Comparisons of Myocardial Deformation Between Cases With Normal Coronary Arteries and Patients With Coronary Slow Flow

Abstract

<span><strong><em>Background: </em></strong><span>Slow coronary flow (SCF) is a condition defined as the delayed passage of the contrast<span> agent in the absence of angiographic coronary artery stenosis. Left ventricular (LV) systolic and<span> diastolic dysfunction has been reported in patients with SCF, which can influence their<span> functional capacity. This study compared myocardial deformation between cases with normal<span> coronary arteries and patients with SCF.<br /><span><strong><em>Methods</em></strong><span><em>: </em><span>This cross-sectional comparative study included 32 patients with SCF and 32 controls with<span> normal epicardial coronary arteries (NECA). After coronary angiography, echocardiography<span> was done for all the participants and the results were compared between the groups.<br /><span><strong><em>Results: </em></strong><span>A total of 64 patients were studied. The mean global longitudinal peak systolic strain<span> (GLPS.Avg) was 16.85. SCF was significantly more frequent in the men than in the women<span> (<span><em>P </em><span>< 0.05). Diabetes mellitus, systemic hypertension, a history of past or current smoking, and a<span> family history of coronary artery disease (CAD) in the patients with SCF and dyslipidemia in<span> the NECA group were more frequent, although these differences were not statistically<span> significant. GLPS.Avg and global longitudinal peak systolic stress in the apical 4-chamber view<span> (GLPS.A4C) in the patients with SCF were significantly lower than those in the NECA group.<span> Global strain in the apical 2- and 3-chamber views (GLPS.A2C and GLPS.LAX), septal E,<span> septal A, lateral E, lateral A, and right ventricular Sm (peak myocardial systolic velocity) were<span> also nonsignificantly lower in the patients with SCF.<br /><span><strong><em>Conclusions: </em></strong><span>Strain imaging using 2D echocardiography was abnormal in our patients with SCF, in<span> comparison with the NECA group. These abnormalities may represent subtle systolic and/or<span> diastolic dysfunction in patients suffering from SCF.</span></span></span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>