Relation between parameters of myocardial mechanics and ventricular arterial coupling: A three-dimensional speckle-tracking study in healthy adults

Background: Understanding the relation between ventricular-arterial coupling (VAC) and myocardial mechanical parameters could offer an adjunctive perspective on left ventricular function. Objectives: Our aim was to study the relation between VAC and the parameters of myocardial mechanics using three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (3DSTE). Patients and Methods: We studied 68 normal participants (mean age, 35 ± 12.2 y; 36 [53%] males). VAC was measured by the ratio of arterial elastance (Ea) to ventricular elastance (Ees). The peak systolic value of longitudinal strain (LS), circumferential strain (CS), radial strain, three-dimensional global strain (3DGS), apical rotation, torsion, and twist and their time to peak were calculated. Results: Almost all deformation indices were higher in the women than in the men. LS (r = -0.41, P < 0.01), twist (r = 0.26, P < 0.03), rotation (r = 0.41, P < 0.01), and 3DGS (r = - 0.39, P < 0.01) were associated with age. Although significant associations were found between VAC and Ea or Ees in the men and women, no relation was found between Ea and Ees in both sexes (r = 0.07 in men and r = 0.08 in women). Indeed, VAC had a stronger association with Ea than with Ees (r = 0.708 vs. r = -0.537). Ees and VAC were related to torsion (r = 0.30 vs. r = -0.37; both P < 0.05); and Ea, Ees, and VAC were also associated with CS (r = 0.64, r = -0.45, and r = 0.79; all P < 0.05) and 3DGS (r = -0.55, r = 0.38, and r = -0.64; all P < 0.01). Conclusions: Amongst all myocardial mechanical parameters, VAC was related to CS and 3DGS as well as torsion.