TY - JOUR
T1 - Left atrial mechanical function and stiffness in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
AU - Yoon, Yeonyee E.
AU - Kim, Hyun Jin
AU - Kim, Sung Ai
AU - Kim, Seong Hwan
AU - Park, Jae Hyeong
AU - Park, Kyoung Ha
AU - Choi, Seonghoon
AU - Kim, Min Kyu
AU - Kim, Hyun Sook
AU - Cho, Goo Yeong
PY - 2012/9
Y1 - 2012/9
N2 - Background: Abnormalities in the left atrial (LA) structure and function may develop in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). We sought to determine the contribution of LA mechanical function, including LA stiffness, to AF by comparing patients with paroxysmal AF with normal control subjects, and to evaluate whether LA mechanical function and stiffness are related with the structural changes of LA. Methods: Sixty-four paroxysmal AF patients (57 ± 13 years, 59% male) were studied, using a speckle tracking echocardiography, and were compared with 34 age-, gender-, and left ventricular (LV) mass-matched controls (53 ± 14 years, 61% male). LA volume indices, expansion index for reservoir function, active emptying fraction for contractile function, mitral annular velocities, and global longitudinal LA strain were measured. The ratio of E/e' to LA strain was used as an index of LA stiffness. Results: Patients with paroxysmal AF had similar LV volume indices, ejection fraction, and diastolic function, when compared with that of the normal controls. However, paroxysmal AF patients showed increased LA volume indices and decreased LA reservoir function, but similar contractile function. LA stiffness was increased in patients with paroxysmal AF than in the control subjects (0.40 ± 0.25 vs. 0.29 ± 0.10, p = 0.002), and was related with LA volume indices and reservoir function. Conclusion: Patients with paroxysmal AF have decreased LA reservoir function and increased stiffness, in comparison with that of the control subjects. LA stiffness was significantly related with LA volume indices and reservoir function. LA stiffness can be used for the assessment of LA function in patients with paroxysmal AF.
AB - Background: Abnormalities in the left atrial (LA) structure and function may develop in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). We sought to determine the contribution of LA mechanical function, including LA stiffness, to AF by comparing patients with paroxysmal AF with normal control subjects, and to evaluate whether LA mechanical function and stiffness are related with the structural changes of LA. Methods: Sixty-four paroxysmal AF patients (57 ± 13 years, 59% male) were studied, using a speckle tracking echocardiography, and were compared with 34 age-, gender-, and left ventricular (LV) mass-matched controls (53 ± 14 years, 61% male). LA volume indices, expansion index for reservoir function, active emptying fraction for contractile function, mitral annular velocities, and global longitudinal LA strain were measured. The ratio of E/e' to LA strain was used as an index of LA stiffness. Results: Patients with paroxysmal AF had similar LV volume indices, ejection fraction, and diastolic function, when compared with that of the normal controls. However, paroxysmal AF patients showed increased LA volume indices and decreased LA reservoir function, but similar contractile function. LA stiffness was increased in patients with paroxysmal AF than in the control subjects (0.40 ± 0.25 vs. 0.29 ± 0.10, p = 0.002), and was related with LA volume indices and reservoir function. Conclusion: Patients with paroxysmal AF have decreased LA reservoir function and increased stiffness, in comparison with that of the control subjects. LA stiffness was significantly related with LA volume indices and reservoir function. LA stiffness can be used for the assessment of LA function in patients with paroxysmal AF.
KW - Atrial fibrillation
KW - Left atrial function
KW - Left atrial stiffness
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U2 - 10.4250/jcu.2012.20.3.140
DO - 10.4250/jcu.2012.20.3.140
M3 - Article
C2 - 23185657
AN - SCOPUS:84866545830
VL - 20
SP - 140
EP - 145
JO - Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
JF - Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
SN - 2586-7210
IS - 3
ER -