Constrictive pericarditis was associated with significantly lower regional longitudinal systolic strain ratios compared to restrictive cardiomyopathy (LVLWS/LVSWS: 0.8 vs 1.1; P<0.001).
Observational (n=113)
Does regional longitudinal systolic strain differentiate constrictive pericarditis from restrictive cardiomyopathy, and does pericardiectomy improve these mechanics?
Regional longitudinal systolic strain ratios can robustly differentiate constrictive pericarditis from restrictive cardiomyopathy and improve following pericardiectomy.
Absolute Event Rate: 0.8% vs 1.1%
p-value: p=<0.001
BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to compare myocardial mechanics of constrictive pericarditis (CP) with restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM), or healthy controls; to assess the impact of pericardial thickening detected by cardiac magnetic resonance on regional myocardial mechanics in CP; and to quantitate the effect of pericardiectomy on myocardial mechanics in CP. METHODS AND RESULTS: Myocardial mechanics were evaluated by 2-dimensional speckle tracking in 52 consecutive patients with CP who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance examination before pericardiectomy, 35 patients with RCM, and 26 control subjects. CP patients had selectively depressed left ventricular (LV) anterolateral wall strain (LWS) and right ventricular (RV) free wall longitudinal systolic strain (FWS) but preserved LV septal wall systolic strain (SWS). In a comparison of RCM and normals, CP patients had significantly lower regional longitudinal systolic strain ratios (CP versus RCM and normal; LVLWS/LVSWS: 0.8±0.2 versus 1.1±0.2 and 1.0±0.2; P<0.001, RVFWS/LVSWS: 0.8±0.4 vs. 1.4±0.5 and 1.2±0.2; P<0.001). LVLWS/LVSWS was more robust than the LV lateral wall to LV septal wall ratio of early diastolic velocities at the LV base (LE'/SE') in differentiating CP from RCM (area under the curve=0.91 versus 0.76; P=0.011). There was a significant inverse correlation between pericardial thickness and respective ventricular strains (P=0.001). Pericardiectomy resulted in the improvement of the depressed LVLWS/LVSWS (0.83±0.18-0.95±0.12; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Regional longitudinal systolic strain ratios are robust novel diagnostic tools for CP. Regional myocardial mechanics inversely correlates with adjacent pericardial segment thickness detected by cardiac magnetic resonance, and pericardiectomy leads to systolic strain improvement, which is more pronounced in right ventricular and LV free walls.
Kusunose et al. (Wed,) conducted a observational in Constrictive pericarditis and restrictive cardiomyopathy (n=113). Constrictive pericarditis vs. Restrictive cardiomyopathy and healthy controls was evaluated on Left ventricular anterolateral wall to septal wall longitudinal systolic strain ratio (LVLWS/LVSWS) (p=<0.001). Constrictive pericarditis was associated with significantly lower regional longitudinal systolic strain ratios compared to restrictive cardiomyopathy (LVLWS/LVSWS: 0.8 vs 1.1; P<0.001).