P235 CLINICAL AND INSTRUMENTAL CORRELATES OF LEFT AND RIGHT ATRIAL TWO–DIMENSIONAL STRAIN MEASUREMENTS IN PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE

Abstract

Abstract Background The two–dimensional strain obtained through Speckle Tracking Imaging (STI) represents an innovative, rapid and semi–automatic echocardiographic method to study systolic and diastolic function. By analyzing the deformation of cardiac segments, it provides an indirect index of myocardial contractility and relaxation of left and right ventricles, but also of both left and right atria. Purpose of the Study The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and instrumental correlates of the different measures of right and left atrial strain in a group of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Method. We enrolled 165 out patients with CHF (63 ± 14 years, 76% male, 39 ± 11% ejection fraction). All patients underwent a cardiological examination, ECG and echocardiogram. The echocardiographic images were analyzed using an innovative software (TomTec, Philips) able to semi–automatically analyze both the ventricular and atrial strain. For each patient, both for the left atrium (LA) and the right atrium (RA), the measures related to all atrial functional phases were calculated: reservoir (r), conduit (cd) and contraction (ct). Results At univariate and multivariate logistic regression models, the main determinants of atrial strain measurements were evaluated. As shown in the Table, both for the RA and LA the reservoir and conduit were more closely associated with ventricular systolic function and age. LA contraction was associated only with E/e‘ and heart rate, whereas for the RA one there was no independent statistical association with the parameters studied. Conclusions The Strain parameters that evaluate right and left atrial function have an independent association with different clinical and instrumental variables. These results support the hypothesis that the reservoir and conduit measurements express a different physiological and pathophysiological substrate than the contraction measures.