Left atrial enlargement and phasic function in patients following non-ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: Changes in left atrial (LA) volumes after ST elevation myocardial infarction are reported but have not been well described following non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Methods: Seventy-five patients with NSTEMIs were studied within 48 hours of presentation and in follow-up at 6 and 12 months; they were compared with age-matched normal controls (n = 100). Biplane indexed LA volumes were measured, and phasic LA volumes (conduit, passive, and active emptying) were calculated.

Prognostic implications of left ventricular dyssynchrony early after non-ST elevation myocardial infarction without congestive heart failure.

Aims: To determine independent predictors of left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony after non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and prognostic value of combining dyssynchrony parameters for long-term LV dysfunction.

Methods And Results: Left ventricular dyssynchrony assessments were performed in 100 NSTEMI patients followed-up for 1 year using a composite dyssynchrony score. Early LV dyssynchrony was independently predicted by the presence of significant proximal left circumflex artery (LCx) stenosis and global systolic dysfunction.

Incremental value of 2-dimensional speckle tracking strain imaging to wall motion analysis for detection of coronary artery disease in patients undergoing dobutamine stress echocardiography.

Background: Interpretation of dobutamine stress echocardiogram (DSE) is often subjective and requires expert training. The purposes of this study was to determine optimal cutoff values for longitudinal, circumferential, and radial strains at peak DSE for detection of significant stenoses on coronary angiography and to investigate incremental value of combining strain measurements to wall motion analysis.

Methods: In this multicenter study, 102 patients underwent concomitant DSE and coronary angiography.

Comparison of left ventricular dyssynchrony by two-dimensional speckle tracking versus tissue Doppler imaging in patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction and preserved left ventricular systolic function.

Assessment of left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony after myocardial infarction has prognostic value. There were no reference ranges for 2-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking synchrony, and it was unclear whether color tissue Doppler imaging and 2D speckle tracking synchrony indexes were comparable. One hundred twenty-two healthy volunteers and 40 patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) had LV systolic and diastolic synchrony, defined as the SD of time to peak systolic (2D-SDTs) and early diastolic (2D-SDTe) velocities in the 12 basal and mid segments using 2D speckle tracking, respectively.

Comparison of myocardial tissue velocities measured by two-dimensional speckle tracking and tissue Doppler imaging.

Myocardial velocities have prognostic implications, and transmitral E wave to mitral annular early diastolic tissue velocity ratio (E/Em) is utilized to estimate left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic pressure (EDP). There are no reference values for 2-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking myocardial velocities (S2D, E2D, A2D), and it is unknown if they are comparable with color tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). Predictors of E/E2D ratios are unknown and E/E2D has not been validated with LVEDP.

Left ventricular longitudinal and radial synchrony and their determinants in healthy subjects.

Objective: The reference values and impact of physiologic variables on echocardiographic quantification of left ventricular (LV) synchrony in a large series of healthy persons are unknown. This study prospectively investigated the impact of age, gender, and other physiologic parameters on LV longitudinal and radial synchrony.

Methods: LV longitudinal systolic and diastolic synchrony using tissue Doppler imaging were measured as the standard deviation of times to 12 regional peak myocardial systolic Sm (SDTs) and early diastolic Em (SDTe) velocities in 122 healthy volunteers (age 19-68 years, 64 men).