Impact of asymptomatic acute cellular rejection on left ventricle myocardial function evaluated by means of two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in heart transplant recipients.

Background: Our objective was to evaluate the impact of asymptomatic acute cellular rejection (ACR) in left ventricular myocardial strain in heart transplant (HT) recipients by means of two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE).

Methods: From September 1, 2009 to December 15, 2010 a conventional echocardiography and 2DSTE exam was performed on all consecutive HT recipients in their first year posttransplantation within 3 hours of the surveillance endomyocardial biopsies, as well as on 14 healthy controls. The association of strain echocardiographic variables with different grades of ACR was investigated.

Results: Of the 78 studies performed 4 ± 3 months after HT in 20 patients, 32 studies were coincident with grade 0R rejection, 41 with grade 1R, and 5 with grade 2R. Significantly lower values of average radial strain were found with higher grades of ACR (29.1 ± 7.7%, 23.2 ± 8.5%, and 14.3 ± 8.8% for grades 0R, 1R, and 2R of ACR, P = 0.001). Average deformation was similar for controls versus transplanted patients, in the absence of acute rejection: radial 29.1 ± 10.0% versus 29.1 ± 7.7%, P = 0.98; circumferential -19.3 ± 3.2% versus -20.2 ± 5.9%, P = 0.62; and longitudinal -20.7 ± 4.1% versus -18.5 ± 5.4%, P = 0.19. An average radial strain <25% presented 100% sensitivity, 48% specificity, 6% positive predictive value, and 100% negative predictive value for the presence of 2R rejection (area under the curve 0.80, IC 95% 0.60-0.99, P = 0.048).

Conclusion: In this study, HT recipients showed significantly lower values of average radial left ventricle strain, evaluated by means of 2DSTE, with the presence of ACR.