Prognostic significance of subpulmonary left ventricular size and function in patients with a systemic right ventricle

The Sub-Pulmonary Left Ventricle in Patients with Systemic Right Ventricle, the Paradoxical Neglected Chamber: A Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking Study

Background/Objective: The impact of subpulmonary left ventricle (LV) dysfunction in patients with a systemic right ventricle (SRV) is insufficiently characterized, with only a few studies suggesting its prognostic significance. Additionally, its evaluation through imaging techniques is a challenge. To assess the correlation between quantitative cardiac magnetic resonance-feature tracking (CMR-FT) data and the risk of clinical events related to the natural history of SRV failure. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 21 patients with a diagnosis of transposition of the great arteries (TGA) and atrial switch operation (AtSO) or congenitally corrected transposition (ccTGA) were recruited. All participants underwent CMR-FT analysis. Considered clinical events included NYHA class deterioration (from I-II to III-IV), increased diuretic therapy, arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death, and hospitalizations. Results: The cohort consisted of 52.4% males (mean age: 25.4 ± 11.9 years). Eleven patients were diagnosed with ccTGA. Of the 10 patients with TGA post-AtSO, 50% had undergone Mustard repair. Clinical events occurred in 11 patients, with 47.6% experiencing hospitalizations and 28.6% developing arrhythmias. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV GLS) was significantly associated with event-risk in both univariate and multivariate analyses (p = 0.011; p = 0.025). A cut-off value of LV GLS > -19.24 was proposed to stratify high-risk patients (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Our study confirms the role of subpulmonary LV function in determining outcomes of SRV patients. The assessment of LV GLS by using CMR-FT could significantly enhance clinical management during follow-up.

Subpulmonary ventricular function and inflammation are related to clinical heart failure in patients with a systemic right ventricle

Background

Timely diagnosis of heart failure (HF) in patients with a systemic right ventricle (sRV) is difficult but important since clinical deterioration is fast once HF develops. We aimed to compare echocardiography and biomarker profile between sRV patients with and without HF and patients with a systemic left ventricle diagnosed with HF (sLV-HF).

Methods and results

Eighty-seven sRV patients and 30 sLV-HF patients underwent echocardiographic evaluation and blood sampling. Compared to sRV patients without HF, sRV-HF patients had more remodeling of the subpulmonary LV (spLV) (internal diameter 3.9 cm [3.3-5.7] vs 3.4 cm [2.9-3.9], P = 0.03, posterior wall 0.93 cm [0.76-1.20] vs 0.71 cm [0.59-0.91], P = 0.006) and lower spLV systolic function: ejection fraction (59 % ± 14 vs 70 % ± 10, P = 0.011), mitral annular plane systolic excursion (1.7 cm ± 0.5 vs 2.1 cm ± 0.4, P = 0.003), fractional area change (47 % [38-58] vs 59 % [51-70], P = 0.002) and lateral strain rate (-1.2/s ± 0.46 vs -1.5/s ± 0.39, P = 0.016). Inflammatory biomarkers were higher in sRV-HF patients compared to those without HF: red cell distribution width (13.3 fL [12.8-14.1] vs 12.6 fL [12.3-13.1], P < 0.001), neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR, 3.7 [2.2-4.9] vs 2.4 [1.9-3.0], P = 0.015), C-reactive protein (CRP, 2.5 mg/dL [1.0-4.2] vs 1.2 mg/dL [0.0-2.0], P = 0.005) and compared to sLV-HF patients (NLR (3.7 [2.2-4.9] vs 2.5 [1.7-3.3], P = 0.044) and CRP (2.5 mg/dL [1.0-4.2] vs 0.85 mg/dL [0.6-2.0], P = 0.006).

Conclusion

Biventricular echocardiographic evaluation with a focus on the subpulmonary LV together with assessing inflammatory status in sRV patients could help in an earlier detection of HF.

Biventricular performance in adults with a systemic right ventricle: new insights from myocardial work analysis

To evaluate biventricular mechanics by means of echo-derived myocardial work (MW) analysis in patients with a systemic right ventricle (sRV). Comprehensive echo data were collected in all patients with a sRV who underwent transthoracic echocardiography at our tertiary centre between 2020 and 2021 including sRV function indices, global longitudinal strain (GLS) of right and left ventricle (RV/LV), biventricular MW, and atrial strain in those with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA). Fifty-six patients (37 [30.97-45.87]years, 59% male) and 49 healthy individuals matched per age and sex were included for comparison. Global work index (GWI:1106 [869.80-1293.10] Vs 314.2 [281.5-358.2]mmHg%, p < 0.0001) and global constructive work(GCW: 1542.50 [1338.9-1718.50] Vs 416.4 [365.70-464]mmHg%, p < 0.0001) were both increased for sRV compared to normal RV, reflecting exposition to a systemic afterload, with a contemporary raise in wasted work (GWW:197 [138.50-322.20] Vs 26.09 [17.80-43.48]mmHg%, p < 0.0001) and impaired efficiency (GWE:89 [83-93.54] Vs 93.67 [91.67-96] %, p < 0.0001). Conversely, sRV showed reduced MW indices in comparison to normal LV(p < 0.0001 for all). Non-systemic LV demonstrated normal GLS values (19.51 ± 3.9%), but reduced GWI (479 [368-665] Vs 2172 [1978-2386]mmHg%, p < 0.0001) and GCW (708 [490-815]mmHg% Vs 86.5 [59.25-118], p < 0.0001). Nevertherless, non-systemic LV showed also impaired efficiency (91 [88-94] Vs 95 [94-97]%, p < 0.0001). LVGLS values were related to RVGLS (R = 0.5, p = 0.00019), suggesting a consistent interventricular dependency. Atrial strain could be assessed in 16 out of 20 (80%) patients with ccTGA: both atria had reduced strain values compared to their normal counterparts. Moreover, pulmonary atrial strain during the reservoir phase was related to LVGWE (R = 0.58, p = 0.047) and inversely related to LVGLS (R = - 0.71, p = 0.0043). MW analysis is feasible in sRV and may provide additional clinical data. In our cohort MW revealed biventricular impairment, in particular for non-systemic LV, in spite of normal GLS values.