Independence of intrapericardial right and left ventricular performance in septic pulmonary hypertension

To study the effect of septic pulmonary hypertension on right/left ventricular intrapericardial interactions thirteen trauma patients, seven septic and six non-septic controls, were compared. Ventricular volumes were derived from first-pass or gated equilibrium radionuclide angiocardiography, and related to body surface area. Systemic and pulmonary pressures were measured invasively. Pulmonary arterial pressure was significantly increased in the sepsis group. Although right ventricular end-diastolic volumes were higher in sepsis, left ventricular end-diastolic volumes were not decreased. In terms of intrapericardial right/left ventricular interactions these results indicate that the right and left ventricles operate independently in septic pulmonary hypertension.