Authors: Tolga Sinan Güvenç Şeref Kul Coşkun Doğan Binnaz Zeynep Yıldırım Yavuz Karabağ Rengin Çetin Yüksel Kaya Pelin Karadağ Aleks Değirmencioğlu Bahattin Balcı
Publish Date: 2014/06/21
Volume: 30, Issue: 7, Pages: 1305-1313
Abstract
Degree of increase in pulmonary artery pressure PAP and adaptive responses in right ventricular morphology and mechanics play an important role in the prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD patients Three dimensional echocardiography and deformation imaging are recent advancements in echocardiography that allow more through assessment of right ventricle We aimed to investigate right ventricular geometry and mechanics in a stable COPD population living at moderately high altitude A total of 26 stable COPD patients with variable disease severity were included to this study Pulmonary function tests six minutes walking test 6MWT and two and threedimensional echocardiography were performed for evaluation and data collection Both systolic 4306 ± 1179 mmHg and mean 3338 ± 975 mmHg PAPs were significantly higher in COPD patients compared to controls p 005 p 0001 respectively Right ventricular volumes were similar between groups although right ventricular free wall thickness was significantly increased in COPD group The number of subjects with a subnormal 40 right ventricular ejection fraction was significantly higher in COPD group 458 vs 174 p 005 and the mean right ventricular strain was significantly lower −2105 ± 380 vs −2414 ± 537 p 005 Only mean PAP and body surface area were found as independent predictors for 6MWT distance Increased PAP and reduced right ventricular contractility were found in COPD patients living at moderately high altitude although right ventricular volumes were normal Similar findings can be expected in other COPD patients with high PAP since these findings probably represents the effect of increased PAP on right ventricular mechanics
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