Clinical Relevance and Lower Limit of Normality of New Left Ventricular, Right Ventricular, and Left Atrial Functional Parameters Using Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography

Abstract

The findings of these studies analyzing large cohorts of healthy subjects and patients with CV diseases and risk factors have highlighted and demonstrated the potential usefulness and clinical relevance of new functional and myocardial parameters such as LV strain, RV strain, and LA strain. In addition, these studies have provided the lower limit of normality of these new myocardial parameters, which could be of pivotal importance in determining normal or abnormal cardiac function using these new parameters. Nonetheless, further studies should validate these findings and expert consensus should recommend these new myocardial parameters before introducing these new LV, RV, and LA functional analyses into clinical practice.