DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF GLOBAL LONGITUDINAL STRAIN IN PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

The aim: To investigate the global longitudinal strain (GLS) in patients with preserved left ventricle systolic function and the presence of varying degrees of coronary artery disease.

Materials and methods: The study is based on data obtained during a prospective analysis of 131 patients aged 51 to 82 years in the period from January to December 2019,whose complaints indicate coronary heart disease. The main instrumental method of examination was coronary angiography, patients were divided into 3 groups according to the results. The control group (group I) consisted of 30 patients in whom no coronary artery disease was detected; patients with single vessel lesions or non-stenotic coronary atherosclerosis were included into group II (n = 35) and patients with multivessels lesions (n = 66) were included in group III. For each patient, the extent of the lesion was assessed using the SYNTAX Score. The groups were comparable in age, sex and comorbidities.

Results : GLS was -19.71 ± 2.22 (SI -18.88 to -20.54%) in the group without coronary lesions, the group with multivessel lesions was the lowest -14.34 ± 3.47 (SI -13.49 to -15.2%). There was a significant correlation between GLS average and LV EF (r = 0.681; p <0.0001), LV ESV (r = -0.576; p <0.0001), EPSS (r = -0.528; p <0.0001). A moderate correlation was observed GLS, linear and volumetric parameters.

Conclusions: Global longitudinal strain is recommended for echocardiographic assessment of patients with coronary artery disease, as one of the main areas of application of this technique because its use provides additional information and maybe used in the same patient to assess the treatment.