title: Assessment of right heart function in preeclampsia by echocardiography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Preeclampsia (PE) is a multisystemic disorder characterized by hypertension and proteinuria that is specific to pregnancy and associated with maternal and fetal morbidity-mortality.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess right heart structure and function in PE by echocardiography using conventional and tissue Doppler techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 67 women with untreated PE and 46 matched healthy pregnant women were included. PE was defined according to the ACOG (2002) criteria. Right and left heart functions were evaluated using transthoracic two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography with color Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Right ventricular basal and outflow tract diameters and free wall thickness, right atrial end-systolic maximum diameter, and area were significantly higher in the PE group than the control group (p<0.05). Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, isovolumic acceleration time, tissue Doppler-derived tricuspid lateral annular systolic velocity (S'), right ventricle fractional area change, and myocardial performance index (Tei) were significantly lower in the PE group than the controls (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PE does not only affect the left side of the heart but also the right side. This finding may open new scenarios, because right ventricular dysfunction may also be responsible for PE-related morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatma Nihan Turhan
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Çağlar
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Gaziosmanpasa Taksim Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ozde
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine, Zeynep Kamil Woman and Child Diseases Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: evrimbostanc6666@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Evrim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bostancı
authors.affiliation: Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: İlker Murat
authors.initials: İM
authors.lastname: Çağlar
authors.affiliation: Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Çiftçi
authors.affiliation: Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: İsmail
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Unğan
authors.affiliation: Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bülent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.affiliation: Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karakaya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Echocardiography; Preeclampsia; Right ventricle; Tissue Doppler