P3367Echocardiographic assessment of right ventricle function in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation and correlates with outcomes

Abstract

Abstract Background/Introduction Speckle tracking echocardiography has been recently proposed as an accurate and sensitive measure of right ventricle (RV) function that could integrate other more conventional parameters. This tool can be important in the clinical context of severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR), since TAPSE is not fully representative of global RV function and can overestimate this in presence of severe TR. Purpose Evaluate the prognostic relevance of different parameters of RV structure and function derived from 2D and speckle tracking echocardiographic analysis of clinically stable patients with severe TR referred for routine follow up in the context of many etiologies of left side heart disease (secondary TR). Methods The present is a retrospective analysis of prospectively acquired echocardiographic studies including patients with severe secondary TR in the context of left side heart disease. Fractional area change (FAC), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), RV global longitudinal strain (RVLS) and RV free-wall longitudinal strain (RVFWLS) as well as LV function were measured. As suggested in previous studies, we also aimed to explored the use in this population of: i)RVLS/pulmonary systolic arterial pressure (PASP); ii) RVFWLS (average lateral 3 segments strain)/IVSLS (average medial 3 segment strain) as index of RV-LV dependency. The composite end-point of this study included death for any cause and heart failure hospitalization. Results 61 patients (mean age 58±20 years, 65% men), were included. After a mean follow up period of 3,6±2 years 57% of patients reached the combined end-point. At Cox regression univariate analysis a significant correlation with outcomes was found for RVend-diastolic diameter (HR 0,42, p: 0.018), right atrial area (HR: 3, p: 0.02), RVFWLS/IVSLS (HR: 0.5, p: 0.020), RVLS/PASP (HR 0.186, p: 0.039). In multivariable Cox-regression model we found that LVEF, RV dimension and RVFWLS/IVSLS were independently related to outcome; this last one parameter showed the best correlation with outcomes. Conclusions In asymptomatic and clinically stable patients with severe secondary TR longitudinal function of RV free wall is not related to outcomes but RV-arterial coupling and the ratio between deformation of free wall and septal wall of RV are good predictors of clinical deterioration at follow up. The last one conceptually represents the interaction between RV and LV in secondary TR and allows a real “correction” of those effects of severity of TR on the base to apex gradient of lateral wall longitudinal deformation (TR increases movement of basal segments).