Early Echocardiographic Findings of Pulmonary Hypertension-specific Therapy in Children

Echocardiography is a very useful tool for the diagnosis and evaluation of pulmonary hypertension (PH). This study was planned to investigate whether echocardiographic (ECHO) data of patients with PH are effective in the follow-up and course of treatment.

A retrospective analysis of the data from 26 PH patients was performed. Analyses were performed on the data of the patients, including their demographics and ECHO findings. The ECHO measurements of the patients were labeled as 0 (beginning of the PH specific therapy), 1 (on the 15^th day of the therapy), 2 (one month after the previous echocardiogram).

The left ventricle ejection fraction (EF) (p=0.05) and fractional shortening (FS) (p=0.038) values in ECHO₂ were significantly higher than those in ECHO₁. Aortic velocity-time integral₁ (VTI₁) was significantly higher than aortic VTI₀ (p=0.001; p<0.01), and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion₂ (TAPSE₂) was significantly higher than TAPSE₀ (p=0.046). Moreover, right ventricular ejection time₁ (RVET₁) was significantly higher than RVET₀ (p=0.034), and left ventricular ejection time₁ (LVET₁) was significantly higher than LVET₀ (p=0.003).

This study provides information on ECHO parameters that improve during the initial stages of therapy. Based on the results of our study, even at the beginning of treatment, there were increases in right and left ventricular filling, EF, and FS. Clinical deterioration of PH can be detected early/before the clinical status of the patient worsens with detailed examinations using echocardiography.