To assess the right and left ventricular performance in patients
with COPD, fifty subjects were included; 40 COPD patients and 10
apparently healthy control subjects. Exclusion criteria were any
history of systemic hypertension, ischemic or valvular heart disease
or episodes of right and/or left sided cardiac failure. Ventilatory
pulmonary function tests, echo-Doppler examination and exercise
test was done for all subjects.
It was concluded that in COPD patients FEV I% was 31± 6.85
and FEV I/FVC% was 56.55 ± 7.67. The right and left ventricular
systolic functions assessed by ejection fraction were preserved at
rest. After exercise it was preserved in the left ventricle but
significantly deteriorated in the right ventricle in COPD group than
in the control group (P < 0.01). As regards the diastolic functions of
both ventricles assessed by E/A ratio, it was deteriorated at rest
(P<0.05) and became more deteriorated after exercise (P<0.01).
Mean pulmonary pressure (MPP) was high at rest and became higher
after exercise. There was significant positive correlation between
ventilatory functions and left ventricular diastolic function. There |
