Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2025
Transthoracic Speckle Tracking Echocardiography for the Quantitative Assessment of Left Ventricular Myocardial Deformation
Published on: October 20, 2016
Right ventricle speckle tracking in bronchopulmonary dysplasia: one-year follow-up
Marcos Clavero-Adell1,2, Daniel Palanca-Arias3, Marta López-Ramón3
1Pediatric Cardiology Department, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Paseo Isabel La Católica 1-3, 50009, Saragossa, Spain. mclaveroa@salud.aragon.es.
Insights
Right ventricle (RV) strain measured by echocardiography is feasible in preterm infants. While RV function was worse in Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) patients, RV strain differences were not conclusive, requiring further research.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Neonatology
- Echocardiography
Background:
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) poses a significant risk for secondary right ventricle (RV) failure in preterm infants.
- Early detection of RV dysfunction is crucial for managing BPD complications.
- Speckle tracking echocardiography offers a potential method for assessing RV deformation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic utility of RV strain analysis using speckle tracking in preterm infants.
- To compare RV strain and conventional function parameters between infants with and without BPD.
- To investigate the trend of RV strain over the first year of life in relation to BPD.
Main Methods:
- Prospective longitudinal study over 28 months at a pediatric cardiology center.
- Inclusion of preterm infants (<32 weeks gestational age) divided into NO-BPD and BPD groups.
- Echocardiogram measurements, including RV strain via speckle tracking, performed at three timepoints in the first year of life.
Main Results:
- Fifty infants enrolled (22 NO-BPD, 28 BPD).
- No statistically significant differences in RV strain between the NO-BPD and BPD groups.
- The BPD group exhibited poorer RV function based on both speckle tracking and conventional parameters.
- A trend towards improvement in RV strain was observed during follow-up.
Conclusions:
- RV longitudinal strain and strain rate assessment via speckle tracking is feasible in preterm infants.
- While a correlation between RV strain and BPD severity is suggested, this study's findings were inconclusive.
- Further research is needed to establish an optimal echocardiographic screening model for RV dysfunction in BPD patients.
Background:
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is still a major concern in preterm infants and adequate screening methods for secondary right ventricle (RV) failure are needed. Early detection could be aided by taking measurements of RV deformation using speckle tracking echocardiography. A prospective longitudinal study was carried out over 28 months at a tertiary care pediatric cardiology center. Preterm infants < 32 weeks gestational age (GA) were eligible for the study. Enrolled patients were separated in two groups: NO-BPD or BPD. At three timepoints over the first year of life, echocardiogram measurements were performed. Right ventricle strain was studied using speckle tracking analysis and compared to conventional function parameters.
Results:
Fifty patients were enrolled in the study, 22 in the NO-BPD group and 28 in the BPD group. RV strain showed no statistical differences between groups. However, the BPD group showed worse RV function than the NO-BPD group, using speckle tracking analysis and other conventional parameters. During the study follow-up, an improvement trend is shown in RV strain.
Conclusions:
RV longitudinal strain and strain rate derived by speckle tracking is feasible in preterm infants. Although there seems to be a good correlation between RV strain and BPD severity, the results of this study were not conclusive. More studies should be carried out to investigate the optimum echocardiographic screening model of RV dysfunction in BPD patients.
