The evaluation of myocardial function of patients in the early stage of acute ischemic stroke by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography

ABSTRACT Purpose To evaluate the myocardial dysfunction in the early stage of nonhemorrhagic stroke and its association with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, by two‐dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. Methods We included 29 patients with acute ischemic stroke, in whom NIHSS scores were calculated and stroke infarct volumes recorded. Within 48 hours of admission, cardiac evaluation with speckle tracking echocardiography was performed and left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) and global longitudinal systolic strain rate were obtained. These measurements were repeated on the 10th day. Results NIHSS score improved, but infarct volume increased (p = 0.011 and 0.065, respectively) from admission to day 10. Ejection fraction was 53.2% and 55.8%, respectively, at admission and day 10 (p = 0.482), while GLS improved from −16.41% to −18.76% (p = 0.003). Conclusions GLS and global longitudinal systolic strain rate showed significant improvement together with NIHSS score. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 44:305–311, 2016