Research in Medicine

Background and Aim: Pulmonary hypertension is an independent risk factor in COPD.  Echocardiographic evaluation is important for determination of prognosis in these patients. Cardiovascular manifestations in COPD include increased arterial stiffness, ischemic heart disease, chronic heart failure and cor-pulmonale.  Some studies suggest that right ventricular (RV) dysfunction occurs in early stages of COPD as compared with healthy people. The aim of this study is evaluation of RV function by echocardiography  in early stages of COPD  in comparison with normal subjects.

Material and Methods: In this case-control study, 39 COPD patients and 39 healthy controls subjects matched for age and sex and were compared with 39 healthy controls.  After obtaining demographic and clinical data from the participants, they underwent detailed Doppler echocardiography to evaluate the right and left ventricular function.

Findings: In this study, right ventricular diameter was significantly more in COPD patients versus control group (p<0.001). Also, TAPSE was lower in the COPD patients compared with the control group (p=0.013). On the other hand, pulmonary artery pressure was significantly higher in COPD patients (P<0.001). Seventy nine percent of COPD patients have pulmonary hypertension and Tie index (myocardial performance index) was higher in COPD patients (in patients with pulmonary hypertension it was 76±0.3 and in the patient with out PHTN: 0.76±0.2) (p-value<001).

Conclusion: This study revealed that patients with COPD and no serious cardiac disorders; with or without PHTN in primary phases have RV dysfunction in compare with healthy people.

Therefore, better control of respiratory qualifications may have an affective benefit in prevention and postponement of RV dysfunction in COPD patients.