Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
Current clinical use of speckle-tracking strain imaging: insights from a worldwide survey from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI)
Authors' conclusion
Although STE is now readily available, it is underutilized in the majority of centres.
Study context
- Population
- Echocardiography centres worldwide (tertiary centres, private clinics or public hospitals)
- Participants
- 429 participants77 countries
- Outcome
- Current worldwide clinical application of STE
Methodological detailsworldwide open-access online survey, Respondents from tertiary centres (46%), private clinics or public hospitals (54%)
- Worldwide open-access online survey
- Respondents from tertiary centres (46%), private clinics or public hospitals (54%)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Access to speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE)
- 98%
- Performed and reported STE frequently (>50%)
- 39%
- STE used to assess LV function
- 99%
- STE used to assess right ventricle (RV) function
- 57%
- STE used to assess left atrial function
- 46%
- LV STE used for cardiotoxicity
- 88%
- LV STE used for cardiac amyloidosis
- 87%
- RV STE used for RV function in pulmonary hypertension
- 51%
- Suggestion: improved reproducibility
- 48%
- Suggestion: standardization of strain values across vendors
- 42%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Barriers and variation in STE use
- Incomplete training and time constraints were the main reasons for not using STE more regularly
- Frequency of use, adherence to optimal techniques and clinical appropriateness differed by training experience and across vendors
Original publication
Current clinical use of speckle-tracking strain imaging: insights from a worldwide survey from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI). Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging. Published 18 July 2023. doi:10.
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