Sex differences in right ventricular function between Groups 1 and 3 pulmonary hypertension

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  Figure 1. Strain echocardiography reveals sex differences in RV function, but PH etiology does not significantly modulate RV function in males and females, respectively. PAH females had significant differences in RV GLS (95% confidence interval [CI] of the difference: −3.55 to −2.7%) (a) and RV free wall strain (95% CI of the difference: −5.9% to −0.5%) (b) overall and at every PVR when compared to males. Female Group 3 PH patients had less RV impairment overall (95% CI of the difference for RV GLS: −5.5% to −2.0%, 95% CI of the difference for RV free wall strain: −6.2% to −1.9%) and at every PVR load as compared to males (c and d). There were no differences in RV GLS (95% CI of the difference: −2.8% to 0.4%) (e) or RV free wall strain (95% CI of the difference: −3.9% to 0.4%) (f) in total or when afterload was accounted for between Groups 1 and 3 females. There was no difference in total RV GLS (95% CI of the difference: −2.5% to 2.0%) (g) or RV free wall strain (95% CI of the difference: −3.6% to 1.3%) (h) or RV strain normalized to afterload between Groups 1 and 3 males. GLS, global longitudinal strain; PH, pulmonary hypertension; PVR, pulmonary vascular resistance; RV, right ventricular.