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Updated: Oct 2, 2026
Transthoracic Speckle Tracking Echocardiography for the Quantitative Assessment of Left Ventricular Myocardial Deformation
Published on: October 20, 2016
Systolic Function of the Left Ventricle Assessed by Speckle Tracking in Cardiovascularly Healthy Subjects Is Not
Rafael Blancas1, Miriam Chana-García1, Belén Puigdueta-Vindel1
1Department of Critical Care, Hospital Universitario del Tajo, Aranjuez, Madrid, Spain; Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio, Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain; Fundación para la Investigación e Innovación Biomédica Hospital Universitario Infanta Sofía-Hospital Universitario del Henares, San Sebastián de los Reyes, Madrid, Spain.
Objective(S):
To investigate the changes in speckle-tracking echocardiography-derived left ventricular function and in conventional echocardiographic parameters following the initiation of mechanical ventilation.
Design:
A prospective observational study was designed to assess the left ventricular response to mechanical ventilation via conventional echocardiography and speckle-tracking echocardiography.
Setting:
A university hospital.
Participants:
Twenty cardiovascularly healthy patients who underwent scheduled surgery under general anesthesia were included.
Interventions:
Echocardiographic evaluations were performed before and after the initiation of mechanical ventilation.
Measurements And Main Results:
Parameters measured included the left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular outflow tract velocity-time integral, mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE), mitral S' wave velocity, and E/e' ratio. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) from the apical four-chamber view and its segmental values were analyzed offline. No significant differences were found in GLS, left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular outflow tract velocity-time integral, or the E/e' ratio after the initiation of mechanical ventilation. The six individual segments comprising the GLS from the apical four-chamber view showed no significant changes. However, significant differences were observed in MAPSE and lateral S' wave velocity. All values remained within the normal range after initiation of mechanical ventilation.
Conclusions:
The initiation of mechanical ventilation in cardiovascularly healthy patients does not significantly alter global left ventricular systolic function, as assessed by speckle tracking. While subtle changes were noted in specific longitudinal parameters (MAPSE and S' lateral), the overall global left ventricular function remained stable. These findings are crucial for guiding noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation.
