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Is atrial electromechanical coupling delayed in patients with secundum atrial septal defect?

Mehmet Burhan Oflaz1, Hekim Karapinar, Zekeriya Kucukdurmaz

  • 1Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine, Sivas, Turkey. mburhanoflaz@gmail.com

Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
|April 19, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Atrial electromechanical coupling time (AEMCT) was investigated in patients with atrial septal defect (ASD). This study found no significant differences in intra- and inter-AEMCT between ASD patients and controls.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Cardiac Electrophysiology
  • Echocardiography

Background:

  • Limited published data exists on atrial electromechanical coupling time (AEMCT) in atrial septal defect (ASD) patients.
  • Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is a key method for assessing cardiac function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between atrial septal defect (ASD) and atrial electromechanical coupling time (AEMCT).
  • To determine if AEMCT differs in patients with ASD compared to healthy individuals.

Main Methods:

  • A total of 35 ASD patients and 22 healthy controls were enrolled.
  • Atrial electromechanical coupling time (AEMCT) was measured using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) at the mitral and tricuspid annuli.
  • Specific intervals (PA-lateral, PA-septal, PA-tricuspid) and differences (intra- and inter-AEMCT) were calculated.

Main Results:

  • While some AEMCT intervals were longer in ASD patients, the differences were not statistically significant compared to controls.
  • No significant differences were observed in inter-atrial, intra-right atrial, or intra-left atrial AEMCT between groups.
  • ASD diameter and total septum length did not correlate with AEMCT measurements.

Conclusions:

  • Intra- and inter-atrial electromechanical coupling time (AEMCT) are not significantly increased in patients with atrial septal defect (ASD).
  • No association was found between ASD diameter and AEMCT indices.
Abstract

Keywords:
Doppler tissue imagingatrial electromechanical delayatrial septal defect

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