Echocardiographic multiparameter assessment for patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and atrial fibrillation.

Abstract

We aimed to assess the echocardiographic parameters of cardiac structure and function in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and atrial fibrillation (AF). Thirty-seven HFpEF patients with AF were selected, while 38 patients with simple HFpEF in the same period were selected as controls. Three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography was performed on both groups and the parameters were compared. The early diastolic longitudinal peak strain rates [early diastolic longitudinal strain rate (LSR_E), early diastolic circumferential strain rate (CSR_E), early diastolic radial strain rate (RSR_E) and early diastolic rotational strain rate (RotR_E)], late diastolic longitudinal peak strain rates (LSR_A, CSR_A, RSR_A and RotR_A) and untwisting parameters [untwisting rate during isovolumic relaxation time (UTR_IVR) and early peak untwisting rate (UTR_E)] were all negatively correlated with the ratio of early diastolic transmitral velocity to early diastolic mitral annular velocity ( E/E') (p < 0.01). The cardiac event-free survival rate of the simple HFpEF group (92.11%) was significantly higher than that of the HFpEF + AF group (81.08%) (p < 0.0001). UTR_IVR had a more significant correlation with E/E' ratio than the other indicators and could serve as a sensitive indicator for evaluating the diastolic function of patients with HFpEF + AF.