Serial changes of right ventricular function assessed by three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography in clinically well adult heart transplantation patients

PurposeThe present study aimed to evaluate serial changes of right ventricular (RV) function in clinically well adult heart transplantation (HT) patients using three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (3D-STE). MethodsWe included 58 adult HT patients, who were free from severe valvular insufficiency, severe coronary artery disease, acute rejection, or multiple organ transplantation, and 58 healthy controls. The healthy controls were matched by the distribution of age and sex with HT group. Conventional and three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography was performed in all HT patients at 1-, 3-, 6-, 9- and 12-months post-HT. And all the healthy controls underwent conventional and 3D echocardiography when recruited. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), S' and RV fractional area change (RV FAC) were measured. Two-dimensional RV free wall longitudinal strain (2D-RV FWLS) was derived from two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE). 3D RV free wall longitudinal strain (3D-RV FWLS) and RV ejection fraction (RVEF) were assessed by 3D-STE. ResultsTAPSE, S', RV FAC, 2D-RV FWLS, 3D-RV FWLS, and RVEF increased significantly from 1 to 6 months post-HT (P < 0.05). TAPSE, S', RV FAC and 2D-RV FWLS showed no significant changes from 6 to 12 months post-HT (P > 0.05), while 3D-RV FWLS and RVEF were still significantly increased: 3D-RV FWLS (17.9 & PLUSMN; 1.0% vs. 18.7 & PLUSMN; 1.4%, P < 0.001) and RVEF (45.9 & PLUSMN; 2.2% vs. 46.8 & PLUSMN; 2.0%, P = 0.025). By 12 months post-HT, TAPSE, S', RV FAC, 2D-RV FWLS, 3D-RV FWLS and RVEF were significantly lower than the healthy controls: TAPSE (15.1 & PLUSMN; 2.1 mm vs. 23.5 & PLUSMN; 3.0 mm, P < 0.001), s' (10.3 & PLUSMN; 1.9 cm/s vs. 12.9 & PLUSMN; 2.0 cm/s, P < 0.001), RV FAC (45.3 & PLUSMN; 1.8% vs. 49.2 & PLUSMN; 3.8%, P < 0.001), 2D-RV FWLS (19.9 & PLUSMN; 2.3% vs. 23.5 & PLUSMN; 3.8%, P < 0.001), 3D-RV FWLS (18.7 & PLUSMN; 1.4% vs. 22.4 & PLUSMN; 2.3%, P < 0.001) and RVEF (46.8 & PLUSMN; 2.0% vs. 49.9 & PLUSMN; 5.7%, P < 0.001). ConclusionRV systolic function improved significantly over time in clinically well adult HT patients even up to 12 months post-HT. By 12 months post-HT, the patient's RV systolic function remained lower than the control. 3D-STE may be more suitable to assess RV systolic function in HT patients.