Left atrial stiffness index – an early marker of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with coronary heart disease

To evaluate the correlation between left atrial stiffness index (LASI) and left ventricular diastolic function in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) by Autostrain LA technique.

This was a retrospective analysis that included a total of 82 CHD patients who had suitable image quality for left atrial strain measurement. According to the 2016 ASE/EACVI guidelines for the echocardiographic assessment of diastolic dysfunction, the patients were divided into three groups: normal left ventricular diastolic function group (n = 26), indeterminate left ventricular diastolic function (n = 36), and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) (n = 20). The left atrial conduit strain (LAScd), Left atrial contractile strain (LASct), left atrial reservoir strain (LASr) and its derived parameters, including LASI and left atrial filling index (LAFI), were compared among the three groups. Furthermore, we conduct a correlation analysis between LASI and left ventricular diastolic function in patients with CHD.

LASr and LAScd in normal group were higher than those in indeterminate group, LASr and LAScd in indeterminate group were higher than those in LVDD group, LASI in normal group was lower than that in indeterminate group, and LASI in indeterminate group was lower than that in LVDD group (P < 0.001). LASct in both normal and indeterminate groups was higher than that in LVDD group (P < 0.05). The LAFI of normal group was lower than that of indeterminate group and LVDD group (P < 0.001). LASI was positively correlated with E/e’(r = 0.822) (P < 0.001). LASr and E/e’ were negatively correlated (r = -0.637) (P < 0.001).

LASI is closely related to the changes of left ventricular diastolic function in CHD patients.