title: Assessment of Left Atrial Mechanics in Patients with Preexcitation Syndrome Scheduled for Catheter Ablation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to test the left atrial (LA) mechanics and contraction synchrony by 2D strain imaging, in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, before and after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Study population consisted of 25 patients with WPW scheduled for RFCA and 30 healthy controls. The peak LA strain at the end of the ventricular systole (LAs strain) and the LA strain with LA contraction (LAa Strain) were obtained. To assess LA dyssynchrony, septal versus lateral wall time-to-peak strain measurements were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference between the patients with WPW and control subjects with regard to peak LAs and LAa strain. Patients with WPW demonstrated higher global time-to-peak LAs and LAa strain values compared with the control group. Peak LAs strain and LAa strain values, measured before and after the RF ablation of the accessory pathway, were comparable (34.3 ± 3.92 vs. 34.6 ± 3.2, P = 0.816, 14.7 ± 2.8 vs. 15.3 ± 2.3, P = 0.052, respectively). Global time-to-peak LAs and LAa strain measurements were significantly shorter after the RFCA compared with the values obtained before the RFCA. However, septo-lateral times to peak LA strain differences were found to be comparable in both WPW versus control and pre- versus postablation groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LA mechanical function assessed by 2D strain imaging was comparable between patients with WPW and control subjects. Patients with WPW had more prominent LA dyssynchrony during atrial pump phase as compared with the controls, a condition which could not improve after successful elimination of the accessory pathway by RFCA.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Kars Kafkas University Medical School, Kars, Turkey.
authors: Süleyman
authors: S
authors: Karakoyun
authors: Department of Cardiology, Ataturk University Medical School, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors: Ibrahim Halil
authors: IH
authors: Tanboğa
authors: Department of Cardiology, Kars Kafkas University Medical School, Kars, Turkey.
authors: Tayyar
authors: T
authors: Gökdeniz
authors: Department of Cardiology, Kars State Hospital, Kars, Turkey.
authors: Zakir
authors: Z
authors: Lazoğlu
authors: Department of Cardiology, Ataturk University Medical School, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors: Selim
authors: S
authors: Topçu
authors: Department of Cardiology, Gümüşhane State Hospital, Gümüşhane, Turkey.
authors: Hüseyin
authors: H
authors: Karal
authors: Department of Cardiology, Ataturk University Medical School, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors: Enbiya
authors: E
authors: Aksakal
authors: Department of Cardiology, Ataturk University Medical School, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors: Serdar
authors: S
authors: Sevimli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016279:Atrial Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014927:Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery
keywords: Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome; echocardiography; left atrium