Abstract
Classic echocardiographic methodologies offer limited opportunities in assessing right atrial (RA) morphology and function. Three-dimensional (3D) speckle-tracking echocardiography (3DSTE) is a novel imaging method with objective 3D capability in assessing volumetric and functional properties of heart chambers. Normal reference values of different 3DSTE-derived RA strains are not available, therefore the aim of this prospective study was to establish these parameters in healthy subjects. The present study comprised 295 healthy volunteers, from which 110 were excluded due to inadequate image quality. The final population consisted of 185 healthy subjects in the present study (mean age: 32.1 ± 12.2 years, 89 males). Complete two-dimensional echocardiography and 3DSTE have been performed in all cases. While radial strain (RS) does not change significantly over the years in males, in female subjects it increases with age most significantly between at the age of 40–49, and it starts to decline at the age of 50 in females. While females have higher circumferential (CS) and area (AS) strain values, CS and AS decrease with age in both gender. While LS remains almost unchanged in females until ages 40–49 years with a decline above the age of 50, it decreases over the decades in males. 3D strain (3DS) increases with age in both gender, but almost doubles in females in older ages. Specific pattern of strains at atrial contraction could also be demonstrated. 3DSTE-derived RA normal reference values with age-, gender-dependency and regional values are demonstrated in a healthy population.
Highlights
Right heart failure is a principal cause of morbidity and mortality in different disorders like in pulmonary hypertension [1]
All subjects were taken from the MAGYAR-Healthy Study (Motion Analysis of the heart and Great vessels bY three-dimensionAl speckle-tRacking echocardiography in Healthy subjects), which was organized at our cardiology center to examine normal reference values of 3DSTEderived parameters among others (‘magyar’ means ‘Hungarian’ in Hungarian language)
A total of 185 healthy subjects were included in the study
Summary
Right heart failure is a principal cause of morbidity and mortality in different disorders like in pulmonary hypertension [1]. 2nd Department of Medicine and Cardiology Centre, Medical Faculty, Albert Szent‐Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Semmelweis Street 8, P.O. Box 427, Szeged 6725, Hungary. 1st Department of Medicine, Medical Faculty, Albert Szent‐Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary opportunities in assessing RA morphology and function [2]. Usefulness of 3DSTE in assessing RA uni- and multidirectional strains could be demonstrated [4,5,6,7]. With these results, different patterns of RA dysfunction could be suggested in several disorders by 3DSTE [8]. Normal reference values of different 3DSTEderived RA strains are not available, the aim of this prospective study was to establish these parameters in healthy adult subjects
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