Key result
Class III obesity is linked to ~34% lower reservoir LA strain and reduced conduit time.
Why the study?
Given the discussed interaction between HFpEF and obesity, the study aimed to compare left atrial function assessed by 2D-STE between patients with class III obesity and healthy controls.
Does class III obesity impair left atrial function as assessed by 2D speckle tracking echocardiography compared to healthy controls?
Observational (n=39)
Single-blind
No
Does class III obesity impair left atrial function as assessed by 2D speckle tracking echocardiography compared to healthy controls?
Class III obesity is associated with significant subclinical left atrial dysfunction (reduced reservoir and conduit strain) detectable by 2D speckle tracking echocardiography, which may serve as an early marker for HFpEF risk.
May serve as early HFpEF risk marker in class III obesity; hypothesis-generating and requires longitudinal validation before practice change.
Currently, the interaction between heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and obesity is discussed. As part of a complex echocardiographic examination, the two-dimensional speckle tracking (2D-STE) method is a significant tool for assessing dysfunction of the left atrium. Our study aimed to compare left atrial function using the 2D-STE in patients with class III obesity and a control group. This was an observational, prospective, pilot /preliminary/ study that enrolled 20 patients with class III obesity (Body mass index (BMI) > 40 kg/m²) and a group of nineteen healthy individuals with a BMI of 20–25 kg/m² as controls. The following parameters were observed: Reservoir Left Atrial Strain (R-LAS), Conduit Time (CT-LAS), and Contractile Displacement (CD-LAS). The study patient group included sixteen women and four men (average age 42.4 years, ranging 19–63). The mean BMI was 47.69 ± 8.86 kg/m². The control group was created from fifteen women and four men (average age 27.2 ± 3.7 years, average BMI 22.48 kg/m²). The study found significant differences in R-LAS (29.9 ± 7.0 vs. 45.0 ± 11.7;p < 0.001) and CT-LAS (-16.8 ± 5.89 vs. -29.7 ± 8.71;p < 0.001) between patients with class III obesity and controls. No significant difference was seen in the remaining studied parameter /CD-LAS/ (-13.2 ± 4.77 vs. -15.1 ± 6.28;p = 0.305). The R-LAS and CT-LAS were significantly changed (reduced) in patients with class III obesity compared to the controls.
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Tudík et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Class III obesity (n=39). Class III obesity vs. Healthy individuals without obesity (BMI 20-25 kg/m²) was evaluated on Reservoir Left Atrial Strain (R-LAS) (p=<0.001). Class III obesity was associated with significantly reduced reservoir left atrial strain (29.9% vs 45.0%) and conduit time left atrial strain compared to healthy controls.
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