Relationship between Right Ventricular Longitudinal Strain, Invasive Hemodynamics, and Functional Assessment in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
01 Sep 2015-Korean Circulation Journal (The Korean Society of Cardiology)-Vol. 45, Iss: 5, pp 398-407
TL;DR: RVLS correlates with functional and invasive hemodynamic parameters in PAH patients and decrease of mPAP and PVR as a result of treatment was associated with improvement of RVLS.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: Right ventricular longitudinal strain (RVLS) is a new parameter of RV function. We evaluated the relationship of RVLS by speckle-tracking echocardiography with functional and invasive parameters in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients. Subjects and Methods: Thirty four patients with World Health Organization group 1 PAH (29 females, mean age 45±13 years old). RVLS were analyzed with velocity vector imaging. Results: Patients with advanced symptoms {New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III/IV} had impaired RVLS in global RV (RVLSglobal, -17±5 vs. -12±3%, p<0.01) and RV free wall (RVLSFW, -19±5 vs. -14±4%, p<0.01 to NYHA class I/II). Baseline RVLSglobal and RVLSFW showed significant correlation with 6-minute walking distance (r=-0.54 and r=-0.57, p<0.01 respectively) and logarithmic transformation of brain natriuretic peptide concentration (r=0.65 and r=0.65, p<0.01, respectively). These revealed significant correlations with cardiac index (r=-0.50 and r=-0.47, p<0.01, respectively) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR, r=0.45 and r=0.45, p=0.01, respectively). During a median follow-up of 33 months, 25 patients (74%) had follow-up examinations. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP, 54±13 to 46±16 mmHg, p=0.03) and PVR (11±5 to 6±2 wood units, p<0.01) were significantly decreased with pulmonary vasodilator treatment. RVLSglobal (-12±5 to -16±5%, p<0.01) and RVLSFW (-14±5 to -18±5%, p<0.01) were significantly improved. The decrease of mPAP was significantly correlated with improvement of RVLS global (r=0.45, p<0.01) and RVLSFW (r=0.43, p<0.01). The PVR change demonstrated significant correlation with improvement of RVLS global (r=0.40, p<0.01). Conclusion: RVLS correlates with functional and invasive hemodynamic parameters in PAH patients. Decrease of mPAP and PVR as a result of treatment was associated with improvement of RVLS. (Korean Circ J 2015;45(5):398-407)
Citations
More filters
01 Sep 2018
TL;DR: RVGLS measurement, normal reference values, and the clinical importance of RVGLS are discussed; and RV global longitudinal strain (RVGLS) can be used as an objective index of RV systolic function with prognostic significance.
Abstract: Right ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction has been identified as an independent prognostic marker of many cardiovascular diseases. However, there are problems in measuring RV systolic function objectively and identification of RV dysfunction using conventional echocardiography. Strain echocardiography is a new imaging modality to measure myocardial deformation. It can measure intrinsic myocardial function and has been used to measure regional and global left ventricular (LV) function. Although the RV has different morphologic characteristics than the LV, strain analysis of the RV is feasible. After strain echocardiography was introduced to measure RV systolic function, it became more popular and was incorporated into recent echocardiographic guidelines. Recent studies showed that RV global longitudinal strain (RVGLS) can be used as an objective index of RV systolic function with prognostic significance. In this review, we discuss RVGLS measurement, normal reference values, and the clinical importance of RVGLS.
68 citations
TL;DR: Special attention is focused on the usefulness of RV echo-evaluation in relation to load for proper decision making before ventricular assist-device implantation in patients with CHF and for optimal timing of listing procedures to transplantation in Patients with end-stage pre-capillary PH.
39 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that RVFreeWSt may be a suitable non-geometric 2DE surrogate of CMR-RVEF in PAH patients, constituting a powerful independent predictor of long-term outcome in this cohort with relatively preserved functional capacity.
Abstract: Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction harbingers adverse prognosis in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Although conventional two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) is limited for RV systolic function quantitation, RV strain can be a useful tool. The diagnostic and prognostic impact of 2DE speckle-tracking RV longitudinal strain was evaluated, including other 2DE systolic indexes, in a group of PAH patients without severe impairment of functional capacity, chronic pulmonary thromboembolism or left ventricular dysfunction. Sixty-six group I PAH patients, 67 % NYHA functional class I or II (none in IV) were studied by 2DE to obtain: RV fractional area change, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, RV myocardial performance index, tissue Doppler tricuspid annulus systolic velocity. Global, free wall (RVFreeWSt) and septal RV longitudinal systolic strain were obtained. RV ejection fraction by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR-RVEF) was also assessed. All patients were followed up to 3.9 years (mean 3.3 years). Combined endpoints were hospitalization for worsening PAH or cardiovascular death. Among all the 2DE indexes of RV systolic function, RVFreeWSt exhibited the best correlation with CMR-RVEF (r = 0.83; p < 0.005). Combined endpoints occurred in 15 (22.7 %) patients (6 hospitalizations and 9 deaths). Multivariate analysis identified RVFreeWSt ≤-14 % as the only 2DE independent variable associated with combined endpoints [HR 4.66 (1.25-17.37); p < 0.05]. We conclude that RVFreeWSt may be a suitable non-geometric 2DE surrogate of CMR-RVEF in PAH patients, constituting a powerful independent predictor of long-term outcome in this cohort with relatively preserved functional capacity.
33 citations
Cites background or methods from "Relationship between Right Ventricu..."
...Several other studies reported the prognostic role of RV longitudinal systolic strain in patients with PAH, including significant proportion of advanced NYHA functional class (III/IV) individuals [11, 12], group IV PAH patients (chronic thromboembolism) [13–16] and low left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction [14], conditions that may affect long-term...
[...]
...A reference point was set at the onset of the QRS complex of the superimposed ECG [12] for all measurements....
[...]
TL;DR: This review discusses the particular challenges and limits in obtaining accurate measurements of RV anatomical and functional parameters and focuses primarily on the difficulties in proper interpretation of the highly load dependent RV ECHO-parameters which complicates the use of this valuable diagnostic and surveillance technique.
Abstract: Introduction: Compared with the left ventricle (LV), the right ventricle (RV) is less suited for evaluation by echocardiography (ECHO). Nevertheless, RV ECHO-assessment has currently emerged as an ...
26 citations
Cites background from "Relationship between Right Ventricu..."
...In patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) it was found that RV longitudinal strain and strain rate correlate not only with 6MWD, but also with invasive hemodynamic parameters, and decrease of both mPAP and PVR after treatment was associated with improvement of right ventricle longitudinal strain (RVLS)[63]....
[...]
TL;DR: The measurement and clinical utility of 2-dimensional strain analysis in various cardiovascular diseases is described.
Abstract: Echocardiography is the first and is the most-available imaging modality for many cardiovascular diseases, and echocardiographic parameters can give much important information for diagnosis, treatment, and prognostic evaluations. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is the most commonly used echocardiographic parameter for left ventricular (LV) systolic function. Although LVEF is used routinely in daily practice, it is calculated from volumetric change without representing true myocardial properties. Recently, strain echocardiography has been used to objectively measure myocardial deformation. Myocardial strain can give accurate information about intrinsic myocardial function, and it can be used to detect early-stage cardiovascular diseases, monitor myocardial changes with specific therapies, differentiate cardiomyopathies, and predict the prognosis of several cardiovascular diseases. Although strain echocardiography has been applied to measure the right ventricle and left atrium, in addition to analyzing the LV, many cardiologists who are not imaging specialists are unaware of its clinical use and importance. Therefore, this review describes the measurement and clinical utility of 2-dimensional strain analysis in various cardiovascular diseases.
23 citations
References
More filters
TL;DR: In this study of adults with sickle cell disease, the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension as confirmed on right heart catheterization was 6%.
Abstract: Background The prevalence and characteristics of pulmonary hypertension in adults with sickle cell disease have not been clearly established. Methods In this prospective study, we evaluated 398 outpatients with sickle cell disease (mean age, 34 years) at referral centers in France. All patients underwent Doppler echocardiography, with measurement of tricuspid-valve regurgitant jet velocity. Right heart catheterization was performed in 96 patients in whom pulmonary hypertension was suspected on the basis of a tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity of at least 2.5 m per second. Pulmonary hypertension was defined as a mean pulmonary arterial pressure of at least 25 mm Hg. Results The prevalence of a tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity of at least 2.5 m per second was 27%. In contrast, the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension as confirmed on catheterization was 6%. The positive predictive value of echocardiography for the detection of pulmonary hypertension was 25%. Among the 24 patients with confirmed pulmonary h...
383 citations
TL;DR: Quantitative assessment of RV free-wall systolic strain is feasible and is a powerful predictor of the clinical outcome of patients with known or suspected PH and provided incremental prognostic value over conventional clinical and echocardiographic variables.
Abstract: Background— Although right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is a major determinant of outcome in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), the optimal measure of RV function is poorly defined. We hypothesized that RV strain measured by speckle-tracking echocardiography predicts outcome in PH over a broad range of pulmonary pressures.
Methods and Results— Prospective peak RV longitudinal systolic strain measurement was performed on 575 patients (mean age, 56±18 years; 63% women) referred for echocardiography for known or suspected PH. Survival status was assessed over a median of 16.5 (interquartile range, 7.6–20.0) months. There were 406 patients with PH (71%) (74% group 1, 14% group 3, and 12% group 4) and 169 patients without evidence of PH (29%). Among patients with PH, 46% were World Health Organization functional class III–IV. The mean RV strain was −21.2±6.7% for all patients. RV strain declined with worse functional class, shorter 6-minute walk distances, higher N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels, and the presence of right heart failure. RV strain predicted outcome across pulmonary pressures and groups of PH. Eighteen-month survival was 92%, 88%, 85%, and 71% according to RV strain quartile ( P <0.001), with a 1.46 higher risk of death (95% confidence interval, 1.05–2.12) per 6.7% decline in RV strain. RV strain predicted survival when adjusted for pulmonary pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, and right atrial pressure and provided incremental prognostic value over conventional clinical and echocardiographic variables.
Conclusions— Quantitative assessment of RV free-wall systolic strain is feasible and is a powerful predictor of the clinical outcome of patients with known or suspected PH.
346 citations
"Relationship between Right Ventricu..." refers background in this paper
...0 Pericardial effusion (%) 4 (12) Moderate or severe tricuspid regurgitation (%) 6 (18) Ventricular function LV ejection fraction (%) 65....
[...]
TL;DR: Noninvasive assessment of RV longitudinal systolic strain and strain rate independently predicts future right-sided heart failure, clinical deterioration, and mortality in patients with PAH.
303 citations
TL;DR: The new automated Velocity Vector Imaging method provides simultaneous quantitation of global and regional RV function that is angle independent and can be applied retrospectively to already stored digital images.
Abstract: This study sought to demonstrate that a novel speckle-tracking method can be used to assess right ventricular (RV) global and regional systolic function. Fifty-eight patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (11 men; mean age 53 ± 14 years) and 19 age-matched controls were studied. Echocardiographic images in apical planes were analyzed by conventional manual tracing for volumes and ejection fractions and by novel software (Axius Velocity Vector Imaging). Myocardial velocity, strain rate, and strain were determined at the basal, mid, and apical segments of the RV free wall and ventricular septum by Velocity Vector Imaging. RV volumes and ejection fractions obtained with manual tracing correlated strongly with the same indexes obtained by the Velocity Vector Imaging method in all subjects (r = 0.95 to 0.98, p
278 citations
"Relationship between Right Ventricu..." refers background in this paper
...0 Pericardial effusion (%) 4 (12) Moderate or severe tricuspid regurgitation (%) 6 (18) Ventricular function LV ejection fraction (%) 65....
[...]
TL;DR: Chronic RV pressure overload further influences IVS and LV geometry, which impairs LV torsion and segmental LS and CS, more for the IVS than for the free wall of the LV.
Abstract: Background— We tested the hypothesis that right ventricular (RV) pressure overload affects RV function and further influences left ventricular (LV) geometry, which adversely affects LV twist mechanics and segmental function. Methods and Results— Echocardiographic images were prospectively acquired in 44 patients (age, 46±12 years; 82% women) with evidence of pulmonary hypertension (estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure, 71±23 mm Hg) and in 44 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects. Patients with intrinsic LV diseases were excluded. RV lateral wall longitudinal strain (LS) and interventricular septal (IVS) LS were reduced in the pulmonary hypertension group compared with control subjects (−15.9±7.6% versus −25.5±6.1%, P<0.001; and −17.3±4.4% versus −20.2±3.9%, P=0.002, respectively), whereas LV lateral wall LS was preserved. RV lateral wall LS and IVS LS, but not LV lateral wall LS, correlated with pulmonary artery systolic pressure (r=0.56, P<0.01; r=0.32, P<0.01) and LV eccentricity index (r=0.5...
231 citations