Right ventricular myocardial motion and deformation in adolescents and young adults after repair of coarctation of the aorta.

BACKGROUND

Alteration of right ventricular (RV) function has been found in patients with pressure-loaded left ventricles due to systemic hypertension and aortic stenosis. We tested the hypothesis that RV mechanics are altered in adolescents and adults with repaired coarctation of the aorta (CoA).

METHODS

Twenty-eight (15 male) patients, aged 23.7 ± 6.5 years, and 28 (14 male) controls were studied. M-mode, tissue Doppler imaging, and speckle tracking echocardiography were performed to assess, respectively, LV mass and RV wall thickness, RV myocardial tissue velocities, and deformation. Systolic (P = 0.14) and diastolic (P = 0.32) blood pressures were similar between patients and controls.

RESULTS

Compared with controls, patients had significantly greater LV mass (P = 0.016) and RV anterior wall thickness (P = 0.012). Tricuspid annular systolic (P < 0.001) and early diastolic (P < 0.001) velocities, isovolumic acceleration (P = 0.004), global RV systolic longitudinal strain (P = 0.03), systolic strain rate (P = 0.012), and early (P = 0.021) and late (P = 0.012) diastolic strain rates were significantly lower in patients than controls. Patients with an associated ventricular septal defect (n = 6) requiring closure compared to those without had even lower tricuspid annular systolic (P = 0.01) and early diastolic (P = 0.041) velocities. Left ventricular mass correlated negatively with RV systolic strain rate (r = -0.27, P = 0.045) and tricuspid annular early diastolic velocity (r = -0.40, P = 0.002), while RV anterior wall thickness correlated negatively with tricuspid annular systolic (r = -0.42, P = 0.002) and late diastolic (r = -0.40, P = 0.003) velocities, and positively with e/a ratio (r = 0.31, P = 0.024).

CONCLUSION

RV systolic and diastolic mechanics are impaired in patients late after repair of CoA and related to increased LV mass and RV thickness.