ObjectiveTo evaluate left ventricular function in patients with essential hypertension by two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D-STI).

MethodsFifty essential hypertension patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >52% were selected as the hypertension group, and according to left ventricular mass index (LVMI), they were divided into left ventricular hypertrophy group (LVH group) and non-left ventricular hypertrophy group (NLVH group).Twenty-two healthy subjects were selected as the control group.Conventional ultrasound data were obtained by conventional two-dimensional echocardiography.Global peak longitudinal strain (GLS), global peak circumferential strain (GCS), global peak radial strain (GRS), left ventricular total rotation Angle (LVtor), longitudinal strain peak time dispersion (LPSD) and circumferential strain peak time dispersion (CPSD) were measured by 2D-STI.The above parameters were compared among groups and their correlation with LVMI was analyzed.

ResultsThere were significant differences in GLS, GCS, LVtor and LPSD among groups (P < 0.05).CPSD: there were significant differences between control group and LVH group, NLVH group and LVH group (P < 0.05).GLS was negatively correlated with LVMI (P < 0.01), GCS, LVtor and LPSD were positively correlated with LVMI (P < 0.01), and CPSD was weakly positively correlated with LVMI (P < 0.01).

ConclusionsLeft ventricular systolic function is impaired in essential hypertension patients with preserved ejection fraction, and the damage of left ventricular systolic function is aggravated with the thickening of left ventricular systolic function.GLS, GCS, LVtor and LPSD can be used as reliable indicators to evaluate the early changes of left ventricular systolic function in essential hypertension patients, and provide help for clinical diagnosis and efficacy evaluation.