A total of 52 patients with CP (mean age, 57 ??12 years) and 19 control subjects were studied retrospectively. All patients with CP underwent echocardiography before (median, 12 days; interquartile range, 5-34 days) and after pericardiectomy (median, 20 days; interquartile range, 5-64 days). Global LA longitudinal strain (|¨¦ was calculated, which included peak negative |¨¤(|¨¹sub>negative), peak positive |¨¤(|¨¹sub>positive), and the sum of those values, total LA |¨¤(|¨¹sub>total), using speckle-tracking echocardiography with Velocity Vector Imaging. The regional difference of LA |¨¤between the septal and lateral walls was assessed before and after the procedure.
Patients with CP showed depressed global LA |¨¹sub>negative, LA |¨¹sub>total, and LA |¨¹sub>positive compared with controls. LA contractile (global LA |¨¹sub>negative) and reservoir functions (global LA |¨¹sub>total) showed significant increases after pericardiectomy. Regional analysis revealed that the improvement in LA function after surgery was more apparent in lateral segments, while the regional function of septal walls was depressed after surgery.
Patients with CP have impaired LA mechanics, presumably because of the constrictive tethering process involving the left atrium. Speckle-tracking echocardiography showed consistent results of changes in LA mechanics with conventional echocardiographic parameters early after the procedure. Regional |¨¤analysis aided in recognition of the impact of constrictive tethering and pericardiectomy on LA function.