title: Right ventricular dysfunction and remodeling in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease without pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to elucidate right ventricular (RV) function and structure in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) without pulmonary hypertension (PH).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  There is little knowledge of RV function and remodeling in COPD without PH.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four controls and 98 patients with COPD were included. The study patients were divided into 2 groups by right heart catheterization: no PH (mean pulmonary artery pressure [mPAP] <25 mm Hg) and PH (mPAP ≥25 mm Hg). The echocardiographic tissue Doppler imaging variables of RV isovolumic acceleration, peak systolic strain, and RV myocardial performance index were measured at the basal free wall, and RV wall thickness and RV internal dimension were measured in the RV outflow tract.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The increases in RV wall thickness and RV dimension were more evident when comparing controls with the no PH group (3.5 ± 0.5 mm to 5.5 ± 1.0 mm [p < 0.01] and 1.5 cm ± 0.2 to 2.0 ± 0.5 cm [p < 0.01]) than comparing the no PH group with the PH group (5.5 ± 1.0 mm to 6.6 ± 1.1 mm [p < 0.01] and 2.0 cm ± 0.5 to 2.1 ± 0.3 cm [p = NS]), respectively. Similarly, RV isovolumic acceleration, performance index, and strain deteriorated significantly when comparing controls with the no PH group and comparing the no PH group with the PH group (p < 0.01). Significant correlations were observed between mPAP and RV isovolumic acceleration, performance index, strain, and RV wall thickness (p < 0.01). RV impairment and increased RV wall thickness and RV dimensions were present even at slight elevations of mPAP (18 ± 3 mm Hg) in the no PH group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study showed that impaired RV systolic function, hypertrophy, and dilation were present even at a slight increase of mPAP, which indicates an early impact on RV function and structure in patients with COPD. RV isovolumic acceleration, performance index, and strain could detect subclinical disease and separate controls from those with no PH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Janne Mykland
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hilde
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Ingunn
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Skjørten
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Ole Jørgen
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Grøtta
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Viggo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hansteen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Akershus University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Morten Nissen
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Melsom
authors.affiliation: Section of Vascular Investigations, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Jonny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hisdal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Sjur
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Humerfelt
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Akershus University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: kjetil.steine@medisin.uio.no.
authors.forename: Kjetil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steine
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013599:Systole; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling
keywords: CI; COPD; GOLD; Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; LV; PA; PH; PVR; PWP; RV; TDI; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; confidence interval; echocardiography; left ventricular; mPAP; mean pulmonary artery pressure; pulmonary artery; pulmonary circulation; pulmonary hypertension; pulmonary vascular resistance; pulmonary wedge pressure; right ventricular; right ventricular function; tissue Doppler imaging