Case-control study reveals mitral annular dysfunction and altered regional left ventricular strain in lymphedema, indicating acute reversibility with medical compression stockings.
Key Points
To assess mitral annular morphology, annular function, and regional left ventricular strain patterns in lymphedema patients compared to healthy controls, and examine the acute impact of medical compression stockings.
Enrolled 24 lymphedema patients (mean age 48.0 ± 11.2 years, 23 females) and 45 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (mean age 42.1 ± 13.9 years, all females) without cardiovascular risk factors.
Performed conventional echocardiography and three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography at baseline and following one hour of medical compression stocking wear.
Lymphedema patients demonstrated reduced basal longitudinal strain, increased midventricular and apical strains, and decreased end-diastolic mitral annular dimensions that impaired annular sphincter-like function.
A one-hour intervention with medical compression stockings acutely shifted regional left ventricular strains and end-diastolic mitral annular dimensions toward control values, improving mitral annular performance.