Relationship between Left Atrial Function and Exercise Capacity in Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy
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- Category: Vol. 80, December 2012
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Relationship between Left Atrial Function and Exercise Capacity in Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy,AHMED NASSAR, ADEL GAMAL, AYMAN MORTTADA and ESSAM MOHAMED
Abstract
Evaluation of Left atrial (LA) function as well as left ventricular (LV) function in diseased hearts is very useful for clinical decision making particularly in heart failure.
Aim: This study aimed to assess the relation between LA function and exercise capacity in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients.
Methods and Results: The selected subjects were subdi-vided into 3 groups: Group 1: 10 healthy subjects, Group 2: 25 DCM patients with functional capacity 4 METS andanc Group 3: 15 DCM patients with functional capacity <4 METS. There was significant correlation between METS and each of LV diastolic function indices: A wave peak velocity (p<0.0001), E wave peak velocity (p<0.001), E/A ratio (p<0.0001) and mitral deceleration time (DT) (p-value <0.002), significant correlation between METS and each of the LA (maximum, minimum and pre-atrial systole) volumes (p<0.0001 for each parameter). Also, we found significant correlation between METS and each of LA Total emptying Fraction, but not with LA emptying volumes (p<0.0001) and active emptying Fraction (p<0.0001), but not with LA passive emptying fraction.
Conclusion: LA emptying fractions are good tests for the assessment of diastolic function and functional capacity. Peak exercise capacity has a close correlation with LA function in heart failure, and it showed significant negative correlations with LA emptying volumes.