Left atrial strain rate estimates PCWP

Objective: Raised left atrial (LA) pressure is a common pathway for many pathologies and is known for its complications. It has a direct effect on LA cavity size and potentially also its function. We hypothesized that raised LA pressure, as shown by pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), correlates with severity of global LA deformation abnormalities during atrial systole (LASRa). Design and Patients: We prospectively studied 46 consecutive patients, mean age 61 +/-13 years, 17 males, of various etiologies who underwent right heart catheterization and simultaneous Doppler echocardiography using spectral, tissue Doppler and speckle tracking echocardiography techniques for assessing LA structure and function. Results: PCWP correlated with direct measurements of LA structure and function: LA volume (r= 0.43, p<0.01) and LASRa (r=0.79, p<0.001). PCWP correlated also with other indirect measures of LA pressure such as E/A (r=0.65, p<0.001), E wave deceleration time (r=0.54, p<0.001), E/e’ (r=0.49, p<0.001) and LA systolic filling fraction (r=0.52, p<0.001). However, LASRa together with LA systolic filling fraction, had the highest areas under the curve (0.83 and 0.87, respectively) for identifying patients with PCWP > 15 mmHg. Conclusion: PCWP correlates with LA deformation rate during atrial systole and to a higher extent than conventional Doppler measures of raised LA pressures. These findings should have significant clinical implications in correctly identifying breathless patients due to raised LA pressure.