title: Strain analysis during exercise in patients with asymptomatic atrial septal defect.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Right ventricular (RV) deformational mechanics have been demonstrated in patients with atrial septal defect (ASD) at rest, but there is lack of information on their adaptation to exercise. The aim of this study was to assess the adaptability of RV strains and strain rates (SRs) during exercise in patients with clinically asymptomatic ASD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with asymptomatic ASD and 11 age-matched controls were included. All the subjects performed incremental ergometry and underwent standard echocardiography and two-dimensional strain (S) and SR imaging by speckle tracking at rest and during submaximal exercise.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in RV strains and SRs at rest between the controls and the ASD patients. There was a significant elevation in the strains and SRs of both groups with exercise. However, the lateral and septal strains increased significantly higher than the controls in patients with ASD. But there was no significant difference in SRs during exercise in both of the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Asymptomatic ASD patients without RV overload, have same strain and SR results at rest with the controls, however, these findings worsen during submaximal exercise, when compared to the controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Mus State Hospital, Mus, Turkey.
authors.forename: Onur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Baydar
authors.forename: Veysel
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Oktay
authors.forename: Umit Yasar
authors.initials: UY
authors.lastname: Sinan
authors.forename: Sinem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cakal
authors.forename: Beytullah
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cakal
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Coskun
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yildiz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018619:Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed / Q000379:methods*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: atrial septal defect; exercise response; speckle tracking; strain rate imaging