Myocardial deformation pattern in left ventricular non-compaction: Comparison with dilated cardiomyopathy

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Myocardial Function

Background:

• Left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction is a common initial presentation in patients with LV noncompaction (LVNC).
• Understanding myocardial contraction properties in LVNC is crucial for diagnosis and management.
• The relationship between non-compacted segments and global/regional systolic deformation requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate myocardial contraction properties in patients with LVNC.
• To assess the relationship between non-compacted segments and the degree of global and regional systolic deformation.
• To compare deformation patterns between LVNC and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Main Methods:

• Echocardiography and speckle imaging were used to calculate peak longitudinal strain (PLS) in 50 LVNC patients.
• LV myocardial segments were classified as non-compacted (NC), borderline, or compacted (C).
• Deformation parameters were compared between LVNC and 50 DCM patients.

Main Results:

• LVNC patients exhibited a distinct deformation pattern with higher strain in apical segments and an increased apical-basal ratio compared to DCM.
• No correlation was found between LV function and the degree of noncompaction.
• Compacted segments in LVNC showed thinner compacta and lower regional strain values compared to non-compacted segments.

Conclusions:

• LVNC demonstrates relatively preserved apical deformation compared to basal segments when contrasted with DCM.
• Reduced regional deformation in compacted segments supports LVNC as a phenotypic marker of diffuse cardiomyopathy.
• These findings highlight the utility of advanced imaging techniques in characterizing myocardial dysfunction in LVNC.