Impact of Right Ventricular Dysfunction on Outcomes in Acute Myocardial Infarction and Cardiogenic Shock: Insights from the National Cardiogenic Shock Initiative.

BACKGROUND: Right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) complicates 30%-40% of cases in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and cardiogenic shock (CS). There are sparse data on the effects of RVD on outcomes and the impact of providing early left ventricular (LV) mechanical circulatory support (MCS) on RV function and hemodynamics. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between July 2016 and December 2020, 80 sites participated in the study. All centers agreed to treat patients with AMI-CS using a standard protocol emphasizing invasive hemodynamic monitoring and rapid initiation of LV-MCS. RVD was defined as a right atrial (RA) pressure of >12 mm Hg and a pulmonary artery pulsatility index (PAPI) of <1 within 24 hours of the index procedure. The primary outcome was survival to discharge. In a subgroup analysis, data available from the Automated Impella Controller console was used to analyze diastolic suction alarms from LV placement signal and its relation to RVD. A total of 361 patients were included in the analysis, of whom 28% had RVD. The median age was 64 years (interquartile range 55-72 years), 22.7% were female and 75.7% were White. There was no difference in age, sex, or comorbidities between those with or without RVD. Patients with RVD had a higher probability of active CPR during LV-MCS implant (14.7% vs 6.3%), Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions stage E shock (39.2% vs 23.2%), and higher admission lactate levels (5.1 mg/dL vs 3.0 mg/dL). Survival to discharge was significantly lower among those with RVD (61.8% vs 73.4%, odds ratio 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.36-0.95, P = .031). This association remained significant in the multivariate analysis. There was no significant difference in hemodynamic variables within 24 hours of LV-MCS support among those with or without RVD. At 24 hours, patients with a CPO of >0.6 W and a PAPi of >1 had a trend toward better survival to discharge compared with those with a CPO of ≤0.6 W and a PAPi of ≤1 (77.1% vs 54.6%, P = .092). Patients with RVD were significantly more likely to have diastolic suction alarms within 24 hours of LV-MCS initiation. CONCLUSIONS: RVD in AMI-CS is common and associated with worse survival to discharge. Early LV-MCS decreases filling pressures rapidly within the first 24 hours and decreases the rate of RVD. Achieving a CPO of >0.6 W and a PAPi of >1 within 24 hours is associated with high survival. Diastolic suction alarms may have usefulness as an early marker of RVD.

Right ventricular dysfunction in left ventricular assist device candidates: is it time to change our prospective?

The use of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) has significantly increased in the last years, trying to offer a therapeutic alternative to heart transplantation, in light also to the significant heart donor shortage compared to the growing advanced heart failure population. Despite technological improvements in the devices, LVAD-related mortality is still fairly high, with right heart failure being one of the predominant predictors. Therefore, many efforts have been made toward a thorough right ventricular (RV) evaluation prior to LVAD implant, considering clinical, laboratory, echocardiographic, and invasive hemodynamic parameters. However, there is high heterogeneity regarding both which predictor is the strongest as well as the relative cut-off values, and a consensus has not been reached yet, increasing the risk of facing patients in which the distinction between good or poor RV function cannot be surely reached. In parallel, due to technological development and availability of mechanical circulatory support of the RV, LVADs are being considered even in patients with suboptimal RV function. The aim of our review is to analyze the current evidence regarding the role of RV function prior to LVAD and its evaluation, pointing out the extreme variability in parameters that are currently assessed and future prospective regarding new diagnostic tools. Finally, we attempt to gather the available information on the therapeutic strategies to use in the peri-operative phase, in order to reduce the incidence of RV failure, especially in patients in which the preoperative evaluation highlighted some conflicting results with regard to ventricular function.

Cancer Therapy-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension and Right Ventricular Dysfunction: Etiologies and Prognostic Implications.

Advances in cancer therapies have improved oncologic outcomes but can potentially expose patients to risk of cardiovascular toxicity. While left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is a well-known cardiotoxicity of cancer therapy. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction are seen with several cancer therapies, including alkylating agents, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and immunotherapy, and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Awareness and recognition of cancer therapy-associated PH and RV dysfunction is critical to identify underlying etiologies and institute the appropriate therapy. However, gaps exist in the current literature on the epidemiology of PH and RV dysfunction in cancer, underlying pathophysiology and optimal management strategies.

The impact of unilateral pulmonary artery stenosis on right ventricular to pulmonary arterial coupling in patients with transposition of the great arteries.

BACKGROUND: Unilateral pulmonary artery (PA) stenosis is common in the transposition of the great arteries (TGA) after arterial switch operation (ASO) but the effects on the right ventricle (RV) remain unclear. AIMS: To assess the effects of unilateral PA stenosis on RV afterload and function in pediatric patients with TGA-ASO. METHODS: In this retrospective study, eight TGA patients with unilateral PA stenosis underwent heart catheterization and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. RV pressures, RV afterload (arterial elastance [Ea]), PA compliance, RV contractility (end-systolic elastance [Ees]), RV-to-PA (RV-PA) coupling (Ees/Ea), and RV diastolic stiffness (end-diastolic elastance [Eed]) were analyzed and compared to normal values from the literature. RESULTS: In all TGA patients (mean age 12 ± 3 years), RV afterload (Ea) and RV pressures were increased whereas PA compliance was reduced. RV contractility (Ees) was decreased resulting in RV-PA uncoupling. RV diastolic stiffness (Eed) was increased. CMR-derived RV volumes, mass, and ejection fraction were preserved. CONCLUSION: Unilateral PA stenosis results in an increased RV afterload in TGA patients after ASO. RV remodeling and function remain within normal limits when analyzed by CMR but RV pressure-volume loop analysis shows impaired RV diastolic stiffness and RV contractility leading to RV-PA uncoupling.

How to assess and treat right ventricular electromechanical dyssynchrony in post-repair tetralogy of Fallot: insights from imaging, invasive studies, and computational modelling.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Right bundle branch block (RBBB) and resulting right ventricular (RV) electromechanical discoordination are thought to play a role in the disease process of subpulmonary RV dysfunction that frequently occur post-repair tetralogy of Fallot (ToF). We sought to describe this disease entity, the role of pulmonary re-valvulation, and the potential added value of RV cardiac resynchronization therapy (RV-CRT). METHODS: Two patients with repaired ToF, complete RBBB, pulmonary regurgitation, and significantly decreased RV function underwent echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance, and an invasive study to evaluate the potential for RV-CRT as part of the management strategy. The data were used to personalize the CircAdapt model of the human heart and circulation. Resulting Digital Twins were analysed to quantify the relative effects of RV pressure and volume overload and to predict the effect of RV-CRT. RESULTS: Echocardiography showed components of a classic RV dyssynchrony pattern which could be reversed by RV-CRT during invasive study and resulted in acute improvement in RV systolic function. The Digital Twins confirmed a contribution of electromechanical RV dyssynchrony to RV dysfunction and suggested improvement of RV contraction efficiency after RV-CRT. The one patient who underwent successful permanent RV-CRT as part of the pulmonary re-valvulation procedure carried improvements that were in line with the predictions based on his Digital Twin. CONCLUSION: An integrative diagnostic approach to RV dysfunction, including the construction of Digital Twins may help to identify candidates for RV-CRT as part of the lifetime management of ToF and similar congenital heart lesions.

Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Patients With Concomitant Tricuspid Regurgitation Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the impact and predictive factors of concomitant significant tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and evaluated the roles of right ventricle (RV) function and the etiology of TR in the clinical outcomes of patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).Methods and Results: We assessed grading of TR severity, TR etiology, and RV function in pre- and post-TAVI transthoracic echocardiograms for 678 patients at Keio University School of Medicine. TR etiology was divided into 3 groups: primary TR, ventricular functional TR (FTR), and atrial FTR. The primary outcomes were all-cause and cardiovascular death. At baseline, moderate or greater TR was found in 55 (8%) patients and, after adjustment for comorbidities, was associated with increased all-cause death (hazard ratio [HR] 2.11; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.19-3.77; P=0.011) and cardiovascular death (HR 2.29; 95% CI 1.06-4.99; P=0.036). RV dysfunction (RVD) also remained an independent predictor of cardiovascular death (HR 2.06; 95% CI 1.03-4.14; P=0.042). Among the TR etiology groups, patients with ventricular FTR had the lowest survival rate (P<0.001). Patients with persistent RVD after TAVI had a higher risk of cardiovascular death than those with a normal or recovered RV function (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The etiology of TR and RV function play an important role in predicting outcomes in concomitant TR patients undergoing TAVI.

Right Ventricular to Pulmonary Artery Uncoupling Is Associated With Impaired Exercise Capacity in Patients With Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND: Exercise capacity is related to mortality and morbidity in heart failure (HF) patients. Determinants of exercise capacity in transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) have not been established. METHODS AND RESULTS: This single-center study retrospectively evaluated ATTR-CA patients and patients with non-amyloidosis HF with preserved/mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFpEF/HFmrEF) (n=32 and n=51, respectively). In the ATTR-CA group, the median age was 75.5 years (interquartile range [IQR] 71.3-78.8 years), 90.6% were male, and the median left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction was 53.5% (IQR 41.4-65.6%). Cardiopulmonary exercise tests revealed a median peak oxygen consumption and anaerobic threshold of 15.9 (IQR 11.6-17.4) and 10.6 (IQR 8.5-12.0] mL/min/kg, respectively, and ventilatory efficiency (minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production [V̇E/V̇CO2] slope) of 35.5 (IQR 32.0-42.5). Among exercise variables, V̇E/V̇CO2slope has the greatest prognostic value. Univariate analysis revealed a significant correlation between V̇E/V̇CO2slope and age, LV global longitudinal strain, tricuspid annular plain systolic excursion/pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (TAPSE/PASP) ratio, and mixed venous oxygen saturation. In multivariate analyses, the TAPSE/PASP ratio was an independent predictor of V̇E/V̇CO2slope (95% confidence interval -44.5, -10.8; P=0.0067). In non-amyloidosis HFpEF/HFmrEF patients, the TAPSE/PASP ratio was not independently correlated with V̇E/V̇CO2slope. CONCLUSIONS: Right ventricular-pulmonary artery coupling estimated by the TAPSE/PASP ratio determines exercise capacity in ATTR-CA patients. This highlights the importance of early therapeutic intervention against underappreciated right ventricular dysfunction associated with ATTR-CA.

Outcomes of Lung Transplantation in Patients With Right Ventricular Dysfunction: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis Comparing ECMO Configurations in a Bridge-to-Transplant Setting.

This study aimed to assess the lung transplantation (LT) outcomes of patients with right ventricular dysfunction (RVD), focusing on the impact of various extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) configurations. We included adult patients who underwent LT with ECMO as a bridge-to-transplant from 2011 to 2021 at a single center. Among patients with RVD (n = 67), veno-venous (V-V) ECMO was initially applied in 79% (53/67) and maintained until LT in 52% (35/67). Due to the worsening of RVD, the configuration was changed from V-V ECMO to veno-arterial (V-A) ECMO or a right ventricular assist device with an oxygenator (Oxy-RVAD) in 34% (18/67). They showed that lactic acid levels (2-6.1 mmol/L) and vasoactive inotropic score (6.6-22.6) increased. V-A ECMO or Oxy-RVAD was initiated and maintained until LT in 21% (14/67) of cases. There was no significant difference in the survival rates among the three configuration groups (V-V ECMO vs. configuration changed vs. V-A ECMO/Oxy-RVAD). Our findings suggest that the choice of ECMO configuration for LT candidates with RVD should be determined by the patient's current hemodynamic status. Vital sign stability supports the use of V-V ECMO, while increasing lactic acid levels and vasopressor needs may require a switch to V-A ECMO or Oxy-RVAD.

Outcomes With Hybrid Catheter-Directed Therapy Compared With Aspiration Thrombectomy for Patients With Intermediate-High Risk Pulmonary Embolism.

PURPOSE: Intermediate-high-risk pulmonary embolism (IHR PE) is a challenging form of embolism obstruction that causes right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. The optimal management of IHR PE has not been established. This single-center prospective, observational study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of complex catheter-directed therapy (CDT) - catheter-directed mechanical aspiration thrombectomy (CDMT) supplemented with catheter-directed thrombolysis (hybrid CDT) in comparison to CDMT alone for IHR PE. METHODS: A propensity score based on the pulmonary embolism severity index class and Miller obstruction index (MOI) was calculated, and 21 hybrid CDT cases (mean age 54.8 (14.7) years, 9/21 women) were matched with 21 CDMT cases (mean age 58.8 (14.9) years, 13/21 women). The baseline demographics, clinical, and treatment characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: No significant differences were detected regarding baseline demographics and PE severity parameters. Hybrid CDT demonstrated a higher reduction in mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) (hybrid CDT: median mPAP reduction 8 mmHg (IQR: 6-10 mmHg) vs CDMT: median mPAP reduction 6 mmHg (IQR: 4-7 mmHg); P = 0.019), MOI score (hybrid CDT: median change - 5 points (IQR: 5-6 points) vs CDMT median change - 3 points (IQR: 3-5 points); P = 0.019), and median RV: left ventricular ratio (hybrid CDT: median change 0.4 (IQR: 0.3-0.45) vs CDMT median change 0.26 (IQR: 0.2-0.4); P = 0.007). No major bleeding was observed. Both the hybrid CDT and CDMT alone treatments are safe and effective in managing IHR PE. CONCLUSIONS: Hybrid CDT is a promising technique for the management of IHR PE with insufficient thrombus load reduction by CDMT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT0447356-registration date 16 July 2020.

The effect of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular dysfunction on early mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing mitral valve replacement.

INTRODUCTION: The indications for concominant tricuspid valve surgery in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery for rheumatic reasons are limited. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of severe pulmonary hypertension and low TAPSE values on early-term mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing mitral valve replacement. METHODS: The data of all patients who underwent mitral valve replacement between January 2013 and August 2020 were examined retrospectively. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to pulmonary artery pressure (PAP ≥ 50 and PAP < 50). The group with PAP > 50 was then divided into 2 subgroups according to TAPSE (1.5 ≥ or < 1.5) values. The early-term mortality and morbidity rates of these groups were compared. RESULTS: Seventy-nine patients who underwent mitral valve replacement were included in the study. Fifty-four (68%) of them were female, and 25 (32%) were male. During the preoperative period, the TAPSE was 16.8 ± 3.0 mm, and the PAP was 52.1 ± 14.1 mmHg. There were 53 patients with PAP > 50 and 26 patients with PAP < 50. In the PAP > 50 group, the rates of tricuspid regurgitation (p < 0.001), blood transfusion (p < 0.001), intensive care unit stay (p < 0.001), need for CPAP (p = 0.043), reintubation (p = 0.048), acute renal failure (p = 0.028), and mortality (p = 0.026) were found to be significantly different. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we believe that in patients with mitral valve pathology, early referral for surgical intervention, before the pulmonary pressures significantly increase and right ventricular function deteriorates, can enhance survival outcomes.

Right Ventricular Dysfunction on Transthoracic Echocardiography and Long-Term Mortality in the Critically Unwell: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) is common in the critically ill. To date studies exploring RVD sequelae have had heterogenous definitions and diagnostic methods, with limited follow-up. Additionally much literature has been pathology specific, limiting applicability to the general critically unwell patient. METHOD AND STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of RVD diagnosed with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) on long-term mortality in unselected critically unwell patients compared to those without RVD. A systematic search of EMBASE, Medline and Cochrane was performed from inception to March 2022. All RVD definitions using TTE were included. Patients were those admitted to a critical or intensive care unit, irrespective of disease processes. Long-term mortality was defined as all-cause mortality occurring at least 30 days after hospital admission. A priori subgroup analyses included disease specific and delayed mortality (death after hospital discharge/after the 30th day from hospital admission) in patients with RVD. A random effects model analysis was performed with the Dersimionian and Laird inverse variance method to generate effect estimates. RESULTS: Of 5985 studies, 123 underwent full text review with 16 included (n = 3196). 1258 patients had RVD. 19 unique RVD criteria were identified. The odds ratio (OR) for long term mortality with RVD was 2.92 (95% CI 1.92-4.54, I2 76.4%) compared to no RVD. The direction and extent was similar for cardiac and COVID19 subgroups. Isolated RVD showed an increased risk of delayed mortality when compared to isolated left/biventricular dysfunction (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.05-3.86, I2 46.8%). CONCLUSION: RVD, irrespective of cause, is associated with increased long term mortality in the critically ill. Future studies should be aimed at understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms by which this occurs. Commonly used echocardiographic definitions of RVD show significant heterogeneity across studies, which contributes to uncertainty within this dataset.

Assessment of right ventricular dysfunction and its association with excess risk of cardiovascular events in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.

AIMS: Recent accumulating evidence has recently documented a significant prevalence of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE)/pulmonary-artery systolic pressure (PASP) ratio assessed with echocardiography might be a useful clinical index of right ventricular (RV) -pulmonary arterial (PA) coupling. The current study aimed to investigate the value of the TAPSE/PASP ratios in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). METHODS: We studied 83 times echocardiographic tests from 68 patients with MHD. The associations of TAPSE/PASP ratios with echocardiography variables, clinical characteristics, and biochemical parameters were analyzed, as well as the associations of TAPSE/PASP ratios with odds of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and frequent intermittent dialysis hypotension (IDH). RESULTS: Correlation analysis showed TAPSE/PASP ratios positively correlated with LVEF and negatively correlated with E/A and E/e' values. For clinical and biochemical parameters, TAPSE/PASP ratios negatively correlated with BNP, NT-proBNP, age, CRP, and average interdialysis weight gain (ΔBW) and positively correlated with albumin. Logistic regression analysis, which induced the TAPSE/PASP ratio as a continuous variable (per 0.1 mm/mmHg increase), identified that the TAPSE/PASP ratio was associated with decreased CVD events (OR 0.386 [95% CI 0.231-0.645], p < 0.001) and frequent IDH odds (OR 0.571 [95% CI 0.397-0.820], p = 0.002). Moreover, the TAPSE/PASP ratio independently predicted CVD events (adjusted HR 0.539 [95% CI 0.391-0.743], p < 0.001) during a follow-up period of 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: RVD, assessed by echocardiography TAPSE/PASP ratio, was found to be associated with increased risks of CVD events and frequent IDH in patients with MHD.

Acute severe pulmonary hypertension during weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass for aortic valve replacement surgery: A case report.

Pulmonary arterial pressure (PAH) usually increases after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), but this normally does not affect weaning off CPB. Here we report a case of severe PAH in a patient with normal left atrial pressure. Prolonging CPB by 45 min did not lead to lower PAH. Given that lung injury can stimulate secretion of vasoconstrictors that trigger PAH, we decided to gradually increase blood flow into the lungs in an effort to restore the balance between pulmonary vasoconstrictors and vasodilators. Pulmonary artery pressure gradually decreased, allowing the patient to be weaned off CPB, after which she recovered uneventfully. Our experience suggests an approach for managing acute, severe PAH after CPB without the need for mechanical circulatory support.

Venous Congestion Assessed by Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS) and Acute Kidney Injury in Children with Right Ventricular Dysfunction.

Background: Right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) is a complication following congenital cardiac surgery in children and can lead to systemic venous congestion, low cardiac output, and organ dysfunction. Venous congestion can be transmitted backwards and adversely affect encapsulated organs such as the kidneys. Primary objective: To investigate the association between systemic venous congestion, as estimated by Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS), and the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in children with RVD following congenital heart surgery. Secondary objectives included comparing changes in VExUS scores after initiating treatment for RVD and venous congestion. Methods and results: This was a prospective observational study in children with RVD. The VExUS study was performed on day 1, day 2, and day 3 and categorized as VExUS-1, VExUS-2, and VExUS-3. Among 43 patients with RVD and dilated inferior vena cava, 19/43 (44%), 10/43 (23%), and 12/43 (28%) were VExUS-2 and VExUS-3, respectively. There was an association between severe RVD and elevated pulmonary artery systolic pressures and a VExUS score >2. A significant association was observed between central venous pressure (CVP) measurements and VExUS. Among 31 patients with a high VExUS score >2, 18 (58%) had AKI. Additionally, improvement in CVP and fluid balance was associated with improving VExUS scores following targeted treatment for RVD. Conclusion: VExUS serves as a valuable bedside tool for diagnosing and grading venous congestion through ultrasound Doppler. An elevated VExUS score was associated with the occurrence of AKI, and among the components of VExUS, portal vein pulsatility may be useful as a predictor of AKI. How to cite this article: Natraj R, Bhaskaran AK, Rola P, Haycock K, Siuba MTT, Ranjit S. Venous Congestion Assessed by Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS) and Acute Kidney Injury in Children with Right Ventricular Dysfunction. Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(5):447-452.

VeXUS: Do Not Drown in the ExCESS.

How to cite this article: Kumar V. VeXUS: Do Not Drown in the ExCESS. Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(5):419-421.

Disruption of GCN2 Pathway Aggravates Vascular and Parenchymal Remodeling during Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) are chronic diseases of the pulmonary parenchyma and circulation, respectively, which may coexist, but underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Mutations in the GCN2 (general control nonderepressible 2) gene (EIF2AK4 [eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha kinase 4]) were recently associated with pulmonary veno-occlusive disease. The aim of this study is to explore the involvement of the GCN2/eIF2α (eukaryotic initiation factor 2α) pathway in the development of PH during PF, in both human disease and in a laboratory animal model. Lung tissue from patients with PF with or without PH was collected at the time of lung transplantation, and control tissue was obtained from tumor resection surgery. Experimental lung disease was induced in either male wild-type or EIF2AK4-mutated Sprague-Dawley rats, randomly receiving a single intratracheal instillation of bleomycin or saline. Hemodynamic studies and organ collection were performed 3 weeks after instillation. Only significant results (P < 0.05) are presented. In PF lung tissue, GCN2 protein expression was decreased compared with control tissue. GCN2 expression was reduced in CD31+ endothelial cells. In line with human data, GCN2 protein expression was decreased in the lung of bleomycin rats compared with saline. EIF2AK4-mutated rats treated with bleomycin showed increased parenchymal fibrosis (hydroxyproline concentrations) and vascular remodeling (media wall thickness) as well as increased right ventricular systolic pressure compared with wild-type animals. Our data show that GCN2 is dysregulated in both humans and in an animal model of combined PF and PH. The possibility of a causative implication of GCN2 dysregulation in PF and/or PH development should be further studied.

Failure to Normalize Biventricular Function Is Associated with Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Use in Neonates with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.

We examined postnatal echocardiograms for 62 infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia born from 2014 through 2020. Left and right ventricular dysfunction on D0 were sensitive, whereas persistent dysfunction on D2 was specific for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation requirement. Biventricular dysfunction had the strongest association with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Serial echocardiography may inform prognosis in congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Right ventricular failure in left heart disease: from pathophysiology to clinical manifestations and prognosis.

Right heart failure (RHF) is a clinical syndrome in which symptoms and signs are caused by dysfunction and/or overload of the right heart structures, predominantly the right ventricle (RV), resulting in systemic venous hypertension, peripheral oedema and finally, the impaired ability of the right heart to provide tissue perfusion. Pathogenesis of RHF includes the incompetence of the right heart to maintain systemic venous pressure sufficiently low to guarantee an optimal venous return and to preserve renal function. Virtually, all myocardial diseases involving the left heart may be responsible for RHF. This may result from coronary artery disease, hypertension, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathies and myocarditis. The most prominent clinical signs of RHF comprise swelling of the neck veins with an elevation of jugular venous pressure and ankle oedema. As the situation worsens, fluid accumulation becomes generalised with extensive oedema of the legs, congestive hepatomegaly and eventually ascites. Diagnosis of RHF requires the presence of signs of elevated right atrial and venous pressures, including dilation of neck veins, with at least one of the following criteria: (1) compromised RV function; (2) pulmonary hypertension; (3) peripheral oedema and congestive hepatomegaly. Early recognition of RHF and identifying the underlying aetiology as well as triggering factors are crucial to treating patients and possibly reversing the clinical manifestations effectively and improving prognosis.

The right ventricular dysfunction and ventricular interdependence in patients with DM: assessment using cardiac MR feature tracking.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the difference of right ventricular (RV) structural and functional alteration in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and the ventricular interdependence in these patients, using cardiac MR (CMR) feature tracking. METHODS: From December 2016 to February 2022, 148 clinically diagnosed patients with DM who underwent cardiac MR (CMR) in our hospital were consecutively recruited. Fifty-four healthy individuals were included as normal controls. Biventricular strains, including left/right ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-/RVGLS), left/right ventricular global circumferential strain (LV-/RVGCS), left/right ventricular global radial strain (LV-/RVGRS) were evaluated, and compared between patients with DM and healthy controls. Multiple linear regression and mediation analyses were used to evaluate DM's direct and indirect effects on RV strains. RESULTS: No differences were found in age (56.98 ± 10.98 vs. 57.37 ± 8.41, p = 0.985), sex (53.4% vs. 48.1%, p = 0.715), and body surface area (BSA) (1.70 ± 0.21 vs. 1.69 ± 0.17, p = 0.472) between DM and normal controls. Patients with DM had decreased RVGLS (- 21.86 ± 4.14 vs. - 24.49 ± 4.47, p = 0.001), RVGCS (- 13.16 ± 3.86 vs. - 14.92 ± 3.08, p = 0.011), and no decrease was found in RVGRS (22.62 ± 8.11 vs. 23.15 ± 9.05, p = 0.743) in patients with DM compared with normal controls. The difference in RVGLS between normal controls and patients with DM was totally mediated by LVGLS (indirect effecting: 0.655, bootstrapped 95%CI 0.138-0.265). The difference in RVGCS between normal controls and DM was partly mediated by the LVGLS (indirect effecting: 0.336, bootstrapped 95%CI 0.002-0.820) and LVGCS (indirect effecting: 0.368, bootstrapped 95%CI 0.028-0.855). CONCLUSIONS: In the patients with DM and preserved LVEF, the difference in RVGLS between DM and normal controls was totally mediated by LVGLS. Although there were partly mediating effects of LVGLS and LVGCS, the decrease in RVGCS might be directly affected by the DM.

Right ventricle-specific therapies in acute respiratory distress syndrome: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize knowledge and identify gaps in evidence regarding treatment of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). DATA SOURCES: We conducted a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were included if they reported effects of treatments on right ventricular function, whether or not the intent was to modify right ventricular function. DATA EXTRACTION: Data extraction was performed independently and in duplicate by two authors. Data items included the study design, patient population, type of intervention, comparison group, and RV-specific outcomes. DATA SYNTHESIS: Of 1,430 studies screened, 51 studies reporting on 1,526 patients were included. By frequency, the included studies examined the following interventions: ventilator settings (29.4%), inhaled medications (33.3%), extracorporeal life support (13.7%), intravenous or oral medications (13.7%), and prone positioning (9.8%). The majority of the studies were non-randomized experimental studies (53%), with the next most common being case reports (16%). Only 5.9% of studies were RCTs. In total, 27% of studies were conducted with the goal of modifying RV function. CONCLUSIONS: Given the prevalence of RVD in ARDS and its association with mortality, the dearth of research on this topic is concerning. This review highlights the need for prospective trials aimed at treating RV dysfunction in ARDS.