Assessing Right Ventricular Performance During Prone Ventilation in ARDS Patients Using Speckle Tracking Echocardiography.

Abstract

Purpose: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) frequently results in right ventricular (RV) dysfunction due to increased afterload and pulmonary vascular resistance. Among the standardized therapeutic strategies for ARDS management, protective ventilation and prone positioning in cases of severe oxygenation deterioration have proven effective, with prone positioning offering additional benefits, including improved RV function, enhanced physiological outcomes such as oxygenation and lung mechanics. This study aims to evaluate the impact of prone positioning on RV performance in ARDS patients using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE).

Methods: This observational, retrospective, single-center study aimed to evaluate the effects of prone positioning on RV function in patients with ARDS requiring mechanical ventilation. The study included patients with ARDS of varying severities who were passively ventilated. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed to assess RV function, with a specific focus on RV global longitudinal strain (GLS) and RV free wall strain (RVFWS) in both supine and prone positions using STE.

Results: Between August 2021 and April 2024, a total of 16 mechanically ventilated patients were included in the study. Regarding mechanical ventilation parameters, after applying the Bonferroni correction, there was a statistically significant increase in the PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio during the prone position (p = 0.004). Concerning echocardiographic variables, no statistically significant differences were found in left ventricular ejection fraction, basal RV diameter, RV/left ventricular end-diastolic area ratio, or the values of tricuspid annular tissue S' wave, TAPSE, and RV fractional area change. However, during the prone position, there was a significant decrease in RV GLS (p = 0.009) and RVFWS (p = 0.003).

Conclusion: This study provides preliminary insights into the impact of the prone position maneuver on RV systolic function in patients with ARDS, suggesting that strain measured by STE could serve as a sensitive marker for detecting subclinical RV dysfunction. Further research with larger sample sizes and prospective designs is needed to confirm and build upon these findings.