Consistent Regional Heterogeneity of Passive Diastolic Stretch and Systolic Deformation in the Healthy Heart: Age-Related Changes in Left Ventricle Contractility

• Published in: Ultrasound in medicine & biology Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 37 - 44
• Main Authors: Jasaityte, Ruta, D'hooge, Jan, Herbots, Lieven, Daraban, Ana M., Rademakers, Frank, Claus, Piet
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.01.2014
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aging - physiology; Contractility; Diastole - physiology; Echocardiography, Doppler - methods; Elastic Modulus - physiology; Elasticity Imaging Techniques - methods; Heart Ventricles - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Left ventricular strain; Middle Aged; Myocardial Contraction - physiology; Myocardial deformation imaging; Passive diastolic left ventricular stretch; Radiology; Reference Values; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Stress, Mechanical; Systole - physiology; Tensile Strength - physiology; Ventricular Function, Left - physiology; Passive diastolic left ventricular stretch; Myocardial deformation imaging; Left ventricular strain; Contractility
• ISSN: 0301-5629; 1879-291X; 1879-291X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2013.09.005

The consistency of the normal spatial distribution of segmental passive stretch (PreS) and systolic strain (SS) within the left ventricle was investigated and a recently proposed echocardiographic estimate of left ventricular (LV) contractility was used to detect contractility changes with age. Hereto, in 54 healthy subjects, segmental PreS and SS were measured on tissue Doppler images of six left ventricle walls. For each subject, a linear regression line was estimated through the segmental PreS and SS values. The slopes and intercepts of this PreS-SS relationship did not differ between age groups, suggesting no changes in LV contractility with age. Moreover, a consistent regional distribution of PreS was observed, with the highest values measured in the septum, resulting in a similar distribution of SS as a direct consequence of the Frank-Starling mechanism.