Background: The left atrium function influence the whole heart function for it acted am important role in the left ventricles diastolic filling, about 15 to 25 percent of the whole left ventricles filling. Atrium function descending and reconstitution for long-term compensation and overload, stroke and thromboembolism increase obviously. So it has important and clinical meaning.
Objective: To evaluate left atrial function by Velocity Vector Imaging(VVI) in patients with Rheumatic mitral stenosis(RMS).
Methods: Thirty eight patients with RMS and 42 normal controls were studied with Velocity Vector Imaging analysis software. Peak systolic strain(S), systolic strain rate(SRs), early diastolic strain rate(SRe) and late diastolic strain rate(SRa) of each left atrial segments were measured, and also the SRa peak time delay.
Results: Comparing to the controls group, the S, SRs and SRe of all segments were significantly lower(p<0.05). Except the base latero-aorta’s SRa, the other segments’ SRa were lower(p<0.05). In patients with atrial fibrillation(AF), 56 percent of the segments had no SRa, and 18.6 percent had irregular low amplitude movement at late diastole, while 25.4 percent had discernible positive peak. The base and middle inferior SRa of patients with AF were lower(p<0.05) than those of the patients with sinus rhythm. Comparing to the controls group, the SRa peak time delay of patients was longer, especially what of the patients with AF.
Conclusion: The segmental and left atrial function of patients with RMS can be evaluated with Velocity Vector Imaging , Which provides a new approach for evaluating left atrial function in clinic.