Prognostic role of right ventricular and atrial mechanics in systemic sclerosis

Abstract

Abstract Background Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction implies a worse prognosis in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Little is known, however, about the prognostic value of right ventricular (RV) and right atrial (RA) mechanics in this disease. Thus we aimed to investigate the long term prognostic value of the traditional and modern echocardiographic parameters of the RV and RA function as well as N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels in SSc patients. Patients and methods Seventy SSc patients (age: 57±12 years) were enrolled into the study. They underwent echocardiography in the years 2014–15. Parameters of the RV systolic function (tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion /TAPSE/, RV fractional area change /RVFAC/), inferior vena cava, collapsibility index, RV wall thickness were measured. Doppler data were collected: tricuspid E and A, peak velocity of tricuspid regurgitation (TR), tricuspid annular myocardial systolic (S), early- (e') and late- (a') diastolic velocities, tricuspid E/e' ratio. Maximal RA volume index as well as RA reservoir (εR), conduit (εCD) and contractile (εCT) strain were measured with the speckle tracking method. RA stiffness was calculated as ratio of E/e' to εR. Survival was assessed after 5 years. Since in some cases the cause of death was unknown, all-cause mortality was chosen as outcome. Results During the follow-up period of 4.7±0.9 years, 6 patients (8.6%) died. In univariate Cox regression analysis TAPSE, peak velocity of TR, tricuspid annular a' and S, tricuspid E/e' ratio, maximal RA volume index, RA stiffness and lnNT-proBNP were significantly associated with outcome. In multivariate Cox regression analysis RA stiffness was proved to be the only independent predictor of mortality (p=0.013). Using ROC analysis, RA stiffness ≥0.156 was the strongest predictor of the mortality (sensitivity=83.3%, specificity =89.1%, AUC=0.859). Conclusion Our results suggest that RA stiffness is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in SSc. Larger prospective validation studies are required to prove our findings. ROC and Kaplan-Meier survival curve Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None