title: Quantitative evaluation of right ventricle function by transthoracic echocardiography in childhood congenital heart disease patients with pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aims to quantitatively evaluate the right ventricle (RV) function by means of transthoracic echocardiography in normal children and childhood congenital heart disease patients with pulmonary hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted in a cohort including 40 healthy children and 30 pediatric patients with pulmonary hypertension who were diagnosed under close surveillance at the study center between October 2009 and November 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant differences were found between the patient and control groups for the right ventricle myocardial performance index (RVMPI), the left ventricle myocardial performance index (LVMPI), the tricuspid valve systolic flow velocity (Ts), the ratio of systolic pulmonary artery pressure to the right ventricle outflow tract systolic flow velocity time integral (sPAP/RVOT VTI), and the ratio of systolic pulmonary artery pressure to right ventricle outflow tract systolic flow velocity time integral × heart rate (sPAP/[RVOT VTI×HR]). When the children were divided into three groups based on their pulmonary vascular resistance significant differences emerged that predicted an increasing severity of RV dysfunction. Significant differences were also observed for the RVMPI, the LVMPI, and the Ts as well as for echocardiographic pulmonary flow (Qp) and systemic flow (Qs).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrates that echocardiographic parameters can be used for the quantitative detection of RV dysfunction in childhood congenital heart disease patients with high pulmonary artery pressure (systolic, diastolic, and mean) or pulmonary vascular resistance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Gazi University Medical Faculty Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. ayhancevik12@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cevik
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kula
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Olgunturk
authors.forename: F Sedef
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Tunaoglu
authors.forename: A Deniz
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Oguz
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pektas
authors.forename: Berna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saylan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*