Right ventricular function in children with asthma: tissue doppler and two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography.

BACKGROUND

Asthma-related cardiopulmonary interactions may affect right ventricular (RV) performance even when children are clinically stable. Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) may detect subclinical myocardial dysfunction beyond conventional indices. This study aims to investigate the effects of childhood asthma on RV function by using 2D-STE.

METHODS

In this prospective case-control study, children aged 6-18 years with physician-diagnosed asthma (n = 70) and age-matched healthy controls (n = 30) underwent standard transthoracic echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), and 2D-STE. Primary outcomes were RV global longitudinal strain (RV GLS) and strain rate. Conventional RV systolic indices and RV diastolic indices were also assessed. Clinical characteristics and spirometry were recorded.

RESULTS

RV systolic mechanics were largely preserved in the asthma group. RV GLS, RV strain rate, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) did not differ significantly between asthmatic children and controls. In contrast, tricuspid annular E' velocity was significantly lower in the asthma group (p = 0.007), and tricuspid E/E' ratio was significantly higher (p < 0.001). Interventricular septal diastolic thickness was also significantly increased among children with asthma (p = 0.027). Within the asthma cohort, TAPSE showed positive correlations with age (r = 0.478, p < 0.001), BMI (r = 0.398, p = 0.001), asthma duration (r = 0.431, p < 0.001), and FEV1 (r = 0.301, p = 0.011), whereas RV strain parameters were not significantly associated with demographic or respiratory variables.

CONCLUSIONS

In predominantly mild-to-moderate, clinically stable pediatric asthma, RV systolic deformation by 2D-STE appears preserved, while TDI-derived indices indicate early RV diastolic involvement. Focused assessment of RV diastolic function may help to identify subclinical cardiopulmonary effects in selected children with asthma.