Evaluation of left ventricular functions by speckle-tracking echocardiography in coarctation patients

Demircan T, Kizilca Ö, Yilmaz N, Zihni C, Kir M, Ünal N.Echocardiography. 2021 Mar;38(3):410-416. doi: 10.1111/echo.14993. Epub 2021 Feb 11.

Abstract

Background/aim: Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) is a novel method that allows the assessment of regional myocardial function. The aim of our study was to use 2D-STE to assess left ventricular deformation in patients with coarctation of the aorta (CoA).

Methods: In this prospective study, patients with CoA (n = 42) and healthy controls (n = 39) were recruited. Children with CoA who visited the outpatient clinic between 2013 and 2014 were included. The data were compared with those obtained from the sex- and age-matched controls.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 5.8 ± 4.5 years. Global longitudinal strain based on all three apical views and total global strain values did not appear to be different between the patient and the control groups (P = .59, P = .51, P = .15, P = .38). Hypertension was detected in 14 (33.3%) patients with CoA. There were significant differences between the global longitudinal strain values of the normotensive CoA subgroup and the hypertensive CoA subgroup (P < .05).

Conclusions: In our study, we found that 2D-STE total strain analysis of patients with CoA was not different from comparative healthy controls. However, we determined that 2D-STE parameters were lower in the hypertensive CoA subgroup compared to the normotensive CoA subgroup.

Keywords: Hypertension; aorta coarctation; congenital heart defects; pediatric echocardiography; strain.

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Uzman Dr. Nuh YILMAZ

Specialist Dr. Nuh Yılmaz, after his medical education at Ege University Faculty of Medicine, he completed his residency in Pediatrics at İzmir Dr. Behçet Uz Pediatric Diseases and Surgery Training and Research Hospital. He completed his subspecialty training in Pediatric Cardiology at Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine. After working as a Pediatric Cardiology Specialist at Liv Hospital Vadi Istanbul Hospital and Istanbul Medical Park Bahçeşehir Hospital, he started accepting patients at İskenderun Gelişim Hospital.