Left ventricular (LV) twist or torsion represents the mean longitudinal gradient of the net difference in clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the LV apex and base, as viewed from LV apex. Twist during ejection predominantly deforms the subendocardial fiber matrix, resulting in storage of potential energy. Subsequent recoil of twist deformation is associated with the release of restoring forces, which contributes to LV diastolic relaxation and early diastolic filling. Noninvasive techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography are useful for understanding LV twist dynamics in clinical settings, and data regarding their relative merits and pitfalls are rapidly accumulating. This review is a focused update on the current and evolving applications of LV twist mechanics in clinical cardiology. First, the theoretical framework for understanding the physiological sequence of LV twist during a cardiac cycle is presented. Second, variations in LV twist encountered in different experimental and clinical situations are discussed. Finally, the review presents an algorithm for routine application of LV twist in clinical differentiation of patterns of LV dysfunction encountered in day-to-day practice.

Twist Mechanics of the Left Ventricle: Principles and Application

Twist and untwist mechanics of the left ventricle

A 52-year-old white man visited his physician because he started experiencing shortness of breath on walking short distances at ground level. He had smoked half a packet of cigarettes daily for 40 years. Physical examination revealed a blood pressure of 147/95 mm Hg. Chest examination and chest x-ray were unremarkable, and ECG showed left atrial abnormality. The patient had normal serum electrolytes, blood sugar, and kidney function tests. A stress echocardiogram was ordered to exclude potential coronary artery disease. His resting echocardiography showed an ejection fraction (EF) of 60%, normal septal and posterior wall thickness, and mild diastolic dysfunction (septal early diastolic mitral annular velocity [e′] of 7 cm/s, early diastolic [E wave] to late diastolic [A wave] transmitral Doppler flow velocity ratio [E/A] of 1.4, E-wave deceleration time of 210 ms, E/e′ ratio of 9, and left atrial volume index of 44 mL/m2; Figure 1A). There were no resting segmental wall motion abnormalities suggestive of ischemia. The patient exercised on a treadmill using Bruce protocol for 4 minutes and 43 s, and achieved 6.6 metabolic equivalent of task and maximum heart rate of 148 bpm (88% of his maximum age predicted heart rate). At peak exercise, the patient developed severe dyspnea and his blood pressure was 213/90 mm Hg. Post exercise echocardiography was acquired within 1 minute of exercise termination and showed EF of 69% and no segmental wall motion abnormalities, with Doppler recordings obtained at recovering heart rate of 125 bpm; showing a septal e′ velocity of 7.3 cm/s, E/A of 1.9, E-wave deceleration time of 110 ms, and E/e′ of 13.7, left atrial volume index of 35 mL/m2 (Figure 1B). Ten minutes into the recovery period, the blood pressure returned to basal level (145/80 mm Hg). Compared with resting levels, the increased E/A ratio, shortened E-wave deceleration …

Left Ventricular Twist and Torsion: Research Observations and Clinical Applications

The anatomy of the adult human left ventricle (LV) is the result of its complex interaction with its environment. From the fetal to the neonatal to the adult form, the human LV undergoes an anatomical transformation that finally results in the most complex of the four cardiac chambers. In its adult form, the human LV consists of two muscular helixes that surround the midventricular circumferential layer of muscle fibers. Contraction of these endocardial and epicardial helixes results in a twisting motion that is thought to minimize the transmural stress of the LV muscle. In the healthy myocardium, the LV twist response to stimuli that alter preload, afterload, or contractility has been described and is deemed relatively consistent and predictable. Conversely, the LV twist response in patient populations appears to be a little more variable and less predictable, yet it has revealed important insight into the effect of cardiovascular disease on LV mechanical function. This review discusses important methodological aspects of assessing LV twist and evaluates the LV twist responses to the main physiological and pathophysiological states. It is concluded that correct assessment of LV twist mechanics holds significant potential to advance our understanding of LV function in human health and cardiovascular disease.

Left Ventricular Twist Mechanics in the Context of Normal Physiology and Cardiovascular Disease: A Review of Studies using Speckle Tracking Echocardiography

Background— Contemporary understanding of exercise-induced cardiac remodeling is based on cross-sectional data and relatively short duration longitudinal studies. Temporal progression of exercise-induced cardiac remodeling remains incompletely understood.

Methods and Results— A longitudinal repeated-measures study design using 2-dimensional and speckle-tracking echocardiography was used to examine acute augmentation phase (AAP; 90 days) and more extended chronic maintenance phase (39 months) left ventricular (LV) structural and functional adaptations to endurance exercise training among competitive male rowers (n=12; age 18.6±0.5 years). LV mass was within normal limits at baseline (93±9 g/m2), increased after AAP (105±7 g/m2; P =0.001), and further increased after chronic maintenance phase (113±10 g/m2; P <0.001 for comparison to post-AAP). AAP LV hypertrophy was driven by LV dilation (ΔLV end-diastolic volume, 9±3 mL/m2; P =0.004) with stable LV wall thickness (ΔLV wall thickness, 0.3±0.1 mm; P =0.63). In contrast, chronic maintenance phase LV hypertrophy was attributable to LV wall thickening (Δ LV wall thickness, 1.1±0.4 mm; P =0.004) with stable LV chamber volumes (ΔLV end-diastolic volume, 1±1 mL/m2; P =0.48). Early diastolic peak tissue velocity increased during AAP (−11.7±1.9 versus −13.6±1.3 cm/s; P <0.001) and remained similarly increased after chronic maintenance phase.

Conclusions— In a small sample of competitive endurance athletes, exercise-induced cardiac remodeling follows a phasic response with increases in LV chamber size, early diastolic function, and systolic twist in an acute augmentation phase of exercise training. This is followed by a chronic phase of adaptation characterized by increasing wall thickness and regression in LV twist. Training duration is a determinant of exercise-induced cardiac remodeling and has implications for the assessment of myocardial structure and function in athletes.

Exercise-Induced Left Ventricular Remodeling Among Competitive Athletes: A Phasic Phenomenon.

Recently, it has been proposed the use of speckle- tracking echography (STE) to study the left ventricle (LV) torsion dynamics, which would make LV torsion assessment more available in clinical and research cardiology. LV torsion has been described during exercise and in some sportsmen, but so far, its dynamics has not been studied in soccer players. The aims were to characterize and to compare LV apical and basal rotation, and to analyze LV torsion in professional soccer players using STE, and to determine the main differences in torsion between soccer players and age-matched non-trained individuals. The STE allowed characterizing LV rotation and torsion in both groups. LV torsion level and velocities were lesser in soccer players than in non-trained individuals. Changes in torsion in soccer players could represent physiological adaptations to training.

Assessment of training-dependent changes in the left ventricle torsion dynamics of professional soccer players using speckle-tracking echocardiography

The left ventricle (LV) torsion is an important feature of the ventricle’s biomechanics. Using speckle-tracking echography (STE) the assessment of LV torsion dynamics would be more available in clinical and research cardiology Particular features of the LV torsion have been described during exercise and in some sportsmen, but up to now the LV torsion dynamics has not been studied in soccer players. The aims were to characterize the LV systolic and diastolic torsion dynamic in professional soccer players using STE, and to analyze the main differences in torsion dynamics between soccer players and age-matched non-trained individuals. To this end the LV apical and basal rotation were quantified, and the systolic and diastolic torsion dynamic was characterized using a time and frequency-domain approach. The STE allowed characterizing the LV torsion level in both groups. The LV torsion level was lesser in soccer players than in non-trained individuals. Soccer players showed lesser amplitudes in the low frequency components of the LV torsion Fourier spectrum.

Time and frequency-domain characterization of the left ventricle torsion pattern of professional soccer players using speckle-tracking echocardiography

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Assessment of training-dependent changes in the left ventricle torsion dynamics of professional soccer players using speckle-tracking echocardiography

Time and frequency-domain characterization of the left ventricle torsion pattern of professional soccer players using speckle-tracking echocardiography