Atrial Myocardial Deformation Changes in Patients with Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. It increases cardiovascular morbidity, especially embolic stroke and mortality. Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D STE) is a useful method that has been used to detect changes in atrial myocardial deformation in AF patients. Objectives: To study atrial myocardial deformation changes in patient with non-valvular AF using 2D STE. Patients and Methods: This study included 25 patients with non-valvular AF and 25 normal healthy controls. 2D STE was used for assessment of strain and strain rate of septal and free walls of both right atrium (RA) and LA and left ventricle (LV). Results: Mean LA septal and lateral strain and strain rate were significantly reduced in the AF group compared to the control group (-7.2% ± 5.2% vs. -20.4% ± 3.9%, -8.7% ± 8.8% vs. -21.7% ± 3.4%) and (-0.9 ± 0.5 S-1 vs. -1.9 ± 0.4 S-1, –1.1 ± 0.6 S-1 vs. -2.04 ± 0.3 S-1) respectively. Mean RA septal and lateral strain and strain rate were significantly reduced in the AF group compared to the control group (-5.9% ± 6.1% vs. -23.4% ± 4.5%, -8.9% ± 9.3% vs. -21.7% ± 3.4%) and (-0.98 ± 0.6 S-1 vs. -1.9 ± 0.3 S-1, -1.3 ± 0.9 S-1 vs. -2.1 ± 0.5 S-1) respectively. Mean LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) and strain rate were significantly reduced in the AF group compared to the control group (-8.8% ± 4.6% vs -19.6% ± 2.4%) and (-0.8 ± 0.3 S-1 vs -1.5 ± 0.4 S-1) respectively (P < 0.001 for all). Conclusion: AF is a bi-atrial disease, LA and RA myocardial deformation properties as well as LV GLS and strain rate measured by 2D STE were significantly impaired in AF patients compared to healthy controls.