Cardiology in the Young

Table of Contents - 2004 - Volume 14, Issue 05  


Original Article

Quantitative analysis of right atrial performance after surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot

Wei Hui a1, Mohamed Y. Abd El Rahman a1, Fatima Dsebissowa a1, Axel Rentzsch a1, Matthias Gutberlet a2, Vladimir Alexi-Meskishvili a3, Roland Hetzer a3, Peter E. Lange a1 and Hashim Abdul-Khaliq a1c1
a1 Department of Congenital Heart Defects/Paediatric Cardiology, University Hospital Charité, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
a2 Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Charité, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
a3 Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Article author query
hui w   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
abd el rahman my   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
dsebissowa f   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
rentzsch a   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
gutberlet m   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
alexi-meskishvili v   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
hetzer r   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
lange pe   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
abdul-khaliq h   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

Abstract

We aimed to assess the right atrial performance in patients after surgical correction of tetralogy of Fallot, and to clarify the relationship between the pump function of the right atrium and right ventricular systolic function.

We included in the study 50 asymptomatic patients following corrective surgery of tetralogy of Fallot, comparing them to 30 normal subjects. Right atrial areas were measured by echocardiography, and the active fractional area of emptying was expressed, in percentages, as the area measured at the onset of atrial contraction, minus the minimal area, divided by the area at the onset of atrial contraction. We used this value to assess the atrial pump function. Right atrial peak strain rates were measured by tissue Doppler imaging. Compared to controls, patients with tetralogy of Fallot had a significantly reduced right atrial active fractional area of emptying (p = 0.005), along with a reduced peak late diastolic strain rate (p = 0.002). Among 20 patients who underwent magnetic resonance tomographic examination, a relatively higher right atrial peak late diastolic strain rate was shown in patients with a right ventricular ejection fraction of less than 50% (p = 0.021).

Right atrial performance is reduced in patients after surgical correction of tetralogy of Fallot. When facing right ventricular systolic dysfunction, nonetheless, the right atrial pump function may be relatively enhanced. Tissue Doppler derived strain rate can provide quantitative analysis of regional right atrial performance.

(Accepted April 14 2004)


Key Words: Tissue Doppler imaging; atrial pump function; congenital cardiac disease.

Correspondence:
c1 Correspondence to: Dr H. Abdul-Khaliq MD, PhD, Department for Congenital Heart Disease and Paediatric Cardiology, Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, D-13353 Berlin, Germany. Tel: +49 30 4593 2800; Fax: +49 30 4593 2900; E-mail: abdul-khaliq@dhzb.de

Related Content