title: Right Atrial Evaluation in Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension: A Real-time 3-Dimensional Transthoracic Echocardiographic Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in the morphologic characteristics and performance of the right atrium (RA) that occur secondary to structural remodeling of the right ventricle (RV) in patients with pulmonary hypertension by real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography (3DE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Comprehensive 2-dimensional echocardiography and real-time 3DE were performed in 112 patients and 30 healthy control participants. Patients with pulmonary hypertension were divided into 3 subgroups: 1, normal RV dimension (n = 34); 2, RV enlargement and preserved systolic function (n = 36); and 3, RV enlargement and systolic dysfunction (n = 42).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients had larger RA volume parameters and lower RA passive emptying fractions than controls (P< .01). The RA active emptying fraction was higher in patient groups 1 (mean ± SD, 45.5% ± 10.7%) and 2 (40.1% ± 4.0%) and lower in group 3 (19.3% ± 4.3%) compared to controls (35.4% ± 3.5%). The RA total emptying fraction was similar between groups 1 and 2 (59.3% ± 9.7% and 52.6% ± 3.4%, respectively) but was significantly lower in group 3 compared to controls (26.8% ± 5.1% versus 55.2% ± 5.1%). Right atrial volume and phasic function were substantially affected by RV structure and function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Real-time 3DE is a feasible, repeatable, and noninvasive method for accessing cyclic RA volume and function changes, such as those that occur with varying RV status in patients with pulmonary hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound (Y.D., S.G., Q.W., H.S., Z.T., F.W., Q.H.) and Guangxi Cardiovascular Institute (W.W.), First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound (Y.D., S.G., Q.W., H.S., Z.T., F.W., Q.H.) and Guangxi Cardiovascular Institute (W.W.), First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China. guoshenglandengyan@163.com.
authors.forename: Sheng-Lan
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound (Y.D., S.G., Q.W., H.S., Z.T., F.W., Q.H.) and Guangxi Cardiovascular Institute (W.W.), First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: Wei-feng
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound (Y.D., S.G., Q.W., H.S., Z.T., F.W., Q.H.) and Guangxi Cardiovascular Institute (W.W.), First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound (Y.D., S.G., Q.W., H.S., Z.T., F.W., Q.H.) and Guangxi Cardiovascular Institute (W.W.), First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: Hong-yue
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound (Y.D., S.G., Q.W., H.S., Z.T., F.W., Q.H.) and Guangxi Cardiovascular Institute (W.W.), First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound (Y.D., S.G., Q.W., H.S., Z.T., F.W., Q.H.) and Guangxi Cardiovascular Institute (W.W.), First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: Fen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound (Y.D., S.G., Q.W., H.S., Z.T., F.W., Q.H.) and Guangxi Cardiovascular Institute (W.W.), First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: Qun-yan
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D003199:Computer Systems; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: echocardiography; pulmonary hypertension; real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography; right atrial function