Application of global longitudinal strain as a parameter of left ventricular systolic function in echocardiography

Jang, Se Yong; Jang, Se Yong

Clin Ultrasound > Accepted Articles

Se Yong Jang

School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea, Daegu, Korea

Address for Correspondence:

Se Yong Jang ,Tel: 053-200-2822, Fax: 053-200-2176, Email: happyjsy79@gmail.com

Received: 26 September 2023; Accepted: 30 October 2023. Published online: 30 October 2023.

ABSTRACT

Global longitudinal strain (GLS) derived from speckle tracking has emerged as an important tool in assessing myocardial function, offering sensitive insights into cardiac performance. This review highlights GLS as a valuable technique for early detection and monitoring of various cardiac conditions, including heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and valvular heart disease. GLS measures deformation along the longitudinal axis of the heart, providing a quantitative assessment of global left ventricular systolic function. It surpasses traditional parameters like ejection fraction (EF) in sensitivity, detecting abnormalities at earlier stages. Additionally, GLS proves to be a robust predictor of adverse events in a wide spectrum of cardiac diseases. While GLS shows promise, it does have some drawbacks like relying on image quality and standardized guidelines. However, its high consistency and lower reliance on the operator make it more reliable in real-world clinical settings. Overall, GLS stands as an indispensable tool in cardiovascular imaging, empowering clinicians to detect subtle changes in cardiac function, predict adverse events, and optimize patient care and outcomes.

Keywords: global longitudinal strain; echocardiography; strain