More negative left ventricular global longitudinal strain values were significantly associated with higher survival in septic patients, with a mean difference of -1.45% between survivors and non-survivors.
Meta-Analysis (n=1,678)
Is left ventricular longitudinal strain associated with survival in patients with sepsis?
Left ventricular longitudinal strain by speckle tracking echocardiography is a significant prognostic marker in septic patients, with more negative strain values associated with higher survival.
Effect estimate: MD -1.45% (95% CI -2.10, -0.80)
p-value: p=<0.0001
Septic cardiomyopathy is associated with poor outcomes but its definition remains unclear. In a previous meta-analysis, left ventricular (LV) longitudinal strain (LS) showed significant prognostic value in septic patients, but findings were not robust due to a limited number of studies, differences in effect size and no adjustment for confounders. We conducted an updated systematic review (PubMed and Scopus up to 14.02.2023) and meta-analysis to investigate the association between LS and survival in septic patients. We included studies reporting global (from three apical views) or regional LS (one or two apical windows). A secondary analysis evaluated the association between LV ejection fraction (EF) and survival using data from the selected studies. We included fourteen studies (1678 patients, survival 69.6%) and demonstrated an association between better performance (more negative LS) and survival with a mean difference (MD) of −1.45%−2.10, −0.80 ( p < 0.0001;I 2 = 42%). No subgroup differences were found stratifying studies according to number of views used to calculate LS ( p = 0.31;I 2 = 16%), severity of sepsis ( p = 0.42;I 2 = 0%), and sepsis criteria ( p = 0.59;I 2 = 0%). Trial sequential analysis and sensitivity analyses confirmed the primary findings. Grade of evidence was low. In the included studies, thirteen reported LVEF and we found an association between higher LVEF and survival (MD = 2.44% 0.44,4.45; p = 0.02;I 2 = 42%). We confirmed that more negative LS values are associated with higher survival in septic patients. The clinical relevance of this difference and whether the use of LS may improve understanding of septic cardiomyopathy and prognostication deserve further investigation. The association found between LVEF and survival is of unlikely clinical meaning. PROSPERO number CRD42023432354
Pruszczyk et al. (Tue,) conducted a meta-analysis in Sepsis and septic shock (n=1,678). Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) assessment vs. Non-survivors was evaluated on Mortality at longest follow-up (MD -1.45%, 95% CI -2.10, -0.80, p=<0.0001). More negative left ventricular global longitudinal strain values were significantly associated with higher survival in septic patients, with a mean difference of -1.45% between survivors and non-survivors.