OS094. Subclinical left ventricular dysfunction in preeclamptic women with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction: A 2D speckle tracking imaging study

S Shahul; J Rhee; S Rana; M Hacker; J Mitchell; P Hess; F-U-D Mahmood; D Talmor

doi:10.1016/j.preghy.2012.04.095

OS094. Subclinical left ventricular dysfunction in preeclamptic women with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction: A 2D speckle tracking imaging study

Pregnancy Hypertens. 2012 Jul;2(3):229-30. doi: 10.1016/j.preghy.2012.04.095. Epub 2012 Jun 13.

Authors

S Shahul¹, J Rhee², S Rana², M Hacker², J Mitchell¹, P Hess¹, F-U-D Mahmood¹, D Talmor¹

Affiliations

¹ Anesthesia and Critical Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.
² Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.

PMID: 26105308
DOI: 10.1016/j.preghy.2012.04.095

Abstract

Introduction: Patients with preeclampsia are at risk for cardiovascular disease [1,2]. Changes in cardiac function are subtle in preeclampsia and are quantitatively difficult with conventional imaging. Strain measurements using speckle-tracking echocardiography have been used to sensitively quantifyabnormalities in other disease settings [3].

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in myocardial strain using speckle tracking echocardiography in women with and without preeclampsia. We hypothesized that global left systolic strain measures would prove more sensitive than conventional left ventricular ejection fraction in detecting early changes in systolic LV function manifesting as subclinical disease prior to overt progression.

Methods: We evaluated the feasibility and sensitivity of strain imaging using speckle tracking echocardiography. Thirty-six women were enrolled in this pilot study; 28 were analyzed: 11 with preeclampsia and 17 without preeclampsia. Echocardiographic Ejection fraction and global peak longitudinal ,radial and circumferential strain were measured.

Results: Global Median longitudinal strain was significantly worsened in women with preeclampsia compared to women without preeclampsia (P<0.0001). Similar results were observed for global radial strain (P=0.006) and circumferential strain (P=0.03). There was no significant difference in ejection fraction between the groups (P=0.52) (Table 1). Data are presented as median (interquartile range).

Conclusion: Myocardial strain imaging using speckle tracking is more sensitive than left ventricular ejection fraction to detect differences in left ventricular systolic function in women with and without preeclampsia.