Investigation on left ventricular multi-directional deformation in patients of hypertension with different LVEF.

Background: This study is aimed at investigating myocardial multi-directional systolic deformation in hypertensive with different left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and exploring its contribution to LVEF.

Methods: One hundred and twenty-three patients with primary hypertension (HT) were divided into group A (LVEF ≥ 55%), group B (45% ≤ LVEF < 50%, or 50% ≤ LVEF < 55% + LVEDVI ≥ 97 ml/m), and group C (LVEF < 45%). Two-dimensional strain echocardiography (2DSE) including LV longitudinal strain (SL), radial strain (SR) and circumferential strain (SC) were measured.

Results: SL decreased gradually from group A, B to C (all p < 0.05) while SR and SC were reduced only in group B and C (all p < 0.05). All strain measurements correlated to LVEF, with the strongest correlation in SC (r = -0.82, p < 0.01) and the second in SL (r = -0.76). The diastolic E/e increased from group A, B to C.

Conclusions: Left ventricular multi-directional deformation correlated well to LVEF in hypertension and particularly SC, indicating that it was SC, not SL or SR, that makes the prominent contribution to left ventricular pump function.