What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate regional myocardial strain and fibrosis patterns to characterize apical sparing and its association with cardiac hypertrophy in hypertension.

January 17, 2026Clinical CardiologyOpen Access

Apical Sparing of Longitudinal Strain and Myocardial Fibrosis in Hypertensive Patients and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats: Based on Speckle Tracking and Histological Analysis

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Hypertensive patients demonstrated apical sparing of longitudinal strain, correlated with diastolic dysfunction and hypertrophic progression, suggesting its clinical significance.

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Hypertensive patients demonstrate apical sparing of longitudinal strain, which correlates with diastolic dysfunction and hypertrophic progression. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.NOVEL_FINDING. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

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Key result

Hypertension linked to apical sparing of longitudinal strain, correlating with diastolic dysfunction and hypertrophic progression.

Why the study?

The study aimed to investigate regional myocardial strain and fibrosis distribution to analyze the apical sparing pattern and its relation to hypertrophy in hypertension.

Does hypertension cause regional heterogeneity in myocardial strain and fibrosis characterized by an apical sparing pattern?

Comparison

Hypertension without LVH vs with LVH, and SHR vs WKY rats

Design

Clinical and experimental animal investigation

Authors

CHChunyan HuangHeilongjiang University of Science and Technology YWYongxin WuFujian Medical University MLMeiyan LinFujian Medical University

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Apical sparing may mark progression in hypertensive LVH; leaves open its prognostic value and need for longitudinal validation.

Key Points

To evaluate regional myocardial strain and fibrosis patterns to characterize apical sparing and its association with cardiac hypertrophy in hypertension.
Examined six 16-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and six age-matched male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats using echocardiographic speckle tracking and histological analysis of collagen volume fraction (CVF) and perivascular collagen area (PVCA).
In patients, basal and mid longitudinal strain deteriorated progressively from HT-NLVH to HT-LVH (-13.24 ± 3.00% to -10.46 ± 3.93% and -14.87 ± 2.89% to -12.98 ± 3.86%, p < 0.05), whereas apical strain declined only in HT-LVH (-18.89 ± 5.37%, p < 0.05), increasing the apical strain proportion (P-ap: 0.45 ± 0.09 vs. 0.40 ± 0.04, p < 0.05).
P-ap correlated positively with left ventricular remodeling markers, including interventricular septal thickness (r = 0.412, p < 0.001) and diastolic filling pressure (E/e', r = 0.211, p = 0.039).
In rats, SHR demonstrated significantly reduced basal strain (p = 0.043) alongside elevated basal fibrosis (CVF-bas: 2.95 ± 1.85% vs. 0.29 ± 0.19%, p = 0.003; PVCA-bas: 4.80 ± 1.46 vs. 1.00 ± 0.44, p = 0.006), while apical CVF showed no significant difference (p = 0.273).

Structured PICO

Does hypertension cause regional heterogeneity in myocardial strain and fibrosis characterized by an apical sparing pattern?

Population

73 essential hypertensive patients (aged 56.41 ± 11.19 years, 56 males and 17 females) divided into hypertension without left ventricular hypertrophy (HT-NLVH, n=35) and hypertension with LVH (HT-LVH, n=38), along with 23 healthy volunteers (NC). Additionally, 6 16-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and 6 age-matched male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats.

Comparator

Healthy volunteers (NC) for the clinical cohort; Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats for the preclinical cohort.

Outcome

Myocardial strain indexes (GLS, LS-bas, LS-mid, LS-ap, P-ap) measured by 2D speckle tracking echocardiography, and histological collagen volume fraction (CVF) and perivascular collagen area (PVCA) of basal and apical segments.surrogate

Hypertensive cardiac hypertrophy exhibits regional heterogeneity with predominant basal damage and apical sparing, which correlates with diastolic dysfunction and hypertrophic progression.

Cite This Study

Huang et al. (2026) studied this question. Hypertensive patients demonstrated apical sparing of longitudinal strain, correlated with diastolic dysfunction and hypertrophic progression, suggesting its clinical significance.

synapsesocial.com/papers/696b25cfd2a12237a93491e3 https://doi.org/10.1002/clc.70255

Topics

Hypertension management Echocardiography

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Apical Sparing of Longitudinal Strain and Myocardial Fibrosis in Hypertensive Patients and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats: Based on Speckle Tracking and Histological Analysis

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Structured PICO

Cite This Study

Topics

Apical Sparing of Longitudinal Strain and Myocardial Fibrosis in Hypertensive Patients and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats: Based on Speckle Tracking and Histological Analysis

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Structured PICO

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Topics

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