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Quantitative regional analysis of left atrial function by Doppler tissue imaging-derived parameters discriminates patients with posterior and anterior myocardial infarction.

Donal E, Raud-Raynier P, Racaud A, Coisne D, Herpin D

Department of Cardiology, University Hospital La Miletrie, 86021 Poitiers, France. e.donal@chu-poitiers.fr

BACKGROUND: Doppler tissue imaging can now be used for the assessment of left atrial (LA) function. LA function was evaluated by this technique in a group of patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction and in a control population. METHODS: Patients were all prospectively imaged with a scanner. To study the LA, a region of interest was located in the proximal part of the lateral and septal LA walls. Doppler tissue imaging, tissue tracking, strain, and delays were recorded. RESULTS: In all, 12 patients with posterior (age 54 +/- 9 years) and 13 with anterior (age 64 +/- 16 years) acute myocardial infarction, along with 16 control patients (age 54 +/- 9 years), were analyzed. Early diastolic septal velocity was found to be the best parameter for discriminating among the 3 groups. Peak strain was also relevant and did not correlate with left ventricular function. CONCLUSIONS: LA is accessible to Doppler tissue imaging analysis. Strain can quantify LA function relatively independently of left ventricular function, and may provide new insights on LA function.

Published 7 January 2005 in J Am Soc Echocardiogr, 18(1): 32-8.
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