Abstract 
Objectives: Severe symptomatic aortic stenosis is associated with a worse prognosis. The aim of our study was to determine the relationship between functional parameters of the left atrium (LA) and standard clinical and echocardiographic parameters in patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis, and to determine their role in the diagnostic algorithm of patients with severe aortic stenosis at the same time.

Methodology: 70 patients with confirmed severe symptomatic aortic stenosis were retrospectively included in the study. The values of LA deformations (LASr, LASct, LAScd) were determined by the "speckle tracking" method of echocardiography. Based on the ratio of the LA volume indexed to the body surface (LAVI) and measured using the Doppler tissue imaging (echocardiography) (DTI) in the area of the septal edge of the mitral annulus, the left atrium coupling index (LACI) was determined. We monitored the correlation of functional parameters of the left atrium with standard clinical and echocardiographic parameters of aortic stenosis.
Results: LACI values were statistically significantly positively correlated with the progression of symptoms, expressed by NYHA functional class (p = 0.0004) and negatively correlated with LV ejection fraction (r = –0.66; p = 0.0004), mean and peak flow gradient through the aortic valve (r = –0.62; p = 0.0009 and r = –0.58; p = 0.002, respectively). Moreover, the LASct value was correlated with the mean flow gradient across the aortic valve (r = 0.55; p = 0.048). A statistically significant relationship with other selected clinical and echocardiographic parameters was not proven.
Conclusion: Among the selected functional parameters of the left atrium, only LACI is significantly correlated with the progression of symptoms and the decrease of the systolic function of the left ventricle in the group of patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis. This parameter has potential in the prediction of clinical changes and could be included in the diagnostic algorithm of patients with severe aortic stenosis in the future (tab. 3, fig. 3, lit. 18). Text in PDF www.lekarsky.herba.sk.
Key words: aortic stenosis, symptoms, echocardiography, left atrial function, deformation.
Lek Obz 2024, 73 (4): 122-127

Marianna BARBIERIK VACHALCOVÁ 1, Štefan TÓTH 2, Tibor PORUBAN 1, Karolína Angela SIERADZKA 1, Gabriel VALOCIK 1, 
Kamil BARBIERIK 3, Radka HREŠKOVÁ 1, Silvia GURBAĽOVÁ 1, Ingrid SCHUSTEROVA 1

1 I. klinika kardiológie, Východoslovenský ústav srdcových a cievnych chorôb, Košice, prednosta prof. MUDr. G. Valočik, PhD.
2 SLOVACRIN, Lekárska fakulta, Univerzita Pavla Jozefa Šafárika, Košice, vedúci prof. MUDr. D. Pella, PhD.
3 Siemens Healthineers, Košice, vedúci Ing. K. Barbierik