Role of left atrial strain response to exercise in the transition from the preclinical to overt heart failure

Impaired left ventricular (LV) functional reserve has been shown to contribute to exercise intolerance in heart failure. Little is known about the role of left atrial (LA) functional response to exertion in this context. LA strain has recently emerged as a valuable diagnostic marker reflecting both LA and LV performance.

To investigate the association between LA strain response to exercise and exercise capacity across different stages of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Transthoracic echocardiography (including peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) and LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) assessment) was performed at rest and immediately post exercise test in 55 patients with stage A, 62 patients with stage B and 54 patients with stage C HFpEF.

There was a progressive worsening of peak oxygen uptake from stage A through stage B to stage C, which was accompanied by a gradual impairment of changes from rest to exercise in PALS, GLS, tissue early diastolic velocity e', LA ejection fraction and E/e' ratio (Table 1). In multivariable analysis including LV and LA components of cardiac functional reserve, changes from rest to exercise in PALS (beta 0.34, SE 0.07, p<0.001), e' (beta 0.29, SE 0.07, p<0.001) and GLS (beta 0.17, SE 0.07, p=0.014) were among the independent correlates of exercise capacity. However, after adjustment for age, sex and beta-blocker treatment, only the former two remained statistically significant.

LA strain response to exercise progressively deteriorates from stage A through stage B to stage C HFpEF, and is independently associated with exercise capacity. Accordingly, it might be considered in the risk stratification of the transition from the asymptomatic phase to overt HFpEF.

Type of funding sources: None.