Role of left ventricular strain measurements and native T1 and T2 mapping on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating early left ventricle myocardial derangement in patients with high normal blood pressure.

Abstract

Introduction: The study sought to evaluate changes in left ventricular (LV) strain and native T1/T2 mapping characteristics on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in patients with high-normal blood pressure (HNBP).

Methods: A prospective case-control study including 25 cases having HNBP and 25 age- and sex-matched healthy controls was conducted. LV strain was evaluated on CMR using feature tracking and 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional longitudinal, circumferential and radial strain values were calculated. Native T1/T2 mapping values were also calculated.

Results: Subclinical impairment of LV mechanics was evident in the form of deranged LV strain parameters in cases with HNBP compared to controls. The two-dimensional global radial (25.34±3.06 vs. 28.52±5.69; P=0.0323), global circumferential (-16.05±1.31 vs. -17.27±2.23; P=0.0241) and global longitudinal strain (-16.33±2.24 vs. -16.49±7.25); P=0.0193) and three-dimensional global circumferential strain (-13.94±10.81 vs. -17.84±2.78; P=0.0133) values were significantly impaired in cases compared to controls. No significant difference was observed in the native T1/T2 mapping parameters.

Conclusion: LV strain parameters are significantly deranged in patients with HNBP, compared to healthy controls, in the absence of other morphological changes or interstitial fibrosis. Impaired LV strain parameters can serve as a new marker for detection of subclinical myocardial dysfunction in patients with HNBP having preserved chamber function.