Effects of balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty on longitudinal changes in right ventricular strain and strain rate in pediatric pulmonary stenosis.

BACKGROUND

Balloon Pulmonary Valvuloplasty (BPV) is a procedure for Pulmonary Stenosis (PS) treatment. In this study, right ventricle (RV) performance was determined through 2D-Speckle Tracking Echocardiography (2D-STE).

METHODS

The study involved 25 diagnosed children with PS undergoing BPV and 25 normal children. They were examined using 2D-STE and Linear Mixed Model (LMM) approach was used to determine changes in Pulmonary Valve Peak Gradient (PVPG), Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE), strain and Strain Rate (SR) for RV, and Ejection Fraction for Left Ventricle (LVEF).

RESULTS

Notable differences were found between two groups in TAPSE (), global strain (), apical septal strain (), middle septal strain (), basal septal strain (), apical lateral SR (), middle lateral SR (), basal lateral SR (), and apical septal SR (). Post-BPV, there was an increase in LVEF () and TAPSE () but PVPG decreased (). Following BPV, an increase was observed in apical lateral strain (), middle septal strain (), apical septal strain (), middle septal strain (), basal septal strain (), apical septal SR (), and middle septal SR (). Gender was remarkably correlated with mean changes in basal lateral strain (), middle septal strain (), and middle septal SR (). Age of PS children was related to mean change in basal septal strain () and basal septal SR ().

CONCLUSION

Strain and SR in RV improved post-BPV in children with PS. The gender and age of the children revealed remarkable effects on RV strain and SR changes after BPV.