Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 15, 2025
Transthoracic Speckle Tracking Echocardiography for the Quantitative Assessment of Left Ventricular Myocardial Deformation
Published on: October 20, 2016
Speckle Tracking Analysis Reveals Altered Left Atrial and Ventricular Myocardial Deformation in Patients with
Franzisca von Köckritz1, Alexander Braun1, Rosa B Schmuck2
1Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
Insights
Speckle tracking analysis reveals altered cardiac deformation in advanced liver cirrhosis, with increased left ventricular strain and reduced left atrial function, impacting transplant outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Hepatology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Liver cirrhosis significantly impacts cardiac function, necessitating thorough pre-transplant evaluation.
- Left ventricular (LV) and left atrial (LA) strain are crucial indicators of cardiac health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate LV and LA strain and strain rate in end-stage liver cirrhosis patients.
- To assess the sensitivity of speckle tracking technology (STE) for cardiac evaluation in cirrhosis.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective, cross-sectional study of 80 cirrhosis patients and 30 controls.
- Standardized echocardiography with STE analysis for LV and LA function.
- Correlation analysis with liver function markers (e.g., MELD score).
Main Results:
- STE detected increased LV longitudinal strain, correlating with MELD score.
- Significantly reduced LA reservoir, conduit strain, and strain rate in cirrhosis patients.
- STE demonstrated higher sensitivity for LA phasic function than volumetric methods.
Conclusions:
- STE analysis is highly sensitive for detecting cardiac changes in cirrhosis.
- Increased LV and decreased LA deformation are characteristic of cirrhosis.
- STE aids in precise cardiac evaluation for liver transplant candidates.
Background:
Cardiac function can be influenced by liver cirrhosis and should be thoroughly evaluated before liver transplantation. We investigated left ventricular (LV) and, for the first time, left atrial (LA) strain and strain rate in end-stage liver cirrhosis patients of different etiologies.
Methods:
This retrospective, cross-sectional study evaluated left heart function in 80 cirrhosis patients and 30 controls using standardized echocardiographic techniques and speckle tracking technology (STE) analysis. Serum markers of liver function were used for correlation analysis.
Results:
While conventional parameters demonstrated no alteration in systolic function, speckle tracking analysis showed a significant increase in LV longitudinal strain throughout all cardiac layers, with significant correlation to model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. LA reservoir and conduit strain as well as LA strain rate in all phases were significantly reduced in end-stage liver disease (ESLD) patients compared to control. STE for the evaluation of LA phasic function seemed to be more sensitive than volumetric methods. Kaplan-Meier curves showed a trend towards reduced post-transplant survival in patients with a reduced LA reservoir and conduit strain.
Conclusion:
STE analysis detected increased LV and decreased LA deformation in cirrhosis patients, thus proving to be highly sensitive to cardiac changes and useful for more precise cardiac evaluation.
More Related Videos
11:50High-frequency High-resolution Echocardiography: First Evidence on Non-invasive Repeated Measure of Myocardial Strain, Contractility, and Mitral Regurgitation in the Ischemia-reperfused Murine Heart
Published on: July 9, 2010
07:21Magnetic Resonance Derived Myocardial Strain Assessment Using Feature Tracking
Published on: February 12, 2011
