Global 2-dimensional strain as a new prognosticator in patients with heart failure

Objectives We sought to evaluate whether global 2-dimensional (2D) strain offers additional benefit over left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) to predict clinical events in heart failure.

Background Although 2D strain based on speckle tracking has been proposed as a simple and reproducible tool to detect systolic dysfunction, the relationship of 2D strain and prognosis has not been studied.

Methods Two hundred one patients (age 63 +/- 11 years, 34% female, LVEF 34 +/- 13%) hospitalized for acute heart failure underwent clinical evaluation and conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography. Using dedicated software, we measured the global longitudinal strain (GLS) in apical 4- and 2-chamber views and the global circumferential strain (GCS) in a parasternal short-axis view. Cardiac events were defined as readmission for heart failure or cardiac death.

Results There were 23.4% clinical events during 39 +/- 17 months of follow-up. In univariate analysis, age, left atrial volume, left ventricular volume, LVEF, ratio of early transmitral flow to early diastolic annular velocity (E/e'), and both GLS and GCS were predictive of cardiac events. In multivariate Cox models, age (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01 to 1.10, p = 0.017) and GCS (HR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.28; p = 0.006) were independently associated with cardiac events. By Cox proportional hazards model, the addition of GCS markedly improved the prognostic utility of a model containing ejection fraction, E/e', and GLS.

Conclusions GCS is a powerful predictor of cardiac events and appears to be a better parameter than ejection fraction in patients with acute heart failure.