title: Evaluation of global and regional left ventricular systolic function in patients with frequent isolated premature ventricular complexes from the right ventricular outflow tract.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Frequent premature ventricular complexes from the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT-PVCs) are associated with left ventricular dysfunction. This study adopted two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging to evaluate global and regional left ventricular myocardial function in patients with frequent RVOT-PVCs.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 30 patients with frequent RVOT-PVCs and 30 healthy subjects. Aortic systolic velocity-time integral (AoVTI) and myocardium strain in circumferential (CS), radial (RS) and longitudinal (LS) directions were evaluated by conventional echocardiography and speckle tracking imaging. All values of patients with RVOT-PVCs were recorded during sinus (PVC-S) and PVC beats (PVC-V).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences were demonstrated in global CS, RS and LS between the control subjects and the PVC-V (CS: (17.46 ± 2.48)% vs. (11.52 ± 3.28)%, RS: (48.26 ± 10.20)% vs. (20.92 ± 9.78)%, LS: (19.89 ± 2.62)% vs. (11.79 ± 3.66)%, P < 0.01), and in segmental RS and LS of nearly all the left ventricular segments. Statistical differences in segmental CS between the PVC-V and the control subjects were only observed in anterior, anteroseptal and septal segments (only seen in anteroseptal and septal segments at apex). Furthermore, V/S AoVTI (AoVTI during the PVC beat divided by AoVTI during the sinus beat, then multiplied by 100%) correlated with coupling interval (r = 0.67, P < 0.001) and global strain (CS: r = 0.48, P = 0.007; RS: r = 0.65, P < 0.001; LS: r = 0.65, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Frequent RVOT-PVCs can induce global and regional left ventricular systolic dysfunction. The reduction of hemodynamic parameters relates to the coupling interval and the global systolic function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yong-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Ke-Jiang
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Shao-Liang
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000503:physiopathology*