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Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation
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Left Atrial Systolic and Diastolic Dysfunction in Patients with Chronic Constrictive Pericarditis: A Study Using

Shuang Liu1, Chunyan Ma, Weidong Ren

  • 1Department of Ultrasound, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China ; Department of Cardiovascular Function, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.

Plos One
|July 5, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Constrictive pericarditis (CP) impairs left atrial (LA) reservoir, conduit, and booster functions, even with preserved left ventricular function. Speckle tracking echocardiography revealed significant LA dysfunction in CP patients compared to controls.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Echocardiography
  • Cardiac Physiology

Background:

  • Left atrial (LA) function is crucial for cardiac output.
  • LA dysfunction in constrictive pericarditis (CP) is not well understood.
  • Investigating the impact of pericardial restriction on LA function is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare LA function in CP patients versus healthy controls.
  • To characterize LA dysfunction in CP using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) and conventional echocardiography.

Main Methods:

  • Thirty CP patients and 30 healthy controls were studied.
  • LA volumes and emptying indices were measured using biplane modified Simpson's method.
  • Two-dimensional STE assessed LA global systolic strain (S), systolic strain rate (SrS), and diastolic strain rates (SrE, SrA).

Main Results:

  • CP patients exhibited significantly lower LA expansion, passive emptying, and active emptying indices (P <0.001).
  • LA global S, SrS, SrE, and SrA were significantly reduced in CP patients (P <0.001).
  • LA function correlated with early diastolic mitral annular velocity (P <0.05).

Conclusions:

  • Left ventricular systolic function is preserved in CP.
  • LA reservoir, conduit, and booster functions are impaired in CP.
  • Pericardial restriction and LA myocardial impairment contribute to reduced LA function in CP.
Abstract

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