BACKGROUND: The right ventricular (RV) area is important for diagnosis and follow-up in patients with various diseases, such as in pulmonary hypertension. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to define the reference ranges of the end-diastolic RV area in healthy adults and to assess the determining factors. METHODS: In the first part of the study 860 healthy subjects (37.6% female; mean age 28 ± 5.84; 395 endurance athletes, 255 strength athletes and 210 non-athletes) were prospectively assessed. In the second part we performed a pooled analysis of studies published between 1979 and 2014 describing the RV area in healthy subjects (n = 5,248). Statistical analysis included the calculation of reference ranges and the analysis of determining factors. RESULTS: Mean end-diastolic RV areas in 860 healthy subjects were significantly larger in endurance athletes (25.1 ± 2.0 cm(2)) compared with strength athletes (22.9 ± 1.7 cm(2)) and non-athletes (16.7 ± 2.0 cm(2), p < 0.001). In the synopsis of both data sets, mean end-diastolic RV area was significantly larger in European/American males (17 cm(2)) compared with females (14 cm(2), p < 0.001) and in Asian males (16 cm(2)) compared with females (13 cm(2), p < 0.001). The area increased with body surface area and older age. CONCLUSION: This is the largest data set to define RV size in healthy adults aged <50 years. RV area was determined by age, gender, body surface area, ethnicity and high-level exercise training. High standard deviations resulted in high values for the upper limit of the reference range, which might therefore not be useful as cut-off values for screening purposes. Gender- and ethnicity-specific reference ranges should be used. Further studies in subjects aged >50 years as well as in children are needed.
BACKGROUND: The right ventricular (RV) area is important for diagnosis and follow-up in patients with various diseases, such as in pulmonary hypertension. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to define the reference ranges of the end-diastolic RV area in healthy adults and to assess the determining factors. METHODS: In the first part of the study 860 healthy subjects (37.6% female; mean age 28 ± 5.84; 395 endurance athletes, 255 strength athletes and 210 non-athletes) were prospectively assessed. In the second part we performed a pooled analysis of studies published between 1979 and 2014 describing the RV area in healthy subjects (n = 5,248). Statistical analysis included the calculation of reference ranges and the analysis of determining factors. RESULTS: Mean end-diastolic RV areas in 860 healthy subjects were significantly larger in endurance athletes (25.1 ± 2.0 cm(2)) compared with strength athletes (22.9 ± 1.7 cm(2)) and non-athletes (16.7 ± 2.0 cm(2), p < 0.001). In the synopsis of both data sets, mean end-diastolic RV area was significantly larger in European/American males (17 cm(2)) compared with females (14 cm(2), p < 0.001) and in Asian males (16 cm(2)) compared with females (13 cm(2), p < 0.001). The area increased with body surface area and older age. CONCLUSION: This is the largest data set to define RV size in healthy adults aged <50 years. RV area was determined by age, gender, body surface area, ethnicity and high-level exercise training. High standard deviations resulted in high values for the upper limit of the reference range, which might therefore not be useful as cut-off values for screening purposes. Gender- and ethnicity-specific reference ranges should be used. Further studies in subjects aged >50 years as well as in children are needed.
Authors: Alberto Maria Marra; Marco Proietti; Eduardo Bossone; Andrea Salzano; Antonio Cittadini Journal: Intern Emerg Med Date: 2019-06-18 Impact factor: 3.397
Authors: Alberto M Marra; Nicola Benjamin; Francesco Ferrara; Olga Vriz; Michele D'Alto; Antonello D'Andrea; Anna Agnese Stanziola; Luna Gargani; Antonio Cittadini; Ekkehard Grünig; Eduardo Bossone Journal: Int J Cardiovasc Imaging Date: 2016-10-06 Impact factor: 2.357
Authors: Tommaso Vezzosi; Oriol Domenech; Giulia Costa; Federica Marchesotti; Luigi Venco; Eric Zini; Maria Josefa Fernández Del Palacio; Rosalba Tognetti Journal: J Vet Intern Med Date: 2018-09-14 Impact factor: 3.333
Authors: David G Kiely; David Levin; Paul Hassoun; David D Ivy; Pei-Ni Jone; Jumaa Bwika; Steven M Kawut; Jim Lordan; Angela Lungu; Jeremy Mazurek; Shahin Moledina; Horst Olschewski; Andrew Peacock; Goverdhan Dutt Puri; Farbod Rahaghi; Michal Schafer; Mark Schiebler; Nicholas Screaton; Merryn Tawhai; Edwin Jr Van Beek; Anton Vonk-Noordegraaf; Rebecca R Vanderpool; John Wort; Lan Zhao; Jim Wild; Jens Vogel-Claussen; Andrew J Swift Journal: Pulm Circ Date: 2019-03-18 Impact factor: 3.017