Anne Bjerg Nielsen1,2, Kristoffer Grundtvig Skaarup1,2, Raphael Hauser1,2, Niklas Dyrby Johansen1,2, Mats Christian Højbjerg Lassen1,2, Gorm Boje Jensen2, Peter Schnohr2, Rasmus Møgelvang2,3, Tor Biering-Sørensen1,4. 1. Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Herlev and Gentofte, Gentofte Hospitalsvej 1, DK-2900 Copenhagen, Denmark. 2. The Copenhagen City Heart Study, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Nordre Fasanvej 57, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark. 3. Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. 4. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Abstract
AIMS: Left atrial (LA) function assessed by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography has shown increasing clinical and prognostic significance. We sought to establish age- and sex-based normative values of LA strain in the general population and to assess the prognostic yield of lower limits of normality of LA strain in relation to future atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS AND RESULTS: We determined normative values of peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS), peak atrial contraction strain (PACS), and LA strain during the conduit phase (LACS) in 1641 healthy participants included in the fifth Copenhagen City Heart Study. In a secondary analysis, a validation cohort of 2016 participants, regardless of health status, were included to assess the prognostic value of the established reference values. In the healthy cohort, median age was 46 years (interquartile range 32-57), 62% were female. Median PALS, PACS, and LACS and corresponding limits of normality in the healthy participants were 39.4% (23.0-67.6%), 15.5% (6.4-28.0%), and 23.7% (8.8-44.8%), respectively. There was a tendency of lower values of PALS and LACS in males and older participants, while PACS tended to increase with advancing age. The established lower limits of normality showed high specificity (range 93-94%) regarding future AF, implying a low risk of developing AF in participants with LA strain above the lower limits of normality in their respective sex and age group. CONCLUSION: We report normal values for LA strain stratified by sex and age. The lower limits of normality showed high specificity regarding future AF. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.
AIMS: Left atrial (LA) function assessed by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography has shown increasing clinical and prognostic significance. We sought to establish age- and sex-based normative values of LA strain in the general population and to assess the prognostic yield of lower limits of normality of LA strain in relation to future atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS AND RESULTS: We determined normative values of peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS), peak atrial contraction strain (PACS), and LA strain during the conduit phase (LACS) in 1641 healthy participants included in the fifth Copenhagen City Heart Study. In a secondary analysis, a validation cohort of 2016 participants, regardless of health status, were included to assess the prognostic value of the established reference values. In the healthy cohort, median age was 46 years (interquartile range 32-57), 62% were female. Median PALS, PACS, and LACS and corresponding limits of normality in the healthy participants were 39.4% (23.0-67.6%), 15.5% (6.4-28.0%), and 23.7% (8.8-44.8%), respectively. There was a tendency of lower values of PALS and LACS in males and older participants, while PACS tended to increase with advancing age. The established lower limits of normality showed high specificity (range 93-94%) regarding future AF, implying a low risk of developing AF in participants with LA strain above the lower limits of normality in their respective sex and age group. CONCLUSION: We report normal values for LA strain stratified by sex and age. The lower limits of normality showed high specificity regarding future AF. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.
Authors: Francesco Bandera; Anita Mollo; Matteo Frigelli; Giulia Guglielmi; Nicoletta Ventrella; Maria Concetta Pastore; Matteo Cameli; Marco Guazzi Journal: Front Cardiovasc Med Date: 2022-01-13
Authors: Flemming Javier Olsen; Søren Zöga Diederichsen; Peter Godsk Jørgensen; Magnus T Jensen; Anders Dahl; Nino Emmanuel Landler; Claus Graff; Axel Brandes; Derk Krieger; Ketil Haugan; Lars Køber; Søren Højberg; Jesper Hastrup Svendsen; Tor Biering-Sørensen Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-06-03 Impact factor: 3.752