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Evaluation of left atrial volume and function in patients with coronary slow flow phenomenon using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography

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Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the left atrial (LA) volume and phasic functions using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) in coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP) patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). 56 patients with CSFP (36 males, 20 females) and 48 controls with normal coronary flow (27 males, 21 females) were prospectively enrolled. Comprehensive transthoracic echocardiographic examination and RT3DE for the assessment of LA dynamics were performed in all participants. LA maximum, minimum, and pre-atrial contraction volumes (LAV-max, LAV-min, and LAV-preA) were obtained for every subject. Conventional echocardiographic parameters, except for isovolumetric relaxation time and transmitral deceleration time, did not differ in two groups. RT3DE demonstrated higher LAV-max, LAV-min, LAV-preA, indexed LAV-max (LAVi-max), LA total emptying volume, and LA active emptying volume and fraction for CSFP patients compared with controls (all P < 0.05). In addition, LA total emptying fraction and LA passive emptying fraction were found to be lower in CSFP patients than in controls (all P < 0.05). Moreover, there were positive correlations between mean thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame count values and LAV-max, LAV-min, LAV-preA, LAVi-max, and LA total and active emptying volumes. CSFP was associated with enlarged LA volumes, impaired LA reservoir and conduit function and enhanced contractile function. Evaluation of LA dynamics using RT3DE could facilitate recognition of subtle myocardial alterations related with CSFP.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by Grant No. 18ZR1436100 from Shanghai Science and Technology Committee, Grant No. 20164Y0240 from Shanghai Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission Fund and Grant No. 81601496 from National Natural Science Foundation of China.

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Author notes

  1. Yumeng Xing, Yongle Chen and Yu Liu are co-first authors and contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Echocardiography, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China

    Yumeng Xing, Yongle Chen, Yu Liu, Dehong Kong, Xianhong Shu & Cuizhen Pan

  2. Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China

    Yan Yan & Xianhong Shu

Authors
  1. Yumeng Xing
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  2. Yongle Chen
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  3. Yu Liu
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  4. Dehong Kong
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  5. Yan Yan
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  6. Xianhong Shu
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  7. Cuizhen Pan
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Correspondence to Cuizhen Pan.

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Xing, Y., Chen, Y., Liu, Y. et al. Evaluation of left atrial volume and function in patients with coronary slow flow phenomenon using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 35, 2197–2203 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-019-01676-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-019-01676-9

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