title: Longitudinal strain and strain rate in patients with hemodynamically significant ventricular septal defects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with significant overcirculation from large ventricular septal defects (VSDs) may have altered contractility compared to normal patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were enrolled prospectively. Patients were excluded if they were acutely ill or over age five. Left ventricular longitudinal strain and strain rate were measured in patients with VSDs referred for surgical correction and control participants with structurally normal hearts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in the average longitudinal strain or strain rate of six segments in the left ventricle. The mean for both the groups was 19.9% (P = .95). Strain rate was 1.5 s(-1) in the patients with a VSD and 1.42 s(-1) in the control group (P = .30). The left ventricular end diastolic dimension was significantly larger in the group with ventricular defects (z score 1.38 vs -0.37) than the control group (P = .000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The left ventricle end-diastolic dimension in patients with ventricular defects was significantly larger, but there was no difference in longitudinal strain or strain rate.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Cardiology, Advocate Heart Institute for Children, Oak Lawn, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Penk
authors.forename: Angira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lay
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: congenital heart disease; echocardiography; strain; ventricular septal defect