BACKGROUND Patients with Chuvash polycythemia, (homozygosity for the R200W mutation in the von Hippel Lindau gene (VHL)), have elevated levels of hypoxia inducible factors HIF-1 and HIF-2, often become iron-deficient secondary to phlebotomy, and have elevated estimated pulmonary artery pressure by echocardiography. The objectives of this study were to provide a comprehensive echocardiographic a...

Results RV EDV was positively associated with pulmonary regurgitant (PR) volume (b 0.59, p < 1e), tricuspid regurgitant (TR) volume (b 0.24, p < 1e), body surface area (b 0.08, p < 1e), and age (b 0.20, p < 1e). Significant residual outflow tract stenosis (b -0.10, p = 0.01), branch pulmonary artery stenosis (b -0.09, p = 0.02) and RV EF (b -0.38, p < 1e) were negatively associated with RV EDV ...

Numerical simulations of unsteady flow in a Hartmann resonance tube are carried out with the goal of understanding the effect of jet Mach number on the flow characteristics. The device, which consists of a convergent nozzle facing a closed end tube produces a nearly normal shock that fluctuates in the gap between the nozzle and the tube. Numerical solutions were obtained for the unsteady Reynol...

OBJECTIVES Because pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) can result in an immediate reduction in pulmonary artery (PA) pressure, we sought to evaluate the effect of PTE on severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) without tricuspid annuloplasty. BACKGROUND Few data exist regarding the frequency and magnitude of functional TR improvement after reduction in PA pressure. METHODS We identified 27 pat...

Pressure-volume relationships in the right atrium were examined before and after the creation of acute exerimental tricuspid regurgitation in pigs. A 1.3 kHz multielectrode impedance catheter with a measuring current of 4 mA was used to determine instantaneous right atrial pressure and relative blood volume; right atrial dimension was assessed simultaneously with ultrasonic crystals attached to...

BACKGROUND Accurate evaluation of the tricuspid regurgitant (TR) spectral Doppler signal is important during transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) evaluation for pulmonary hypertension (PHT). Contrast enhancement improves Doppler backscatter. However, its incremental benefit with contemporary scanners is less well established. The aim of this study was to assess whether the TR spectral Doppler ...

BACKGROUND While in adults with sickle cell disease an elevation of tricuspid regurgitation velocity is associated with increased mortality, the importance of this finding in children has not been established. The role of intravascular hemolysis in the development of this complication is controversial. DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted a prospective, longitudinal, multi-center study of 160 indi...

A 75-year-old man with atrial fibrillation was hospitalized because of shortness of breath triggered by upper respiratory infection and tachycardia. His symptoms were improved by bed rest and administration of diuretics. Pretreatment echocardiogram reported dilatation of the right ventricle (RV). Followup study was performed before discharge. Apical four-chamber view still demonstrated remarkab...

OBJECTIVES We sought to test whether the ratio of peak tricuspid regurgitant velocity (TRV, ms) to the right ventricular outflow tract time-velocity integral (TVIRVOT, cm) obtained by Doppler echocardiography (TRV/TVIRVOT) provides a clinically reliable method to determine pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). BACKGROUND Pulmonary vascular resistance is an important hemodynamic variable used in ...

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is diagnosed using cardiac catheterization and is defined as an elevation of mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) greater than 25 mmHg. Although invasive hemodynamics remains the gold standard and is mandatory for disease confirmation, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is an extremely useful non-invasive and widely available tool that allows for screening and foll...