Effects of altitude on the structure and function of right heart in patients with chronic Keshan disease / 中华地方病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze the difference of echocardiography in patients with chronic Keshan disease (CKD) at different altitudes areas,explore the effects of altitude on the structure and functional of right heart in CKD patients,and provide a reference for imaging diagnosis of CKD.Methods According to the three step distribution of the terrain in China,30 cases of CKD patients in the first step (altitude ＞ 4 000 m) of Tibet autonomous region were randomly selected as the Tibetan plateau group.In the second step (altitude1 000-2 000 m),31 cases were randomly selected in Gansu Province as the Loess plateau group.In the third step (altitude ＜ 500 m),42 cases were randomly selected in Shandong Province as the plain group.Echocardiography was used to analyze the morphology,hemodynamics and function of right heart.Results Right atrial transverse diameter (RATD),right ventricular transverse diameter (RVTD),right ventricular lateral wall thickness (RVWT) and main pulmonary artery diameter (MPAD) of the Tibetan plateau group,the Loess plateau group and the plain group (mm49.75 ± 8.40,45.64 ± 7.63,43.56 ± 7.34;50.89 ± 7.13,46.56 ± 5.62,43.27 ± 6.01;4.75 ± 1.02,3.53 ± 0.61,3.37 ± 0.51;32.87 ± 3.62,28.93 ± 2.12,28.44 ± 2.71) were significant differences among the three groups (F =5.36,12.91,37.08,23.33,P ＜ 0.01).The above indexes of the Tibetan plateau group were higher than those of the Loess plateau group and the plain group (P ＜ 0.05).RVTD of Loess plateau group was higher than that of plain group (P ＜ 0.05).The fractional area change [FAC,(24.85 ± 2.75)％,(26.26 ± 3.42)％,(26.73 ± 3.14)％],tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion [TAPSE,(12.87 ± 1.12),(14.59 ± 1.63),(14.13 ± 1.31) mm] of the Tibetan plateau group,the Loess plateau group and the plain group were significant differences among the three groups (F =3.36,13.47,P ＜ 0.05 or ＜ 0.01);the above indexes of the Tibetan plateau group were lower than those of the Loess plateau group and the plain group (P ＜ 0.05).Tei index (0.87 ± 0.18,0.78 ± 0.16,0.71 ± 0.14),tricuspid flap diastolic maximum filling speed/tricuspid annulus early diastolic peak velocity (E/E',9.48 ± 1.22,8.64 ± 0.91,8.12 ± 1.13),systolic pulmonary artery pressure [SPAP,(49.58 ± 11.76),(44.35 ± 11.41),(42.67 ± 12.13) mmHg,1 mmHg =0.133 kPa] of the Tibetan plateau group,the Loess plateau group and the plain group were significant differences among the three groups (F =12.89,13.99,3.12,P ＜ 0.01 or ＜ 0.05);the Tei index and E/E'of the Tibetan plateau group were higher than those of the Loess plateau group and the plain group (P ＜ 0.05).Tei index,E/E'of the Loess plateau group were higher than those of the plain group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The right heart structure and function of CKD patients are affected by the altitude of their residence.With the increase of altitude,the right heart is enlarged,the right ventricular systolic and diastolic functions are decreased,and SPAP is increased in CKD patients.