Objective To investigate the dynamic changes of left ventricular longitudinal systolic function in patients with atrial septal defect (ASD) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) before and after interventional occlusion using echocardiography.

Methods A total of 57 patients undergoing interventional occlusion in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from September 2015 to January 2016 were enrolled.Patients were divided into PH group and non-PH group. Echocardiographic examinations were performed for all subjects one day before, one day after and 1-6 months after the interventional occlusion. Twenty healthy individuals were included as a control group. Global and regional longitudinal strain (LS) of the left ventricle were analyzed using TomTec software.

Results There were 27 patients in the PH group and 30 patients in the non-PH group. At baseline, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and tissue Doppler velocity of tricuspid annulus S' in both the PH and non-PH groups were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Longitudinal systolic function of the right ventricle decreased significantly on the first day after occlusion (P < 0.05), and slightly increased 1-6 months after occlusion. Patients in the non-PH group showed a decreased LS in a small portion of the left ventricular segments 1 d and 1-6 months after occlusion (P < 0.05); patients in the PH group showed a decreased left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) on the first day after occlusion (P < 0.05), primarily was in the basal and middle parts of the ventricle (P < 0.05), without significant change in the apical part, and the LS of the left ventricle tended to increase 1-6 months after occlusion.

Conclusions With or without PH, longitudinal movement of the right ventricle in ASD patient is excessive before occlusion, and gradually improves after occlusion. Left ventricular GLS decreases in ASD patients with PH, with segmental differences 1 day after occlusion.