Right atrial deformation analysis in isolated left ventricular noncompaction - insights from the three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiographic MAGYAR-Path Study.

OBJECTIVE: Isolated left ventricular noncompaction (ILVNC) is a rare cardiomyopathy characterized by a prominent trabecular meshwork and deep intertrabecular recesses. The present study aimed to examine right atrial (RA) volumes, volume-based functional properties and strains by three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (3DSTE) in ILVNC patients.

METHODS: The study group consisted of 13 patients with ILVNC (mean age: 54.6±14.1 years, six male) and 23 healthy age- and gender-matched volunteers (mean age: 50.4±12.4 years, 10 male), who served as normal controls. Complete two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography and 3DSTE were performed in all cases.

RESULTS: Increased systolic maximum (58.2±15.3 ml vs. 40.5±11.8 ml, p=0.0004) and diastolic pre-atrial contraction (39.6±16.1 ml vs. 28.2±9.2 ml, p=0.01) and minimum (46.2±17.5 ml vs. 34.6±11.6 ml, p=0.02) RA volumes were detected in ILVNC patients. Only total (18.6±8.5 ml vs. 12.2±5.9 ml, p=0.01) and passive (12.0±13.3 vs. 5.9±3.7 ml, p=0.05) RA stroke volumes, representing features of RA reservoir and conduit phases, were increased in ILVNC; active RA stroke volume and all emptying fractions did not differ between ILVNC patients and matched controls. Moreover, global, mean segmental and regional peak strains and strains at atrial contraction showed no differences between ILVNC patients and controls.

CONCLUSIONS: 3DSTE-derived volumetric analysis confirmed increased cyclic RA volumes in ILVNC. Only mild RA functional alterations were demonstrated in ILVNC.