Impact of lowering pulmonary vascular resistance on right and left ventricular deformation in pulmonary arterial hypertension

• Published in: European journal of heart failure 2015-01, Vol.17 (1), p.63-73
• Main Authors: Querejeta Roca, Gabriela, Campbell, Patricia, Claggett, Brian, Vazir, Ali, Quinn, Debbie, Solomon, Scott D., Shah, Amil M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Benzamides - therapeutic use; Echocardiography; Female; Humans; Hypertension, Pulmonary - complications; Hypertension, Pulmonary - drug therapy; Imatinib Mesylate; Male; Middle Aged; Piperazines - therapeutic use; Protein Kinase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Pulmonary heart disease; Pulmonary hypertension; Pyrimidines - therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome; Trials; Ultrasonography; Vascular Resistance; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left - complications; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left - diagnostic imaging; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left - drug therapy; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right - complications; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right - diagnostic imaging; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right - drug therapy
• ISSN: 1388-9842; 1879-0844
• DOI: 10.1002/ejhf.177

Aims As pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, particularly among patients with right ventricular (RV) dysfunction, we aimed to determine the impact of therapy to reduce pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) on RV and LV deformation in PAH. Methods and results Right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain (FWLS) and LV global circumferential strain (CS) were measured at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks in 68 patients with advanced PAH randomized to imatinib or placebo in the Imatinib in Pulmonary arterial hypertension, a Randomized Efficacy Study (IMPRES) trial, and compared with 30 healthy controls. Compared with controls, PAH was associated with impaired RV FWLS (–15.9 ± 5.4 vs. –30.8 ± 4.3, respectively; P