Is left atrial conduit function impaired in HFpEF and associated with exercise intolerance?
Impaired left atrial conduit function measured by CMR is a distinct feature of HFpEF that contributes to exercise intolerance independently of LV stiffness.
BACKGROUND: Although left atrial (LA) dysfunction is common in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), its functional implications beyond the reflection of left ventricular (LV) pathology are not well understood. The aim of this study was to further characterize LA function in HFpEF patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: =0.06). CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac magnetic resonance myocardial feature tracking-derived conduit strain is significantly impaired in HFpEF and associated with exercise intolerance. Impaired conduit function is associated with impaired early ventricular filling, as potential mechanism leading to impaired oxygen uptake. Our results propose that impaired LA conduit function represents a distinct feature of HFpEF, independent of LV stiffness and relaxation. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02459626.
Roeder et al. (2017) studied this question.