European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background:Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of airways in which many
cells and cellular elements play a role particularly mast cells, eosinophils, T lymphocytes,
macrophages, neutrophils and epithelial cells.Chronic bronchial asthma may cause pulmonary
arterial hypertension which causes RV hypertrophy and dilatation as well as systolic and
diastolic RV dysfunction. The level of right ventricular diastolic dysfunction depends on the
degree of right ventricular hypertrophy and pulmonary vascular resistance.
Aim of the study: The aim of this study wasto evaluatethe ventricular functions in patients with
bronchial asthma using Traditional Echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging.
Patients and methods:This was a cross sectional study that included thirty-eight patients with
bronchial asthma. All patients were subjected to full history taking, clinical examination and
they underwent Echocardiography.
Results:Tricuspid and mitral E wave velocities were significantly lower among cases. Tricuspid
and mitral A wave Velocities were significantly higher among cases. No significant
differencewas found regarding any of the measured cardiac dimensions. No significant
statistical difference regarding fractional shortening was found.Right ventricular myocardial
performance (MPI) was higher in case group when compared to control group with no
significant statistical difference.
Conclusion:Early and late biventricular diastolic dysfunction was detectable in children with
bronchial asthma using conventionalDoppler echocardiography. The absolute value of right
ventricular tissue Doppler-derived MPI was increased in cases of bronchial asthma compared
with control subjects although the difference did not reach statistical significance.