Speckle tracking imaging for assessing right ventricular function in tricuspid regurgitation fetus

HU Qianru; WANG Yuting; HE Xiaoyan; WANG Chunlin; WANG Jing; MAO Kui; LIAO Fengqin; YANG Dongmei

doi:10.12122/j.issn.1674-4500.2024.08.04

Abstract：Objective To investigate the changes in fetal right ventricular function associated with tricuspid regurgitation by speckle tracking imaging.Methods A total of 101 fetuses without obvious cardiac malformations detected by prenatal echocardiography from January 2019 to May 2023 at the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China(Anhui Provincial Hospital)were selected.The fetuses were divided into a control group with no tricuspid regurgitation(n=41),a mild regurgitation group(n=30),and a moderate regurgitation group(n=30)based on the degree of tricuspid regurgitation.The left and right ventricular global longitudinal strain of endocardial layers(LV/RV-EndoGLS),fractional area change in the left and right ventricles(LV/RV-FAC),right ventricular free wall strain(RVFWLS),tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion(TAPSE),and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)were computed to compare the impact of different degrees of tricuspid regurgitation on biventricular systolic function in fetuses.Results There was no significant difference in right ventricular function between the mild regurgitation group and the control group(P>0.05).The right ventricular function indicators in the moderate regurgitation group were all lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).The RV-EndoGLS and RVFWLS in the moderate regurgitation group were lower than those in the mild regurgitation group(P<0.05),while RVFAC and TAPSE showed no significant difference(P>0.05).There was no significant difference in LV-EndoGLS,LV-FAC,and LVEF among all the groups(P>0.05).Conclusion The speckle tracking imaging can evaluate whether the fetal right ventricular function is impaired in isolated tricuspid regurgitation.RV-EndoGLS and RVFLS are more sensitive indicators.