title: Correlations between three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography-derived left atrial functional parameters and aortic stiffness in healthy subjects - Results from the MAGYAR-Healthy Study.
abstract: Left atrial (LA) distension has been demonstrated to be linked with aortic stiffness in different patient populations. Three-dimensional (3D) speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) seems to be a promising tool for volumetric and functional evaluation of the LA. The aim of the present study was to determine whether correlations exist between 3DSTE-derived LA volume-based and strain parameters characterizing all phasic functions of the LA and echocardiographic aortic elastic properties in healthy subjects. The study included 19 healthy volunteers (mean age: 37.9 ± 11.4 years, 11 men) who had undergone complete two-dimensional (2D) Doppler transthoracic echocardiography extended with the assessment of aortic elastic properties and 3DSTE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of LA volumes correlated with echocardiographic aortic elastic properties. Active atrial stroke volume correlated with aortic stiffness index (ASI, r = 0.45, p = 0.05). None of other volume-based functional properties significantly correlated with aortic stiffness parameters. Global peak 3D strain correlated with aortic strain (r = ‒0.46, p = 0.05). global radial pre-atrial contraction strain correlated with ASI (r = ‒0.49, p = 0.04) and AS (r = ‒0.50, p = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Correlations exist between 3DSTE-derived LA functional parameters and eschocardiographic aortic elastic properties in healthy subjects.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Medicine and Cardiology Centre, Medical Faculty, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged , Szeged , Hungary.
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nemes
authors.forename: GyÁ
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piros
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Domsik
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kalapos
authors.forename: Cs
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lengyel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orosz
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Forster
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016279:Atrial Function, Left; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
keywords: aortic; distensibility; echocardiography; function; left atrium; speckle-tracking; stiffness; three-dimensional