Abstract
Background
Chronic heavy cigarette smoking can affect the right ventriclular function. The standard echocardiography may not show early right ventricular functional changes, and a more sensitive measure is needed. The aim of this work was to evaluate the subtle subclinical effects of chronic heavy cigarette smoking on the right ventricular function. The study included 55 healthy asymptomatic chronic heavy cigarette smokers (smoking history of at least 5 pack-years and a daily cigarette consumption of at least 1 pack) and 35 healthy non-smoking control subjects. Patients underwent a full clinical assessment and a conventional as well as a 2D-speckle tracking transthoracic echocardiography of the right ventricle and data was compared between the 2 groups.
Results
The mean age was 32.9 ± 7.2 years in smokers and 30.9 ± 7.9 years in non-smokers (p = 0.227). The 2 groups showed comparable conventional right ventricular systolic and diastolic functions. Smokers showed a significantly lower (less negative) right ventricular global longitudinal strain (− 19.0 ± 3.2% vs. − 24.5 ± 3.5%, p < 0.001). Patients with a higher daily cigarette consumption showed a poorer right ventricular global longitudinal strain (p = 0.014).
Conclusion
Chronic heavy cigarette smoking can adversely affect the right ventricular function, a finding that can be easily missed by conventional echocardiography and can be better detected by the right ventricular speckle tracking.
Speckle tracking is a feasible and reproducible method for the assessment of right ventricular function in patients operated on for congenital heart diseases
