Two-dimensional echocardiographic assessment of the right ventricle in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.

A consecutive series of 40 patients (39 men, one woman; mean age 54.1 +/- 8.2 years) with chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) underwent right heart catheterization and 2-D echocardiographic examination within 72 hr. An adequate 2-D echocardiographic study was obtained in 32 patients (80 percent) using the apical and/or subcostal views. Mean pulmonary artery pressure at rest and during exercise were correlated with right ventricular diameters and areas in end-systole and end-diastole (r = 0.63 to 0.73). Correlations between right ventricular free wall thickness and pulmonary artery pressure were weak (r = 0.51 and 0.57). Right ventricular end-diastolic pressure was also weakly correlated with right ventricular dimensions (r = 0.45 to 0.51), whereas right ventricular area fractional shortening was not correlated with hemodynamic parameters. Patients with previous episode of right heart failure had larger right ventricles than those without such episodes. Thus, 2-D echocardiography appears useful to study the right heart chambers in patients with COLD.