Visual Assessment and Longitudinal Strain During Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography

Background/Objectives:Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is a non-invasive diagnostic method frequently used in daily practice to detect coronary artery disease. New echocardiographic techniques such as strain and strain rate quantify changes in myocardial contractility and can increase the accuracy of DSE. The primary objective of this study was to examine the correlation between visual assessment and longitudinal strain during dobutamine stress echocardiography. Methods: Our study was observa-tional and was conducted at the Cardiology Clinic of the University Clinical Center of the Republic of Srpska. It included 70 patients who underwent dobutamine stress echocar-diography.The patients were divided into two groups (diagnostic nd viable study). A visual assessment of segmental contractility of the left ventricle was performed, as well as an assessment of contractility with longitudinal strain (LS) during the test. Results:The median baseline LS of segments without impaired contractility in the diagnostic study was -20% (-21 to -18), and at the peak of the test -22% (-23 to -21). That was statistically significant (p< 0,05). The median baseline LS in the segments with impaired contractility was -17% (-18 to -16), and at the peak of the test, it was -13% (-15 to -12). That was statis-tically significant (p < 0,05). In the viability study, the average baseline LS in the segments with improved contractility was -8% (-11 to -7) and the peak of the test was -14% (-17 to -13). That was statistically significant (p < 0,05). The average baseline LS in the segments without improved contractility was -6% (-5 to -7), and at the peak of the test, it was -2% (-3-0). That was statistically significant (p < 0,05). Conclusion: Our study indicates a good correlation between a visual assessment of left ventricular segment contractility and lon-gitudinal strain during dobutamine stress echocardiography.