Assessment of left atrial remodeling using speckle tracking echocardiography after percutaneous atrial septal defect closure in adult patients

• Published in: International journal of arrhythmia 2022-09, Vol.23 (1), p.1-6, Article 23
• Main Authors: Choi, Ji-Hoon, Kim, Ju Youn, Hwang, Jin Kyung, Kim, Hye Ree, Chung, Tae Wan, Kim, Juwon, Park, Seung Woo, Kang, I-Seok, Song, Jinyoung, Park, Seung-Jung, Park, Kyoung-Min, On, Young Keun, Kim, June Soo, Huh, June
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atrial septal defect; Body mass index; Cardiac arrhythmia; Cardiovascular disease; Closure; Congenital diseases; Deformation; Doppler effect; Females; Heart failure; Hypertension; Left atrium; Patients; Percutaneous; Pulmonary arteries; Remodeling; Software; Statistical analysis; Strain rate
• ISSN: 2466-1171; 2466-0981; 2466-1171
• DOI: 10.1186/s42444-022-00074-y

BackgroundAtrial fibrillation (AF) is a well-known, long-term complication of atrial septal defect (ASD) in adults, even after device closure. Left atrial (LA) strain rate applied to the analysis of chamber function has been demonstrated to be an important predictor of LA reverse remodeling. This study aimed to determine the changes in chamber function after device closure of ASD.MethodsThis prospective study enrolled adults with secundum ASD undergoing transcatheter device closure from December 2016 to August 2017. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and LA strain rate before and six months after ASD closure.ResultsA total of 11 patients were enrolled. The mean age was 42.6 ± 9.9 years, and six (54.5%) were females. There was no significant change of conventional echocardiographic parameters after ASD closure. The mean global LA reservoir strain rate before ASD closure was 1.17 ± 0.34 and 0.85 ± 0.30 after ASD closure (p = 0.030). The median global LA conduit strain rate was 0.68 (0.42–1.16) and 0.41 (0.16–0.79) before and after ASD closure (p = 0.213), respectively. The mean global LA contractile strain rate at the six-month follow-up showed significant improvement compared with pre-procedural strain rate (0.33 ± 0.65 vs. − 0.43 ± 0.38, p = 0.006).ConclusionsLA functional changes occurred during the six-month follow-up, while LA and right atrial (RA) geometric changes were not significant. LA reverse remodeling was proved by restoration of LA late diastolic contractile function.