Evidence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction detected by automated function imaging in patients with heart failure and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) cannot reflect cardiac contractile function in patients with heart failure and preserved LVEF (HFPEF). LV systolic impairment is actually debated in HFPEF patients. Automated function imaging (AFI) is a novel algorithm of speckle-tracking echocardiography and efficiently to assess global LV peak systolic longitudinal strain (PSLS), an index for systolic function. The purpose of the study is to examine whether contractile function is impaired in HFPEF patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS: This study included 49 heart failure patients (23 with systolic dysfunction [SHF] and 26 with HFPEF), and 40 patients, matched for age, sex, as well as concomitant disease and without heart failure as controls. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography. LVEF was measured by Simpson's method. Two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging with AFI assessment was applied to measure longitudinal strain. LVEF was 66+/-5% in the controls, 63+/-8% in the HFPEF group (P=.14), and 34+/-10% in the SHF group (P < .001). The value of LV global PSLS (controls: -20%, HFPEF: -14%, SHF: -8%, P < .001) was significantly less negative in both heart failure groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Deteriorated LV systolic function is demonstrated by decreased global PSLS in HFPEF patients. AFI is an effective and facile method for assessing LV systolic abnormalities.