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Background: Intrathoracic pressure related to breathing or positive pressure ventilatory support has effects on venous return to the heart and transmyocardial pressures. In addition, autonomic nerve system activity affects cardiac inotropy, chronotropy, and loading. Knowledge of these physiological interactions is relevant when interpreting atrial and ventricular strain results as part of heart function assessment by echocardiography in patients with ventilatory support. 

Purpose: We aimed to assess 2-D global longitudinal strain (GLS%) for all four heart chambers (atria and ventricles) during controlled changes in intrathoracic pressure, as well as sympathetic nerve system activation. We hypothesized that GLS% is affected by both load and sympathetic tone. 

Methods: With ethical approval and participant consent, 20 healthy volunteers (medical students) performed a controlled Valsalva manoeuvre, a mask positive pressure inspiration (CPAP) manoeuvre (25 cm H2O) and a Hand Grip manoeuvre (squeezing a rolled towel with 75% of maximum force with one hand for 2 minutes). We monitored continuous blood pressure and heart rate (using a Finapres) during the manoeuvres to make sure that the manoeuvres caused the desired physiologic effects.

GLS% of the individual chambers were measured before and during these manoeuvres using commercially available post- processing software, from the 4-chamber view. 2 different operators measured independently the GLS% for every manoeuvre.  Paired measurement comparisons were performed (paired t test). 

Results: Both the Valsalva maneuverer and CPAP caused reductions in GLS % in all four chambers. The Hand Grip manoeuvre did not cause any change in GLS % in any chamber.

Conclusion: Since both CPAP and late Valsalva causes a reduction in preload, we assume that a decrease in preload causes a reduction in GLS% in the heart chambers. Both Valsalva and Handgrip manoeuvres causes a raised sympathicus tone which does not seem to affect GLS% in any chamber. (In the Hand Grip manoeuvre there was a rise in blood pressure and pulse during the manoeuvre, as a sign of increased sympathetic tone.)

From these preliminary findings, we conclude that for healthy young individuals GLS% appears to decrease in all chambers during Valsalva and CPAP, while no change in GLS% is caused by the Hand Grip manoeuvre.