Kannappan Sabapathy1, Kannappan Thirumalbabu2
BACKGROUND
Normal Echocardiography assessment is primarily focused on left ventricle. Owing to the technical difficulty in imaging, right ventricle is neglected often. Since Right ventricle is invariably affected in COPD patients, it is imperative to find out the presence of RV dysfunction in these patients to prevent RV impairment in future.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was done at Department of Cardiology, Govt. Vellore Medical College and Hospital, Adukkamparai, Vellore, Tamil Nadu during the period of October 2016 to March 2017 (Aloka Prosound Alpha 6 Echo machine was used). Seventy six male patients with COPD were taken up for the study. Group A (COPD alone): 36 patients without pulmonary hypertension were included in this group. Group B (COPD with PHT): 36 patients with pulmonary hypertension (TR Velocity < 3.0 m/s; mean pressure gradient < 45 mmHg) were included in this group. The following Echocardiographic measurements were made to all the seventy two patients. (1). FAC (Fractional Area Change), (2). TAPSE (Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion), (3). RVs’ (RV systolic excursion by Tissue Doppler) and (4). RV MPI (RV Myocardial Performance Index).
RESULTS
COPD patients with pulmonary hypertension showed marked deviation from reference values, while COPD patients without pulmonary hypertension showed values above the physiological limits.
CONCLUSION
In this present study, we have found that 2D echocardiography markers like FAC, TAPSE, RVs’ and RV MPI were simple and very good predictors of RV function. It was useful in assessing the RV function in COPD patients with mild-to-moderate pulmonary hypertension.
