Researchers Discover Reduced Left Ventricular Function in Children With Pulmonary Hypertension

Results from a recent study published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging showed that pediatric patients with Pulmonary hypertension have reduced Left Ventricular  strain/strain rate, predominantly within the septum, with relationships to invasive hemodynamics, right ventricular strain, and functional Pulmonary hypertension measures.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is raised blood pressure within the pulmonary arteries, which are the blood vessels that supply the lungs. PH is serious medical condition that can damage the right side of the heart, making it less efficient at pumping blood throughout the body and getting oxygen to the muscles. Although pulmonary hypertension is not curable, treatments are available that can help lessen symptoms and improve quality of life.

In the study titled: “Left Ventricular Myocardial Function in Children With Pulmonary Hypertension: Relation to Right Ventricular Performance and Hemodynamics,” Mark K. Friedberg, MD, from the Division of Cardiology, Hospital for Sick Children, in Toronto, Canada and colleagues conducted a prospectively analysis of echocardiography that was performed in two different institution in a total of 54 pediatric patients with Pulmonary Hypertension during cardiac catheterization. To compare the results, the team of researchers also included a cohort of 54 matched controls in the analysis.

Results revealed that pediatric patients with PH had a reduction on left ventricular global longitudinal strain mainly due to reduced basal and mid septal strain. The results also showed that basal global circumferential strain was reduced in pediatric patients with PH, as were septal and free-wall segments.

Mid circumferential strain was reduced within the free-wall, and strain rates were reduced in comparable patterns. The results also determined a correlation between the basal septum LS, the combined average LS of basal, mid interventricular septal segments, with the degree of PH, the pulmonary vascular resistance, and the right ventricular free-wall LS.

There was a moderate correlation between the levels of brain natriuretic peptide and septal LS, and also between PH functional class and LV free-wall LS.

The researchers also determined that the septum, shared between ventricles and affected by septal shift, was the most affected Left Ventricular region in children with PH.