The effects of coronary artery disease severity on left atrial deformation parameters in patients with stable coronary artery disease

OBJECTIVES
Aim of the present study was to investigate correlation between left atrial (LA) deformation parameters assessed using 2-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) and complexity of coronary artery disease according to SYNTAX score (SXscore) in patients with stable coronary artery disease (SCAD).

STUDY DESIGN
Total of 60 moderate-risk SCAD patients (40 men, 20 women) who underwent coronary angiography and 30 healthy controls were included. Measurements of conventional echocardiographic parameters as well as peak LA strain during ventricular systole (LA-RES), peak LA strain during atrial systole (LA-PUMP), peak LA strain rate during ventricular systole (LA-SRS), peak LA strain rate during early diastole (LA-SRE), and peak LA strain rate during atrial systole (LA-SRA) were obtained.

RESULTS
Patients were categorized into 2 groups: low SXscore of <20 (Group I) and high SXscore of ≥20 (Group II). Left ventricular (LV) diastolic functions were significantly impaired and LV filling pressure was significantly higher in high SXscore group. LA-RES (Control Group: 42.3±7.9, Group I: 36.4±8.2, Group II: 27.5±8.1; p<0.001) and LA-PUMP (Control Group: 17.6±3.4, Group I: 15.7±2.5, Group II: 13.1±3.2; p<0.001) were significantly lower in high SXscore group compared with low SXscore group. There was no statistical difference in LA-SRS, LA-SRE, or LA-SRA between the 3 groups. Correlation analysis indicated negative correlation between SXscore level and LA-RES function (r=-0.49; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION
2D-STE-based LA deformation parameters are significantly impaired in patients with SCAD who have high SXscore. In addition, evaluation of LA-RES and LA-PUMP functions might be useful in estimating severity of disease in patients with SCAD.