Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography of the left atrium: feasibility and regional contraction and relaxation differences in normal subjects.

Background: Increased left atrial (LA) size and reduced global contractility are related to adverse cardiac events. The potential incremental value of assessing regional LA contractility is unknown. To assess the feasibility of measuring this variable angle, independent 2-dimensional speckle-tracking strain echocardiography (2D-SpTr) was used to measure regional LA strain (epsilon) and strain rate (SR) in normal individuals of various ages.