A Critical Appraisal of a Recently Published Systematic Review
Abstract
I read with interest the published article titled “Reduced left ventricular global longitudinal strain in the coronary slow flow phenomenon: a systematic review and meta-analysis” in the latest issue of the journal Research in Heart Yield and Translational Medicine, authored by Seifi et al.1 The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting left ventricular global strain in patients with the coronary slow flow phenomenon. I identified several shortcomings in this manuscript, primarily related to the study design and data analysis, which undermine its clarity, reliability, and reproducibility.
1. Seifi Alan M, Hosseini K, Seifi Alan S, Mirzaei Z, Saeedi P, Bahrami S, Shahnavaz V, Rashidi H, Seifi Alan M, Rastad H. Reduced Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain in the Coronary Slow Flow Phenomenon: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Res Heart Yield Transl Med. 2025;20(4):310-22.
2. Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ. 2021 Mar 29;372:n71.
3. Nurkalem Z, Gorgulu S, Uslu N, Orhan AL, Alper AT, Erer B, et al. Longitudinal left ventricular systolic function is impaired in patients with coronary slow flow. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2009 Jan;25(1):25-32.
4. Wu J, Meng S, Wang H, Huang R, Yang Y. Evaluation of left ventricular function in patients with coronary slow flow by the dobutamine stress echocardiography. Curr Med Imaging. 2022;18(12):1302-10.
5. Wang Y, Zhang Y, Ma C, Guan Z, Liu S, Zhang W, et al. Evaluation of left and right atrial function in patients with coronary slow-flow phenomenon using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. Echocardiography. 2016 Jun;33(6):871-80.
6. Khederlou H, Hosseinsabet A. Evaluation of cardiac chamber functions by speckle-tracking echocardiography in the presence of coronary artery flow disturbances other than stenosis: A review. J Clin Ultrasound. 2023 Jun;51(5):774-91.
7. Narimani S, Hosseinsabet A, Pourhosseini H. Effect of coronary slow flow on the longitudinal left ventricular function assessed by 2-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography. J Ultrasound Med. 2016 Apr;35(4):723-9.
8. Kemaloğlu Öz T, Eren M, Atasoy I, Gürol T, Soylu Ö, Dağdeviren B. Are biventricular systolic functions impaired in patient with coronoray slow flow? A prospective study with three dimensional speckle tracking. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2017 May;33(5):675-81.
2. Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ. 2021 Mar 29;372:n71.
3. Nurkalem Z, Gorgulu S, Uslu N, Orhan AL, Alper AT, Erer B, et al. Longitudinal left ventricular systolic function is impaired in patients with coronary slow flow. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2009 Jan;25(1):25-32.
4. Wu J, Meng S, Wang H, Huang R, Yang Y. Evaluation of left ventricular function in patients with coronary slow flow by the dobutamine stress echocardiography. Curr Med Imaging. 2022;18(12):1302-10.
5. Wang Y, Zhang Y, Ma C, Guan Z, Liu S, Zhang W, et al. Evaluation of left and right atrial function in patients with coronary slow-flow phenomenon using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. Echocardiography. 2016 Jun;33(6):871-80.
6. Khederlou H, Hosseinsabet A. Evaluation of cardiac chamber functions by speckle-tracking echocardiography in the presence of coronary artery flow disturbances other than stenosis: A review. J Clin Ultrasound. 2023 Jun;51(5):774-91.
7. Narimani S, Hosseinsabet A, Pourhosseini H. Effect of coronary slow flow on the longitudinal left ventricular function assessed by 2-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography. J Ultrasound Med. 2016 Apr;35(4):723-9.
8. Kemaloğlu Öz T, Eren M, Atasoy I, Gürol T, Soylu Ö, Dağdeviren B. Are biventricular systolic functions impaired in patient with coronoray slow flow? A prospective study with three dimensional speckle tracking. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2017 May;33(5):675-81.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 21 No 2 (2026) | |
| Section | Letter to the Editor | |
| Keywords | ||
| Systematic Review Coronary Slow Flow Phenomenon Speckle Tracking Echocardiography | ||
| Rights and permissions | |
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
How to Cite
1.
Hosseinsabet A. A Critical Appraisal of a Recently Published Systematic Review. Res Heart Yield Transl Med. 2026;21(2):187-188.
