Effects Of Right Ventricular Volume Overload On Right Ventricular Function Evaluated By Echocardiography

Part One: Effects of volume overload on right ventricular longitudinal strain and strain rateObjective: To assess the effects of altered right ventricular preload on ritht ventricular longitudinal strain and strain rate. Method: The right ventricular longitudinal strain(ε) and strain rate(SR) were measured in 20 patients with atrial septal defect and 20 healthy children respectively in right ventricular free wall from apial four chamber views. Results: In patients wih atrial septal defect (ASD), both the mid and basal segment of right ventricular free wall strain and strain rate significantly increased when compared with those in healthy children. Longitudinal systolic peakεand SR in the mid part of the right ventricular free wall were higher than the basal part both in ASD and healthy children. Conclusions: The right ventricular longitudinal strain and strain rate are markedly influenced by preload. Part Two: Effects of right ventricular volume overload on right ventricular Tei indexObjective: To assess the effects of altered ventricular preload on ritht ventricular myocardial performance index-Tei index. Method: The right ventricular Tei index was measured in 20 patients with atrial septal defect(ASD) and 20 healthy children respectively by pulsed Doppler and tissue Doppler. Results: Between patients wih ASD and healthy children, the right ventricular Tei index was no significantly different. There were good correlations between pulsed Doppler and tissue Doppler methods both in ASD and healthy children. Conclusions: The right ventricular Tei index is relatively independent of changes of preload and can be used to evaluate the right ventricular function independently. Myocardial tissue Doppler is easier than pulsed Doppler to assess right ventricular Tei index.