Right ventricular response to intensive medical therapy in advanced decompensated heart failure

Right ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction is a strong predictor of adverse outcomes in heart failure, yet quantitatively assessing the impact of therapy on this condition is difficult. Our objective was to compare the clinical significance of changes in RV echocardiographic indices in response to intensive medical treatment in patients admitted to the hospital with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF).

Serial comprehensive echocardiography was performed in 62 consecutive patients with ADHF, and adverse events (death, cardiac transplantation, assist device, heart failure rehospitalization) were prospectively documented. RV peak systolic strain was assessed using speckle-tracking longitudinal strain analysis as the average of the basal, mid-, and apical segment of the RV free wall. Other conventional parameters of RV function (RV fractional area change, RV myocardial performance index, tricuspid annular peak systolic excursion, and tissue Doppler peak tricuspid annular systolic velocity) were measured for comparison. In our study cohort [left ventricular ejection fraction, 26+/-10%; cardiac index, 2.0+/-0.6 L/(min . m(2))], overall mean RV peak systolic strain was -14+/-4% at baseline and -15+/-4% at 48 to 72 hours (P=0.27). Among all the RV functional indices measured, only RV peak systolic strain at 48 to 72 hours was associated with adverse events (P=0.02). In particular, improvement in RV peak systolic strain after intensive medical treatment was associated with lower adverse events in this patient population (26% versus 78%; hazard ratio, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.84; P=0.02).

Dynamic improvement in RV mechanics in response to intensive medical therapy was associated with lower long-term adverse events in patients with ADHF than in patients not showing improvement.