Relationship Between Left Atrial Strain and Atrial Fibrillation: The Role of Stress Echocardiography

Abstract

Interest in advanced echocardiographic imaging methods is growing. The left atrial strain (LAS) is among the recently developed echocardiographic parameters. LAS represents an index of tissue deformation of the left atrium (LA). This parameter is an expression of the LA function. Several arrhythmias depend on the impaired LA function. LAS can be assessed with a resting echocardiogram. The evaluation of LAS during stress echocardiography represents another model for assessing LA function. The development of altered LAS during physical or pharmacological stress is a predictor of early LA disease. Our review aims to evaluate the relationship between the alterations of the LAS and the development of atrial fibrillation (AF), and the diagnostic and prognostic role of the stress echocardiogram in clinical practice.