Right ventriculoarterial coupling as a marker of subclinical myocardial damage in rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND: Right ventriculoarterial coupling (RVAC) is altered early before presenting right ventricular dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension, its measurement in patients with RA has been barely studied. OBJECTIVES: To determine if there is a difference in right ventricular arterial coupling (RVAC) in patients with RA. Analyze if there are differences in patients with normal vs abnormal right RVAC. To investigate if there is an association in patients with RA to present abnormal RVAC. METHODS: A single-center, analytical, cross-sectional, observational study was performed. Patients with a diagnosis of RA were included according to the ACR/EULAR 2010 classification criteria, without any other comorbidity, the echocardiograms were made at the Hospital Civil de Guadalajara "Fray Antonio Alcalde". An ACUSON SC 2000 echocardiogram was used. Patients were compared with healthy controls matched by age and gender. The clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic variables were contrasted. The RVAC was determined with the right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain (RVFWLS) / pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PSAP) ratio. RESULTS: Fifty one patients were included in each group. Among the echocardiographic variables, it was found that patients with RA had a greater right ventricular diastolic area and the PASP; while the RV FAC, the RVFWLS and the RVAC were lower. RA was independently associated to an abnormal RVAC. CONCLUSION: The right ventricular subclinical myocardial damage, determined by the RVAC, is present in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and it was associated with an abnormal ventriculoarterial coupling.