title: Right ventricular function in ischemic or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Differentiation between ischemic (ICM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has important therapeutic implications because the former may benefit from coronary revascularization. The aim of this study was to investigate right ventricular (RV) function using tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) and compare the TDE parameters of the RV among patients with ICM and DCM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-two patients with ICM and 40 patients with DCM were studied with conventional echocardiography and TDE. The 2 groups did not differ in terms of New York Heart Association class, left ventricular ejection fraction and pharmacological treatment. Patients with ICM had higher pulmonary artery systolic pressure (44.4 mmHg vs 34.7 mmHg, p=0.006) and lower tricuspid annular motion systolic (RV Sa 0.06 m/s vs 0.09 m/s, p<0.0001), and diastolic velocities (RV Ea 0.05 m/s vs 0.07 m/s, p=0.0003, RV Aa 0.075 m/s vs 0.11 m/s, p=0.0016). They also exhibited a higher ratio of early transtricuspid filling velocity to early diastolic velocity of the tricuspid annulus (RV E/Ea 8.2 vs 5.7, p=0.0008). Age, pulmonary artery systolic pressure and tricuspid Sa were significant independent predictors of the diagnosis of ICM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RV dysfunction is more pronounced in patients with ICM than in patients with DCM. The RV TDE parameters can be used to complement clinical and conventional echocardiographic findings in the assessment of patients with ICM and DCM.
authors.affiliation: First Cardiology Department, AHEPA General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Despina G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Parcharidou
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giannakoulas
authors.forename: Georgios K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Efthimiadis
authors.forename: Haralambos
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karvounis
authors.forename: Klio N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Papadopoulou
authors.forename: Emmanouella
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dalamanga
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Styliadis
authors.forename: Georgios E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Parcharidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right