Title: Concordance of right ventricular evaluation by pocket ultrasound and transthoracic echocardiography in patients with pulmonary hypertension.  Clinical Trial: NCT05343091

Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE) currently plays an important role in the diagnostic algorithm of PH (Pulmonary Hypertension).However, TTE is not a real time study during the follow- up consultations, it is performed by highly specialized echocardiographists, limiting daily access. The aim of the study was to determine correlations between the tricuspid annular plane systolic displacement (TAPSE) measured by a pocket ultrasound and the proportions of events related to PH or death.

We prospectively enrolled 64 consecutive patients with group 1 or 4 PH, all patients underwnt a complete examination, cardiac ultrasound and 2D ecocardiography. Of the studied population, 81% (n=52) female, mean age of 52±13 years. 72% had PAH. The variables for echocardiography and transthoracic cardiac ultrasound that presented the best interobserver agreement at baseline were: septal deviation (k=0.93), abnormal RV/LV ratio (k=0.86), dilated right atrium (k=0.89), TAPSE <17mm (k= 0.78) and presence of pericardial effusion (k= 0.75). Using the follow-up TAPSE measurement by pocket ultrasound, this study determines a significant correlation between follow up TAPSE <17mm and progression of illness in patients with PH (X2 (1) = 9.68, p < .001).  

These results suggest that in this study, TAPSE measurement made by a trained physician with a pocket ultrasound has a high reliability and the follow up TAPSE <17mm has a significant association to progression of illness in patients with PH.