Study of left atrial function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis evaluated by echocardiography

Objective:To assess the left atrial (LA) function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by echocardiography.Methods:A total of 73 patients with RA were randomly collected and studied with 20 healthy subjects as the normal controls.Left atrial maximal volume (LAVmax),left atrial minimal volume (LAVmin) and left atrial volume at P-wave (LAVp) in one cardiac cycle were recorded by echocardiography and corrected by the body surface area to obtain left atrial maximal volume index (LAVImax),left atrial minimal volume index (LAVImin) and left atrial volume index at P-wave (LAVIp).The left atrial volume index (LAVI),left atrial passive ejecting volume index (LAPEVI),left atrial active ejecting volume index (LAAEVI),LA ejecting fraction (LAEF),and left atrial passive ejecting fraction (LAPEF),left atrial active ejecting fraction (LAAEF) were calculated respectively.Results:Compared with the values in the control group,the LAVImax,LAVIp,LAVI,LAAEVI,LAAEF were significantly increased and LAPEVI and LAPEF were significantly decreased in the RA group (all P0.05).Conclusion:The systolic function of LA is significantly decreased and echocardiography provides a sensitive and non-invasive method in detecting changes of left atrial systolic function in patients with RA.