Assessment of left atrial function in patients with restrictive filling abnormalities of left ventricle

Objective To investigate the clinical application value of strain rate imaging（ SRI） on evaluating the left atrial function in patients with restrictive filling abnormalities of left ventricle. Methods Sixty-six subjects were divided into normal filling group and restrictive filling abnormalities group,according to different filling patterns of left ventricle. The strain rate values including peak systolic strain rate（ SSR）,early diastolic strain rate peak（ ESR）,late diastolic strain rate peak（ ASR）of atrial septum,left atrial anterior,inferior,lateral,posterior walls were measured,respectively. The aver-age SSR,ESR,ASR of the two groups were calculated and analyzed. The left atrial maximum volume （ LAVmax ）, the left atrial minimum volume （ LAVmin ）, the left atrial volume before contraction （ LAVp）were measured by Simpson method. The left atrial ejection fraction（ LAEF）,left atrial active ejection fraction（ LAAEF）,left atrial passive ejection fraction（ LAAEF）,left atrial active ejection volume index（ LAAEVI）,left atrial passive ejection volume index（ LAPEVI）were calculated and analyzed. Results The strain rate values in restrictive filling abnormalities group were less than those in normal filling group,there were significant differences in ESR,ASR,SSR between the two groups（P〈0. 05）. The left atrial function in restrictive filling abnormalities group were poorer than that in normal filling group, there were significant differences in LAEF,LAAEF,LAPEF,LAAEVI,LAPEVI between the two groups （P〈0. 05）. The indexes of ASR,SSR in normal filling group and SSR in restrictive filling group were negative correlated with LAEF,and the indexes of ESR in normal filling group and ASR,ESR in restrictive filling group were positive correlated with LAEF. Conclusions Strain rate imaging can quantitatively evaluate left atrial function changes in patients with restrictive filling abnormalities of left ventricle,and indirectly reflect the left ventricular systolic and diastolic function changes. Key words: Echocardiography; Strain rate; Left ventricular filling pattern; Left atrial function