar corrected total emptying volumes ( p < 0.001). However, patients with moderate diastolic dysfunction had smaller active emptying volumes, but higher passive and total emptying volumes when compared to normal controls and patients with mild diastolic dysfunction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Left atrium indexed volumes evaluation during the reservoir,conduit and pump phases proved to be essential for early diastolic dysfunction assessment in hypertensive patients.
authors.affiliation: "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Department of Medical Sciences Cluj-Napoca Romania "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy 2-4 Clinicilor 400006 Cluj-Napoca Romania.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Agoston-Coldea
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lupu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hicea
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mocan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016279:Atrial Function, Left; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003971:Diastole; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013599:Systole; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging