Three-dimensional echocardiographic assessment of left atrial size and function and the normal range of asynchrony in healthy individuals.

Left atrial size and function are very important prognostic factors. Our aim was to evaluate left atrial size, function and mechanical synchrony using three-dimensional echocardiography in order to establish normal reference values. The study involved 63 healthy individuals enrolled at two hospitals. All underwent two-dimensional and three-dimensional echocardiography. Mechanical asynchrony was assessed by determining the standard deviation of the time each left atrial segment took to reach the minimum volume during atrial systole, normalized by the RR interval. The mean value for this normalized standard deviation was 15.4+/-10.9. In conclusion, it is possible to analyze left atrial asynchrony, size and function using three-dimensional echocardiography.