Echocardiography-derived regional strain for assessment of non-culprit stenosis and prediction of systolic function recovery in acute STEMI

To compare echocardiographic regional longitudinal strain with quantitative coronary angiography and assess temporal changes in regional strain in patients with STEMI and multivessel coronary artery disease. Thirty-two patients with STEMI and multivessel coronary artery disease underwent coronary angiography with 3D quantification and baseline echocardiography. Regional longitudinal strain was measured as the average strain of three adjacent myocardial segments (RLS-3S) with the most impaired strain values. Forty-one stenosed vessels were identified (9 LAD [19%], 21 LCx [50%] and 11 RCA [31%]). RLS-3S did not correlate with diameter stenosis, area stenosis or minimal luminal diameter. Receiver operating curve analysis of RLS-3S for hemodynamic significant lesions (defined as positive fractional flow reserve or composite of ≥ 70% diameter stenosis and minimal luminal diameter < 1.2 mm) demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.63 (95% CI 0.45–0.76) with an optimal cut-off value of < 9.8%. Sensitivity and specificity of RLS-3S was 86% (42–100) and 48% (31–66). RLS-3S < 9.8% at baseline in remote myocardium subtended by the stenosed coronary vessel predicted benefit from percutaneous coronary intervention in terms of regional functional recovery. RLS-3S does not correlate with individual coronary angiography measures and moderately predicts hemodynamically significant lesions. RLS-3S could be used to predict regional functional recovery after additional revascularization.