Key result
Chronic heavy cigarette smoking was associated with significantly impaired right ventricular global longitudinal strain compared to non-smokers (-19.0% vs. -24.5%, p < 0.001).
Why the study?
Chronic heavy cigarette smoking can affect right ventricular function, but standard echocardiography may miss early functional changes, necessitating a more sensitive measure.
Does chronic heavy cigarette smoking impair right ventricular function in asymptomatic individuals?
Case-Control (n=90)
Single-blind
No
Does chronic heavy cigarette smoking impair right ventricular function in asymptomatic individuals?
Absolute Event Rate: -19% vs -24.5%
p-value: p=<0.001
Chronic heavy cigarette smoking is associated with subclinical right ventricular dysfunction that is detectable by speckle tracking echocardiography despite normal conventional echocardiographic parameters.
May indicate subclinical RV impairment in heavy smokers; case-control data leaves open causal links and need for prospective validation.
BACKGROUND: Chronic heavy cigarette smoking can affect the right ventriclular function. The standard echocardiography may not show early right ventricular functional changes, and a more sensitive measure is needed. The aim of this work was to evaluate the subtle subclinical effects of chronic heavy cigarette smoking on the right ventricular function. The study included 55 healthy asymptomatic chronic heavy cigarette smokers (smoking history of at least 5 pack-years and a daily cigarette consumption of at least 1 pack) and 35 healthy non-smoking control subjects. Patients underwent a full clinical assessment and a conventional as well as a 2D-speckle tracking transthoracic echocardiography of the right ventricle and data was compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The mean age was 32.9 ± 7.2 years in smokers and 30.9 ± 7.9 years in non-smokers (p = 0.227). The 2 groups showed comparable conventional right ventricular systolic and diastolic functions. Smokers showed a significantly lower (less negative) right ventricular global longitudinal strain (- 19.0 ± 3.2% vs. - 24.5 ± 3.5%, p < 0.001). Patients with a higher daily cigarette consumption showed a poorer right ventricular global longitudinal strain (p = 0.014). CONCLUSION: Chronic heavy cigarette smoking can adversely affect the right ventricular function, a finding that can be easily missed by conventional echocardiography and can be better detected by the right ventricular speckle tracking.
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Janhangeer et al. (2021) conducted a case-control in Asymptomatic chronic heavy cigarette smokers (n=90). Chronic heavy cigarette smoking vs. Healthy never-smokers was evaluated on Right ventricular global longitudinal strain (RV GLS) (p=<0.001). Chronic heavy cigarette smoking was associated with significantly impaired right ventricular global longitudinal strain compared to non-smokers (-19.0% vs. -24.5%, p < 0.001).
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