Changes in global longitudinal strain and left ventricular ejection fraction during the first year after myocardial infarction: results from a large consecutive cohort

To determine changes of global longitudinal strain (GLS) and their predictors in relation to classical echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular (LV) function, over 1 year, in consecutive patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and initially normal or impaired LV ejection fraction (EF). A total of 285 patients with MI prospectively included in the REBUS (RElevance of Biomarkers for future risk of thromb-oembolic events in UnSelected post-myocardial infarction patients) study underwent echocardiography within 72 h from admission and after 1 year. At baseline, 213 (74.7%) of MI patients had a normal EF (≥52% in men or ≥54% in women), but in 70.4% of them, an impaired GLS ( ≥ -18.0%) was observed. During 1-year follow-up, in patients with normal EF at baseline, GLS improved from -15.8% to - 17.4% (10.1% relative change); EF decreased from 62.5% to 59.9% (4.0% relative change); indexed end-diastolic volume, indexed end-systolic volume, and indexed stroke volume increased with 15.6%, 24.8%, and 10.0% of relative change, respectively (P