Left atrial reservoir strain improves diagnostic accuracy of the 2016 ASE/EACVI diastolic algorithm in patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction: insights from the KARUM haemodynamic database

• Published in: European heart journal cardiovascular imaging 2022-08, Vol.23 (9), p.1157-1168
• Main Authors: Venkateshvaran, Ashwin, Tureli, Hande Oktay, Faxén, Ulrika Ljung, Lund, Lars H, Tossavainen, Erik, Lindqvist, Per
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Databases, Factual; Diastole - physiology; diastolic dysfunction; echo Doppler; Editor's Choice; Humans; left ventricular filling pressure; Original Paper; right heart catheterization; Sensitivity and Specificity; speckle tracking echocardiography; Stroke Volume - physiology; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left - diagnostic imaging; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left - physiopathology
• ISSN: 2047-2404; 2047-2412; 2047-2412
• DOI: 10.1093/ehjci/jeac036

Abstract Aims This study aimed to investigate the incremental value offered by left atrial reservoir strain (LASr) to the 2016 American Society of Echocardiography/European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (ASE/EACVI) diastolic algorithm to identify elevated left ventricular (LV) filling pressure in patients with preserved ejection fraction (EF). Methods and results Near-simultaneous echocardiography and right heart catheterization were performed in 210 patients with EF ≥50% in a large, dual-centre study. Elevated filling pressure was defined as invasive pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) ≥15 mmHg. LASr was evaluated using speckle-tracking echocardiography. Diagnostic performance of the ASE/EACVI diastolic algorithm was validated against invasive reference and compared with modified algorithms incorporating LASr. Modest correlation was observed between E/e′, E/A ratio, and LA volume index with PCWP (r = 0.46, 0.46, and 0.36, respectively; P < 0.001 for all). Mitral e′ and TR peak velocity showed no association. The ASE/EACVI algorithm (89% feasibility, 71% sensitivity, 68% specificity) demonstrated reasonable ability (AUC = 0.69) and 68% accuracy to identify elevated LV filling pressure. LASr displayed strong ability to identify elevated PCWP (AUC = 0.76). Substituting TR peak velocity for LASr in the algorithm (69% sensitivity, 84% specificity) resulted in 91% feasibility, 81% accuracy, and stronger agreement with invasive measurements. Employing LASr as per expert consensus (71% sensitivity, 70% specificity) and adding LASr to conventional parameters (67% sensitivity, 84% specificity) also demonstrated greater feasibility (98% and 90%, respectively) and overall accuracy (70% and 80%, respectively) to estimate elevated PCWP. Conclusions LASr improves feasibility and overall accuracy of the ASE/EACVI algorithm to discern elevated filling pressures in patients with preserved EF. Graphical Abstract Graphical Abstract