RESUMO
AIMS: Right ventricular (RV) systolic function is an important predictor of mortality but has been poorly studied in chronic rheumatic mitral regurgitation (CRMR). We studied RV systolic function using speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) in patients with CRMR. METHODS: Seventy-seven patients with CRMR and 40 healthy controls were enrolled in a cross-sectional study at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital between January and October 2014. RV peak systolic strain (PSS) and left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) were measured using Philips Qlab 9 STE software. RESULTS: RVPSS was lower in CRMR patients compared to the controls ( -16.8 ± 4.5 vs -19.2 ± 3.4%, p = 0.003) with no difference in conventional RV systolic function parameters (p = 0.39). RVPSS was lower in severe CRMR compared to moderate CRMR patients ( -14.3 ± 4.23 vs -18 ± 4.18%, p < 0.0001). CRMR patients with LV systolic dysfunction had a greater reduction in RVPSS and LVGLS compared to those with preserved LV systolic function (p = 0.001). LVGLS and significant tricuspid regurgitation (TR) were independent predictors of RVPSS (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In CRMR patients, RVPSS was a more sensitive marker for detecting earlier RV systolic dysfunction than traditional RV functional parameters.
