[Right ventricular function by the tricupid annular motion in inferior myocordial infarction].

AIM: To assess the method of tricuspid annular motion and tricuspid annular velocity in the study of the right ventricular function after inferior myocardial infarction.

METHODS: 65 patients with myocardial infarction were studied prospectively. The infarction site was anterior in 30 cases and inferior in 35 cases. 9 patients with inferior infarctus had electrocardiographic signs of right ventricular infarction. 24 healthy individuals served as control patients. The standard echocardiography was completed by the analysis of systolic motion of the tricuspid annulus with the use of M-mode and the recording of tricuspid annular velocity with the use of pulsed-move tissue imaging.

RESULTS: The tricuspid annular motion was significantly reduced in inferior myocardial infarction compared with that in healthy individuals (20 and 25 mm, p<0.001). The peak systolic velocity of the tricuspid annulus was significantly reduced in inferior myocardial infarction compared with that in healthy individuals and patients with anterior infarction (11.5; 15; 14 cm/s, p<0.001). In the group of patients with inferior infarction, the tricuspid annular motion was significantly lower in patients with right ventricular infarction than in patients without right ventricular infarction (16 and 13 mm, p<0.001). The patients with right ventricular infarction had also a significantly decreased peak systolic tricuspid annular velocity (11 and 1305cm/s, p<0.001), peak early diastolic velocity (9 and 12.5cm/s, p<0.001) and late diastolic velocity (14 and 18 cm/s, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION: The method of recording the motion and velocity of tricuspid annulus is simple and can be used to assess right ventricular function in patients with inferior myocardial infarction.