Objective: To evaluate the papillary muscle function of patients with chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) using two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging.
Methods: 119 patients with chronic IMR and 94 normal controls were enrolled in this study. The peak systolic strain (PSS) and peak systolic strain rate (PSSR) of the papillary muscle were assessed with two-dimensional strain software. The PSS and PSSR were compared between the patients with anterior myocardial infarct (AMI) and those with inferior myocardial infarct (IMI). The correlation between the degree of IMR and the position of MI was analysed.
Results: The patients with chronic IMR had significantly lower PSS and PSSR than the normal controls. The IMI patients had significantly lower PSS and PSSR than the AMI patients. The IMI patients had significantly higher degree of MR than the AMI patients.
Conclusion: Two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging is a reliable method for assessing papillary muscle function.