Abstract：Objective: To evaluate the alteration of left atrial myocardial function in hypertensive patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation using real-time triplane strain rate imaging and to investigate its clinical significance. Methods: Thirty-five solitary hypertensive patients, 32 hypertensive patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and 33 healthy subjects were enrolled. Mean systolic peak strain rate, mean early diastolic peak strain rate and mean late diastolic peak strain rate(MSRs, MSRe and MSRa) were measured using real-time triplane strain rate imaging. Results: There was a significantly step-down change among control group, hypertensive group and hypertensive with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation group in MSRs(P<0.0001), MSRe was significantly decreased in hypertensive group(P<0.01), MSRe had no significant difference in hypertension with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation group(P>0.05), MSRa was significantly increased in hypertensive group(P<0.01), while MSRa was decreased in hypertension with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation group(P<0.05). Conclusions: The left atrial myocardial function in hypertensive patients is significantly impaired, which is worsen in hypertensive patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, real-time triplane strain rate imaging provides important applicable significance in the comprehensive evaluation of left atrial myocardial function in hypertensive patients.
2011, Vol. 22 
