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Published on: October 20, 2016
Assessment of left atrial function in feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by using two- dimensional speckle tracking
Arisara Kiatsilapanan1, Sirilak Disatian Surachetpong2
1Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, 10330, Bangkok, Thailand.
Insights
Peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) assessed via two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) is a reproducible method to evaluate left atrial (LA) function in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). HCM cats demonstrated significantly reduced PALS compared to healthy controls.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Veterinary Medicine
- Echocardiography
Background:
- Left atrial (LA) function is crucial in diastolic dysfunction associated with feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
- Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) is an advanced imaging technique for assessing LA function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate and compare LA function in cats with HCM versus healthy controls using 2D-STE.
- To determine the feasibility and reproducibility of peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) in assessing feline LA function in HCM.
Main Methods:
- Seventeen cats with HCM and twenty healthy control cats were enrolled.
- Conventional echocardiography and 2D-STE were performed to measure various cardiac parameters.
- Peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) was measured, with intra-observer and inter-observer variability assessed.
Main Results:
- PALS measurement showed good reproducibility (4.7% intra-observer, 14% inter-observer).
- Cats with HCM exhibited significantly lower mean PALS (13.16 ± 8.64) compared to healthy controls (28.54 ± 10.31) (P < 0.001).
- PALS correlated significantly with LA fractional shortening (LA-FS), LA ejection fraction (LA-EF), and LA fractional area change (FAC).
Conclusions:
- Peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) is a feasible and reproducible echocardiographic parameter for evaluating left atrial function in cats diagnosed with HCM.
- Reduced PALS in HCM cats indicates impaired left atrial function, highlighting its role in the disease's pathophysiology.
Background:
Left atrial (LA) function plays an important role in diastolic dysfunction in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) is a technique for assessing LA function. This study aimed to evaluate the LA function in HCM cats compared to normal cats, using 2D-STE.
Results:
Seventeen client-owned cats affected with HCM and twenty healthy control cats were studied. Conventional echocardiographic and 2D-STE variables were measured and compared between groups (control and HCM groups). Variability of the peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) displayed good reproducibility with 4.7% intra-observer and 14% inter-observer repeatability. The mean value of PALS in the HCM group (13.16 ± 8.64) was lower than that in the control group (28.54 ± 10.31) (P < 0.001). PALS was lowest in the LA roof region. The atrial longitudinal strains of septal and lateral regions were significantly lower in the HCM group than in the normal group. The PALS correlated with the percentage of the LA fractional shortening (LA-FS) (r = 0.538, P = 0.001), the percentage of the LA ejection fraction (LA-EF) (r = 0.797, P < 0.001), and the LA fractional area change (FAC) (r = 0.746, P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
PALS is a feasible and reproducible method to evaluate the LA function in cats affected with HCM.
