Colour tissue Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of right ventricular function in patients with right ventricular infarction.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to determine right ventricular (RV) function as assessed by colour Doppler tissue imaging (DTI) in patients with RV infarction.


METHODS
During the study period, 35 patients were evaluated: 14 patients had an inferior myocardial infarction (MI) with RV infarction and 21 patients had an inferior MI without RV involvement. Twenty age-matched healthy subjects served as controls. The diagnosis of RV infarction was defined by ST segment elevation >0.1 mV in lead V4R. Systolic and early and late diastolic velocities were acquired from the apical four-chamber view at the lateral tricuspid annulus, the septal side of the tricuspid annulus and the RV free mid-wall using colour DTI.


RESULTS
Systolic and early diastolic velocities at the lateral tricuspid annulus were significantly reduced in patients with inferior MI with RV infarction compared with those in healthy individuals (7.8 +/- 1 vs. 11 +/- 2 cm/s, p < 0.002) and patients with inferior MI without RV infarction (7.8 +/- 1 vs. 10 +/- 1 cm/s, p < 0.002). The late diastolic lateral annular velocity did not differ between the groups. Systolic and early diastolic RV free wall velocities were also significantly decreased in patients with RV infarction compared with those in healthy individuals (7 +/- 1 vs. 8.7 +/- 1 cm/s, p < 0.01; 6.3 +/- 2 vs. 8.7 +/- 2 cm/s, p < 0.05, respectively) and patients with inferior MI without RV infarction (7 +/- 1 vs. 9 +/- 2 cm/s, p < 0.01; 6.3 +/- 2 vs. 8.3 +/- 2 cm/s, p < 0.05, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The evaluation of tricuspid annular and RV free wall velocities using colour DTI provides a rapid and noninvasive tool for assessing RV function in patients with RV infarction.
Oguzhan
Abdurrahman
A
Department of Cardiology, Erciyes University School of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey. abdurrahmano@hotmail.com
Abaci
Adnan
A
Eryol
Namik Kemal
NK
Topsakal
Ramazan
R
Seyfeli
Ergün
E
D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right / Q000502:physiology*