Introduction:
The cardiac mechanics that contribute to the development of heterogenous heart failure phenotypes in Fontan patients have not been investigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the differences in contractility, afterload, and ventriculo-arterial (VA) coupling between patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) versus heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).
Methods:
Core-lab echocardiograms were obtained from the publically-available Pediatric Heart Network Fontan Cross-sectional Study database. Ejection fraction was considered abnormal if < 50%. Diastolic function was defined as abnormal if the diastolic pressure:volume quotient (lateral E:e’/end-diastolic volume) was > 10
th
percentile. Patients were divided into three groups: 1 = normal EF and normal diastolic function, 2 = decreased EF with normal diastolic function, 3 = normal EF with abnormal diastolic function. End-systolic elastance (Ees), a measure of contractility, and arterial elastance (Ea), a measure of afterload, were calculated. VA coupling was defined as Ea/Ees.
Results:
238 patients (61% left, 39% right ventricular dominant) were included. Differences between groups are reported in the Table.
Conclusion:
Both Fontan patients with HFpEF and HFrEF display increased afterload compared to their non-heart failure counterparts. However, HFpEF patients displayed a hypercontractile state to maintain a VA coupling ratio comparable to the non-heart failure group. These measures of cardiac mechanics may be useful in identifying the mechanisms that drive Fontan patients toward HFpEF versus HFrEF phenotypes.
Sex-related differences in left ventricular diastolic function and arterial elastance during admission in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: The PURSUIT HFpEF study
