Pallab Biswas et al. Subhro Chakraborty Biswajit Majumder
Abstract
Background
Right ventricle (RV) involvement in inferior wall myocardial infarction (IWMI) is considered a strong predictor of in-hospital mortality and complications. However, assessment of RV involvement and function remains challenging due to difficulties in chamber visualization.
Objective
This study aimed to assess RV involvement in patients with IWMI using myocardial wall velocity (tissue Doppler imaging) and strain rate parameters with conventional echocardiographic indices, evaluating RV function and its correlations with in-hospital mortality and morbidity.
Methods
An observational study was conducted from May 2020 to April 2021 in 210 patients with IWMI visiting a tertiary care center. For each participant, demographics and clinical characteristics were obtained, and an electrocardiography (ECG) was recorded. Following this, right ventricular global longitudinal strain (RVGLS) and echocardiographic parameters (Tei index, right ventricular fractional area change [RVFAC], and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion [TAPSE]) were estimated. Chi-square test was performed for differences in outcomes between patients with and without RV dysfunction. Correlation analysis was conducted between RVGLS, ECG, and other echocardiographic parameters. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results
Pearson’s correlation analysis between RVGLS and Tei index among patients with IWMI indicated a moderate negative correlation (R = 0.610). Furthermore, RVGLS exhibited a moderate positive correlation with RVFAC (R = 0.635) and TAPSE (R = 0.718). At the cutoff of −16.75, RVGLS predicted RV involvement in patients with 97.0% sensitivity and 68.7% specificity. RVGLS predicted RV dysfunction in 44.8% of the patients in the mortality group.
Conclusion
RVGLS can be used as an alternative measure for predicting RV involvement in patients with IWMI.