title: Evaluation of myocardial strain and artery elasticity using speckle tracking echocardiography and high-resolution ultrasound in patients with bicuspid aortic valve.
abstract: Reduced artery elasticity and reduced myocardial strain were present in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). Their relation to dilation of proximal aorta is unclear. We aimed to study their relation to dilation of proximal aorta. We studied 57 BAV patients categorized into 2 subgroup according to proximal ascending aortic dimensions (nondilated <35 mm and dilated ≥35 mm). Twenty-nine healthy subjects were recruited as control. Aortic and carotid strain, distensibility and stiffness index were derived. Left ventricular myocardial strain were acquired with speckle-tracking echocardiography. BAV patients with dilation of proximal ascending aorta had lower aortic strain (4.1 ± 4.2 % vs. 7.1 ± 3.5 %) and carotid strain (4.8 ± 1.9 % vs. 10.6 ± 4.2 %), lower aortic distensibility (1.4 ± 1.5 cm(2) dyn(-1) 10(-6) vs. 2.5 ± 1.5 cm(2) dyn(-1) 10(-6)) and carotid distensibility (1.6 ± 0.7 cm(2) dyn(-1) 10(-6) vs. 3.9 ± 2.4 cm(2) dyn(-1) 10(-6)), higher aortic stiffness index (19.7 ± 14.1 vs. 8.3 ± 4.9) and carotid stiffness index (12.2 ± 8.5 vs. 5.0 ± 2.2), and lower global circumferential (-15.9 ± 5.8 % vs. -19.1 ± 4.1 %), radial (19.3 ± 11.6 % vs. 29.8 ± 14.9 %) and longitudinal (-15.7 ± 3.4 % vs. -18.4 ± 3.4 %) compared with those without dilation of proximal ascending aorta. All mean values are different to p < 0.05. Dilation of proximal ascending aorta is associated with more advanced reduction of aortic and carotid elasticity and myocardial strain in BAV patients, supporting the need for detailed and extensive vascular and cardiac surveillance in BAV patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430030, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430030, China. ybdeng2007@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: You-Bin
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430030, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430030, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Ni
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430030, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430030, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D000082882:Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Artery elasticity; Bicuspid aortic valve; Myocardial strain; Proximal aortic dilation