Right atrial reservoir function, assessed by total strain, was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in patients with pulmonary hypertension (HR 0.963).
Cohort (n=116)
No
Does right atrial function assessed by CMR-FT predict long-term mortality and detect early right heart dysfunction in patients with pulmonary hypertension?
Right atrial function assessed by CMR-FT can detect early right heart dysfunction before RVSD onset and independently predicts long-term mortality in patients with pulmonary hypertension.
Hazard Ratio: 0.963 (95% CI 0.935–0.992)
p-value: p=0.014
OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with right ventricular systolic dysfunction (RVSD) is associated with a poor prognosis. This study assessed the characteristics of right atrial (RA) function using cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT) before RVSD onset and evaluated the long-term prognostic significance of these characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 96 PH patients, including 36 without RVSD (PH-nonRVSD) and 60 with RVSD (PH-RVSD), were compared to 20 healthy controls (HCs). The RA reservoir, conduit, booster pump functions, and the right ventricular global longitudinal strain (RVGLS) were evaluated. Ventricular morphological and functional parameters of the RA and right ventricle (RV) were also acquired. RESULTS: > 0.05). The RA reservoir and conduit function were significantly correlated with the right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF), RVGLS, pulmonary vascular resistance, brain natriuretic peptide, cardiac index, and 6-min walk distance. Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that RA conduit function outperformed RVGLS and RVEF in differentiating PH-nonRVSD and HCs. However, a reduction in RA booster pump function was observed only in the PH-RVSD group (p < 0.001). During a median follow-up period of 97 (80-106) months, 45% of the included patients died. RA reservoir function was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality (HR = 0.963, 95% CI: 0.935-0.992, p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: RA function can detect right heart dysfunction prior to RVSD and monitor disease progression in patients with PH. Moreover, RA reservoir function independently predicts long-term prognosis. CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Impairment of right atrial (RA) function, assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT), in pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients is sensitive in detecting right-sided heart dysfunction before right ventricular systolic dysfunction and can be utilized to monitor disease progression and long-term prognosis. KEY POINTS: RA function is sensitive in detecting early right heart dysfunction in PH patients. The disease progression of PH can be monitored by assessing RA function. RA function can serve as a tool for predicting long-term prognosis.
Yang et al. (Wed,) conducted a cohort in Pulmonary hypertension (n=116). Right atrial reservoir function (total strain) vs. Higher right atrial reservoir function was evaluated on All-cause mortality (HR 0.963, 95% CI 0.935-0.992, p=0.014). Right atrial reservoir function, assessed by total strain, was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in patients with pulmonary hypertension (HR 0.963).