title: Diminished aortic excursion in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although studies have found diminished aortic root motion in left ventricular systolic dysfunction, few data exist on aortic root excursion in isolated right ventricular dysfunction due to chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We conducted this study to evaluate aortic root excursion in CTEPH.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 20 consecutive patients with CTEPH, normal left ventricular ejection fraction and pulmonary capillary wedge pressures, and 10 normal control subjects. Anterior excursion of the aortic root was measured using M-mode echocardiography as the difference between the maximal and minimal anterior distance of the posterior wall of the aortic root at the level of the aortic valve.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean aortic excursion for CTEPH patients was approximately half that of normal controls (0.66 ± 0.25 cm vs. 1.16 ± 0.15 cm, P < 0.0001). There was a significant inverse linear correlation between mean pulmonary artery pressure and aortic excursion in the CTEPH group (r = 0.66, P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aortic excursion is diminished in the right ventricular pressure overload of CTEPH. This impaired motion of the aortic root may influence systolic expansion of the left atrium, and may contribute to the impaired left atrial diastolic filling patterns often seen in patients with CTEPH.
authors.affiliation: Scripps Mercy Hospital, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Bruce J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Parise
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Monet Strachan
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Auger
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Madani
authors.forename: Lori B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: Daniel G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Blanchard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003971:Diastole; D004452:Echocardiography; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery
keywords: diastolic dysfunction; echocardiography; left atrium; pulmonary hypertension; right ventricle