Changes of Left Atrial Phasic Function Assessed by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography in Untreated Hypertension

Changes in the three phases of left atrial (LA) function have not been well studied in hypertension. We studied phasic function of LA by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in hypertension. Sixty-one consecutive untreated hypertension patients and 32 sex-and age-matched healthy participants were included. Two-dimensional (2D) images obtained from apical four-chamber and two-chamber views were used for STE analysis of LA. LA peak positive strain (39.8 +/- 10.9 vs. 45.3 +/- 12.7 %, p = 0.031), peak negative strain (-2.2 +/- 1.5 vs. -3.0 +/- 1.9 %, p = 0.029), and conduit strain rate (-2.0 +/- 0.5 vs. +/- 2.4 +/- 0.6 1/s, p = 0.005) were significantly decreased in hypertension. Twenty hypertensive patients (32%) had diastolic dysfunction. Positive strain (34.8 +/- 7.2 vs. 42.2 +/- 11.6 %, p = 0.012) and conduit strain rate (-1.7 +/- 0.4 vs. +/- 2.2 +/- 0.5 1/s, p < 0.001) were decreased in patients with diastolic dysfunction. Only conduit strain rate was independently associated with diastolic dysfunction (OR 11.9, p = 0.026) after multivariable analysis. LA phasic function is decreased in untreated hypertension. Decreased LA conduit function is associated with diastolic dysfunction in hypertension. (C) 2012, Elsevier Taiwan LLC and the Chinese Taipei Society of Ultrasound in Medicine.