Left Atrial Function

The prognostic value of left atrial strain was consistent across the range of left atrial volume index, indicating that strain is not simply a proxy for left atrial size. The left atrium performs three distinct roles in the cardiac cycle: conduit during early diastolic filling, reservoir during ventricular systole, and contractile booster for left ventricular filling. The left atrium is exposed to left ventricular filling pressure during diastole, making it vulnerable to pressure-induced remodelling in conditions with chronically elevated filling pressures.