Aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis significantly improved longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strain by 16%, 21%, and 28% respectively at 6 months.
Observational (n=40)
Does aortic valve replacement improve regional myocardial function measured by speckle tracking echocardiography in patients with severe aortic stenosis?
Aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis leads to significant recovery of regional myocardial function and reduction in left ventricular mass at 6 months.
AIMS: Regional myocardial function may change differently in different pathology. Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) was applied to evaluate longitudinal, radial, and circumferential function in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) before, within 1 week, and 6 months after aortic valve replacement (AVR). METHODS AND RESULTS: In 40 consecutive patients with severe AS, we acquired apical four-, three-, and two-chamber views and standard short-axis view pre- and post-AVR and after 6 months. Longitudinal, radial, and circumferential (LS, RS, and CS) were calculated by commercial STE software. Further, we analysed diastolic myocardial function by measuring E/e' ratio. With AVR, valve area increased and remained stable at 6 months follow-up. Left ventricular mass was unchanged 1 week after AVR (270 +/- 58 g vs. 267 +/- 58 g, n.s.) but decreased significantly during the next 6 months (219 +/- 50 g, P < 0.05). Left ventricular ejection fraction remained unchanged. Strain values did not change significantly within 1 week after AVR but increased significantly after 6 months (LS by 16%, RS by 21%, and CS by 28% of baseline values). E/e' ratio was highly augmented before AVR (26.1 +/- 12.5) and decreased significantly 6 months after AVR (15.9 +/- 5.9). CONCLUSION: Myocardial function significantly recovers after replacing the stenosed aortic valve. However, there is a considerable difference between the response of longitudinal, radial, and circumferential function. Our data suggest that echocardiographic assessment of regional function is feasible and of potential clinical importance.
Rost et al. (2010) conducted an observational in Severe aortic stenosis (n=40). Aortic valve replacement (AVR) vs. Pre-AVR baseline was evaluated on Longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strain (LS, RS, CS) and E/e' ratio. Aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis significantly improved longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strain by 16%, 21%, and 28% respectively at 6 months.