Can Speckle Tracking Assist in the Detection of Subclinical Myocardial Changes in Hypertensive Patients?

Amy Penhall, Rebecca Perry, Arduino Mangoni, Carmine De Pasquale, Derek Chew, Majo Joseph

Research output: Contribution to journalMeeting Abstract

Abstract

Background: While subtle abnormalities in myocardial function are frequently undetectable via conventional echo techniques or by visual assessment, two dimensional strain using speckle tracking techniques has been touted as a method of identifying subclinical disease earlier than conventional echocardiographic parameters. Hypertension induces changes in ventricular myocardium leading to myocardial remodelling. The remodelling is the result of accumulation of collagen fibres in the myocardium, which in turn causes myocardial fibrosis. We sought to determine if two dimensional strain parameters were sufficiently sensitive to detect subclinical left ventricular dysfunction in a cohort of hypertensive patients.

Methods: Twenty-one patients (mean age 56 ± 16) with documented clinical hypertension (mean blood pressure 140/85) and 16 normal volunteers (mean age 38 ± 10) with normal blood pressures (mean 120/73) underwent two-dimensional echocardiography. Two-dimensional images of the left ventricle in short axis and apical views were recorded for offline analysis (Philips Qlab 6.0). Regional and global peak systolic strain was measured.

Results: There was no significant difference in global circumferential (p = 0.54, short axis papillary muscle level), radial (p = 0.46, short axis papillary muscle level) or longitudinal strain (p = 0.10, apical 4 chamber) between the hypertensive subjects and the normal control group.

Conclusion: Two-dimensional strain by speckle tracking technology is an emerging technique and its usefulness in the analysis of myocardial systolic function is still being explored. Whilst the theory of the detection of subclinical myocardial dysfunction using speckle tracking techniques is attractive, in our subject cohort we were unable to detect any differences.
Original languageEnglish
Article number66
Pages (from-to)S29
Number of pages1
JournalHeart, Lung and Circulation
Volume17
Issue numberSupp 3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Jul 2008
Externally publishedYes
EventCardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting and the International Society for Heart Research, Australasian Section, Annual Scientific Meeting 2008 - Adelaide, Australia
Duration: 7 Aug 200810 Aug 2008

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