الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract • The long-term follow-up data subsequent to successful repair of aortic coarctation show that life expectancy remains reduced. Previous standard echocardiographic studies have demonstrated normal or increased systolic cardiac function in patients following successful repair of aortic coarctation. Strain rate imaging is a new technique able to detect subclinical myocardial abnormalities. • The study aimed to use strain rate imaging technique in the assessment of the left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions in patients with aortic coarctation before and after percutaneous or surgical intervention. • Methods: We studied 27 patients with aortic coarctation by standard echocrdiograghy and strain rate imaging before and within 3 days after successful intervention and 10months later and we also studied 10 control subjects. • Results: The left ventricular ejection fraction and average radial strain rate were non significantly changed in aortic coarctation patients, whereas average longitudinal strain rate was significantly reduced after 10 months of intervention in comparison to control subjects. At univariate analysis, Longitudinal strain rate correlates inversely with the age at correction. • Conclusion: Despite successful repair for aortic coarctation longitudinal deformation properties were significantly impaired. Moreover, the degree of longitudinal strain rate impairment was inversely correlated with age at correction. Early correction can delay the deterioration in myocardial deformation properties but cannot prevent the progressive deterioration of the myocardial longitudinal function. |