Evaluation of Left Ventricular Long-axis Diastolic Function in Patients with Essential Hypertension Using Real-time Triplane Strain Rate Imaging

Background Using strain rate imaging technigue to evaluate cardiac function was prevailing in recent years.Real-time triplane strain rate imaging is a recent development.Objective To study the alteration of left ventricular long-axis diastolic function in left ventricular geometric remodeling in essential hypertension (EH) by real-time triplane strain rate imaging.Methods One hundred and fifteen EH patients and 35 age-matched healthy subjects as control group were included.The remodeling of left ventricle in patients with hypertension were divided into 4 groups according to the criteria by Ganau:normal geometry (36 cases),concentric remodeling (24 cases),eccentric hypertrophy (22 cases),and concentric hypertrophy (33 cases).Early and late diastolic peak strain rate (SRe and SRa) were measured at basal and middle segments in left ventricular walls.Results SRe in control group,patients with normal geometry,concentric remodeling,eccentric hypertrophy and concentric hypertrophy patients were progressively reduced (P0.05 or 0.01).SRa of anterior and lateral wall was lower in normal geometry than eccentric hypertrophy (P0.05 or 0.01).Conclusion Real-time triplane strain rate imaging may be developed as an useful tool to evaluate left ventricular long-axis diastolic function in patients with EH.