title: Right ventricular function in dilated cardiomyopathy and ischemic heart disease: assessment with non-invasive imaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dilated cardiomyopathy and ischaemic heart disease can both lead to right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. Direct comparisons of the two entities regarding RV size and function using state-of-the-art imaging techniques have not yet been performed. We aimed to determine RV function and volume in dilated cardiomyopathy and ischaemic heart disease in relation to left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function and systolic pulmonary artery pressure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A well-characterised group (cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiography, coronary angiography and endomyocardial biopsy) of 46 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy was compared with LV ejection fraction (EF)-matched patients (n = 23) with ischaemic heart disease. Volumes and EF were determined with magnetic resonance imaging, diastolic LV function and pulmonary artery pressure with echocardiography. After multivariable linear regression, four factors independently influenced RVEF (R(2) = 0.51, p < 0.001): LVEF (r = 0.54, p < 0.001), ratio of peak early and peak atrial transmitral Doppler flow velocity as measure of LV filling pressure (r = - 0.52, p < 0.001) and tricuspid regurgitation flow velocity as measure of pulmonary artery pressure (r = - 0.38, p = 0.001). RVEF was significantly worse in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy compared with ischaemic heart disease: median 48 % (interquartile range (IQR) 37-55 %) versus 56 % (IQR 48-63 %), p < 0.05.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and ischaemic heart disease, RV function is determined by LV systolic and diastolic function, the underlying cause of LV dysfunction, and pulmonary artery pressure. It was demonstrated that RV function is more impaired in dilated cardiomyopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ, Maastricht, The Netherlands, s.schalla@mumc.nl.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schalla
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jaarsma
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Bekkers
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Waltenberger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dennert
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Crijns
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wildberger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heymans
authors.forename: H-P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Brunner-La Rocca