Assessment of left ventricular myocardial deformation according to Speckle-tracking echocardiography in the long-term period in patients with takotsubo syndrome

Abstract

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Main funding source(s): North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov Complete improvement of left ventricle systolic function is an essential feature of takotsubo syndrome (TTS). Speckle -tracking echocardiography (STE) provides quantitative information about myocardial deformation, more accurately than conventional echocardiography. Objective to assess the global longitudinal strain (GLS) and global circumferential strain (GCS) by speckle-tracking echocardiography in patients with TTS in the long-term period. Materials and methods 14 female with TTS were monitored, average age 57.5 ± 28.5. The diagnosis was verified by ventriculography and echocardiography. 1 year after the attack, complaints of the patients, cardiovascular events (CE) and signs of heart failure were evaluated. All patients underwent echocardiography using a Vivid-4 (General Electric) with a Speckle-tracking function. The ejection fraction (EF) of the left ventricle (LV), the zone of disorders of local contractility, the level of GLS and GCS were evaluated. Results after an 1 year of observation, all patients had a good clinical condition, there were no CE, and heart failure was absent. The EF level was 56.3 ± 3.45%; no zones of disorders of local contractility were found in any patient. A GLS level below normal was observed in 7 patients (-12.05% ± 5.15%), and was normal in 7 patients (less than -18%), GCS level was reduced in 3 (21.4%) patients (- 9.7 ± 3.4%) at a normal level of -18 and below. Conclusions despite the absence of global and local contractility disorders in echocardiography, GLS was revealed in 50% of patients, GCS in 20% of patients. Thus, speckle-tracking shows that in some patients changes in LV contractility persist in the long term. It can be explained by a change in the orientation of the myocardial fibers due to remodeling, but this requires further evaluation.