Right ventricular strain and strain rate in patients with systemic sclerosis without pulmonary hypertension

Background: Cardiac involvement in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a major risk factor for death. The aim of this study was to evaluate strain-based measures of the right ventricular (RV) systolic function in SSc patients without pulmonary hypertension. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess strain-based measures of the RV systolic function in patients with SSc without pulmonary hypertension. Materials and Methods: Thirty-eight consecutive SSc patients (mean age = 48.1 ± 13 years) with normal pulmonary artery pressure and left ventricular ejection fraction and 27 healthy subjects (mean age = 53.2 ± 10 years) were investigated. The RV systolic strain and strain rate were assessed using standard echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and compared with the results of the healthy subjects. Results: In the SSc patients, the RV strain (- 19 ± 10 vs. - 25 ± 4 %; P = 0.004) and the systolic strain rate (- 1.3 ± 0.5 vs. - 1.5 ± 0.3, s-1; P = 0.03) were significantly lower than those in the control group. Conclusions: This study indicated that the RV systolic strain and strain rate can be used to detect early RV systolic dysfunction in SSc patients without pulmonary hypertension. These parameters may be useful for the provision of a more adequate management of SSc patients.