PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Karin Vasic
AU  - Vojislav Parezanovic
AU  - Ida Jovanovic
AU  - Dusica Petkovic
TI  - Echocardiographic indices of right ventricular function in pediatric pulmonary hypertension
AID  - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2016.PA2438
DP  - 2016 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - PA2438
VI  - 48
IP  - suppl 60
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/suppl_60/PA2438.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/suppl_60/PA2438.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2016 Sep 01; 48
AB  - Background: Limited data are available in describing pediatric pulmonary hypertension. RV function is reduced in children and adolescents with pulmonary hypertension, however, echocardiographic assessment can be challenging.Objective: The aim of the present study was to identify adverse echocardiographic indices as potential determinants of prognosis in pediatric patients with pulmonary hypertension.Methods: The study comprised 17 patients diagnosed with idiopathic PAH and PAH associated with congenital heart disease and 17 healthy controls. All patients underwent clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic assessment. Among the 14 studied echocardiography variables, a statistically significant difference was obtained for the following echocardiographic parameters: left ventricular eccentricity index (LVEI), myocardial performance index, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) velocities of the tricuspid valve (Sm, E/Em) and E/A.Conclusion: Echocardiography remains an important tool in screening, diagnosing, evaluating, and following these patients. We can conclude that parameters of diastolic function are a feasible and reproductive marker of right ventricular function, in our study superior to parameters of systolic function. As such, they could be considered as primary prognostic factors in these patients.