Evaluation of right ventricular systolic function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by strain and strain rate imaging

Objective To explore the values of strain and strain rate imaging techniques for evaluating right ventricular systolic functions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).Methods Thirty-eight patients with COPD and eighteen normal subjects were enrolled in this study.According the pulmonary artery systolic pressure,thirty-eight patients with COPD were divided into pulmonary artery hypertension group(group Ⅰ)and non-pulmonary artery hypertension group(group Ⅱ).The right ventricular frontal thickness(RVFT),right ventricular end diastolic diameter(RVEDd),tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion(TAPSE),right ventricular end diastolic area(RVEDa) and right ventricular end systolic area(RVESa) were measured by M mode ultrasound and conventional ultrasound,the fraction of right ventricular area change(RVFA) were calculated.The peak systolic strain(Ss) and peak systolic strain rate(SRs) were measured at each segment of right ventricular free walls and interventricular septums by strain and strain rate quantitative analysis soft-ware.Results Compared with normal control group,RVFT and RVEDd increased in group Ⅰ,RVFA and TAPSE decreased(P0.05),while there was no significant difference of right ventricular parameters between group Ⅱ and normal control group(P0.05).Ss and SRs in basal and mid segments of right ventricular free wall and interventricular septums in group Ⅰ were significantly lower than those in group Ⅱ and normal controls(P0.05).Ss and SRs in basal segments of right ventricular free wall in group Ⅱ were significantly lower than those in normal control group(P0.05).Conclusion Strain and strain rate imaging can reflect the early change of regional myocardial systolic functions of right ventricle wall in patients with COPD,while systolic Ss and SRs in the basal segment of right ventricular free wall is more sensitive.