Objective:To explore whether the left atrial function could be assessed at early stage by using the two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging（2D-STI）.Methods:The hypertensive patients were divided into two groups based on the case histories:simple hypertension（HP）group and hypertension combining with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation（HP+PAF）group.The patients were divided into two groups based on the left atrial volume index（LAVI）:normal left atrial volume（LAN）group and enlarged left atrial volume（LAE）group.Thirty healthy participants were served as the control group.The color doppler echocardiography was performed on all the participants.The left atrial volume（LAV）was measured by Simpson method

and the left atrial volume index（LAVI）was calculated.The systolic

early and late diastolic peak strain rate（SRs

SRe and SRa）curves were acquired in each left atrial segment by 2D-STI

and the average strain rates（mSRs

mSRe and mSRa）were calculated.Multiple sets of measurement data which meet the normal distribution were compared using analysis of variance.The non-parametric tests were performed using multiple sets of independent samples.The noncommutative rank sum test（Kruskal-Wallis）was used between the two groups.Results:The mSRs and mSRe absolute values were lower in HP and HP+PAF groups than in control group（P<0.01）.The mSRs and mSRe absolute values were lower in HP+PAF group than in HP group（P<0.01）.The mSRa absolute value was higher in HP and HP+PAF groups than in control group（P<0.01）.The mSRa absolute value was decreased in HP +PAF group compared with that of HP group（P<0.01）.The mSRs and mSRe absolute values were lower in LAN and LAE groups than in control group（P<0.01）.The mSRs and mSRe absolute values were lower in LAE group than in LAN group（P<0.01）.The mSRa absolute value was increased in LAN and LAE groups than in control group（P<0.01）.Conclusion:The left atrial function is de creased in hypertensive patients compared with that of healthy people

especially among those with hypertension combining with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.The left atrial function is decreased in hypertensive patients with normal left atrial volume compared with that of healthy people.With the increase of the left atrial volume

the left atrial function is decreased further

indicating that the two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography is more sensitive than the left atrial volume for assessing the left atrial early function in hypertensive patients

and it could be helpful for the early intervention.