Feasibility of semi-recumbent bicycle exercise Doppler echocardiography for the evaluation of the right heart and pulmonary circulation unit in different clinical conditions: the RIGHT heart international NETwork (RIGHT-NET)

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements no funding sources exists OnBehalf RIGHT Heart International NETwork (RIGHT-NET) Purpose Exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) is a well-validated tool in ischemic and valvular heart diseases. The aim of this study is to assess the ESE feasibility for the evaluation of the right heart pulmonary circulation unit (RH-PCU) in a large cohort of subjects, from healthy individuals and elite athletes to patients with overt or at risk of developing pulmonary hypertension. Methods: 954 subjects [mean age 54.2 ± 16.4 years, 430 women] [254 healthy volunteers, 40 elite athletes, 363 patients with cardiovascular risk factors, 25 with pulmonary arterial hypertension, 149 with connective tissue diseases, 81 with left heart and valvular diseases, 42 with lung diseases], underwent standardized semi-recumbent cycle ergometer ESE with an incremental workload of 25 watts every 2 minutes up to symptom-limited maximal tolerated workload. ESE parameters of right heart structure, function and pressures were obtained according current recommendations. Results: The success rate for the evaluation of the RV function at peak exercise was 903/940 (96%) for tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), 667/751 (89%) for tissue Doppler–derived tricuspid lateral annular systolic velocity (S’) and 425/772 (63%) for right ventricular fractional area change (RVFAC). Right ventricular–right atrial pressure gradient [RV-RA gradient = 4 x tricuspid regurgitation velocity2] was obtained in 894/954 patients (93.7 %) at rest and in 816/954 (85.5%) at peak exercise. At peak exercise, pulmonary acceleration time (AcT) was feasible among 435/545 (82.5%) patients (Table 1). Conclusions: In daily ESE monitoring of TAPSE and S’ resulted to be less challenging than of RV FAC. ESE was a feasible tool for the evaluation of RV-RA gradient and pulmonary AcT. Table 1 Parameters Rest mean ± SD Peak mean ± SD P value Assessed n (%) Feasibility at rest n (%) Feasibility at peak n (%) RVED area (cm2) 17.4 ± 5.7 17.4 ± 5.8 0.9 672 632 (94.0) 425 (63.2) RVES area (cm2) 9.7 ± 4.3 9.6 ± 4.9 0.7 672 632 (94.0) 425 (63.2) TAPSE (mm) 22.9 ± 3.9 27.4 ± 5.5 <0.001 940 922 (98.1) 903 (96.0) S’(cm/s) 13.1 ± 2.9 18.5 ± 5.0 <0.001 751 746 (99.4) 667 (88.8) RVFAC (%) 45.7 ± 10 46.7 ± 11 0.121 672 632 (94.0) 425 (63.2) RV-RA gradient (mmHg) 24.3 ± 15 42.5 ± 20 <0.001 954 894 (93.7) 816 (85.5) Pulmonary AcT (m/s) 129 ± 31 116 ± 35 <0.001 545 527( 96.7) 435 (82.5) RVED, right ventricle end diastolic area; RVES, right ventricle end systolic area; p values indicate differences at rest and peak exercise. The term “assessed” indicates that an attempt was done in order to measure the parameter. The term “feasibility” indicates that it was possible to measure the parameter that was assessed.

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The RIGHT Heart International NETwork (RIGHT-NET): A Road Map Through the Right Heart-Pulmonary Circulation Unit

Heart Failure Clinics ◽

10.1016/j.hfc.2018.05.001 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. xix-xx

Author(s):

Eduardo Bossone ◽

Luna Gargani

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Circulation ◽

Right Heart ◽

International Network ◽

Road Map ◽

The Right

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P4685Validation of noninvasive pulmonary artery pressure/flow relationship: echocardiography vs right heart catheterization

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/eurheartj/ehz745.1066 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

S Caravita ◽

P Yerly ◽

C Baratto ◽

C Dewachter ◽

A Rimouche ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Artery ◽

Pulmonary Artery Pressure ◽

Doppler Echocardiography ◽

Pulmonary Circulation ◽

Right Heart Catheterization ◽

Peak Exercise ◽

Heart Catheterization ◽

Right Heart ◽

Pressure Flow ◽

Relationship Of

Abstract Background Invasive pressure-flow (P/Q) relationship of the pulmonary circulation can detect the presence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) during exercise and provide information on patients' symptoms and assess disease severity. Doppler-echocardiography was reported to provide accurate but imprecise noninvasive estimates of both resting and exercise pulmonary haemodynamics. However, data on the direct comparison of invasive vs noninvasive approaches to build pressure-flow relationship are scarce. Purpose To compare echocardiographic estimates with invasive measurements of P/Q relationship of the pulmonary circulation during exercise. Methods Patients undergoing a clinically indicated right heart catheterization and echocardiography were studied at rest and during exercise. The ratio between mean pulmonary artery pressure and cardiac output at peak exercise (TPR), as well as P/Q slope throughout exercise were calculated. Both TPR and P/Q slope are abnormal when ≥3 mmHg/L/min. Echocardiographic estimates were compared with invasive measurements. Results Sixty patients were included (mean age 65±14 years, 73% female). PH was present at rest in 38 cases (63%), of precapillary origin in 23 (61%). Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction was diagnosed in 23 patients, of which 17 had no PH at rest. TPR at peak exercise and P/Q slope were abnormal (≥3 mmHg/L/min) in the majority of patients (56 and 45 subjects, respectively). Echocardiographic estimates of P/Q slope and TPR correlated significantly although weakly with invasive measurements (R2=0.38 and 0.56, respectively, p<0.001). Bias of echocardiography for P/Q slope and TPR was 1.1±4.2 and 0.4±2.9 mmHg/L/min, respectively (figure). Sensitivity of echocardiography to detect an abnormal TPR or P/Q slope (i.e. ≥3 mmHg/L/min) was 100 and 98%, respectively, faced by low specificity (0 and 33%, respectively). Figure 1 Conclusions Doppler-echocardiography can provide rather accurate and sensitive but imprecise estimates of pressure-flow relationships of the pulmonary circulation during exercise. This intrinsic imprecision may limit its use in clinical practice.

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