Diastolic Filling in Patients After Heart Transplantation Is Impaired Due to an Altered Geometrical Relationship Between the Left Atrium and Ventricle

Abstract

Background The geometrical relationship between atrial and ventricular short‐axis cross‐sectional area determines the hydraulic forces acting on intracardiac blood. This is important for diastolic filling. In patients undergoing heart transplantation (HTx), the left atrium is often enlarged as a result of the standard surgical technique. We hypothesized that diastolic filling in HTx patients is affected by the surgery altering the geometrical relationship between atrium and ventricle. Methods and Results This retrospective, cross‐sectional study included 25 HTx patients (median age, 52 [range, 25–70] years), 15 patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (median age, 63 [range, 52–75] years), 15 patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (median age, 74 [range, 56–82] years), and 15 healthy controls (median age, 64 [range, 58–67] years) who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Left ventricular, atrial, and total heart volumes (THV) were obtained. Atrioventricular area difference at end diastole and end systole was calculated as the largest ventricular short‐axis area minus the largest atrial short‐axis area. Left atrial minimum volume normalized for THV (LA min /THV) was larger in HTx patients (median, 0.13 [range, 0.07–0.19]) compared with controls (median, 0.05 [range, 0.03–0.08], P <0.001), whereas left ventricular volume normalized for THV (left ventricular end‐diastolic volume/THV) was similar between HTx and controls (median, 0.19 [range, 0.12–0.24] and median, 0.22 [range, 0.20–0.25], respectively). At end diastole, when atrioventricular area difference reached its largest positive value in controls, 11 HTx patients (44%) had a negative atrioventricular area difference, indicating impaired diastolic filling. Conclusions Diastolic filling is impaired in HTx patients due to an altered geometrical relationship between the left atrium and ventricle. When performing cardiac transplantation, a surgical technique that creates a smaller left atrium may improve diastolic filling by aiding hydraulic forces.