Abstract:
Objective To evaluate the application value of three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (3D-STI) in quantitatively evaluating the left ventricular global strain in recipients within 3 months after renal transplantation.
Methods Clinical data including blood pressure, serum creatinine and tacrolimus blood concentration of 34 renal transplant recipients were collected before operation, 7 d, 1 month and 3 months after operation, respectively. Meanwhile, conventional echocardiography and 3D-STI examination were performed. Echocardiographic parameters left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and 3D-STI parameters left ventricular global peak longitudinal strain (GPLS), global peak circumferential strain (GPCS), global peak radial strain (GPRS) and global peak area strain (GPAS) of recipients were collected. The changes of these parameters before operation, 7 d, 1 month and 3 months after operation were statistically compared. The changing characteristic and application value of 3D-STI in quantitatively evaluating the left ventricular global strain in recipients within 3 months after renal transplantation were evaluated.
Results LVEF and GPCS did not significantly differ at different time points (all P > 0.05), whereas LVEDV, LVESV, GPLS, GPAS and GPRS significantly differed at different time points from preoperative to within postoperative 3 months (all P < 0.001). GPLS, GPAS and GPRS trended to decline within postoperative 1 month, and slightly increased at 3 months after operation, which was still lower than the preoperative levels.
Conclusions Application of 3D-STI may sensitively detect the changes of left ventricular global strain in recipients after renal transplantation when no significant variations are observed in postoperative LVEF. Compared with conventional echocardiography, 3D-STI may more accurately evaluate the changes of left ventricular global strain in recipients after renal transplantation.