Long-term prognostic value of left atrial longitudinal strain in an elderly community-based cohort

Despite the well-known importance of left atrial (LA) mechanics in diastolic function, data are scarce regarding the prognostic power of LA longitudinal strain and its potential added value in the risk stratification of an elderly population. Accordingly, our aim was to determine the long-term prognostic importance of 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography-derived peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) in a community-based screening sample. Three hundred and fourteen volunteers were retrospectively identified from a population-based screening program (mean age 62 ± 11 years; 58% female) with a median follow-up of 9.5 years. All subjects who participated in the screening program underwent 2D echocardiography to measure left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF), global longitudinal strain (GLS), and PALS, as well as low-dose cardiac CT to determine the Agatston score. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Thirty-nine subjects (12.4%) met the primary endpoint. Subjects with adverse outcomes had significantly lower LV GLS (dead vs. alive; − 19.2 ± 4.3 vs. − 20.6 ± 3.5%, p < 0.05) and PALS (32.3 ± 12.0 vs. 41.8 ± 14.2%, p < 0.001), whereas LV EF did not show a difference between the two groups (51.1 ± 7.0 vs. 52.1 ± 6.2, %, p = NS). By multivariable Cox regression analysis, PALS was found to be a significant predictor of adverse outcomes independent of LV GLS, and Agatston and Framingham scores. In subjects with PALS values below the standard cut-off of 39%, the risk of all-cause mortality was almost 2.5 times higher (hazard ratio: 2.499 [95% confidence interval: 1.334–4.682], p < 0.05). Beyond the assessment of LV EF and LV GLS, PALS offers incremental value in cardiovascular risk stratification in a community-based elderly cohort. PALS was found to be a significant and independent predictor of long-term mortality among other classical cardiovascular risk estimators.