INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography is a novel tool to assess myocardial function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate left ventricular myocardial strain and rotation parameters by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography in a large group of healthy adults across a wide age range to establish their reference values and to assess the influ...

BACKGROUND We investigated longitudinal right ventricular (RV) function assessed using speckle-tracking strain echocardiography in patient with myocardial infarction (MI), and identified the contributing factors for RV dysfunction. METHODS We retrospectively studied 71 patients with old MI (the OMI group) and 45 normal subjects (the Control group) who underwent a transthoracic echocardiograph...

AIMS The purpose of the present study was to assess the evolution of left ventricular (LV) function after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) using global longitudinal peak systolic strain (GLPSS) during 1 year follow-up. In addition, patients were divided in groups with early, late, or no improvement of LV function and predictors of recovery of LV function were established. METHODS AND RESULTS...

BACKGROUND Despite benefits of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients with severe but less symptomatic heart failure, approximately 30% of patients do not fully respond to treatment. We hypothesized that a combined assessment of left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony and contractile function by strain-based imaging would identify patients who would most benefit from CRT. METHODS AND ...

AIMS Ebstein's anomaly (EA) is often associated with right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. Data on echocardiographic quantification of RV function are, however, rare. The aim of this study was to determine how non-volumetric echocardiographic indices and qualitative assessment of global systolic RV function correlate with cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR)-derived RV ejection fraction (EF). ...

BACKGROUND Better survival for overweight and obese patients after ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has been demonstrated. The association between body mass index (BMI), outcome, and left ventricular (LV) structure and function after STEMI, including LV longitudinal strain (global longitudinal strain), was evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS First patients with STEMI undergoing p...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of aliskiren on blood pressure and myocardial function assessed by global longitudinal strain in patients with uncontrolled arterial hypertension. PATIENTS AND METHODS Forty-five patients were included in the study (29 males, 16 females, mean age 58.7 +/- 12.4 years) with BP > 140/90 mmHg despite treatment with combined antihypertensive therapy and echocardio...

AIMS To investigate changes in longitudinal systolic function estimated by strain echocardiography in relation to global diastolic dysfunction and alterations in segmental relaxation patterns. METHODS AND RESULTS We studied 75 hypertensive patients, of whom 45 had diastolic dysfunction and normal EF, and 30 matched controls. All subjects had 2D and colour Doppler myocardial imaging. Mean long...

BACKGROUND We hypothesised that myocardial deformation determined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will detect myocardial scar. METHODS Displacement Encoding with Stimulated Echoes (DENSE) was used to calculate left ventricular strain in 125 patients (29 women and 96 men) with suspected coronary artery disease. The patients also underwent cine imaging and late gadolinium enhancement. 57 ...