Predictive Parameters of Decreased Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain at 1 Month After Pediatric Heart Transplantation

Previous reports indicate that the decreased left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) seen in the early postoperative period of pediatric heart transplant patients generally recovers over the course of 1–2 years. In this study, we investigate the predictive capacity of preoperative parameters on the LVGLS decline seen at 1 month post transplant. Forty-six transplant subjects with 2D echocardiographic images sufficient for speckle tracking echocardiography were enrolled. We excluded patients diagnosed with cardiac allograft vasculopathy or with an episode of rejection 1 month before or after their echocardiographic examinations. The mean LVGLS was significantly reduced at 1 month when compared to 1 year following transplant (− 15.5% vs. − 19.4%, respectively, p < 0.001). The predictors of LVGLS that decline at 1 month were the LV mass z-score [odds ratio (OR) 1.452; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.007–2.095, p = 0.046], recipient age (OR 1.124; 95% CI 1.015–1.245, p = 0.025), and donor age (OR 1.081; 95% CI 1.028–1.136, p = 0.002) in the univariate logistic regression analyses. Although multivariate analysis yielded no significant predictors, higher LV mass z-scores showed a trend associated with the decline of LVGLS (p = 0.087). The donor/recipient weight ratio was associated with the LV mass z-score (R(2) = 0.412, p < 0.001).