ABSTRACT
New echocardiographic modalities including pulmonary artery acceleration time (PAAT) and right ventricular ejection time (RVET) are evolving to facilitate an early non-invasive diagnosis for pulmonary hypertension (PH) in adults. In children, PAAT depends on age, body surface area (BSA) and heart rate (HR) and is used to predict PH. Normal values of RVET and their role to predict PH in children are still missing. PAAT/RVET-index correlates negatively with PH. We hypothesized that this index is a good predictor for PH in children and adolescents independent of age, BSA and HR and RVET is significantly reduced in PH. PAAT and RVET of 401 healthy children and 30 PH-patients were measured using pulsed-wave-Doppler. PH was diagnosed in PH-group invasively. PAAT/RVET-index for both groups was calculated. Sensitivity and specificity in prediction of PH of PAAT, PAAT z-score and PAAT/RVET-index were compared. We demonstrated normal values of RVET in children. In the healthy group, PAAT and RVET correlated significant positive to age (p < 0.001), and BSA (p < 0.001) and negative to HR (p < 0.001). PAAT/RVET-index correlated weakly to age, BSA and HR (p < 0.001). Mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAPM) ranged in the PH-group from 27 to 82 mmHg (mean 44 mmHg). In predicting PH, RVET is significantly reduced (p < 0.001). Comparing area under the curve (AUC), the difference between sensitivity and specificity of PAAT/RVET-index < 0.29 and calculated PAAT cut-off-point (87 ms) was significant (p < 0.001). Equally, AUC comparison between PAAT/RVET-index < 0.29 and PAAT z-score of - 1.33 was significant (p = 0.008). PAAT/RVET-index < 0.29 represents a good predictor of PH with a 100% sensitivity and a 95.8% specificity. PAAT/RVET-index is a simple tool and facilitates prediction of PH independent from z-scores.
Subject(s)
Arterial Pressure , Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed , Heart Ventricles/diagnostic imaging , Hypertension, Pulmonary/diagnostic imaging , Pulmonary Artery/diagnostic imaging , Stroke Volume , Ventricular Function, Right , Adolescent , Age Factors , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Germany , Heart Ventricles/physiopathology , Humans , Hypertension, Pulmonary/physiopathology , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Predictive Value of Tests , Pulmonary Artery/physiopathology , Reproducibility of Results , Retrospective Studies , Time FactorsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Published data regarding the effects of common cardiovascular diseases, i.e. aortic stenosis on renal regulation of major vasoconstrictive (renin, endothelins) and vasodilatory systems (NO) are controversial. Therefore we aimed to evaluate the effects of chronic aortic stenosis on the renal renin-angiotensin, endothelin and NO systems. METHODS: Experimental supravalvular aortic stenosis was induced by using silver clips with a 0.6 mm internal diameter on the ascending aorta of weanling rats. Renal endothelin-1 (ET-1), endothelin-3 (ET-3), renin, AT(1a), AT(1b), eNOS, and bNOS gene expression were assessed by RNase protection assay. RESULTS: Renal renin gene expression increased twofold in rats with aortic stenosis. In contrast, renal ET-1, ET-3, eNOS, bNOS, and AT(1a), AT(1b) gene expression were unchanged in rats with aortic stenosis. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that in rats with severe experimental supravalvular aortic stenosis only renal renin gene expression is stimulated. This contrasts with severe heart failure where endothelins and NO synthases are also upregulated. Different patterns of regulation of renal vasoactive mediators may be of importance for the extent of the renal impairment associated with aortic stenosis, and may be correlated with the severity of congestive heart failure.
