Abstract
BACKGROUND: Aortic valve annular (AVA) plane systolic excursion (AAPSE) is an echocardiographic measure of left ventricular (LV) function, representing the spatial AVA displacement throughout the heart cycle. This study focused on examining associations between AAPSE and LV strains, as objective features of LV contractility patterns, assessed simultaneously by three-dimensional (3D) speckle-tracking echocardiography (3DSTE) in healthy adult individuals. It was also examined what happens when these parameters are at, or smaller or larger than, their mean values. METHODS: The present cohort study consisted of 111 healthy subjects (average age: 35.1±12.3 years, 70 men), In all individuals, two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography and 3DSTE have been utilized, the latter was used for simultaneous assessment of LV strains and AAPSE. RESULTS: Apical LV longitudinal strain proved to be increased in the presence of lower-than-average AAPSE. Midventricular, apical and global LV circumferential strain proved to be elevated in the presence of higher-than-average AAPSE. AAPSE showed no significant differences when comparing global LV strain subgroups having lower/higher than average and agerage values, but showed the lowest value for the average global LV radial, circumferential and longitudinal strains. CONCLUSIONS: There is a balanced sensitive relationship between AAPSE and regional LV strains as assessed during the same 3DSTE in healthy adults.