Assessment of left ventricle function in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic aortic stenosis by 2-dimensional speckle-tracking imaging

BACKGROUND: Global longitudinal peak strain (GLPS) quantifies left ventricle (LV) long-axis contractility. Early detection of LV systolic dysfunction is pivotal in diagnosis and treatment of patients with aortic stenosis (AS). This study was performed to assess LV longitudinal systolic function by GLPS derived from 2-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D-STI) in AS patients in comparison to standard echocardiographic parameters. MATERIAL/METHODS: Laboratory tests, standard echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and 2D-STI examinations with GLPS calculation were performed in 49 consecutive patients with moderate to severe AS with LV ejection fraction ≥50% and 18 controls. RESULTS: While LVEF do not differentiate AS patients from controls, GLPS was significantly decreased in the AS group (−15.30±3.25% vs. −19.60±2.46% in controls, p<0.001). GLPS was significantly reduced in symptomatic AS patients as compared to the asymptomatic AS group [−15.5 (11.8–16.8) vs. −17.5 (14.7–18.9)%, p=0.02]. CONCLUSIONS: In aortic stenosis patients, despite normal left ventricle ejection fraction, long-axis left ventricular function is impaired, which manifests in global longitudinal peak strain reduction. GLPS reveals that LV function impairment is more pronounced in symptomatic as compared to asymptomatic AS patients. Further studies are needed to determine the prognostic significance of early LV function impairment in aortic stenosis patients showed by GLPS.