Assessment of the Left Ventricular Systolic Function of Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction after Cardiac Rehabilitation by Using Two Dimensional Echocardiography

Objective: The aim of this study was to use two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography to evaluate the effect of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on the left ventricular systolic function of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) who had been revascularized by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Material and Methods: Forty-two patients with AMI and successful revascularization by PCI were enrolled in the study. Left ventricular global longitudinal, global circumferential, and mean radial systolic strain analyses were performed using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography before and after CR. Left ventricular ejection fraction was measured using the biplane Simpson’s method. Results: There were significant differences in ejection fraction (EF) measurements before and after CR (49±8 vs. 53±8, respectively; p=0.039). The improvements in two-dimensional speckle tracking global longitudinal strain (p=0.031) and two-dimensional speckle tracking global circumferential strain (p=0.005) after CR were statistically significant. Despite these improvements, the difference between radial strain before and after CR was not statistically significant (p=0.109). Septal and lateral systolic motion measurements and myocardial performance index measured with tissue Doppler echocardiogram Improved with CR. Conclusion: CR has beneficial effects on left ventricular global longitudinal and global circumferential strains, as well as EF, after AMI.