Is right ventricular dysfunction in obstructive sleep apnea a potential screening tool?

n this issue of the Journal, Tugcu et al1 report that by using velocity vector imaging (VVI), as well as tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), subclinical regional right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is diagnosed in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who do not have systemic or pulmonary arterial hypertension. They found that the VVIderived RV peak systolic myocardial velocity, strain/strain rate, and the TDI-derived RV isovolumic acceleration were significantly impaired in those with OSA, and that the RV mid free wall stain and strain rate were best correlated with the apnea hypopnea index.