The relative impact of circumferential and longitudinal shortening on left ventricular ejection fraction and stroke volume

In vivo data have been unable to provide conclusive results with regard to the relative impact of circumferential and longitudinal shortening on stroke volume. The objective of the present study was to assess the relative contribution of circumferential and longitudinal myocardial shortening to left ventricular stroke volume and ejection fraction, and to evaluate the effect of left ventricular hypertrophy. A two-shell, three-dimensional mathematical model was used to assess the individual contributions of longitudinal and midwall circumferential shortening (or strain) to stroke volume and ejection fraction. Reducing either circumferential or longitudinal shortening resulted in a reduced ejection fraction and stroke volume. The stroke volume fell by 43% when circumferential strain was reduced from -20% to -5%, but only by 19% when longitudinal strain was similarly reduced. The sole contribution of circumferential and longitudinal shortening to stroke volume was 67% and 33%, respectively. These proportions were independent of wall thickness. The present study demonstrated that both longitudinal and midwall circumferential shortening contribute to different extents depending on the degree of abnormality of myocardial shortening. Contrary to most previous studies, the present study shows that circumferential shortening has a relatively greater contribution to stroke volume (ie, two-thirds) and ejection fraction than longitudinal shortening. These observations have important clinical and research implications in the assessment of left ventricular function.