title: 2-Dimensional Strain Analysis of Regional Change in Right Ventricular Function after Treadmill Exercise.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Function of right ventricle (RV) influences on symptoms and prognosis in various diseases. However the regional RV function analyzed with 2-dimensional (2D) strain echocardiography before and just after treadmill test has not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to show the change of regional RV function just after treadmill exercise with strain analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of thirty eight patients who visited hospital for hypertension, chest pain or dyspnea between January 2007 and December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed (men, 47.4%; mean age, 54.9 ± 7.2 years). Treadmill exercise test and pre and post echocardiography were performed. 2D strain echocardiography was analyzed off line in RV free wall and septum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean exercise duration was 737 ± 132 sec. Tissue velocity in lateral tricuspid annulus is significantly increased in post exercise (initial, 10.5 ± 2.4 cm/sec vs. post exercise, 12.2 ± 1.8 cm/sec, p = 0.006). Systolic strain of RV free wall apex and mid portion were significantly changed in post exercise stage (free wall apex, -18.2 ± 7.6% vs. -22.3 ± 5.8%, p = 0.010; free wall mid, -14.1 ± 6.7% vs. -22.6 ± 6.8%, p = 0.022).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  2D strain imaging provides a precise tool to quantify regional RV function and reveals a characteristic regional pattern of RV after treadmill exercise.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Ilsan Hospital, National Health Insurance Service, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Se-Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Bucheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye-Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Bucheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sujung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Gachon University, Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Wook-Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chung
keywords: 2-dimensional strain echocardiography; Exercise test; Right ventricular function