Left Ventricular Longitudinal Strain Is Associated with Ascending Aortic Diameters in Healthy Adults—A Detailed Single-Center Retrospective Analysis from the Three-Dimensional Speckle-Tracking Echocardiographic MAGYAR-Healthy Study

Background and Objectives: A more precise understanding of ventriculo–arterial coupling is essential, particularly regarding quantitative and qualitative associations can be demonstrated between the aorta and the left ventricle (LV), which is considered the engine of the central circulation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the associations between three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (3DSTE) derived unidimensional LV strains and end-systolic and end-diastolic ascending aortic diameters measured by M-mode echocardiography (MME). Additionally, the outcomes were analyzed after stratifying the parameters into below-average, average, and above-average. Materials and Methods: The present retrospective cohort study consisted of 162 healthy adult volunteers enrolled between 2011 and 2017, of which 93 participants (mean age: 30.6 ± 10.0 years; 54 males) were eligible for simultaneous 3DSTE-derived LV strain assessment and MME-based aortic dimension measurement. In all individuals, MME, two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography and 3DSTE were performed. Results: An increase in end-diastolic ascending aortic diameter (AAD) was associated with an increase in end-systolic AAD, and vice versa. At the maximum end-diastolic AAD, the basal, global, and mean segmental LV longitudinal strain (LS) values reached their lowest. When end-systolic AAD reached its maximum, both global and mean segmental LV-LS dropped to their minimum. The highest end-diastolic and end-systolic AADs were detectable in the presence of the lowest global LV-LS. With larger end-diastolic and end-systolic AADs, a trend toward higher LV radial strain was present. Conclusions: Even in the absence of cardiovascular pathology, a finely tuned interaction can be observed between regional LV deformation, especially with LV-LS and the size of the ascending aorta in healthy individuals.