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Reproducibility and feasibility of right ventricular strain and strain rate (SR) as determined by myocardial speckle tracking during high-intensity upright exercise: a comparison with tissue Doppler-derived strain and SR in healthy human hearts

Echo Research & Practice volume 1, pages 31–41 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

This study aimed to establish feasibility for myocardial speckle tracking (MST) and intra-observer reliability of both MST and tissue velocity imaging (TVI)-derived right ventricular (RV) strain (ε) and strain rate (SR) at rest and during upright incremental exercise. RV ε and SR were derived using both techniques in 19 healthy male participants. MST-derived ε and SR were feasible at rest (85% of segments tracked appropriately). Feasibility reduced significantly with progressive exercise intensity (3% of segments tracking appropriately at 90% maximum heart rate (HRmax)). Coefficient of variations (CoVs) of global ε values at rest was acceptable for both TVI and MST (7–12%), with low bias and narrow limits of agreement. Global SR data were less reliable for MST compared with TVI as demonstrated with CoV data (systolic SR=15 and 61%, early diastolic SR=16 and 17% and late diastolic SR=26 and 31% respectively). CoVs of global RV ε and SR obtained at 50% HRmax were acceptable using both techniques. As exercise intensity increased to 70 and 90% HRmax, reliability of ε and SR values reduced with larger variability in MST. We conclude that RV global and regional ε and SR data are feasible, comparable and reliable at rest and at 50% HRmax using both MST and TVI. Reliability was reduced during higher exercise intensities with only TVI acceptable for clinical and scientific use.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Tom Reilly Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK

    Rachel N. Lord BSc, Keith George PhD, Helen Jones PhD & David Oxborough PhD

  2. Countess of Chester Hospital, NHS Trust, Chester, UK

    John Somauroo FRCP

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  1. Rachel N. Lord BSc
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  2. Keith George PhD
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Correspondence to David Oxborough PhD.

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Lord, R.N., George, K., Jones, H. et al. Reproducibility and feasibility of right ventricular strain and strain rate (SR) as determined by myocardial speckle tracking during high-intensity upright exercise: a comparison with tissue Doppler-derived strain and SR in healthy human hearts. Echo Res Pract 1, 31–41 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1530/ERP-14-0011

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1530/ERP-14-0011

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Echo Research & Practice

ISSN: 2055-0464

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