title: Long-Term Effects of Pericardiectomy on Left Ventricular Mechanics Evaluated by Using Speckle Tracking Echocardiography in Patients with Constrictive Pericarditis.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term changes in left ventricular (LV) mechanics after pericardiectomy in patients with constrictive pericarditis (CP) and to correlate post-operative LV mechanics with clinical status. A total of 24 patients with CP underwent serial speckle tracking echocardiography 1 wk before and 1, 6 and 12 mo after pericardiectomy. Global LV longitudinal, circumferential and radial strains, along with LV twist, were measured. Twenty-three healthy volunteers were served as control patients. Although global LV longitudinal, circumferential and radial strains obtained 6 mo after pericardiectomy increased compared with those for pre-pericardiectomy, they were still significantly lower than those for control patients. Further improvements occurred over time with normalization of global LV longitudinal and radial strains 12 mo after pericardiectomy, but global circumferential strain obtained 12 mo after pericardiectomy was still lower than that for control patients. LV twist remained unchanged after pericardiectomy. In addition, the improvements in global LV circumferential strain after pericardiectomy were associated with improvements in clinical symptoms (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that the global LV circumferential strain may be a promising parameter in the evaluation of the effectiveness of pericardiectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. Electronic address: ybdeng2007@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: You-Bin
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasound, Minda Hospital of Hubei University For Nationalities, Enshi, China.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasound, Wuhan Center Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Ling-Dan
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Qiao-Ying
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010492:Pericardiectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Constrictive pericarditis; Left ventricular function; Pericardiectomy; Speckle tracking echocardiography; Strain