Accurate assessment of ventricular function is particularly important in children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) after completion of the total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC). For this purpose, two-dimensional speckle tracking (2DST) is a promising technique as it does not depend on the angle of insonation or the geometry of the ventricle. The objective of this study was to assess changes in systolic and diastolic right ventricular (RV) function within a 5-year follow-up period of HLHS patients after TCPC using conventional and 2DST echocardiography. RV fractional area change (RVFAC), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), E/A, E/e' and 2DST parameters [global longitudinal peak systolic strain (GS) and strain rate (GSRs), global strain rate in early (GSRe) and late (GSRa) diastole] of 40 HLHS patients were compared at 1.6 and at 5.1 years after TCPC. RVFAC, E/A, E/e' and GS did not change, whereas TAPSE (13.7 ± 3.2 vs. 10.5 ± 2.4 mm/m(2), p < 0.001), GSRs (-1.56 ± 0.28 vs. -1.35 ± 0.31 1/s, p < 0.001), GSRe (2.22 ± 0.49 vs. 1.96 ± 0.44 1/s, p = 0.004) and GSRa (1.19 ± 0.39 vs. 0.92 ± 0.39 1/s, p < 0.001) decreased significantly. Systolic and diastolic RV function parameters of HLHS patients decreased from 1.6 to 5.1 years after TCPC in our patients. Changes in global strain rate parameters may be signaling early RV dysfunction that is not detectable by traditional echocardiography. Further study is needed to verify this and to determine whether these changes are clinically relevant.
Keywords: Fontan; Hypoplastic left heart syndrome; Myocardial function; Strain rate.