Evaluation of left ventricular longitudinal deformation in patients with and without ST segment depression during supraventricular tachycardia

BACKGROUND: The cumulative effect of repeated demand ischemia on left ventricular (LV) systolic function has been previously demonstrated. We evaluated the longitudinal deformation of LV myocardial fibers at systole and diastole using two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2DSTE) in patients with and without ST-segment depression during supraventricular tachycardia. METHODS: We recruited 104 consecutive patients, who were admitted to our hospital for the ablation of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia or atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia. The patients were thereafter evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography and 2DSTE, and longitudinal systolic strain and strain rate as well as early and late diastolic strain rates were measured. RESULTS: We found no statistically significant differences in longitudinal systolic strain and strain rate as well as in early and late diastolic strain rates between the two study groups. CONCLUSIONS: The longitudinal deformation properties of LV muscle fibers were not different between patients with and without ST-segment depression during supraventricular tachycardia.