A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

The effects of myocardial bridging on two-dimensional myocardial strain during dobutamine stress echocardiography




AuthorsBallo, Haitham; Uusitalo, Valtteri; Pietilä, Mikko; Wendelin-Saarenhovi, Maria; Saraste, Markku; Knuuti, Juhani; Saraste, Antti

PublisherSpringer

Publication year2024

JournalInternational Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging

Volume40

Issue11

First page 2345

Last page2355

ISSN1569-5794

eISSN1875-8312

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-024-03239-z

Web address https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10554-024-03239-z

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/457870139


Abstract

Myocardial bridging (MB) is a common anatomic variant in coronary arteries with unclear functional significance. We evaluated regional myocardial strain by speckle tracking during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) in patients with MB in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). We studied 11 patients with MB in the LAD and no obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), 7 patients without MB, but obstructive CAD in the LAD, and 12 controls without MB or obstructive CAD. MB was defined as either > 1 mm (superficial) or > 2 mm (deep) intramyocardial course of the LAD in coronary CT angiography. Regional longitudinal, radial and circumferential strains and strain rates as well as post-systolic strain index (PSI) were measured at rest, peak stress, and early recovery (1 min after stress). Strain parameters during DSE were similar in the myocardium distal to MB and other myocardial regions of the same patients as well as the LAD territory in controls. However, patients with obstructive CAD showed impaired LS and strain rate as well as increased PSI at peak stress. None of the MB was associated with systolic compression in invasive coronary angiography and strain parameters were similar between superficial and deep MB. Stress myocardial blood flow by positron emission tomography correlated with LS and RS at peak stress in the myocardium distal to MB (r = − 0.73, p = 0.03, and r = 0.64, p = 0.04, respectively). Myocardial strain is not reduced during DSE in patients with MB in the LAD and no significant systolic compression.


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Funding information in the publication
Open Access funding provided by University of Turku (including Turku University Central Hospital). Valtteri Uusitalo has had lecture fees and advisory board activity with Pfizer and GE Healthcare. Antti Saraste acknowledges financial support by grants from the Academy of Finland, the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, Juselius Foundation and State Research Funding of Turku University Hospital; and speaker or consultancy fees from Abbott, Astra Zeneca, BMS, Janssen, Novartis and Pfizer. The other authors had no grants regarding this study.


Last updated on 2025-26-02 at 13:34